Carl Alves's Blog, page 51
October 15, 2013
10 Questions with Rena Mason
1. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
Everyone I’ve ever read, but “biggest” I’d have to say Poe. I’ve always loved his whole rhythm and style, plus an awesome spooky story. Can’t beat that.
2. Where did you come up with the concept behind The Evolutionist?
A couple things got me thinking: 1) Experiences in my own life and 2) What ifs while watching the movie THE FOURTH KIND right before a NaNoWriMo.
3. If you could pick an actress to play Stacy Troy in a movie adaptation of The Evolutionist, who would you choose?
Any female actress who can do drama well. I don’t have any favorites, or envisioned anyone in particular when I wrote the story.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’m writing a short story for a local Las Vegas anthology, rewriting a novel, and co-writing something secret.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
The ones that are more on the surrealistic side.
6. What made you start writing?
Reading several boring books while on vacation. I wanted so badly to mix them up for some excitement, then started writing stories that I feel do that.
7. What made you want to start writing horror?
I’ve always been a fan of horror, and everything I tried to write just went dark one way or another.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
There are a few, but I’d rather not say.
9. What is your best quality as a writer?
Ha! I have no idea. I’m totally inconsistent. Maybe that I think my ideas through and through before I ever type a word. If a story works itself out in my head and makes sense, then I’ll write it. I’d rather not waste my time starting works and not finishing them.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
No one. I prefer to be alone. Especially when dining.
Everyone I’ve ever read, but “biggest” I’d have to say Poe. I’ve always loved his whole rhythm and style, plus an awesome spooky story. Can’t beat that.
2. Where did you come up with the concept behind The Evolutionist?
A couple things got me thinking: 1) Experiences in my own life and 2) What ifs while watching the movie THE FOURTH KIND right before a NaNoWriMo.
3. If you could pick an actress to play Stacy Troy in a movie adaptation of The Evolutionist, who would you choose?
Any female actress who can do drama well. I don’t have any favorites, or envisioned anyone in particular when I wrote the story.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’m writing a short story for a local Las Vegas anthology, rewriting a novel, and co-writing something secret.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
The ones that are more on the surrealistic side.
6. What made you start writing?
Reading several boring books while on vacation. I wanted so badly to mix them up for some excitement, then started writing stories that I feel do that.
7. What made you want to start writing horror?
I’ve always been a fan of horror, and everything I tried to write just went dark one way or another.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
There are a few, but I’d rather not say.
9. What is your best quality as a writer?
Ha! I have no idea. I’m totally inconsistent. Maybe that I think my ideas through and through before I ever type a word. If a story works itself out in my head and makes sense, then I’ll write it. I’d rather not waste my time starting works and not finishing them.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
No one. I prefer to be alone. Especially when dining.
October 13, 2013
The Evolutionist by Rena Mason
In her debut novel, Rena Mason hits it out of the park with her horror novel The Evolutionist. Set in the Las Vegas suburbs, Stacy Troy lives a self-absorbed life with her friends, who are cast right out of one of those Housewives of show. Mason even cleverly has Stacy and her group of friends trying to be cast on the show. Her days are filled with yoga classes, spa treatments, and driving her son around. Her nights are filled with brutal nightmares where she dismembers the bodies of her loved ones. Although Stacy feels as if she is losing her mind, I wouldn’t classify this as a psychological horror novel. The nightmares lead to a purpose. When she can no longer take it, she goes to see Dr. Light, a psychiatrist, who uses strange techniques to help Stacy, except that her nightmares only get worse, and she begins to hear voices. The twist where this all leads to caught me by surprise in a good way.
The first thing that stands out is that Rena Mason is a talented writer, something that as a fellow writer I can appreciate. Her prose rings out strong and clear, especially her dialogue. The characters are also very well developed, even if they are not always likeable. For instance, Mason does a good job with Stacy’s circle of friends, even though I didn’t find any of them someone that I would root for. There is a nice build that leads to the climax, and a dark sense of foreboding that resonates in this book. If you like your fiction dark and appreciate good writing, this is a novel that you will want to pick up.
