Eden Baylee's Blog, page 82

Music Monday with David Bowie

David Bowie inspired a story I wrote recently, so it’s only fitting I feature his song. If you missed the story, it’s still here.

Enjoy,

~eden

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Filed under: Musical Mondays

Read an Exchange with Author E.N. De Choudens (@ENDechoudens)

Author E.N. De Choudens, whom I call Efrain, connected with me some years ago when he fanned my Facebook page. We chatted about so many things, including books. I learned he wrote in numerous genres: erotica; poetry; science fiction; and horror.

Coming from a Spanish background, I knew English was not his first language, but that never stopped us from having the most charming conversations. You will discover that for yourself in his responses.

Please welcome Efrain and find out more about this dedicated and talented man.

* * * *

Buy Links:  Amazon |  Barnes and Noble

“A fascinating collection of dark poetry exploring the mind of a serial killer. A man judged by law to be mentally ill but not being of the same opinion.” ~Lisa Knight -Artifice Comic- UK~    

Read more excellent reviews on Efrain’s site.

* * * *

Efrain, I’m thrilled to finally be able to feature you! Tell my readers how your best friend would describe you. 

Complicated and a little crazy but an easy and loyal friend with an adventurous spirit, open minded and sincere.

Nice, are you a full time writer or do you have a day job? 

I’m not a full time writer, at least not yet. I still have my day job in the biotechnological industry, more specifically in the research and development area. Usually my days are long. I wake up at 5:00 AM to edit until 6:30 AM, from there I prepare myself to work from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (I have a one hour commute). When I arrive home, I make dinner, study with the kids (my wife works from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM). When I finish with the kids I do one hour of workout, later I read until my wife arrives so we can eat together, and finally I write from 10:00 PM to 12:00 AM. By Friday I’m exhausted , basically I am more a zombie than a human being. The problem with this is that one of my neighbors is part of “The zombie outbreak response team”. Seriously I need to buy a helmet for Fridays. Also I usually skip the writing part this day. For the weekends, I wake up at 6:00 for a one hour run, after that I edit, write or read, depending on the mood but just until the family wakes up. From there, it is family time.

I love your devotion to writing and your ability to fit it into your life. Do you have any great extravagances?

I love to be naked in the house, my wife and I did it all the time when we didn’t have kids, now we need to wait until they are at their grandparents’ house, so my greatest extravagance these days is chocolate. I’m addicted to chocolate (now you know why I need to exercise). Yes, I have like a millions books, but that doesn’t count as extravagance, because that is love.

Indeed. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My hair, I would like an easier style, less curly so I can leave it a little longer before I become bald.

What profession other than your own would you like to try?

I would like to try anthropology because other cultures fascinate me, moderns and ancients. I like to learn about other societies, about their beliefs, religions, and their way of life. Humanity is very interesting.

What are some of your favorite curse words?

Ahhhh I like my Spanish ones. I should be polite and not say them here but I can’t resist, so here they are “Coño” and “Puñeta” meaning “pussy” and “masturbation” but I really love the Puerto Rican Spanish force on them, and of course, the most beloved “Fuck.”

Of course, ha! What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

My family.

Sweet. What makes you laugh, and I mean, REALLY laugh?

Embarrassing moments, when I’m nervous is when I really laugh. I know you are going to remember this one very well and I know that I need to be ready for you. But good jokes works well too.

I love a good joke! As for your writing, where do you draw your inspiration from?

Everywhere, from a conversation, a picture, a book. I think that the secret is to spin the common things.

Great answer. What motivates you to write?

I have always liked to read and write. Since I can remember I was always attracted to books. I like to think that I was born with it, but probably the truth is that my mother slapped me with a book when I was a little boy and miraculously, I ended up loving them.

What is the best advice you’ve received as a writer?

If you want to write, you need to read. Don’t trust in a writer who doesn’t read because language is a changing entity, language is alive and if you don’t read and evolve, your writing is going to be obsolete.

So true, Efrain. Name a few of your favorite authors and books, and why you like them.

Arturo Perez-Reverte The Club Dumas is a dark mystery novel that plays with the occult, The Ninth Gate is the movie adaptation. Stephen King and Anne Rice, but too many titles here.

