Author Interview with

C.L. Gaber

Author of The Ascenders Saga

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

 Thank you so much Stanley! I’m the author of the Ascenders Saga. I’m currently doing final edits for Book Five, which will come out in March, 2021. The sage is about 17-year-old Walker Callaghan who is in a car crash in Chicago. She wakes up in a much nicer house and finds out she has to attend a swanky private Academy for high school now. At school the next day, the music teacher is Kurt “who used to have this band,” the drama teacher is Robin and Dr. King insists he’s just a humble former principal from Detroit who was gunned down in a school shooting.

Walker finds out that she died last night and has been sent to an in-between realm for those who died young. The rules? There aren’t any. No SATs. No homework either. You must attend The Academy: High School for the Recently Departed, but you’re there to learn what you need before you ascend.

The only real rule is you can’t go back and check on your former life. Walker falls hard for tat-covered bad-boy Daniel Reid who is in charge of his sisters (ages 12 and 14) and brother (16). They died together in a plane crash, but are missing their youngest brother Bobby (6). Daniel insists he will return to the living realm to find the little boy at the site of their plane crash. Bobby is an earth-bound spirit – waiting forever at the site of his death.

Walker and Daniel must find the portal back to life and then deal with soul destroying demons who are waiting upon their return.

Ascenders is an adventure of an after-lifetime.

Book Five comes out in Feb. 2021!

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

 I know it sounds impossibly, but I’m a journalist who covers film. I was on assignment in LA and had a dream that played out like a movie in my mind. I did know enough to get up at three in the morning and write the first chapter, plus sketch out the story.

Do you write in more than one genre?

I did do a teen detective novel several years ago, but found I love epic fantasy. I love creating rules for new worlds with hopefully relatable characters in them.

 

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

I’m a film journalist for the New York Times wire, a job I’ve done for 30 years. It mostly consists of interviewing A list stars and writing interviews/profiles of them when new films are coming out.

There are many dead celeb teachers….Heath, Kurt, Alan, Robin, Steve, Carrie, Walter, Liz, Janis, Amy ….. in the Ascenders world. The words they say about life are from my interviews over the years.

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

Well, Walker, my protagonist, is from Chicago like me. She dies one night in this one spot where in reality deer cross the highway all night long. All you see if the glow of their eyes in the headlights of your car. Really creepy. God forbid they jump out at the cars…people are killed all the time and cars are destroyed as well as gorgeous animals.

Walker is a student journalist who dreams of working for the New York Times one day – totally me.

Her superpower is asking a lot of questions like all journalists do.

She’s also super not-athletic – me, me, me. But she has to find scary demons despite it all. (I’ll leave that to her.)

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

I grew up in Chicago, went to school in Arizona and now live in Nevada. I love my hometown, but feel really grounded and free in the west. I like wide open spaces, which is a topic in Ascenders 5. Otherwise, I’d have 20 dogs, but in reality have two of the best: Georgie and Auggie.

 

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

What a great question – I always say Stephen King and I’m going to say it here. I think the poetic beauty of his writing is underrated because he writes horror. I love his non-scary work best of all including his book about JFK’s assassination. Some of my friends don’t read King thinking it’s just horror writing. Not true. By a long-shot.

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

I’d love for people to read the first Ascenders book. I’m just really proud of how it came out and love the characters. It was as exciting for me to complete book five recently as it was to finish book one. I love playing in this afterlife world.

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

As a journalist, my biggest break on the same day was being hired by both the New York Times wire and the Chicago Sun Times to be their film writer. Both have been amazing over many years and have resulted in so many inspirational interviews with film and TV A-listers.

As an author, I believe independently publishing Ascenders and learning that world before I did it was a huge break. I love working on the covers with amazing artists and the inside design, too.

Of course, my biggest break of all was having a wonderful Dad who always told me I was  a writer and read my work in a serious way. He was the only father around who said not to get “a real job” and work on my writing. Thanks, Dad.

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

I wish I’d get asked….What moment since 2015 when the first Ascenders book was published touched you the deepest.

