Blog Ring of Power Presents: Rebecca P. McCray
Welcome to Rebecca P. McCray, today’s Blog Ring of Power guest. Her debut novel, The Journey of the Marked, tells the beginning of the epic Miyran Heir story. Currently, she resides in the western US, but has lived in various locations across the US and UK. Her interest in cultural anthropology contributed to the myriad of species and backgrounds incorporated into her new world.
Don’t miss the rest of her interview at:
T,W, Fendly
Sandra Ulbrich Almazan
Author Links
Section #3: The Creative Process
Where do you get your story ideas?
I have a rather wild and vivid
imagination. My story is the culmination of various stories I’ve toyed with
over the years in combination with a few items from nightmares. For example, I
took a rather horrid creature from a nightmare decades ago and turned it into a
positive species (the Thelios) in my series.
I haven’t had much issue with this,
but sometimes I do need a break. In those cases, I either start a new storyline
or work on editing what I’ve written.
Are you a “plotter” or a
“pantser” (do you plan/outline the story ahead of time or write “by the
seat of your pants”)?
Given the fact that I’m writing an
epic series, it may surprise you that I land pretty far on the side of pantser.
I was the kid in high school that wrote the paper first and the outline last.
With that said, writing an epic series does require some tracking /
preparation. I just have a tendency to do it when I have no choice. For
example, I kept a few notes and map while writing book one, but nothing
substantial. When I finished the first draft, I knew I had to build out the
history of the planet. Without it, there was too much risk of inconsistencies.
So, I built that out, then backtracked and edited the whole book to take it
into account. I’m sure some authors will cringe when they read this, but it’s
the process that works best for me. I just can’t work under the structure of an
outline.
I have a handful of beta readers
that all have some form of writing or grammar skills in their background. They
were extremely helpful for book one. For book two, I’ll need some beta readers
that are immersed into the story to be my double check on any inconsistencies,
which I’m working extremely hard to avoid.
My story takes place on a different
planet with species I’ve created, so some of it comes from my imagination.
However, there is a strong sci-fi influence. Therefore, I want things like
weapons or rotations of the moons to make sense. Since I started writing my
story, I’ve researched enough weapons that I’m certain to be on a Google “watch”
list somewhere. You can’t imagine how excited I was to find a You Tube clip
showing how to throw bolas… in slow motion, no less!
Section #4: About Your Current Work
The Journey of the Marked is book
one in The Miyran Heir series. It’s currently available in print and e-book
through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a number of e-Merchants. I’m working to
introduce it to physical book stores, but it’s not there yet. My next book, The
List, will be book two in my series and should be published late 2015 or early
2016.
Is there anything new,
unusual, or interesting about your book? How is it different from toher
books on the same subject?
I find so many stories include
“bad” people that are simply that, bad. In reality, I think very few people are
all truly good or bad; most people exist in some form of grey. While my story
does have one rather nasty character, the leader on one side of the conflict, I
want to show the realities of war from both sides and how individuals can
inadvertently end up believing in the wrong side of conflict. In the end, you
may find you like some of the bad guys as much as the good ones.
I’ve learned a tremendous amount,
not just from writing The Journey of the Marked, but in all my interactions
with authors afterwards. If I have to narrow it down to one thing, I’ve learned
that you have to believe in yourself. Others might encourage you, but in the
end, you need to the commitment and vision to see a project through to the end.
Everyone, every skill, and every
unique ability is important. You may not be able to compete with others in
certain areas, but everyone can add value in his or her own way.
Tell us about your book’s cover – where did the design come from and what was the design process like?
I developed the concept for the
cover, but needed an artist. I searched for days and finally found a talented
artist in Australia (http://imaliea.deviantart.com/).
Using my broad concept and with some discussion between us, she designed the
cover for The Journey of the Marked (and is working on the cover for The List).
I chose Eros for the first cover because he’s Human, which I thought was easier.
His expression shows concern and the dark forest communicates the tone. Then,
we added the red mark because it’s a constant driver throughout the story. I
love it.
On
a distant planet, Eros thrives in the Human settlement he calls home. Raised to
follow his grandfather’s noble footsteps, he studies the details of each
species that co-exists here.
But when his sixteenth birthday arrives and he’s called to fight, his life changes forever. Forced to abandon his home and relentlessly pursued by savage hunters, he joins forces with others, including a scrappy, street fighter named Kenrya, who loathes the planet’s self-appointed rulers.
As Eros faces perils that test his training and push the limits of his resolve, he and Kenrya must put aside their differences and learn to work together to survive. Discover this epic, dystopian adventure where an individual’s unique abilities can change the course of the future.
But when his sixteenth birthday arrives and he’s called to fight, his life changes forever. Forced to abandon his home and relentlessly pursued by savage hunters, he joins forces with others, including a scrappy, street fighter named Kenrya, who loathes the planet’s self-appointed rulers.
As Eros faces perils that test his training and push the limits of his resolve, he and Kenrya must put aside their differences and learn to work together to survive. Discover this epic, dystopian adventure where an individual’s unique abilities can change the course of the future.
Book Links:
Is your book in print, ebook or both? Both
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