Author Grea Alexander Shares Their Story
Q: Why should someone buy your work?
Because it’s awesome. (laugh) I also donate a portion of the profit to charity.
Q: Why the name SeaMonkey Ink?
Why not? (grin) What’s not to love? I mean it’s Ink squirting out of a Seamonkey. I mean sure no one has ever witnessed such a phenomenon but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. (laugh)
Q: Seriously?
No. When I was in school (high school and beyond) I used to play pranks under various code names – one of which was Seamonkey. I also have always enjoyed writing and back when I started to do so, I used to write everything by hand (which requires either lead or Ink) even long after I got my first word processor and computer. After I finally started typing directly, it still took ink to print.
Hence SeaMonkey Ink.
Q: Have you ever actually owned Seamonkeys?
Actually I have and I’m pretty well convinced that there is a wanted poster with my name and likeness up somewhere in the SIA (Seamonkey Intelligence Agency) headquarters for mass genocide. (laugh) I try but I fail.
Q: Are any of your characters based on people you know/knew in real life?
Not really. Most are composites. However, I will say that more than a little of my own personality/thoughts/expressions pop up in my stories and among my characters.
For instance, in Rebellion Book I: Book of Quay, Phong Quay makes a statement that one day he is changing his name and not telling anyone what he changed it to. I’ve said that to people since I was like 5 – particularly when I get agitated at being disturbed.
So if any real life person is used as a template for some of my dialogue and character behaviors it would be myself.
Q: You write some historical novels. How accurate are they?
Accurate enough. (laugh) I always say I do just enough research to be dangerous.
I enjoy history and find some of the portraits of these figures, times and places to be fascinating. I actually do put in quite a nice chunk of time trying to make the story as historically accurate as possible though I would like to think my work is more character driven then driven by the time, places and figures that inspired it.
Q: Why don’t you include your photo?
Because I’m incredibly homely. (laugh)
Q: You don’t look homely to me.
For my personal safety. (laugh) I’m always raising someone’s hackles for some reason or another whether it’s intentional or not. I’m also very private person and I would prefer to gain readers/admirers based on my work rather than my appearance. My appearance is just a bonus. (wink)
Q: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
Yes! Buy my books. (laugh)
By contributing to my income through a purchase, you make it possible for me to spend more time writing new novels for you to enjoy. As a portion of the profits of my sales do go to charity, you are also placing yourself 2 degrees of separation from being a philanthropist!