Kitty Honeycutt/Morrigan Austin's Blog, page 8
July 24, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, LUNA LINDSEY
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF, "EMERALD CITY DREAMER," LUNA LINDSEY
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Hello Luna, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
My novel is called Emerald City Dreamer, and it's about faeries and faerie hunters in Seattle. The main character is a rockstar who, with her friend Sandy, operate a secret organization trying to eradicate the fae. It features strong women who deal with difficult problems in very different ways.
When writing urban fantasy, there are many mythological creatures to choose from. I focused on faeries because they represent imagination, dreams, stories, and music. I wanted a metaphor to show the struggle creative people feel between the practical need to pay the bills, and the urge to make something magic and less tangible.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I'm a hobby-jumper, to be sure. I've learned four instruments, made chainmail bracelets, sculpted in polymer clay, started businesses, and found 65 geocaches. Mostly I play video games, because that keeps me out of trouble.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Aside from my writing -- my family.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I love to read lots of genres. I especially read sci-fi and fantasy, and lately I've been catching up on certain literature titles people tend to reference in smart conversations. I love feeling like I know what everyone else is talking about.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
At two points in life. Once in 1997. And then I learned writing wasn't as glamorous as I'd been led to believe, and real life demanded I pay some bills with a sensible career. And again in 2010 when I'd done the sensible career for a sensible number of years and decided to take the leap.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I am working on the early revision phases of Emerald City Hunter, the sequel. I'm expecting to release that sometime in 2013.
Here's a quick excerpt. Two shape-changing faeries, Phaesyle and the Boneless, battle one another in a gothic gift shop. Sandy tries to stop the Boneless, but at this point she can't tell who is who.
Excerpt:
Phaesyle stood on tiptoes on the top of the necklace rack surrounding the front desk. She held out her arms like a puppeteer, and the carpet beneath the fog caught fire. The fog roared and turned to steam, which then changed to a sweltering smog that billowed to fill the room.
Sandy began the binding spell again, just before breaking out into a violent cough. Her eyes watered.
The air filled with butterflies, their wings beating the air like a thousand tiny fans. The smog cleared, and Phaesyle was nowhere to be seen. But soon flies filled the air, a mockery of the butterflies they swarmed beside. The flies grew larger, transforming into sparrow-sized crows.
They snatched and bit at the butterflies, and managed to consume quite a few before finding themselves snatching at sparks instead. The sparks grew more fierce, like tiny bolts of lightning. Sandy's hair rose on end.
The air filled with a rotting stench, and Sandy looked at her feet where slabs of rancid meat lay cooking in the electricity. She kicked off a bit of steak that had fallen onto her toe.
Above her, the sparks joined together and formed a rainbow that arched from one end of the shop to the other. Sandy could scarcely believe it, but the air actually became rainbow scented, a smell that reminded her of fresh rain and flowers, with a hint of Skittles.
The meat on the floor began to quiver and pulsate, and it took Sandy a moment to realize it was collectively laughing. With each pulse, it joined together into a pile of dirt which crumbled into fine powdery dust. . .
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
Before high school, actually. Her name was Mrs. Balkin, in third grade. I'd always had trouble fitting in. She gave me space to be myself, and gave me shelter when I didn't want to go out to recess. She was my last full-time teacher. After that, I was homeschooled.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
"You may say I'm a dreamer..." I hope we go to space. I hope we find ways to keep humans alive as long as each individual wants. I wish we would find a way to end violence, from where it happens in the home, to when it happens on battlefields. I hope that humanity finds some way to be happy, even though we've evolved to cope with unhappiness. I want every person on the face of the earth to know basic freedoms and high standards of living. It's a tall order, but I think we're capable of it.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
Yes, I believe the Mayans have a calendar. No, I do not believe it predicts the end of the world. The Mayans themselves say that they did not predict the end of the world; that westerns got it all wrong. If they didn't even believe it, why should anyone else? What concerns me more deeply is that people are capable of fulfilling their own prophecies. So my greatest fear is that enough people will believe this, that they will bring it about. The worst-case scenario is that there is enough bad news this year that a lot of people may freak out and do something stupid, en masse, like pull their money out of savings or sell their houses to buy bunkers or quit their jobs or riot in the streets. That's the sort of thing that could cause something even the Mayans don't take seriously.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
Keep writing. Write until you know how to do it, and then don’t stop. Learn how to take rejection, and especially learn how to take constructive criticism. Actively seek criticism – you cannot improve without it. Find people who will honestly tell you what is wrong, so you can learn to fix it. And if you don’t love to write so much that you would scale a mountain made of swords for the sake of your art, then stop now.
