Alexis Lantgen's Blog, page 8
November 1, 2020
Interview with Horror Writer and Poet A.P Duvall
I’ve been reaching out to other writers much more lately, and I’m hoping to start doing some more author interviews! So check out my latest interview, with poet and horror writer A.P. Duvall, the author of Ichor!
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?
A.P. Duvall: I’m a debut author who has recently self-published. I grew up and spent most of my life in Florida, I’ve been married for nearly four years and we are servants to a dog and two cats. I’m a movie fanatic, I’ll read just about anything, and my favorite music genres are the blues, folk, and rock and roll.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?A.P. Duvall: As a writer, I’m mostly influenced by horror writers, so I bow at the altar of Stephen King. IT, Misery, The Tommyknockers are a few of my favorites. My novel, Ichor, was also influenced by the John Dies at the End series by Jason Pargin, and Vonnegut’s treatment of characters in stories like Slaughterhouse V and Timequake were real eye-openers for me.
Alexis: I’m also a fan of Kurt Vonnegut, and I agree that Stephen King is definitely the horror master!
What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?A. P. Duvall: It’s hard for me to become invested in monsters that just tick the box of the conventions. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies, etc, there needs to be some sort of original twist on them, if you’re just ripping off Bram Stroker or George Romero, I don’t really find it all that interesting. But I do love an original concept, a new threat, a unique motive, a fear that’s been unexplored, horror novels can really be about the darkest subject matter and be absolutely enthralling.
Alexis: It’s interesting how so many monsters get used over and over, ad nauseum. I do wish that people would branch out more—there’s so much rich monster stories and folklore out there!
Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)A.P. Duvall: Each character has a little bit of me in them, so it’s hard to pick and choose favorites because it’s like choosing the favorite part of your psyche. Having said that, the character that was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome was a character named Hugh Gleason. He’s talked about so much before the audience gets to be in his point of view, and I knew he had such a rich story to tell, and honestly, it scared me. Once I dove in, he actually came surprisingly easy. He was so melancholic, so weary, so bruised and battered by the circumstance that he’s in, that my heart went out to him, even while I was completely responsible for his misfortunes.
A.P Duvall’s adorable kitties!
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?
A.P. Duvall: I love films from directors like Kubrick, Scorsese, Fincher, Kurosawa, Ridley Scott, I’ve been slowly making my way through ‘best-of’ lists, watch more foreign films and trying to be a more well-rounded film nerd.
When I need to binge a TV show I’ll go for Arrested Development, Law and Order: SVU, or anything with Gordon Ramsey, that’s not including all the prestige shows from HBO and the like.
Alexis: Arrested Development is a great show, and I also enjoyed watching Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares!
A.P. Duvall: I’m always torn with this question. The octopus is so alien, intelligent, lives underwater but has a beak, they can camouflage, shoot ink and they just look terrifying, but also kind of cute, like if you could have an octopus for a friend, I think that’d be pretty cool. On the other hand, I also love crows and ravens. They’re also extremely intelligent, can use and even make tools, they engage in play, bartering, and again, can look scary at first. Something about really smart non-primate animals are really interesting to me.
Alexis: There are flocks of crows in my town right now (I think they’re migrating), and every time I see them I sort of wish I could convince one of them to be my backyard crow friend. They’re great birds to watch, because they always seem to be having conversations with each other. I do think it' would be incredible to talk to a octopus, or learn to understand how such a different creature thinks.
Ichor, by A.P. Duvall, with a beautiful cover design by Duvall’s wife
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
A.P. Duvall: Just write what you know and to know yourself. If trying to figure out a character’s motives feels like pushing a boulder up a mountain, maybe you need to bring your characters closer to yourself. I’m not saying everything has to be autobiographical, but writing is a form of self-expression, that means you’re expressing your self, your truth, your ideas – just write what means something to you and you should be fine.
Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?A.P. Duvall: I incorporated a bit of Greek mythology in my novel, even the title Ichor, comes from Greek mythology , it was what they called the blood of the Gods, golden in color and toxic to mortals, and when I came across it in my research big chunks of the narrative fell into place. I’m trying to learn more about Norse, and African mythologies, all cultures have incredibly interesting and revealing stories that go back thousands of years and are very indicative of our shared history and humanity.
If you write sci-fi, what technology, innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?A.P. Duvall: Theories of multi-verses and time travel are incredible to me. I’ve been trying to learn more about AI and how we may be incorporating it into our lives and even ourselves in the future is incredibly interesting. It’ll be a whole new world soon if we can make it that far. We have these issues with privacy now, what will it be like when our bodies and computers are one and the same? What will humanity mean when we can create thinking machines that are capable of making choices and have autonomy. These aren’t new ideas, but they are endlessly fascinating.
What feels different to you about writing poetry versus working on a novel? Do you feel that these are very different kinds of writing, or do they feel more connected to you?A.P. Duvall: The main difference is speed. I took a long time on my novel, but poetry comes very quickly, but I do feel that they are connected in a lot of ways. Fiction writing should have moments of poetic beauty and poetry should tell a story. The first poems we read are probably Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, or nursery rhymes, and they all tell stories that stay with us for a long time, and when you read a great book it’s the beautiful and simple phrases that stand out above just the plot or characterizations.
Alexis: I like the idea of poetry telling a story, because so many of the best poems do tell a story, even if it’s just capturing a single moment in time.
A. P. Duvall, Poet and Horror Writer, Author of Ichor
More about A.P Duvall
My debut novel, Ichor is available exclusively on Amazon on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited or in paperback. I recommend the paperback to really appreciate the beautiful cover my wife designed, but I’m biased.
My website is notesfromthehole.com, where I post poetry, drawings, and will soon upload some short stories soon. I can be found on Twitter @ap_duvall.
A.P. Duvall’s fluffy doggie!
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October 30, 2020
Interview with Sherill Joseph, Author of Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse
Congrats to author Sherrill Joseph on the release of the next exciting book in her Botanic Hill Detectives mystery series, Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse. Here’s her interview, and she also has a Giveaway for one of her paperbacks!
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?For me, life has been all about kids. I’m a mom, grandmother, and a retired teacher turned kids’ mystery book author. I think kids are the best people on the planet and too often don’t get enough credit for their blossoming intelligence. I write to entertain kids but also to show them, through my mature, polite role-model detective characters, how to approach challenges with courage and teamwork. (My detectives were based on my fifth-grade students and twelve-year-old twin cousins). In my books, I strive to present positive characters of varying ethnicities, abilities, and disabilities to help grow anti-racist kids who can feel comfortable wherever they find themselves in the world.
Also, like my detective character Rani Kumar, I have lexical-gustatory synesthesia. That’s where we taste or smell something when we hear a word or name. For example, Rani says her name makes her taste raw green beans. My name Sherrill makes me taste cherry jelly. My last name Joseph makes me taste a Mounds candy bar (coconut and dark chocolate). Not all tastes are pleasant, however. We were both born with this mental ability (not a disability) and can’t control the tastes we get. We also can’t turn it off, so you might say that we experience the world in a different way from most people. I know that it has enhanced my ability to write descriptively.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Nancy Drew (The Secret of Red Gate Farm; The Password to Larkspur Lane were faves) and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries (The Mystery of the Green Cat; The Secret of the Samurai Sword) enthralled me as a child. I still read those for fun and inspiration. As an English major in college, I came to love the classics and still do, especially the Sherlock Holmes stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“The Hound of the Baskervilles”) and the mysteries of Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone; The Woman in White). In this century, I am awed and inspired by the writing style of Hazel Gaynor (The Cottingley Secret), in particular, her use of metaphor and descriptive language. For children’s authors, I enjoy Steven K. Smith (The Virginia Mysteries) and Nancy Springer (The Enola Holmes Mysteries).