The first thing that stands out is that Rena Mason is a talented writer, something that as a fellow writer I can appreciate. Her prose rings out strong and clear, especially her dialogue. The characters are also very well developed, even if they are not always likeable. For instance, Mason does a good job with Stacy’s circle of friends, even though I didn’t find any of them someone that I would root for. There is a nice build that leads to the climax, and a dark sense of foreboding that resonates in this book. If you like your fiction dark and appreciate good writing, this is a novel that you will want to pick up.
October 9, 2013
My Mafia Influences for my novel Blood Street
I’ve always wanted to write about mobster characters, but being a horror and fantasy writer, it’s not necessarily an easy task to write about them, that is until I came up with the concept for Blood Street, where vampires and the mafia engage in a blood feud in the streets of Philadelphia. When incorporating my mobster characters, I had three main influences.
1. The Sopranos – The Sopranos were more of a guide to me in the life and time of mobsters than let’s say a classic movie like The Godfather because the mafia today is so vastly different than what they used to be. The Sopranos was a fantastic television show and it captures what the contemporary mafia is all about. The show also produced some fantastic, memorable characters that were true to life. I tried to make my characters similarly realistic and true to life.
mario puzo
2. Mario Puzo – I once tried out a writing program that analyzes your writing and tells you what famous writer it most closely resembles. When this program compared my writing to that of Mario Puzo, I was thrilled. Even though I write predominately horror and fantasy, areas that Puzo never delved into, from a technical standpoint and from a story telling standpoint, Mario Puzo is one of the best authors I’ve ever read. His ability to create the world of La Casa Nostra is almost magical. Nobody else has ever done a comparable job.
3. The Philadelphia Mafia – I did an extensive amount of research into the history of the Philadelphia mafia. In its glory days, the mafia in Philadelphia was one of the most powerful in the country. They were highly organized, made substantial profits, and had a heavy influence in the city. Since the nineties, the organized crime scene in Philadelphia has been a mess. Just about every major figure in the Philadelphia organized crime scene is either dead or in jail. Their influence is nearly non-existent now. What I tried to capture in my novel is a rebirth of the Philly mob with a whole different kind of leader embodied in my character, mob boss Enzo Salerno.
1. The Sopranos – The Sopranos were more of a guide to me in the life and time of mobsters than let’s say a classic movie like The Godfather because the mafia today is so vastly different than what they used to be. The Sopranos was a fantastic television show and it captures what the contemporary mafia is all about. The show also produced some fantastic, memorable characters that were true to life. I tried to make my characters similarly realistic and true to life.
mario puzo
2. Mario Puzo – I once tried out a writing program that analyzes your writing and tells you what famous writer it most closely resembles. When this program compared my writing to that of Mario Puzo, I was thrilled. Even though I write predominately horror and fantasy, areas that Puzo never delved into, from a technical standpoint and from a story telling standpoint, Mario Puzo is one of the best authors I’ve ever read. His ability to create the world of La Casa Nostra is almost magical. Nobody else has ever done a comparable job.
3. The Philadelphia Mafia – I did an extensive amount of research into the history of the Philadelphia mafia. In its glory days, the mafia in Philadelphia was one of the most powerful in the country. They were highly organized, made substantial profits, and had a heavy influence in the city. Since the nineties, the organized crime scene in Philadelphia has been a mess. Just about every major figure in the Philadelphia organized crime scene is either dead or in jail. Their influence is nearly non-existent now. What I tried to capture in my novel is a rebirth of the Philly mob with a whole different kind of leader embodied in my character, mob boss Enzo Salerno.
October 5, 2013
Top 5 Gangster Movies of All Time
1. The Usual Suspects – This movie is sheer brilliance. Everything about The Usual Suspects is subterfuge. After having watched the movie a couple of times, I still don’t have a good handle on what really happened. The writing was phenomenal. The acting of Kevin Spacey was even better. The movie carries the viewer through so many twists and turns that it can make your head spin. The reveal at the end of the movie is the greatest in cinematic history with the possible exception of “I am your father, Luke.”
