This issue features an interview with Nicole Zelniker, author of From Where We Are and the upcoming We Are Made of Scars and Starlight, clips from my presentation at the Commodore Los Angeles Super Show, and how and why I'm starting a new novel.

Relive the early days of the personal computer industry in the 1980s in Amiga. Laura must face a past she wants to forget to deal with problems in her present. AuthorsReading.com said, "Stern creates a protagonist who has the wherewithal to handle the personal, social, and technical problems of her era, portraying a woman of astonishing powers.” Get your copy of Amiga at your favorite bookstore or on Kindle Unlimited. 

It's typical for writers to start more projects than they finish. I have a boneyard full of those types of unfinished stories. Some of them later became the basis of completed works, like Amiga. 

Recently, I sent my work in progress, Trevor and the Eight of Swords, to the boneyard. That's because of feedback I got on the idea from the Commodore Los Angeles Super Show. It's important to listen to your readers, because they can help discover your strengths as an author.

So, I'm taking their advice and started writing a novel based on vintage video games. The best part: I can use it to tackle themes I was covering in my other books in a more fun and effective way. 

And the way I'm writing it is interesting too.

This story is coming together like a jigsaw puzzle. I'm starting with the climax because that is where the character revelations and plot twists take place. It's like looking at the picture on the puzzle box. Then, I have to put together the edge pieces, which are the incidents that lead to the climax. I can then fill in the interior with the action, character development, and other elements to complete the story.

As for characters, I'm discovering who they are as I write. Although this story has plenty of action, it’s character-driven. To escape from danger and survive each level, the characters must confront deep-seated fears, push their limitations, and overcome their initial distrust of each other.

Another distrust I'm working through is the use of generative AI. I've reconsidered some uses, especially in light of changes in technology and government. There are some areas where generative AI can stimulate creativity instead of stifling it. You can read about my thoughts about generative AI (and see a reference image that's helping me develop a character), in this recent post.

I'll keep you posted on my progress (and I hope, the completion) of my new work in progress.

At the Commodore Los Angeles Super Show, I gave a couple of presentations about the computers that got me started as a professional writer.

In my first presentation, I demonstrated PaperClip, the first word processor I used on the Commodore 64. I used it to start a novel in college. 

https://youtu.be/V44htH4UTco

Later at the show, another presenter migrated my files from a floppy disk I had saved to a USB drive. I was able to open my files for the first time in 40 years, and they were in perfect condition. 

I also demonstrated Studio 64, the music program created by the first software company I ever worked for, EnTech. You can see me diss a musician with software that's older than he is.

https://youtu.be/O9Vheagy9t4

My next event will be the Local Author Fair at the Fullerton Library on August 23. Get caught up with your summer reading at this event featuring authors from throughout Orange County. We will be at the Fullerton Library from 12–4 pm. In the meantime, you can watch my reading at the 2023 event on YouTube.

Nicole Zelniker (she/they) is the author of several books, including From Where We Are, which has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and All I Know So Far, her debut young adult novel. She’s also the founder of Knee Brace Press, a literary magazine dedicated to disability and mental health. Nicole's next book, We Are Made Of Scars & Starlight, will be published by Vine Leaves Press in October. 

In their free time, Nicole enjoys re-reading their favorite books, listening to musicals, and bothering her really cute tabby cat.

Which author had the biggest influence on your writing?

Oof, that’s such a hard question. I can say that recently, I’ve been reading a lot more queer YA that takes place in the South, and it’s really inspired me to write stories based on my own queer community living in the southern U.S., like in All I Know So Far. Some of the authors writing those stories are Sonora Reyes, Jas Hammonds, Jonny Garza Villa, and Tracy Deonn, but honestly, I could keep going.

There’s also the disability aspect of my writing, which I never would have set out to write about without the authors already writing about disability, like Lillie Lainoff, Natalia Sylvester, Chatham Greenfield, and Samantha Irby. Reading their books changed my life in the best way.

I had the pleasure of reading your upcoming book, We Are Made of Scars and Starlight. What can you tell us about it?

You did, and thank you so much for your kind words about it! We Are Made of Scars and Starlight is a contemporary fiction novella (not a romance, so adjust those expectations now) that follows Kai, a twenty-five-year-old chronically ill gay man who’s struggling with dating, finding community, and self-love. When his best friend Mariah asks him to accompany her to her mom’s sixtieth birthday party, he meets Mariah’s twin brother, and sparks fly.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing this book?

As I write more about disability and chronic illness, it’s really made me look in the mirror regarding my own feelings about living with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Crohn’s disease. Those deeply personal moments are probably the most challenging, but also very worthwhile.

What has been your most rewarding experience in writing?

When a reader tells me they felt seen in my writing, whether it’s about the disability rep, mental health, the queer found family, or something else. It truly makes me feel like everything that’s led to that moment has been worth it.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Community is everything. Writing is often touted as a solitary act, but I wouldn’t have half the successes I do and I would be very lonely without my lovely community of fellow writers. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your fellow writers. Also, read widely! Even though I’m largely in the contemporary space, I’ve learned so much from fantasy, horror, and other genre novels.

Where can readers learn more about you?

You can keep up with me on TikTok at @nicolewritesbooks and on Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram at @nicolezelniker. My website is nicolezelniker.com and it’s up to date… I think? Let me go check that, actually…

I have some author interviews coming soon, but there's room for more. If you are an author who wants to be interviewed, send me an email to admin@matthewarnoldstern.com with the following information:

• Your name.
• A brief bio (100 words or less).
• Your books.
• What you would like to talk about in your interview.

By supporting each other, we can all grow!

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments and suggestions, feel free to email me at admin@matthewarnoldstern.com. 

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I'll be in touch again next month with more news and content.