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Nancy Drew (The Secret of Red Gate Farm; The Password to Larkspur Lane were faves) and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries (The Mystery of the Green Cat; The Secret of the Samurai Sword) enthralled me as a child. I still read those for fun and inspiration. As an English major in college, I came to love the classics and still do, especially the Sherlock Holmes stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“The Hound of the Baskervilles”) and the mysteries of Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone; The Woman in White). In this century, I am awed and inspired by the writing style of Hazel Gaynor (The Cottingley Secret), in particular, her use of metaphor and descriptive language. For children’s authors, I enjoy Steven K. Smith (The Virginia Mysteries) and Nancy Springer (The Enola Holmes Mysteries).
What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?As a writer, my daily routine hasn’t changed that much since the pandemic began. I spend most of each day at my desk pounding away on the computer. This keeps me out of harm’s way. My work and routine also keep me grounded. I would recommend to others to find something create, positive, and other-focused to take your mind off the current world situation and your potential fears. And when my dog and I go out to walk, I always wear a mask and socially distance. The precautions we take protect others, too.
Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).Here in San Diego, California, my hometown, there are still some sidewalks downtown with inlaid pop-bottle-glass tiles. Occasionally, if you look down at just the right time, you can see someone or something moving below! Even some lights flashing. Legend has it that aliens from outer space are down there conducting experiments on humans.
What’s your favorite animal?Ever since I was a child, I have loved lambs. I had a collection of lamb figurines in glass and plastic. I had rubber lambs, stuffed lambs, books about lambs, and pictures of lambs. Maybe lambs are the inspiration for my currently owning a dog who looks like one!
Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!I have an adorable poodle-bichon rescue named Jimmy Lambchop. (There’s that lamb again!)
It shows him with his glorious, fluffy winter coat, which is my favorite look on him. He’s also my cowriter, watching me at my computer and cheering me on while he half dozes on the bed behind me. He’s my little precious boy who takes me for two walks every day. I prefer him to most people! He provides me with unconditional love. That’s hard to find.
Jimmy Lambchop , the adorable little doggie of author Sherill Joseph!
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
Just start writing. Don’t let anyone dissuade you. Write first for yourself, getting inspiration from people, places, books, movies, music, artworks, and topics that interest you. Find ways to bring those into your writing to make it enjoyable and authentic. Set aside time daily to write. Carry something so you can make a quick note if an idea hits you. If literary agents turn you down, self publish. Share your work with the world on your own terms.
How do you choose what books you want to read?They choose me. I gravitate toward mysteries, but I find that whatever book I’m reading has something special to offer me at just the right moment.
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?Just start writing. Don’t let anyone dissuade you. Write first for yourself, getting inspiration from people, places, books, movies, music, artworks, and topics that interest you. Find ways to bring those into your writing to make it enjoyable and authentic. Set aside time daily to write. Carry something so you can make a quick note if an idea hits you. If literary agents turn you down, self publish. Share your work with the world on your own terms.
How do you choose what books you want to read?They choose me. I gravitate toward mysteries, but I find that whatever book I’m reading has something special to offer me at just the right moment.
More about Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse
In 1945, Isabela de Cordoba’s great-grandfather, the famous silent movie actor Lorenzo de Cordoba, mysteriously hid a legendary, multimillion-dollar emerald somewhere on the family’s sprawling Eucalyptus Street estate. Seventy years later, the gem remains concealed. Nicknamed the “Green Curse,” the emerald is blamed for the Southern California familia’s numerous, untimely deaths..
On her twenty-first birthday, Isabela receives a secret letter with a cryptic poem. These documents from the long-deceased Lorenzo invite her to hunt for the gemstone. But first, she must decipher the poem’s eight stanzas for clues. To assist, Isabela hires her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the four Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, and their best friends, Moki Kalani and Rani Kumar. Eerie footsteps inside the mansion, unexplained occurrences in the adjacent cemetery, and the mysterious tenant in the backyard casita challenge them. But they ingeniously make progress on the poem’s meaning with startling discoveries. Sliding wall panels, a secret room, and hidden passages reveal much. The detectives aren’t the only ones looking for the emerald. The perilous race for the de Cordoba treasure is on!
More About Sherill Joseph
Sherrill Joseph will be forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools where she taught for thirty-five years before retiring and becoming a published author. She has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries with children and adult characters of various abilities, races, cultures, and interests. Sherrill strongly believes that children need to find not only themselves in books but others from different races and social situations if all are to become tolerant, anti-racist world citizens. In addition, the author created her detectives—patterned after her own fifth-grade students and twelve-year-old twin cousins—to be mature, smart, polite role models that will appeal to parents, teachers, but especially to kids who seek to realize their greatest potential with courage and self- respect.
Sherrill is a lexical-gustatory synesthete and native San Diegan where she lives in a 1928 Spanish- style house in a historic neighborhood with her poodle-bichon mix, Jimmy Lambchop. Other loves include her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She can’t leave out dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, purple, and daisies. Having never lived in a two-story house, she is naturally fascinated by staircases. Sherrill is a member of SCBWI and the Authors Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come!
Books: Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets and Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and BookBub
Saints and Curses
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October 15, 2020
Writing and ADHD, a Guest Post by Sarah Lampkin
Congrats to author Sarah Lampkin on the release of the third installment in her Dead Dreamer series, To Reap the Spirit! Read on for Lampkin’s guest post ad an excerpt from her new book. And don’t forget to sign up for the Giveaway!
Writing and ADHDAround the age of 14, my mom took me to a behavior therapist for the first time and that was when I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. After many fights and arguments over grades and studying, we finally had an answer as to why I couldn’t do things the same way as my older sister. It also explained my day dreaming.
Being a young teenage girl, daydreaming is a common occurrence and not something that would raise alarm. But my ability to be so completely lost in thought and in my own world happened far too often and during situations that got me into trouble. For instance, I was constantly lost while in school, as my brain believed my own world was more interesting.
While using my sketch book as my outlet, I started to describe to my parents the stories behind my terribly drawn people…but I wouldn’t stop. There were times when I would start telling a story and no matter what my parents did to change the subject or stop me, I had no control over my own voice.
That’s when a suggestion was made: Write your stories.
I don’t remember who suggested it. I just know that I was never motivated to finish anything until I started writing. It became the perfect outlet for the ideas that were always in the forefront of my mind, distracting me from everything else. That’s when my life began to change for the better. I was finally learning how to live a healthy and productive life with ADHD without medication.
With each new story, I was able to hyper focus on my writing. So, when the time came to go to school or work on homework, I was suddenly able to focus on the work at hand without getting easily distracted by everything else going on. Somehow, writing became the therapy I needed to be successful at everything in my life. Of course, I still struggle with some things, but not as much as I did before as a young teen or child.
Writing was my life saver.
Sanguis daretur. Ignis invocavit.
