Carl Alves's Blog, page 28
July 28, 2016
10 Questions with Peter Oliver Wonder
1. How has your time in the Marines influenced you as a writer?
When you spend that much time with, what could very well be, the most foul mouthed and sarcastic bunch of people this world has to offer, it really has a tendency to help you grow as a person. The sarcasm and swearing was a part of me well before I joined the Marines, but they helped me forge it into a weapon that comes out pretty cool in my writing.
2. Who is your favorite writer?
I can't help but wonder how many times you've given out this question and just reeeally pissed someone off. That being said, I'm going to answer a different question, because I am a cheater. Then, I won't even answer that question write. The writer I'm most grateful to have found is a draw between two. J.L. Bourne and David Wong are the reasons I began writing. If it wasn’t for them, there is likely a chance I never would have chosen to begin writing in the first place. And then I wouldn't be answering questions because no one would care what I have to say.
3. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
Oh, God no. In the first book of the POW! Series you can see that I'm too crazy to stay on one theme for too long. My writing outside of the series is quite a bit more sinister and less light hearted.
4. What made you start writing?
The first books from the authors mentioned above were only part of the equation. When you've got a mind that runs a mile per minute and you have an overactive imagination and no cable or internet because you're poor . . . masturbation only gets you so far. I was forced to provide my own entertainment and writing was what I found.
5. What made you want to start writing horror?
My unusual answer is nothing. I began writing The Zombie Days to be more of a comedy than a horror. Mind you, it's not a funny story, just funny and lovable characters. After that, I found other open calls for horror due to the connections I'd made in the world of indie authors and tried my hand in real horror. Turns out, I'm not terrible at it. The things I'm writing now are a far leap from when I wrote TZD three years ago.
6. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I'm not overly PC and I don't mind getting my (character's) hands dirty. I suppose I draw the line at overly descriptive rape. As I continue to write, there is a chance that things can go in any direction, but to glorify such a thing as sexual abuse, I simply cannot do.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
Isn't the best quality of any writer the fact that they write? Perhaps you mean what's best about my writing itself. If that's the case, I have been told that my characters are very believable. Also, in my short stories, I'm able to tell a complete story in as little as just under 1500 words, so far. I don't often say a lot of good things about my writing. I prefer to leave that to other people.
8. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
I don't know who I would pick, but I currently have planned a project with the great David Owain Hughes. We've been friends since a, shall we say, 'Kerfuffle' took place late 2014 / early 2015. He's a great author with a talent for the filth and together, we'll write something that can make you laugh and throw up all at the same time. Or just throw up . . . a lot.
9. Which person do you most admire?
I admire anyone that's made their way up from something small. I don't ever expect to rise to the likes of Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, but those that come from humble backgrounds and build themselves an empire really just impress the hell out of me.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
No one. Instead, I would crash the Mad Hatter's tea party. They're all mad. Bonkers. Off their heads. And so am I.
When you spend that much time with, what could very well be, the most foul mouthed and sarcastic bunch of people this world has to offer, it really has a tendency to help you grow as a person. The sarcasm and swearing was a part of me well before I joined the Marines, but they helped me forge it into a weapon that comes out pretty cool in my writing.
2. Who is your favorite writer?
I can't help but wonder how many times you've given out this question and just reeeally pissed someone off. That being said, I'm going to answer a different question, because I am a cheater. Then, I won't even answer that question write. The writer I'm most grateful to have found is a draw between two. J.L. Bourne and David Wong are the reasons I began writing. If it wasn’t for them, there is likely a chance I never would have chosen to begin writing in the first place. And then I wouldn't be answering questions because no one would care what I have to say.
3. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
Oh, God no. In the first book of the POW! Series you can see that I'm too crazy to stay on one theme for too long. My writing outside of the series is quite a bit more sinister and less light hearted.
4. What made you start writing?
The first books from the authors mentioned above were only part of the equation. When you've got a mind that runs a mile per minute and you have an overactive imagination and no cable or internet because you're poor . . . masturbation only gets you so far. I was forced to provide my own entertainment and writing was what I found.
5. What made you want to start writing horror?
My unusual answer is nothing. I began writing The Zombie Days to be more of a comedy than a horror. Mind you, it's not a funny story, just funny and lovable characters. After that, I found other open calls for horror due to the connections I'd made in the world of indie authors and tried my hand in real horror. Turns out, I'm not terrible at it. The things I'm writing now are a far leap from when I wrote TZD three years ago.
6. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I'm not overly PC and I don't mind getting my (character's) hands dirty. I suppose I draw the line at overly descriptive rape. As I continue to write, there is a chance that things can go in any direction, but to glorify such a thing as sexual abuse, I simply cannot do.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
Isn't the best quality of any writer the fact that they write? Perhaps you mean what's best about my writing itself. If that's the case, I have been told that my characters are very believable. Also, in my short stories, I'm able to tell a complete story in as little as just under 1500 words, so far. I don't often say a lot of good things about my writing. I prefer to leave that to other people.
8. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
I don't know who I would pick, but I currently have planned a project with the great David Owain Hughes. We've been friends since a, shall we say, 'Kerfuffle' took place late 2014 / early 2015. He's a great author with a talent for the filth and together, we'll write something that can make you laugh and throw up all at the same time. Or just throw up . . . a lot.
9. Which person do you most admire?
I admire anyone that's made their way up from something small. I don't ever expect to rise to the likes of Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, but those that come from humble backgrounds and build themselves an empire really just impress the hell out of me.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
No one. Instead, I would crash the Mad Hatter's tea party. They're all mad. Bonkers. Off their heads. And so am I.
July 26, 2016
10 Questions with C Michael Forsyth
1. What was it like writing for the Weekly World News (the greatest newspaper ever in my humble opinion)?
It was a dream job. Basically, you got to your desk in the morning and churned out two or three short stories in the form of news articles. They could be in turn comic, tragic, thought-provoking, mystifying. Then, since the office was based in Florida, you headed to the beach! The staff was a motley crew from wildly diverse backgrounds, not all in traditional journalism, as you might imagine. Bob Lind, for example, was ‘60s folksinger/songwriter. One girl doing layout was a bartender the editor had befriended and trained for the job. The camaraderie was great. Every few minutes someone would stand up and make some random remark such as, “Hey, what if the pyramids are like icebergs, and 90 percent of them are actually beneath the sand?” Provoking a round of riffs, and resulting in a story idea jotted down for the next day. The 9-to-5 gig got me in the habit of thinking of creative writing as a job like any other. I also learned how to incorporate research into stories. To make our stories believable, all the supporting facts (except for the one preposterous claim) had to be correct.
