I was fortunate enough to get the chance to interview Greg R. Fishbone as part of his Galaxy Games Blog Tour. For those of you unfamiliar with Greg’s work, he is a fantasy/science fiction author who normally writes for the 8-12 age group. His most recent work, “Galaxy Games: The Challengers”, published by Lee & Low Books/Tu Books, is already creating quite a buzz, so make sure you check it out!
Now, on to the interview…
1. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?
When I was in the third grade, I had a dream about a book. It was very vivid, and when I woke up I could remember every word and every detail, including the way that reading it made me feel. I was sure it was a real book I’d seen before, but the librarian couldn’t find the title and said the plot didn’t sound familiar to her at all. That had to be my “calling” because who else but a future author dreams about books that don’t exist?
2. Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?
* THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams
* A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON by Piers Anthony
* THE FOUNDATION SERIES by Isaac Asimov
* THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin
* A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L’Engle
* A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA by Ursula LeGuin
* THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES by Ray Bradbury
3. Did you have a hard time getting your first book published?
I sent eight drafts of my first book, back and forth, to a single editor before I collected my first rejection letter. About a dozen more rejections followed before I put that book away and worked on something else, which also didn’t get accepted anywhere. The first book I actually published, THE PENGUINS OF DOOM, was seven years in the making. But it’s actually good that it took such a long time because the revision process made me a stronger writer, and that first book would really embarrass me now if it had come out when I originally wrote it!
4. Assuming that you write for children or young adults, what made you decide to write for those age groups? Do you still feel connected to your “inner child”?
I tried to write books that I would enjoy myself, and people would tell me that “kids would really love this.” I think I am writing for my inner child, to some extent.
5. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?
I like designing websites and taking nature hikes, but usually not at the same time.
6. Do you have any sage advice for new authors who are just entering the field?
If somebody presents you with a shortcut to instant success, avoid it at all costs!
7. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?
Being able to pay the mortgage and purchase food helps my writing process immensely.
8. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
I met Neil Gaiman once, briefly, but I’d love a chance to sit down with him and chat. The ideas that come out of his mind and the style he uses to express them are just amazing.
9. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?
My author page is http://gfishbone.com
My book site is http://galaxygam.es
You can also like my fan page or the Galaxy Games fan page on Facebook.
Puzzle Piece #20 of 31 for the Galaxy Games Blog Tour Puzzle Contest:
