As part of the Indie Author Highlight, I’m happy to introduce you to Tim Frankovich, author of the fantasy novel The Certainty of Blood which came out last month. First, tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’ve been exploring fantastic worlds since third grade, when I cut up a grocery sack and drew a Godzilla-meets-superheroes story. Since then, I’ve gotten a little bit better at the writing part (not so much with the drawing). At the moment, I’m probably suitably conscious somewhere in Texas with my beloved wife, awesome kids, and a fool of a pup named Pippin.
Tell me a little about your current book.
From the grueling training grounds where boys learn to kill, to the luxuries of the sinister Hawk King’s palace, Aldan’s whole life has led inexorably to this one day. This one fight. The king holds everything Aldan cares about. All he has to do is kill this final opponent. But love and friendship demand a different outcome. The choice is not as easy as it first appeared…
This sounds like a fun, high-action book, and your cover does a beautiful job conveying that!
What project are you hoping to work on next?
Currently working on the sequel to The Certainty of Blood, as well as the sixth and seventh books of my YA series.
Sounds great! Our readers can expect more on this series soon, plus more YA. Could you describe the type of books you write in general?
I write both adult epic fantasy and young adult science fantasy. Both are character-focused, but otherwise very different. My YA books are more action-oriented and fast-paced. The adult books are deeper, with more intricate world building.
And how many books have you published already?
10
Yes, I see you have a four-book epic fantasy series “Heart of Fire” starting with Until All Curses Are Lifted. I’d love to hear more about that too!
You have quite a few books out there, really impressive portfolio! What was the hardest lesson you had to learn in publishing a book?
Not to worry too much about what other people think. There are millions of readers out there. There will always be some who don’t like your work. But there will also be some that love it!
Why do you write?
Because those story ideas fill my head up and need to be let out.
I definitely understand that. Writing is my most precious creative outlet. It makes life better.
Writing Advice
How have you changed as a writer since you first began writing?
My skill has definitely grown in many ways, from sentence structure to crafting a scene to emotional resonance. I’m always striving to improve my writing.
If it’s important to you, make time for it.
What advice would you give to a new writer?
Practice and study. There’s a wealth of information online and dozens of writers who will be happy to assist and advise you. We’re all in this together.
What is the worst writing advice you’ve received, and what did you learn from it?
An older writer, from whom I received a lot of great advice, once told me that doing a press release was one of the best marketing things I could do. I tried it and got absolutely no responses at all. So I learned that even the best advisors aren’t always right…
What was the most difficult challenge you’ve faced as a writer, and how did you overcome it?
Toward the end of last year, I had an accident and needed surgery on my hand. I did not realize at the time that I wouldn’t be able to use that hand for a couple of months. I had written the first draft of The Certainty of Blood already. Instead of plunging into the next book, I spent the next few months revising and editing the existing book (which was easier to do with one hand). I think the novel is far stronger because of that time.
Wow, that is a big (and probably frustrating) challenge to overcome, but it sounds like you adapted well. I think a lot of indie authors could learn from that experience. We are constantly having to pivot as our life circumstances change–jobs and children and injuries–as the book industry changes, and as technology changes.
What are some of the most useful tools you’ve found that make writing/publishing easier?
Scrivener is my favorite tool. Some people complain that it has a “high learning curve,” but that’s only if you want to do a whole lot of different things. It does just as much as you want it to and are willing to learn. It’s especially handy for creating the ebook files.
How do you approach planning a new story? Do you develop outlines, timelines, journal notes, character profiles, etc.? Do you free write? Somewhere in between?
I’m somewhere in between. I usually know the major plot points of a novel before I start it. But there’s a lot of space in between those plot points where all sorts of things can — and usually do — happen. When I start a new series, I will do a lot of planning first, primarily involving world building. But I often discover brand new things along the way.
How do you balance writing with the rest of life? Any tips?
I have to do most of my writing in the late evening when no one else is around. The only tip I can give is: if it’s important to you, make time for it.
Who inspires you to write? Who inspires your style?
I know it sounds kind of corny, but JRR Tolkien said we’re all sub-creators under the true Creator, and that’s sort of how I feel. Creation, all of it, inspires me. History, the broad strokes and the personal stories, inspires me. As for style, I’d probably say Brandon Sanderson, more than any other current author, inspired me.
Not corny at all! I am also most inspired by nature and by history. My favorite writing and note-taking spots are out on various hiking trails. Sounds like you are a diehard Tolkien fan, as am I, so dare I ask…Who is your favorite author? Your favorite book?
JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. Always. I have an entire shelf devoted to Tolkien. It’s… a lot.
Who are some other indie authors you recommend people check out?
John Kang, CH Smith, Brenda Carr, Angel Haze, Jay Willis, Robert Zangari… and many others.
Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your experience as a writer. Also, great recs on other indie authors!
Readers, if you want to check out Tim’s work, feel free to follow him at these links: