Monday, May 14, 2012

Mention Monday brings us S.I. Hayes - In Dreams

 
 It's Mention Monday! 
Today we have with us

S.I. Hayes who is the author of
In Dreams: Book One: The Road Unavoidable


Welcome!!

Tell us a bit about yourself:
 Do you work another job when you are not writing?

You could say that, I am a homemaker, with all that it implies. It works out well because my nights are open for my writing, when it strikes me.
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?
Draw, it’s also, what helps me to get through scenes when descriptions of places or moods escape me. A few hours with Adobe CS5 or a pencil and some paper and I can usually move on.
What is your favorite color? Why?
I would have to say Yellow, like that damn son, uber bright kind of yellow.  It’s a cardinal color for creativity, and a direct polar opposite of the usual first impression people get of me. I sometimes come across as unapproachable, but somewhere deep inside there is a shiny happy person, and that color represents her!
What is your favorite season? Why?
Fall, because it means that October is nearby.  October is a big deal in my family, because of Samhain: (Pronounced Sow-winn) or (Halloween, to those not of the pagan sect) It’s the anniversary of the night my parents met, (32 years and counting). That said we go all out with decorations inside and outside the house and in the younger years my mom always made our costumes. It has always been an awesome sight. We were even on the cover of “The Bridgeport Post” in 1986. It has even spilled into my siblings lives, my Sister-in-Law, collects all things Halloweenie, just like my mom. It is still a time I/we look forward to each year.
If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?
Honestly? I like where I am, it has its ups and downs like anywhere in the world, but I know my little piece of property, in Ansonia, Connecticut, I’ve planted every flower, and tree, for better or for worse it is home to me.
If you could have any car, what would it be?
I don’t actually drive, so I'm not car savvy. Unrealistically I would love a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop Sport Coupe, in my favorite color of course. This car just has a great look; it is made out of actual metal, and has a standard tranny. Which is ideal for the dragon claw gearshift that I would love to have...It may not be good for the environment, but this is a dream car after all.
Tell us about your writing:
How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?
I’ve been writing for as long as I have been able to string two words together. So about 25 years. My family will tell you that even before I could physically write I have been telling tales.  It has always been with me. I am a writer.
How many hours a day do you devote to writing?
It’s not a daily thing; I often wish I could be... You see I am Bi-polar, and there are days when I just cannot bring myself to the computer. It is a struggle and for along time I was completely blocked. But I have finally found a good support system and am managing. When I do sit down, it consumes me, and I devote days to it, those are the great days. I am always working on my writing though, even if it’s just in the filing cabinet of my mind.
Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?
 Some days it’s a push, other days it’s a mood. When the mood does strike, it strikes hard. As for routine, I like to have my Netflix going in the background, typically with movies similar in genre to what I am writing. Horror, fantasy adventure. Other times, I have my IPod streaming through my Xbox, with playlists that remind me of my tales, specific scenes, and songs of inspiration.
Is there some place special you like to be when you write?
I would prefer to be outside, but my computer doesn’t have a long lasting battery. I work predominantly in my room, but with the better weather, and a few extension chords of epic length, I am able to sit out in my yard at the patio table and soak up the warm sun, and when the dark comes, I light up the oil-filled torches and let the words flow. I do most of my writing at night, always have, I don’t know why, but it has always been a source of inspiration and motivation.
Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?
Asked and answered... LOL. But seriously, I need the quiet of a lack of people, but I need the sounds of inspiration, be it the television or my premade playlists, just so long as I don’t have anyone around to distract me, unless I am working with my Co-Author, Will Van Stone Jr. Then of course, we are bantering back and forth about the scenes, and conversations our characters are having.
Tell us about your book:
What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?
“In Dreams: Book One the Road Unavoidable” lovingly shortened to “In Dreams” is the first in a series of Fantasy novels, singularly authored by me.
Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write?
For a while, I was an active D&D player, and the characters and beginning of the story were part of a campaign I played with a friend. When the game ended, I took my characters, and morphed them into the leads Morgan and Amara, fleshing them out and giving then my worlds to traverse. It took me four years from word one to publication, but I was severely blocked for along time, not writing a single word for almost two and a half years. The worse times of my Bi-polar symptoms, having reared their head, as well as dealing with family health issues. I am glad to say that those issues are over and the people in my life are still here. I am fortunate to be able to say that.
What is it about?
It’s not about the destination, but the journey that takes place between being strangers and becoming something more. We find Amara and Morgan two very different people whose lives merge on the road. Amara is torn between being a good daughter and being free to choose her own path in life. When she meets Morgan, a man who doesn’t dream, but experiences the dreams of others, the decision for Amara to go home is taken out of her hands, as Morgan has come to the conclusion that her people need her. That they are in chains at the hands of a leader who has no right to keep them. “You’re going home and I'm coming with you.” Are the words, which seal their fates, from Morgan’s mouth to Amara’s ears. They travel to The Isle De’ Corlen, where Amara must learn to stand up for what she believes, and face a woman who will do anything to keep the world the way she want it to be kept...Hers.
Your other work:
Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?
Yes, I do. I have been writing with a Co-Author for quite some time, and in June “Awakenings” the first in a series of Dramatic Horror/ Erotic stories, which take place in the 20th century. Surrounding the lives of a clan of mixed Immortals, Two Vampires, a Werecat Queen, and a Werewolf, as they attempt to live in the human world, which denies their existence, with one hand, and hunts them fro vengeance with the other. “Awakenings” will be debuting @ Smashwords.com.
I am also working on a Vampire Novel, “Centuries of Blood” Which tells the centuries biography of Catharine Morrigaine Von Cecile, through life and love, loss and renewed hope; she makes her way through Europe to the U.S. trying to find a place that feels like home. Its release is set for sometime this fall.
Where can readers connect with you?
I am still working on a website host that I feel comfortable with, but for now my fan page on Facebook is the best place to find me, as I frequently find myself doing updates. Here you can have a more personal relationship with me, as I will make every attempt to answer questions, give advice or anything else you may like.  

Where can we buy your books?

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