Each week (or month) I will introduce you to an author I want you to know about.
April 2023
Hey there, I would like to introduce you to a wonderful young man I met at the Maryland Writer’s Conference in Baltimore last year. I was speaking there, and he approached me wanting to talk. I was intrigued by his story and when he contacted me again, I knew he was serious about his writing career.
Andrew McDowell
Andrew studied History and English at St. Mary’s College, and Library and Information Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association. He has Asperger syndrome.
As a novelist, he plans to try his hand at multiple genres, for he is inspired by a variety of interests. He has also written poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction, and is interested in drama writing and lyrics.
I had a chance to sit down with Andrew and talk a little bit about his book MYSTICAL GREENWOOD, which has amazing reviews on Amazon (link below) and was published through Fae Corps Inc.
I hope you enjoy getting to know him as much as I have.
Mystical Greenwood
Dermot is a fifteen-year-old boy in the kingdom of Denú. He has always longed for more in life. Then everything changes after he sees a gryphon and crosses paths with a reclusive healer.
Soon, he and his brother Brian have no choice but to leave their home. They embark on a journey through many forests. They meet an old man and unicorns, witness an important birth, and must evade fire-breathing dragons and dark-armored soldiers that serve an evil sorcerer determined to subjugate Denú.
A legendary coven must now return after years in hiding. Dermot and Brian slowly realize there is something deeper among the trees and creatures, but is there also something more about themselves? Can they protect those they love, or will all Denú be consumed by darkness?
What people are saying about Mystical Greenwood
“A fantastical ride on gryphons and unicorns alike through a world of woodland animals, sorcerers, and magic, a world burnished with evolving betrayals, an encroaching darkness, and growing evil forces.”
“If you have a passion for nature, animals, and fantasy, and want to see skies light up with ancient magic sorcery while learning the secrets of the Greenwood, then pick up this tome.”
“Excellent debut novel from Andrew McDowell!”
“Andrew has written an extraordinary fantasy tale which centers around the guardians of nature and the Greenwood.”
“I appreciated the wide array of characters, particularly the addition of a dog, which was a rare and refreshing find in a fantasy novel.”
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Officially, I knew when I was thirteen, though the seed for that realization existed since I was eleven. At that age, I had written little stories and enjoyed them. I had created little stories and, like any kid, dreamed of doing more. But that was one of many childhood
fantasies. However, at age thirteen was when I decided to write something on a much larger scale. Honestly, I don’t think I had any foresight as to where it would take me, but once I started, I kept going and didn’t stop, and because I had gotten so invested, I knew I had to remain serious about it.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
My father once told me that the important thing to remember is to tell a story and tell it well. I would say the same to anyone else.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Ideas and information come from a variety of sources. Some come from firsthand experiences, others from research or simply interests or a combination of both. I have always had strong interests in diverse topics throughout my life, each of which led me to wanting to know more, whether from reading, watching documentaries, or whatever. Often, at least one of those interests or passions is tied to the heart of a story.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I collect coins and work out, and I read scripture at church sometimes.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
One thing that did surprise me was how grammatical errors and typos slip through into print so many times despite all the editing and rewriting you do. It upset me because of my perfectionist tendencies, but I have learned that it is really nothing to lose sleep over. Most readers are forgiving of the occasional error because the story is what they care about, and many bestselling and classical authors have had to deal with typos and get them fixed as well. They show that writers are human the same as anyone, not unlike error coins that sometimes slip into circulation.
Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?
There are many things that writers can do to improve their craft. One is, of course, to get feedback, and by that, I mean constructive feedback, where you are encouraged and not deliberately put down by a reader. Another important thing is to do research on grammar and vocabulary. In correcting typos, I had to read articles about grammar rules I don’t recall ever learning back in school, and even then, different articles had different opinions and thoughts, which leads me to another suggestion. Read more than one article, so that way you can make a more informed decision, but no matter what, the final decision lies with you, the writer—you alone can decide what to write and how to write it. The craft of writing is an ever-evolving process. You never stop learning and improving.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I dreamed of being a scientist. I especially loved learning about animals. In my freshman year of college, however, I started to feel that was not the direction I wanted to go in, so I switched to History and English. Also, before writing, I had had dreams of being an artist, but that was something that also faded away.
It sounds like this intelligent and talented man is on his way to wonderful things. I wish him the best in all he does!
PUBLICATIONS & PRIZES
Fiction
Anthologies:
Into the Glen: Into the Light (Fae Corps Publishing, 2021)
Fae Dreams (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Nightmare Whispers: Madness Echoes (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Nightmare Whispers: The Collection (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Books:
Mystical Greenwood (2nd Edition) (Fae Corps Publishing, 2022)
Mystical Greenwood (Mockingbird Lane Press, 2017)
Poetry
Anthologies:
As the World Burns: Writers and Artists Reflect on a World Gone Mad (Indie Blu(e) Publishing, 2020)
Fae Dreams (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Faery Footprints (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Nightmare Whispers: Madness Echoes (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Nightmare Whispers: The Collection (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Pen IN Hand Literary Journal: January 2020 (MWA Literary Journal) (Maryland Writers’ Association, 2020)
Pen in Hand – July 2018: Literary Journal of the Maryland Writers’ Association (Pen in Hand 2018) (Maryland Writers’ Association, 2018)
Book:
Nightmare Whispers: The Collection (Fae Corps Publishing, 2020)
Prizes won:
Honorable Mention in Fiction in the 2021 Top Shelf Magazine Contest.
