Sarah Davis's Blog, page 4
December 9, 2020
Helen Mathews on Storycrafting, Singing & Wine
Another interview with an author, this time with Helen Mathews. author of Façade. Helen happens to be the 17th author I have the privilege to showcase. And, this fantastic author became a bestseller yesterday! I am so excited to share insights into her life and writing, so without further ado, here's Helen!
What is the first story you remember telling (not necessarily writing)?
When I was about five years old and my sister Fran was two, I made up a story game called ‘Walking Along’ and forced our long-suffering dad to play it before we’d go to bed. So, every evening when he said ‘Wash, brush teeth, bed,’ Fran and I ran upstairs, crouched down on the landing and shouted out: ‘Play Walking Along’. Dad had to pretend he was on a walk and had stumbled on something new. I’d tell him what he’d discovered that day, usually a compound like ‘snapdragon’ or two words like ‘snow drop’. There was a script Dad had to follow and it went like this:
I was walking along the road one day when, suddenly, I looked down and saw … a snow drop! So I picked up the snow [he had to pick up one of us] and it went pitter pat – Dad then had to wave whichever one of us he was holding around in the air and act out the pitter pat motion of falling snow. And I picked up the drop – he’d then pick up the other one of us and pretend to drop – then catch – her.
We loved this game and found it hilarious. Our dad not so much. It carried on for at least a year, as we grew heavier for him to pick up.
But what a workout for him! What an imagination. What was your favorite game to play as a child?
On the board games front, I guess I enjoyed Monopoly because it went on for so long and forced adults in the family to give their time and attention. My dad (who seems to be featuring in this interview quite a bit) was colour blind so games where you used red, green or brown counters were hopeless because he’d always be moving the wrong piece. Initially I was a bad loser and hated to be beaten in games but, gradually, games taught me to overcome the need to always win – a great lesson for life and, especially, for writing because you have to be stoic in the face of rejection.
When I saw the word ‘games’, my first thought was of games and activities my friends and I used to invent when we were around 7-9 years old. We were highly creative in money-making schemes. We’d handwrite story magazines and sell them to neighbours in our street – who actually would give us a few coins. We graduated to selling other stuff, including picking flowers from people’s gardens, making them into ‘bouquets’ and selling them at the neighbours’ front doors. We were lucky to live in an area where the neighbours indulged us.
What nice neighbors. My neighbors show up for a visit and find us boiling skulls or painting skulls or sanding horns. I should mention they are animal skulls. Hmm, we might have a skull problem.
How many languages do you speak? Which is your favorite?
I studied quite a few languages at school – French, German, Latin (!) and Welsh – and I’ve since dabbled with Spanish, but I’m not really a linguist and can only really cope with speaking one other language. This has had to be French.
When our children were young, we were on a camping holiday in France and my husband and I impulse-bought a ruined farm building on the west coast, thinking it would be easy to convert it into a holiday home. It wasn’t. We had to wade through so much French bureaucracy to sort out the paperwork and get planning permission for our project. I went to an evening class at college to rapidly upskill my French and, over the next three years, I improved my French to first year undergraduate level and spent a week at a summer school at the University of Caen. Turning our former cowshed into a small house took years and we spent all our family holidays in a caravan on a building site. The house is finished now – simple but perfect for us and we’ve spent many happy times there. I can now chat in French with builders, tradesmen and neighbours and sort out most of the problems we have with French bureaucracy. We’re about 15 minutes from the coast and it’s hard to explain the magic of sitting outside a restaurant, eating moules frites, while watching the sun set slowly over the Atlantic.
Sweet, when can I come to visit? I speak fluent dog, cat, and horse but can only ask for a beer or "where is the bathroom" in Spanish.
Everyone asks authors about inspiration, including me. Who inspired you to write your debut novel?
My dad was a frustrated (and gifted) writer who put his ambition on hold until he retired so he didn’t have enough years to fulfil his dreams. Dad won several prizes for stories and some were broadcast on radio and included in anthologies, but he never produced a novel or a full length work of fiction. When he was young (and he was quite a bit older than my mum) he lived in London and mixed with a group of sci-fi writers, including Arthur C Clarke who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey. I wish he’d had more time to achieve his writing ambitions and lived long enough to see his daughter win a few fiction prizes and have three novels published.
I am sure he is proud. He obviously had a huge impact on your decision to get into writing.
You are asked what your least favorite color is knowing that it will forever be erased from existence. Would you give your answer?
Mine is grey – a colour that’s been incredibly popular in interior décor for the past 5-10 years but the thought of using it in a house makes me deeply depressed. I know designers dress it up and give paint shades evocative names, like Elephant’s Breath, but it does nothing for me. Imagine if there was no grey – no gloomy weather, the sky would always be blue (or white on cloudy days), our hair colour would stay forever young and our moods would be sunny and optimistic.