To Reap the Spirit is the third installment in the haunting Dead Dreamer series.
About the Book:Somehow Brenna Whit has survived to her junior year at Nephesburg College. Despite all odds, she’s fought against the Gatekeepers and lived. But the battle for the Fade has only just begun.
New pieces have been added to the board.
The Fade opens to the Veil.
And a Shade from the past returns.
With Brenna’s secret out, everyone is after her: dead and living alike. Those from across the sea have come and they’re determined to regain control of their broken faction.
Questions will be answered.
Fires will be lit.
Chaos will reign.
Excerpt:“You’ve been reckless,” said a voice.
Looking next to me, I saw another one of those things—Reapers. It was the same who had rescued me from George. Her native skin glowed in the night, her long dark hair sitting gently over her shoulders.
“Are you Catori?” I asked, remembering the name from George’s journals.
She shook her head. “Spirit Walkers cannot become one of us. I was her sister. But in all of the time I have been collecting souls, I have never seen this happen.”
Staring down at my body, I asked, “Seeing a Dead Dr—Spirit Walker die?”
The woman placed her hand gently onto my body’s chest. Watching her, I realized what she was talking about. My chest was still rising and falling—breathing.
The woman chuckled, “Your soul is quite perturbed.” I joined her in a dry laugh.
“I’d imagine so. This is all she’s ever wanted.”
Shaking her head, the woman stepped back. “I cannot take this soul. You must fix this.”
“Brenna?”
Will approached my body. “What are you doing? Aren’t you freezing?”
The woman was gone when he called. I could only stand there as Will began to worry.
Amidst his panic, there was only one place I wanted to go. I couldn’t explain it, but it felt as though something was calling to me, beckoning me home. In the blink of an eye, I was no longer standing next to my body.
About the Author:
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Sarah Lampkin is a 2015 graduate from Lynchburg College [University of Lynchburg] with a master’s degree in English. Since graduation, Sarah now lives in Northern Virginia working in the IT field as a Technical Writer while continuing her research for her graduate school thesis. When she isn’t working, Sarah continues her Celtic mythology research and Gaelic studies, while working on the Dead Dreamer series.
Find out More About Sarah Lampkin:
Website: https://dead-dreamer.com/about/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
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Saints and Curses
September 30, 2020
October 1-7, 2020 Book Sale: Sapience and Saints & Curses
Both of my books, Sapience and Saints & Curses, are going on sale this week for $0.99! Sapience is a collection of dark science fiction short stories, many of them set on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Saints & Curses is a collection of dark and light fantasy short stories, featuring a mix of Christmas elves, vampire cats, and dark fae evils such as the Erlking.
I’m also happy to have gotten some lovely reviews of both books recently! The Most Sublime did a great review of Saints & Curses, and Miles to Go did an excellent review of Sapience. Reviews are so helpful to writers, so if you’ve read either of my books, please don’t forget to write a review on Amazon or Goodreads!
It’s been an exhausting year, but we’ve gotten through it so far, and I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know it’s easy to get caught up in the news cycle and feel like everything is a disaster, but the truth is, we have more power than we think. We can choose to wear masks and practice good hygiene, and when enough people do that we can stop this terrible virus. We can also vote. We are Americans, and we will decide the future of this country. Check out Vote Save America for more you can do!
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September 8, 2020
Book Spotlight: Altered Helix by Stephanie Hansen
Altered Helix is the first installment of a YA Paranormal Mystery Series, and it’s available for $0.99 on Amazon! There’s also a giveaway for a $30 Amazon Gift Card that you can find here.
Book Description:
I didn’t want to take the traditional path. First, I wasn’t ready for college. Second, I was going to live with my best friend, Tiff, and work at the Haunted House. Third, did I mention the hot guy Josh that works there too?
The most exciting thing about Austria’s new job, at a local haunted house, was the fact that the toughest looking people screamed the loudest. But when she meets the boy without a home, Josh, Austria’s life takes intriguing and eventful turns. Up until now, Josh has managed to hang with his Street crowd, but they’re in danger, and so is Austria, the girl Josh recently fell for. The group finds themselves joining forces with previously considered enemies who also now find themselves in danger.
Deeply compassionate and full of twists, Altered Helix captures the struggle of polarized people that must work together for the greater
Excerpt:
Some dangers come barreling at you like a freight train. Others slide right under your nose without being noticed. When I took the job at the haunted house, I never imagined I’d be kidnapped.
As I’m blacking out, it’s my sense of gratitude that brings me peace in my final moments. At least I was able to experience most of my life’s desires before the end.
I’d found the siblings for which I’d yearned while growing up. I’d met someone with whom to share the rest of my life. And perhaps best of all, after many years, I was finally able to see my father again.
Ironic, isn’t it? To find everything I’d ever desired, just before I die. The black spots in my vision grow closer and closer together until they completely consume my sight. I imagine the cut they’ll make in my body when it’s gutted. My breathing becomes shallow. Then, I feel the sharp pressure from the point of the blade against my flesh as it breaks through my skin. My body won’t move. I want to cry out, but my voice fails me.
About the Author
Stephanie Hansen’s short story, Break Time, and poetry has been featured in Mind’s Eye literary magazine. The Kansas Writers Association published her short story, Existing Forces, appointing her as a noted author. She has held a deep passion for writing since early childhood, but a brush with death caused her to allow it to grow. She’s part of an SCBWI critique group in Lawrence, KS and two local book clubs. She attends many writers’ conferences including the Writing Day Workshops, New York Pitch, Penned Con, New Letters, All Write Now, Show Me Writers Master Class, BEA, and Nebraska Writers Guild conference as well as Book Fairs and Comic-Cons. She is a member of the deaf and hard of hearing community.
Website: https://www.authorstephaniehansen.com/
Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
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September 5, 2020
Interview with Fantasy and Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye
My next interview is with Fantasy and Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye!
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?Z.T. Soyoye: My Pen Name is Z.T. Soyoye. Telling stories has always been a passion of mine, and being able to publish a book has been one of my greatest achievements. My career started picking up in 2016 when I got my first big break. Since then, I’ve been improving my writing techniques and developing a unique writing style to appeal to readers.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Z.T. Soyoye: I think the Percy Jackson series was a big influence. I grew up with it and read it for many years. But I think my influence is just stories in general. Whether in the form of books, anime, movies etc. Any medium that can tell an amazing story.
Alexis: I agree that it’s amazing how so many TV shows, video games, and other mediums have amazing writing and great stories now.
What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?Z.T. Soyoye: I think my least favourite Trope is forcing diversity onto a story when it doesn’t add anything to it. I don’t hate it but I prefer to see it well done e.g. with Miles Morales as a black Spiderman. They integrated it into the story so well and it felt amazing to see someone I could relate to. But when it’s just unnecessarily forced into the story to fit a quota and is done poorly… I roll my eyes.
Alexis: I also loved Miles Morales as Spiderman.
Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)Z.T. Soyoye: I think my favourite character is the best friend of the main character. His name is Anthony. He is a psychologically fragile person who is trying their best to become a better person. I really love his character development from a seemingly shallow character to a person with a lot of pain and regret and now trying his best to grow into a person he can be proud of.