Links:
Website and Blog: http://www.lunalindsey.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lunalindsey
Amazon Author: http://amazon.com/author/lunalindsey
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Facebook Author Link: http://www.facebook.com/LunaRLindsey
Library Thing Author: http://www.librarything.com/author/li...
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/o1515028607
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...
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Hello Luna, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
My novel is called Emerald City Dreamer, and it's about faeries and faerie hunters in Seattle. The main character is a rockstar who, with her friend Sandy, operate a secret organization trying to eradicate the fae. It features strong women who deal with difficult problems in very different ways.
When writing urban fantasy, there are many mythological creatures to choose from. I focused on faeries because they represent imagination, dreams, stories, and music. I wanted a metaphor to show the struggle creative people feel between the practical need to pay the bills, and the urge to make something magic and less tangible.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I'm a hobby-jumper, to be sure. I've learned four instruments, made chainmail bracelets, sculpted in polymer clay, started businesses, and found 65 geocaches. Mostly I play video games, because that keeps me out of trouble.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Aside from my writing -- my family.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I love to read lots of genres. I especially read sci-fi and fantasy, and lately I've been catching up on certain literature titles people tend to reference in smart conversations. I love feeling like I know what everyone else is talking about.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
At two points in life. Once in 1997. And then I learned writing wasn't as glamorous as I'd been led to believe, and real life demanded I pay some bills with a sensible career. And again in 2010 when I'd done the sensible career for a sensible number of years and decided to take the leap.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I am working on the early revision phases of Emerald City Hunter, the sequel. I'm expecting to release that sometime in 2013.
Here's a quick excerpt. Two shape-changing faeries, Phaesyle and the Boneless, battle one another in a gothic gift shop. Sandy tries to stop the Boneless, but at this point she can't tell who is who.
Excerpt:
Phaesyle stood on tiptoes on the top of the necklace rack surrounding the front desk. She held out her arms like a puppeteer, and the carpet beneath the fog caught fire. The fog roared and turned to steam, which then changed to a sweltering smog that billowed to fill the room.
Sandy began the binding spell again, just before breaking out into a violent cough. Her eyes watered.
The air filled with butterflies, their wings beating the air like a thousand tiny fans. The smog cleared, and Phaesyle was nowhere to be seen. But soon flies filled the air, a mockery of the butterflies they swarmed beside. The flies grew larger, transforming into sparrow-sized crows.
They snatched and bit at the butterflies, and managed to consume quite a few before finding themselves snatching at sparks instead. The sparks grew more fierce, like tiny bolts of lightning. Sandy's hair rose on end.
The air filled with a rotting stench, and Sandy looked at her feet where slabs of rancid meat lay cooking in the electricity. She kicked off a bit of steak that had fallen onto her toe.
Above her, the sparks joined together and formed a rainbow that arched from one end of the shop to the other. Sandy could scarcely believe it, but the air actually became rainbow scented, a smell that reminded her of fresh rain and flowers, with a hint of Skittles.
The meat on the floor began to quiver and pulsate, and it took Sandy a moment to realize it was collectively laughing. With each pulse, it joined together into a pile of dirt which crumbled into fine powdery dust. . .
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
Before high school, actually. Her name was Mrs. Balkin, in third grade. I'd always had trouble fitting in. She gave me space to be myself, and gave me shelter when I didn't want to go out to recess. She was my last full-time teacher. After that, I was homeschooled.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
"You may say I'm a dreamer..." I hope we go to space. I hope we find ways to keep humans alive as long as each individual wants. I wish we would find a way to end violence, from where it happens in the home, to when it happens on battlefields. I hope that humanity finds some way to be happy, even though we've evolved to cope with unhappiness. I want every person on the face of the earth to know basic freedoms and high standards of living. It's a tall order, but I think we're capable of it.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
Yes, I believe the Mayans have a calendar. No, I do not believe it predicts the end of the world. The Mayans themselves say that they did not predict the end of the world; that westerns got it all wrong. If they didn't even believe it, why should anyone else? What concerns me more deeply is that people are capable of fulfilling their own prophecies. So my greatest fear is that enough people will believe this, that they will bring it about. The worst-case scenario is that there is enough bad news this year that a lot of people may freak out and do something stupid, en masse, like pull their money out of savings or sell their houses to buy bunkers or quit their jobs or riot in the streets. That's the sort of thing that could cause something even the Mayans don't take seriously.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
Keep writing. Write until you know how to do it, and then don’t stop. Learn how to take rejection, and especially learn how to take constructive criticism. Actively seek criticism – you cannot improve without it. Find people who will honestly tell you what is wrong, so you can learn to fix it. And if you don’t love to write so much that you would scale a mountain made of swords for the sake of your art, then stop now.