Okay, fine. I asked the question. But, you should meet my dog. A gunmetal blue dog, ahem, grey. Although he would be cool if he was brown, I guess. :)
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Star Wars – the original trilogy, not so much the recent ones. And I love the theme music.
The theme music...I have it as an alarm. I also like, "to boldly go where no man has gone before."
I've some (possibly) crazy weird hobbies. See above for the skull decorating. Anyway, I also like quilting and raising rabbits. What are your hobbies (besides reading and writing)?
I’m a keen cyclist and during our first UK lockdown (March to May) we weren’t allowed to see anyone outside our household even to go for a walk outside. I cycled solo almost every day. My typical daily routes were between 10-22 miles but by the end of the summer I’d clocked up around 1,500 miles.
I also sing in a choir. I hadn’t sung since childhood, apart from a few Karaoke sessions where someone suggested to me I should join a choir. It was quite intimidating at first because the one I joined isn’t a rock choir but a full-on choral society where we sing and perform amazing works like Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem. I couldn’t sight read music when I joined (I can now) and had to learn by ear, so I was very dependent on the singers standing next to me. Making fantastic music with others is incredibly uplifting and good for your mental health. A highlight was when some of us travelled to New York in 2016 to sing in a massed choir event at Carnegie Hall.
How cool is that? 1,500 miles? And a singer? You, Helen, are cool.
What is your favorite sport to play? To watch? Or, what is your least favorite to play or watch?
As well as cycling, I love swimming. I used to play tennis but a couple of years ago I broke my ankle and, although it’s healed and the metal’s been removed, I think it’s safer to watch! I enjoy the grand slams: Wimbledon, and the US, French and Australian Opens.
I’m also a fan of rugby and football (soccer) but I’m tribal in this and tend to watch to support my teams. So, because I’m Welsh, I support Wales in rugby and, in football, I support Liverpool FC because I went to university there and started going to football matches as a student.
The zombie apocalypse will happen in two days. You are fully stocked with food, water, and toilet paper (who isn't these days??). What is the one thing you will have stocked up on as your guilty pleasure?
Wine for me. French white – Chablis, Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé. They’re a bit expensive for everyday drinking but – come the apocalypse – who cares?
I would have to have those sponge cakes filled with creamy white sweetness. No, I didn't copy Tallahassee from a certain movie called Zombieland. He just reinforced my cravings.
Speaking of movies, what movie sequel would you erase from history and why?
This is tricky because there’s a not-very-good sequel in one of my favourite ever trilogies: The Godfather. Parts I and II are movie masterpieces but Godfather III is somewhat clunky and doesn’t live up to the quality of the earlier parts. I wouldn’t really want it erased but perhaps it could be remade? Though, come to think of it, that would be no good without Al Pacino and he’s a bit too old for that role now. Despite my quibble, the finale of The Godfather III is amazing and I love how it’s set in the opera house in Palermo, where multiple assassinations are carried out, to the music of the opera Cavalleria Rusticana, which also chronicles a feud and revenge killing. Every couple of years I have an urge to rewatch the Godfather trilogy and, even though I own the boxset, if I can’t find it, I pay to download it.
Will you think poorly of me if I admit to not ever seeing those movies?
Don't answer that.
What is one food you could never bring yourself to eat and why?
Offal. Or anything with eyes staring up at me such as trout.
Offal sounds completely awful.
Tell us your favorite "dad joke."
This one’s a bit rude, sorry. In the UK we have this satirical nonsense game show on the radio called ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’ where writers and comedians are asked to do silly things. One round is based on jokey name combinations as if people were being formally announced at a social event, for example, ‘Welcome to the ball, Mr and Mrs Meanour and their daughter, Miss D Meanour’. Here’s the Dad joke:
‘Welcome to the psychiatrists’ ball – Doctor and Mrs Bates and their son Master Bates.’
*snort* I like paging my friend Amanda at the bar. "Is there an Amanda here? Amanda Hugnkiss?"
Cake or pie?
Trying to give them both up so chocolate.
Right on!
Tell us about your latest novel.
My latest novel Façade is psychological suspense and has been described as ‘a dark and gripping family mystery you won’t be able to put down’ and, by a reviewer who used to own an independent bookshop ‘family noir: a novel for anyone who is interested in people and the complex, twisted lives we often weave for ourselves.’
Façade has been a long time in the making. I started it when I was studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Oxford Brookes university and used part of it for my dissertation. I tried sending it to a few agents but I felt it wasn’t good enough and wasn’t sure how to improve it so I hid it away in my author’s ‘drawer of forgotten manuscripts’ while I wrote two more novels After Leaving the Village and Lies Behind the Ruin. Both of those were published.
