Interview with Ayden K Morgen

One of the great joys of being a writer is getting to know other writers. No matter where they are on their career path (never-been-published, up-and-coming, or old school) writers are some of the most thoughtful and interesting people to talk to. I think that must be because they notice everything.

Yep, everything.

So, when I get the chance to talk to one, I take full advantage. 900 Bazillion questions in my head and I try to get through as many as I can before I run out of time and they have to run away from me.

And since I do love talking with writers so much (and, as an introvert, that is a big deal) I thought perhaps some interviews might be in order. Here is my first.

I am delighted I got the chance to chat with my dear friend, Ayden K. Morgen, and ask her just a tiny fraction of those questions. Even better? Her latest book is being released in just 4 days!

Here are some of the highlights from our chat. If you would like to read the entire interview, you can by visiting my blog here.

About You:

When and why did you begin writing?

I've been writing since I was a little kid, but there have always been those periods where I would step away for a while. Before my grandfather passed in 2006, he reminded me that I shouldn't give up something I love so easily. I've been writing in earnest ever since.

What book are you reading now?

About five million different books! I'm rereading The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, which I love. I'm also reading the After Dark series by Kahlen Aymes, Sweet Submission by Roxy Sloane, and several others. I can't remember the last time I was reading only one book at a time.

About Your Writing:

What are your current projects?

I'm currently working on the Teplo Trilogy, an erotic romance series featuring drug trafficking, the All Falls Down duo, a two-part contemporary/New Adult romance duo centered around life after escaping an abusive relationship, the Ragnarök Prophesies series about Norse mythology, the War Scrolls series about angels and demons and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a historical romance. Aside from the Ragnarök Prophesies series, they are all written. They're in various stages of completion editing and rewriting, wise.

Tell us your latest news?

I received an email from the editorial team at Cobblestone Press letting me know we'll begin edits for Call Your Name, an erotic novella, sometime later this month. I'm excited about that. I signed it months ago!

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Yes! I tend to spend a little too much time getting lost in the internal dialogue and thought processes. I'm still learning to rein that in and cut what isn't essential.

About Your Latest Work:

How did you come up with the title?

My latest work is All Cried Out, which releases June 7th. It's the second book in the All Falls Down duo, and is named after a song of the same name.

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

I'd love if readers walked away with a better understanding of domestic violence and the long-term consequences of such. People tend to assume that getting out of a violent relationship is simple and that once you're out, you should be able to just "get over it", but it just doesn't work that way for those who were abused, or for those who come into an abuse victim's life after the fact. In many instances, you're in more danger after leaving an abusive relationship. Every day, women and children who have left are tracked down and killed. It's frightening, and it's unfortunate that so many are completely unaware of the realities.

What do you say?

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don't give up. Writing is hard, even before publishing, and it's so easy to get disillusioned. Remember that constructive criticism is meant to challenge you to better yourself and your skills. Embrace it! But don't forget that YOU ultimately know the story best. Take advice, but know when to stand your ground.

Tidbits

Did you have a favorite toy as a child?

I loved books as a kid. I collected the classics. I also loved the Nintendo, bikes, and rollerblades. I think my younger sister and I spent 90% of our time on wheels or reading to each other. We gave our Barbies to the dog.

What are your pet peeves? 

Rude people, people who drive really slow, and people who don't know the difference between your and you're drive me insane. Since taking on my new job as an emergency dispatcher, I've added parents who let their children play with cellphones to the list. Even a disconnected cellphone will dial 911, and the kids will call us fifty times in a row telling us all kinds of crap. It's infuriating!

Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?

Chocolate. Chocolate everything!

Sleep in or get up early?

I hate mornings with a passion. If I ever become overlord, we're abolishing anything before 10am.

Stalkers:

Where can your readers stalk you?

My blog: http://aydenmorgen.com or http://aydenmorgen.com/blog

My facebook page: http://facebook.com/akmorgen1

My Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8544596.Ayden_K_Morgen

Twitter: http://twitter.com/akmorgen