Links:
Website and Blog: http://www.lunalindsey.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lunalindsey
Amazon Author: http://amazon.com/author/lunalindsey
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Facebook Author Link: http://www.facebook.com/LunaRLindsey
Library Thing Author: http://www.librarything.com/author/li...
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/o1515028607
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, FAYE ROBERTSON
GUEST POST WITH FAYE ROBERTSON, AUTHOR OF "BLOODLUST"
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INTERVIEW WITH JASPER HOWARD
I was lucky enough to meet up with the infamous Jasper Howard, CEO of Howard Enterprises, also knows as the Vampire Vigilante, in Italy the other evening. So I cornered him and forced him to answer some questions for me :-)
Me: Jasper! How lovely to see you again.
Jasper: Faye! How wonderful. What are you doing here?
Me: Carrying out some research for a story about Rome. I heard you were in Italy but I didn’t believe I’d be lucky enough to find you.
Jasper: Oh, I’m never far away from you, sweetheart. How have you been?
Me: I’m fine, thanks. I have so many questions to ask you, it’s difficult to know where to start. In London, you used to go out onto the streets at night to feed on murderers and rapists. Do you still do that now?
Jasper: No, I don’t. I’ve been clean for a year now. While I still believe ridding the world of such scum wasn’t exactly a bad thing, I do know that drinking from such evil people was doing something detrimental to my blood.
Me: So how do you get rid of the bloodlust, if you don’t feed?
Jasper: Oh, there are ways.
Me: Like…
Jasper: Well, pig’s blood and Vitamin D, for a start. That satisfies the craving for blood. But only one thing satisfies the craving to feed.
Me: And that is…
Jasper. Sex.
Me: Oh. I see.
Jasper: My dear Ms. Robertson, I do believe you are blushing.
Me: You always did know how to embarrass me. Some of the things you insisted on getting up to in that novella…
Jasper: That was Amabel’s fault. She’s a terrible influence.
Me: She’s a nun, Jasper. The epitome of godliness and purity. Well she was, until you caught up with her.
Jasper: What can I say? I couldn’t resist that black and white outfit, and those large, beautiful…
Me: Jasper!
Jasper: Eyes, Faye. She has the most beautiful eyes. And you have a very dirty mind.
Me: Something about you corrupts the brain when you’re around.
Jasper: That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.
Me: So where is Amabel?
Jasper: She nipped off to Vatican City. She wanted to go to confession. I think she may be there a while.
Me: You’re such a naughty boy.
Jasper: Meh.
Me: Keep in touch, eh?
Jasper: Sure thing. You only have to call, sweetheart, and I’ll come running.
Me: Don’t tempt me.
So there you have it. The inimitable Jasper, hot and sexy as ever. Catch up with his exploits and find out what happened when he met the feisty nun, Amabel, in Bloodlust, an Ever After story from Entangled Publishing.
Faye x
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FAYE: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com/
ALSO AT ENTANGLED PUBLISHING: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/
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INTERVIEW WITH JASPER HOWARD
I was lucky enough to meet up with the infamous Jasper Howard, CEO of Howard Enterprises, also knows as the Vampire Vigilante, in Italy the other evening. So I cornered him and forced him to answer some questions for me :-)
Me: Jasper! How lovely to see you again.
Jasper: Faye! How wonderful. What are you doing here?
Me: Carrying out some research for a story about Rome. I heard you were in Italy but I didn’t believe I’d be lucky enough to find you.
Jasper: Oh, I’m never far away from you, sweetheart. How have you been?
Me: I’m fine, thanks. I have so many questions to ask you, it’s difficult to know where to start. In London, you used to go out onto the streets at night to feed on murderers and rapists. Do you still do that now?
Jasper: No, I don’t. I’ve been clean for a year now. While I still believe ridding the world of such scum wasn’t exactly a bad thing, I do know that drinking from such evil people was doing something detrimental to my blood.
Me: So how do you get rid of the bloodlust, if you don’t feed?
Jasper: Oh, there are ways.
Me: Like…
Jasper: Well, pig’s blood and Vitamin D, for a start. That satisfies the craving for blood. But only one thing satisfies the craving to feed.
Me: And that is…
Jasper. Sex.