A while ago I abandoned a novel-in-progress at 30,000 words and hit a period of writer’s block. I took Façade out of its drawer to see if I could rewrite it and make it work. I kept most of the characters and settings but completely rewrote the plot to bring it more in line with the psychological suspense genre. My writers’ groups and critique partners encouraged me and after masses of edits, it was ready to submit. I’m thrilled it was accepted by Darkstroke Books and published in September.
I’d love to tell you reading it would change your life but I’m not that arrogant! What I would say is that there’s more to Façade than the page turner with twists and turns. It’s not an accident that the main character has a property business and the novel is teeming with houses and properties, including an Old Rectory, a narrowboat, a gamekeeper’s cottage, a student house in London and an apartment in Spain. The Old Rectory (like Manderley in Rebecca or the house in Wuthering Heights,) is a character in the story. I’ve tried to explore some complexities in family relationships and a major themes is the meaning of home. What is home? Is it a place? Or other people? Is home inside us? How easily can we neglect and destroy it? And when we find home, do we recognise it?
FaçadeA d,rowned child. Estranged sisters. A once-perfect home.Silence echoes louder than truth.When seventeen-year-old Rachel’s baby brother drowns and her older sister, Imogen, escapes to live abroad with Simon, her musician boyfriend, Rachel must face the family’s grief and disintegration alone.Twenty years later, Rachel is a successful businesswoman, with a daughter of her own, supporting her parents and their elegant Georgian home, The Old Rectory, that shackles them to the past.Simon’s sudden death in Ibiza brings Imogen back, impoverished and resentful. Her family owes her, and she will stop at nothing to reclaim what she believes is rightly hers.The rift between the sisters seems permanent. While Imogen has lived a nomadic life, filled with intrigue, in Spain and Tunisia, Rachel’s has appeared stable and successful but, behind the veneer, cracks are appearing. Now, she is vulnerable.As the wall of silence and secrecy crumbles, danger stalks Rachel’s family. She must re-examine her baby brother’s death, find out what happened in Tunisia, and fight to hold onto everything she’s achieved –or risk losing it all.,Façade is a gripping tale of loss, guilt and danger.
It sounds excellent and I downloaded it already. Can't wait to read it. I wish you the very best of luck in your career and am so happy to be in the Darkstroke family with you!
Shine on!
You can find more of Helen's activities and such at:
https://www.twitter.com/HelenMK7
https://www.Instagram.com/helen.matth...
https://Facebook.com/HelenMK7Writer
https://helenmatthewswriter.com
Available from Amazon at ,https://mybook.to/facade
December 3, 2020
It's December! Time for a Newsletter
Hello, hello!
Every season brings something exciting to the table and this December I am excited to celebrate, no matter the current situation. What's your favorite part of the holidays? My family enjoys making cookies and mulled wine, watching movies. Hmmm, we like those all through the year, too!!
If you are looking for holiday gifts, books make great presents. *wink* I am offering autographed copies of Inside Voices along with a bookmark and a polar bear figurine. Drop me a message if you are interested.
A bit of exciting news...I hit my 50,000-word goal for November (NaNoWriMo.org). Whoop Whoop! What did I write? I would love to shout it out and share my title. But I won't. ,Inside Voices took six years. I don't want to jinx myself by spilling the beans too soon, eh?
As you might guess, I read a lot. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, too. If it is alright with you, I'll add some recommendations below.
Speaking of recommendations, reviews are a great way to give an author a virtual hug if you enjoyed their book. Notice I said "virtual" hug. Gotta stay within those socially distanced guidelines. There are many places to leave reviews. Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. The word is that once an author reaches 100 reviews on Amazon, they receive a unicorn. I am five reviews away...I'll keep you posted.
I hope you all find a bit of peace and happiness during these crazy times. Keep the sunny side up!
Smiles,
Sarah
A FEW BOOKS TO CONSIDER
Darkstroke Books publishes a lot of great books. I can't shout out of them at once, so I'll start with these three.
,The Dark Chorus by Ashley Meggitt - A stellar debut novel!
