Here are some of the questions I’ve been asked over the years. If you’d like to interview E.J. just contact me at e.j.murray.author@gmail.com.

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Where are you from and can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m from the US Deep South, between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. I was born and raised in South Carolina, and have never lived anywhere else, although I travel a lot. I’m a curmudgeon who spends most of the day sitting in front of a desk in my own little world. When I’m not writing – which is rare, as I nearly always have something to write with (and on) near to hand – I love anything to do with nature, especially photography.

Why do you call yourself a gender-non-specific cyberbeing?

I love the anonymity of the internet. I like that nobody has to know if you are a man or a woman, how old you are, where you live — they just have to take you as you are, as a mind or a soul. None of that physical stuff ought to matter anyway. We’re all just people, all the same species living in the same place. We don’t have time to hate each other or fight — there’s not enough time to enjoy the life you have as it is, and wasting it by hating just makes no sense. Being anonymous means there are less chances for someone to make up some kind of silly reason to fight.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

That’s not a lot of time – I almost always have writing tools near to hand! My other hobbies include reading photography, and travel. My “The Author’s Horde” page will introduce you to some of my favorite science fiction authors. I also like most anything to do with water, especially sailing and SCUBA diving.

I have a lot of nerd friends, and we play Dungeons & Dragons still, or Cards Against Humanity. We take a yearly trip to the coast to recharge, and I like going to writing conventions.

Do you have a day job as well?

Yes, my writing doesn’t make enough money for me to do it full-time. I have a very intense job, with long hours and a variable schedule, so I have some weeks where I only have a couple of days off, but others where I have three or four days to write.

When and why did you begin writing? 

I’ve been telling stories all my life. When I was about four, I discovered that it was a great way to become the center of attention. My first written work  is a very short story entitled “Silly Mouse.” Stories just fascinate me. I don’t just tell them — I love listening to family stories and memories of how things were. I’ve always wanted to pass these things along to the next generation. I love having an audience, whether in person or through a book or short story. I guess I mostly just enjoy being the center of attention. I like provoking emotion in people: laughter, tears, wonder.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I don’t choose a genre. I write what seems to need writing, and then try to figure out what genre it might fit into. I have a lot of trouble doing that sometimes. I’ve always loved several things in a story: great characters, adventure, humor, and a sense of mystery. I try to include those things in my own writing as much as possible.

I started out as a science fiction reader, so it’s natural that I write in that genre. I’ve always wondered where humans get their mythical creatures, and the velyr are an attempt to explain some of those myths. It just worked out that they ended up being aliens.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?


When I published my first piece in our local newspaper in high school. I entered a local poetry contest, supposedly for adults, and actually won third place. I’d considered myself a writer until then, because I wrote all the time, but at that point I thought of myself as a published author.

Because I was a science nerd, though, I put the writing on the back burner and considered it “just a hobby” for many years while I pursued my love of nature and science. I’ve published stories under other pen names, in other genres, but I’ve recently come back to my first love, science fiction.

What is your writing space like?

I write wherever I happen to be, so my writing space looks like everywhere. I carry either a paper journal or my iPad with me everywhere I go, so I’m always ready to work. I have an entire shelf of journals, each one fitting a different mood and each one partly filled with scribbled handwriting – notes and outlines, scraps of chapters, nonfiction pieces, even some crude drawings (I’m no artist).

My desk at home is quite cluttered. I have two corkboards, covered with anything and everything pertaining to whatever I’m writing at the moment. You’re likely to find old maps, photos of places the velyr might have been, questions to answer, a pertinent cartoon or two, photos of possible velyr, and whatever information I might need for the website (ftp information, passwords, ISBN numbers of the books, etc). I have artwork done by a friend, depicting several of my characters, above the desk. The bookshelf part of the desk has an assortment of informational books like Writer’s Digest Writer’s Market and Guide to Literary Agents — the books I’m using for my most current research usually take up a whole shelf on one of the three bookcases in the office. As I am a slob, the workspace is usually cluttered with whatever books or magazines I’m consulting at the moment, my ever-present caffeine source (either a Coke or a latte), often a stack of mail that needs dealing with, and whatever won’t fit on the bookcases.

What inspired you to write your first stories?