I’ll never forget being asked to Outlander.com to sell books. Two women approached my booth and both were crying. One said, “Go talk to her. You really need to talk to her.” The second woman had some trouble finding the words and finally said, “I just wanted to meet you because my son was a victim in one of the recent school shootings. I’d like to think he’s in a lovely place like The Midst in Ascenders.”

It only took seconds before she was crying and I was crying.

Just knowing your book meant something to someone else is beyond.

 

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it? Yes, my tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid often tells his love Walker Callaghan to “Embrace the Vole.” It means to embrace great risk in order to find great rewards. One of my amazing Ascenders fans actually sent me a handmade quilt with the words Embrace the Vole on it. It’s the coolest thing EVER.

I love to speak with readers. Please reach out at CLGaber@yahoo.com

Thank you for this interview!!

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Thanks to C.L. for participating. The Ascenders Saga sounds intriguing--not your run-of-the-mill fantasy. This is the first time I know of that anyone has named Stephen King as an underrated author. I guess we travel in different circles.

I'm about 18 chapters into my editing of Promise of Carnage and Flame, book 4 in the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series. It's an exciting story and I love it. However it's not the story I set out to tell. I had two major breaks with the original loose outline. They both work back into the plan in a super-fantastic way, but...it's complicated. I still want to tell the story I wanted to tell. The diversions were 40-60K work detours as I got into them and developed them. I'm already in the 100K word neighborhood, and I don't want to give short shrift to some important elements in my original story. There were a couple of nice breaking points after some climactic events in the mid-20's chapters, and the original ending now makes a separate story. I think I want to develop that separate story in more detail and expand Lucette's role in some key events.

The Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series is sort of Last of the Mohicans meets The Patriot, and Star Wars. It's an action-packed alternate-history fantasy set during the American Revolutionary War. The fantasy elements include dragons, magic, and other dangerous creatures. 

(This post was originally published Feb 28, 2021, but cancel culture squeaked about it -- I have no idea why -- so it was censored then uncensored but now only shows as a draft, so I'm putting it back up).

 

I've been doing a lot of reading recently. I ripped through John D. Brown's book on creating story ideas that beg to be written. I finished Cedar Sanderson's The East Witch, and I completed Cornwell's The Winter King.  I read a Rafael Sabatina book about a pirate (and I can't remember the name of it). I also started two other books, but I could not finish them. Of these latter two, one told an interesting story, but was so poorly written, continuously jumping from character to character and using the word "felt" in every other sentence, that it finally drove me away. The other was very well written but the lesbian overtones directed me to the exit sometime in the second chapter; it wasn't for me.

Let me begin with the best.

I was reluctant to try this book. I came across it while I looking for a different Cornwell book. I knew it was about the Arthur legend, and, frankly, I've read enough of that sort of thing. A couple years ago I re-read Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, so why did I need to read another version? The book was on sale for next to nothing, so I gave in to the very low level of temptation and purchased it. That was a lucky day for me. I loved this book.

While most accounts of the Arthurian epic that I have read tell a tale of pageantry and knights errant in plate armor, The Winter King clothes the tale in the ashes, mud, and blood of the Britons. The story is told by Derfel who is now a Christian priest, but he was a pagan in this first book of the trilogy. Arthur is a warlord entrusted with protecting Uther's son Mordred. Uther has died. Petty kings, Saxons, druids, Christians, Irish, and more complicate Arthur's task. Nevertheless, all is well--until Arthur meets Guinevere. As always, Cornwell handles the battles magnificently, but I'm more impressed with Cornwell's vision of Arthur and his struggle to adhere to his conflicting oaths and noble code--that is a fundamental feature of the Arthur story. I haven't been able to find the next book either in the library or the used book store, and as much as I want to read the next books in the trilogy, I'm not inclined to fork out $13 or more each for the privilege of reading electronic copies of them.

***

Now I remembered the other book, it was Sabatini's The Sea-Hawk. I actually finished this earlier in the month, but I don't think I've posted any review. 

This book was available at my favorite price - free- although the copy I read did not have any picture on the cover. Most people prefer Captain Blood over The Sea-Hawk, or so I understand. I'm of the opposite opinion. Contrary to the opinion of the ill-informed, Sabatini's novel is not about a wayward Seattle football player. The first part of the book is a little slow. Sir Oliver is in love, but there are complications. Finally, the brother he was protecting betrays him. Oliver survives as a galley slave, and rises in the ranks to become the Basha's right hand pirate man. Nevertheless, all is not well in the Basha's house, and someone is jealous of Oliver's influence there. Meanwhile, back in Cornwall, Sir Oliver has become the prime suspect in the death of his love's brother, and his apparent flight from justice has strengthened the case against him. It's a fun read of romance and revenge. I particularly enjoy Sabatini's telling of the mind games between Sir Oliver and his antagonists.

***

Last but not least, in fact it's east rather than least:

Cedar sent me a copy of this book when I interviewed her a few weeks ago. The East Witch is a tale of an Alaskan woman who is transported to the land of the fae. It's not so much a fairy tale, as a tale of a woman in the land of fairy tales -- Russian and East European fairy tales. It all begins when she releases an elf (or was it a sprite, I can't remember, but he was from the Spruce clan) from a steel trap. The elf transport system goes on the fritz and our heroine encounters Baba Yaga, and soon becomes a murder suspect. I think this will be very popular with the intended audience. It's fast paced and well written. It just doesn't happen to be my particular cup of tea. I gave it 5 stars on goodreads because it is good. Young women, and those interested in the fae or East European fairy tales should love it. I found it exhausting--like I was trapped in the head of a 13 year-old girl--and yet, I'm wondering about reading some of Cedar's other stories.

***

Now for something completely different. Promise of Carnage and Flame had a rough week. I didn't get to write as much as I had intended, but I did finish chapter 29. I did have to move and re-write a couple paragraphs. That almost never happens. Usually the story unfolds without requiring me to juggle the order or to re-write things, but this part was a little fuzzy and writing some following paragraphs helped the earlier stuff better come into focus, and I had to go back and make modifications. I may give a sneak-peek of some excerpts from the book in my next newsletter--which you can sign-up for here:

My Newsletter.

 Author Interview with Matthew Cox

Author of

The Ubergirl series, Temporal Armistice series, and the Vampire Innocent series

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

At the time of filling this out, I’m in-between books. I suppose the fourth Maddy Wimsey novel, which is presently in the editing stage counts as a work-in-progress, but it’s also a co-writing project with JR Rain. I’m preparing to release Dr. Infinity and the Soul Smasher as soon as the cover art is done, which is the fourth novel in my Übergirl series. The next project I will start on is either going to be another novel in my Temporal Armistice series or the thirteenth book in the Vampire Innocent series.

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

Since I’m not presently working on a WIP, I’ll answer this question in reference to my Vampire Innocent series which I am trying to promote with these interviews. In mid-2018, my then-publisher began to deteriorate. I won’t go into nasty details, but simply put, they were going down. I’d been considering going the self-publishing route and as such, put out The Forest Beyond the Earth as my first self-pub release. After, it occurred to me it might be a good idea to have a series on the self-pub side as at the time, all of my series were mired with the publisher.

I still can’t really explain where the idea to write a vampire-themed series came from. While sitting around trying to come up with an idea to base a series on, it randomly hit me to juxtapose the concept of a vampire with a teenage girl still living at home with her parents. From the start, I wanted to keep a humorous tone to the story. It really did surprise me how well people received it. When I started writing this series, I never expected it would make it to twelve books (and counting.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes! My books span cyberpunk, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, fantasy, urban fantasy, superheroes, paranormal, and a handful of horror. I’ve written books for adults, young-adults, and middle-grade readers as well.

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

This is something I’ve always struggled with. Answering questions like this feels so much like bragging to me it’s a challenge. To respond here, I’ll use things I’ve seen in reviews. Readers tell me I capture characters’ emotions and thoughts realistically and create deep, fully realized characters that they truly empathize with and come to know almost like real people. I’ve also had people tell me my writing is ‘cinematic,’ allowing them to visualize the scenes and such as if watching a movie.