What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?Z.T. Soyoye: I’ve been trying my best to keep myself busy. I started with finally making my author website (I’ll link it below) and now I’ve been working on book 2 in my series. Recently I’ve actually been trying my hand at Live streaming! I’ll drop the link below. So yeah, trying your best to keep busy and getting to all those projects you always wished you had time for pre-pandemic.
Alexis: I tried live-streaming once as well, and I enjoyed it quite a bit! I do find that projects that can keep you engaged are really helpful.
What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
Z.T. Soyoye: I play quite a lot of volleyball which I absolutely love. I’ve been gaming from a young age and still do till this day. I’m also into electronics and technology, I stream myself working on a bunch of fun projects like a Motion controlled fan.
Alexis: Very Cool! Volleyball sounds like tons of fun, and I also love gaming.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?Z.T. Soyoye: I love so many shows way too much to list but I think I’ll say my favourite “TV shows” that I’ve watched are animes called Haikyuu, Steins Gate and Code Geass. Recently, I think my favourite movie in memory is Spiderman into the spider-verse and Knives Out. I went into them with no expectations and was blown away with their amazing story telling and characters.
One of my favourite TV series is DareDevil. It was an amazing character study that made viewers feel connected to each of them. Daredevil also had amazing cinematography, as well as interesting psychological warfare. It dives deep into what happens when your ideals are tested to the limit.
I love stories like these. Shows that exude passion. They clearly gave each character a lot of depth and I feel I took something meaningful away from each of them.
Alexis: I also loved Into the Spiderverse and Knives Out! I used to watch old school anime like Rurouni Kenshin and Lotus War, but I haven’t watched many recent animes apart from Aggretsuko.
Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?Z.T. Soyoye: Yeah, I play quite a lot of video games. Right now, mainly Fortnite and Call of Duty. I would say they have influenced me. When I see an amazing story in video games or see interesting concept/powers, I always take note. I also play a lot of games that cause my heart to race. Whenever I’m trying to write a scene with similar feelings and emotions, I remember moments in my life that I felt something similar or that feeling that video games give me. This allows me to describe vividly and give my readers an amazing reading experience.
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
Z.T. Soyoye: Write what you love. I know you might have heard that before but it’s true. Don’t write what you think is popular. Just write a story you’d be excited to read. When I had the idea for my book, I kept daydreaming about it constantly and the idea would not let me rest until I started writing. Even if writing doesn’t turn into your career, all you can do is try. If it doesn’t work out, take it as a learning experience. But don’t take away your chance to find success as well as a potentially amazing story from the world.
Alexis: That’s great advice!
What’s one subject you wish you knew more about? What kinds of things would you like to learn someday?Z.T. Soyoye: Most things to be honest. I love learning new things. I constantly research new things that I add in my books so I can get it as accurately as possible. It’s always fun learning a cool new fact or connecting to a new subject. Right now though, I’d say Marketing. Marketing is such a weird subject that I don’t think anyone has really mastered. Sure, it’s easy to reach people by paying for an ad but how can you entice them to do what you want. It’s something I’ve been looking into and I’m trying different strategies.
Find Out More About Z. T. Soyoye!
Book: The Unwanted
Website: https://ztsoyoye.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomiZT_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomizt_/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ztsoyoye
Come chat to me live at: https://dlive.tv/DragonDAce
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SApience
Interview with Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye
My next interview is with Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye!
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?Z.T. Soyoye: My Pen Name is Z.T. Soyoye. Telling stories has always been a passion of mine, and being able to publish a book has been one of my greatest achievements. My career started picking up in 2016 when I got my first big break. Since then, I’ve been improving my writing techniques and developing a unique writing style to appeal to readers.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Z.T. Soyoye: I think the Percy Jackson series was a big influence. I grew up with it and read it for many years. But I think my influence is just stories in general. Whether in the form of books, anime, movies etc. Any medium that can tell an amazing story.
Alexis: I agree that it’s amazing how so many TV shows, video games, and other mediums have amazing writing and great stories now.
What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?Z.T. Soyoye: I think my least favourite Trope is forcing diversity onto a story when it doesn’t add anything to it. I don’t hate it but I prefer to see it well done e.g. with Miles Morales as a black Spiderman. They integrated it into the story so well and it felt amazing to see someone I could relate to. But when it’s just unnecessarily forced into the story to fit a quota and is done poorly… I roll my eyes.
Alexis: I also loved Miles Morales as Spiderman.
Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)Z.T. Soyoye: I think my favourite character is the best friend of the main character. His name is Anthony. He is a psychologically fragile person who is trying their best to become a better person. I really love his character development from a seemingly shallow character to a person with a lot of pain and regret and now trying his best to grow into a person he can be proud of.
What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?Z.T. Soyoye: I’ve been trying my best to keep myself busy. I started with finally making my author website (I’ll link it below) and now I’ve been working on book 2 in my series. Recently I’ve actually been trying my hand at Live streaming! I’ll drop the link below. So yeah, trying your best to keep busy and getting to all those projects you always wished you had time for pre-pandemic.
Alexis: I tried live-streaming once as well, and I enjoyed it quite a bit! I do find that projects that can keep you engaged are really helpful.
What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
Z.T. Soyoye: I play quite a lot of volleyball which I absolutely love. I’ve been gaming from a young age and still do till this day. I’m also into electronics and technology, I stream myself working on a bunch of fun projects like a Motion controlled fan.
Alexis: Very Cool! Volleyball sounds like tons of fun, and I also love gaming.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?Z.T. Soyoye: I love so many shows way too much to list but I think I’ll say my favourite “TV shows” that I’ve watched are animes called Haikyuu, Steins Gate and Code Geass. Recently, I think my favourite movie in memory is Spiderman into the spider-verse and Knives Out. I went into them with no expectations and was blown away with their amazing story telling and characters.
One of my favourite TV series is DareDevil. It was an amazing character study that made viewers feel connected to each of them. Daredevil also had amazing cinematography, as well as interesting psychological warfare. It dives deep into what happens when your ideals are tested to the limit.
I love stories like these. Shows that exude passion. They clearly gave each character a lot of depth and I feel I took something meaningful away from each of them.
Alexis: I also loved Into the Spiderverse and Knives Out! I used to watch old school anime like Rurouni Kenshin and Lotus War, but I haven’t watched many recent animes apart from Aggretsuko.
Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?Z.T. Soyoye: Yeah, I play quite a lot of video games. Right now, mainly Fortnite and Call of Duty. I would say they have influenced me. When I see an amazing story in video games or see interesting concept/powers, I always take note. I also play a lot of games that cause my heart to race. Whenever I’m trying to write a scene with similar feelings and emotions, I remember moments in my life that I felt something similar or that feeling that video games give me. This allows me to describe vividly and give my readers an amazing reading experience.
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
Z.T. Soyoye: Write what you love. I know you might have heard that before but it’s true. Don’t write what you think is popular. Just write a story you’d be excited to read. When I had the idea for my book, I kept daydreaming about it constantly and the idea would not let me rest until I started writing. Even if writing doesn’t turn into your career, all you can do is try. If it doesn’t work out, take it as a learning experience. But don’t take away your chance to find success as well as a potentially amazing story from the world.
Alexis: That’s great advice!