Alexandre Dumas The Count of Monte Christo. I’ve always been attracted to that novel for the patience of Edmund toward his vengeance. H. P. Lovecraft for the infinite universe of possibilities that he created. Gabriel Garcia Marques (In Evil Hours, Of Love and Other Demons) and Jorge Luis Borges (The Book of Imaginary Beings, Labyrinths) for the magic realism, Milan Kundera The Book of Laughter and Forgetting because he is insanely complicated.

And for erotica, my favorites are Megan Hart (Tempted, The Space Between Us) because she writes very fluently and interestingly and of course Eden Baylee, and I don’t say it because you are doing the interview. Ever since your first book I already told you I was fascinated with your writing.

You’re a sweetheart Efrain, thank you, and it’s a great list too. 

How would you define your style of writing?

Most of the time as dark and obscure.

Do you outline, plot and structure, or do you just sit down and write?

For flash fiction I don’t plot but for long pieces I usually create a guideline:

At the beginning a hooking element

At one quarter of the work, a small twist

At the middle a major twist

At third quarter another small twist, no important character enters after this point.

The End

All this trying to keep to the three act structure.

Yes, I know that well too.  Are you working on another book now?

I’m editing the first draft of a horror/science fiction novel tentatively called Three Hours After Midnight: A Horror/Science Fiction Novel. The story begins when a global event is creating a black zone around the world, exactly three hours past midnight. No communication, no satellite, no airplanes, nothing can be obtained from the black zone. Everybody is scared awaiting 3 AM to see what is going to happen. The next day, the protagonist wakes up in an empty world. Everybody is missing with the exception of a few mummified bodies he found. No running water, no phones, no electric power, so eventually the food became bad, even the canned ones, and he is forced to move if he wants to survive. But something in the shadows watches him, manipulates his life until he discovers what it is and what happened to the world.

I also started an erotic fantasy novel tentatively called My Visit to the Court, a modern version of Brian Merriman’s poem “The Midnight Court.” The story has more liberal situations, different twists and new elements.

Wonderful projects! What is your best advice for new authors?

Go and do it. You do not need to rush, writing is a form of expression, is a form to tell something, to live our fantasies, it’s not a race. Unless you have a big contract with a serious deadline, take your time and don’t look to your side. Forget about the authors who say that he/she wrote three or four novels in a year. Your writing is your work, if you need a year or two for writing your novel, take that time, be sure that your final product is the best that you can do and do it at your pace. Eventually the speed will arrive, just don’t stop.

I love the way you answered this, Efrain. It’s a tough lesson to learn that we cannot compare ourselves to others when we write.

As for your book, A Quick Look to an Insane Mind, tell us more about it. Great cover, by the way. I couldn’t resist adding it here again.  

It is a collection of horror and science fiction poetry. My book is a little different because I present the dark poetry through the eyes of a madman where I intercalate narration from this man, making the book basically a story in poetry. Plus the madman is a potential character for a complete new work.

Tell us about the road to publication.

The road took me around 8 months and six rejections before I found a house.

How did you celebrate when you finished your book?

A Guinness or wine watching an old classic horror or science fiction movie.

What has the reception been to it?

As expected, a modest one. Poetry is more for exposure than for big sales.

What is the best way for someone to support your book, aside from buying it?

Leaving a review is always a good way to support the book or talking about it to their friends.

Let’s finish with a fun lightning round! 

Aside from people/pets, what is the ONE item you would save if your house was on fire? The box with the memory sticks with our family photos or the external hard drive with those photos, the first that I can grab.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to or would like to travel to? I really want to visit Easter Island during the Tapati Festival. And Prague.

Name a food you can eat everyday. Salmon.

Salty or sweet? Salty of course, unless I can use some wet cream.

Favorite season. Fall, I love the colors, the chilly weather, the candies, Halloween, Samhain, the day of the dead, Thanksgiving for the food and the sweets. Of course, fall in Maryland is not as cold as in Toronto.

I’m sure it’s not! Name something you cannot go a day without. My little black notebook and no, it is not for writing the phone number of a new girl, but to take notes of any new idea. I don’t like to use the notepad or cellphone.

Cat/dog/other pet? Cats, because they can do their business by themselves, I don’t need to walk them. But any stuffed animal absolutely wins the first place.

Favorite style of music? Power Metal and Hard Rock, European style. I grew up in the 80’s, so especially Scorpions, Doro, Micheal Kiske, Helloween, Gamma Ray.

The best gift you’ve ever received? I can’t tell, but believe me, it was very, very, very good.

Okay … now you have me curious!