2. The Godfather II – It’s the rare sequel that can exceed the original, and deciding between which of the original Godfather movies is no easy task, but there were two reasons why I liked this one better. The first is the backstory of Vito Corleone, which was thoroughly captivating. The second is the acting of Robert De Niro. De Niro is the king of all gangster actors, and this was his best performance in a long and decorated career.
3. The Godfather I – The original movie is the godfather of all gangster movies so to speak. It has everything you can possibly ask for in a mob movie. There is drama, memorable lines, and career defining acting performances. Marlon Brando is the quintessential mob boss in his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone. James Caan brings life to Sonny Corleone. Mostly, this movie captures the heart and soul of the mafia at the peak of their power. It is also one of the most realistic portrayals of how the mafia operated. It is easy to immerse yourself in the world created in this movie. The best way I can describe this movie is that it’s epic.
4. Goodfellas – Much like the Godfather movies, Goodfellas has memorable lines given by great characters that will live on in popular culture for years. Based on the real life of mafia informant Henry Hill, this movie is a slicker and cooler version of The Godfather. In a world of forgettable movies, this one resonates long after you watch it. It’s been a good while since I last saw Goodfellas, but I can remember almost everything about it. As good as Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta are in this movie, the one who really steals the show is Joe Pesci, who plays mobster Tommy Devito.
5. Gran Torino – Although the main characters in this movie aren’t gangsters, I felt this movie belongs on the list because there is a heavy gangster element that is critical to the movie. Gran Torino is the kind of movie that tugs at your heartstrings, not exactly what I look for in gangster movies, but in this case it works so well. In the twilight of his career, Clint Eastwood gives the performance of his lifetime as a crotchety old man who befriends and mentors an Asian teen, who is in danger of falling into a life of crime. The dynamic between these two characters is memorable, and the movie is deep and moving.
2. The Godfather II – It’s the rare sequel that can exceed the original, and deciding between which of the original Godfather movies is no easy task, but there were two reasons why I liked this one better. The first is the backstory of Vito Corleone, which was thoroughly captivating. The second is the acting of Robert De Niro. De Niro is the king of all gangster actors, and this was his best performance in a long and decorated career.
3. The Godfather I – The original movie is the godfather of all gangster movies so to speak. It has everything you can possibly ask for in a mob movie. There is drama, memorable lines, and career defining acting performances. Marlon Brando is the quintessential mob boss in his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone. James Caan brings life to Sonny Corleone. Mostly, this movie captures the heart and soul of the mafia at the peak of their power. It is also one of the most realistic portrayals of how the mafia operated. It is easy to immerse yourself in the world created in this movie. The best way I can describe this movie is that it’s epic.
4. Goodfellas – Much like the Godfather movies, Goodfellas has memorable lines given by great characters that will live on in popular culture for years. Based on the real life of mafia informant Henry Hill, this movie is a slicker and cooler version of The Godfather. In a world of forgettable movies, this one resonates long after you watch it. It’s been a good while since I last saw Goodfellas, but I can remember almost everything about it. As good as Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta are in this movie, the one who really steals the show is Joe Pesci, who plays mobster Tommy Devito.
5. Gran Torino – Although the main characters in this movie aren’t gangsters, I felt this movie belongs on the list because there is a heavy gangster element that is critical to the movie. Gran Torino is the kind of movie that tugs at your heartstrings, not exactly what I look for in gangster movies, but in this case it works so well. In the twilight of his career, Clint Eastwood gives the performance of his lifetime as a crotchety old man who befriends and mentors an Asian teen, who is in danger of falling into a life of crime. The dynamic between these two characters is memorable, and the movie is deep and moving.
October 2, 2013
Contagious by Scott Sigler
The sequel to Scott Sigler's amazing thriller Infected, which I listened to as a podcast novel, Contagious starts off with newly elected President Gutierrez dealing with a major crisis. The planet is being quietly invaded by an alien force, which takes the form as triangles that latch onto people's bodies and take over their host.