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

Here and there. Nothing major or overwhelming. Bits and pieces of my history and personality come through in various characters over multiple books. One character witnessing someone have an aneurysm is based on a real event when my grandfather died in front of me, for example. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) my real life has been kind of boring, so I don’t have an abundance of exciting material to draw upon.

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

I need character actions to make logical sense. Generally, I’m a fan of happy endings as the world has enough darkness in it already. I’m a cat person, a recovered WoW addict, and still a fan of video games.

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

Malus Domestica by S.A. Hunt. Also his Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree. Another suggestion is the Mayhem Wave series by Edward Aubry.

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

This is like asking a parent to pick a favored child. My favorite character is Althea from the Awakened series. Not sure if I’d call Prophet of the Badlands my best book, but I like her the most. The more time I spend writing, the more polished my writing feels. If you’re asking about stuff in terms of inspiration or profundity, maybe The Eldritch Heart or Sophie’s Light. I got the idea to write the Eldritch series after hearing someone erroneously complaining about the movie Frozen “forcing” the LGBTQ narrative. Yes, the guy saying it was an idiot. But it got me thinking about a ‘Disney-like’ princess story where the girl got the girl. I jotted down some notes but didn’t do anything with it until a beta reader told me her daughter came out after months of being terrified to say anything. Upon the book’s release, she told me her daughter loved it and read it twice (which she does not do often). Soon after, I heard reading the book encouraged another teen to come out as bi to their parents. It’s a high fantasy adventure story with a love story going on as well. The main ‘message’ there is it’s okay to be who you are.

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

Haven’t really gotten anything I’d call a ‘break’ yet. I spent years dabble-writing but didn’t take it seriously. Around 2012, my immediate supervisor at the day job asked me if I had ever considered writing novels. (He’d been reading a few emails I sent out to customers and something about them caused him to ask the question). He’d written a book about his life experiences, and suggested I try writing a novel and self-publishing it. At the time, I had already written a draft of Of Myth and Shadow, but in hindsight, I realize it hadn’t been anywhere near ready for publishing. However, a few months after Chris (my supervisor) made the suggestion, I decided to give the novel-writing thing another shot and started again with a smaller book and idea.

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

Hmm. Probably stuff about particular character’s mindset, actions, background, or the like. Granted, questions like that would tend to require the interviewer to be familiar with the book.

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

I don’t really have a catch-phrase, but I find myself using a quote rather often lately: “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religions conviction.” – Blaise Pascal.  I choose it because our reality is far too full of people doing evil and thinking their religion justifies it.

You can connect with Matthew at:

http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/about/

__________________________________

As for me and my writing, I did very little this week, but what I did was pretty good. I attended this years Life, The Universe, and Everything symposium in Provo, Utah. Of course the symposium was online this year, so I didn't have to travel to Utah. I got to be on 4 panels and received some great insights and information from the presentations I watched. I've even started toying with a filk to the tune of My Darling Clementine. One should start simple. I particularly remember an interesting presentation about creating multidimensional characters, and an exciting presentation on plotting from John D. Brown. I also enjoyed a discussion about watching movies to be a better writer, killing characters, editing the early chapters of a novel, as well as a history of underwear.

Naturally, I am brimming with renewed vigor to finish my current project and to get started on a dystopian thriller which has been scratching like a cat at the screen door of my mind for two weeks now. The symposium provided me with some new tools and ways of thinking to better address the project.

 

Super Bowl Predictions

I think everyone else is watching the super bowl. The number of brain cells I've dedicated to following professional sports has continued to diminish over the years. So my prediction is that after the game, I still won't care who won. What I can predict are 5 winners of 5 autographed books. That's 5 books each for 5 winners. Click the link below for your chance to become one of the winners.

Click here to enter to win -- and share the link.

 Author Interview with

A R Meyering

Author of The Resurrectionist, and the short stories, FATHOM and Appeal

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

I’m planning on writing a few sci-fi/horror shorts for an anthology that will be published by BHC Press in 2021 to go with my dark sci-fi stories FATHOM and Appeal. They’re all philosophical and disturbing looks at how we relate to machines, and to each other. All the stories are meant to take place in the same timeline, going in a sequence that reveals what has happened to the Earth from near future to the distant.

