Storm Song: Interview with Aspiring Author Allison Griner

These days, the worldwide web has made it possible for writers to connect with readers all over the globe in just the blink of an eye. Allison Griner is one of those young writers who has discovered this truth.

Her book, Storm Song, is currently an entry on Inkshares, a crowdfunding website for books. Think of it like Kickstarter for the written word! In order for her book to be printed, she has to win a place in the top three entries. Sounds cool, right? I thought so. So here is Allison, talking about her novel. I encourage you to support her book!

Interview with Inkshare Contestant Allison Griner Hello, Allison! Let's talk about your for a moment. Who are you, and where are you from? I'm a 29 year old woman from Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm the big sister to three wonderful brothers, and Aunt Alli to two nieces and two nephews. I studied Creative Writing and graphic design at Ball State University. And I'm an absolute nerd for board games and tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons.

Allison Griner.

How did you become interested in writing? Even before I could write, I wanted to tell stories. I remember being little, too young to read, and I would sit with a book in my lap, telling myself stories about mermaids going on adventures, or princesses running from dragons. As soon as I figured out how to put my own words on paper, it was game over. It was all I ever wanted to do. I Your novel, Storm Song, is on Inkshares.Com. Tell us about the book, and about what Inkshares is all about. Storm Song is a story that I've had in my head for a long time. When I was in college, I ran a Dungeons and Dragon campaign for my friends. In that game, a character sprang out of me, fully formed. His name was Thoster Chatwyn and Storm Song is his origin story. It's the story of who he was and how he became the man that existed in that D&D game. He's a family man, trying to take care of his younger siblings. Every choice he makes has them in mind. Thoster is a character that I've had in the back of my mind for the better part of a decade. Being able to tell his story is so important to me, and Inkshares has made it something that could very well become a reality.

Inkshares is a site that operates similar to Kickstarter. People pre order the stories they want to see published, and if enough backers support the project, the book is professionally edited, designed, and printed to be put on bookstore shelves.The Inkshares contest I'm currently entered in will print the top 3 entries, regardless of if they meet the standard Inkshares goals. What is your goal with Storm Song? I wanted to tell the story of the kind of character that's just trying to do the right thing, even if it doesn't always seem like it. Thoster makes mistakes. He's not very good at much beyond talking himself into and out of trouble, but he continues to do what he can to make sure his family comes out of it all okay. My goal is to tell a story that people can relate to. I know that I've made some questionable decisions in my day, but at the time they felt like my best course of action. And in the end, I learned something from the experience. I also just wanted to tell a story that I thought would entertain people. Pirates, magic, buried treasure... it's the sort of book I would love to read, so I want to make sure it gets the chance to exist in the world. Do you see yourself writing more books in the future? If so, in the same genre or in a different story world? I will absolutely write more books after Storm Song. There's plenty more for me to go into within the world of Thoster and Elysia, but I would love to dive into other worlds and genres outside of this one as well. If people want more of Thoster's story, I have more to give, but I also want to try my hand at something of a more modern setting- or even something with a futuristic spin. How do you find inspiration to write? I read a lot when I need to recharge my writing mojo. Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind is my go-to for that sort of thing. Falling into a story reminds me why I want to write. I want something I put out in the world to give someone else that feeling. I also listen to piano playing while I write. There's no song in particular, but something about the piano keeps the words flowing. Maybe it's something about connecting my fingers on the keyboard to the playing of each piano key. Do you have any favorite authors who inspire you? Patrick Rothfuss, for sure. Terry Goodkind and Irene Radford are also some of my favorites. I find myself returning to their books over and over again, never growing tired of those stories. That's incredibly inspiring to me. Please include the synopsis of Storm Song below: Thoster Chatwyn has spent his whole life in the city of Merrowport. When the captain of a ship steps off the dock and into his life, everything changes. Captain Calvin Roff offers Thoster a job, and the means to help keep his family afloat. More than that, he offers Thoster the one thing he's always dreamed of- a chance to see the world and experience it for himself. Thoster has always been the man to tell stories of far off places, but now he finds himself setting sail and about to see them firsthand. The crew is in search of a powerful magical item called the Luck Diamond. And unbeknownst to Thoster, a magic within him is deeply connected to this item. Dark forces hope to thwart him from finding his true potential, but perhaps luck will be on his side. Where can readers connect with you online to support your work? You can find my Inkshares entry, which includes 5 sample chapters of Storm Song and more information about the world of Elysia at bit.ly/stormong