Author Interview with

PD Alleva

Author of: The Rose, and other stories

 

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

 I’ve got a few books in the pipeline. My current writing in progress is titled Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect: A Truly Offensive Grindhouse Novel. Carnivals, Cannibals, and Clowns. Oh My! Not sure if I can use the term Grindhouse though, I’ll need to check into any trademark or copyright on that word prior to publication.

 Next up is Golem, a horror thriller, currently in the content editing phase of the publishing journey. One of my favorite silent horror films is The Golem, and for those who don’t know a golem is based on Jewish folklore and is a spirit that incarnates inside of a statue, usually clay, although I used marble in the novel. The story setting is late 1940’s to early 1950’s New York City and follows the young and naive John Ashton after he receives a promotion to be a detective in the departments missing persons unit. His first assignment is a cold case (not that cold really, just a few years) that involves the new district attorneys missing daughter. Unfortunately for John his only lead is Alena Francon, a high society New York socialite, artist, and sculptor who has been a resident at Bellevue’s Psychiatric facility for the last six months. Alena filed a report indicating that she knows the whereabouts of the DA’s daughter and when Ashton arrives to question her about the claim, she tells him the story of Golem, a demonic presence from the far reaches of the universe, a hellish place of damnation called Xibalba. Alena admits to incarnating Golem into a statue she sculpted from marble in late 1947, and he’s causing havoc among the social elite while infiltrating every aspect of New York’s infrastructure. He also uses orphans to help take control, sending them out to homes as the Black Eyed Kids in an effort to indoctrinate and possess those who hold power in the city.

Both Jigglyspot and Golem are part of my horror and dark fiction series of stand alone novels, Beyond the Chamber Door. Books one and two are already published, Twisted Tales of Deceit and Presenting the Marriage of Kelli Anne & Gerri Denemer respectively.

But of course we are here to discuss my new dystopian science fiction novel, and the first book in a planned series, The Rose Vol. 1.

The Rose is a dystopian science fiction thriller inspired by an obsession with conspiracy theories, ancient aliens, and alien lore. The book features a sophisticated race of alien vampires who live in middle earth and have conspired with elite human beings and grey aliens to turn the human population into easily controlled zombies in an effort to achieve planetary and interstellar domination. The story begins directly after the end of World War 3 in an underground medical complex where human beings are subjected to genetic experimentation. The plot revolves around an unsuspecting WW3 safety camp survivor, Sandy Cox, who has been thrown in the middle of a mysterious human rebellion against the aliens and elite humans. The book features concepts found in alien lore and ancient aliens, including the Akashic Record and Robert Morningstar papers, to name a few and can be described as The Matrix with Ancient Aliens or Star Wars in The Hunger Games. I developed a martial arts practice I refer to as The Blades for one on one fighting scenes along with multiple surprise aliens and genetically mutated humans. The book is an action adventure thriller from start to finish.

 

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

Multiple sources. The Rose Vol. 1 is an accumulation of three novel ideas I had running through my head over the last decade. One of those ideas was a straight sci-fi space opera, this is where the idea for The Blades came from that are featured in The Rose. The Blades are an ancient alien martial arts weapon likened to Tonfas in karate, except instead of being made from wood The Blades are made from steel, alien steel to be exact. They’re like having a sword attached to your arm.

The second novel was a book tilted Celestial Silence. The story chronicles the exploits of the main character who falls asleep in heaven and wakes up in hell and has to manifest himself in different lives throughout history in order to stop the end of the world from happening. Celestial Silence included alien lore as a backstory for the back and forth of the main character. I’m a fan of the show Ancient Aliens and indulge in alien lore and theories of other worldly beings, even came up with a few of my own which were included in this novel. I brought these theories into The Rose, which is the first in a seven book interconnected series. So, you’ll see bits and parts from Celestial Silence across the seven books.

