Author Interview with

A.A. Warne

Author of: Hidden Truths trilogy, The Reluctant Wizard, and more

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

I’m currently finishing Hidden Truths Trilogy book three. This is the next book after Concealed Power. It has turned out to be one of those stories that get deeper and darker the further I go into it and the characters keep surprising me.

While I’m finishing that, I’m brainstorming and planning book two for The Reluctant Wizard. I’ve re-read the first book six times now and each time I find something new, something important, and Eli reminds me that the world is just too big to get into a couple of books. I think he wants me to write a never-ending number of books for him. Wouldn’t that be nice.

 

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

Concealed Power and The Reluctant Wizard, even though they are two very different books, tend to go hand-in-hand during the writing process. Concealed Power was my first co-written piece with Michelle and we were figuring out how to work with one another. So the process was much longer than normal, but the story was so fascinating and interesting that no matter how hard it got, the story drove us to continue. Meanwhile, I had a little character that kept jumping into my head. That was Eli. He was patient but kept giving me glimpses into his world. I was so tempted to push him away because I needed my concentration on Concealed Power, but he showed me a particular piece of his world and I nearly fell off my chair. Now I can’t tell you what that is because that’s a future book that I’m trying to get to. However, I will say that since that moment, I’ve been successfully writing more than one book at a time.

 

Do you write in more than one genre?

I write speculative fiction and this allows me to bend, shape, snap, and mold the genres that are perfect for my story. By remaining as an umbrella over the speculative genres, I don’t have a tendency to nose dive into one genre particularly, and that’s nothing to do with me as a writer, but more allowing the story to dictate where it needs to be. I find that if the story calls for romance, then it should have it. The same for sci-fi and technology, or pushing the plot into thriller. If I had to pick one genre, it would be fantasy. Fantasy for me is amazing, no two writers are alike, the genre feels like it has no boundaries, and writers are rewarded for their unique risks, vast imaginations, and we don’t often face regurgitated content like some other genres receive.

 

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

I have a tendency to twist everything. It could be something small and irrelevant which then becomes life consuming. I didn’t realize this was unusual until a couple of years ago I went to the cinema with my neighbor and her friends. We were watching a movie and when it finished, my neighbor turned to me and said she wasn’t satisfied with the ending. She then asked, if I had written that movie, how would I have ended it. I answered her honestly and little did I know everyone around us – row in front, and the one behind, plus all of her friends, were listening.

They all reacted like my idea would have been a better movie. Their reaction shook me as a writer because before then, I doubted my ideas and I told myself that they were good enough. But that moment change me. I knew then that I think differently to others and their reactions to my ideas told me to keep going.

 

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

As early as I could remember, I wanted to be an artist. I love being creative, in fact, if I’m not creating then it effects my happiness. I grew up painting and making sculptures while the television was running a movie that I’d watched a million times over. Little did I know that while listening to the movie, I was learning story structure, and this has had a huge impact on me as an adult. Now when I help other writers, I sense an issue with the structure just naturally and can point out certain scenes or elements in the character that need to be moved around, twisted perhaps, or even fleshed out. And then in my own writing, I can’t start writing at all until I know the overall structure of where the major points sit.

 

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

I’m a huge researcher. If I’m not writing or doing mom-things, then I’m reading translations of ancient texts, diving into the world of history, searching for the anomalies on our planet. If you find something in one of my books and this wow that is strange, changes are, it happened in real life and it was the perfect gem to drop into my book at that point in time. Our planet is like a smorgasbord of interesting stuff.

 

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

The entire indie world is underrated, underappreciated, and too often laughed at by so-called professionals. The honest truth is that indies are powerhouses. They write, source everything themselves and invest their own money into their writing, production and publishing, and yet they are laughed at and considered no-worthy of a lot of people’s time. This really is a sad reality for a lot of amazing authors. Time is changing and I’m seeing a lot of indie authors really make new ground in the publishing world, but there are so many amazing ones struggling out there too.

So I’m going to say three names to start with and I promise you that you’ll be blown away: Ross Kingston - Awakening; Beth Hodgson – Fragments of Light; and Philip Smith – The Brotherhood.

