Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Well, hello! My name is Ian Mitchell-Gill and I have worn a lot of hats over the years. I was an athlete, musician, and avid reader growing up. I was actually born on the island of Jersey, right between France and England. You could tell from the start it was never going to be normal.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the “adrenaline junkie.” I’m probably what you would call a “challenge junkie.” If it is hard, I’ll try it. I’m not afraid to fail and all I want to do is improve. I simply do not believe that there is anything that cannot be done if you apply yourself and persevere. Because of that attitude, I’ve run track, trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and play a variety of musical instruments. Probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done is venture into the world of publishing. That is definitely not for the faint of heart.
I worked a lot of jobs trying to find the best fit, and ultimately being an elementary school teacher was the best option in all ways. I’m only doing that a little bit longer and I can devote much more time to writing and travelling. I’m looking forward to that!
I live in Oshawa with my amazing wife and daughters. We share the place with a freeloading French Bulldog. He’s an ungrateful little snot-goblin, but we love him.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Medusa’s Son”?
A2. Probably the hardest part of this novel was learning the geography and cultural norms of Japan. It is an amazing nation and I wanted to do right by the fantastic people who live in this unique country. Luckily, a friend of mine lives and works in Japan and was able to help me understand what was possible and what was not. I will be forever grateful to Richard Brown for his assistance in this matter. Did you know Japan has a beautiful mountain range named the Northern Alps? Neither did I!
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. There is no one author that influenced me the most. I was lucky enough to have parents who loved to read. I grew up on a steady diet of paperbacks in my home and I had teachers who opened up my mind to the literary world. William Treadgold was a high school teacher who really inspired me. I was truly blessed to be in his class.
I read Anne McCaffery, R. A. McAvoy, Anne Rice, Terry Brooks, Robert A. Heinlein and so many others. My interest switched from fantasy to adventure as I aged. I’ve heard it said that the brevity in my books is similar to Hemingway, but I did not read a lot of his work.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. Toronto is my favorite place to visit in Canada. People tell me that is only because I haven’t been to Montreal. They may be right! I love the energy in Toronto. It is Canada’s biggest city and there is always something happening and a million things to do and see. Many great memories come with every visit.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Medusa’s Son’?
A5. After enjoying vampire books for years, I had absolutely no interest in writing one. After all, Stoker, Rice, Meyer … they all did it about as well as it could be done. Why would I even bother? But then I got an idea. Not just any idea, but one that completely changes the dynamics and balance of power in the genre. The idea allowed my imagination to roam and it wasn’t hard to complete three novels in the series. When things calm down a little, I’m aching to write the fourth!
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Medusa’s Son’?
A6. That’s a tough question. I really don’t keep track of the time spent on any writing endeavor. I have a full-time job and can only write on the weekends or the occasional evening. I can tell you I wrote it over the span of about six months and spent about the same editing. I think most people would be surprised to find out how much time authors and publishers spend polishing these projects to be the best that they can be.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. So many places and formats! Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookbub, an audio book on Google Play, Apple books, Kobo, Smashwords and probably a few others that I don’t even know about. With this unique title, it is not hard to find.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Medusa’s Son’?
A8. I’m so glad you asked this question! I originally paid a local author to create a digital drawing of an iStock photo that was very striking. I wanted to pay homage to the fearsome gorgon in the title, but that artwork was ultimately rejected by the publisher. They said people don’t really like snakes and they have a point. They came up with three options and I showed it to my students. They were the ones to pick the cover and they had some great reasons for their choice. It was tremendous fun!
The title was bouncing around in my head long before the idea of the book was completely conceived. I like the classics and always had a soft spot for the tragic Medusa. A woman who did nothing wrong but catch the attention of a lecherous deity. She was punished for his heinous acts by a petty and jealous goddess. So unfair! I didn’t know she actually did have two sons, so I just imagined what abilities her child might possess. Anyone reading to the end of the book will completely understand why he had to be male. It wouldn’t have worked any other way.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. The topic of the book is what always keeps it fresh for me. I wish I could just point at whatever is popular and write about it … but that is not how my mind works. I have to get excited about a concept before I can begin. Challenging the characters is something I can do for my own enjoyment and the reader gets to come along for the ride. I always try to have something interesting to begin and end a chapter to keep the reader enticed and turning those pages.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. Being a writer means fumbling around looking for pearls of wisdom and trying to learn from your mistakes. I’ve watched too many tutorials to count and gotten some great information from them. Probably the best instruction came from Stephen King’s “On Writing.” He made mention of the idea that you don’t need to describe the characters with too much detail. The reader will fill in the blanks on their own. Having said that, you had better make sure you do a good job describing the setting. That way, the reader really feels like they are in the story and it helps them picture it in their mind. Good advice from a guy who would know!
Buy Medusa’s Son on Amazon
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