Image by Toban Black via Flickr
Got this idea off J Keller Ford’s blog (and J.A. Belfield’s blog) and thought how fun it would be for all my author buddies to participate and do the same.
Please copy and paste the questions in the comment box of my blog, edit in your answers, then copy and post to yours with a link back.
As we all know, the idea of speed dating is get to know your prospective date in 10 minutes. Author Speed Date works in much the same way.
This should be fun!
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Name (the one you write under): Claire Gillian (and Lila Shaw and Iris St. Clair)
Speed date Bio (one or two lines): Corporate slave for an insurance services co as ops/finance manager, mom of 2, slovenly housekeeper because writing eats up my free time.
Web Link: Well you’re already here so just look up in your browser window (this one is more for the commenters, obviously)
Next Book, pub date (if any): Um…have 3 in completed draft stage–The PURE, My Fair Vampire, Trust Me (YA working title) and an anthology about half done that I want to query…eventually. October will bring 2 pubbed anthologies containing Claire’s and Lila’s short stories. I have a third outstanding story still being evaluated but I’m not holding my breath on that one anymore.
Agent: seeking
About Me
Real Name or Pseudonym: Claire Gillian (pseudonym) My real first name is C****** but that’s all I’m sayin’ here.
Most recently read book: Mirrorlight by Jill Myles
Currently Reading: Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Next on Your Reading List: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews…or City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare…or…never mind
Facebook or Twitter (include account name): Facebook as Claire Gillian (author page); Twitter: @auburnassassin (Claire), @lila_shaw, @iris_st_clair–>Prefer Twitter though
Three authors living or dead you would want to have dinner with: Erma Bombeck, Jean Shepherd, Suzanne Collins
Jet-setter or armchair traveler: A healthy balance of both.
Glass ½ full or ½ empty: 1/2 full
Tea or Coffee: Other–Diet Coke with coffee in second then tea
Live to write or Write to live: Is there a difference?
About My Writing
When (time of day) I write: After work, sometimes during lunch breaks or when a very slow computer program is running, between AM workout and heading to job, most of the weekends.
Writing soundtrack: I can’t listen to music when I write. Too distracting because music creates its own world for me that is highly competitive with my written worlds.
Character Inspirations: There’s a few movie & TV characters I’ve found memorable (says the former fan fiction writer) like Jim Halpert from the Office, Sylar from Heroes, probably a few literary ones too like Jamie and Claire from Outlander…
Plot Inspirations: I have no idea where they come from–sometimes a mood or a visual or a song (lots of songs). My car and shower are great incubators though.
Setting Inspirations: I don’t care that much about settings since I’m not into world-building. Usually I pick one I already know somewhat so I don’t have to research. I’m basically pretty lazy in this respect.
Plotter (carefully plot books) or Pantser: More of a pantser. I sometimes create random puzzle pieces that revolve around character development and interactions then figure out later how to assemble them cleverly. LOL
Now it’s YOUR turn to give us a speed date, pretty please.
Claire Gillian 
I am here 🙂
Here’s my answers:
Name (the one you write under): J. A. Belfield
Speed date Bio (one or two lines): Writer by day, writer by night, mother and wife when they remind me to be.
Web Link: http://jabelfield.wordpress.com
Next Book, pub date (if any): Darkness & Light. Officially: July 1st 2011
Agent: Negatory
About Me
Real Name or Pseudonym: J. A. Belfield/Julie
Most recently read book: Alpha by Rachel Vincent
Currently Reading: Darkness & Light by me, and Fantasy in Deatj by J.D. Robb.
Next on Your Reading List: River Marked by Patricia Briggs.
Facebook or Twitter (include account name): Facebook as J. A. Belfield; Twitter: JABelfield
Three authors living or dead you would want to have dinner with: Rachel Vincent, Val MacDermid, Harlen Coben.
Jet-setter or armchair traveler: I’ve never been much of a jet-setter, I’m too much of a homely girl. However, my intrigue about the place across the pond grows as I make new friends over there.
Glass ½ full or ½ empty: Always half full.
Tea or Coffee: Um … cappuccino ???
Live to write or Write to live: Deffo the first.
About My Writing
When (time of day) I write: Whenever I darn well feel like it and then some.
Writing soundtrack: Mishmash of artists on my media player playlist.
Character Inspirations: Whoever pops into my head.
Plot Inspirations: What are plots?
Setting Inspirations: My imagination makes pretend small places in rel bigger places (ha!)
Plotter (carefully plot books) or Pantser (write from the seat of my pants): 100% pantser, baby.
‘Tis fun, no? 🙂
I’m not copying because it’s just too much to copy in … but mine will be up tomorrow 6/27 in my blog. 🙂 hehehehehe. So, i’d like to know how to pronounce C****** by the way. Is that Cstartstartstarstar? or Csssssssssssss or C— . 😉 hehehehehehe
Name (the one you write under): my own, for now
Speed date Bio (one or two lines): Erstwhile college student who has pledged her life to watercolor and secretly dreams of writing SFF
Web Link: writing-wise, n/a
Next Book, pub date (if any): n/a – at this point in my writing, I’d be thrilled just to finish something I could show to another living being
Agent: n/a, for now
About Me
Real Name or Pseudonym: at AW, I go by SilverBirch – should I ever get into the world of publishing, I probably would go with a pseudonym to A) differentiate my writing self from my painting self and B) because my last name is so common it’d probably be good to use something a little more memorable.
Most recently read book: Dresden Files #3 (Grave Peril, I think)
Currently Reading: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Next on Your Reading List: too many to list!
Facebook or Twitter (include account name): n/a – I am a cyber holdout
Three authors living or dead you would want to have dinner with: Rumer Godden, Neil Gaiman, and Martha Wells
Jet-setter or armchair traveler: Jet-setter in my mind, armchair traveler in reality
Glass ½ full or ½ empty: still thirsty
Tea or Coffee: Tea (iced this time of year!)
Live to write or Write to live: Live to Create
About My Writing
When (time of day) I write: mornings lately
Writing soundtrack: no music for me either – if I need something to drown out the outside world, I’ll go with an instrumental soundtrack or something suitably backgroundy
Character Inspirations: from tv, film, books, even songs… there have been too many to name here
Plot Inspirations: my dreams provide me with lots of premises (of course, that does little to help with the actual plotting… *sigh*) – also from random little quirks of life
Setting Inspirations: from everywhere, often non-fiction books and/or my own random flights of fancy. I love imagining different settings for my stories, and suspect I’m a long ways off from using one setting for more than one story because I love creating something new each time. Unfortunately I tend to get bogged under by the actual world-building, which is something I should really try to work on…
Plotter (carefully plot books) or Pantser: Pantser who’s trying desperately to find a way to plot that works for me, so my characters don’t have to stand around waiting for me to come up with something for them to do other than talk all the time. Like Claire, I usually have a few key scenes/interactions/events in mind that I have to fit together as the story evolves.
Hey, Miss Silver! Thank you for playing!
Thanks for the speed date, Archie!
Thanks so much 🙂 I really appreciate it