The third story was about an MMA fighter turned doomsday prepper after losing his family to a terrorist attack. The story was set to chronicle his exploits and decent into madness as the world around him spirals into peril and upheaval. Main character’s name is Robyn Winter, a character that is included in The Rose and someone we will see as the series progresses ultimately leading to his own series, Winter Vol. 1 and 2.

With all that being said, we will see the story play out over three differently titled series: The Rose Vol 1 and 2, The Indigo Trials Trilogy, and Winter Vol. 1 and 2.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes, primarily horror and Sci-Fi, although there’s always subgenres too. Dystopian, thriller, action/adventure, and mystery. I call it alternative fiction, crossing genres like the grunge kid that I am. 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

I’ve got an uncanny knack and ability to utilize multiple points of view throughout the story without driving the reader nuts and losing the overall flow of the story. I enjoy getting into my characters heads, seeing what’s going on and what’s stirring in that brain of theirs. Plus it’s great to push the limits in the plot and drive the story into new, awesome, and unexpected ways.  

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

Yes, I have a unique ability to understand human behavior and how those behaviors are manifested through our belief systems. I’ve been a practicing hypnotist and behavioral analyst for the past 15 years. This training has transferred into my writing in numerous ways, most specifically with developing rich and in depth characters, especially my villains.

I’m also a quote type of guy (see question 11) and I believe in paying homage to the movies and books that have helped shape my life. So, you’ll find references to movies and books throughout my novels. See if you can catch the phrases in The Rose. I’ll give some hints; think Star Wars, Terminator, The Dark Knight, and The Monster Squad.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I enjoy intelligent, though provoking reads, and books that push the boundaries and limits of the human psyche, quantum physics, and the universe. There is no such thing as an overactive imagination. Just because a book is scifi or fantasy doesn’t mean we authors have to limit the story by not going in depth with characters, story, mythology, and plot. We can take old tropes and put a spin on them, create new myths for readers to enjoy, all with an intelligent spin. And I like to see old myths and tropes evolve. Give them an extra spin, add layers of depth to it, think outside the box, and put some reason and understanding behind them.

I also have interests in quantum physics, ancient alien theories (or alien lore whatever gets your goat), mindfulness, alchemy, and science of mind, and enjoy tossing in tid bits of these interests into my novels.

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

Jack Finney’s stellar time travel novel, Time and Again. It’s a great, intelligent, well thought out, and well-researched novel with so many layers its mind-boggling. I find it interesting that so many people don’t know about this novel.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

Well, it kind of depends on the genre readers are most interested in. I’ve got a few books that include multiple genres. Psychological thriller (Indifference, my first published book), a metaphysical family saga (A Billion Tiny Moments in Time…), a non-fiction philosophical self help book (Let Your Soul Evolve), a dark fiction collection of two short stories and a novella (Twisted Tales of Deceit: Beyond the Chamber Door series Book One), and a dark fantasy, psychological thriller (Presenting the Marriage of Kelli Anne & Gerri Denemer: Beyond the Chamber Door Book Two), so whatever gets your fancy I’ve got a book for ya. I consider my first published books my first borns. Labors of literary love, is how I refer to them. They’re dark, gritty, and surreal.

But I do highly recommend starting with my new release, The Rose Vol. 1. Why? Well, seems we need some escapist type of literature in today’s society. A book that grips the brain, mind, and imagination, allowing that third dimensional world we live in to melt away as the reader is transported into a world with depths, lore, twists and turns, and down right just damn fun, to pull on those creative strings and usher in a complete satisfactory reader experience.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

I’ve been writing all my life, since I was knee high to a grasshopper. When I was twenty-four I had my first child (he’s about to turn 21, can you believe that?) and needed to put the writing dream to the side for a while in order to raise a family. I chose psychology at that time, a subject that I’d always found intriguing. What a great path too, I’ve had such a great career, writing behavioral modification programs, opening and owning treatment centers and private practices. A few years ago I had a partner dispute and learned the hard way that sometimes the people you think are your friends are not the same people you thought they were, a rather unfortunate circumstance, however, I firmly believe that when life hands you lemons you make lemonade, and from this experience my private practice with my wife has been highly successful, which has allowed me to begin writing full time. About two years ago I started taking on a smaller role in the private practice to begin learning the literary industry, most specifically marketing. I’ve always written books no matter where I was in my life; I even published a few books (five) during the psychology career. The last two years have been stellar, probably a few of the best years I’ve ever had. Now that’s some damn good lemonade lol.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

What is the meaning of life? Easy question with a simple answer.