Lastly, your most guilty pleasure. Food, all kinds of food. I like to taste new plates, greasy, not greasy, healthy, not healthy, strange or common. I like food, this is another reason for my exercise. I work out not too look good but to eat what I want. I know that some day the doctor is going to restrain my diet. Aging has a price, so before that occurs, I will continue enjoying all kinds of plates.

Sounds like a great plan, Efrain. Is there anything else you would like to share?

I want to express my most sincere gratitude for the opportunity to share with you and your readers. I wish you the best in your career.

And I wish for you the very same. :) Readers, please connect to Efrain. He’s truly a lovely man to know. 

~ eden

Website | Facebook | Twitter @ENDeChoudens

I was born on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, where I enjoyed the blue sea, the nice sun and the good rum. If I was not practicing scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, surfing, camping or doing any other outdoor activity, I was reading some horror or science fiction book or magazine.

I studied Marine Biology at the University of Puerto Rico and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. In addition to the outdoor activities, I have a fascination with antique cars, and I try to enjoy any classic auto-show or car museum. It is not uncommon to see a classic car in one of my stories. I can have in front of me a new model and an old model, and for sure my eyes are going for the old lady. I also love to travel, but who doesn’t?

During the past years, I have published various poems and short stories in different magazines, e-zinea, and anthologies. I like small press magazines. I found that these magazines actually have better stories than the big ones.

Coming from a Spanish culture, the English language is my major challenge in my writing, making every new acceptance a major personal success. Now I am living with my wife and my two kids in the state of Maryland missing the sun and the blue sea, but embracing new experiences and adventures.

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Filed under: Author & Artist Interviews

The Final Countdown ~ My story for @RBwood’s Word Count Podcast

You can also hear me read this story  on:  Episode #40 of R.B. Wood’s “The Word Count” podcast.

The prompt asked that we use THREE words in our stories: 

Glass | Bed | Bow

Special acknowledgement to David Bowie for inspiring my tale.

*  *  *  *

My eyes click open mechanically like a ventroliquist’s dummy, like a cheap plastic doll you win at an amusement park. They stay open, staring at the ceiling. That god awful beige, the same color as the walls, the color of sick, which I am.

Wait. I’m not sick. I’m dying. Let’s not mince words here. I prefer not to delude myself.

I’m in bed. It’s probably nine, ten in the morning. I can tell James has been in the room. The curtain has moved. A fringe is in a different place from yesterday before I fell asleep—my marker. I know every tiny movement of everything in this room. That’s all I can do—look around and take note of minute changes.

Time drags, but that’s okay. It should slow down at this stage. We rush our whole lives to get here, and when the end comes, we’re not ready.

Not me. I’m ready.

It takes all my strength to lift my body enough to elevate my head. The room spins, so I shut my eyes. Behind the lids, silver lightning bolts pinwheel and shoot out in different directions like fireworks.

Zing! Boom! Bang!

I scrunch my face and squeeze my eyes tighter. I wait for the noise to quiet down, for the lights to stop flashing, and for the time bomb in my head to stop ticking. It only ticks to tease me because it has yet to explode. I’ve waited for it to explode, even sat in front of the mirror, (when I was still able to sit up), staring at my reflection, eyes bulged, pressure building in my head, counting down my time like … like …

10-9-8 … Ground control to Major Tom … 7-6-5-4 … Commencing countdown engines on … 3-2-1… Check ignition and may God’s love be with you … Lift off …

No. No lift for me.

The pressure builds and builds and then it’s like someone pricks a pinhole in my balloon of a head and the pressure eases.

I think it would be great to see my head explode. If the last part to burst could be my eyes so I can see that final image of myself intact, that would be great—one hell of a way to blast off.

That’s what I thought last month anyway. Now … I’m not so sure. I can’t even get out of bed anymore. Oh god, a different sensation, rising from my stomach.

I roll to my side and say hello to my bed companion.

“Hello, spit bowl. Don’t you look shiny today? Are you ready for me?”

I pull the glass dish toward me and drop my head over it.

“I have something for you. It’s coming, I feel it coming up.”

A few seconds later, I hork up a phlegmy gob and immediately feel some kind of relief.

A teaspoon size dollop jiggles like lime-green silly putty in the bowl.

Lime green, better than beige anyway. Must be an infection.

My time is near.

To know this, to have the luxury of feeling death take hold of me is a gift really. I’ve had time to reflect, to have the choice to die at home.

I’m a lucky man.

