TAEM- It is always great to be able to find a new author to be able to show students of the Arts what it takes to achieve success in writing. We recently met author RC Hutchins who works in one of our favorite genres. She also has written a number of short stories that have appeared in our magazine.
Robin, please tell us when you first discovered writing as a talent.
RCH- When I was in sixth grade, we had a lot of writing assignments, mostly nonfiction and not very many were creative writing. At one point, we were assigned partners and were told to create a story together. After the assignment, I kept my partner around and we began the first draft of what would later become the inspiration for my first book.
TAEM- Tell us about your earliest works and the type of writing genre that you most enjoy.
RCH- My earliest works were not very chronological – or, really, logical in any sense. The stories jumped around like a dream. Many of my pieces are based on one dream or several dreams; after a time, I was able shape the stories into some kind of sense. I enjoy writing fantasy-adventure, sci-fi, and fantasy-mystery. I have dabbled in every genre, from horror to creative nonfiction. My most recent piece is leaning toward modern fantasy with a touch of horror.
TAEM- Who were your greatest inspirations in the writing field that affected your style of writing ?
RCH- Piers Anthony, Mercedes Lackey, David Eddings, Jim Butcher, Darren Shan, Brent Weeks, E.E. Knight, Bram Stocker, Oscar Wilde, Orson Scott Card – the list goes on and on, honestly. I love to read and my library is extensive; every book I read growing up helped me to get where I am today.
TAEM- Originally you first started writing as a hobby. Tell our readers when you first started taking more serious steps to achieve your dreams, and the help that you received.
RCH- I think I first started really taking my talent seriously was in seventh grade, when a very kind English teacher read my first play and said he loved it. I beamed under the praise; though in hindsight, it was really a terrible thing to put into writing. When I told my parents that I wanted to pursue writing as a career instead of just a hobby, I didn’t get much support. I sought outside support; friends and teachers encouraged me to keep polishing my writing. I started searching for a publisher when I was finished with the third book of my series. My mother started helping me at that point and has been a great editor every since.
TAEM- We learned that some of your earliest works were as a poet. Please tell us where some of your work was published and the style that your poetry is in.
RCH- I submitted two poems to two different literary contests and both were accepted and printed in the books of poetry. The two books are Timeless Voices, 2006, and The International Who’s Who in Poetry, 2007. Both books listed under Howard Ely, Editor and published by the International Library of Poetry. As for style, I don’t stick to any kind of style; I jump around from free style to every different structure I can find. I like to challenge myself to write a poem in a certain structure, though most of my poems just flow and have no set structure, unless they come out in a structure I don’t see at first.
TAEM- Describe some of the literary magazine where your works appear, and how you placed them in there.
RCH- The Literary Magazine for Brentsville District High School is a self-publishing magazine. While I was in Creative Writing 2 and 3 at the school, it was required for us to submit at least one or two pieces every quarter. I went over that requirement and submitted several poems and short stories. As it turns out, my short stories were too long to actually fit in the magazine; however, they did decide to put a poem in each of the publications of the magazine.
TAEM- We also understand that you have written many short stories, too. Please tell us about this aspect of your writing and where our readers can find them.
RCH- My short stories, including my short drabbles, can be found on tumblr.com, on the page http://devil-writer.tumblr.com/tidbits. I post a short story or two every month and I try to keep each part at a decently short length. The characters I choose tend to choose the writing style of their story. For example, I don’t usually choose to do first person, but the piece I’m currently working on is exactly that. I feel first person tends to hit too close to what I consider ‘me’ and I feel more comfortable writing in third person. I’ve done one or two in second person, but it is a very wonky point of view. Many of my characters and themes tend to be a little on the controversial side, but it is up to the reader to keep reading. I don’t write for an audience; I write to get the story out so I can sleep undisturbed.
TAEM- What work are you presently working on for future release?
RCH- Right now, I’m working on a novella called Crisis. It follows the story of a young sorcerer named Koen who runs into a little trouble with a rather powerful demon lord. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to encounter a lot of tragedy and bloodshed before the demon gets bored of him.
TAEM- When will this book be ready for our readers to see, and do you have a publisher lined up for it?
RCH- Though I do not have a publisher lined up for this one, I hope to finish this novella before the end of the year. It shouldn’t take me too long after that to get it polished enough for readers. The fourth draft of part one is available on my tumblr blog.
TAEM- What other books are you looking to work on, and is there any novels that you are planning to write?
RCH- I have lots of ideas for novels and several started; the problem I’ve encountered is life. Life butts in and refuses to let me sit down long enough to work on them. I have a few completely planned out, including one centered around the Erlking and his daughters. I’m working on putting together a book of poetry and a book of short stories, though I probably have enough of both to put out two of each.
TAEM- Robin, it has been a pleasure to be able to introduce you to our readership and I know that they already have sampled some of your work in our publication. We want to thank you for your time with our interview, and wish you much luck in all your future endeavors.
TAEM
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