Oblivio salvationem Angelis opperitur
Oblivion awaits the Angel’s salvationThe Boy can see lost souls. He has never questioned the fact that he can see them. He thinks of them as the Dark Chorus. When he sets out to restore the soul of his dead mother it becomes clear that his ability comes from within him. It is a force that he cannot ignore – the last shard of the shattered soul of an angel. To be restored to the kingdom of light, the shard must be cleansed of the evil that infects it – but this requires the corrupt souls of the living! With the help from Makka, a psychotically violent young man full of hate, and Vee, an abused young woman full of pain, the Boy begins to kill. Psychiatrist Dr Eve Rhodes is seconded to assist the police investigation into the Boy’s apparently random ritualistic killings. As the investigation gathers pace, a pattern emerges. When Eve pulls at the thread from an article in an old psychology journal, what might otherwise have seemed to her a terrible psychotic delusion now feels all too real…Will the Boy succeed in restoring the angel’s soul to the light? Can Eve stop him, or will she be lost to realm of the Dark Chorus?
,Caffeine & Nicotine by Eric Weule - I just started this book but it is a pageturner! And the dog!
The deceased are judge and jury. They have an executioner.
Kelly Jenks knows the dead boy is going to show him something awful. Jonathan is seven. He never wears shoes, and his feet are always clean. He cruises between this world and the next in a 1967 Cougar XR7. Jonathan has a message for Kelly: There is a faceless man preying on the city’s homeless.
Jackie Carmichael hires Kelly to find an employee who has vanished. The case appears simple at first, but Kelly soon discovers that the missing girl is not who she seems. As Kelly attempts to separate the facts from the lies, Jonathan brings him another message: Jackie Carmichael is hiding something.
With the beaches, mansions, and dive bars of Orange County, CA as the backdrop, Caffeine & Nicotine is a dark and brutal look at what happens when the dead pass sentence.
,The Sadeiest by Austrian Spencer - This book contains graphic novel illustrations that hold clues to the book. I thought it an amazing debut.
Is today a good day to die?
Death – a walking skeleton armed with a scythe, a rider of the apocalypse, it has always been assumed – is a man that brings the souls of the dead to wherever they are destined to go.
But what if we got that wrong? What if he were a ghost that, instead of moving your soul on silently after you had died, actually did the hard part for you?
Death has to die, again and again, to pay for his sins, and to free trapped souls before their bodies perish – only to replace those souls, to die for them.
A Death whose existence is a curse, where the other riders of the Apocalypse are not his allies, but his enemies.
Armed only with his morals, his memories and the advice of a child teacher, Williams, a Sadeiest, travels through the deaths of other people, on his way to becoming something greater. Something that will re-define the Grim Reaper.
Death just came to life, in time to fight for a child hunted by the other horsemen of the Apocalypse.
How do you want to die today?
The following are not with Darkstroke...
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was one weird ride. No joke. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, I got slapped in the face by some strange 5h!t. It was awesome.
To Sleep In a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini is a magically epic story without magic. I mean, it's the author of the Eragon series. I listened to the audible and the narrator, Jennifer Hale, is phenomenal.
Verity by Collen Hoover is a well-written romantic suspense, and wow, the ending still blows my mind.
If you want to grab a copy of ,Inside Voices for yourself or to send to a friend, click on either of the two photographs featuring my novel.
December 2, 2020
Interview with Val Penny
How lucky am I that Val Penny is back to chat more about life, love, and the pursuit of the next great book?
Pretty lucky.
Val wrote The Edinburgh Crime Mystery Series, the latest, ,Hunter's Secret rated as "fabulous" and a "page-turner." Thanks to my to be read pile being the size of the mattress pile in the Princess and the Pea, I have only had a chance to read the first, ,Hunter's Chase. It was great, and I look forward to reading them all!
So Val, what is the first story you remember telling (not necessarily writing)?
The first story I remember telling was at school when I was seven years old. It was about a horse, which I did not have that was stolen by neighbours, who had no more use for a horse than I did and the neighbours were eaten by a wild lion for their trouble. (There are few wild lions in SW Scotland!)
No shit. Wild lions in Scotland? I'll have to look that up later.
I struggle to find time to write. Now that my kids are back to school (for however long that lasts, thank you COVID-19), I have some free time waiting for the end of sports practice. Do you have any writing quirks?
I like to write in the afternoon. I prefer to answer emails, sort out my blogs and do any necessary household chores in the morning and get them out of the way. Then from about 2pm the day is mine to write for as long as I like,
Who inspired you to write your debut novel?
I am so fortunate to have had a great deal of encouragement from other authors, but my first inspiration came from Handsome Hubby (HH) who heard me droning on about good and bad books and said ‘Well, if you know so much about what makes a good book, why don’t you write one?’
Having a close support group is wonderful as a writer! Go, hubby!
What is your favorite color? Least favorite?
Favourite – any bright colour – red, blue, green, pink.
Least favourite – dark colours – brown and black.
Ooh, my favorite is pink...like the sunset/salmon pink. And brown? I always eat brown M&Ms first. Helps keep my eyes the right color.