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

The Reluctant Wizard is by far my best book to date. The world is so vast and the characters mean so much to Eli, that I believe book one, even though it’s massive, only skims the surface. One of the reasons I wrote it was because my own children haven’t read any of my other works, because of the adult content, and this book is accessible for them as well as adults. So I wanted a book where we would all read at different times but can discuss it at the dinner table. Given how many elements and sub-plots and twists and turns went into it, I believe we will be talking right up until the next book is out.

 

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

Meeting other authors. Writing might look like a fascinating job, but in fact it can be isolating and you don’t have to meet a single person to make a career of it. It’s perfect for introverts or those who don’t leave the house. However, I call my office the den – like I’m locked in the den, unable to escape. Although to be fair, I do escape into my imagination. So I reached out to other writers and found that a lot of them were like me, writing each day, finding awesome things for our readers and yet forget to socialize ourselves. Meeting other people has ventured from the local to the global and now I consider people on the opposite side of the planet so close, that they’re now family. And my writing has made leaps and bounds ever since.

 

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

I tend to say, nothing ever happens until it all happens at once. It’s like there will be a week where I’m trying to plan the next year’s events but then a kid will get sick, the husband has an accident at work, the dog got sick and passed, I forgot to buy groceries, and all of a sudden the house is a bomb, I’m behind in writing and on and on and on. It takes me a moment to go, wow, how did all this happen at once? Then I remember my saying. I think I need a new saying so that I’m not manifesting this madness. Perhaps, life is abundantly creative… obviously it’s a work in progress.

 

 

Here are all of my links:

 

Website: www.aawarne.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AAWarne

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AAWarne

Instagram: www.instagram.com/AAWarne

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/a-a-warne

Allauthor: https://allauthor.com/author/aawarne/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19055682.A_A_Warne

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My thanks to A.A. Warne - she definitely submitted the most interesting author photo so far.

As for my own writing: I hit some milestones in the current book (Promise of Carnage and Flame) with 22 chapters done with a word count of about 75K, and some major character and story development issues exploding gobs of awesome all over the place. I'm jiggering with methods for transitioning into the last third of the story so that I can cover the things I had originally intended. A few of the stupendous and intriguing developments in the story struck during the writing process, making the tale better, but longer--the straight line from beginning to end hit some tangled territory that made for some extremely satisfying chapters. However, all good things must come to an end. While this book will not end the series, I have a definite ending for it which fits the time, place, and explosive yee-haw fantasy factor that I've incorporated into this alternative history/flintlock fantasy.

As for short stories, I haven't written any since I started writing full-length novels. I'm contemplating one featuring Quiet Earp and Doc Hollandaise, but can't decide whether it's a sing-off at the OK Chorale, or A bun fight at the OK Bakery. Time will tell--probably a third option I haven't hit upon yet.

If you're in the mood for a good western that is not based upon bad puns, let me recommend: Justice in Season and Justice Resurgent which are set in 1864 & 65 in the Idaho Territory.

 

Interview with Jonathon Lively

Author of

The Oreniah Codex

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

I am working on the sequel of my first book, The Last Soul. I am working on the sequel following book two as well. In fact, I am writing them as one book, a continuous story, and then finding a good breaking point to split it into two novels. Also, I am writing a side story to my trilogy and I am considering turning it into a podcast. We’ll see. It’s still in the works and not my main focus at the moment. 

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

Oof. I spent three months combing through a multitude of documents collected since I was in middle school. Most of the documents were character designs because I originally wanted to be a graphic designer. I parsed literally hundreds of pages down to an outline that was about thirty-three pages long. From all the inspiration, I ended up with my story. It wasn’t a story that I planned, but one that just sort of, happened. Which, I am perfectly okay with!

Do you write in more than one genre?

Not yet. However, my current WIP, has a horror subtheme. Which has been really fun to combine with fantasy aspects. I have been listening to a lot of horror podcasts of late to get inspired.

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

My story is definitely unique. Every person that I have spoken with about my book or who has read my book, has commented that my premise is different. A lot of magical systems that I have read or learned about, are really cool. My story takes place in the afterlife. So, to have an interesting magical system, I decided to base it around a reincarnation system, souls that decided to imbue their spirit into relics, and abilities related to Pillars that make up the universe. The Pillars of my universe are similar to Infinity Stones from Marvel. If you draw a cube on a piece of paper, its two squares that are connected by four lines. If you count every single line that makes up a cube, you’ll end up with twelve lines. Each line of said cube is a Pillar in my story. The cube itself is the universe. So, twelves Pillars, each representing some aspect that makes up the universe, are holding up the universe. When they are out of balance or break, the universe ceases to function properly. That is the basic premise of my story, the twelve Pillars that make up my universe are distorting, cracking, breaking, and falling apart.

