Check out this author spotlight for Michael Evan!
You can find all his links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out his books!
1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!
I’m Michael Evan. I’m a publicist for authors, a publisher with Fallbrandt Press, and most recently I’ve become a writer. I live in Toronto, with my amazing wife, my two awesome kids and a French Bulldog.
2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 (or more!) of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!
Winter, spring, summer or autumn?
Autumn for sure. The weather is perfect, and it will always remind me of the time I met my wife.
Cat or dog?
I’ve had both cats and a dog and I can definitely say that I’m way more connected to my dog than I ever was to my cats. He feels like a legit family member and is very loving.
Tea or coffee?
I don’t mind a cup of tea from time to time but I literally don’t think I could survive without coffee. It’s the fuel that keeps me going all day. It’s the drink of the gods, an elixir from heaven. (Did I mention I love coffee? 😂)
Plotter or pantser?
I’m definitely a plotter. I like to have chapter by chapter plot points written out in detail as well as a list of character traits and descriptions for all my characters. As a co-writer that physically writes less and plots more, it’s integral to our system. I might pants a joke every once in a while, but that’s about it.
Standalone or series?
I generally enjoy series. It’s cool to know that there’s a lot more of a good thing. That said stand alones are much more time conducive for me these days because I have no time to read and I think my TBR mountain is about to destroy the house.
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
I love stuff that will make me laugh but I also enjoy highly emotional work. I tend to read books with a lot of abstract prose. James Joyce and David Mitchell are favorites of mine.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
I just launched a satirical series that I co-wrote with JMD Reid called The Cider & Ale Chronicles. It’s a genre-bending, fourth-wall-breaking set of stories about anthropomorphic animals, and their love of beer, cider, wine, and whiskey. There’s tons of offbeat humor but also a lot of warmth and heart in the series. James and I have another series called Max & The Captain launching in February which is set in the same world but less irreverent and slightly more suited to younger readers. We’re also working on a standalone project for the spring which will be our first foray into a serious book as a writing team.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
The most recent release is The Cider & Ale Chronicles box set and Omnibus paperback which I mentioned above.
6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!
All of my characters come from some type of personal influence. The main characters of The Cider of Legend are avatars of my wife and I. She basically makes it into most of my female leads. As far as fictional inspiration, aside from James Joyce who I already mentioned, I’d say Terry Pratchett has been hugely influential to me, as has Chuck Palahniuk. For film, I’d say Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino’s films have always been favorites when it comes to dialogue.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
My writing routine is that I have absolutely none. I write when I feel like it, and when I feel that inspiration buzz set it. I’m really not a disciplined writer, and I rather loathe the physical process of writing and much prefer storytelling and coming up with ideas, which is why I can say with confidence that without James Reid, I’d still be stumbling to figure out how to make seals fight with flippers.
8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?
I think it’s important for writers to not give up. I shelved Alehouse Wars for about a year before I came up with an unorthodox solution to completing it, and I’m glad I didn’t just leave it behind. I also think it’s important for writers not to hold themselves to the standards of others and realize that not everyone can write 10 books a year, and that’s ok. Everyone has their own pace. A thick skin is also imperative to develop. One person’s treasure is another’s trash and the more one puts themselves out there to be discovered the more polarizing the opinions will be.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
I can be found at fantasy-focus.com and fantasy/sci-fi focus on Facebook, or email me at authorsinfocus@gmail.com
