No Wasted Ink is happy to introduce Warren Reed, an author of adventure and science fiction novels.

See Original Post Here

Author Warren Reed Hello, everyone! My name is Warren Reed, and I live on the East Coast in Portland, Maine. I grew up on action figures, comic books, Saturday morning cartoon shows (back when they were good), and science fiction novels. I love a good story as much as I love an adventure, and I’m always on the lookout for both.

When and why did you begin writing?

I think the first story I (legibly) wrote with a beginning, middle, and end, was in 1st grade. It was for a class project; each of us had to write and illustrate our own book, including a front and back cover. Being an avid drawer, I thought I would enjoy illustrating the most, but once I started writing, it soon became a struggle to fit the story into the allotted number of pages–I was having too much fun and didn’t want to stop. After the project was finished, I continued the story outside of school, and I’ve been writing stories ever since.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

For me, even though I’ve been writing for several years, the term ‘writer’ carries a certain weight; it’s something I continuously aspire to be, and I’m hesitant to label myself as such. Above and beyond everything, I consider myself a storyteller, whether it’s writing, drawing comics, or producing film/video. If I had to choose a point in time, however, it would probably be a few years ago when I was starting my latest story–now known as DARKRIFT: Arrival–and decided that it would be the first of my stories to have published.

Can you share a little about your current book with us?

DARKRIFT: Arrival is a YA/teen sci-fi action/adventure novel; it combines many of my favorite sci-fi themes and delivers them in a story that is meant to be fun and engaging. It follows two modern-day characters who are thrust into a sci-fi inspired, otherworldly adventure that presents them with mystery, dark moments, and epic showdowns…all the while trying to stay one step ahead of a ruthless enemy.

What inspired you to write this book?

When I was growing up, I loved reading sci-fi; it stimulated my imagination and got me excited to read. Quite often, though, I had to dig to find sci-fi novels, and many of them were not as exciting or adventurous as I had hoped. Many of them were slow and dry. I wroteDARKRIFT: Arrival as a tribute to the action-filled, epic-scale sci-fi stories I wish I could have found more of as a kid.

Do you have a specific writing style?

When a reader is reading one of my stories, my goal is for them to feel like they’re watching a big-screen blockbuster–I want the story to play out in their head like it’s a movie, as it does for me when I’m writing it. “Show, don’t tell” sums it up nicely, and being a very visual, imaginative person, I try to convey that in how I write so that each paragraph, each sentence, each word, has its own, unique energy that paints a vivid picture for the reader.

How did you come up with the title of this book?

DARKRIFT: Arrival relates to two simple (but relevant) elements in the book. The second part of the title is more self-explanatory than the first, but so I don’t give too much away, you’ll have to read it to find out more!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

There are some subtle themes, as well as messages, woven throughout the story, but my primary goal in writing DARKRIFT: Arrival is for entertainment. If readers happen to pick up on anything deeper, that will purely be a bonus for me as a storyteller.

Are experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Because DARKRIFT: Arrival, like many of my stories, centers around both sci-fi and supernatural elements, no, it’s not based on experiences or events in my own life. However, in an attempt to ground my stories in reality, I do base the personalities of my characters (everything they feel, say, and do) on people I know or have met. This way, I have a very real-world understanding of how my characters will react to the situations I put them in, and will hopefully make the journey of reading my stories more believable and engaging for my readers.

What authors have most influenced your life? What about them do you find inspiring?

Authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and more “local” authors like Archer Mayor and Stephen King, have influenced me the most. I find them inspiring because they each have their own distinct style and are known for being masters of their genre.

If you had to choose, is there a writer would you consider a mentor? Why?

I consider all of the authors mentioned above, as well as various others, mentors in one way or another…but if I had to choose, I would say Stephen King; he is a hugely successful author with many books, movies, and other accomplishments to his name, and he’s a Mainer (I often drive by his house when taking motorcycle trips). Having such a successful writer so close to home is hugely inspiring for any aspiring Maine author, but even more so than that, his writing of strange, and oftentimes dark subject matter has, over the years, inspired me to embrace those types of themes, instead of shy away from them.