Me: Oh. I see.
Jasper: My dear Ms. Robertson, I do believe you are blushing.
Me: You always did know how to embarrass me. Some of the things you insisted on getting up to in that novella…
Jasper: That was Amabel’s fault. She’s a terrible influence.
Me: She’s a nun, Jasper. The epitome of godliness and purity. Well she was, until you caught up with her.
Jasper: What can I say? I couldn’t resist that black and white outfit, and those large, beautiful…
Me: Jasper!
Jasper: Eyes, Faye. She has the most beautiful eyes. And you have a very dirty mind.
Me: Something about you corrupts the brain when you’re around.
Jasper: That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.
Me: So where is Amabel?
Jasper: She nipped off to Vatican City. She wanted to go to confession. I think she may be there a while.
Me: You’re such a naughty boy.
Jasper: Meh.
Me: Keep in touch, eh?
Jasper: Sure thing. You only have to call, sweetheart, and I’ll come running.
Me: Don’t tempt me.
So there you have it. The inimitable Jasper, hot and sexy as ever. Catch up with his exploits and find out what happened when he met the feisty nun, Amabel, in Bloodlust, an Ever After story from Entangled Publishing.
Faye x
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FAYE: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com/
ALSO AT ENTANGLED PUBLISHING: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, DIANE ALBERTS
When Life Takes You by Surprise
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When writing Divinely Ruined, I was determined to write characters that were realistic, loving, and that you could relate to easily—despite the paranormal storyline.
When I think of Tony, I think of a struggling parent trying his best to make his little girls life richer than it is. A parent struggling to do the best by his child, despite his own hardships. A lot of people are like Tony—a single parent trying to make ends meet and trying to find a bit of humanity in what is left of his life.
Blurb:
She finally meets a decent man–after she’s oath-bound never to touch men again!
Rebecca’s life sucked before she became an angel. Crappy apartment, awful jobs, abusive boyfriends–it was no wonder she jumped at the chance to escape it all and become a real live angel. The problem is Rebecca’s not very angelic, and she’ll have to do more to earn her wings than end her love affair with the word f–er, frick.
Especially when she’s assigned to save single father Tony Weis, whose less-than-pure thoughts wreak hell on a telepathic angel’s nerves. It’s all Rebecca can do to keep her hands off him…but when she loses her memory injuring herself to save Tony’s daughter, now it’s Tony’s turn to be her angel and care for her. But will Tony’s devotion tempt her from her angelic path, even if it means being human again?
Author info:
Diane Alberts current contracted works with Entangled Publishing are: ON ONE CONDITION (February 2012, Ever After line), and DIVINELY RUINED (April 2012, Ever After line). Her current works with Decadent Publishing are: KILL ME TOMORROW (October 2011, 1NightStand series), RECLAIMED (December 2011), ABSOLUTION (March 2012, Honor Guard series), BROKEN (March 2012, 1NightStand series), and ESCAPE TO ME (TBA, 1NightStand series).
Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.
She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing and Decadent Publishing. She is repped by her fabulous agent, Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. She has, as of this date, two books with Entangled Publishing, and five books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List. She has a lot of projects currently being shopped around by her fabulous agent, and her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name.
Buy links:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Books on Board
Read first chapter free:
Entangled Publishing
Find Diane on the web:
Website: www.dianealberts.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DianeAlberts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diane.....
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Rebecca is like any other career-oriented woman—she has goals she wants met, but isn’t looking for complications or relationships. She’s looking to get in and out—but with one small addition…her wings. She doesn’t want love or a family. She doesn’t need a man. Or, so she tells herself.
When the two of them meet, sparks fly—not just from their tempers. And they both soon realize that what they wanted all along might actually come true. What they refused to admit they desired…could be right in front of them.
How often has that happened to you? How often have we not seen what was right in front of us, until suddenly it’s there—and you wonder how you missed it? When’s the last time that happened to you?
[image error]
When writing Divinely Ruined, I was determined to write characters that were realistic, loving, and that you could relate to easily—despite the paranormal storyline.
When I think of Tony, I think of a struggling parent trying his best to make his little girls life richer than it is. A parent struggling to do the best by his child, despite his own hardships. A lot of people are like Tony—a single parent trying to make ends meet and trying to find a bit of humanity in what is left of his life.
Blurb:
She finally meets a decent man–after she’s oath-bound never to touch men again!