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
Stephen King. My first book was a horror novel, and I tried to channel King. I admire the way he devotes time to creating characters you really care about and building a realistic setting, before all hell breaks loose.
3. How did you happen to work with Spike Lee when you were at NYU?
Yes, I had the privilege of working as a production assistant on his thesis film, “Joe’s Bedstuy Barbershop, We Cut Heads.” Spike, who worked in the equipment room to help make ends meet, gave me some good pointers when I was doing my own student films.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
My favorite living author is Tom Wolfe. I am impressed by how he manages to inject suspense into every scene. You literally can’t stop turning the pages of a book like “A Man in Full.” You HAVE to know how a character is going to get out of a jam, whether he is facing social humiliation or imminent prison rape.
5. In The Identity Thief your protagonist is someone with a fairly despicable occupation—someone who steals other people’s identities and then thieves them of money. What made you go with this type of character as your protagonist?
Well, I started with the plot idea, which I thought was rather clever, something that hadn’t been done before and ought to be. The premise, inherently, called for an anti-hero and I was intrigued by the challenge: how can you possibly make us root for this guy? I’ve always loved the film “The Third Man,” in which Orson Welles plays an irresistibly charming sociopath, and got the idea that the reader could be drawn to a character like that, if I could give him a certain sardonic humor. As I proceeded, I realized that A) He has to get his comeuppance in the story, get really pummeled at some point, to satisfy the reader’s sense of justice. B) I had to hold out for the reader the hope that somehow he will redeem himself. C) There needs to be another major character, counterbalancing him, who is the books moral center. That’s Traci, his pursuer.
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I like writing dramatic scenes that have a lot of conflict. I learned in screenwriting class in film school, that in every dialogue scene, there should be conflict between the characters. I try to identify the conflict in every scene and figure out ways to heighten it.
7. What was more enjoyable for you, to write The Identity Thief or to narrate the audiobook of the novel?
I actually enjoyed narrating it more. While I’m happy with how the book came out, it was painfully difficult to write. Principally because, as you suggest, it’s hard to make a novel work in which the main character is a louse. As I was writing it, I kept trying to imagine it being read by Orson Welles, in that playful, erudite tone of his. So having the chance to narrate the book in my best approximation of that voice was a joy.
8. How do you define success as a writer?
Ultimately you’d like to believe you’ve created something that will endure, that you’ve left behind something people would actually read 50 years from now. For now, the closest we can come to immortality is to leave behind our thoughts for others to encounter.
9. What was the wildest story you wrote about on The Weekly World News?
My favorite story, which is actually referenced in The Identity Thief, was about JFK being killed by the CIA to prevent him from revealing the truth about space aliens. I was so into it, I dug up Kennedy’s speeches to get a sense of his lingo and recreated a facsimile of the speech he was supposedly about to give in Dallas announcing to the world that “we are not alone.”
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Identity Thief, and the director asked you to cast the role of X, who would you choose?
You know, I wrote the book with the idea that it would make a crackerjack movie, and yet I can’t say who would be a perfect lead out of the current crop of actors. John Cusack may be a bit old for the role now, but that’s the kind of persona I have in mind: The smartest guy in the room, humorous, shifty-eyed and rather guarded. Our star has to be able to pass as an Arab, too, which adds to the challenge in casting the role.
It was a dream job. Basically, you got to your desk in the morning and churned out two or three short stories in the form of news articles. They could be in turn comic, tragic, thought-provoking, mystifying. Then, since the office was based in Florida, you headed to the beach! The staff was a motley crew from wildly diverse backgrounds, not all in traditional journalism, as you might imagine. Bob Lind, for example, was ‘60s folksinger/songwriter. One girl doing layout was a bartender the editor had befriended and trained for the job. The camaraderie was great. Every few minutes someone would stand up and make some random remark such as, “Hey, what if the pyramids are like icebergs, and 90 percent of them are actually beneath the sand?” Provoking a round of riffs, and resulting in a story idea jotted down for the next day. The 9-to-5 gig got me in the habit of thinking of creative writing as a job like any other. I also learned how to incorporate research into stories. To make our stories believable, all the supporting facts (except for the one preposterous claim) had to be correct.
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
Stephen King. My first book was a horror novel, and I tried to channel King. I admire the way he devotes time to creating characters you really care about and building a realistic setting, before all hell breaks loose.
3. How did you happen to work with Spike Lee when you were at NYU?
Yes, I had the privilege of working as a production assistant on his thesis film, “Joe’s Bedstuy Barbershop, We Cut Heads.” Spike, who worked in the equipment room to help make ends meet, gave me some good pointers when I was doing my own student films.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
My favorite living author is Tom Wolfe. I am impressed by how he manages to inject suspense into every scene. You literally can’t stop turning the pages of a book like “A Man in Full.” You HAVE to know how a character is going to get out of a jam, whether he is facing social humiliation or imminent prison rape.
5. In The Identity Thief your protagonist is someone with a fairly despicable occupation—someone who steals other people’s identities and then thieves them of money. What made you go with this type of character as your protagonist?
Well, I started with the plot idea, which I thought was rather clever, something that hadn’t been done before and ought to be. The premise, inherently, called for an anti-hero and I was intrigued by the challenge: how can you possibly make us root for this guy? I’ve always loved the film “The Third Man,” in which Orson Welles plays an irresistibly charming sociopath, and got the idea that the reader could be drawn to a character like that, if I could give him a certain sardonic humor. As I proceeded, I realized that A) He has to get his comeuppance in the story, get really pummeled at some point, to satisfy the reader’s sense of justice. B) I had to hold out for the reader the hope that somehow he will redeem himself. C) There needs to be another major character, counterbalancing him, who is the books moral center. That’s Traci, his pursuer.
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I like writing dramatic scenes that have a lot of conflict. I learned in screenwriting class in film school, that in every dialogue scene, there should be conflict between the characters. I try to identify the conflict in every scene and figure out ways to heighten it.