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

Absolutely. I have lived in several states and many towns and cities in between. I was also homeless, literally on the street, for the better part of a year as well. I have experienced and learned things that a lot of people never consider. I lived a life with no purpose for a long time, just aimlessly wandering. I didn’t know what I wanted to do most of the time but because of that, I was always chasing a new way to live. This has helped my writing a lot because I am more easily able to put myself into a different character’s shoes. What manifests the most prevalently, is probably characters coming up from bad situations when they were younger. Which to be fair, I didn’t have a bad life when I was young. Sure, there were things that weren’t good but compared to a lot of others, it could have been a lot worse. What put me in the situations I lived through as a young adult were my own decisions, very poor decisions.

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

Helpful? I don’t know about helpful… But here is an interesting fact, I love woodworking. I recently built our families home. A lot of help was forthcoming from my in-laws but I picked up a lot of skills and hobbies in the process. So now, I do some amateur woodworking. It’s a nice break from typing to go and work with my hands. I am even considering trying to make crafts or small furniture to help fund my book expenses!

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

Hmm, I would probably say either Brian Staveley and/or Alan Campbell. I don’t think that Brian Staveley will remain an underrated author for long though.

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

I only have one so, The Last Soul! I am really excited to release more books though and I have three in the works. All sequels of some sort.

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

Meeting and speaking with Dakota Krout. I expressed a very mild interest in writing help when I was living in Grand Forks. I was part of the 701 Coworking Space there and the Executive Director at the time, Collin Hanson, put me in touch with Dakota. He was a mentor for me in writing my first book. Dakota helped me push past barriers as or before I got to them. I’ll be grateful for his help and guidance for years to come.

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

I wish people would ask me about my characters and their abilities more. Those are the bread and butter of my writing. I’ve spent most of my outlining on character descriptions and abilities and how they relate to the story. Some of the abilities in my published book seem simple on the surface but I promise you, there is significant relation to the story as a whole and the depth of their skills. I am heavily inspired by manga and anime, that should tell you how I view my character powers.

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

My phrase for the book, The Last Soul, isn’t well known. Its something I decided on but never pushed in marketing. I plan to do more with it in future installments but for now, it’s generally unknown. The phrase, “Live Soulfully” is meant to imply that people should live according to their soul’s purpose. In the afterlife that I wrote, souls merge with their physical bodies and live eternal lives on Oreniah, the heaven of my universe. These souls merging with their bodies cause a balance that manifests physical abilities in their reality. To reach Oreniah, you must climb your way up a cycle of rebirth and reincarnation. The more you live your life according to your soul’s purpose, the higher you’ll climb. Until eventually, you arrive on Oreniah and bond with your soul in a physical way.

 

 

www.facebook.com/theoreniahcodex/

www.instagram.com/oreniahcodex

www.theoreniahcodex.com

https://amzn.to/2GR9EBx 

 

Movie Review

Algiers (1938)

 

Hypnotic.

Not so much a roller coaster as a merry-go-round.

Algiers, directed by John Cromwell and starring Charles Boyer as Pepe le Moko, Sigrid Gurie as Ines, and Hedy Lamarr as Gaby, is a hypnotic merry-go-round of a movie. A jewel thief, Pepe, is wanted by the French police. He remains untouchable in the confines of the Casbah—that maze of attached buildings, alleys, terraces, and dead-ends. He lives like a king in the Casbah, but he longs for Paris. Ines, whose eyes smolder with desire and hate, longs only for Pepe. She’s his girl—until he meets Gaby. The beautiful, high-class, jewel-flaunting Gaby is affianced to a wealthy man she doesn’t love. The marriage is strictly a business arrangement. She reminds Pepe of Paris and all his favorite places there. To Pepe, Gaby is Paris.

A detective has come from Paris to put the bag on Pepe for his thefts. He soon learns that the Casbah is nothing like Paris. However, the law has a man in the Casbah in the form of Slimane (played by Joseph Calleia). He is in the Casbah every day. He and Pepe know each other well. Slimane tells Pepe that he will take him eventually. When Pepe and Gaby fall for each other, Slimane sees his opportunity to lure Pepe from the safety of the Casbah and capture him.