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

I got the idea for the anthology’s main novella FATHOM while I was living in Japan. It takes place in the prefecture where I used to live. It’s about a man whose job is preserving the physical experience of the real world in digital format, as everyone is living in a full-immersion digital simulation in response to the climate crisis.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes! All my stories tend to have an aspect of horror to them, but I like to blend that with fantasy and sci-fi, too.

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

I try to strike an interesting balance between whimsical and frightening. I also put work into making strong emotional develop arcs for my characters, which I hope proves satisfying for the reader.

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

I’m a very anxious person, so I end up worrying about everything all the time. I think the fear I feel through my personal experience shapes the way I approach horror. It’s interesting and cathartic to write about frightening situations when you’re so familiar with the emotion.

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

I love history and philosophy, and I try to have those elements as strong and engaging parts of my stories.

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

Slade House by David Mitchell was such a cool little gem. So creepy and atmospheric, and a great example of how to weave a lot of different stories together into a powerful, unified ending.

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

The Resurrectionist, which will be available on Halloween of 2020! I think it will appeal to those who like dark fantasy, horror, historical fiction, and a dash of romance. It centers around the real-life Burke and Hare murders in the 19^th century, and the mysteries that they left behind.

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

I was really lucky to have a strong mentorship from an editor I worked with, Angela Brown. She really took me under her wing and wouldn’t let me give up, even when I was at my mopeyest. I think that I probably wouldn’t have gotten published if it hadn’t been for her support and brilliant editing work!

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

I am one of those unfortunate people who is always hoping I can trick someone into talking about philosophy with me. I think any question about the way philosophy plays into my work is satisfying to engage with.

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

I like Anne Lamott’s motivational phrase, “bird by bird.” She talks about it in her book on writing, which is of the same name. The idea is that her little brother had put off this huge project on birds until the night before it was due, and he had no idea how to approach this enormous task. Her father told him to just take it one step at a time and go ‘bird by bird.’ She relates this to how you should approach this nearly impossible project of writing, and I use that as motivation a lot. Just one little bit at a time, that’s all you have to do.

_____________________

Thanks to A R for participating in the interview. She did get the interview returned to me in October, but I didn't get to until now. Hopefully the release of The Resurrectionist went well.

Promise of Carnage and Flame (Yes. I have decided that is the title, rather than In The Course, which I had originally planned to call it.) has hit the home stretch. I outlined the final five chapters to make sure I was pulling in the elements I wanted included from earlier in the story. "Outlined" is rather an overstatement. My rough notes resemble an outline in the same way a package of cheese and crackers with the little red plastic spreader resembles a gourmet meal. I finished chapter 29 yesterday, so there are only four more to go. I'm looking at 120K words for completion. Additionally, I've made another change in that this book will be book 4 in the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, rather than the first book of a sequel trilogy. I've taken the advice another author gave in one of his videos and decided to chose to do the saga as one series rather than 2 or 3 trilogies. Either way, the awesome factor of the story continues to push the needle to the peg.

Rather than do the movie reviews I had wanted, I'll do something less.

Over the past several weeks, I've been able to see a few Danny Boon movies. It began with Supercondriaque. In this movie, Boon plays a hypochondriac who becomes unwittingly involved in love and international intrigue. It is super fun and very entertaining. I recommend it.

Boon's character's obsession with germs, disease, and his own health makes for a great representation of what our society has become during the "pandemic."

Family is Family--and I use the English title because I can't make sense of the French one--introduces us to an interior designer and his wife who are at the top of their game and living the high life in Paris. Boon's character claims to be an orphan, but that is a big lie to hide his trailer trash roots. His family from northern France (who speak a peculiar patois) makes a surprise trip to Paris at his big exhibition on the pretense of celebrating the mother's eightieth birthday. A head injury erases the last 25 years of his memory, and Boon and his wife make a number of discoveries about themselves and who they have become. It's another fun film.

