SoCNoC Month mini-interview: Philippa Ballantine

Philippa was born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, but currently lives in Manassas, Virginina, where she is promoting three of her novels. She is fantasy writer, with several series on the go at the same time. She has the Books of the Order series with Ace Books ("Geist" is already out, and "Spectyr" will be out in July this year with two to come out later, "Wrayth" and "Harbinger").  

With Tee Morris,  she co-wrote a steampunk adventure romp called the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series ( the first book, "Phoenix Rising" came out in April and the second book is due next year).

She has also just signed a deal with Pyr book for the Shifted World series scheduled to start 2012.

An avid podcaster, she's podcast four of her novels in their entirity. Her website is pjballantine.com

1. Can you talk to us about when you knew you wanted to become a writer?

Oh, I knew from a very early age. I had finished with my Dad's collection of speculative fiction, and I immediately knew that was what I wanted to write. Old school friends still remember me clutching my green hardback book and scribbling away.

2. What is your writing schedule, your daily goals, your productivity?

Lately I have had to split my working day between writing and marketing. These days most authors have to do that. I start around 10am and go until 3pm with purely writing. I like to write something everyday, but right now I am in production for Wrayth and my goal is about 4,000 words a day.

3. Do you have any funny habits or quirks (write in your underwear, at a kitchen table with kids screaming around you? write while in bed? Read and write at the same time? Need to be near a window? Eat while writing/don't eat while writing? etc...)

I like to have some background noise. It surprises some of my writing buddies that I can write with the TV on - it acts as kinda of white noise to my brain. I write on a laptop, and usually like to have a cat sitting next to me. I can however write anywhere, bed, the sofa, or in a coffee shop. It's a handy skill to have!

4. What are your indispensable writing tools?

I would not be without Scrivener. It is the best way to keep all my research and my writing together. I've written the last four novels on it.

5. Do you do any writing challenges like SoCNoC or Nanowrimo? If not, then why not? If you do, how do you use it and how does it help you?

I did have grand plans for Nanowrimo last year, but it just never seems to line up with my writing schedule. I was about halfway through a novel when it started. I *may* be able to use it this year to write that YA novel that is kicking around in my mind. But it has to fit into my current commitments for the publishers...