Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I'm a bay area native currently living in Santa Clara. I love cooking, ballroom dance, theatre, small dogs, and board games. I stay up far too late writing and exist in a perpetual state of tiredness. There's much more to say, but true to form, I'm writing this very late at night and will keep it short so I can go to bed.
I've written eight books – a six-book YA series, a play, and my newest, a space opera called Weapons of the Mind.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Weapons of the Mind.
I and my coauthor chose this title to represent how, despite the action-packed nature of the book, our protagonist Tala's most dangerous battles are internal. Inner conflict is a major theme of the book, and Tala's choices carry deadly consequences.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try to write a little bit a day. And I do mean a little bit. Five sentences.
Of course, at five sentences a day, it would take forever to finish something. But committing to five gets me to the computer with the word doc opens and starts my fingers moving. Usually, by the time I hit five, I’m warmed up and ready to keep going.
Sometimes, my schedule is packed full of other responsibilities, social engagements, etc. On those occasions, maybe all I can do is squeeze in five sentences at the end of a long day. But all that means is that even on my busiest days, I make forward progress.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always admired Terry Pratchet for his mastery of off-kilter humor to knock readers off balance, followed by truly compelling, resonant emotional writing. Pratchet never got bogged down in cliches unless it was to give them an original spin; he found the weirdest way to address mundane concepts and forced the reader to think about them from a new angle, but one that always made perfect sense. It was such a gift!
Brandon Sanderson has been a primary influence of mine since I first read Mistborn. His stories are like intricate machinery to me. Every cog is in place, doing its job, building to a purpose. There’s a reason “Sanderlanche” has gained niche use in fantasy discussions – his climaxes are the result of meticulous, book-long setup. Some of Sanderson’s best tricks are techniques I’ve shamelessly taken for myself (see if you can spot which ones I’m employing in Weapons of the Mind), but the most important thing I’ve taken from him is the importance of keeping a narrative internally consistent and carefully managing a reader’s expectations.
Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie are masters of the adage “any explosion is only as interesting as what’s being blown up.” If I ever need a reminder that action is best served sparingly, alongside action and stakes, I’m cracking open something by Lynch or Abercrombie.
What are you working on now?
At the moment of this interview, I’m hard at work laying the groundwork for making Weapons of the Mind a success. New writing has taken a backseat to that, unfortunately, although a sequel is very much in the works.
I'm also hoping to pull together a performance of my play Midsummer Night, an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Heavily discounting your book for a short period of time (or even making it available for free) will give you access to a bunch of services that advertise your deal to thousands (or tens, or hundreds of thousands) of active, voracious readers.
You probably already knew about this method if you're on this site, reading this interview, though! So I'll also say that in the age of social media and online marketing, authors are underestimating the value of a solid local community. Go to conventions, do readings at libraries, etc.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find your audience and write for them. Don’t waste time trying to write a book that everybody will like. There is no such thing as a book that everyone likes, but plenty of books have suffered from being pulled in too many different directions trying to appeal to different groups of people. If you find and resonate with your audience, they will always have your back.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
"Don't kiss me like that, kiss me like *this*."
As for writing advice… "Good writing exists in the gap between leading your reader and trusting them to lead themselves."
What are you reading now?
"The Fifth Elephant," by Terry Pratchet. Discworld is a modern classic!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have some projects I’m trying to get publish-worthy: a few short stories, a novella set in the Weapons universe, and one very long fantasy epic that draws a lot of inspiration from stories of King Arthur while exploring a rough approximation of the current political landscape. It’s meant to be a look at how kingdoms fall, not through invasion or any external force, but by the efforts of bad actors, the friction of petty grievances, and the failures of a system beyond the power of any lone individual to change. Who can say if there’s a market for it? The most important thing is that it makes my fingers come alive at the keyboard.
What is your favorite book of all time?
It's so hard to pick just one. There are so many different reasons to love a book! Today, I'll say The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson crafts plots like a master watchmaker, fitting each cog into place and then letting it wind down on its own. The setting is original, memorable, and evocative in my imagination. Everything works in concert to deliver an experience I'll never forget.
Author Websites and Profiles
Owen B Greenwald Website
Owen B Greenwald Amazon Profile
Owen B Greenwald’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile