Hello Voidfriends and Voidfolk!
A bit about this interview:
This here is one of the stops for A.G. Flitcher on his stop of a virtual author tour. He reached out to me to do this interview to help promote him and his books. He’s an evening writer, cup of coffee, kind of person. He’s definitely been kind to me, when I have been rushing to deadline at my job (we have a week to print! SCREAMING). A.G. when you’re reading this, know that I swear I didn’t forget about you! Life is just sometimes chaotic and stressful ways. LOL. I figure you know that.
As you know, I always support self published authors on this blog. We celebrate their successes in a world where marketing to the masses is no easy task. I have asked him a couple of questions about himself and his process. Be sure to check out the links to his books, if he seems like an interesting author to you! If you read his work, be sure to follow on social media and remember to review if you can. If you like the books, talk about them! Nothing helps self published authors more than talking about them and their work.
Onwards!
About the Author
Name: A.G. Flitcher
Publisher: Self Published
Author Bio: A.G. Flitcher is a seven time award winning author who also placed in finals for Fantasy Series and Fantasy book for the OZMA Award. In addition, he has taught and mentored many the art of storytelling to novice writers and avid readers. His obsession with questioning the good and bad in life, the grey areas, and the scary parts of life, is what makes his work enthralling and colorful.
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter), Youtube, TikTok
About His Novels
Boone & Jacque Series
Synopsis for Book 1 Boone & Jacque: Saddleton’s Secret: Two boys, Boone and Jacque, discovered a strange underground bunker in Boone’s backyard on his tenth birthday. This curious discovery led to history repeating itself. Schisms, secret societies, old foes and kings resurfaced. Hiding then pouncing at the right moment. Adults, foaming at the mouth for power and respect, could be the end of Saddleton.
Number of books: 5
Completed: Yes! If you’re interested, you can get all the books on Amazon right now.
Other Novels
A.G. Flitcher mentions an upcoming novel in the questions below. Be sure to watch his social media and amazon account for when the next book is coming!
Questions about His Style
Can you tell me a little about your writing career and what inspired you to start writing?
A year after my mother passed away, I wrote a duology called Unforgiven. In which the effect of my grievance had a strong hold on my writing. Therefore negatively influencing my writing. I was new to writing and was doing it out of pain rather than creativity and passion. Now, after years of practice, and working through my pain not in my writing, but in my life, it has become more balanced and rich. Over time I had one goal, to be able to separate myself from the characters while implementing fragments of myself. Be able to connect with my characters and the world I build but allow them to stand on their own.
What has truly helped me grow as a writer is my latest project that I’m working on: Black Rose Cocoon. Chelsea Tygrah, a serial killer, has been targeting young girls and their mothers. When this becomes evident, four key characters that become affected by her evil deeds, go after either by choice or her mental manipulation. I focused on their perspective so that I don’t humanize the killer. I avoided as much as possible of creating a full backstory or have her be on the forefront because I didn’t want it to be a character origin story. I wanted to be a multifaceted conversation about the relationship between Life and Death. How we see life as this normal idea that ends when it ends. Whereas we should be questioning its many layers and the meaning we put behind it. That life has to end in order for it to begin. Which leads into valuing those in our lives and what we do with it. Understand that someone could take that value away if we don’t see or know what it is.
How would you describe your writing style? Do you plot heavily? Do you “pants” and go wherever the words take you?
I naturally have high levels of anxiety and obsessive thinking. So the good ideas that stick around become jotted down ideas on my phone that I look back at and ask myself if its worth doing in the moment or in the future. Sometimes I’ll have a plan of committing to an idea then realizing it’s not the time to do it. I’ve always written by instinct with a rough outline. But for my next project, Zephutra, I’ll be planning it out because it is a fantasy series I’ve been wanting to write for quite some time but I have no idea what it’s going to be exactly. So for that I will plan it out. Otherwise, as long as I know the story in my head, I’m good to go. As for if going by instinct or planning things out conflict, that would only happen if the worlds should be connected or be separate.
What are some of your writing inspirations?
For the book I’m working on now, Black Rose Cocoon, it was an interview with Guillermo Del Toro. In which he discussed what I mentioned about the relationship between Life and Death. But the big picture of all that inspires me is an image in my head that sums up that inspiration. The core of an idea that can be built upon.
For example, with Zephutra, the image I had was a desert among islands on the southern hemisphere of earth that flashed into a post-apocalyptic landscape. As an image it’s clear, but the meaning behind it has to be created. So really, what inspires me is my hunger for an answer to why I want the image to make sense to me.
A Few Questions About the Process
What is the hardest part about writing?
The hardest part is what happens around your writing. All the different stresses that can influence your writing into becoming something you don’t want it to be. Some writers, such as myself when I was first writing, write when they are emotionally wounded. Which is never a good idea because the story becomes about your pain rather than the characters pain. Therefore, cheating them out of being their own person with their own pain. In other words, the hardest part of writing is dealing with life and separating it from your writing.
What is your favorite part?
My favorite part is creating a story that we are so entranced by that when we finish writing it, we have an out of body experience. As if we created such a visceral world that we believe to be true and tangible. That is what writers should aspire to do because if it’s real to them, it’ll be even more real to the reader.
Finally, if you could say one thing to your future readers, what would it be?
Cherish the people in your life and take action when life is not what you want it to be. See death as something beautiful rather than scary, because it’s what allows us to ask ourselves many questions and take the courage to answer them. Stories can teach us many things about life, but sometimes we don’t see the lessons in them. Therefore, we have to see them through life.
Once again Voidfriends and folk, don’t forget to leave reviews on Storygraph, Goodreads, and Amazon if you are inclined. I know its not possible for everyone.
Best of luck A.G. Flitcher! Keep writing!
Until Next Time,
MM
Marlena Marie 