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#ScribesAndMakers Mar 2: Are you inspired by nature? Please explain.

Yes, absolutely. I live in a very green city, so the green is always present: the soil, the colours, the glorious rain.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 3: Are you more productive during long stretches of free time, or when you have to squeeze creativity into your busy life?

Definitely long stretches. Right now, I need to *produce* words, and I'm having trouble making the time, and I'm having trouble getting into a groove. It's been hard.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 4: My Creative Work is an essential part of who I am -- true or false?

Oh yeah! I'm a writing/literature prof. Creative work is shot through almost everything I do.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 5: If you have family living with you, what do they think about your creative work?

My wife reads my stuff sometimes. She's really happy I have a creative outlet. I'm a more pleasant person to be around when I'm writing. My kids are not ready for what I write!

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 6: Tell us about a book you go back and read over and over.

I reread books that I teach, so:
- Neuromancer
- Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
- End of East

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 7: Many authors write the book they couldn't find. What does your work offer that you couldn't find elsewhere?

At the time I wrote it, there wasn't a really considered critique of STAR WARS in the form of a narrative, but then THE ACOLYTE both premiered and then was cancelled, so my book is still viable, but there's definitely some shared territory.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 8: What is the nicest thing anyone has said about your work?

I showed all my work--all of it!--to my writing buddy, and at the next meeting, she said, "I've just been reading Orion's stuff all week..." I don't think it gets better than that.

Close second: my dissertation supervisor once said, "Orion's not capable of a misreading." He was talking to someone else in front of me, and I was like: What really!?

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 9: What would your best creative life look like, keeping it realistic?

I transition to a creative writing instructor--because I love teaching, and I don't want to stop--which gives me enough money and free time to write my work but also get it published, which generates enough income that I can go part-time on the teaching, and then I'm a writer who teaches.

#ScribesAndMakers Day 10: What's your preferred format for reading (hardcopy, e-book, audio)? Is it the same for publishing?

Ebook, definitely. Carrying around chunks of dead tree isn't appealing, although I do think books are superior technology (never runs out of batteries, the only compatibility issues are whether you read that language, highly portable). For publishing, whatever people want, man.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 11: Is travelling/vacation good for your creativity?

Sure. It's good for all kinds of thing. Specifically? Not especially.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 12: Do you play games? If so, do they influence your creativity?

I'm a lifetime D&D player, and I find I have to push away a lot of those ingrained rhythms in order to write stories. If I'm not careful, I start arranging my narratives around "encounters" and using D&D's schools of magic and stuff like that. It's a problem.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 14: Dialogue, everything from hello to goodbye or stick to essentials?

It depends on the scene, the characters, the "vibe," etc. Generally, though, I do like to include all the awkwardness and pauses and staring out the window. I like to hear the sound of cutlery clinking on plates, wind whipping rain against the window, people clearing their throats. That's all part of the scene.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 15: How's your goal going? Is there anything you would like help with?

Come to my house and watch my kids so I can finish this draft.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 18. What would your best creative life look like if you stretch beyond realistic, but still keep it plausible?

I make enough off writing to do it full time (although I still teach maybe one or two courses per year, because that's just fun). I have licensing deals going where I stay somewhat hands-off but maintain creative control and good relationships with the creators. I go to cons and read passages to fans, take questions, do the whole "author" thing.

That'd be nice.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 20: Do you like graffiti? Do you have an example? Yes.

Many many years ago, a girl I went to high school with and who'd just moved from another country saw a wall of graffiti and said, "Look at the calligraphy!"

I think of that EVERY TIME I see graffiti.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 22: A book you love by an indie author.

Elliot Kay's GRAND THEFT SORCERY is really good. He writes SFF with some smut on the side, although this one has relatively little actual sex in it, and it's just solid writing. The pacing is great. The characters really live. And he presents a white man as a lead who's genuinely sympathetic as someone with low privilege. The whole thing just works.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 23: How do you feel about puns?

No thank you.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 26. Ask the expert: if you're a specialist in something, would you answer questions for writers/artists regarding your specialty?

Sure, why wouldn't I?

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 27. Were you ever discouraged by great art of someone else?

I watch a lot of bad TV and think, "I can do better!" And I write. I read a lot of good books and think, "I can do this!" And I write.

I read Catherynne M. Valente, and think, "Holy shit! I cannot do that!" And I do not write.

@gahlearner Depends on what you want from me. Depends on how busy I am. I'm also a full-time prof who signed up for way too many projects this year!

@orionkidder

I went to your general interest post and looked what you listed there. But if you are too busy, no worries.
For now what we want, is make a list with people who have expertise/experience in something, that doesn't need to be academic, and who are willing to share this expertise. There will be categories like writing, comics, gardening, whatever, I have to look through the many entries first. The list goes to our website, and people then can pm someone and ask questions.