Many authors choose character names differently. Baby books, websites, even random name generators. How do you name your characters?
I have ‘collected’ or remembered names all my life and once I get to know a character I will assign them a name. For example, driving through a city one afternoon, I saw a lawyer’s office Wilson Hunter Esq. I switched the name around and Hunter Wilson became the name of the main character in my Edinburgh Crime Mysteries Series.
That's unique! If his name were Wilson, it would have taken me some time to get past the memory of Tom Hanks calling for his beloved volleyball. "Willllssssooooon!" I am not ashamed that that part made me cry.
If you were to be gifted a superpower that you had to use continuously for 8 hours every day, what would it be?
Ooh, invisibility or to be able to eat chocolate brownies without gaining weight? That’s a tough one!
Both Excellent. Superpowers!
You can't write all the time. What are your hobbies (besides reading and writing)?
I enjoy travelling – it has been said I would go to the opening of a paper bag. I also enjoy walking, swimming, knitting and making jewellery.
Paper bag *snort*
Have you ever gotten “reader’s block?”
Reader’s block, no. But occasionally I write a lot of nonsense to get to the other side of writer’s block.
That is a great way to get past writer's block!
So, you finished ,Inside Voices (so glad you enjoyed it, btw). What is in your TBR pile?
I always have a long TBR pile – one of the good things about lockdown during 2020 was that I almost got to the bottom of it! Right now it contains And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, We Know/You Know by Erin Kelly, One Way Out by Amit Dhand and Façade by Helen Matthews.
I have heard great things about Façade! In fact, I get a chance to visit with Helen soon!
What was your hardest scene to write?
I am very bad at writing sex scenes. It’s ridiculous, but I get embarrassed. Luckily, Liz Hurst ran a course on Writing Erotica a couple of years ago and now I hope I am less bad at it,
Those scenes intimidate me. I wrote one to finish out NaNoWriMo. We'll see if it makes it through editing.
If you could have authored a book, which one and why?
I am happy with the books I write, but if I could have written a big blockbuster like Jurassic Park, that would make me very happy.
Micheal Crighton is a fabulous author. I am pretty sure I have read all of his books, at least all the ones my library carries.
What was your favorite game to play as a child?
My parents bought me a tepee, not a tent and I enjoyed playing house in that, but my sister would always have to be the cowboy as I wanted to live in the tepee.
Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Wars
What movie sequel would you erase from history and why?
Funnily enough, Jurassic Park II – The Lost World. I don’t think it is nearly as good as the other movies in the franchise.
Interesting! I'm a sucker for them all, Park and World.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
It would always be a cat. Independent, self-motivated and always finding the warmest place in the room to sleep.
Betcha can't guess mine. Weimaraner!
What is one food you could never bring yourself to eat and why?
I have been vegetarian since I was twenty-one. I always said I would go back to eating meat and fish when I missed it. I haven’t missed it yet and I think I am unlikely to go back to it now.
It took me 6 years to see ,Inside Voices published. Based on how my current one is moving along, I hope it will be less time to type the official "The End" on it. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
My first novel took me about two and a half years to write. Of course, I had cancer at the time and not a clue what I was doing. Now, a book will take me 6-8 months to write.
Tell us about your latest book.
My most recent novel was published earlier this year, ,Hunter’s Secret, It is The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries #5
Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems.
Hunter recalls the disappearance of a body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but their officer in charge sees no connection – it is too long ago? Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.
Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?
Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?
How intriguing!
Thank you so much for visiting with me again, Val. It is always a pleasure. I wish you the very best in life, love, and writing!!
More about Val...
Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and two cats. She has a Law degree from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, lawyer, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer.
However, she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels. Her crime novels, Hunter's Chase, Hunter's Revenge, Hunter's Force and Hunter’s Blood and Hunter's Secret are set in Edinburgh, Scotland, published by Darkstroke and form The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries.
Her first nonfiction book Let’s Get Published, is available now, and the first book in the new series centring on Jane Renwick will be published in 2021, as will the next book in The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries, Hunter’s Rules.
You can find more about what Val is up to at:
www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739
www.facebook.com/groups/296295777444303
,https://twitter.com/valeriepenny
Interested in checking out the books?
November 24, 2020
A Visit with Austrian Spencer on Writing, Gorgons & Orange Chocolate
Greetings! If this is your first time to my Interview with an Author blog, welcome! For all those returning, thank you! Settle in folks, for today I would like to introduce one hell of a writer and a really nice guy, Austrian Spencer.
His debut novel, The Sadeiest,, will release on November 27, 2020. I have already ripped through it, and let me tell you, it is AMAZING! A full-blown, five-star remarkable tale not for the faint of heart.
Isn't the cover fantastic?