Uh oh. Queasiness.

The bile rises quickly. I can’t catch my breath. I grab the bowl again (thank god it’s a deep dish) and gasp air in short, quick breaths. The first expulsion jettisons liquid into the bowl and up its sides. There’s a bit of splash-back on my face, but not much.

No lumpy pieces this time. No surprise. I haven’t eaten anything solid in days.

A second hurl (there’s always a second) ratchets up my abdomen. Another splash into the bowl, though not has plentiful as the first one. My heart beats like a jackhammer. My empty gut gurgles.

The stench of stomach acid curls my nose. I push away the bowl and flop on my back. I suppose I’m one of those crazy people who enjoys vomiting. It feels so good when you stop, and you can’t know that good feeling without the agony before it.

Yeah, the logic is a bit twisted, but blame that on the brain tumor.

A packet of cough drops lay by my pillow. I pop a cherry-flavored lozenge and suck it against the roof of my mouth. Useless things. It gets rid of the awful taste in my mouth anyway.

A knock on the door. James, my trusted servant of more than a decade walks in to greet me. He bends at the waist in his usual gesture of reverence.

“James, I can’t believe you still bow down to me after all these years.”

He sits on the edge of my bed and adjusts my pillow. “Until the day you die, Mr. Chancellor.” With a wet cloth, he wipes around my face and mouth.

“That could be today, you know,” I say.

“Yes sir. That could very well be.”

“By the way James, you know I’m leaving you everything I own.”

He applies a warm compress to my forehead. “Yes sir, and I’m forever grateful. I will miss you, Mr. Chancellor.”

I close my eyes. It’s time. “I’m going to sleep again, James.”

“Sweet dreams, Mr. Chancellor.”

I hear him walk around the bed and pick up the bowl on his way out. In my head, the countdown begins again, for what I hope is the last time.

Thank you for reading. ♥

Feel free to leave a comment or question. Feedback, whether good or bad is always welcome.

You can find more stories in my book of flash fiction and poetry, Hot Flash. 

My mystery novel is due out Summer 2014, and I will announce all details leading up to it here.

To make sure you don’t miss the details, please subscribe to my blog (by email or via RSS feed).

Thank you. ;)

~eden

Filed under: Short Stories & Poetry

A POISON TREE by @JohnDolanAuthor launches!

One of my favourite people, English-Thai author, John Dolan has released the third book in his Time, Blood and Karma series.

I had the great pleasure of reading A POISON TREE and have posted a review below. You will definitely want to buy it.

But wait …

There’s more …

To celebrate the release, John is hosting a giveaway on Goodreads. Win a paperback copy of a A POISON TREE by entering here.

Pretty amazing, right?

But hold on to your hat …

There’s even more …

and it’s not Ginsu knives!

John’s first book in the series, EVERYONES BURNS is FREE STARTING TODAY for a limited time on Amazon—a wonderful and generous gesture!

To show John your appreciation, help him celebrate the launch of A POISON TREE by getting your copy today!

* * * *

“You kill my wife and I’ll kill yours.” You must admit, as a proposition, it has an alluring symmetry to it.

It is 1999, and as the Millennium approaches, old certainties wither. For family man, David Braddock, his hitherto predictable world is undergoing a slow collapse. The people closest to him seem suddenly different. As desires and aspirations tangle around each other like parasite stems, betrayal is in the air.

And so is murder.

Fans of Braddock will finally learn the sequence of events that drove him into exile in Asia, while for new readers, A Poison Tree is the perfect introduction to the ‘Time, Blood and Karma’ series.

My 5-star review for A Poison Tree

A Poison Tree, the third book in the Time, Blood and Karma series for author John Dolan is actually a prequel. It tells the story of how the main character, David Braddock came to be in Thailand.

It is also my favourite of the three books so far. I know I’m giving away a lot here. It’s akin to choosing a favourite child—you’re not supposed to do it, but …

Everyone Burns kicked off the series and captivated me based on a strong protagonist in an exotic land. Hungry Ghosts continued the trend with more shenanigans and provided further insight into David Braddock’s mind.

In A Poison Tree, the setting has moved from Thailand to England. We are taken back in time (1999 – 2001) to where David Braddock grew up, got married, and led a ‘normal’ life before something happened to him, causing him to flee to Southeast Asia. That something is revealed in this book. The tale is fascinating, twisted, and unpredictable.