What’s one subject you wish you knew more about? What kinds of things would you like to learn someday?Z.T. Soyoye: Most things to be honest. I love learning new things. I constantly research new things that I add in my books so I can get it as accurately as possible. It’s always fun learning a cool new fact or connecting to a new subject. Right now though, I’d say Marketing. Marketing is such a weird subject that I don’t think anyone has really mastered. Sure, it’s easy to reach people by paying for an ad but how can you entice them to do what you want. It’s something I’ve been looking into and I’m trying different strategies.
Find Out More About Z. T. Soyoye!
Book: The Unwanted
Website: https://tomi4do.wixsite.com/ztsoyoye
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomiZT_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomizt_/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ztsoyoye
Come chat to me live at: https://dlive.tv/DragonDAce
author interview
book review
books
fantasy
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very short stories
SApience
September 1, 2020
Interview with Fantasy Author Stephanie M. Allen
My next interview is with Fantasy Author Stephanie Allen!
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?Stephanie Allen: I’m a fantasy girl! Almost every book I pick up to read has some element of fantasy to it, whether it falls under the fantasy genre, paranormal genre, or something else. I absolutely love animals. I used to ride horses competitively. I competed in Hunter/Jumpers, which was so much fun. My horse and I did barrel race one time but he was so pokey slow that we came in last!
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Stephanie Allen: “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer was one of the first authors that made me realize I loved the YA genre. I was always a fan of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien but within the last five years, my favorite author has become Sarah J. Maas. I’m a HUGE fan of “A Court of Mist and Fury” the second book in the ACOTAR series.
Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)Stephanie Allen: Jordan is definitely my favorite character. I love his kindness and patience. I love his entire story arc! Of course, right now readers only have a small part of it but he truly is one of the best characters in the story. He understands the meaning of forgiveness and sacrifice. While he isn’t perfect, he strives to be the best man possible.
What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
Stephanie Allen: I really love to sing. I auditioned for The Voice twice (no, I didn’t get on TV). Music is an integral part of my life and I usually have it on in the background.
Alexis: Awesome! I’m a musician, too. I play violin, viola, ukulele, and a little bit of piano. I enjoy singing, even when I’m not that great at it! It must have been exciting even auditioning for The Voice.
Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).Stephanie Allen: When I lived in Marion, KY, we all knew the story of Cave-In-Rock. It sits across the Ohio River on the border of Illinois. Back in the 1800s, it was a pirate’s cave. The legends say that pirates would lure travelers to the top of the cliff above the cave and essentially murder them by forcing them into the river below. Then they stored all their treasure within the cave. I was fascinated by the cave while I lived in that area. It inspired my YA series called “Harmony”.
Alexis: Wow! I had no idea there were pirates in Kansas.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?Stephanie Allen: I love to watch Japanese anime. “Sword Art Online”, “Blue Exorcist”, and “My Hero Acadamia” are a few of my favorites. I also love CW shows. “Vampire Diaries”, “The Originals”, “Supernatural”, “Arrow”, “The Flash”, “Reign”, I love them all! About once a year, I watch all ten seasons of “FRIENDS” because they always make me laugh. My all-time favorite TV show, though, is “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.
Alexis: Interesting! I’ve just started watching Avatar with my daughter. It’s a great show.
What’s your favorite animal?Stephanie Allen: Any big cat. I have a cheetah in “Dueling Fates” but I also love lions, jaguars, leopards, any of those gorgeous felines!
Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?Stephanie Allen: Yes! I play games on my phone, like Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars. When I was younger, I loved to play through Final Fantasy games. I also love the old school Mario games on NES and Super Nintendo! None of them have really influenced me as a writer, although my husband loves playing Assassin’s Creed and I find those fascinating.
How do you choose what books you want to read?Stephanie Allen: My go-to genre is always fantasy or YA. Whenever I visit my local Barnes & Noble, I always gravitate to those areas first. I do like to read romance novels as well but for the most part, I’m in a fantasy world of some sort.
Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?Stephanie Allen: Absolutely! I’m a huge fan of Greek mythology. I don’t really have a favorite. I recently read through the Goddess series by P.C. Cast and I love all of them! I can’t decide between “Goddess of Spring” and “Goddess of the Rose” though. I love both of those so much.
What’s one subject you wish you knew more about? What kinds of things would you like to learn someday?Stephanie Allen: I love ancient history. My brother has a college degree in history and I’m always asking him questions about various ancient cultures. I’m of Irish descent, specifically the Celtic druids, so I love learning about their dark and sometimes gruesome history. I’m also fascinated by ancient Egypt! I would love to visit the pyramids some day.
More About Stephanie Allen!
Stephanie M. Allen graduated from California Baptist University in 2009 with a B.A. in English and a desire to share her imaginative stories with the world. She loves to write fantasy, particularly centered around young adults. Aside from writing, Stephanie loves to read, ride horses, and sing. She currently lives in Wyoming with her husband and two children.
Books: Dueling Fates, Harmony, and Sealed Shadows
Social Media: Twitter , Facebook, and Instagram
author interview
book review
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Saints and Curses
August 27, 2020
Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Joseph Carrabis
My next interview is with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Joseph Carrabis, who’s been a good friend of mine on Twitter and a fellow member of the Fantasy and Science Fiction Reader’s Lounge on Facebook.
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?Joseph Carrabis: COVID hasn’t touched me or mine, yet, except in the ways it’s touched everyone - social distancing, quarantining, and such. However, since June I’ve had two surgeries and lost a loved one.
I was born blind and have had minimal eyesight my entire life. About two years ago a test indicated my eyes were weakening. We did everything possible and kept surgery as a last resort because, as my doctor said, “Once we cut we can’t go back. We have to save it for last.”
The nature of my challenge was such that we would operate on one eye at a time, see if that worked, then do the other eye. We did my left, weaker eye first and the operation was a complete success. For the first time in my life I could “see” through my left eye as people with normal eyesight can see.
And it enabled me to see one of my children grow weaker and weaker and finally pass over within a three day period.
I would gladly go blind if I could hold my child for another heartbeat, one pulse of the universe, a single tick of the clock.
But such wasn’t one of the options offered me.
I recently had my right eye worked on. So far so good.
And I cherish what I see now. People don’t understand their worlds can change in an instant. Take nothing for granted, live each moment fully, completely, intentionally. Be aware of what you do. Appreciate yourself and those around you. Enjoy every breath, let everyone know they are loved, speak no harsh words to anyone, be at peace with yourself and let your peace teach others.
Long ago one of my teachers told me “Always look for the good.”
That phrase has so much meaning to me now.
Alexis: “Always look for the good”—those are good words to live by. I think when times are difficult it’s so important to hold on to the people we love. I’m so grateful that neither of my children has had a serious health problem, and that no one in my family has died from COVID. It’ easy to get bogged down by the hassles and the stresses, but we need to focus on what really matters.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Joseph Carrabis: Those I’ve read.
I wanted to respond “The kinds with words in them” and then came up with “Well written,” but the best answer is “Those I’ve read” because I’m influenced by well written and poorly written books, and probably more the poorly written ones because the mistakes are obvious. Well written books can be subtle. You know they’re good and enjoy them, figuring out why they’re good and enjoyable might take some effort. Then there are the books you recognize are well crafted but the story’s don’t interest you. Margaret Atwood’s books are the prime example of this to me. I love her storycrafting, her storytelling bores me to tears. I read her work to learn my craft. I read Bradbury to enjoy what I’m learning.