Who designed the cover of your book? Why did you select this illustrator?

I had a rough idea of what I wanted the cover to look like, and artist Meghann Pardee brought it to life. I chose Meghann because her portfolio was very diverse, and all of her work exhibited a style I wanted to capture for the cover of DARKRIFT: Arrival. Meghann was a pleasure to work with. Please, check out her portfolio.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

I think the best advice I’ve heard for writing is to write for yourself, not others. And, if you’re planning to publish, a professional editor really should be a part of your writing arsenal.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you. I had the story of DARKRIFT: Arrival brewing in my head for quite some time. A few years ago, I decided to sit down and write it. Part of my intent in writing it is was not only to offer YA/teen sci-fi fans a new universe to explore, but also offer an alternative, yet equally-engaging option to movies, television, and video games. So for anyone who has, or will, give DARKRIFT: Arrival a chance for themselves, or a YA/teen they know who might be on the search of a new and exciting sci-fi story, I humbly and graciously thank you for your support.

Darkrift Arrival Book CoverWarren Reed
Portland, Maine

TWITTER

Cover Artist: Meghann Pardee

AMAZON

Movies Posts

Sep 14, 2015

The Martian Reviewed, Godzilla and King Kong, America’s Got Talent, Iron Maiden and Muse Album Reviews, and Ninja News!

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Entertainment News The upcoming film, The Martian, was just reviewed at the Toronto International Film Festival. According to JoBlo’s site - As such, The Martian really is terrific family entertainment....

Sep 07, 2015

Too Much NetFlix? The Shannara Chronicles, Hellboy 3, New releases in DVD-music-games, Favorite Job, Mini-Alex and Cicadas, and Ninja News!

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Happy Labor Day to my friends here in the States! Entertainment News This article caught my eye - New Study Suggests Americans are Watching Too Much NetFlix. From JoBlo’s site...

Aug 24, 2015

RiffTrax Live! Plus Movie Reviews, Trivia, and News; Dragon and Cassa News, Battle of the Banned, and Ninja News

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Back from vacation! I’m starting to really enjoy those… RiffTrax Live! Two more shows remain in this year’s RiffTrax Live line-up – Miami Connection and Santa and the Ice Cream...

Aug 17, 2015

Dragon’s Destiny! Plus Movie News, War Movie Trivia Answers, Ninja News, Box Social Winner, and Internet Questions for Everyone…

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Movie News World Wide Box Office – Jurassic World is now number three: 1 Avatar - $2,788.0 million 2 Titanic - $2,186.8 3 Jurassic World - $1,582.4 4 Marvel's The...

Aug 05, 2015

Roving Packs of Ferals

By Morbid Is as Morbid Does

I’ve wanted to start writing about the science fiction books that influenced my writing and there’s no better place to start than the book that revised my world and showed me what was possible in fiction.

Jul 27, 2015

Justice League: Gods & Monsters (Review)

By Comics Worth Reading

Justice League: Gods & Monsters is the best of the DC original animated movies in a long while. That’s because it’s fresh. It’s based on an original story by Bruce...

Jul 25, 2015

Pixels

By Comics Worth Reading

Pixels is exactly what it promises: a movie where video games have come to life, and Adam Sandler and friends, former arcade champions, are the only ones who can save...

Jul 20, 2015

The State of Sci-Fi Shows, Ant-Man Review, Movie News, Mini-Alex, and Reading Ambitions

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

I’m back from vacation! And it was awesome… I’m also over at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group with guest blogging tips. Movie News Ant-Man Review I’m happy to say the...

Jul 15, 2015

Review: Space Cowboys & Indians by Lisa Medley

By Escape Reality, Read Fiction!

My Review: While Space Cowboys & Indians isn’t really like the 2011 movie Cowboys & Aliens, it also isn’t not like it. Along with a bit of Farscape or the...

Jul 13, 2015

RiffTrax Sharknado 2 Review! Plus Minions Review, How Often Should You Blog, Box Office Results, and Ninja News

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

RiffTrax Live – Sharknado 2 Review and Feature On July 9 (with an encore presentation on July 16), the RiffTrax crew tackled a classice – Sharknado 2. I felt bad...