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

“And Here We Go!” from The Dark Knight. Joker says this line towards the end. I use it often and even added it to The Rose (it’s actually the title for part three). But that’s just one of many. I’m a movie quote type of guy; usually every word out of my mouth has some movie reference to it. Here’s a few:

“A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” The Godfather

“Men don’t follow titles, they follow courage.” Braveheart

“Only one way to kill a werewolf.” The Monster Squad

“I have come here to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And I’m all out of bubble gum.” They Live

“It’s all in the reflexes.” Big Trouble in Little China

“Get back here you foolish.” The Nightmare Before Christmas

“Nice and smooth.” My own

“Paulie didn’t move fast. But then again Paulie didn’t have to move for anyone.” Goodfellas

“Our focus determines our reality.” The Phantom Menace

“Saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” A Bronx Tale

“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.” Walt Whitman

“You want this.” Return of the Jedi

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Empire Strikes Back

“Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” Empire Strikes Back

“When everyone in the world stops believing in you, you’ve got no choice but to start believing in yourself.” My own

 That’s just a few off the top of my head.

--Here are PD Alleva's internet links:

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My thanks to PD Alleva for participating in the interview.

In my own writing, today I completed an exciting chapter which includes a thrilling account of a desperate battle with the terrible stone cats in my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series. If you like fantasy with action and adventure, this is the series for you. The first trilogy is complete and the second trilogy is underway.

If you're more in the mood for some mystery, adventure, and romance try Smoke, my 1940's detective novel.

If you prefer westerns--yes, I have those too: Justice in Season and Justice Resurgent.

 Author Interview

with 

Nikki Nelson-Hicks

Author of The Jake Istenhegyi Detective Series

And Much More

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

 I’m working on finishing up the two volumes of the Jake Istenhegyi: The Accidental Detective Omnibus.

 The first volume (available now on Amazon) in a nutshell: Jake Istenhegyi: The Accidental Detective is a pulp noir series set in 1930’s New Orleans.  The first story, “A Chick, A Dick and a Witch Walk into a Barn…” When his best friend, the PI Barrington “Bear” Gunn, disappears on what should be a simple case, Jake sets out to find him and ends up falling into the clutches of dark magic. And zombie chickens. And that’s just the first story.

 The second story, “Golems, Goons and Cold Stone Bitches”, centers around three immortal sisters who entangle Jake in their squabbles to fatal results.

 The third, “Boodaddies, Bogs and a Dead Man’s Booty”, has pirate treasure, swamp monsters, shrunken heads and a vengeful enemy from Jake’s past.

 The teaser is two chapters from the upcoming 7^th Jake Istenhegyi story which is still untitled but has gold, a sex cult and maybe something evil living underground in Los Angeles.

  

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

 I was at a convention and a publisher named Tommy Hancock approached me with a challenge to write a story for an anthology he was working on, “Poultry Pulp”. The idea was to write a pulp story that somehow involved chickens.

 I had been sitting on the Jake Istenhegyi character since 1998 when I created him while living in Budapest. My kids went to a school on Istenhegyi Ute and we used to joke how that would make a great name for a private detective, “Jake Istenhegyi, Private Eye!”

 When Tommy asked me to write for Poultry Pulp I decided, “Finally. A vehicle for Jake!” And I cranked out “A Chick, A Dick and a Witch Walk Into a Barn…” Unfortunately, the anthology never came to pass BUT Tommy liked the story so much he asked me to turn it into a series. And, voila! There we have it.