 Author Interview with 

Cedar Sanderson

Author of The East Witch, Tanager's Fledglings, and the Pixie for Hire series

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

The current works in progress are a space opera, with star-traveling pirates, a trader’s ship full of an odd family, and a plot to use them for espionage. It’s the sequel to my earlier work, Tanager’s Fledglings. The other one I’m working on when I get stuck there is a military fantasy my husband and I are cowriting, an imagining of how Ragnarok gets supported… you can’t have combat troops without support troops!

 

The book that was just published is contemporary fantasy in some aspects, but not urban fantasy. In fact, it’s set in the howling wilderness of Siberia. The title, The East Witch, refers to the old witch of Russia: Baba Yaga.

 

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

The East Witch is set in the same world as my Pixie for Hire series, but the idea behind the book is only loosely related to those books, it’s intended to stand alone. I’ve wanted to do a Russian fairy tale book, and especially one with Baba Yaga in it, for a long time. Using the premise of the fey underworld, and politics, allowed me to weave in the Wild Hunt and set them in opposition to the old crone who seeks power for herself. Throwing an innocent human into the mix gives me a way to tell the story through fresh eyes.

 

Do you write in more than one genre?

I do. I primarily write, as you may have guessed from the first answers, fantasy and science fiction. I also write mystery, contemporary Westerns, and occasionally dabble in horror.

 

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

I have the honor of having a sub-genre named due to one of my books. Tom Knighton dubbed it ‘banjo fantasy’ after a conversation about my work, compared to the broader category of urban fantasy. There is no urb in my books, or very little indeed. I write rural fantasy, which sparked Tom (himself an author) to come up with Banjo Fantasy. He’d been reading my book Possum Creek Massacre, which is set in rural Appalachia, in an area I know well through my in-laws.

 

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

I tell stories about the places I have lived and loved. Alaska, where I spent a part of my childhood, and have many family ties to. Kentucky, where my husband’s family lives, and I fell in love with the countryside at first sight. Between my settings, and my background in science, I give my books a lot of me, I think.

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

I’m also an artist. To list it all out, I’m an author, an artist, a scientist, a photographer, a mother, a wife, and that’s probably enough for the moment. I’m an autodidact, because I was homeschooled, so I am constantly looking for new things to learn. The artist is directly applicable here – I also write and illustrate children’s books. The Cute Moose is the first of these, it came out in late 2020.  

 

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

Dorothy Grant’s work is not well known and should be. She writes science fiction, with great characters. I love her stuff and am always happy when she comes to me for another cover, because that means I get to read the book. She writes tactical romance, which is difficult to define but it’s basically sensible people falling in love during a running firefight with perfectly correct tactics – she doesn’t have a military background, but she has a research group that does, and she manages to convey it terrifically well in her work. Really, these books need to be read by more people.

 

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

A great starting point is Pixie Noir, it remains one of my best selling titles, and people love it. I love it – I started writing it to make someone laugh, after reading Mickey Spillane. It turned into a trilogy and it was so much fun to write. I really think that comes through to the readers.

 

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

I came into writing seriously right around 2011. Just as the Indie revolution was kicking up. I was able to start my own publishing imprint (Stonycroft Publishing, since folded into Sanderley Studios) and maintain complete control over my own books. I hire work I can’t or won’t do myself, like editing, and I have been able to keep my rights in-house. I had some fantastic mentors who really encouraged me to do this, like Sarah Hoyt, Larry Correia and Dave Freer. That gave me the guts to do it and I’ve never regretted it.

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

"Are the philosophies of your characters your own?”

The answer to that is no, even when they do align with mine. I’m a pantser – I don’t plot and build characters. They pop into my head fully formed, right down to their views and beliefs. It’s odd, but it seems to work.

 

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

I don’t think I have a catch phrase. With nine novels in print, there’s not a lot of overlap! I know I tend to write rural country folks, but they aren’t all the same person, if you follow me.

There’s a line in Pixie Noir where Lom, the titular pixie, makes a crack about coffee: black nectar of the gods! And there you have in one line my deep love of coffee that does come up in several of my books.

_____________

Thanks to Cedar for participating. I have to admit I'm a little ambivalent about the term "Banjo Fantasy."

