Coming just a little on the late side, (pregnancy issues) I am happy to announce that the Author of the month is none other than Mr. Joseph Beekman. His work is beautiful unique, refreshing and all together fabulous. He is an author to watch.
What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
Hello, and thanks for having me, Julieanne! My name is Joseph Beekman, and although I have lived 99 percent of my life in the wild west of Arizona, where I currently reside, I was born in Bozeman, Montana J
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
Well, I have always wanted to tell stories, have loved reading stories since I was very little, and so writing was a great thing to learn and continue learning to this day. If not a writer, then probably something to do with the creative fields; acting, or something to do with the movie industry J
When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
Probably in high school; I would write quite often, short stories during classes, or at least the ideas for them… I would write all kinds of crazy stuff ;)
Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
No, not really. I self published, as I do now, and with the internet age and all the various options available out there to publish oneself, it was fairly quick to do.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Little Orphan Anvil: the Shades of Fate. It is the second in the series of Little Orphan Anvil. It is a twisted and magical tale surrounding a witch, a robot, and quite a few ghosts! In a realm that is gloomy and full of all kinds of paranormal happenings, the little robot must once again, with the aid of some new and old friends, help to destroy the rule of the witch.
Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
I was published for a bit, but felt that the publisher I was with was not going in the direction I saw myself or my books going, so I set out, once again, to self publish and learn along the way, some more of the standards, etc… It is a lot of work, but all in all, well worth the growth and learning experience of it.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
A few months, for sure. Depends on the idea and subject matter, I guess… With the Little Orphan Anvil book, for example, I had the idea and the name of the story in mind, then just went at it…started typing it out and kept at it until it was completed and ready to edit. Then, revised it and published it! J
Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?
Probably the ones now, the Little Orphan Anvil series…there is much going on and many varied characters; plus, I have delved into spiritual and philosophical situations, more so in this new one than the first one, so balancing fantasy with one’s own reality was like playing a game of tug-o-war, but a lot of fun at the same time, too. J
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
Definitely, more of the LOA series! I am having fun writing this story and series. I also have some horror, sci-fi ideas brewing, and started, so that should be interesting.
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Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Just finish up a horror/sci-fi short story, may possibly be a series, and of course, begin the third installment in the LOA series.
What genre would you place your books into?
Fantasy/adventure, paranormal/sci-fi, mythical, and young adult/teens - so somewhat of a combo of all that J
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
My love for that type of storytelling, my love for that kind of material.
Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
Little Orphan Anvil. Both books so far, but I really like the second one quite a bit!
Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
Probably the old man, Will, from the LOA books. He is a somewhat crazy and wild, but very smart and funny character, always seeking adventure, and loves to build things and live out in the wilds of the land. I like that kind of character J Also, Tinspar, from the second book: He is a very interesting, off-the-wall, one, but I don’t want to spoil that character for anyone who has not read the second book, yet J
If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and why?
I would say, it would be Sonny, the little boy from the first Little Orphan Anvil book. He reminds me of me when I was little and adventuring about in the wilds of Montana during my summertime visits there.
Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Actually, I usually just release them and then have reviews, etc…. The second book, “the shades of fate” I had the amazing author and musician, Khloe Kamalis, who also edited the book, read it over, but no one else had.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Oh yes….Both, A Tail Spun, and the Little Orphan Anvil, books have underlying messages of Faith, Hope , Love, Strength, Honesty….and a spiritual aspect of one’s self and towards life.
If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
Alive: Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, and Anne Rice. Dead: Frank Herbert, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Mark Twain. J
Thank you Joseph for giving us an insight into your life and work. It's always great to get to know the mind behind the book.
Now if you'd like to find out more about Joseph and his work, you just might find the links below an interesting asset:
Thanks everyone for stopping by. Remember to leave a comment or two, us authors love your feedback.
Until next time, ciao my lovelies.
