Hayden Pearton

That depends on a couple of different factors, such as length of the book, its complexity and how much time I have to work on it. I will try and release between 1-3 books a year, however you might have to wait up to 2 years between major releases (The Chronicles of New Eden for example).

I do everything for two reasons. Firstly, I enjoy having such a large amount of creative control over my projects, which I would obvioulsy lose if I had to answer to an editor, artist and marketing team. Obviously, if I feel that the quality of a project would benefit from one of the aforementioned services, then I would make use of one. Secondly, those services cost money, and would disturb the zero-cost model that I currently use. If I were to pay for an editor, marketing team and cover designer I would be losing money with every book downloaded, which would then need to be recouped from my regular job. While I am happy to use hundreds of hours of my own time to complete my books, I am not happy to use up funds that are meant to enrich the lives of my family.

Well, I am committed to finishing The Chronicles of New Eden which spans 7 books, as well as The Beggar Chronicles which is a trilogy of books. Beyond that, I have hundreds of story ideas, ranging from standalone works to multi-part epics that run the gamut from sci-fi and fantasy to horror and thriller. After each book is published, I like to sit back and decide what I would like to write next, based on my personal desires.

It varies all the time. Several weeks can go by without me even touching a book, and then, in a single bolt of inspiration, I'll write scores of pages. It really all depends on how I'm feeling on the day.

A lot. Before I've even written the front page I've outlined the characters, the locations, the terms and history of the world and the general chapter storylines. While writing I'll also add to my original outline if any new ideas appear.

Inspiration -> Story Idea -> Outline -> Rough Draft -> First Read Through -> Editing -> Second Read Through -> Editing -> Formatting -> Publication -> Celebration!

The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett. Bonus points if I'm going on holiday to Australia. The book is funny, insightful and does a wonderful job of parodying both Australia and the typical hero's journey.

I was born in Durban, South Africa, before moving to Port Elizabeth. When I was 16 I moved to Shreveport, Louisiana for several years, before returning to South Africa. I attended the University of Cape Town and graduated from there in 2014, attaining a degree in Physiotherapy.

Honestly, everywhere. I can be working, driving, eating, falling asleep, sitting in Church, showering, or just sitting on the couch and an idea can pop into my head. In Sourcery, by Terry Pratchett, it is explained that there are inspiration particles that sleet through the universe until they encounter a receptive mind. In my case, I think that I've just been a very lucky target.

Raspberry Coke (5ml raspberry cordial added to a glass of coke) and Salted Pretzels.

I have anosmia, which means that I have no sense of smell. I've had it since I was seven, when I was hospitalized for a long period with meningitis encephalitis. This has had an effect on the food I eat, which has led to a preference for plain meals.

Rincewind, from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. I love his combination of ineptitude, cowardice and surprising heroic moments.

First and foremost, Terry Pratchett. I love his witty insights, ability to turn a phrase and his amazing world building. In truth, reading his most famous series, Discworld, is what led me to becoming an author. I also like Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, J.K. Rowling and Eoin Colfer to name but a few.

Fantasy, followed closely behind by Science Fiction. I love them because they so often showcase the pure imagination of their authors and reveal entirely new worlds and concepts that are simultaneously alien and fascinating to explore.

"The fifth thing Tak did, he wrote a geode, an egg of stone. And in the twilight of the mouth of the cave, the geode hatched, and the Brothers were born. The first Brother walked toward the light, and stood under the open sky. Thus he became too tall. He was the first Man. He found no Laws and he was enlightenend. The second Brother walked toward the darkness, and stood under a rood of stone. Thus he achieved the correct height. He was the first Dwarf. He found the Laws Tak had written, and he was endarkened. Then Tak looked upon the stone and it was trying to come alive, and Tak smiled, and wrote ALL THINGS STRIVE. And for the service the stone had given, he fashioned it into the first Troll, and delighted in the life that came unbidden. These are the things that Tak wrote!" - Thud! by Terry Pratchett

To allow everyone to read them, regardless of financial status. Since there is no cost involved due to being self-published, there is no drive for me to recoup my losses by inflating prices. So feel free to read my books and not have to worry about wasting your money!

Amazon has a minimum price for all books sold through Kindle Direct Publishing which is currently set at $0.99. I wanted my books to be a part of their service in order to reach more readers, hence their inclusion. However, there are still plenty of places where you can get my books for free, including Smashwords, Apple and here on the site.

Sadly, yes. My dream is to be able to work half-day's and write in the other half. However, in order to do so I would need to earn enough to cover my monthly expenses. My current plan is to start charging after I complete The Chronicles of New Eden.