I’ve always wondered about myths. Where do humans get the ideas for beings like elves, werewolves, vampires and dragons? I spent quite a lot of time thinking about origins, and the velyr solidified during the early 1980s. We were playing Dungeons and Dragons during my formative college years, and I decided to invent a character that had a lot of similarities to the vampires of myth: pointed teeth, love of blood and raw meat, aversion to daylight, and pointed ears. This idea evolved into the velyr over the next few decades. I’ve written and published a few short stories in some very small magazines and anthologies, but recently decided to get that Great American Novel off the back burner.

Do you have a specific writing style? 

I like to think that I have a humorous style, with enough emotion and action to tell an interesting tale. I’ve tried to write serious pieces, and once in a while, I do manage to carry it off. But usually, my sense of humor comes through. My favorite characters mostly seem to be fun-loving tricksters who get into one mess after another. I’d like to hope that my writing is a cross between Robert Heinlein and C.J. Cherryh.

Where do you get your ideas?

From Ideas.com. People always ask this question. They think writers have some mystical Source of Ideas that average people are not privy to.

Writers get ideas from the same place everyone else gets them — inside their head. Writers just ask a lot more nosy questions than average people — what if that person suddenly did this thing? What would happen if this occurred? What if this person said that thing to that other person? Why did that person do that thing? — that’s why they get ideas that need to be put into books.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

I experience days where I am willing to do almost anything to avoid having to write. I don’t call that writer’s block — I call it procrastination! I’ve always got some idea somewhere in the back of my mind that I can turn into some sort of story if I want to plant my butt in a chair and get to work. So, no, I don’t get writer’s block, but I do get writer’s laziness.

Do you work with an outline or just write?

I like at least a rough outline. I tend to throw lots of things into the book when I’m working — new characters, settings, trivia — and I like to try to keep track of them on an outline or “Series Bible.” This way, hopefully, Cousin Charles won’t suddenly become Cousin Charlene in Book Three.

Would you say your writing is character- or plot-driven?

My writing is definitely character-driven. I come up with intriguing characters first, and then decide which plot is going to suit that character.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 

I don’t set out to send a definite message, but if there’s one thread that runs through everything I write, it’s that hatred and bigotry are stupid. People waste far too much time thinking of excuses to fight when they could be enjoying their own lives instead. All of my main characters are very open-minded, very tolerant of other cultures and other ideas.

Are the characters or experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?


Yes and no. Writers incorporate their lives into their writing. Every experience, every emotion, works its way into your books. I don’t have any one character based on a real person, but everyone I know or have encountered has had some impact on the way my characters act and interact. Everything that’s ever happened to me, or that I’ve heard about or read about — every part of my life colors what you read in my books.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?


There are always things you want to change – a word choice here, a line of dialogue that could be improved. I always think I could have written better — done something in a more exciting fashion, used more vivid images. I don’t think I’d really change anything however, because that would result in a different book. I’ve seen cases where authors had a chance to go back, do something differently, and it’s always turned out to be totally changed instead of just improved.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?


I have a hard time buckling down to work sometimes. I get distracted very easily, and it’s easy for me to get bored going over the same material day after day. I have to force myself to sit down and get it done sometimes. I have days where everything seems trite and boring, and I have to just slog my way through.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?


I can’t narrow that down to one favorite — it’s like picking your favorite child. I like Andre Norton’s originality. I like Robert Heinlein’s quirky characters. I like C.J. Cherryh’s realistic alien spacers. I like Marion Zimmer Bradley’s alien cultures.

I read a lot, and my favorite author depends on what month and year it is.

What was the hardest part of writing your books?

The hardest part was hanging in there and finishing it. I knew where I wanted to go with the book, but actually sitting down and grinding away at it day after day was tough. I get bored and distracted easily, so making myself work at the same thing over and over is hard for me.

I also had some problems ramping up the tension. I tend to look at the lighter side of things. Some of the people who looked at the manuscript said that the lads seemed to find things too easy, without a lot of challenge. I have to work harder to think of plot complications and conflict. I’m hoping that will improve once I get more writing under my belt and learn more about the mechanics of the craft.

What are some challenges you faced writing and publishing your work?

The biggest challenge is my day job! I work very long hours, and it’s hard to get any writing done on top of that. Sometimes I come home and crawl straight into bed, but I usually try to get at least a page or two written either at night or in the morning before I leave for work.