7. What was more enjoyable for you, to write The Identity Thief or to narrate the audiobook of the novel?
I actually enjoyed narrating it more. While I’m happy with how the book came out, it was painfully difficult to write. Principally because, as you suggest, it’s hard to make a novel work in which the main character is a louse. As I was writing it, I kept trying to imagine it being read by Orson Welles, in that playful, erudite tone of his. So having the chance to narrate the book in my best approximation of that voice was a joy.
8. How do you define success as a writer?
Ultimately you’d like to believe you’ve created something that will endure, that you’ve left behind something people would actually read 50 years from now. For now, the closest we can come to immortality is to leave behind our thoughts for others to encounter.
9. What was the wildest story you wrote about on The Weekly World News?
My favorite story, which is actually referenced in The Identity Thief, was about JFK being killed by the CIA to prevent him from revealing the truth about space aliens. I was so into it, I dug up Kennedy’s speeches to get a sense of his lingo and recreated a facsimile of the speech he was supposedly about to give in Dallas announcing to the world that “we are not alone.”
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Identity Thief, and the director asked you to cast the role of X, who would you choose?
You know, I wrote the book with the idea that it would make a crackerjack movie, and yet I can’t say who would be a perfect lead out of the current crop of actors. John Cusack may be a bit old for the role now, but that’s the kind of persona I have in mind: The smartest guy in the room, humorous, shifty-eyed and rather guarded. Our star has to be able to pass as an Arab, too, which adds to the challenge in casting the role.
July 23, 2016
The Identity Thief by C Michael Forsyth
The Identity Thief features an oddly likeable antihero—X an identity thief looking for a big score. If you take this character outside of the world of fiction, he would be a despicable person. Someone who assumes the identity of someone else and bilks them of their money. X does have a certain Robin Hood quality about him, looking for those who deserve it, in his mind. He gets in well over his head when he tries to take on the identity of a Middle Eastern playboy who turns out to be a terrorist. X then becomes a pawn of a shadow government agency who wants to use his skills to continue assuming the role of the terrorist he’s playing and to steal the funds of a major terrorist threat.
As I mentioned earlier, X is a fun and enjoyable character. He certainly has his warts, but he has enough personality to get you to root for him. Nothing comes easily for him and he gets himself into really difficult predicaments that he has to use his cunning and ingenuity to get himself out of. It was fun to see him dig himself out of one hole after another. My only real complaint was that there were some spots that stretched believability. I listened to the audio version of the book. The author narrates the book, and gives a top notch performance that enhanced my enjoyment of this novel. This is an excellent book that I highly recommend reading.
As I mentioned earlier, X is a fun and enjoyable character. He certainly has his warts, but he has enough personality to get you to root for him. Nothing comes easily for him and he gets himself into really difficult predicaments that he has to use his cunning and ingenuity to get himself out of. It was fun to see him dig himself out of one hole after another. My only real complaint was that there were some spots that stretched believability. I listened to the audio version of the book. The author narrates the book, and gives a top notch performance that enhanced my enjoyment of this novel. This is an excellent book that I highly recommend reading.
July 18, 2016
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Rot and Ruin is set in a post-apocalyptic zombie infested California where a group of survivors have formed a community about fourteen years after First Night, the night the zombies rose from the dead. Benny Imura, on his fifteenth birthday has to look for a job in order to earn his rations. After sifting through several jobs that he didn’t like or wasn’t cut out for, he joins his half-brother Tom in the family business—killing zombies. Tom is strong both physically and mentally, honorable, and a great person to have on your side during a zombie apocalypse, but despite this, his brother doesn’t like him because he feels Tom abandoned his parents on First Night.
The second half of the novel is much better than the first half, where not a whole lot happens. Where it heats up is when the legend of the Lost Girl is mentioned. Benny feels a strange connection to her, someone Tom has been searching for years for. This is the impetus to set them against the story’s villains, also zombie hunters, who want to kill the Lost Girl because of her knowledge of the Gamelands, where kids are pitted without weapons in fights against zombies. An attack on their community leads Benny and Tom in a collision course with the villains.
The writing in this novel is top notch. The pace of the first half is slow but gets much better in the second half. I liked the world-building. Although this isn’t a fresh take on zombie fiction, it is exceptionally well done. My biggest problem with the novel is that Benny, unlike Tom, is not a very likable character. He is whiny and generally annoying. Granted, he gets better as the story unfolds, but as far as protagonists go, I wasn’t particularly impressed with him. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable piece of zombie fiction.
The second half of the novel is much better than the first half, where not a whole lot happens. Where it heats up is when the legend of the Lost Girl is mentioned. Benny feels a strange connection to her, someone Tom has been searching for years for. This is the impetus to set them against the story’s villains, also zombie hunters, who want to kill the Lost Girl because of her knowledge of the Gamelands, where kids are pitted without weapons in fights against zombies. An attack on their community leads Benny and Tom in a collision course with the villains.
The writing in this novel is top notch. The pace of the first half is slow but gets much better in the second half. I liked the world-building. Although this isn’t a fresh take on zombie fiction, it is exceptionally well done. My biggest problem with the novel is that Benny, unlike Tom, is not a very likable character. He is whiny and generally annoying. Granted, he gets better as the story unfolds, but as far as protagonists go, I wasn’t particularly impressed with him. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable piece of zombie fiction.
July 16, 2016
10 Questions with Mark Reefe
Where did you get the concept for the Road to Jericho?
The idea came to me quiet suddenly. I was driving to work and it bubbled up in the back of my brain. I wanted to write a story about someone who, through one selfless act, gained the attention and wrath of an evil power. I also liked the idea of someone blessed (or cursed depending on your point of view) with the ability to see into someone’s soul.
If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be something simple and inspiring, maybe something from my childhood by C.S. Lewis. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was my favorite of his Narnia books. The idea of getting on a ship and heading out into the unknown has always appealed to me.
Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
With The Road to Jericho I just started writing. The first twenty or so pages almost seemed to write themselves. After that, the plot unfolded in my head as I commuted back and forth to work (it’s a long drive). I would jot down what I had thought up on my drive and the story slowly came to light chapter by chapter. That way I always found myself a couple chapters ahead in the story based on my notes.