"Scary" Perry Dawsey returns, leading the charge against the triangles. To say that Perry is an anti-hero doesn't quite do him justice. He's a hero with a hint of madness to him. After mangling his body to remove the triangles from his body, he is now working with ex-CIA agent Dew Phillips and scientist Margo Montoya as they lead an assault to stop the aliens from taking over the planet. Evil has a new face in the form of seven-year-old Chelsea Jewell, who has a new form of infection that supersedes merely having triangles. All options are on the table including the use of nuclear weapons on US soil to stop the aliens.
Scott Sigler is an amazing writer who knows how to grip the reader in his own maniacal style. He has all of the subtlety of a sledge hammer smashing the base of your skull. He's one of the few writers whose work I would be able to recognize blindly. There are no wasted pages. He moves from scene to scene at a fast pace, never leaving lulls for the reader. I read this novel with the voice of Scott narrating since I had listened to Infected as a podcast, which added to my enjoyment. The ending is explosive. Even better than Infected, this is a novel that you do not want to miss.
"Scary" Perry Dawsey returns, leading the charge against the triangles. To say that Perry is an anti-hero doesn't quite do him justice. He's a hero with a hint of madness to him. After mangling his body to remove the triangles from his body, he is now working with ex-CIA agent Dew Phillips and scientist Margo Montoya as they lead an assault to stop the aliens from taking over the planet. Evil has a new face in the form of seven-year-old Chelsea Jewell, who has a new form of infection that supersedes merely having triangles. All options are on the table including the use of nuclear weapons on US soil to stop the aliens.
Scott Sigler is an amazing writer who knows how to grip the reader in his own maniacal style. He has all of the subtlety of a sledge hammer smashing the base of your skull. He's one of the few writers whose work I would be able to recognize blindly. There are no wasted pages. He moves from scene to scene at a fast pace, never leaving lulls for the reader. I read this novel with the voice of Scott narrating since I had listened to Infected as a podcast, which added to my enjoyment. The ending is explosive. Even better than Infected, this is a novel that you do not want to miss.
September 26, 2013
10 Questions with Matthew Warner
1. What inspired your bigfoot-like creatures in Blood Born?
Blood Born started with a question: what would be a good metaphor for a virus scaled up to the macro size--that is, instead of microscopic organisms in our blood, they’re creatures as big as you and me?
I’ve always been fascinated and a little sickened(!) at the idea of little animals attaching themselves to a healthy cell and then inserting their own DNA to hijack its machinery. The infected cell then produces a zillion more copies of the virus until it blows up and dies.
Likewise, the monsters in Blood Born are serial rapists who impregnate every woman they assault. The women rapidly come to term and then give birth to more monsters, dying in the process. The monsters grow up in a matter of days before finding more women to rape.
Aside from that, my inspiration for the monsters’ appearance was my cats. No big mystery there, those things are killers! And it was my wife’s idea to call them “Beltway Bigfoots.” The DC media, in covering a disaster of this magnitude, would almost certainly come up with a similar, catchy name. I’m reading up on Jack the Ripper right now for a new project, and it has reinforced the notion that the marketing of a tragedy is everything to the media. Before someone mailed in a letter purportedly from the killer and signed it “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper,” the newspapers called the Whitechapel killer “Leather Apron.” They sold a lot more copies once they embraced the JTR name.
2. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Dear God, what a nightmare. Just one book? I love filet mignon, but I couldn’t imagine eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the remainder of my days. I suppose I could survive on the same book if I also had a short-term memory disorder where I forgot the book’s contents immediately after reading it. That way, it would be fresh every time. Maybe Replay by Ken Grimwood would be appropriate. I love that book.
The more interesting question to me as a writer is how did I wind up in this predicament? Am I on a deserted island or alone on an interstellar space ship where there’s only one book to read? Maybe I’m the victim of a miscarriage of the criminal justice system, and this is my punishment. Would I go insane and imagine the book was talking to me, or that every day its contents changed? Excuse me, I’m going to go write this down. . . .