The second biggest challenge is getting the book to the point where I’m satisfied with it. I’ve revised it once, and now I’m thinking up new angles and new ways of making it better, and am headed for at least one more major rewrite before I send it to a professional for editing.

I suppose a third challenge is making myself read as an editor instead of just falling back into the story. It’s hard for me to look for repeated words and phrases, punctuation and grammar, and continuity.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?


I learned a lot. I learned that if you hang in there and do a little bit at a time, you can accomplish anything you set out to do. I learned that your first draft isn’t supposed to be your finished work, and that you’ll need to edit at least twice, maybe more. I learned that you can always find something new that you didn’t know before, especially about the craft of writing.

Are there any characters you would like to go back to, or a theme or idea you’d like to work with?

I plan to write more about Tell and Tano. They’re my favorite couple. Roswell is fascinating as well, with his old-world outlook on velyr life. I may write a book about Alexi some day, as she’s one of the first characters I envisioned.

Which of your characters speaks the loudest to you?

I like brash, cocky, witty characters that always have something to say about whatever is going on, so Tell is the loudest of my characters. He’s sort of a combination of Bono from U2 and Freddie Mercury from Queen.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. 

My friends have been my biggest support team. I have a very small family, and never really discussed my writing with any of them. My friends are the ones who have to read my rough drafts, listen to my ideas, talk me into writing instead of putzing around.

Do you see writing as a career?


I think of writing as my second career. I’d love to write as a career instead of as a hobby, but at this point, I don’t see it supporting me in the style to which I’d like to become accustomed. Perhaps in the future, I can make enough on the books to be able to cut back some of my hours at my day job.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Plant that butt in a chair and get to it! Don’t let anything distract you until you’ve told the story inside your head.

Study other writers and learn how they do what it is they do. Look for the craft beneath the story. Analyze instead of just reading, and you’ll learn how to write.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thanks for supporting me! I hope you enjoy reading my adventures as much as I enjoy thinking them up and writing them down.

Some interesting questions I’ve come across in other interviews:

Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, or hardbacks?

It depends on the author. I have favorite authors, like Robert Heinlein, Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley and C.J. Cherryh whose books I always like to buy in physical form. I like e-books if I’m not certain I’ll like the book, as they’re less expensive than print books and don’t take up any space in my already crowded house. Everything else, with the exception of some of my research books, is either a paperback or hardback.

Where do you like to buy your books?

We have a Barnes and Noble bookstore in town. I like holding a book in my hand, maybe flipping through it over a latte while I decide if I want to buy it or not. I also like the convenience of Amazon, and order quite a number of used books from them. We also have a good independent bookstore that I like, and a used bookstore where I trade out the masses of books I’ve already read for more masses.

Do you write under a pen name?

I do. I want to keep my “real” life separate from my writing. I’m pretty much a hermit when I’m not at work, and I like my privacy and solitude. I also can’t have people showing up at my job because it’s a very busy one without the time for socializing with my readers.

Do you have any pets?

At the moment, I am pet-less, although I tend to prefer cats to dogs simply because I’m away from home so many hours a day and dogs just can’t cope well with that sort of life.

White wine or red?

White, though I much prefer a good, dark rum.

Coffee or tea?

I like coffee as a hot drink and tea as a cold one. I like my coffee in the espresso variety and my tea unsweetened (though I did grow up on the typical Southern sweet tea). I’m also addicted to Mexican Coca-Colas (the kind made with actual cane sugar instead of corn syrup).

Do you like to cook and do you have a favorite food?

I can cook fairly well, I think, though I usually don’t take the time. I have several favorite foods. I make a really mean pot of chili. My favorite Mexican food is a nice, spicy plate of nachos, the ones with actual shredded cheese on top instead of a prepared sauce. My favorite Italian food is fettuccine alfredo. My favorite pizza is pepperoni, and my favorite seafood is shrimp. I also make one of the best pina coladas you’ll probably ever taste (IMHO).

Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?

Coffee, though of those two I’ll take chocolate.

Sleep in or get up early?

It depends on my work schedule. I have to get up at the crack of dawn for my job, so sometimes on my writing days I stay up late and sleep in until 8 or 9.

Laptop or desktop for writing?

I write anywhere, but I like my laptop for comfort. I can curl up in my comfy chair in the library – or head down the local coffeeshop and set up there.

I use the main desktop computer when I need to really sit down and concentrate, like when I’m editing or revising.