Interview with Scott Cramer

Hello readers!  I have an exciting author interview to share with you today.  Yesterday, I reviewed Night of the Purple Moon and today we have Scott Cramer, author of the book here to answer some questions.  Here we go . . . 


1. What do you find yourself rambling about?

Here’s a 24-hour snapshot oframblings, divided intwo parts: internal and external ramblings. Internal ramblings resemble a springtime river raging and swollen with melting snow from lofty peaks, so I have selected a single topic from thousands.

Internally, I am reminding myself of something very important to do when starting a novel. That is to establish the rhythm of the book, and the voices of the characters. There are a lot of things required when writing a novel, all part of an evolving creative process, from plot to theme to character arcs, but I find it so important to feel the flow of the work. It takes patience and a lot of drudgery, trial and error, experimentation. I have started a sequel to Night of the Purple Moon, and I think I have almost figured it out.

Externally, I am rambling about my racquetball exploits. I have been playing less than a year, and I am by no means a top player at the local YMCA, but I have so much fun! It is a game of understanding angles and I am starting to make my opponents run like dogs, the same way they have made me run for the past year.

2.  You have written Night of the Purple Moon which is a dystopian, would you ever write in another genre?

Absolutely. NOPM is my third novel. I look at my first two YA novels as uncut, rough gems. They are not dystopians, but rather quiet coming-of-age stories. My Plan A is to revisit them someday.

I will say this about dystopians, though. They are generally high-concept ideas/plots. Some cataclysm happens, and that gives a writer a lot of drama to work with.

3. When becoming an author, did you have any speed bumps along the way?  If so, how did you overcome them?

Speeds bumps, arrows, high walls, snake-infested moats, fields of poison ivy, barking dogs, avalanches, and computer problems, to name but a few of the typical, ongoing obstacles. But that probably goes with the territory of any creative endeavor. If I ever start to think I have it tough as a writer, I think what it must be like to be an opera singer. So much talent required and so few openings. Screenwriting is no picnic, either.

Almost any obstacle can be overcome with patience, perseverance, the support of a few writing buddies, realistic expectations, and reminding yourself of the incredible moments of joy that come from writing. It’s definitely not about the money. Keep chipping away and you’ll be amazed at your output.

4. If you could put your book in anyone's hands, who would you give it to?

I’d like to hand it to my mom. From the beginning she was one of my biggest boosters and supporters, but she passed away before I ever published a book

5. What is your favorite part of the writing process?  And why?  (i.e. beginning, middle or end)

For the writing process, itself, I really enjoy working on drafts 2, 3, 4, 5…etconce the story has shape, and having a view of the whole story lets you do lots of tiny things that hopefully make it a special story.

As a result of publishing NOPM, I have connected with many people around the world, and I have come to see the world of passionate book blogger (who I never knew existed). Connecting with readers and bloggers is definitely a highlight.

6. Where did the Night of the Purple Moon come from?  It is such an interesting story and I wondered what started your journey into the book.

Two YA novels always stayed with me. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Homecoming by Cynthia Voight. In each book the young main characters faced incredible odds and took dangerous journeys. In Night of the Purple Moon, I tried to increase the odds and raise the stakes. Rather than have one or both parents die, all parents die. Also, modern civilization depends on the collective efforts of specialists. If those specialists disappear, the infrastructure (running water, electricity, communications, food production) will cease to function. That is a gut-wrenching, perilous situation for young teens and children to find themselves in

7. What is next on your plate?

Get better at racquetball, and get going on the sequel!