Winner in the 2021 MWA Novel Contest in Science Fiction / Fantasy / Speculative for Mystical Greenwood.
Finalist in the Fantasy: Epic/High Fantasy category of the 2019 American Fiction Awards for Mystical Greenwood.
2nd Prize in the creative nonfiction category of the 2014-15 MWA Literary Contest for the essay Asperger Syndrome: An Affliction or a Gift?
How to contact Andrew
Website/blog: https://andrewmcdowellauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewMcDowellAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ammcdow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewmcdowellauthor
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/andrewmcdowellauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-mcdowell-b5696826
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3175924
How to get a copy of Mystical Greenwood
Amazon Mystical Greenwood: McDowell, Andrew: 9798846281660: Amazon.com: Books
Barnes and Noble Mystical Greenwood by Andrew McDowell, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Goodreads Mystical Greenwood by Andrew McDowell | Goodreads
Andrew’s Poetry
Andrew McDowell | Directory of Writers from Poets & Writers (pw.org)
Fae Corps Inc.
Fae Corps Inc – Helping Indie Authors find their Inner Magic. (faecorpspublishing.org)
This week it’s award-winning author MIKE DELUCIA.
I met Mike in Miami last year at the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards. He was there to receive an award for his book MADNESS and I was one of the speakers. He won a FREE Author Interview with me, so congrats! He’s a great guy with an awesome sense of humor, and I think you’re gonna like him.
He is the author of:
Madness
https://getbook.at/madnessebook
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was around 23. I began my latest book, Madness: The Man Who Changed Basketball as a screenplay; I intended to use it “Stallone style,” so that I could act in it. I had every intention of being a film actor in those days. I learned about the story’s protagonist through my father, but when I did the research, I realized this would be a perfect film. I decided to convert it into a historical fiction novel after I published my first book, Boycott The Yankees: A call to Action by a Lifelong Yankees Fan… I love the Yankees, by the way. The Yankees were such a huge part of my family, as a few generations on both sides of the families resided in the Bronx and Manhattan, two huge supporters of the Yankees. The Yankees were a part of our family structure, and when they opened the new ballpark it was as though they kicked their loyal fans out and catered to corporations. The feel is no longer the same. The book is about how greed and ego is destroying baseball and how to make it affordable for their loyal fans to fill the park again.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
Do your research about how to write whatever it is you are writing and then write it. Make sure you have the appropriate structure, etc., and then be very wary of changing anything. If you do a rewrite after every critique you receive, you will never finish. There are no “experts” who can predict what the world audience will want. Believe in yourself and write. Also, do not write a book and then start writing your next one. You’ve invested so much in creating your masterpiece. Go out and promote the hell out of it. Tell everyone you are a writer and secure book talks, interviews, podcasts, etc. Go crazy promoting your work. People aren’t going to find you. You have to find them and introduce them to your masterpiece. This last one is huge… GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA. Well not exactly, because it’s necessary, but do it once per day. Any computer work besides writing is best done once. In the past, I was a slave to it and it interfered greatly with my progress. We only have so much time, so use it well.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Every book is different. Boycott took two years, Madness began as a screenplay in ’83 and appeared in book form in 2019. Settling a Score is a short story that took a few weeks.
What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
I write every spare moment I can. When I get up in the morning and my mind is relaxed, I stay in bed for 15 minutes thinking about the story. I also produce great material in the shower and while driving. I always have a pad and sharpie in the car. My day begins early and I write until my brain hurts. I take a nap and then write some more. I’m a workaholic by the way. I gave up TV, Netflix, radio, and everything else that takes time away from my writing.
What steps did you take to become a full-time writer?
I retired earlier than I planned. I left a lot of money on the table, but I believe in myself and didn’t want to waste 5 years doing something I didn’t want to do anymore and change it for something I want to do.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Spend time with family and friends—that’s it. Travel is included in that because I travel with my wife.
What do you think makes a good story?
If you are laughing and crying in the same story, that’s a good sign…
If you could spend a day with anyone, living or dead, real or fictitious, who would it be and why?
I will take liberties with this one, because I would spend time with friends or family who passed away, and it would be too difficult to decide, so I’ll go with fictional characters, and I need two: Atticus Finch and Mama (Lena) Younger.
Atticus Finch is a perfect role model because he does what he does according to his own moral compass, and he is fearless in his followthrough. He doesn’t let what others say or others’ opinions sway him from his course. And, as Miss Maudie says, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets.” He knows what to say, he has a wonderful heart, he’s brilliant, intuitive, and he’s the kind of character who would rest on his deathbed with little to no regrets. He is both powerful and a gentleman.
Mama is the female version or Atticus. Mama is brilliant, proud, caring, and strong. These lines wrap up why I feel the way I do about her. This is why I love Mama:
Beneatha: “Love him? There is nothing left to love.”
Mama: “There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing. Have you cried for that boy today? I don’t mean for yourself and for the family ’cause we lost the money. I mean for him: what he been through and what it done to him. Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain’t through learning – because that ain’t the time at all. It’s when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in hisself ’cause the world done whipped him so! When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is.”
Wow, what an amazing person! Great tips too on writing and being focused on your craft.
Indie Author Consulting 