Interview with a…Muse – Guest: J.A. Paul

“Hey, Jami, now that you have a bazillion things to do and no time to get it all done, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to Disneyland!”

That’s right.  I threw up my hands and decided everything could wait a week while I head to Disneyland with the family.  Everything could wait but this blog, that is.  *smile*

I’ve arranged for a couple guests to join us this week, and because insanity loves company (or something like that), we’ll be “interviewing” our guests’ muses.  Our first guest is Jason (J.A. Paul).  I knew his muse had a story when a Twitter conversation with Jason about my Do You Have a Muse? post resulted in his accusation/confession:

“Mine’s a big flirt…”

So please welcome Jason and his muse, and let’s see if she’s really the flirt he claims.

*****

Hi, Jason and Jason’s muse—I think I’ll shorten that to JM for this interview, okay?—come in and make yourselves comfortable.  Tell me, Jason, which came first, the desire to start writing, or the whisperings from your muse?

Jason:  I was writing before she started whispering in my ear, but my writing and story ideas were rather flat.  Now, when she relays her ideas to me, it’s almost like I can feel her sweet breath in my ear.  It makes my hairs stand on end and does the same for my writing.

*JM gives Jason a sincere smile*

Hmm, no evidence of flirting yet.  Let’s go to JM.  How did you first make your presence known to Jason?

JM:  I flashed him.  *JM laughs*  No really, it was a short story he was writing at the time about a girl in need.  This girl was desperate for a rescue and I could tell he was stuck as to how to properly set her free.  I nudged him along and he’s been my pet author ever since.  *JM pats Jason’s head*

*raises eyebrow*  Uh-huh.  So what’s he like to work with?

JM:  Oh, he’s a charm to work with now that I’ve got him trained to do things my way.

*snickers*  I bet.  And Jason, what’s she like to work with?

Jason:  Distracting.  Just kidding.  No wait, I’m not.  She’s great at pushing me and sparking new ideas for me, but she’s very flirty.  She always wants to role-play the emotion scenes.  I’m getting used to it now.

Well that sounds…interesting.  Was her voice always strong for you, or has it gotten stronger over time?

Jason:  Definitely gotten stronger over time.  Not only that, but I can understand where she’s heading with an idea before she fully reveals it.  Early on, I would run with the idea or subplot, not really knowing where it was going.  Now we think alike.

*JM puts her arm around Jason’s shoulder and leans in her head for a friendly hug*

Aww…  JM, how would you describe Jason?

JM:  He’s funny looking.  He a smartass guy.  Easy to get along with.  Obviously easy to distract, my god, all I’m doing is whispering in his ear.  Oh, and he’s overly adventurous.  He was typing with a taped up finger last week after a kayaking incident.

*eyes Jason*  All she’s doing is whispering in your ear?  You haven’t convinced me on that “flirt” thing yet, but the role-playing stuff has potential.  Tell me more about what she’s like to work with.

Jason:  She’s a night owl and I’m an early bird.  Fortunately, she lives in another time zone and just pops in when needed.  I wake early to write and she’s just catching her second wind.  Once I get some coffee, I write, she interjects, I write some more, she flirts, I write, she tells me to weave in a layer of romance, I do.  She wins.  I write some more.

Well, it sounds like you two have a system that works.  JM, what’s your favorite and least favorite thing about working with Jason?

JM:  Least favorite: He’s always wanting to put our characters through some macho adventure.  Most favorite: He likes beauty.  He lets them stop to smell flowers or admire a mountain lake along the way.

Ahh, so some creative differences there.  And Jason, what’s your favorite and least favorite thing about working with her?

Jason:  Her flirting.

Which one?  Favorite or least favorite?

Jason:  Both.  *Jason grins*

Okay, let’s see how deep those differences go…  *evil laugh*  This last question is to both of you.  Where do more of Jason’s ideas come from, his conscious thoughts or JM?

JM:  Me of course.  If I were human, I’d be J.K. Rowling.

Jason:  She definitely gives me ideas, and like most authors, I let them stew all day and I build on them.  I might come back the next morning with a completely new idea, but I wouldn’t have been able to do so if I hadn’t thought about the ideas first inspired by my precious muse.

*JM whispers in Jason’s ear*

Ooo, what was that about?

*silence*

*Jason grins*

*****

What do you think, is Jason’s muse a flirt?  Do you have any questions for her (she loves the limelight) or Jason?  I played nice and gave them a bunch of softball questions, but feel free to dig for some real dirt in the comments.  Heh.  Or if you want to play nice too, let us know why you choose to write in your genre?

*****

J.A. Paul started writing short stories ten years ago and spent many years learning the craft.  Then one night after a long bedtime story, his sons challenged him to write a book.  He borrowed an idea from a friend and asked them to choose three things to go in the story.  They chose a dragon, a tree, and a ruby, and from the seed of that idea, the story of Gladius grew.  J.A. Paul set out to show his three sons that if you set your mind to something, it can be done.  Once he started writing Gladius, he knew he wanted to create a fantasy adventure novel that would encourage preteen and teenage boys to read more.

You can find J.A. Paul on Facebook, Twitter, and his website.

About Gladius and the Bartlett Trial:

When fifteen-year-old Gladius Oldmont is thrust from his peaceful home into the dangerous Longwood Forest, he finds himself pitted against a tyrant who has been terrorizing the lands in search of answers to an ancient secret that could unlock absolute power.

From the shadows of Longwood Forest to the Hills of the Moon, Gladius must survive encounters with a near-extinct scimitar cat, an ornery dragon, a horde of death bats, and a tumultuous underground river that leads to a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels.  Along the way, he makes new acquaintances and discovers the true meaning of friendship, including Elle—a girl who captivates his heart.

Can Gladius and friends solve the riddle of the ancient secret before the evil Mulhurt does?  If they can, will they be able to do anything about it?