The movie drifts along without a lot of action and it is fairly predictable. The elements in this picture from 1938 coalesce to create a hypnotic trance of fascination. The complete absence of color paints the ideal atmosphere for the film—a sea of .black and white swirled in shades of gray. Pepe almost always wears black, and Boyer’s deep voice demands attention. Gaby’s beautiful face also seizes the eye.

Ines and Slimane are the most interesting characters. Slimane slithers back and forth between the Casbah and the outside. The fez with its hanging tassel emphasizes that his head is almost always held at an angle rather than straight up and down, hinting that he is one of whom to be wary. His danger is the cunning kind. However, Pepe’s infatuation for Gaby, in combination with his ill treatment of Ines, the woman scorned, creates the height from which Pepe will fall. Pepe treats Ines with contempt, ignoring her warnings and pleadings. Finally, when she has saved him from the police trap, and it looks as if he will return to her arms, he runs instead to his doom. Ines possesses an entire hypnotic aura all her own which centers on her smoldering eyes. She is Esmeralda the gypsy girl grown into a woman, and there is almost nothing she will not do to prevent Pepe from leaving her for another woman.

There are several other characters in smaller roles. The blowhard thief Carlos (played by Stanley Fields), the jeweler (played by Alan Hale), and some smarmy coward whose name I don’t remember—but he played it well, and got what we all knew was coming to him.

It’s a slow, pleasant ride—a merry-go-round with soothing music and enchanting sights. Watch it if you get the chance. It's available on the Hollywood Classics app for Roku.

If Algiers puts you in the mood to read a work of romance and mystery set in a simpler time, let me recommend Smoke, my noir detective novel set in 1948.

Smoke is available here.

 Author Interview

with John Rosenman

Author of Inspector of the Cross, The Merry-Go-Round Man, Alien Dreams, and A Senseless Act of Beauty

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

I’ve just finished going over the galley for Dreamfarer, a novel about a future when people can choose to be put to sleep in dream boxes or Cerebral Interface Units when they reach the age of 32 so they can have wonderful, exciting dreams for the rest of their lives that are much more fulfilling than real life. Go East, Young Man, my WIP, is the sequel and like Dreamfarer, it focuses on Sam Adams. Sam has joined the movement to overthrow the dream industry and he is traveling east from San Francisco to Denver. There he will meet fellow members of the Resistance for his next mission.

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

The word “Dreamfarer” came to mind and I was off to the races. Since we have words like “wayfarer,” “seafarer,” and “starfarer,” then why not “dreamfarer,” which refers to a person who travels in dreams? Almost immediately, I began to create a world with technology that created wonderful dreams for the rest of a person’s life. I also explored the consequences--moral, national, international, and extraterrestrial--of such technology. What would happen to a person who woke up and for medical reasons, could not go back to the divine, seductive pleasure of these dreams?

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes. Besides science fiction and speculative fiction, I write fantasy, paranormal romance, horror, humorous metafiction, and one young adult  / coming-of-age novel, The Merry-Go-Round Man.

But my major emphasis is on science fiction and speculative fiction.

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

Two of my major themes are the endless, mind-stretching wonders of the universe and the limitless possibilities of transformation—sexual, cosmic, and otherwise, as portrayed for example in my short story “Dark Angel”.  Also, I present a different view of religion. For one thing, though I’m not a Christian, I sometimes present my heroes as Christ-like figures. Elsewhere, God is a female spirit without substance that pervades the multiverse. (See Inspector of the Cross).

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

When I was a kid, a family friend gave me a subscription to Amazing Stories and fired up my imagination. Later I was infected by EC comics, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and terrifying SF movies like The War of the Worlds, Them!, and The Thing. To this day, I love to write science-fiction horror short stories and novels. Alien invasion, monsters, that sort of scary stuff. Also, growing up, I loved sports. I would have loved to have been a major league baseball player or a champion boxer. Well, I couldn’t, but martial arts and boxing appear in my fiction. In The Merry-Go-Round Man, for example, Johnny is an unbeatable boxer as well as an expressionistic painter.