What current writing projects are you working on?
Well, I just finished the first draft of the next book. It picks up where The Road to Jericho ends and is part of a planned trilogy. I have some friends doing a beta read of it now and I am anxiously awaiting their input. The title is El Sendero, but that may change. I also have a short story on the Goat Man I submitted to my publisher for consideration in an upcoming anthology on urban legends.
What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
There is nothing like a good back and forth between characters. I enjoy dialogue arising from unusual or extraordinary circumstances. I find that if you put the right characters in a compelling predicament the dialogue becomes spontaneous and almost writes itself.
What made you start writing?
I have been writing on and off since I was a child. The first “story” I wrote was a module for Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, I am a nerd, and no, it didn’t get published. Since then, I have gone through cycles of intermittent writing. I would write for a couple years, then put the pen and paper down to focus on the job, the kids, the house, etc., etc. But I always got the itch and found myself returning to it. That’s how I knew I was meant to be a writer, I just kept coming back to it over and over.
Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I write what interests me and I have never been in a position where I decided not to write something because I considered it off limits. That said, there are some things that I believe I would have difficulty writing about, anything involving hurting children would be a problem for me.
What is your best quality as a writer?
My imagination has helped me throughout my writing and is the only reason I was able to finish The Road to Jericho. I found that I was able to “write out” entire chapters in my head while commuting. I watched the story or scene unfold in my head and then wrote it down later.
If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Wow, that’s a tough one, there are so many authors I admire and would be thrilled to work with. Perhaps Frank Peretti, the whole spiritual warfare concept has always intrigued me and would be a great fit with some of the projects I am working on.
If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Bruce Lee (just because he is Bruce Lee), Dean Martin ( he would be in charge of the drinks), Stan Lee (one of the greatest writers in my opinion), Gene Wilder (as Willy Wonka – he had an evil wit I loved), and Madeline Kahn (the perfect combination of humor and beauty).
The idea came to me quiet suddenly. I was driving to work and it bubbled up in the back of my brain. I wanted to write a story about someone who, through one selfless act, gained the attention and wrath of an evil power. I also liked the idea of someone blessed (or cursed depending on your point of view) with the ability to see into someone’s soul.
If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be something simple and inspiring, maybe something from my childhood by C.S. Lewis. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was my favorite of his Narnia books. The idea of getting on a ship and heading out into the unknown has always appealed to me.
Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
With The Road to Jericho I just started writing. The first twenty or so pages almost seemed to write themselves. After that, the plot unfolded in my head as I commuted back and forth to work (it’s a long drive). I would jot down what I had thought up on my drive and the story slowly came to light chapter by chapter. That way I always found myself a couple chapters ahead in the story based on my notes.
What current writing projects are you working on?
Well, I just finished the first draft of the next book. It picks up where The Road to Jericho ends and is part of a planned trilogy. I have some friends doing a beta read of it now and I am anxiously awaiting their input. The title is El Sendero, but that may change. I also have a short story on the Goat Man I submitted to my publisher for consideration in an upcoming anthology on urban legends.
What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
There is nothing like a good back and forth between characters. I enjoy dialogue arising from unusual or extraordinary circumstances. I find that if you put the right characters in a compelling predicament the dialogue becomes spontaneous and almost writes itself.
What made you start writing?
I have been writing on and off since I was a child. The first “story” I wrote was a module for Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, I am a nerd, and no, it didn’t get published. Since then, I have gone through cycles of intermittent writing. I would write for a couple years, then put the pen and paper down to focus on the job, the kids, the house, etc., etc. But I always got the itch and found myself returning to it. That’s how I knew I was meant to be a writer, I just kept coming back to it over and over.
Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I write what interests me and I have never been in a position where I decided not to write something because I considered it off limits. That said, there are some things that I believe I would have difficulty writing about, anything involving hurting children would be a problem for me.
What is your best quality as a writer?
My imagination has helped me throughout my writing and is the only reason I was able to finish The Road to Jericho. I found that I was able to “write out” entire chapters in my head while commuting. I watched the story or scene unfold in my head and then wrote it down later.
If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Wow, that’s a tough one, there are so many authors I admire and would be thrilled to work with. Perhaps Frank Peretti, the whole spiritual warfare concept has always intrigued me and would be a great fit with some of the projects I am working on.
If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Bruce Lee (just because he is Bruce Lee), Dean Martin ( he would be in charge of the drinks), Stan Lee (one of the greatest writers in my opinion), Gene Wilder (as Willy Wonka – he had an evil wit I loved), and Madeline Kahn (the perfect combination of humor and beauty).
July 13, 2016
10 Questions with Scott Baker
1. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
The biggest influence has been Graham Masterton. I loved horror and Science Fiction as a kid, but back then I only read the classics like Poe, Stoker, Wells, and Verne. All that changed when I was twelve. My mother bought me Masterton’s The Manitou as a Christmas gift. That book was the goriest, bloodiest, most horrifying book I had read at the time – and I loved every page of it. I stayed up until sunrise finishing the book it was so good. Masterton was the writer who got me hooked on modern horror, which led me to becoming a writer.
2. What was it like working for the CIA and how has that influenced your writing?
Naturally I can’t go into details about what I did for the CIA. Suffice it to say, it was the best job I’ve ever had. The CIA is often portrayed as the bad guys in books and films. In reality, it’s a group of highly motivated and dedicated men and women devoted to ensuring our country’s security. I got to travel and see things that most people only fantasize about. How many people get to stand inside an underground bunker surrounded by thousands of decommissioned nuclear warheads? I did my job, maintained my integrity, and walked away feeling as though I had honorably served my country for over two decades.
The biggest influence the Agency had on my writing was the opportunity it gave me to travel around the world. Many of the locations I’ve been to, either on business trips or visiting friends stationed overseas for the government, have made their way into my novels. Once I get that personal feel of a city it’s so much easier to write about it. However, my upcoming novel is a contemporary horror techno-thriller about a plot within the intelligence community to use zombie-like creatures against our nation’s enemies, so I’ll be calling on my expertise quite a bit for this one. Of course, the CIA operative will be the hero.
3. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’ve just finished the second book in a young adult post-apocalypse series titled Hell Gate. It deals with a failed scientific experiment that creates five interdimensional portals between Earth and Hell that release hordes of demons against mankind. In the series, the hero leads a team of adventurers around the world to close the gates. I’m having a lot of fun with these books because I get to make up all types of demons for my characters to battle. I’m about to begin writing a horror techno-thriller that I hope to have available for submission by the end of the year. I’m also working on a historical series titled OSS: Office of Supernatural Services that deals with Allied intelligence officers batting Nazi occultism during World War II. Since I’m a history major by training and a huge World War II buff, this series is more like a labor of love.
4. What is it like being married to a fellow author?
It’s wonderful. My wife writes about vampires as well, although hers are more civilized and try to live peacefully among humans where mine are purely bad ass and see mankind as a blood buffet. As such, we’re each other’s greatest critics. I’ve told her that if our marriage can survive a beta read, it can survive anything. I think our writing is much better because of it. It means a lot to me that I’m able to share my passion for writing with the love of my life.
5. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
The central theme in most of my novels and short stories is the dark side of humanity. The vampires and zombies are what make the story exciting. The true danger to the characters comes from other humans, whether it’s Joel Preston manipulating the vampire outbreak for political gain (Vampyrnomicon and Dominion) or the rape gangs and opportunists in the post-apocalyptic Rotter World saga. Even the masters in my vampire series were humans who were turned because they gave in to the dark side of their nature.
6. What has led to your affinity for rabbits?
Rabbits were the first pets I ever owned, and that wasn’t until I was almost forty. I was allergic to cats and dogs as a kid, and by the time I grew out of that I was in the Agency and traveling too much. My wife at that time did not want a cat or dog, but never said anything about rabbits, so I brought one home from the fair. Over the next twelve years I wound up sharing my home with seven of them. When I was looking to give Drake a rabbit as a pet to show his emotional side and to highlight his affinity for those that are preyed upon, the logical choice was a rabbit. Van Helsing is based on one of my rabbits, Cocoa, who had the sweetest disposition of the bunch.
7. What made you start writing?
I’ve always loved writing. When I was a kid I’d jot down short stories in notebooks or make magazines out of folded pieces of construction paper. One of my favorite classes in high school was Creative Writing where I quickly earned a reputation as the kid who killed off everyone in his stories. What led me to write horror for a living was the movie Van Helsing. My friend asked what I thought of the movie, and I said I really enjoyed it, but I could write a more realistic plot than that. She responded, “Then why don’t you?” The rest is history.
8. When you originally wrote The Vampire Hunters did you plan on it being a trilogy and do you prefer writing series or stand-alone novels?
The Vampire Hunters was originally intended as a single book. However, the more I delved into the backstories of my masters and the entire vampire mythos, the more I realized that I couldn’t do justice to the story in one book.
9. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
No subject is off limits as long as it enhances the plot and doesn’t glorify the subject. Over the years I’ve written about torture porn, cannibalism, consensual tentacle sex, gang rape, and pedophilia. The first three were short stories for themed anthologies, so I allowed myself to be exceedingly graphic and had a lot of fun with them. However, with the latter two topics I was more reserved. One of my main characters in my zombie novel Rotter Nation is kidnapped by a biker gang and repeatedly assaulted. I concentrated on the emotional and psychological effects these attacks have on the victims and how it impacts their ability to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. In Vampyrnomicon, the second book in my vampire trilogy, I introduce Melinda, a thirteen-year-old vampire who had been turned by her molester and who, as a vampire, preys on children and pedophiles. The concept behind Melinda’s character is to show how violence begets violence and to provide a rationale for Melinda’s depravity (she is the most evil vampire within the clan). In both instances, I always cut the scene before the action becomes graphic.
The closest I’ve ever come to writing about a subject that is off limits involves a series I’m plotting set in World War II that describes the underground war between Allied intelligence and Nazi occultism. Several scenes in that series will deal with the concentration camps and mobile killing squads in east Europe, and I have to be careful to write these in such a way that they accurately portray the evil undertaken by the Nazis while not trivializing or exploiting the Holocaust.
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Vampire Hunters, and the director asked you to cast the roles of Allison Monroe and Drake Matthews, who would you choose?
Nathan Fillion would make the perfect Drake Matthews. He has that same dry wit and restrained bravado that Drake possesses. While there are a lot of women who could do justice to the role of Alison, my first choice would be Joanne Kelly. Joanne’s portrayal of Myka Bering in Warehouse 13 as the smart, tough, and sensitive partner is the closest I’ve seen an actress come to Alison Monroe. Nathan and Joanne would make a great team.
The biggest influence has been Graham Masterton. I loved horror and Science Fiction as a kid, but back then I only read the classics like Poe, Stoker, Wells, and Verne. All that changed when I was twelve. My mother bought me Masterton’s The Manitou as a Christmas gift. That book was the goriest, bloodiest, most horrifying book I had read at the time – and I loved every page of it. I stayed up until sunrise finishing the book it was so good. Masterton was the writer who got me hooked on modern horror, which led me to becoming a writer.
2. What was it like working for the CIA and how has that influenced your writing?
Naturally I can’t go into details about what I did for the CIA. Suffice it to say, it was the best job I’ve ever had. The CIA is often portrayed as the bad guys in books and films. In reality, it’s a group of highly motivated and dedicated men and women devoted to ensuring our country’s security. I got to travel and see things that most people only fantasize about. How many people get to stand inside an underground bunker surrounded by thousands of decommissioned nuclear warheads? I did my job, maintained my integrity, and walked away feeling as though I had honorably served my country for over two decades.
The biggest influence the Agency had on my writing was the opportunity it gave me to travel around the world. Many of the locations I’ve been to, either on business trips or visiting friends stationed overseas for the government, have made their way into my novels. Once I get that personal feel of a city it’s so much easier to write about it. However, my upcoming novel is a contemporary horror techno-thriller about a plot within the intelligence community to use zombie-like creatures against our nation’s enemies, so I’ll be calling on my expertise quite a bit for this one. Of course, the CIA operative will be the hero.
3. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’ve just finished the second book in a young adult post-apocalypse series titled Hell Gate. It deals with a failed scientific experiment that creates five interdimensional portals between Earth and Hell that release hordes of demons against mankind. In the series, the hero leads a team of adventurers around the world to close the gates. I’m having a lot of fun with these books because I get to make up all types of demons for my characters to battle. I’m about to begin writing a horror techno-thriller that I hope to have available for submission by the end of the year. I’m also working on a historical series titled OSS: Office of Supernatural Services that deals with Allied intelligence officers batting Nazi occultism during World War II. Since I’m a history major by training and a huge World War II buff, this series is more like a labor of love.
4. What is it like being married to a fellow author?
It’s wonderful. My wife writes about vampires as well, although hers are more civilized and try to live peacefully among humans where mine are purely bad ass and see mankind as a blood buffet. As such, we’re each other’s greatest critics. I’ve told her that if our marriage can survive a beta read, it can survive anything. I think our writing is much better because of it. It means a lot to me that I’m able to share my passion for writing with the love of my life.
5. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
The central theme in most of my novels and short stories is the dark side of humanity. The vampires and zombies are what make the story exciting. The true danger to the characters comes from other humans, whether it’s Joel Preston manipulating the vampire outbreak for political gain (Vampyrnomicon and Dominion) or the rape gangs and opportunists in the post-apocalyptic Rotter World saga. Even the masters in my vampire series were humans who were turned because they gave in to the dark side of their nature.
6. What has led to your affinity for rabbits?
Rabbits were the first pets I ever owned, and that wasn’t until I was almost forty. I was allergic to cats and dogs as a kid, and by the time I grew out of that I was in the Agency and traveling too much. My wife at that time did not want a cat or dog, but never said anything about rabbits, so I brought one home from the fair. Over the next twelve years I wound up sharing my home with seven of them. When I was looking to give Drake a rabbit as a pet to show his emotional side and to highlight his affinity for those that are preyed upon, the logical choice was a rabbit. Van Helsing is based on one of my rabbits, Cocoa, who had the sweetest disposition of the bunch.
7. What made you start writing?
I’ve always loved writing. When I was a kid I’d jot down short stories in notebooks or make magazines out of folded pieces of construction paper. One of my favorite classes in high school was Creative Writing where I quickly earned a reputation as the kid who killed off everyone in his stories. What led me to write horror for a living was the movie Van Helsing. My friend asked what I thought of the movie, and I said I really enjoyed it, but I could write a more realistic plot than that. She responded, “Then why don’t you?” The rest is history.
8. When you originally wrote The Vampire Hunters did you plan on it being a trilogy and do you prefer writing series or stand-alone novels?
The Vampire Hunters was originally intended as a single book. However, the more I delved into the backstories of my masters and the entire vampire mythos, the more I realized that I couldn’t do justice to the story in one book.
9. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
No subject is off limits as long as it enhances the plot and doesn’t glorify the subject. Over the years I’ve written about torture porn, cannibalism, consensual tentacle sex, gang rape, and pedophilia. The first three were short stories for themed anthologies, so I allowed myself to be exceedingly graphic and had a lot of fun with them. However, with the latter two topics I was more reserved. One of my main characters in my zombie novel Rotter Nation is kidnapped by a biker gang and repeatedly assaulted. I concentrated on the emotional and psychological effects these attacks have on the victims and how it impacts their ability to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. In Vampyrnomicon, the second book in my vampire trilogy, I introduce Melinda, a thirteen-year-old vampire who had been turned by her molester and who, as a vampire, preys on children and pedophiles. The concept behind Melinda’s character is to show how violence begets violence and to provide a rationale for Melinda’s depravity (she is the most evil vampire within the clan). In both instances, I always cut the scene before the action becomes graphic.
The closest I’ve ever come to writing about a subject that is off limits involves a series I’m plotting set in World War II that describes the underground war between Allied intelligence and Nazi occultism. Several scenes in that series will deal with the concentration camps and mobile killing squads in east Europe, and I have to be careful to write these in such a way that they accurately portray the evil undertaken by the Nazis while not trivializing or exploiting the Holocaust.
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Vampire Hunters, and the director asked you to cast the roles of Allison Monroe and Drake Matthews, who would you choose?
Nathan Fillion would make the perfect Drake Matthews. He has that same dry wit and restrained bravado that Drake possesses. While there are a lot of women who could do justice to the role of Alison, my first choice would be Joanne Kelly. Joanne’s portrayal of Myka Bering in Warehouse 13 as the smart, tough, and sensitive partner is the closest I’ve seen an actress come to Alison Monroe. Nathan and Joanne would make a great team.
July 9, 2016
Movie Review: The Conjuring 2
Ed and Lorraine Wilson are back in action. Just like in the first movie, this is based on a true story of an actual case that they worked on. This one occurred soon after the events from the Amityville Horror, this time in England in 1977. After I watched the movie, I went back to learn more about the actual event that inspired the movie, and it was remarkable how closely they stuck to the original story, not to mention that the aspects of that case were pretty amazing.
The Conjuring was an absolutely fantastic movie, and although I enjoyed this movie, it definitely was not as good as the first movie in the series. What this movie had were some good scares, a compelling plot, and good central characters. Both the characters of Ed and Lorraine Wilson, along with the actors that play them, really make the movie work. Patrick Wilson, especially, is an exceptional actor. There was plenty of drama, but what hurts the movie is that there were some major plot holes. Without trying to spoil too much, the part where Ed Wilson figures out what is going on and they return to the site of the haunting after deciding to abandon the case, is a bit silly. Still, compared to most of the horror movies that get released these days, this is top notch, and the best horror movie I’ve seen since the first Conjuring movie.
The Conjuring was an absolutely fantastic movie, and although I enjoyed this movie, it definitely was not as good as the first movie in the series. What this movie had were some good scares, a compelling plot, and good central characters. Both the characters of Ed and Lorraine Wilson, along with the actors that play them, really make the movie work. Patrick Wilson, especially, is an exceptional actor. There was plenty of drama, but what hurts the movie is that there were some major plot holes. Without trying to spoil too much, the part where Ed Wilson figures out what is going on and they return to the site of the haunting after deciding to abandon the case, is a bit silly. Still, compared to most of the horror movies that get released these days, this is top notch, and the best horror movie I’ve seen since the first Conjuring movie.
