*How long have you been writing for?*
I typically say I started when I was 10, but in reality, I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I wrote two books when I was younger, one about the secret life of a pet dog and another about a family of talking jaguars. I also wrote poetry when I was younger and filled about three notebooks with half- written stories because I hated to end them
*How many rejections did you receive before you first became published
and how did you stay motivated?*
None! I decided to do my own thing and self-publish my first book. The nerve-wracking part was waiting for reviews to come in since I didn’t publish my first book the “right” way. I just kinda did it and waited to see what people thought. I stayed motivated by including my best friend in the process. He was a huge inspiration to me as I kept writing and he also did the cover art, so I didn’t want his talents to be wasted.
*Favorite Author and book when you were a child?*
I have two, first, Shel Silverstein. I loved his weird style of writing and limerick poetry that brought lightheartedness into the realm of the weird. Second is Lemony Snickett. His Series of Unfortunate Events taught me that not all stories need to have happy endings.
*What music do you listen to when you write?*
I try not to listen to music when I write, I find it really distracting. However, when my mind can’t keep up with all the ideas buzzing around up there, I listen to instrumental Irish music.
*Any superstitious rituals that you go through when beginning a new
story?*
Not unless procrastination to the point of insanity can be considered superstitious.
*Favorite book released in the last year?*
I write more than I read, so I haven’t had a lot of time (or the brain capacity) to sit through a new book. However, I have a signed copy of Turtles All the Way Down by John Green sitting on my shelf that I can’t wait to dive into. DFTBA!
*Do you play any table top RPGS?*
I dabble in D&D though I’ve never played a campaign all the way through. I love being able to create characters and play them through their own stories.
*If so, tell us about your favorite character that you’ve used.*
My favorite character is actually based on a character I wrote a half-book about when I was in high school. Her name is Kai. She’s an Elf Rogue 3/ Ranger 1. I played her through my last game which was hosted online by an expert GM. She’s a super secretive girl with crasy high dexterity that fancies slashing throats with a kukri rather than shooting arrows. She came from wealth in a town known for trading. Her family was killed by pirates when she was younger, and to keep her quiet, they crudely sewed her mouth shut, tied her up, and left her to rot. She was soon rescued and taken in by neighbors.
As an adult, she wore a scarf around her mouth so no one could see her terrible scars. During game play, my troupe met up with a spirit trapped in a cave named Mayana. She and Kai were long distant relatives and Mayana had unfinished business to attend to (i.e. she had to kill 100 orcs to avenge her family) so Kai decided to help her and now she has a kind of split personality with Mayana travelling along in her head. In the end, Kai decided to lay Mayana’s bones to rest near where her parents died and wrapped Mayana’s bones in the scarf she used to hide her face.
*Advice for new writers who are struggling with character creation?*
Take inspiration from those around you. Find personality traits you admire about them and put them into one character. Once the story gets going, they’ll pretty much write themselves into your world. Start basic and create different roadblocks for them to overcome in your story so you and the reader can get to know them better!
*E-Reader or Physical copy?
Personally, I like reading a physical copy of a book over an ereader. While it’s nice not to have to worry about finding tiny batteries for your book light, I would much rather turn pages than tap a screen to keep the story going.
*Favorite genre to read?*
Dystopian fiction. The Giver is one of my all-time favorite books to read over and over so I look for other books that are similar and run with it. I love seeing the world through others’ eyes, even if that world is a little bit off.
*What first inspired you to become a writer?*
You know, I don’t actually know. I’m fairly certain I have an attention disorder, so when my brain gets too full and my creative juices are flowing, my default method of dealing with it is to write it all down.
*Tell us your favorite joke.*
A man is in a terrible car accident and during his life saving operation, one of his eyes needs to be removed. During the healing process, the doctor tells the man he might want to invest in a false eye. The man is presented with different kinds of eyes, but the only one that fits into his budget is made of wood.
After some time, the man begins to feel more confident in his appearance. The scars from the accident are slowly healing and he’s growing used to his new false eye. One night, he decides to go to his favorite bar and grab a drink for himself.
With his newfound confidence, he scans the room from his seat at the bar and notices a woman sitting alone at a table. She’s blonde, has brown eyes, and a nose that looks a bit too big for her face. He slicks back his hair and walks over to her table. “Hi there” he says. “Hello” she responds with a warm smile. “I couldn’t help but notice you from the bar over there. Are you alone?”
“I am, indeed” she says “Well I’d love to have you come join me, maybe you’d be interested in some dinner and a few drinks?” The woman’s face lights up into a brilliant smile and she says “Would I!?” excitedly.
The man’s expression immediately changes and before he storms off he angrily shouts “BIG NOSE!” and leaves the bar.
Augie has a book of short stories called Night Vision which you can purchase from Amazon here
Augie can be found on twitter here