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

I have a Ph.D. in English and retired nine years ago at Norfolk State University, an HBCU. I happen to be a tennis nut and play it often. When it comes to politics, I’m a liberal. I support the Me Too movement, Black Lives Matter, and equal rights for everybody, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and so on.

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

I think Marina Julie Neary is an outstanding writer and her novels deserve more readers.  Here’s what I wrote about Saved by the Bang:

You might not think someone could write a successful comedy with the Chernobyl nuclear disaster as a major plot element, but Neary’s novel does that and more. The satirical humor is sharp, edgy, and wicked, and the depiction of characters excellent. The author pulls no punches, and I laughed repeatedly while reading it.

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

 Wow, this is a tough one.  I recommend A Senseless Act of Beauty because it’s the longest and most ambitious.  It’s the only frame narrative I’ve ever written, containing short stories within the larger story.  I’d choose Inspector of the Cross because it’s the first in a series and introduces the reader to Turtan, one of my favorite characters.  And, I’d recommend The Merry-Go-Round Man because it’s a young adult coming-of-age story based on my childhood.

 

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

For my writing career, having my father dissuade me from joining the Navy at 17 or 18 and paying my way to Hiram College, a nearby institution. The academic life refined and broadened me, and I took rewarding literature and creative writing courses. Eventually I became a professor and taught creative writing courses myself, even designed one in how to write science fiction and fantasy.  And of course, I wrote and published a lot of fiction, largely as a result of my education. I sometimes wonder though what life in the Navy would have been like and how my life would have been different.

A few years ago, I came close to dying.  Fortunately, my problem was diagnosed in the nick of time. I have Celiac disease and must avoid gluten at all costs. Thanks to the proper treatment, I live a normal life and can continue to write.

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

Why do you write?  Also, does being a writer make you different from other people, and if so, in what ways?

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

Some come to mind. “Well, that didn’t turn out too bad.”  I say this humorously when anything bad happens in a TV program or sports event. Let’s say somebody tries to do a difficult leap and falls into a dumpster, breaking his leg. “Well, that didn’t turn out too bad.” I say this because it’s so outrageous and improper. Also, I often laugh and get my family to laugh, too.

Another one I use is “And that’s not altogether a bad thing.” Also humorous. If I’m watching a game involving my favorite team, anything good or bad that helps us is “not altogether a bad thing.” My family laughs, which is why I say it.

Ah, here’s another, also humorous. I used to have a mixed-breed mutt for a pet. I referred to her as “a non-quality pooch.” The phrase, however, embodied my love for Yo-Yo.

The title of my longest, most ambitious novel came from a sticker on a car bumper: A Senseless Act of Beauty. It’s so deliciously insane or improper. C’mon, think of that. How can an act of beauty be senseless? Well, I’ve heard that sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

Sometimes, when someone relieves me from work or strenuous activity, I quote Shakespeare’s Hamlet. “For this relief much thanks.”

I sometimes quote Walt Whitman. Here’s one passage I like because it suggests that logic and reason have their limits:

Do I contradict myself?

Very well then I contradict myself,

(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

John's Amazon Author Page

John's Web Page

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Thanks to John for participating in the interview.

John's title, Dreamfarers, reminded me of a book I read many, many years ago by Brian Daley, The Doomfarers of Coramonde - which also reminds me lawyers are professional doomsayers, but that's beside my point. The copy of The Doomfarers I read was actually my cousin's book. 

I only read it once and remember very little about it. The only character I remember is Prince Springbuck. I believe there was a sequel, but I don't recall that my cousin ever lent it to me. That cousin, by the way, is the one mentioned here, on the dedication page to Clamorous Harbingers, and anniversary of his death is this month.

 Interview with

Jon Del Arroz

Author of: the Aryshan War trilogy, For Steam and Country, The Stars Intertwined, Flying Sparks, and more

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.   Right now I’m working on the 3^rd book of the Aryshan War trilogy, tentatively titled The Stars Rejoined. It’s going to wrap up the major story arcs from the first two books, so I think fans will be very excited about it.

  

Where did you get the idea for this book or series? This series is my baby. I first started this as I was thinking about Star Trek in class in high school. I made a character who was basically some Trek fan fiction and then I twisted it around a few years later into my own universe and created Sean Barrows, an internal affairs auditor turned spy. Through the process I created a whole universe of Aryshans, Drenites, Tralos and some other alien species we haven’t seen before for a full galactic scale. I’ve got a lot of story to tell still in this universe.