The intricate story of David and his wife Claire drew me in from the start. It was a complex relationship of secrets and lies, but in the end, it was a love story. I’m a sucker for a love story. I challenge anyone not to be when it’s written with poignant detail, yet never spirals into over-sentimentality.  If you don’t feel your throat clenching or your heart sinking while reading some of the passages, I’d suggest checking to make sure you still have a pulse.

With colourful characters and a criminal element dished out in subtle narrative, A Poison Tree is an angst-filled journey guided by cunning misdirection. For lovers of mystery and thriller novels, there is plenty of intrigue and moments of “I DID NOT see that coming.” What’s more, the atmospheric pace counterpoints perfectly with noir-ish undertones.

Even though each of Mr. Dolan’s books stands on its own, I loved reading them in the order he wrote them. He drew me in so cleverly with his first two books, and A Poison Tree answered the outstanding questions.

What a joy to discover a series that only keeps getting better.

Don’t forget Everyone Burns is FREE on AMAZON for a limited time only. Grab your copy TODAY!

Buy from Amazon:   US  ~  UK  ~  CA

*

* * * *

Jim Fosse’s Expense Claim is FREE until John starts charging for it.

It’s a great short story with a peculiar connection to A Poison Tree.

Buy from Amazon: US ~ UK ~ CA | Smashwords

*

* * * *

Seek John out at all his virtual homes


Blog – Galericulate | Twitter @JohnDolanAuthor

Amazon: US ~ UK  |  Smashwords | Website
Goodreads  | Facebook | Google +
John was originally interviewed here Jan. 2013.

* 

Filed under: Author Promotions

A POISON TREE by @JohnDolanAuthor launches today!

One of my favourite people, English-Thai author, John Dolan has released the third book in his Time, Blood and Karma series.

I had the great pleasure of reading A POISON TREE and have posted a review below. You will definitely want to buy it.

But wait …

There’s more …

To celebrate the release, John is hosting a giveaway on Goodreads. Win a paperback copy of a A POISON TREE by entering here.

Pretty amazing, right?

But hold on to your hat …

There’s even more …

and it’s not Ginsu knives!

John’s first book in the series, EVERYONES BURNS is FREE STARTING TODAY for a limited time on Amazon—a wonderful and generous gesture!

To show John your appreciation, help him celebrate the launch of A POISON TREE by getting your copy today!

* * * *

“You kill my wife and I’ll kill yours.” You must admit, as a proposition, it has an alluring symmetry to it.

It is 1999, and as the Millennium approaches, old certainties wither. For family man, David Braddock, his hitherto predictable world is undergoing a slow collapse. The people closest to him seem suddenly different. As desires and aspirations tangle around each other like parasite stems, betrayal is in the air.

And so is murder.

Fans of Braddock will finally learn the sequence of events that drove him into exile in Asia, while for new readers, A Poison Tree is the perfect introduction to the ‘Time, Blood and Karma’ series.

My 5-star review for A Poison Tree

A Poison Tree, the third book in the Time, Blood and Karma series for author John Dolan is actually a prequel. It tells the story of how the main character, David Braddock came to be in Thailand.

It is also my favourite of the three books so far. I know I’m giving away a lot here. It’s akin to choosing a favourite child—you’re not supposed to do it, but …

Everyone Burns kicked off the series and captivated me based on a strong protagonist in an exotic land. Hungry Ghosts continued the trend with more shenanigans and provided further insight into David Braddock’s mind.

In A Poison Tree, the setting has moved from Thailand to England. We are taken back in time (1999 – 2001) to where David Braddock grew up, got married, and led a ‘normal’ life before something happened to him, causing him to flee to Southeast Asia. That something is revealed in this book. The tale is fascinating, twisted, and unpredictable.

The intricate story of David and his wife Claire drew me in from the start. It was a complex relationship of secrets and lies, but in the end, it was a love story. I’m a sucker for a love story. I challenge anyone not to be when it’s written with poignant detail, yet never spirals into over-sentimentality.  If you don’t feel your throat clenching or your heart sinking while reading some of the passages, I’d suggest checking to make sure you still have a pulse.

With colourful characters and a criminal element dished out in subtle narrative, A Poison Tree is an angst-filled journey guided by cunning misdirection. For lovers of mystery and thriller novels, there is plenty of intrigue and moments of “I DID NOT see that coming.” What’s more, the atmospheric pace counterpoints perfectly with noir-ish undertones.