3. Blood Born has a World War Z scenario in a smaller scale. If the world as we know it were to end, how would that happen?
Sadly, the world as we know it will most likely end--or at least end for human habitation--through ways we can already guess. Without sufficient political will for sound environmental policies, it’s conceivable our food chain will continue to slowly erode from the bottom due to manmade pollution. That, or a big, godamighty asteroid will wipe us out, in which case Cthulhu will merely chuckle at our supposed politics.
I touch on this topic in my new book, The Seventh Equinox, coming this fall from Raw Dog Screaming Press. In it, a demigod called the Hunter must complete an ancient ritual of environmental renewal, or the planet will slowly die. “Global warming, beehive Colony Collapse Disorder and the destruction of the food chain, rising rates of cancer and premature births--it’s all just the beginning,” he warns. The solution, of course, involves a giant bear and a lot of sex.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
This is a tough one for me, because my tastes are always changing. Inevitably, it’s the writer whose book I just finished reading, provided the book kicked ass. Joe Hill’s new novel, NOS4A2, nails it squarely between the butt cheeks. Man, that was a good read. His father isn’t too shabby, either.
5. You have been involved in a number of writing projects including novels, short stories, screenplays, radio plays, and theater productions. Which is your favorite form to write for?
It’s a toss up between novels and screenplays. I have a lot more experience with novels, but there’s something about writing for the screen that really gets me jazzed, maybe because I’m still a novice at it. Going to a new format is like switching between different types of poetry forms that prescribe precise formulas for syllables and rhyming. By observing the creative restrictions of something, it paradoxically sets you free.
6. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
I used to think so, but now, after twenty-plus years, I haven’t a clue. I’ve written stories that range from a serious study of the mid-Atlantic slave trade (short story “Middle Passage”), to silly horror comedy (the film Dr. Ella Mental’s Mad Lab Picture Show).
But the one thing linking everything together--for me, at least--is that I’m passionate about good stories told well. Stories should be about characters undergoing dramatic changes in their lives. If they’re not going through the most important time of their lives, then why should you bother reading or watching it? If I can always keep that principle in mind, then I know my writing will have power.
7. What made you start writing?
Initially, it was a class assignment in the first grade. How did tigers get their stripes? Well, a tiger walked under a painter’s scaffold, and a bunch of paint buckets fell down on him and painted his coat in dark streaks. I illustrated this incident on the top half of the ruled paper where I told the tale in blocky, penciled letters.
I stuck with it because telling stories gave me a sense of self worth and occasionally gained me attention. And now I continue it because it’s part of who I am. See above: I love good stories told well. They might as well be told by me.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I don’t think so, but there are certainly some subjects more uncomfortable than others to write about. Topics that hit home--deaths in the family, danger to children, disease, estrangement--give me restless nights when I write about them. For that reason, however, those are probably my best stories.
9. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Well, I’d be insane if I didn’t choose Stephen King. What a privilege that would be. Could you imagine what a writer would learn in that situation?
But if King were unavailable and my writer-resurrectionist-collaboration power were still functional, then I would opt to ghost write the autobiography of Jesus Christ. I would need a suitable translator, of course, because I don’t speak Aramaic. How cool would that be: to turn on a tape recorder and just let him talk. I’d follow that up with interviews with all the Apostles and filmings of the miracles, just to round things out. What would I discover? Was he a charlatan and a cult leader, or was he something more? Whatever the answer, I’m sure it would be a life-changing experience . And, not to mention, it would sell an ass-load of books.
10. Which person do you most admire?
This is going to sound cheesy, but after giving this a lot of thought, I have to say it’s my wife of ten years, Deena. Sweet, beautiful, gentle, and intelligent, she always amazes me with her multiple talents. Not only can she paint, but she can program complex websites. She can write, and in short order, I expect she’ll be a successful novelist. She’s mature. She’s a loving mother to our two boys . And she’s as essential to my life as the right side of my body. There are many people I care about, and there are some I even consider role models. But none of them on a day to day basis enrich and sustain me like she does.