  

Do you write in more than one genre?

 Oh, yeah. I have written horror, mystery, weird Western, steampunk, mainstream fiction, scifi, action/adventure.

 If you give me a hook or a contract, I’ll conjure up something for you.

 The only genre I haven’t tackled is Romance. I don’t have the stomach for it.

 

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

 The best compliment I’ve ever gotten was a person who told me she was reading my Sherlock Holmes and the Shrieking Pits story on the bus going home from work and she was so engrossed in the book, she missed her stop and had to ride the circuit all over again!

 I don’t write to push an agenda or try to create some kind of mythos. I write to entertain. I write to give you a distraction either while you’re on the bus, in a doctor’s waiting room, or on the toilet. For me, that is the true magic of Story. I write to fill those voids. To take you on adventures when you are bored and give you friends when you are lonely.

 It’s a great gig.

 

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

 I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. It’s something that I didn’t try to manifest but the best kind of magic always happens when you’re not looking.

 The one weird train of thought that seems to be in a lot of my stories is the search of family and belonging.

 I think that can be traced back to my rootless childhood. We never lived in a house for more than a year or two, so I quit even trying to make friends. We moved always at night which I didna’t realize was weird until I turned eleven and realized that most TV families (which were more real to me than my own) always moved in the daylight. There were a few years we lied about where we lived so I could go to school in a better district. That puts a dent on making friends and extracurricular events.

 But it was all good training for when my husband joined the Marines and I became a Military Wife. Moving, never putting down roots, and sometimes not even wasting the time to open up all the boxes before moving again was my reality.

I think that searching for a place to belong resonates in a lot of my stories.

 

 What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

Cheap, Quick and Weird is my motto.

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

 So many! Jeffrey Thomas writes hauntingly beautiful weird stories in his Punktown series. Will Madden is an unseen genius. Todd Keisling is a latent Stephen King. Anthony Rapino writes great spooky stuff. Jaden Terrell writes great crime novels. Paul Bishop writes westerns and crime stories. Mercedes Yardley is a treasure. Jessica McHugh, wow…there’s some fire. Max Booth, so weird. D. Alan Lewis has a flair for pulp. OH! And Grady Hendrix. That guy is a genius.

  

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

 Depends on what mood you’re in.

 Good pulpy fun: Jake Istenhegyi: The Accidental Detective series.

 In the mood for some Monsters?: RUMBLE. A shady corporation loses communication with its mining camp in the Gobi desert and sends in mercenaries to bring out any survivors. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU DIG!

 Need a quick cuppa? The Galvanized Girl is a steampunk novella set in Victorian England. Or try my Sherlock Holmes and the Shrieking Pits.

 Want something down and dirty, cowboy style?: Try The Problem at Gruff Springs.

 Want something spooky?: Try The Perverse Muse where I tackle the question: Why do all the women in E.A. Poe’s life die?

 

 

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

 Way back in 2004, I answered an ad to attend a newly formed writers group. Five people showed up. We became the nucleus of what became the Nashville Writers’ Group which grew to have over 200 people. In the coming years, I ran a handful of critique and support groups that ranged from straight Fiction to Speculative Fiction. I met people who have become my very best and beloved friends. And, through them, I met other people who eventually led me to a publisher.

 So, that rainy night in February 2004, on the porch of Café Coco in West Nashville really turned my life around.

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

How do you balance your creative life with your mundane, everyday life?

 It’s not easy. My husband wants to do a panel called, “The Other Side of the Desk: stories from the partner’s POV.

 I think it would be hilarious.

 

 Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

 Adaptation or Elimination.

 Because it is true. You either adapt or die. That’s the summit of our Universe.

 God, that sounds cold.

 On the flip side, I think the most redeeming quality of the homo sapiens race is how we can adapt to our environment by showing compassion and helping our neighbors to survive in spite of an uncaring universe that truly doesn’t give a damn whether we live or die.