Even though each of Mr. Dolan’s books stands on its own, I loved reading them in the order he wrote them. He drew me in so cleverly with his first two books, and A Poison Tree answered the outstanding questions.

What a joy to discover a series that only keeps getting better.

Don’t forget Everyone Burns is FREE on AMAZON for a limited time only. Grab your copy TODAY!

Buy from Amazon:   US  ~  UK  ~  CA

*

* * * *

Jim Fosse’s Expense Claim is FREE until John starts charging for it.

It’s a great short story with a peculiar connection to A Poison Tree.

Buy from Amazon: US ~ UK ~ CA | Smashwords

*

* * * *

Seek John out at all his virtual homes


Blog – Galericulate | Twitter @JohnDolanAuthor

Amazon: US ~ UK  |  Smashwords | Website
Goodreads  | Facebook | Google +
John was originally interviewed here Jan. 2013.

* 

Filed under: Author Promotions

Music Monday with First of May

It’s not the first of May, but it’s the first Monday of May, and this song by the Bee Gees brings back old memories.

“When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
We used to love while others used to play.
Don’t ask me why, but time has passed us by,
Some one else moved in from far away …”

Enjoy May,

~eden

* * * *

 

Filed under: Musical Mondays

Music Monday ~ I or Me and Thank You Led Zeppelin

National Poetry Month is coming to a close this week, and I’ve been talking about “poetic license” in songs. It’s the last Monday to highlight some bad grammar.

I grew up being taught never to say “You and me.” It should always be “You and I.”

Hmm … a friend and I had a discussion on this last week, and we all know the English language is full of exceptions.

Take, for example, the incorrect use of “I” in Paula Cole’s song “I Don’t Wanna Wait.” Her song begins with:

So open up your morning light //  And say a little prayer for I …

Really? That is just bad.

Or how about Bryan Adams’  “Run To You”?

She says her love for me could never die //  But that’d change if she ever found out about you and I …

Again … incorrect. It should be you and me.

And the way to figure it out is easy. In Bryan Adams’ song, just remove the the “you and” in the phrase, isolating the “I” and see if it sounds correct.

In his case, it would be: “But that’d change if she ever found out about I.” 

When you read it like this, it’s much easier to tell that it’s wrong.

Led Zeppelin got it right with their lyrics in “Thank You,” so I’m happy to highlight their song this week. Enjoy,

~eden

* * * *

If the sun refused to shine

I would still be loving you

When mountains crumble to the sea

There would still be you and me …

Filed under: Musical Mondays

Read an Exchange with Author Laurie Smith (@L27wsmithSmith)

Laurie and I connected via our blogs sometime ago, probably through our love of music.

Having worked as a police officer and in the prison system, he’s the writer of three novels (so far) in the “Death” series.

All the way from the land down under, please give a warm welcome to Laurie Smith.

* * * *

Welcome Laurie, so lovely to have you here. Are you a  full time writer or do you have a day job? 

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately I’m retired from the workforce due to health reasons. I don’t even know if I would call myself a full time writer either. With my first two novels I wrote constantly, perhaps twelve hours a day, sometimes into the early hours of the morning. This is where retirement is good, you don’t have to get up and head off to work. When I started on the third book I tended to be more restrained and worked about five hours a day. Dividing your time as a writer can be hard. You may stop physically writing but your mind still plots, your characters vie for attention and you wake up at odd hours with, ah-ah moments. To combat this I took up another hobby, photography. It definitely takes you away from writing, to the extent that I have to make sure I don’t replace one with the other.

I’ve seen your pictures on your blog, and you have a great eye. Would you consider photography your greatest extravagance?

I spend a fair amount of time and money on it. I don’t drink or smoke so one needs to spend the spare cash on something.

I agree money is for spending. ;) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Probably my big mouth, I have a tendency to say things on the spur of the moment that on reflection would have been better left unsaid. Not nasty things, just observations and opinions that weren’t asked for. 

Hmm … I’m sure we’ve all done that. Is there a profession other than your own you would you like to try?

I know you can’t class retirement as a profession, although I do it well. I think I would have liked to have been a sailor, in the Navy. I have something of an affinity with the sea; it seems to draw me to it at times.

Water does the same for me. It’s inspiring to be near the ocean. Where do you get your inspiration from?

