Interviewer: mikaelkrownmk
Another yet awesome fantasy author is SmokeAndOranges. A. B. Channing took time out of his hectic schedule to speak to the Fantasy team about his books, his inspirations, and what's his definition of fantasy according to him. Here's what he has to say.
What's your full name?
A.B. Channing—or August Channing, depending on how formal we're being here ;)
What or who inspires you to write?
I am in love with storytelling. I get ideas from pictures, songs, prompts, other books, the natural world, things people say, dreams, and other assorted places. Once I'm writing, though, all I need to keep me going is the joy of the craft, getting to know new characters, watching them grow, and exploring entirely new worlds that didn't exist before I discovered them. I'm a kid at Christmas every time I start a new work, haha. What's your writing process? Once I've committed to a book idea, I use a beat sheet (my favorite is the Save the Cat template—highly recommend) to hammer out the turning points and mood trajectories of the plot. I start my heaviest research at about the same time. All my prep might take anywhere from a few days to a few months, but once I put pen to virtual paper, I rarely stop again until I'm done the book. Everything is still offline at this point, and it stays that way until I've edited it, and run it past sensitivity readers if applicable. Then I post!
What's your favorite quote?
"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." ― Anton Chekhov
Define Fantasy in your own words?
My first thought was, "A way to escape," and I think I can stand by that. To me, Fantasy is about pushing the bounds of imagination. It's about bringing to life things that don't exist, and exploring truths of our world by dropping them into a world that isn't ours. It has no rules except internal consistency, and I love it for that.
What's your favourite fantasy book on wattpad?
Hinterland by @Retroflier - Words don't do it justice, so I will let the book speak for itself. I laughed, I cried, I freaked out, I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the sequel.
Ten things about you?
1. I have no formal training in writing.
2. My academic background is biology and engineering. It comes in handy!
3. I have three cats, all of them cuddly.
4. Steampunk and Dark Fantasy are my favorite subgenres, to read and to write.
5. I write queer characters because I am a queer character.
6. I will never outgrow Middlegrade Fantasy.
7. I'm Canadian. I'm told it shows, haha.
8. My other hobbies include cooking, choir, and cat entertainment.
9. I enjoy editing. Yes, we exist.
10. I plan to keep writing as a serious hobby for the rest of my life
Thank you SmokeAndOranges for your time spent on this interview.
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Fantasy Authors Interview
RandomFantasy writers from all over Wattpad discuss their experiences creating magic with their ingenious and imaginative stories.