 Humans are best when things are at their worst.

 We’re weird like that.

 

Nikki's Amazon Author Page

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As always, my thanks to Nikki for participating in the interview. Check out her books at the link above.

This week, between outlining and starting in with earnest on writing the Iago and Atu thread for In the Course: A Promise of Carnage and Flame, the first book in the second trilogy of the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, I was privileged to record my parts in the Duck Soup Radio Brigade show to be broadcast via the internet on Halloween. (Here is the link to the broadcast. It's free to listen to but you need the advance ticket through the link). There are several talented individuals participating in the show, and they do fabulous voice acting. The second half of the show differs significantly from the War of the Worlds story with which you may be familiar, as our stupendous director wrote a much more interesting second act--which is where I get to showcase my ability to play a rather creepy role through most of the second act. I do several voices in the first act--but those parts are all completely sane.

In my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, fantasy and history overlap during the American Revolutionary War. Dragons, gryphons, and other fantastic peoples and beasts may change the destiny of a nation--they will certainly change the destinies of the handful of characters at the center of this epic adventure which explores themes involving magic, power, liberty, and friendship. 

Events sweep Alex and Lucette into the maelstrom of revolution and to the ragged frontiers of the New World. They cooperate with two bands of dragon hunters--whose members come from around the world-- a little person from Portugal and a huge Pacific Islander, and a pair of smugglers along the way.

 Author Interview with

Chris Lodwig

Author of Systemic

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

These days, I’m mostly trying to promote my recently published novel, Systemic. That said, I'm currently working on two other pieces. One is a short story about the transference of empathy over social networks. The other is the sequel to Systemic. I've recently finished the outline and now I'm really starting to get into the meat of it. I’m about 150 pages in. Like Systemic, the sequel has multiple narrative threads and story arcs, one of which picks up right where Systemic left off. The other threads are many generations later. I would love to tell you more, but I don’t want to ruin Systemic. So, if you’ve read Systemic, drop me a line and I’ll gladly tell you everything you want to know about the sequel.

 

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

While I was writing the draft of Systemic, I was watching every TED Talk I could get my hands on. I was also taking psychology classes in my spare time where we were dealing with ego and personality and intrinsic motivation. I found all that really fascinating. And I was thinking a lot about the vagaries of memory. For instance, the job of our memory isn't to record facts and play them back verbatim, but to find important things and play them back in ways that are useful. For instance, Brian Williams the news caster often told the story of being shot at in a war. Turns out that never really happened. But because it was dangerous and exciting, his brain made up the memory about how he was almost killed. We all decided he was a liar, he lost his job. But your brain would do that too, so would mine. It does that so that the next time you’re in a war you'll know to keep your head down. Memory is like that. It’s entirely untrustworthy, but we build our entire reality on it. It’s pretty much what our reality is.

I was also frustrated with and terrified by the current political environment, and the willful destruction of truth. I was thinking—and still am thinking—about whether and how we can ever get back to a place where we have a general agreement about facts. I tried to imagine something that could solve that problem; a generally accepted non-partisan arbiter of truth. I’m not optimistic that humans will ever be able to fit that bill. And so, the System was born, and I had a sci-fi novel on my hands.

Do you write in more than one genre?

At the moment, I'm focused on science fiction. Though in the past I tried my hand at literary fiction and bad poetry as all overly sensitive young men should.

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

I get the impression that a lot of sci-fi stories start off with some cool technology then the writer builds a plot line that highlights the promises or problems that result from that technology’s existence. Systemic, on the other hand, started off with a woman hiking through a valley in the sagelands. I wanted to know where she was going and why. For the first 90 pages or so of my rough draft I didn't even know I was writing a sci-fi novel. The technology grew out of the story I found myself telling. So, I write science fiction stories, but the technology is there to support the story, not the other way around.