Before we get to the novel, let's hear from the author. So, Austrian, thank you for agreeing to the interview!! What was your favorite game to play as a child?
I was run over by a lorry as a 9-year-old, and had severe concussion and a coma, and woke up with almost no memories – and was then bed ridden for a long, long time. So, I used to read and play chess with my dad. He was a strict teacher, he didn’t just let me win, I had to earn it. We played for years, and I never won, and then one day, I won, and he refused to play with me ever again. How mean is that! He wanted to teach me to the point that I could beat him, and then – he just lost the interest. I can’t even remember how I beat him, it came as a total surprise, so you can imagine, If I could choose to play against anyone again, it would be him, and I would video the damn thing.
Whoa, run over by a lorry? I am unashamed to admit I had to look up what a lorry was...I mean, I was pretty sure, but A LORRY? And your dad never gave you a free win? Well, he obviously figured he taught you right!
What is the first story you remember telling?
So this is a bit complex lol! See the first question for the reason, but I don’t remember anything before aged 9, and can only really remember writing stories in school. But I was an actor, and wanted to be an actor in school, so most of the stories I told were in plays, and I had a riot.
How many languages do you speak? Which is your favorite?
I speak English and German, and mix both up because I use both every day, so I don’t have a favorite.
What language do you dream in? I asked a friend who speaks fluent Spanish and English. She interchanges words all the time.
Who inspired you to write your debut novel?
Comic writers. Alan Moore. Dave Sim. Neal Gaiman. Garth Ennis.
Novelists Iain Banks and Isaac Assimov.
One of my favorite authors is Neil Gaiman. You might even say that I "met" him through Sir Terry Pratchett. One of the small animal veterinarians at college recommended the Discworld series, and I was hooked after the first page. Then I came across a book written by both Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens. That was well before digital books. Oh boy, I might be aging myself. (Back when I was in college, we had to wait at least five minutes for the dial up to buzz through for our email...) What a colorful life.
Speaking of colors, what if you are asked to name your least favorite color knowing that it will forever be erased from existence. Would you give your answer?
Damn that’s hard – I am totally colourblind and have only recently bought a pair of Enchroma sunglasses that allow me to see some colours for the first time! Pink is amazing! Purple! Green! Red! All the colours are amazing. How can one choose? I think I’ve had the colour absent from my life for too long so I am exempt from this question – I earned the right to see them forever.
Yes, Yes, you did earn that right!
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Damn this is hard. Star wars. Because Empire strikes back blew my mind as a kid. I mean, I thought Han had died! Luke lost his hand! The empire won! WHAT?! It was the first time I went to the cinema and realized there was a bigger picture, a greater story, and that the story couldn’t end at the end – that there was MORE. And that was the start of how I write, even now.
Star wars...what a rich and powerful tale. And Luke kissed his SISTER! Poor guy.
If you were to be gifted a superpower that you had to use continuously for 8 hours every day, what would it be?
Patience with stupid people.
Now that is a power that would be helpful. Counting to 10 works, but if not, then walking away helps.
What are your hobbies (besides reading and writing)?
I train 4 days a week, with my wife and daughter, an hour each time, Monday to Thursday. They are kind and pretend not to notice me struggling to keep up. I read lots. Like – really, really lots. And I enjoy cooking. And here’s a weird one – cleaning. I have a little OCD in me somewhere that dislikes a messy house, and I feel better if the house is clean. It’s not a very cool trait, is it?
Ok, so every time I chat with you via message, you are cleaning or have to clean. I can vouch for the cleaning! LOL.
What is your favorite sport to play?
I loved to play badminton, but have broken so many bones playing it, it is a bloodsport! I had to give it up. My daughter loves to play volleyball, and that is what we play too, but I got a table tennis table for my birthday this year, so I aim to use that a lot. I don’t watch sports. Life is too full of books to read.
Totally agree with watching sports unless my kids are playing them. Cross country is one of my favorites. At the meets you have to physically move around the course to see any action.
What is your favorite author/book?
The impossible question. I can’t answer. I really like lots of books.
Whenever someone asks me this question, I really struggle, too. To quote one of our favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, "Picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose."
Have you ever played Kubb? Did you have to look it up before answering?
I have never played Kubb. I still haven’t looked it up but will do so when you are not watching.
Well, I know you already looked it up.
Zombies! They were all the rage; maybe they still are. One of my daughters has planned out how we will survive any zombie pandemic. So I ask you, Austrian, the zombie apocalypse will happen in two days. You are fully stocked with food, water, and toilet paper. What is the one thing you will have stocked up on as your guilty pleasure?
Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Damn it.
Really? Those are coming into season now, aren't they? Hint. Hint.