 

 

Do you write in more than one genre? Yes, I do steampunk and fantasy in addition to my sci-fi and I also write comics – where I’ve really been exploring a lot of genres through my shorts. Have done some cop drama, romance, and horror there in addition to my general genres.

 

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.  I pay special attention to character. Love and desire really are big motivators for a lot of us and so we’ll often make sweeping crazy decisions that impact our entire lives because of them, and so you see that a lot of with characters like Sean from the Aryshan War, who is willing to live as his entire life as alien because of his love of Tamar.

 

I’m also not afraid to explore Christian themes in a, pardon a lack of a better way to phrase this, non-lame way. Christianity was the driving force of so much of our culture’s art for centuries until the 80s-90s where it really got put into a little box where Christian culture became synonymous with watered down and boring. It’s my aim to take back the ground and make awesome works with those themes like you used to see with C.S. Lewis or Tolkien.

 

 

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?  Always. I put in little events or tidbits into characters which are drawn from real experiences all the time.

 

 

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you? I’m a big graphic novel collector, and love hardcover omnibuses. Any fancy special edition books really get me as I like the leather stuff too. It’s an expensive hobby but really nice books are worth it. I view it as preserving culture. I’m also very prolific. I spend most of my time working on this stuff so I try to come out with a release of some sort every month. And… I play tennis very well too!

 

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?  John C. Wright really doesn’t get enough love and I don’t know why. His prose is off the charts incredible and he does exactly what I’m speaking of with the Christian themes that aren’t lame. I recommend his Green Knight’s Squire books more than anything. Up there as my favorites.

 

 

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why? This is tough and it really depends on what genre you’re into! I have a little something for everyone who likes sci-fi/fantasy. My goal is you check out one series and enjoy it and you’ll trust that my writing in the other subgenres will be quality and you’ll be able to follow along with everything. For steampunk fans: The Von Monocle Series.  Star Trek fans: The Aryshan War. Star Wars Fans: The NanoTemplar series. Comic Fans: Flying Sparks. Start in those places and then check out the other stuff.

 

 

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most? I suppose getting banned from everything! The mainstream industry has been very unfair and awful to me because of my outspokenness on conservative and Christian issues. What it’s done is made me completely unafraid and confident in my work to where I can write anything without worrying. The confidence translates into better and more meaningful writing.

 

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often? Anything about comics or books really. I love the craft, I love the classics especially, so I always want more opportunities to talk about them and the golden age of American culture.

 

 

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?  I like Stan Lee’s “Excelsior!” because it just gives a sense of jubilation and wonder when coupled with storytelling. It means superior quality, and that’s what I aim to provide.

Jon's links:

http://www.delarroz.com/

http://www.youtube.com/c/jondelarroz

https://www.amazon.com/Jon-Del-Arroz/e/B01NBOZVCP

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My thanks to Jon for participating.

Jon mentioned Star Trek in his response. That reminded me that I recently saw Star Trek IV, The Voyage Home. It's a fun movie in many respects. However, I have to ask, has there ever been stupider, more ridiculous premise than a giant space-going roll of aluminum foil bent on destroying the earth because it can't find any humpback whales? Seriously? Spock's Brain and Gem were pure genius compared to this movie as far as the underlying premise goes.

Nimoy directed, and collaborated on the story with Harve Bennett. Looking around the net informed me that Eddie Murphy wanted a starring role, and was written in as a professor who listened to whale songs. Apparently he wasn't enamored with the part and didn't take it. So we missed getting to see Axel Foley playing off of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, et al. That has to be a good thing.

Aside from the ridiculous premise, the story lacks almost all the things I want and expect from Star Trek -- and things which Nimoy specifically want to avoid: cool space battles, phasers and photon torpedoes blasting, death, and an evil villain. Don't misunderstand. I think STIV is a fun show. Most of the movie is humorous. The cast has a big problem to overcome, and does so in an interesting manner with plenty of funny conversation along the way.

