I am pleased to introduce to you fellow autor, Adi Alsaid, author of Somwhere Over the Sun:
When did you first know you wanted to write a book?
I suppose the first time was when I was around 15 and wrote a novella about vampires. It’s an immature piece of writing, obviously written by a young kid, but some parts aren’t too bad. After finishing that, I was always more of a short story writer, few of which ever got finished. After college, I knew that at some point in my life I would write a book, but didn’t think it would happen so soon.
Are you a traditionally published author or indie?
Indie.
If indie, what made you decide this route?
I wanted to go the traditional route, but was in a hurry to publish in order to get a visa and stay in the U.S and I couldn’t wait around for agents to have the time to respond to my queries. I wrote about the decision to self-publish here: http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/2010/12/19/author-adi-alsaid-guest-post-on-self-publishing/
What was your biggest resource of information as an indie author?
The wonderful internet, of course. Specifically, the wonderfully helpful and informative myriad authors, book bloggers and other book people that can be found on Twitter.
How many novels have you had published, or is this your debut?
Somewhere Over the Sun is my debut novel, but will definitely not be my last.
What genre do your write in?
Literary fiction, but elements of other genres sneak in there as well. Somewhere Over the Sun has a tinge of fantasy, maybe speculative fiction too.
Tell us a little bit about your latest novel (or upcoming novel)?
The story follows Alan, a spirited young writer with a wandering imagination has discovered that the stories he writes are suddenly coming to life. At the suggestion of his loving father, Alan embarks on a quixotic journey to visit friends and use his newfound gift to write them all happier lives.
There are a few limitations to his power; he can’t cure diseases, he can’t summon pots of gold, and each story leaves behind some physical discomfort. However, the appreciative and optimistic Alan is not deterred from creating fantastical characters and storylines to give his friends more literary lives.
Interlaced by the lovely and true to life vignettes he writes for his friends, the narrative takes us inside the imaginative Alan’s thoughts and those of his hosts; college friends, a childhood chum, his editor and a former love.
Which of your characters do you most relate with?
Definitely Alan. I knew my voice tends to shine through in my writing, so I figured making the protagonist sound like me would be an easy way to keep a consistent voice in my first novel.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
Like so many of my stories, it came from absolutely nowhere in the middle of the night. Just a thought that had to be written down, was ignored for months and then eventually expanded into an outline and finally an 83,000-word novel.
Did you know the title before you started writing, or did it come to you later?
I had a working title for about half the novel, then switched to Somewhere Over the Sun about two thirds of the way through. Although I really liked the initial title, which was an allusion to J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan, I felt it could have been a bit of a spoiler. Plus, I really liked the sound of Somewhere Over the Sun.
Is there a message in your novel you wish for the reader to grasp?
There’s beauty and humanity in places where one wouldn’t necessarily expect them to be. I think the reader will enjoy the ways that Alan brings the life out of the inanimate, whether it’s just in the way he sees things or through the short stories he shares with us.
If you could use only FIVE words to persuade us to read your book, what would they be?
I promise you will smile.
What do you find are the biggest obstacles to overcome when writing a novel?
The nagging suspicion all artists feel that their work is absolutely terrible or absolutely brilliant.
For those writers who have not yet completed their first novel, what advice would you give them?
Submerge yourself in your writing. Whether it’s for three months, three weeks, three days or three hours, jump into the written word and let it be the most important thing in your life.
What famous writer would you most compare yourself to and why?
It’s a lofty comparison, but Kurt Vonnegut. His books contain a bit of the fantastical, a sense of humor and a sense of appreciation for the beauty of being alive. There are acknowledgements of the evils of the world, a tinge of cynicism, but a steadfast determination that beauty and kindness prevail.
What is one book (besides one of your own) that you think everyone should read?
Sum; forty tales from the afterlives by David Eagleman. I posted a review for it on my site and I’ll provide that link so that I don’t ramble on and on about how much I love this book. http://www.somewhereoverthesun.com/post/1313717690/sum
What book are your currently reading?
Let Me In (aka Let the Right One In) by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
eBook or hard copy, or do you not have a preference?
I’ve yet to try an eBook, but I don’t think there’s a better feeling than holding a book, flipping a page. I spill beverages a lot. Coffee and food stains add to a book’s character, but greatly lessen the value of an eReader.
Have any new and upcoming authors caught your eye?
L.M. Stull, of course! J My fellow Twitter authors Liz Borino and Rebecca Dickson (known as @thinking2hard13) and a few others I’m forgetting to mention. Aside from that, I don’t think I’ve been doing a good enough job of keeping an eye out for fellow debut authors, and after my to-read list is exhausted, I’ll make sure to change that.
If you were a superhero what would your name be?
What makes you think I’m not already a superhero and Adi Alsaid isn’t a superhero name? 
My favorite writing snack is wine and fruit snacks, do you have a favorite?
Coffee or beer. I usually don’t snack much while writing. I let the hunger build up as I disappear into my computer and then go feast when I’m done.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
With my short stories I always begin with a sentence-long idea and just take it from there. Somewhere Over the Sun was the first thing I ever fully outlined.
Have you ever thought of a great opening chapter and a devilish closing chapter but just can’t work out how to get from one to the other?
Before Somewhere Over the Sun, I wrote short stories with awesome opening lines which I could never ever finish. A few of these had great endings that I couldn’t ever reach, not necessarily because I couldn’t connect them, but because I always ran out of steam and gave up on them.
Have you ever written a story where the antagonist made a better protagonist than the one you used?
Yes! It’s called Fight Club and was turned into a movie. Wait, what? That wasn’t me at all.
What kind of routines do you keep when writing ( i.e., exercise, food, chores, etc.)?
Apparently one of my routines is to distract myself with the internet for far too long. Other than that and my ever-present earphones, I don’t really have routines. Sometimes I write at home, sometimes at restaurants, usually at coffee shops.
What current project are you working on?
I’m working on my second novel, which is completely unrelated to the first one.
Can you share any of it with us?
I could. But, when I wrote my first book, I kept everyone in the dark about what it was even about. No one other than my editors had any idea. I did this to avoid comments like, “Oh, that’s cool, you should also add zombie dogs and an alien invasion.” It also ended up being a lot of fun. So, in order to recreate that joy, as well as keep outside influence at bay, I’m going to do the whole secrecy thing again.
Tell us a funny unknown fact about yourself.
I was a ball-boy during the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas.