If you could have authored a book, which one and why?
An existing one? Hmm. Iain M. Banks’ Inversions because it is brilliant and says everything without saying anything. It is genius. And you can’t just go read it, you need to have read his culture series for it to make any sense.
What movie sequel would you erase from history and why?
Highlander. Good god. Although that has dated terribly too.
Hmm, glad I haven't wasted my time on it!
You won the mythical lottery and are granted the use of a magical creature for one week. What creature would you pick and why?
A gorgon. I would hunt down the assholes ruining the planet and turn them into statues, and have the angry mob tear them down.
What is one food you could never bring yourself to eat and why?
Lol. Good question. And not very healthy. – Fish – or more specifically, anything that comes from the sea or a river. I just – no. It’s fish. Ugh.
Hmm, I am unable to agree with you on this. I love fish! Cajun/beer-battered walleye deep-fried...delish. But jellied eels? Definitely NO.
Tell us your favorite "dad joke."
Two-parter:
What’s brown and sticky?
A stick
What’s white and silly?
A window sill
*Snort*
Cake or pie?
Damn that’s hard.
My favourite food is Quiche, but I have a sweet tooth… Man…
Pie (dammit), No! Cake! Forgive me!
It's okay. Trick questions are supposed to be tricky!
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is a horror book called The Sadeiest. It’s an origin story, about a man that becomes Death himself. My death is unlike any other Death though – he doesn’t let you die then deal with your soul, he dies for you. And if that’s not bad enough, he’s got to protect a 10-year old boy from the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It took me 25 years (Yes. You heard that right) to complete, because life and kids and more life happened. It will change your life because you will realize that books can be written in a way that doesn’t give you all the answers, and which makes you think. So that part of the book, when it all clicks into place and you think – oh my god! – that moment of revelation – can be in the book all the way through, it’s just that authors are scared the reader won’t get it, and spell out everything for them.
That has to change, so I’m starting.
You know, it's a brilliant start. I so enjoyed your book and am anxious for the sequel.
Do you have a favorite character that you created?
Oh Man! That’s tough. Probably Pez, though Mortis is a lot of fun too. I love Pez. Pez is an ant, that becomes the living embodiment of Pestilence. Writing him is a blast. Ant POV. You get to learn with him as he expands his hive mind, take over other species, and learn what those species can do. Writing the spider attack was really, really fun. But no insects or arachnids were harmed in the writing of The Sadeiest…But Mortis is a close second, and I’m not going to give you any clues on that!
Pez is such an interesting character! I thoroughly enjoyed his character development. My fav character was Death.
And the artwork in this book is amazing! (Pictured below is Henreich.)
THE SADEIEST
Is today a good day to die?
Death – a walking skeleton armed with a scythe, a rider of the apocalypse, it has always been assumed – is a man that brings the souls of the dead to wherever they are destined to go.
But what if we got that wrong? What if he were a ghost that, instead of moving your soul on silently after you had died, actually did the hard part for you?
The Sadeiest is the story of a Death that has to die, again and again, to pay for his sins, to help free trapped souls leave their bodies before those bodies perish – and replace those souls, to die for them.
A Death who's existence is a curse, where the other riders of the Apocalypse are not his allies, but his enemies.
Armed only with his morals, his memories and the advice of a child teacher, Williams, a Sadeiest, travels through the deaths of other people, on his way to becoming something greater. Something that will re-define the Grim Reaper.
Death just came to life, in time to fight for a child hunted by the other horsemen of the Apocalypse.
How do you want to die today?
Well, I don't want to die today. I want to share the news of your debut novel, ,,The Sadeiest. Thank you so much for joining today and sharing about yourself.
Warmest congratulations on your achievement and best wishes on your next adventure. I cannot wait to see what your dedication and energy will bring forth!
While you are waiting for your book (to arrive/download), check out the playlist for ,,The Sadeiest Austrian had put together.
https://www.austrianspencer.com/post/5-food-markets-around-the-world
You can find more about Austrian and what he is up to, as well as links to other social media on his website. It is a very cool website, and you all should check it out.
https://www.austrianspencer.com/blog
Cheers!
P.S.
YOU ARE INVITED TO AN ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH: On Saturday 28th November 2020, Austrian will be joining four other authors for a joint event via Zoom called Darkstroke Defined: The five writers will talk about their new books, read extracts and answer questions. For your free ticket, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/darkstroke-defined-tickets-125793372363
This is an event I don't want to miss!
November 18, 2020
A Chat with Alison Knight on Writing, Swimming & Jellied Eels
Today I am pleased to share an interview with the talented author, Alison Knight. Her novel, Mine, will be released on November 25, 2020. Alison, welcome!!