July 2, 2016
The Vampire Hunters by Scott Baker
The Vampire Hunters is a bit of a throwback to what vampires were meant to be. They are ruthless, vicious monsters, not anti-heroes filled with teenage angst. Yes, I am referring to Twilight. That’s how they are portrayed here, and portrayed quite well. In this novel, Drake Matthews and Allison Monroe, after getting the boot from the Boston Police Department, are working for a mysterious and powerful benefactor. The benefactor in this case had a bit too much pull for my liking to the point where it was a little unbelievable. They are now in the nation’s capital, trying to root and destroy a vampire nest.
In this novel, there are two types of vampires, the snuffies, which are pretty useless, and the masters, who are more powerful. One point of contention that I had with the vampires, was that I didn’t feel that even the masters were powerful enough for my liking. They didn’t have the preternatural skills that makes vampires what they are. In particular, in a flashback, Toni, one of the masters, is nearly killed in Revolutionary France, and came off as being weak. But that’s a personal preference of mine. What the book had in abundance is lots of action and a fast pace. The protagonists are well-developed characters. I also really enjoyed the gadgets that Drake’s team developed to fight against the vampires. They were innovative and different. Overall, this was a strong read. If you’re a vampire fan like myself, you will enjoy this novel.
In this novel, there are two types of vampires, the snuffies, which are pretty useless, and the masters, who are more powerful. One point of contention that I had with the vampires, was that I didn’t feel that even the masters were powerful enough for my liking. They didn’t have the preternatural skills that makes vampires what they are. In particular, in a flashback, Toni, one of the masters, is nearly killed in Revolutionary France, and came off as being weak. But that’s a personal preference of mine. What the book had in abundance is lots of action and a fast pace. The protagonists are well-developed characters. I also really enjoyed the gadgets that Drake’s team developed to fight against the vampires. They were innovative and different. Overall, this was a strong read. If you’re a vampire fan like myself, you will enjoy this novel.
June 30, 2016
Out of Tune edited by Jonathan Maberry
Out of Tune, edited by Jonathan Maberry boasts a strong lineup of fantasy and horror authors writing short stories that are based on folk ballads. The end result is some very enjoyable fiction. The stories range from very dark and somewhat depressing to light-hearted and humorous. One thing that remains consistent throughout is strong writing and an overall high quality of fiction. The ones that really stood out to me were “Fish Out of Water” by Keith DeCandido and “John Henry, the Steel-Drivin’ Man” by Jeff Strand, which I thought was absolutely hilarious. Jeff Strand is one of the best writers on the planet and he never disappoints. This might be the best anthology I’ve read, certainly one that ranks right at the top. If you like dark fiction, then this is an anthology that you should be reading.
June 27, 2016
Game of Thrones: The Winds of Winter
Another season of Game of Thrones has come and gone, and this episode shows why this show is the best program on television. There was great plotting, tons of intrigue, and big payoffs. The king is dead. Long live the queen. Meanwhile, we have a new King of the North. Hopefully he fares better than the last one. Revenge was the theme of this episode, and it was served in spades.
Daenerys Targaryan
Prior to her departure to Westeros, Daenerys dispatches another would be suitor. Poor Daario. He’s willing to do anything for her, even rule her city in her absence, but she feels nothing for him. It seems as if men can’t help flinging themselves at Dany, and Tyrion Lannister is no different, pledging his talents to help her in any way he could. He is rewarded when she names him Hand of the Queen. Hopefully, this works out better for him than the last time he was the King’s Hand (see King Joffrey).
Sansa Stark
Sansa apologizes for the idiocy of her actions in the last episode, not mentioning to Jon about the Knights of the Vale. Jon tells her that they have to trust each other. There is nobody more trustworthy in all of Westeros than Jon Snow. However, the same can’t be said about Sansa. Littlefinger makes his move on her and tells her about his ultimate ambition—to take the Iron Throne with Sansa at his side. Although she rebukes his advances, they exchange a knowing look when Jon is proclaimed King of the North. I believe Sansa will ultimately betray Jon. I say, off with her head now. She can’t be trusted.
Jon Snow
He didn’t ask to be king, but they made him one anyway. This scene was very reminiscent of the scene when Robb Stark was made King of the North. Jon’s reign as king is off to a rocky start as his first act (technically this happened before he was declared king) was to dismiss Melisandre when he learned that she had burnt Princess Shereen as an offering to the Lord of Light. I think this was a bad idea. For one thing, Jon wouldn’t even be around without her, and he’s going to need her for the upcoming battle against the White Walkers. Speaking of Jon, we got to see the conclusion of the scene where Ned Stark climbs the Tower of Joy to find his sister, Lyanna, dying after childberth. She hands Ned her child and whispers to him. What does she whisper? That she was not kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen. They had an affair, and Jon was the child of this affair. Since they will want to kill her child since he is a Targaryen, she makes Ned promise to protect him, hence Ned’s cover story that Jon Snow is his bastard child.
Arya Stark
Although I called many of the things that happened in this episode, one thing that took me completely by surprise was Arya appearing out of nowhere (quite literally), and slicing Walder Frey’s throat. This is no loss, as Walder is a pretty loathsome character and more than had it coming. This was a slick and enjoyable scene, one that added on to the episode’s theme of vengeance. One more down on Arya’s list. By my estimate there are only three people left in Arya’s kill list: Cersei Lannister, the Mountain, and the Hound. I think she’s made peace with the Hound since she had an opportunity to kill him and passed on it. I can’t fathom her killing the Mountain, but I can see her scalping Cersei.
Cersei Lannister
As I predicted in my last post, the High Sparrow would die in this episode, and Cersei would use the wildfire stored by the Mad King (Dany’s father) to burn down the Faith Militant in the purge of King’s Landing. There were unintended consequences to her actions as her son, Tommen, decided he couldn’t live without the prospect of the loss of his queen (RIP Margaery) or the Faith Militant and took the plunge off the tower of the Red Keep. No loss here. Tommen was a horribly weak character and will not be missed. Although Cersei has to mourn the loss of her final child, she now possesses the one thing she most desires—power. She is now the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Ah, but this reign will be a short one, and she will be soon dethroned.