Also, I spend an awful lot of time and energy focused on imagery and mood and pacing and characters. But I’m also well-versed in computer engineering and science, so the sci-fi bits are still credible.

 

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

Surprisingly no. I've had many people ask which of the characters in Systemic is me. There's a little bit of me in every one of them, obviously, but to a large degree Systemic isn't borrowed from my life and it’s not about me.

That said, I'm very curious. I woke up every morning excited to learn what was going to happen. As a result, creating the story felt more like I was reading it than writing it. I think that that might come through. I hope it does.

 

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

Most of my readers I would assume are into sci-fi. They probably have some reasonable expectations from the genre. I think it's only fair to warn them that—while there is a lot of sci-fi and speculative fiction going on in the book—it isn't your standard sci-fi novel. There aren’t any laser beams or spaceships. Technology takes a backseat to the story. A good portion of the book takes place in small towns and rural settings rather than the standard megalopolises. I figure the future will come to sparsely populated places as well, and I think those places are underrepresented in the genre. So, I thought it made for an interesting setting for the book.

Also, I don't have bad guys in my stories. Which isn't to say there aren't bad situations or that there's no tension, but I find two-dimensional bad guys—or two-dimensional heroes for that matter—uninteresting.

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

I feel awful saying this, but I don't really have one. When trying to come up with an answer to this question, I looked at all of the books that I genuinely love. Unsurprisingly, they're also very highly rated. So, let’s talk about TV shows and movies instead.

An Amazon reviewer said my book reminded them of “Black Mirror but you don’t have to drink yourself to sleep.” That was the best compliment I could imagine. I’m also really enjoying Tales from the Loop. Both of those shows have a lot in common with Systemic.

After reading my book, a friend turned me on to a movie that's kind of a kindred spirit to Systemic. It’s called Everything Beautiful Is Far Away, and I want more people to see that movie. It’s charming and simple and beautifully shot. Another movie that I enjoyed lately that I don’t think a lot of folks have seen was called, Safety Not Guaranteed. That was really fun and sweet. Plus, I have a soft spot for independent films shot around Seattle.

 

 

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

I only have the one, so I would recommend people read Systemic.

 

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

When I look back over the last couple years, every single aspect of the creation of this book has felt fortuitous. For example, I never set out to write a book, I just started writing one day on the bus and it just worked. I consider that to be very fortunate. I wrote most of Systemic on the bus and I don't get carsick. I think that's very fortunate. Then there was a long series of extremely talented and generous people who were excited to help me. I had fantastic insightful and honest beta readers. My friend Ramez Naam the author of the Nexus series read Systemic twice and offered to write the testimonial. I wound up finding a great editor through a Facebook friend. She may have taught me more about writing during the editing process than all the writing classes I ever took. When I needed a temporary eBook cover my old friend Carley sent me three gorgeous covers in one day. My friend Todd who’s a talented digital artist did all the cover design and layout. Microsoft Corporate Vice President Charlotte Yarkoni offered me the opportunity to feature my book on her video blog. All of these things kept lining up until it felt like the world was pushing me towards making this book successful.

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

Anything that starts, “Have you ever noticed…?”

 

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

I have two. The first is “There but for the grace of God go I.” The next is, “Everyone is the hero in their own story.” I like these quotes because they’re about empathy and seeing things from other people’s perspectives. I think that’s an important part of my writing, it helps me write richer characters. And it helps explain my earlier statement about there not being any bad guys in my stories, just complicated people.

Anyone read Systemic? Post your praise in the comments if you have. Maybe you have some questions for the Chris--post them in the comments.

Here are Chris' book and social media links.

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If you've  read my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, you will be pleased to know that the first book in the second trilogy is coming along. Some lacunae in the story line are filling in nicely. I'm actually doing some basic outlining for the completion of the threads at this point. One of the original threads took itself to an unforeseen fork in the road and catapulted itself into pure awesomeness; it is the perfect route to the clash of monumental consequence near the end which I had envisioned at the start of the book without understanding quite how it would come together. There are a few elements yet to reveal their role in the resolution of that confrontation, but I'm confident that they are about to rise from the turbid depths like Leviathan to be slain and given as meat for the conclusion of the episode. (See Psalm 74:14 if that makes no sense to you).