For the first two books inspiration came from my work experience in the prisons and as a police officer. Some of the characters are loosely based on real people, as are the crimes. Kings Cross and Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, which feature heavily, are great places to set a story. I spent many a weekend in Sydney’s Kings cross as a young soldier, and I worked as a policeman in Fortitude Valley. I soaked up the grittiness of these locales and the feel of the streets never left me. With the remaining books it’s a matter of seeing what’s happening in your own country in regards to crime. Then putting your own spin on it and shaping it to suit your story and characters.

Fascinating! What are your favorite and least favorite parts of being a writer?

The favourite part would have to be creating a story, characters and plot that people actually want to read. Knowing that this creation will live on long after you’ve departed this life, the print versions are in our national and state libraries. That somewhere in the future a reader may pick it up and read something that is part of me, my thoughts and ideas. Hopefully more people in the now will do the same. The least favourite would have to be, finishing the book and publishing it, then realising you’ve spelt a foreign word incorrectly. You wouldn’t think that an, e in the wrong place would turn something from a loved one, to an item of underwear. Other than that, it is editing until your eyes bleed and you still miss something.

Don’t I know it? I’m editing right now.  Name a few of your favorite authors and books, and why you like them.

In my early teens I discovered Ian Fleming and read Casino Royale. This inspired me no end and I haunted the second hand bookshops for the rest of them. I found James Bond to be a great character, mainly his tough, no-nonsense approach to the job at hand. Let’s face it; the man was a calculating killer with an eye for the ladies. Next on the list would have to be Wilbur Smith, I read his first two books, When the Lion Feeds and the Sound of Thunder after I left recruit training in the army. Great adventure novels and they were the beginning of a series in the Courtney family. There wasn’t anything pretentious about them at all, just good, solid writing and plenty of action and adventure. Edgar Rice Burroughs, with his famous character, Tarzan and don’t forget the John Carter series. Burroughs had the knack of weaving his plots and bringing the characters together beautifully. I must have read nearly all his work before I turned twelve. Phillip Jose Farmer, for his Riverworld, sci-fi series and Robert E. Howard with his array of pulp fiction characters including Conan.

Great choices, Laurie. What part of writing a novel do you enjoy the most? The least?

Creating the characters, bringing them to life with all of their faults, strengths and doubts, and then watching the story coming together as I write, and the least? Having to get up, put the laptop down and do something normal. Otherwise I’ll end up with blood clots or something equally nasty.

Do you outline, plot and structure, or do you just sit down and write?

I tried plotting my first novel, managed four chapters and disaster struck. I reached over the keyboard to grab my coffee and hit all of the keys on the left side. It deleted almost everything, both on screen and in the saved file. After using a programme to find deleted files I managed to retrieve the first two chapters. I then realised they were crap, listened to the little voice urging me to change direction and started again. See, every cloud does have a silver lining.

I’m cringing thinking of all you lost, but happy it worked out.

Are you working on another book now? 

I’m working on the last two books in the Death series and a stand-alone novel with some of the series characters making guest appearances. Book four, Cape of Death is set in Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula, a vast wilderness with few towns. A smuggler’s boat with several illegal immigrants, a large amount of heroin, pistols and explosives on board is shipwrecked after a cyclone. A survivor is rescued weeks later then the full story comes to light. One other man, an Afghani is on the run and the remainder of the crew and passengers have been found murdered on the beach. Plus, a foreign diplomat’s daughter has gone missing north of Laura. Throw in a Russian businessman on the hunt for old Nazi gold, (see book one) who doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process and you have a story that will keep you up late. Detective Annie Leeson shines in this story and faces death and a series of events that tests her mettle. So, if you like crime, outlaw bikers, sex, adventure, drama, shootouts and explosions then this is for you.

What is the genre of your book?

Like the others in the series it falls under adult crime/men’s adventure, which is funny because women are the books’ biggest fans.

Women have good taste. ;) Why should people read your books?

They should read it if they want to be entertained, horrified, angered and stunned by the story and the depth of depravity my antagonists can descend to. Oh and if they want to be uplifted by the grit, determination, love and endeavours of my protagonists, then they should definitely read the book.

How long did it take for you to write the books?

I have a habit of writing the next book while halfway through the preceding one. River of Death, my current book took me about four months in real time. The characters start yelling at me and the next thing I’ve opened a new word document. It works for me.

Tell us about the road to publication for your book.