 Author Interview

with Michael Ross

Author of the Wand Chronicles

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

In all honesty I am just finishing off one series and have just started the next. The Wand Chronicles is an epic fantasy trilogy where humans meet elves for the first time and the adventures center around a very powerful wand called Elvina (www.thewand.me)

 But have started another series called The Big Fairy Adventures. Book 1: ‘How it all began’ is now published. This is another fantasy series involving humans, elves, Orcs but mainly fairies. It centers around a rather overweight fairy called Tinker Tanker (she likes her nectar too much) she is covered in little bruises she gets from bumping into walls as she is buzzing along. Her wings can’t quite cope with her body shape. But she has a heart of gold and very brave. The first adventure concerns a powerful magic amulet called The Golden Quandrill that an unfortunate Orc called Chard Bhum tries to steal. Why is he called Chard Bhum? When he was born, his mother dropped him bum first into a red-hot lava stream that caused scar tissue to form around his bum so he walks with an unusual gait. I also have other characters that appear from my previous trilogy, The wand Chronicles

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

The ideas generate from my last trilogy, plus I have always had a very imaginative mind. I still believe I have the mind of a 6-year-old! I have always lived in my own little fantasy world

 

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes, I’m multi-genre. True Life story, comedy, an extensive range of children’s picture books, Short scary stories, books for teens and young adults, and soon to write my first Sci Fi book

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

 If I liken my writing style loosely to anyone, it could be a mixture of Tolkien and Terry Pratchet. So I wanted to write a book where the characters feel as real as possible. I am an actor, a method actor, so bring that into the mix. Also wanted a dialogue that was at times comedic. It can be done even in situations where the mood is dark and depressive. My books have original quotes, illustrations, and even a phonetic table to help pronounce some of the characters names. I’m a pantser, so believe that makes my writing fluid and flow so much better. As I write a chapter, I can surprise myself in the twists and turns in the adventure as it happens.

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

Well, certainly my acting comes to the fore. I could tell you for each character, what they like to eat, how long they like to sleep, where they like to go on holiday, what annoys them and so on. And this isn’t just for the human characters, but others like the orcs, the elves, the fairies and so on

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

I also developed a fitness system called Kettfusion which is in the top 3 most popular systems used in the UK and is also in 4 other European countries. I still act now, not so much Theatre or TV anymore but in big films like the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Junior.

I developed a board game to go with my Wand Chronicles trilogy, which went on to be voted into the top 10 most popular games in the UK in 2019

Also, I got into writing after a visit to a clairvoyant, who kept insisting I write. This was 6 years ago, so I did and haven’t looked back.

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

Oh, here goes. I am a researcher into Out Of Body Experiences. An excellent book on the subject is by an Author called William Buhlman entitled ‘Adventures Beyond The Body’ It is a very easy to read book that will set you on the path to exploring this subject. BTW, I tend not to read other authors in the genre I write in when writing. I don’t want anyone else’s ideas to filter into my work. I want everything to generate from my own imagination.

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

That will be my Wand Chronicles trilogy, I spent a lot of time working on making it a complete set of books We are talking 110,000 words per book. Complete with original illustrations, original quotes for each chapter, a detailed glossary, and a phonetic help table for some of the characters names and places.

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

14 years ago my wife was violently murdered. I was left with 2 boys who were 4 and 6 at the time. A number of year later I chronicled it all into a true life story book called ‘Just Five More Minutes’ which went on to become a best seller. I also narrated the audiobook and it won the Independent Audiobook Awards held in Kansas city in 2019. It is a very positive book and because of my guidance and honesty, it has helped thousands pf people who have been coping with tragedies in their life.

I always said when I wrote it, if I can help just one person I will be happy. It went onto helping thousands all around the world

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

‘Are you famous?’ but of course I then have to be honest and say no, not yet. I am quite well known in the UK as an actor, but would like to be a very successful author.

 

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

‘Oh God, what now?’ This helps me a lot when writing. I say it to myself a lot, and something exciting pops into my head that’s takes the adventure I am writing in another unpredictable direction. Unpredictability I believe is the key. And I believe the author can be just as surprised to find out why and where the storyline follow a different direction.

Thank you.

 

Michael

Useful links: website: www.thewand.me

Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/2ZPPWzd

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Threading the Rude Eye is the first book in my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire Trilogy. 