 

Is GoldenEye the best Bond film ever?

Of course it is!

GoldenEye was Pierce Brosnan's Bond debut in 1995, and he nailed it. Although he may have lacked the gravitas of Connery, I enjoyed his performance much more than that of any other Bond. Perhaps Timothy Dalton suffered from poor scripts or lackluster performances by co-stars (as could be argued for Brosnan's later Bond entries) but I could never see Dalton as Bond--something was off with him in the role. Daniel Craig does a spectacular job as Bond, but his characterization lacks most of the charm brought to the role by Connery, Moore, and Brosnan. Additionally, the more recent Bond scripts with which Craig has had to deal have veered away in many respects from the classic Bond to dwelling on his sad backstory and the sort of emotional and social issues from which a great Bond movie is supposed to offer a reprieve. Lazenby wasn't bad, but that's all I can say.

You've probably already found a number of points upon which to disagree with me--I don't care*. Let's move on.

The leap from the dam, and the dive from the cliff the after the descending airplane are opening sequences as great and characteristically over the top action openers as you'll ever find. Don't forget the T-55. There are few things more exhilarating and as utterly irresponsible as a tank chase through city streets. It entirely unbelievable, but fantastic fun. The tank versus train showdown on the tracks smacks of a rework of an old western or a nod to Kelly's Heroes.

Here is another reason GoldenEye is the best Bond film:

Sean Bean as Alec Trevelyan is a great villain! He's 006, Bond's equal in almost every way--except he's a traitor. He knows the secrets. He knows the lies. He has credible motivation for his evil treachery. It's Richard Sharpe turned against King and Country and he means to knock them back into the stone age. The final scenes of Bean and Brosnan fighting it out bring something quite rare--a villain who actually does his own dirty work and who can take on Bond in a physical, man-to-man contest. It's Captain Ron Tracy battling Captain Kirk with all the resources of a crazy Russian general and more at his disposal. I do think the film could have been improved with more screen time for Sean Bean. The combat on the antenna and Bond's rescue by the chopper have a definite feel of the conclusion of The Empire Strikes Back about them.

Left out of the picture above is Robbie Coltrane as Zukovsky and Joe Don Baker as CIA man Jack Wade. These are fun characters who add depth and flavor to the film. Bond confronting and seeking help from the Russian he previously shot in the leg, and the American's no-nonsense approach to assisting Bond are priceless. Femke Janssen brings robust enthusiasm to the shallow role of upper-level henchman.

My favorite character has to be Natalya Simonova as played by Izabel Scorupco. She doesn't get killed. She isn't crazy. She's extremely competent within her sphere of expertise, and she saves Bond's life at least twice. She lives through a terrible surprise attack and traverses a frozen wilderness. She proceeds to track down the Russian traitor on her own and without her Bond could not stop the destruction of London. The relationship that develops between her and Bond actually feels genuine, more than merely physical. Her statement, repeating one of Bond's earlier lines, "Kill him. He means nothing to me," may be the most sweetly stinging line in the film.

There are scenes reminiscent of earlier bond movies. Those carry a subtle sense of nostalgia, or an air of homage, rather than an adherence to the formula often associated with the Bond movies. I think that is because GoldenEye marks the beginning of the end of the old Bond. The world is changing, and so is Bond--and that's not entirely for the best. I know, bold words from 2020 about a movie from 1995.

*Disclaimer: I've never seen a Bond movie in the theater. I've only seen them on network TV or streaming services, and have made no effort to watch and rate all of them. My interest and expertise is purely amateur--but I know what I like.