My Predictions
Everything that is happening now going forward is positioning the show for the ultimate battle of the living against the dead. With that in mind, the point people for this fight will be: Daenerys Targaryan, Tyrion Lannister, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, and Jon Snow. Everything that is happening is leading to these people battling the White Walkers. Bran has become the Three Eyed Raven to have the knowledge of the history of the White Walkers and how to fight them. Arya has learned to become a Faceless Assassin to do her part in the fight. It wasn’t an accident that Jaqen let her escape from the House of Black and White and that he met up with her to begin with. It doesn’t make sense that this master assassin with supernatural powers was captured and became a prisoner of Tywin Lannister. That was all a setup so that he could meet Arya and later train her.
Dany has amassed an overwhelming force of ships, dragons, Dothraki, her Unsullied warriors, and now an alliance with Dorne and the Tyrells. With this behind her, there is no way the Lannisters will prevent her from overthrowing Cersei. She will be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms during the fight against the White Walkers. I’m not sure who Dany will marry. The logical choice would be someone in Dorne, but all that is left of the Martells are the Sand Snakes. There is no Tyrell to marry (actually there is Willis Tyrell—Mace’s eldest son who is a character in the books but not in the show). Jon Snow would be a choice, but he’s her nephew.
Jon Snow, as the King of the North, will be the one to lead the forces of the living in battle, but he will face an unexpected enemy in Sansa Stark, whose alliance with Littlefinger will only lead to treachery. Sam Tarley is studying to be a maester in Old Towne, but the real purpose of his being there is to learn what he can about the White Walkers that will help Jon in battling them. And that wraps up another season of the Game of Thrones.
Daenerys Targaryan
Prior to her departure to Westeros, Daenerys dispatches another would be suitor. Poor Daario. He’s willing to do anything for her, even rule her city in her absence, but she feels nothing for him. It seems as if men can’t help flinging themselves at Dany, and Tyrion Lannister is no different, pledging his talents to help her in any way he could. He is rewarded when she names him Hand of the Queen. Hopefully, this works out better for him than the last time he was the King’s Hand (see King Joffrey).
Sansa Stark
Sansa apologizes for the idiocy of her actions in the last episode, not mentioning to Jon about the Knights of the Vale. Jon tells her that they have to trust each other. There is nobody more trustworthy in all of Westeros than Jon Snow. However, the same can’t be said about Sansa. Littlefinger makes his move on her and tells her about his ultimate ambition—to take the Iron Throne with Sansa at his side. Although she rebukes his advances, they exchange a knowing look when Jon is proclaimed King of the North. I believe Sansa will ultimately betray Jon. I say, off with her head now. She can’t be trusted.
Jon Snow
He didn’t ask to be king, but they made him one anyway. This scene was very reminiscent of the scene when Robb Stark was made King of the North. Jon’s reign as king is off to a rocky start as his first act (technically this happened before he was declared king) was to dismiss Melisandre when he learned that she had burnt Princess Shereen as an offering to the Lord of Light. I think this was a bad idea. For one thing, Jon wouldn’t even be around without her, and he’s going to need her for the upcoming battle against the White Walkers. Speaking of Jon, we got to see the conclusion of the scene where Ned Stark climbs the Tower of Joy to find his sister, Lyanna, dying after childberth. She hands Ned her child and whispers to him. What does she whisper? That she was not kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen. They had an affair, and Jon was the child of this affair. Since they will want to kill her child since he is a Targaryen, she makes Ned promise to protect him, hence Ned’s cover story that Jon Snow is his bastard child.
Arya Stark
Although I called many of the things that happened in this episode, one thing that took me completely by surprise was Arya appearing out of nowhere (quite literally), and slicing Walder Frey’s throat. This is no loss, as Walder is a pretty loathsome character and more than had it coming. This was a slick and enjoyable scene, one that added on to the episode’s theme of vengeance. One more down on Arya’s list. By my estimate there are only three people left in Arya’s kill list: Cersei Lannister, the Mountain, and the Hound. I think she’s made peace with the Hound since she had an opportunity to kill him and passed on it. I can’t fathom her killing the Mountain, but I can see her scalping Cersei.
Cersei Lannister
As I predicted in my last post, the High Sparrow would die in this episode, and Cersei would use the wildfire stored by the Mad King (Dany’s father) to burn down the Faith Militant in the purge of King’s Landing. There were unintended consequences to her actions as her son, Tommen, decided he couldn’t live without the prospect of the loss of his queen (RIP Margaery) or the Faith Militant and took the plunge off the tower of the Red Keep. No loss here. Tommen was a horribly weak character and will not be missed. Although Cersei has to mourn the loss of her final child, she now possesses the one thing she most desires—power. She is now the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Ah, but this reign will be a short one, and she will be soon dethroned.
My Predictions
Everything that is happening now going forward is positioning the show for the ultimate battle of the living against the dead. With that in mind, the point people for this fight will be: Daenerys Targaryan, Tyrion Lannister, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, and Jon Snow. Everything that is happening is leading to these people battling the White Walkers. Bran has become the Three Eyed Raven to have the knowledge of the history of the White Walkers and how to fight them. Arya has learned to become a Faceless Assassin to do her part in the fight. It wasn’t an accident that Jaqen let her escape from the House of Black and White and that he met up with her to begin with. It doesn’t make sense that this master assassin with supernatural powers was captured and became a prisoner of Tywin Lannister. That was all a setup so that he could meet Arya and later train her.
Dany has amassed an overwhelming force of ships, dragons, Dothraki, her Unsullied warriors, and now an alliance with Dorne and the Tyrells. With this behind her, there is no way the Lannisters will prevent her from overthrowing Cersei. She will be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms during the fight against the White Walkers. I’m not sure who Dany will marry. The logical choice would be someone in Dorne, but all that is left of the Martells are the Sand Snakes. There is no Tyrell to marry (actually there is Willis Tyrell—Mace’s eldest son who is a character in the books but not in the show). Jon Snow would be a choice, but he’s her nephew.
Jon Snow, as the King of the North, will be the one to lead the forces of the living in battle, but he will face an unexpected enemy in Sansa Stark, whose alliance with Littlefinger will only lead to treachery. Sam Tarley is studying to be a maester in Old Towne, but the real purpose of his being there is to learn what he can about the White Walkers that will help Jon in battling them. And that wraps up another season of the Game of Thrones.