Thanks for the interview, Carl. And thanks for reading Blood Born!
Blood Born started with a question: what would be a good metaphor for a virus scaled up to the macro size--that is, instead of microscopic organisms in our blood, they’re creatures as big as you and me?
I’ve always been fascinated and a little sickened(!) at the idea of little animals attaching themselves to a healthy cell and then inserting their own DNA to hijack its machinery. The infected cell then produces a zillion more copies of the virus until it blows up and dies.
Likewise, the monsters in Blood Born are serial rapists who impregnate every woman they assault. The women rapidly come to term and then give birth to more monsters, dying in the process. The monsters grow up in a matter of days before finding more women to rape.
Aside from that, my inspiration for the monsters’ appearance was my cats. No big mystery there, those things are killers! And it was my wife’s idea to call them “Beltway Bigfoots.” The DC media, in covering a disaster of this magnitude, would almost certainly come up with a similar, catchy name. I’m reading up on Jack the Ripper right now for a new project, and it has reinforced the notion that the marketing of a tragedy is everything to the media. Before someone mailed in a letter purportedly from the killer and signed it “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper,” the newspapers called the Whitechapel killer “Leather Apron.” They sold a lot more copies once they embraced the JTR name.
2. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Dear God, what a nightmare. Just one book? I love filet mignon, but I couldn’t imagine eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the remainder of my days. I suppose I could survive on the same book if I also had a short-term memory disorder where I forgot the book’s contents immediately after reading it. That way, it would be fresh every time. Maybe Replay by Ken Grimwood would be appropriate. I love that book.
The more interesting question to me as a writer is how did I wind up in this predicament? Am I on a deserted island or alone on an interstellar space ship where there’s only one book to read? Maybe I’m the victim of a miscarriage of the criminal justice system, and this is my punishment. Would I go insane and imagine the book was talking to me, or that every day its contents changed? Excuse me, I’m going to go write this down. . . .
3. Blood Born has a World War Z scenario in a smaller scale. If the world as we know it were to end, how would that happen?
Sadly, the world as we know it will most likely end--or at least end for human habitation--through ways we can already guess. Without sufficient political will for sound environmental policies, it’s conceivable our food chain will continue to slowly erode from the bottom due to manmade pollution. That, or a big, godamighty asteroid will wipe us out, in which case Cthulhu will merely chuckle at our supposed politics.
I touch on this topic in my new book, The Seventh Equinox, coming this fall from Raw Dog Screaming Press. In it, a demigod called the Hunter must complete an ancient ritual of environmental renewal, or the planet will slowly die. “Global warming, beehive Colony Collapse Disorder and the destruction of the food chain, rising rates of cancer and premature births--it’s all just the beginning,” he warns. The solution, of course, involves a giant bear and a lot of sex.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
This is a tough one for me, because my tastes are always changing. Inevitably, it’s the writer whose book I just finished reading, provided the book kicked ass. Joe Hill’s new novel, NOS4A2, nails it squarely between the butt cheeks. Man, that was a good read. His father isn’t too shabby, either.
5. You have been involved in a number of writing projects including novels, short stories, screenplays, radio plays, and theater productions. Which is your favorite form to write for?
It’s a toss up between novels and screenplays. I have a lot more experience with novels, but there’s something about writing for the screen that really gets me jazzed, maybe because I’m still a novice at it. Going to a new format is like switching between different types of poetry forms that prescribe precise formulas for syllables and rhyming. By observing the creative restrictions of something, it paradoxically sets you free.
6. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
I used to think so, but now, after twenty-plus years, I haven’t a clue. I’ve written stories that range from a serious study of the mid-Atlantic slave trade (short story “Middle Passage”), to silly horror comedy (the film Dr. Ella Mental’s Mad Lab Picture Show).