Then there are certain authors I read to learn specific craft elements and whose work I enjoy. Katherine Mansfield is a trove of setting and character. Poe is a graduate course in timing and rhythm in language. Budrys owns imagery. Few match Butler’s ability to show emotion through character subtleties. Silverberg, at the height of his powers, had an amazing voice. Few writers can draw a reader in like Delany. Hammett is a study in plot. King is a master of character.
And I haven’t touched on poetry. Dickey, Hughes, Eiseley, Brown, ...
Essayists. Kenko, James, Eiseley again, ...
I haven’t mentioned much from non-English authors. Whatever your daily language, I encourage you (who are authors) to study writings in your non-native languages. A completely different philosophy, metaphorical system, my god I can lose myself for years reading non-Western works.
Alexis: I love so man of the writers you’ve mentioned! I do think that reading non-English authors is vitally important. Personally, I’m also drawn to ancient writers. I think there’s something so magical about reading the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Illiad, or Sappho’s poetry, and feeling like you’re hearing a voice from out of time.
What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?
Joseph Carrabis: First, more and more readers tell me my genre is “Joseph.” In the Joseph genre, I will not tolerate weak writing. As soon as I tire, I stop writing and do something else. I don’t rush to get something done, I let it wait. Also in the Joseph genre, I love intricate, tightly woven plots.
Second and regarding other people’s work, linear storylines bore me except in the work of authors such as Hammett, Faulkner, Hemingway and several of the Golden Age SF writers. Linear storylines are fine in some modern things, but if I can figure out a story’s ending before I finish the first 2-3 sentences, the story’s not working for me. I remember being 9-10 years old and reading Agatha Christie’s The Clocks. My mother loved Christie and I read the books after she finished them. I got about forty pages in, went to my mother and told her how the story ended, who did it, et cetera. I’d read 2-3 other Christie novels and figured out her storytelling style, how she placed clues, et cetera, and how she worked out her novels. I lost interest in Christie right after that (although The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a stylistic marvel still). I’ll guess my ability to deduce a story’s outcome (plot) is what’s caused me to prefer character driven stories, and unfortunately most genre stories are plot driven (Rita Mae Brown offers a great test for this and it hasn’t failed me yet).
I attended a con a while back (in the days when you actually went out and spent time with people not wearing masks) and offered that genre v literature test while on a panel. An author in the audience got loudly defensive. I was confused. I didn’t say there was anything wrong with genre, only that it tends to be plot driven, not character driven. But pick up any of this author’s books (the ones I’ve seen anyway), read the first paragraph, and you know if the emphasis is on plot or character, hence genre v literature, and please do remember that “literature” is also a genre, simply one that emphasizes character over plot.
In the end, it all comes down to poor writing for me. How many different ways can one write a “Man versus Nature” story? Well, it’s uncountable. “Man versus Nature” is the core. Change it up one and you get “Woman versus Nature.” Change it up one again and you have “Man versus Tidal Wave.” Make it feminist fantasy with “Woman versus Mountain Elemental.”
What I have no tolerance for is anything poorly written.
Alexis: That’s an interesting distinction between genre and literature. I often find the lines between the two very fine and rather arbitrary. Under your test, I imagine that a great deal of well written science fiction by writers like Connie Willis or Octavia Butler, would be re-classified as literature. I’m honestly not sure if I want that or not.
Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)Joseph Carrabis: Which of your children is your favorite? (Hopefully) we love them all equally although we may love different things in them. I recently completed Don Quitamo Sails, a story requested by Harvey Duckman Presents editor C.G. Hallum. I wrote the first two pages of Don Quitamo Sails over two years ago but didn’t know where the story went from there. C.G. Hallum asked for a pirate story and Boom! there was the story. When I realized what the story was about I wept for joy. C.G. also asked for another story set in a world I created, The Woods. During the conversation, she mentioned making “little knitted dragons” for someone as gifts. I heard “Little Knitty Dragon” and Boom! “A Tale of The Woods: The Little Knitty Dragon” is born (which brought tears to her eyes when she read it).
There’s not character(s) I hate. Even the most evil, rotten bastards - and I’ve had readers ask me how I come up with such malevolent characters - are given one if not more reasons to make them human. Such is a requirement, me thinks, of writing any character; flaws. A “good” character needs one if not more “bad” traits, sometimes called “weaknesses.” So do “bad” characters, except a weakness in a “bad” character is a redeemable trait.
What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?Joseph Carrabis: Ha. I’m writing. Listening to music. Playing music, too. Walking with Susan (wife/partner/Princess) and our dog. Reading.
Wait a second...that’s what I do anyway.
I tell people I’m boring and dull and this is evidence of it. My life isn’t complex. I’ve also learned to be adaptable. Not being able to do something means I have time to do something else.
Alexis: That’s a good way of thinking about things! I’ve been listening to more music lately, and reading more books as well.
What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
Joseph Carrabis: Music. Cooking. Reading.
Interesting. If you didn’t put that qualifier on it, I maybe could come up with some answers. Oh! I know! I love to fly kites. I have about a hundred different kinds for all sorts of weather conditions and types of flying. Completely relaxing to me, and I don’t do it enough. I also enjoy a good cigar with a good single-malt Scotch. Usually once a week on the backporch, a kind of ceremony, a “Hurrah! I made it through another one! Congratulations to me!” I wrote a blog post about it, Enjoying Scotch and Cigars with @FireRenaissance, @FromGreenhills, and @GGGenge.
Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).Joseph Carrabis: Oy! I’ve lived many places. What legend or mystery would be best? Have your readers heard of the Inuit SnowWalker? Or how the Northern Lights are the souls of unborn children? Sometimes the myths of where I’ve lived show up in my work. Two examples would be Them Doore Girls and The Boy Who Loved Horses. The former’s about a ocean elemental and the latter is about a gifted child.
One legend that I keep coming back to as story fodder involves an 1800s factory and a boy who was killed in the machinery. He haunts the mill and some workers claim to see him to this day even though the mill itself has been gentrified into office space.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?Joseph Carrabis: Well-written ones. Currently we’re watching old episodes of New Tricks and Hustle, two British mysteries. We’re also restarting The Doctor Blake Mysteries, a mystery set in the post WWII Australia. We’re impatiently waiting for the next Murdoch Mysteries season, a Canadian import. Sometimes we’ll do a Cadfael night, a Brit period piece from the time of the Crusades.
Sometimes the production values get in the way of the stories, especially with some of the older shows, and so long as the storytelling is there, we’ll watch. I watch mostly to learn storycrafting technique; learn how to introduce characters, situations, how to use setting to enhance a story, things like that.
We recently rewatched the original StarMan. I took notes on how seamlessly they introduced setting, character, initialized plot, provided crisis elements, et cetera, in the first eighteen minutes of the movie and kept it all moving forward so the viewer didn’t stop watching. Amazing.
If your readers find a movie or book they enjoy, go back and reread or rewatch it and take notes on what works and why. A movie or book they don’t enjoy? Ditto. Learn what doesn’t work and why. Then apply both to your own writing
What’s your favorite animal?Joseph Carrabis: Favorite. Hmm...that is a tough one. Do I talk about my Totems? My Guardians? My Guides? My Grandmother and Grandfather spirits? The animals appearing on my personal shield? I suppose the safest answer is “The one I’m talking with at the moment.”