In my own writing, Promise of Carnage and Flame (which I have decided to make book four in the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, rather than making a sequel trilogy) has arrived at the completion of Iago's side adventure. I'm ready for the last quarter of the book, it Alex can get his stones in a row, so to speak.

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Here are is my account of some recent turmoil. Check out the my new website while you're there.

As you can see, I'm really flying now.

 Author Interview with

William David Ellis

Author of The Harry Ferguson Chronicles, and a Sherlock Holmes series

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress. I have two WIPs. One is the second of My Sherlock Holmes series Angels ,Saints and Sinners, and the other is the 5^th in my Texas Fantasy series.  

Where did you get the idea for this book or series? The Texas fantasy series, called the Harry Ferguson Chronicles was inspired by the customers of a little café in Edom Texas. They gather together every morning to tell tall tales and generally see who can out lie the other. I couldn’t help but be inspired.

 

Do you write in more than one genre? Yes, my fantasy series crosses over into scifi romance fantasy and time travel, and my Sherlock Holmes series is mystery and detective

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention. An answer to that  might be I want my books to be  light in a world of dark. So much of current literature is dark in so many ways. It leaves people shaking their heads. they devour it for a season, then they get their stomach full and start looking for something else. By dark I mean Hannibal Lecter  tv-series , the Hunters that sort of stuff, Cuties by Netflix, My baby daddy was an alpha wolf, and stuff like that… My books are not squeaky saccharine clean. Lots of blood, and violence, but not for its own sake. I really believe the tide is turning away from the dark people are getting sick of it, now don’t get me wrong my villains are vile but they are not the heroes,  and they are not presented in such a way as some poor soul wants to copy them, some of my minor ones have a journey story and a few even turn back to the light. My heroes are flawed but they are still examples of people who will not give up and will not give in to their own flawed nature.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing? Ha what doesn’t manifest about my personal history? It is so much easier to copy a personality than to invent one. I have serious doubts about any author who claims to have totally from the ground up invented a personality. We are all a collection of our experiences and our mentors for better or for worse. I just admit my characters are copies of myself and people I know.

 

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?. As far as writing and marketing, I learn as I go, the only way to learn how to swim or write is jump in and start. At first you make a ton of mistakes then you adapt, you learn, you study, you observe what is working and you move in that direction.

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why? Underrated? Hmmm I like Richard Houston he has a cozy dog series that has lit up the world and even placed him on some bestseller lists. If a guy writing about a dog, with no sex, or violence no dark scenes of mayhem can make a bestseller list, then hey so can I.

 

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why? Depends on what kind of mood I am in and what the audience is asking for. I love the Harry Ferguson Series, but I also see that my Sherlock Holmes series has a lot of potential for reaching people. So I am conflicted.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most? There have been several fortuitous circumstances,( I call it favor) that seem to be lining up and channeling me toward eventual success in my writing. Everything from friends who are remarkable story characters, to a wife, a father and a daughter who are or were English teachers. I just happened to meet a book promoter who is also starting his own publishing house, I just happened to win a couple of book contest awards, some great reviews by people I have never met, being a part of two very encouraging FB writers’ groups.  Being #1 in a genre I never expected to rate very high in…I could go on…

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often? Can I buy your books in bulk?

 

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?  When your heart is right your head will get there eventually. I said that off the cuff years ago, and was struck how profound and accurate a statement it is. I couldn’t believe I made that up. But it is true.

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I guess WD Ellis didn't get the memo on an author picture and a couple book covers to include in the interview -- but if he sends them, I will add them. I hope what he had to say about the end of the celebration of evil on the page and screen is true, but I have my doubts.

As for me, here's my interview on the James Davis' Books and Authors podcast:-- Here's the interview -- I really am that inarticulate, the right words continued to elude my mental grasp.

My writing, however, has been fabulous this week. I resumed the Iago thread and the extremely exciting conclusion to that unique story is imminent...and a beloved character is helpless against impending doom. As soon as this chapter wraps up, the story will revert to resolving this segment of the Alex and Lucette thread--if Alex can get his act together.

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