 Author Interview with

Eric Shapiro

Author of RED DENNIS

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

 

The title I'm out here pushing is my first novel, RED DENNIS. It's out from Independent Legions Publishing as of March, 2020. It's about a guy who's caught in a quasi-metoo scenario in his small town and ends up lashing out with violence.

 

 

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

 

I started wondering what it would take for me to snap. And I was depressed when I wrote it. I'd just stepped away from many years in the ghostwriting business to embrace running a local newspaper with my wife. I technically should have felt relieved and renewed, but I crashed; it was a heavy transition, and I felt like I didn't know myself. From the void came this psychotic character. I was wondering if I'd lost my mind, and I worked it all out through the novel. (P.S. – I'm feeling better now!)

 

 

Do you write in more than one genre?

 

Yes, through the ghostwriting, I've written in virtually every genre imaginable. Under my own name, it's generally dark fiction, spanning suspense, sci-fi, and horror. But I also released my first nonfiction book in 2020, a guide for helping writers stop procrastinating called ASS PLUS SEAT.

 

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

 

I like to think that it's super fast and absorbing, to the point where you don't want to miss a single sentence.

 

 

 Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

 

I was diagnosed with OCD and ADD when I was 19 years old, so there's a strong recurring theme of madness. I'm also virtually certain that I'm bipolar, but I've opted out of getting diagnoses for now; I think it's all one thing for me (OCD/ADD/bipolar). I think these traits come through not only in terms of my content, but in terms of the rhythm, tempo, and texture.

 

 

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

 

I promise it's not nearly as dark and grim as I'm making it seem! Neither me or my work. There's also a sweetness and a humor, and I'm pretty harmless and easy to deal with.

 

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

 

One hundred percent Eric Bogosian, who's known for his plays including TALK RADIO and SUBURBIA but has put out 3 stellar novels. All highly entertaining while being authentically artful and literary.

 

 

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

 

My friend and collaborator Mike Buckley recently told me he thinks the “gateway” is LOVE & ZOMBIES. He could be right. That one's fast, funny, ridiculous, and transgressive. If you can't make it through that gate, it's probably not worth trying to come in.

 

 

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

 

Meeting my ghostwriting partner Mike McKown in 2002 set me up for a 16-year adventure running a business and working with thousands of clients. It burned me out and I often complained, but it was a successful endeavor that taught me a ton about writing and business. I got way over 10,000 hours of experience as a writer. And I'm pretty sure I knew Mike in a past life. Also, when my wife founded our local paper The Milpitas Beat and recruited me to help her run it, that changed everything. Big readership, exciting publication, incredible journey so far (2.5 years in).

 

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

 

I wish people would ask more questions in general, as it's the ideal conversation starter, but in answer to your question: “How do you make yourself cry while writing?” I do that all the time and post pictures of myself in tears on my private Instagram. It's a very intricate aesthetic impulse that I could talk about for hours.

 

 

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

 

“Relax. It's all part of the plan.” Not sure if that's from somewhere; probably is; it's a little bit generic. But I do maintain optimistically that we're in the hands of a giant, benevolent intelligence that's working everything out for us, as arduous as the life experience often seems.

Here's the link to Eric's Amazon Author Page

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Back to me and my writing. Remember, this is my blog.

Writing the sequel to this trilogy:

I've made a sudden deviation from the outline -- a detour into TOTALLY AWESOME which provides solutions to some issues I had not previously been able to work out, and also promises to make the third act ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. It has also given me a subtitle for the first book. I had intended to give it the rather lame title of In the Course (which isn't really lame if you understand the a reason for that title) but now I may add the subtitle: Promise of Carnage and Flame -- which is entirely appropriate for, you know, the whole dragons in America premise that is an important ingredient in the adrenaline rush that fuels this series. The subtitle may even supplant the planned title.

I also received another 5 star review for Clamorous Harbingers this week from a reader who has completed the trilogy. I'm confident that that particular reviewer did not stay up until 2 in the morning finishing the book as another fan told me that he did.

If you haven't picked up your copies yet, now's a good time. Here's the link.