But the one thing linking everything together--for me, at least--is that I’m passionate about good stories told well. Stories should be about characters undergoing dramatic changes in their lives. If they’re not going through the most important time of their lives, then why should you bother reading or watching it? If I can always keep that principle in mind, then I know my writing will have power.
7. What made you start writing?
Initially, it was a class assignment in the first grade. How did tigers get their stripes? Well, a tiger walked under a painter’s scaffold, and a bunch of paint buckets fell down on him and painted his coat in dark streaks. I illustrated this incident on the top half of the ruled paper where I told the tale in blocky, penciled letters.
I stuck with it because telling stories gave me a sense of self worth and occasionally gained me attention. And now I continue it because it’s part of who I am. See above: I love good stories told well. They might as well be told by me.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
I don’t think so, but there are certainly some subjects more uncomfortable than others to write about. Topics that hit home--deaths in the family, danger to children, disease, estrangement--give me restless nights when I write about them. For that reason, however, those are probably my best stories.
9. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Well, I’d be insane if I didn’t choose Stephen King. What a privilege that would be. Could you imagine what a writer would learn in that situation?
But if King were unavailable and my writer-resurrectionist-collaboration power were still functional, then I would opt to ghost write the autobiography of Jesus Christ. I would need a suitable translator, of course, because I don’t speak Aramaic. How cool would that be: to turn on a tape recorder and just let him talk. I’d follow that up with interviews with all the Apostles and filmings of the miracles, just to round things out. What would I discover? Was he a charlatan and a cult leader, or was he something more? Whatever the answer, I’m sure it would be a life-changing experience . And, not to mention, it would sell an ass-load of books.
10. Which person do you most admire?
This is going to sound cheesy, but after giving this a lot of thought, I have to say it’s my wife of ten years, Deena. Sweet, beautiful, gentle, and intelligent, she always amazes me with her multiple talents. Not only can she paint, but she can program complex websites. She can write, and in short order, I expect she’ll be a successful novelist. She’s mature. She’s a loving mother to our two boys . And she’s as essential to my life as the right side of my body. There are many people I care about, and there are some I even consider role models. But none of them on a day to day basis enrich and sustain me like she does.
Thanks for the interview, Carl. And thanks for reading Blood Born!
September 20, 2013
Blood Born by Matthew Warner
State of Fear is part sci-fi, part thriller, part essay on environmentalism. There was some good and some bad in this novel. Philanthropist George Morton is planning on donating a large sum of money to an extreme environmentalist group until he learns about their methods, and gets more information about global warming from Dr. John Kenner. Later Morton dies in a car accident. Kenner and Morton's lawyer travel to Antarctica where a group of environmental extremists are about to create a massive explosion to create an environmental disaster to strengthen their position. They then travel to the Solomon Islands in an island with headhunters and cannibals where a similar scenario is brewing. They have to stop the wacky environmentalists to prevent disasters.
There was some good thriller components in the story and also good characters. The dialogue is wooden at best and really weak at times. The problem with it is that Crichton is trying to spew his research in the form of dialogue and it sounds terribly unrealistic. People don't speak that way. He also has a clear agenda here. The environmentalists are painted as idiots with no scientific backing to their claims. Their usual way of explaining things is "everybody knows that". Although I agree with Crichton's position, he comes off as being heavy handed. This was a solid novel, but it had enough weak points that I can't strongly recommend it.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
There was some good thriller components in the story and also good characters. The dialogue is wooden at best and really weak at times. The problem with it is that Crichton is trying to spew his research in the form of dialogue and it sounds terribly unrealistic. People don't speak that way. He also has a clear agenda here. The environmentalists are painted as idiots with no scientific backing to their claims. Their usual way of explaining things is "everybody knows that". Although I agree with Crichton's position, he comes off as being heavy handed. This was a solid novel, but it had enough weak points that I can't strongly recommend it.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
September 15, 2013
All Time Greatest Television Series: #1 Lost
For me Lost was the best thought, most intelligent show on television. It was also network television’s last hurrah. All of the really good shows these days are now on basic or premium cable. When I first heard of the concept for Lost, I thought it sounded cool, but at the same time I didn’t understand how they were going to sustain a series. I figured these people would be trying to get off the island, and eventually it would turn into a more serious version of Gilligan’s Island. I couldn’t possibly be more wrong. The mythology and deep level of backstory associated with the island was absolutely compelling. There were rivalries both among the Losties and then with other factions, such as the Others. Also, what was amazing was how the show completely changed from season to season. It went from the familiar flashback episodes to the flash forward episodes to the sideways episodes, to the future in the afterlife stories. Despite the backlash about the ending, I thought it was great. The characters were amazingly compelling. I thought Sawyer, Sayid, Desmond, and Hurley were all amazing characters. I don’t think there will ever be a show that captivates me as much as Lost.