Every aboriginal culture I’ve studied has told me I carry Spider and Wolf (medicines), and most of these cultures associate Spider with StoryTelling and Wolf with Teaching. So I teach via stories?
Yeah, I’m good with that.
Hope it’s true.
Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?
Joseph Carrabis: My all time favorite was Risk, although I haven’t played it in years. I played Trivial Pursuit with my in-laws at family gatherings but they decided to handicap me due to my extensive reading and memory; I was allowed to know only one word of the question.
I love chess but lost interest early on as I’m not competitive. I learned to play because a friend played. My uncle, who taught me, told me to play my first game with someone and lose, but pay attention to how they play. Figure out how they play, their weaknesses and strengths, and you’ll win thereafter. I played with that friend, lost, and asked to play again. His mother asked why I wanted to play again, hadn’t her son shown he was a better player? I explained about losing to learn and they couldn’t accept that. Then let’s play again? Okay, fine. And I won six games in a row, at which point his mother wouldn’t let him play any more with me. About two months later he wanted to play again, beat me the first game, and I beat him the second. “You learned to beat me. Specifically me. Not how to play chess better.” During those two months I’d read half a dozen books on chess. My mentor in chess was a fellow student, John Baumgart. My god what a gifted player he was. And lonely as hell. I felt so sorry for him. I hope he found happiness in life.
I play cards fairly often and relax playing various solitaires. I prefer card games because the mathematics is usually fixed by the situation, hence they’re better training for the things I like to do.
Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!Joseph Carrabis: Ghost, our cat, passed about a month ago as I write this. Congestive heart failure. He weakened and passed in three days. We still mourn, less each day, and prefer to remember our joy with him than our sorrow at not being with him. We’ll join him when we pass, as we believe all things are waiting, not lost.
Boo is our pup.
This picture is from December 2012, shortly after we got them. Both are rescues.
Alexis: They are so cute! I’m so sorry about your cat’s heart failure. It’s so hard when a pet dies.
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
Joseph Carrabis: Write, write, and write. When you’re done with that, write some more.
Also read, read, read. And when you’re done with that, read some more.
Here’s a post about it, What do you mean, exactly, when you tell me to Read and Write to be an author?
How do you choose what books you want to read?Joseph Carrabis: As noted earlier, the first requirement is that the book be well-written. I do an hour a day on the stairs at the gym and read the entire time. Those books tend to be instructional/educational. My nightstand has books recommended to me and/or given to me. My headboard has books I want to study for various reasons, usually technique or research. The stand by my chair has books I read for enjoyment (and often technique gets in there, too).
Authors sometimes ask me to read their books. I ask for the first few chapters/10-15 pages, and can tell (often in the first sentence and usually in the first paragraph) if the author has enough chops to keep me reading, at which point I’ll buy their book (love supporting my brothers and sisters in pen). Four authors who blew me away with their book openings/writings are Steven Searls, Ricky Ginsburg, Joanell Serra, and Terry Melia. Four completely different styles of writing, four completely different genres, four amazing authors worth watching. And reading.
Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?Joseph Carrabis: I spent much of my life as a cultural anthropologist, so yes, I love indigenous truths. Many of my stories make use of various cultural milieus.
But my favorite? Probably the earlier ones. The earlier the better. They tend to be more accurate to what actually happened, less edited to suit some political or social agenda.
If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?Joseph Carrabis: I don’t write about technology or such per se, I write about how people are affected by technology. Most often I come up with a story idea and then go looking for the science - current or projected - to support it.
The closest I can come up with re science presaging a story would be a work-in-progress, The Absolute Limit of Sound. The story came to me pretty much fully formed while I was reading a Science magazine paper on sonoluminescence.
What’s one subject you wish you knew more about? What kinds of things would you like to learn someday?Joseph Carrabis: The one subject I wish I knew more about? Me.
What kinds of things would I like to learn someday? First, stuff I don’t know I don’t know. That’ll keep me busy. Then the stuff I know I don’t know. Finally, the stuff I “know,” because I really don’t and am just fooling myself.
Alexis: Yes, it’s always hard to really see and understand ourselves, isn’t it? To get an honest picture of what we’re really like.
Find Out More About Joseph Carrabis!Books: The Augmented Man, Empty Sky, Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires
Website: https://josephcarrabis.com/
Social Media: Twitter, FaceBook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Instagram
August 18, 2020
Interview with Science Fiction Game Designer Mr. Hexagon
Mr. Hexagon: First of all I want to give a gargantuan peace sign and emphatic THANK YOU to all the people who follow Mr. Hexagon on Twitter. I am proud to announce that we just broke 1000 followers on the evening of Thursday, July 8th. The gamers, the streamers, the fellow developers, the authors, the artists and the powerful relationships we are building together means everything. We’re forming a formidable agile network with an unmatched tactical effectiveness which should make our obstacles tremble as we approach them. The Mr. Hexagon operation is moving to the next phase according to plan. Pat yourself on the back. We are slicing into the future at the speed of fun.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?Mr. Hexagon: Great question. There are thousands. Let’s stick to influential sci-fi books. The best science fiction story ever written is “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. It is an easy read. It has perfect dramaturgical expression of timeless themes. It is required reading for the Marines. Then there is “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” by Douglas Adams, a good one for all the hoopy froods who want to learn how to make Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters for fun and profit.
There are more obscure sci-fi books to consider, too. People don’t seem to realize “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand is science fiction, yet the plot spins around a free-energy generator which converts atmospheric electricity into unlimited power used to make holograms, super-steel, and the sonic weapon PROJECT X, so it qualifies. Several other books I must also mention include the mind-bending “Illuminatus Trilogy” by Robert Anton Wilson and its companion book “Principia Discordia,” hail Eris, the prophetic team-building primer “Sixth Column” by Robert Heinlein, and of course “Pattern Recognition” by William Gibson, a modern cyberpunk masterpiece. There is another 100% safe and verified non-threatening book which is about using DAO Tokens to create a reality distortion field and spawn an impossible-to-kill negative space dragon who will ensure that everything that can’t go wrong will go wrong, but unfortunately I cannot legally remember what it’s called or mention it by name at this time.
Alexis: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is still one of my all time favorite series! Douglas Adams is such a funny, unappreciated genius.
What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?Mr. Hexagon: I always try to convert the energy of a situation into something productive. This is the best method to cope with life in general I think. When the virus fiasco first started I channeled the fear into a new project named “God Awful Mess” a story which focuses on survival during societal collapse. Imagine a post-apocalyptic Stardew Valley with more cans of sardines and backyard chemistry. March really seemed like the beginning of the end of the world. I reached out to SAL3M to create some conceptual main characters. We’ve collaborated in the past and they were happy to help. Their work is really tremendous. SAL3M puts all of their heart and soul into the things they create. However, the “God Awful Mess” project has since been put on hold for a more effective therapeutic project: Death Factor. Death Factor II has been my ultimate coping mechanism.