At this late stage of life I didn’t fancy the traditional method of publishing, with its: find an agent, find a publisher, get accepted, and wait and wait. No, this little duck decided to self-publish. I learnt how to format for e-book and print, put the artwork together for the covers and away I went. I managed to find a good printer and the end result, my work for the entire world to see. Now I’m waiting for them to see it.

Please find all of Laurie’s books on:
Amazon US and Amazon UK

What has the reception been to your books?

I’ve probably given away more e-books than I’ve sold; the print versions have all sold via book launches and markets. Some readers are divided with the work, book two, Valley of Death is a little confronting for some but overall I’m happy with the result.

Wonderful to know. Some quick questions to end it off! 

Aside from people/pets, what is the ONE item you would save if your house was on fire? It would have to be the large case containing my camera gear. All my manuscripts are kept in cloud.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to or would like to travel to? Alberta, Canada a beautiful part of the world.

Name a food you can eat every day. Beefsteak.

Salty or sweet? Hmm, okay sweet.

Favorite style of music? Just about anything from the 50’s through to the early 70’s.

The best gift you’ve ever received? A ten shilling note for my tenth birthday, I bought a pocket knife and too much chocolate.

Your most guilty pleasure. Laying back and watching what I want to watch on TV.

Favorite season. Here in Australia, Autumn.

Name something you cannot go a day without. A big mug of hot tea.

Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

As an author I learned many things about writing: not only from the grammatical point but the discipline of sitting and hammering out what’s floating around in your head. I have learned how to grow a thick skin and smile when people curl their noses up at your offering, and accept that your new-born baby, who is so beautiful to you but to a lot of people it looks like a spider monkey. I did learn how to create an eBook file along with the necessary formatting. How to format for a real book, hint, find yourself a relevant book template online. What type of cover to put on the front? It can be expensive if you pick the wrong one. I’m still learning about marketing and promotion and have found that word of mouth has sold many books. Sadly it won’t get you way up in the ratings at Amazon.

Eden, thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to share my writing with your readers, I appreciate it so much.

You are most welcome, Laurie. It was wonderful to learn more about you. Readers, please connect to Laurie at all his virtual homes. 

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Connect To Laurie

Blog | Facebook | Twitter @L27wsmithSmith

Facebook Pages for the Death book series

Mountain of Death | Valley of Death | River of Death

Writing gritty-adult crime based novels seemed like a natural extension to Laurie Smith’s working life. Retired now after a life of working in the military, prisons, police and security he believes that he has something to write about and says, ‘You can’t be immersed in prison life, then work the streets as a copper without picking up the feel of crime and criminals. These experiences transfer easily to my books, set mainly in Queensland they add a local flavour not found in most novels of this genre.’ Laurie arrived in Australia as a boy from England in 1961 and lived in Sydney for a while before moving to Queensland. After joining the army he was stationed back in Sydney for two years before going to Vietnam. He felt drawn to Kings Cross, Sydney’s notorious red light district. This is where his first novel Mountain of Death was born. He writes the Death series as L W Smith. Retired now, he fills his time when not writing another novel in his Death series, with photography, blogging and travel. He lives with his wife Lorelle on their rural hideaway in south-east Queensland.

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Filed under: Author & Artist Interviews

Dare to Wear Love receives great press in the @NationalPost via @Amoryn

The Dare to Wear Love Gala and fashion show took place at the Ritz Carlton Friday, Mar. 28th. This weekend, it received a two-page spread in the National Post from society editor, Amoryn Engel!

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Read Amoryn’s article, entitled: They Dared and They Won. See great pictures of some of the people who supported the cause. You can also follow Amoryn Engel on Twitter at: @amoryn.

Stay connected to Dare to Wear Love at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter @daretowearlove | Blog

Learn more about:

 Dare to Wear Love | Stephen Lewis Foundation

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Filed under: Dare to Wear Love, Important Announcements

Music Monday takes poetic license with WHO DO YOU LOVE?

It’s National Poetry Month, so I’m talking about “poetic license” in songs.

“Who do you love?” by Bo Diddley — a classic song but grammatically incorrect.

I mix up Who vs. Whom all the time, so this is a great way of remembering how to use the words correctly.

Who – refers to the subject of a sentence.

Whom – refers to the object of a sentence.

In Bo Diddley’s song, he wants to know the object of my love, so he should be asking: “Whom do you love?”

;)

Feel free to share any songs you know where the writer has taken poetic license with the title or lyrics.

In the meantime, enjoy “Who do you love?” and have a wonderful week.

~eden

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Filed under: Musical Mondays