September 11, 2013
All Time Greatest Television Series: #2 Game of Thrones
This is the best show currently on television. The novels by George R. R. Martin are absolutely amazing, so the source material for the show is top level. The HBO series does an amazing job of staying loyal to the storyline as well as the spirit of Martin’s writing. The cinematography has the quality of a big budget movie, and the actors do a great job of capturing the essence of some of the memorable characters in the show. Of note is Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. The character as portrayed in Martin’s novels is a great character, but Dinklage transforms Tyrion into one of the greatest television characters I have ever seen. In its first three season, the series has had some amazing jaw dropping moments, such as Ned’s beheading and the Red Wedding. On the down side, the fight scenes are generally scaled down. I would like to see more dramatic fight scenes incorporated into the show. HBO has done justice to this series in a way that no other network has done for a series of novels.
September 8, 2013
All Time Greatest Television Series: #3 Carnivale
Carnivale was the most complicated and in depth show I have ever watched. This was probably the reason why it never clicked with a large scale audience and was canceled, much to my chagrine, by HBO after only two seasons. The show’s creator, Daniel Knauf, had intended the series to go for six seasons. If only more people could have gotten into the intricate characters and mythology behind the show, I would have gotten to see a real conclusion to this amazing series.
Set in the Great Depression Era in the Dust Bowl region of the country, the show follows a travelling carnival. The cinematography and depiction of the setting really helped sell the authenticity of the show. There were two separate storylines that permeated the show. One followed the show’s main character Ben Hawkins played by Nick Stahl, who joined the carnival and had weird healing powers. The second is a Methodist preacher named Brother Justin Crowe. The two characters share wildly prophetic dreams and are in a long-winding collision course.
The main theme in the show is good vs. evil, certainly not an uncommon one. What made this different is that not until the very late into the show’s run was it clear who was good and who was evil. The mythology behind the story is that in every generation a good and an evil Avatar is born, and they prepare for a final battle. In this case, the final battle involves nuclear annihilation. There was so much rich subtext and exploration of different mythology involving the Knights Templar, Christianity, and tarot divination that made the series much more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the ending of the show was rushed and didn’t really make much sense. If you didn’t get to see this show, you missed out.
Set in the Great Depression Era in the Dust Bowl region of the country, the show follows a travelling carnival. The cinematography and depiction of the setting really helped sell the authenticity of the show. There were two separate storylines that permeated the show. One followed the show’s main character Ben Hawkins played by Nick Stahl, who joined the carnival and had weird healing powers. The second is a Methodist preacher named Brother Justin Crowe. The two characters share wildly prophetic dreams and are in a long-winding collision course.
The main theme in the show is good vs. evil, certainly not an uncommon one. What made this different is that not until the very late into the show’s run was it clear who was good and who was evil. The mythology behind the story is that in every generation a good and an evil Avatar is born, and they prepare for a final battle. In this case, the final battle involves nuclear annihilation. There was so much rich subtext and exploration of different mythology involving the Knights Templar, Christianity, and tarot divination that made the series much more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the ending of the show was rushed and didn’t really make much sense. If you didn’t get to see this show, you missed out.