Alex wants to finish his indenture and complete his studies with his mentor so that he can get married to his sweetheart and become a barrister in England. His Majesty's Supreme Commander destroys those plans with ruthless efficiency when a map to a cache of magic power is brought to his island. Alex is swept into a revolution which pits him against the might and magic of an empire. If he fails to protect the map and its treasure, the commander will crush two nations--along with Alex and his friends--beneath tyranny's boot, and the cause of liberty will fail

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Writing in the first book in the sequel trilogy--Promise of Carnage and Flame--went superbly this week. Iago's thread is filling out nicely with the little man discovering that the fate of a family and band of strange new people rests upon his small shoulders. Alex and an enemy enter the dragon's lair together, while Akram and the others continue their clandestine mission. I love the way it's coming together.

 Author Interview

with Alex Zarate

Author of The Connections Trilogy 

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

Reflections in Darkness.  It is book 2 of the Connections Trilogy.  I introduce new characters who share in the same abilities of my main character.  They have come looking for help.  One has turned to darkness.

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

Bad days.  We all have them.  My main character has had several but has never gone over to the other side.  He has faced lots of challenges before but I wanted to see what would happen if he faced a true mirror image of himself.  The story emerged from there.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes.  I write in both Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy.  I will be releasing the first of a SciFi series in the next few months.  I also have a book in the works that will combine both genres.

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

My writing walks the line between YA and Adult Fantasy.  There are no overt sexual scenes or swearing but there are plenty of dark moments, nightmarish scenes and evil characters to confront.  My stories bring together real situations and supernatural/superhuman elements.  Some scenes resemble comic book adventures while others feel like a page out of horror novels.  All this, in a story with a young teen, unique friends, and a psychic, teleporting cat.

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

Lots.  Bullying was a staple of my youth and it is in every book to date.  I’ve also dealt with my own share of trauma and tragedies that are fuel to the flames of each story.  I get to change the outcome of many events and vanquish those real-life bullies in the process.  Such are the perks of being a writer.

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

I love storytelling and have many other books underway.  I am also a photographer and artist.  Look me up on Instagram.  End of day words coupled with a visual capture.  Gotta love creative life!

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

Theresa Jacobs and Jim Keen are two authors I connected with earlier this year.  They, like myself, continue to work at their craft.  It is always a good feeling to know we are not alone in our journey.

 

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

Linked is the first of my Urban Fantasy series.  It started the ball rolling for me.  I have always loved how it took a young character, introduced a relentless killer and maintained a sense of adventure despite constant struggles and looming danger.

 

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

I would have to say the year of 2020.  Working a regular job that drains you from morning to night has always taken much of my productivity.  Being forced to work from home has suddenly opened the door to personal productivity.  I am now looking for ways to share my books, work with editors and have begun my own podcast.  I look forward to the coming years.  Perhaps the day when I can live off my creations approaches.  (fingers crossed!)

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

Why do I put a plus sign on my social media posts?  The answer has to do with a simple philosophy.  I try to add to my life, my knowledge and my abilities as often as possible.  Being positive is good but when you add to your day, your life and your goals, even the darkest days are manageable.

 

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

I often use “Onwards” with a plus symbol in my posts.  We are all familiar with the phrase Onwards and Upwards.  I find taking that first step is the hardest.  Too many people are afraid to follow their passions or dreams.  That first step will always make the difference.  Momentum helps to carry us forward and as long as we add to our efforts, every day is a victory in itself.

Here are links to Alex's sites:

http://www.alexgzarate.com/

https://sites.google.com/view/zaratecreations/home

https://www.facebook.com/aIexgzarate

https://www.youtube.com/user/alexgzarate

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCANS7K_Ra8MJm_zDlIP1tqA

Thanks to Alex for participating in the interview.

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As for my own writing this week, Iago's thread continues (as do the others, but this week has been the Iago thread). We've finally got to learn more about Iago's past and how he and Atu got together. However, I will soon have to revert to resuming the story of Alex's side quest which completely replaced the originally planned thread--because one should always err on the side of awesome.

In other activities, the radio show I participated in can be heard here. I voiced a few minor parts in the first half, and the bad guy in the second half -- Enjoy it if you dare:

I also finished reading Tim Powers' novel The Drawing of the Dark. I may do a review if I find time that doesn't cut into my own work in progress.

And I forgot to post my review of Dave Butler's The Wilding Probate. It's a great book - a fun read. I've got more to say about it. I'll put it in the review.

On Friday night I saw a great high school football game. We were the visiting team and our team played the team that had beaten us at the beginning of the season 18-15. The score on Saturday 0-42; our boys outplayed their opponents rather convincingly.