Hello Sarah, thanks for inviting me to feature on your blog.
So, Alison, what was the first story you remember telling?
I can’t remember an actual book story, but I do remember being in the back of our family car with my older sister, and we were fighting. I said, “Stop hitting me or I’ll tell Mum you smoke,” in a very loud voice. Needless to say, my sister never forgave me. She never gave up smoking either.
Who inspired you to write your debut novel?
The first book I got a publishing deal for was a time-travel adventure inspired by my daughter. When she was a teenager, she didn’t enjoy history at school and one day complained that her grandmother was always going on about the war. It struck me that my mother, father and in-laws were all teenagers in London during the war. I started to imagine how my daughter would cope with the constant bombing raids, the rationing, and even going to work in a factory at the age of fourteen - as my mum and mother-in-law had to – and the story grew from there. In it, a girl from the 21st Century is thrown back through time to meet her teenaged grandparents.
Wow, that story sounds fascinating!
Star Wars or Star Trek?
It has to be Star Wars as I was taken to see it at a drive-in movie theatre in Indiana, USA, the night before my eighteenth birthday, way, way back in 1977. I was an exchange student, just arrived from the UK. The exchange experience inspired another of my books, which imagines a rekindled romance between an American rock star and an English lady vicar who was his high school sweetheart when she was an exchange student.
Another exciting story!! It's amazing where we writers find inspiration.
What are your hobbies besides reading and writing?
I love to swim. I’ve always been a water baby and swum my first mile when I was nine years old. That event is actually featured in my new book, Mine, which is based on real events that happened with my family in the late 1960s. These days I still swim as often as I can.
Personally, I'm not too fond of water. I should clarify, I don't care much for swimming. In a boat, I'm fine. Swimming - nope. I wear contacts and without them cannot see anything beyond 1-inch in front of my face. The thought of losing my contacts and the closeness of the water brings out major anxiety.
What is one food you can never bring yourself to eat and why?
Jellied Eels! I come from a huge Cockney family, many of whom love this dish. When I was a kid, we used to go to a Pie & Eel Shop on Saturdays where we’d have the traditional pie and mash for lunch. On the counter were trays of live eels, wriggling and trying to escape. People would come in and ask for a portion of eels and the shop-keeper would pick one or two out of the tray and chop them up with a cleaver, starting with their heads. It was barbaric. No, I’ll never eat eels, thank you very much!
It's really shocking what some will eat. Say, that reminds me of a dad joke.
Why can't you breed an eel with an eagle?
Because it's eeleagle.
Oh wait, you said you liked Star Wars...
What do you call an Eel that loves the new Star Wars trilogy?
A More-Rey Eel
Ahem.
Cake or pie?
I’d have to say pie as my husband is an ace pie-maker. His specialities include Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie, and a divine Beetroot and Goat Cheese Pie.
So, when are you all having the Chicken and Butternut Squash pie?
Tell us about your latest book.
It has taken most of my life to write this book. I actually appear in the story, as a small child and later as an adult.
If you buy it, will it change your life? Possibly. I certainly hope so. ,,Mine examines how ordinary people make decisions that lead them into extraordinary situations. If it could happen to them, it could happen to anyone. Writing it certainly changed me. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also given me the reward of closure and peace of mind, so it has definitely changed my life!
It certainly sounds like a great addition to my To Be Read pile. I wish you the very best
in life and with your writing!!
Thanks again for inviting me to your blog. I’m off to see whether my husband has finished baking his latest pie, then I’ll need a good, long swim to burn up all the calories!
Have fun with the swim!
“What’s mine, I keep.” London, 1968. Lily’s dreams of a better life for her family are shattered when her teenage daughter refuses to give up her illegitimate child. It doesn’t help that Lily’s husband, Jack, takes their daughter’s side. Taking refuge in her work at a law firm in the City, Lily’s growing feelings for her married boss soon provides a dangerous distraction. Will Lily be able to resist temptation? Or will the decisions made by these ordinary people lead them down an extraordinary path that could destroy them all? ,,Mine – a powerful story of class, ambition and sexual politics.
Kit de Waal, award-winning author of My Name is Leon said this about Mine:
“A heartbreaking account of love and loss told by a great storyteller. Alison takes you into the heart of the tragedy with compassion, wit and even humour. A beautiful story."
Pre-Order Now at – ,mybook.to/mineknight
And.... *drumroll, please*
YOU ARE INVITED TO AN ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH: On Saturday 28th November 2020, Alison will be joining four other authors for a joint event via Zoom called Darkstroke Defined: The five writers will talk about their new books, read extracts and answer questions. For your free ticket, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/darkstroke-defined-tickets-125793372363