I’ve realized everybody’s biggest fear is death. Myself especially. Dying is at the bottom of everybody’s to-do list. Everybody wants to delay thinking about their fate for as long as possible. So it controls us. Our fear of death grips tightly and chokes our capacity for living abundant lives. By confronting death daily it’s allowed me to keep everything in perspective and be incredibly productive. Facing death head-on and directly looking the grim reaper in the eyes everyday makes COVID-19 seem way less scary. That’s how I’ve been coping with all of this. I’m keeping my head down and continuously showing up to build a focused meditation on dying. Also, I have a rule: every time I die in a video game I do a set of push-ups. So I’ve been getting kinda beefy all pandemic, heh. Exercise is important to stay balanced. It keeps the juices flowing when we have to stay inside all afternoon instead of going outside like we’re supposed to do. It keeps one’s brain connected properly.
Alexis: In Chris Hadfield’s book “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,” he talks about how NASA trains astronauts to ask themselves “what’s the next thing that could kill me?” They believe it’s really important that people fully understand the risks and dangers of space travel, because otherwise they might fall into denial and not face hard truths. I’ve been reminded a lot of that during this pandemic. It’s clear that many people chose to live in denial rather than face their fears. They don’t want to believe their life is in danger or that terrible things are happening around them, so they pretend it isn’t real or that they don’t have to take it seriously for “reasons.” I think it’s so important to look straight at the problem we’re facing, look into the source of our fears, and think honestly about it. Otherwise, it’s madness.
As teacher, it horrifies me that people are fretting over kids getting behind in school and demanding schools reopen. The truth is, if we get the reopening wrong, children will die. Their parents will die. Their teachers will die. It kind of makes the hand-wringing about kids getting behind in reading or math seem ridiculous when you face that truth. Kids can get up on their reading, so long as they don’t die. Abd they’re not going to learn much it their teacher dies mid year. Or their parents die. Or they lose a friend or a grandparent.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?
Mr. Hexagon: My recent secret guilty passion is an obsession with stuff made in 1971. It seems to be the last good year for classic movies, classic rock music, and classic cars. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Dirty Harry. The French Connection. Vanishing Point. Godzilla vs Hedorah. The Andromeda Strain. The Omega Man. A Clockwork Orange. THX 1138. So many good movies. 1971 was last year we were on the gold standard maybe that’s why? So much good music too. Aqualung. Master of Reality. Electric Warrior. Fragile. Led Zeppelin IV. ZZ Top’s First Album. L.A. Woman. Maggot Brain. At Fillmore East. Meddle. The Land of Grey and Pink. Moving Waves. I know it’s not everybody’s favorite type music or movie but if it is, there’s so many good things that came out in 1971. When it’s time to unwind, 1971 is where I time travel. A lot of good sci-fi and a lot of good spacey synthesizers. But I digress.
Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?Mr. Hexagon: My favorite game right now is Death Factor and it’s my pleasure to offer it at a special reduced price exclusively for Lunarian Press readers. In life, our hunger always grows, so we must buy food to eat. But to buy food, we must work a task to make money. But to work a task to make money we must have enough energy. But to have enough energy we must sleep. But when we sleep we cannot do anything else. We can also choose to be cool or buy stuff or smoke cigarettes. But the longer we live, the greater our Death Factor, and the faster we will die. The game is the cutting edge of simulation science and it plays with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow”. Trying to manage your life gets you into a loop. This simple language is how to play Death Factor. If you don’t have the context of the game it almost seems like a self-help book. Some of the first players said the game has a big learning curve, so I’ve also added a new “strategy guidebook” to the package. Even if you never ever played the game, the guidebook would still be insightful. One recent customer said it doesn’t even seem like a game. It’s true. Death Factor is a unique bizarre experience that blurs the line between self-improvement and fun. And the best part is that Lunarian press readers can get it at half-price here https://gumroad.com/l/tNSrd/Lunarian
Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?Mr. Hexagon: I am indeed a Dungeons and Dragons geek. I’ve been stuffed into lockers for this. I’ve been given swirlies. I’ve lost lunch money to bullies. None of which has held me back from this wonderful pastime. Our current campaign’s party is called The Circle of the Crimson Thorns. We’ve been commissioned by the king to be the bodyguards (and road crew) for the world-famous traveling band of bards known as “The Beaholders” as they perform their sold-out world tour. Backstage they get into trouble and The Circle of the Crimson Thorns must baby-sit them, which we gladly do because we get a hansom gold salary. When I’m not the DM in the rotation, I play a level 9 high elf wizard named Rynn Dimewood, who has a smug know-it-all 19 score in intelligence but a foolish wisdom score of just 8. Rynn mocks everybody who is not as smart as him, which is everybody, but he is too stupid to realize the futility of his attitude. This has landed him in jail several times and leads the party into terrible scenarios. Fun Fact: The ultimate final boss in our campaign is fashioned after Rob Loggia who is the official Chief Procurer of Processed Meats and Pasteurized Cheese Product for John McAfee. (Here’s a link to his tweet that explains the DnD story: https://twitter.com/Loggiaonfire/status/1231587280520957954 )
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?Mr. Hexagon: Everybody can write but that doesn’t mean everybody should write. There’s too many empty words out and about which are loosely connected and do not propel us in any useful direction. It is our job as writers to pull together words that need to be connected and deliver them to the people that can best use them. As quickly as possible. We turn the data into actionable knowledge for the decision makers. We connect the dots on the graph. We tell the story. This is not a responsibility to take lightly. It is the ultimate responsibility. We must imagine the awesome future because the rest of the world will follow our footsteps. Sharp cutting words will not do for this objective. Wishful thinking is necessary for such engineering. If you don’t think you’re up to the task, your effort will be better appreciated on synthesis duty. Simply invent new words. One new word per day will do the trick. Clearly define the word and let everybody know what it means so we can use it. We always need new words. These old words are terribly restrictive. Help update the system with new vocabulary.
Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?Mr. Hexagon: I keep a hammer on my desk to remind myself of Mjölnir, “The Grinder”, Thor’s magnificent hammer. The hammer that can move mountains. The hammer of concentrated effort. The hammer of manufacturing. The story goes that once upon a time a devious giant stole this powerful tool from Thor. The giant terrorized the world with his new ill-gotten power. Dark times... Sad times... Powerless times... but Thor baked up an idea to borrow his wit instead of his usual brute force to somehow repossess the hammer. Thor’s plan was to dress as woman and seduce the giant. He wore the sexiest clothing. He put on the sexiest makeup. He dawned the sexiest smells. He whispered sweet licentious poems to the giant with supreme feminine grace and the trick worked. The giant fell madly in love with Thor. The giant asked Thor to be his bride and of course Thor agreed. A grand wedding ceremony was had and at the peak of the marriage celebration, the giant presented a priceless gift to his dainty new wife: Mjölnir. Thor swiftly grabbed the hammer and smashed in the giant’s skull. Covered in the giant’s blood, Thor raised the mighty Mjölnir to the sky. Lightning slashed and thunder roared. The productive power of the grind was returned to its rightful owner. Everybody lived happily ever after.
Alexis: I’ve always loved that story—I think it’s one of the funniest ones in mythology. I can just imagine a Scandinavian bard telling that story around a fire, being super campy and hamming it up, while his audience dies laughing.
More About Mr. HexagonMy Twitter is my main base of operations right now. https://twitter.com/MrHexagon Don’t be a stranger!
The unique experience “Death Factor” can be found at https://gumroad.com/l/tNSrd/Lunarian
My Email is mrhexagon@yahoo.com for discussing business.
Death Factor II is in the works and coming soon!
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