Rebecca’s life sucked before she became an angel. Crappy apartment, awful jobs, abusive boyfriends–it was no wonder she jumped at the chance to escape it all and become a real live angel. The problem is Rebecca’s not very angelic, and she’ll have to do more to earn her wings than end her love affair with the word f–er, frick.
Especially when she’s assigned to save single father Tony Weis, whose less-than-pure thoughts wreak hell on a telepathic angel’s nerves. It’s all Rebecca can do to keep her hands off him…but when she loses her memory injuring herself to save Tony’s daughter, now it’s Tony’s turn to be her angel and care for her. But will Tony’s devotion tempt her from her angelic path, even if it means being human again?
Author info:
Diane Alberts current contracted works with Entangled Publishing are: ON ONE CONDITION (February 2012, Ever After line), and DIVINELY RUINED (April 2012, Ever After line). Her current works with Decadent Publishing are: KILL ME TOMORROW (October 2011, 1NightStand series), RECLAIMED (December 2011), ABSOLUTION (March 2012, Honor Guard series), BROKEN (March 2012, 1NightStand series), and ESCAPE TO ME (TBA, 1NightStand series).
Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.
She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing and Decadent Publishing. She is repped by her fabulous agent, Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. She has, as of this date, two books with Entangled Publishing, and five books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List. She has a lot of projects currently being shopped around by her fabulous agent, and her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name.
Buy links:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Books on Board
Read first chapter free:
Entangled Publishing
Find Diane on the web:
Website: www.dianealberts.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DianeAlberts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diane.....
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/sho.....
Rebecca is like any other career-oriented woman—she has goals she wants met, but isn’t looking for complications or relationships. She’s looking to get in and out—but with one small addition…her wings. She doesn’t want love or a family. She doesn’t need a man. Or, so she tells herself.
When the two of them meet, sparks fly—not just from their tempers. And they both soon realize that what they wanted all along might actually come true. What they refused to admit they desired…could be right in front of them.
How often has that happened to you? How often have we not seen what was right in front of us, until suddenly it’s there—and you wonder how you missed it? When’s the last time that happened to you?
July 22, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, HELEN SMITH
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR OF "ALISON WONDERLAND," HELEN SMITH
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Hello Helen, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about Alison Wonderland and why you decided to write the book.
Alison Wonderland is a quirky comedy about a woman who joins an all-female detective agency in Brixton. I wanted to write an offbeat book featuring strong, interesting female characters, and set it in Brixton because that’s where I live.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I have started an online detective agency with my daughter. You can find it here: http://essbeei.blogspot.com
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
I love writing. I’m fortunate that I can spend my days doing that.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I’ll read anything so long as it’s well-written. I like biographies and autobiographies as well as fiction. It’s really exciting to discover a new author that I like. I’ll usually read my way through every book they’ve written.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
I loved reading when I was a child. I always assumed I’d grow up to be a writer.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
My dystopian thriller, The Miracle Inspector, is currently available as an ebook but it will be out in print in September 2012. It’s set in the near future. England has been partitioned. Women aren’t allowed to work outside the home. Schools and theatres have closed down. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, decide to try to escape to Cornwall – with disastrous consquences. I’m really proud of this book.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
2012 is an exciting year for us here in Britain because we have the Olympic Games in July, and back in June we celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with two extra days’ holiday, street parties, pagentry and bunting. I don’t believe in the Mayan Calendar!
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
I don’t really have any advice other than to say that it’s important to read a lot. But if any aspiring authors are reading this, good luck. Just keep writing. You’ll get there.
Thank you for the questions, Kitty. I really enjoyed answering them.
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Hello Helen, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about Alison Wonderland and why you decided to write the book.
Alison Wonderland is a quirky comedy about a woman who joins an all-female detective agency in Brixton. I wanted to write an offbeat book featuring strong, interesting female characters, and set it in Brixton because that’s where I live.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I have started an online detective agency with my daughter. You can find it here: http://essbeei.blogspot.com
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
I love writing. I’m fortunate that I can spend my days doing that.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I’ll read anything so long as it’s well-written. I like biographies and autobiographies as well as fiction. It’s really exciting to discover a new author that I like. I’ll usually read my way through every book they’ve written.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
I loved reading when I was a child. I always assumed I’d grow up to be a writer.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
My dystopian thriller, The Miracle Inspector, is currently available as an ebook but it will be out in print in September 2012. It’s set in the near future. England has been partitioned. Women aren’t allowed to work outside the home. Schools and theatres have closed down. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, decide to try to escape to Cornwall – with disastrous consquences. I’m really proud of this book.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
2012 is an exciting year for us here in Britain because we have the Olympic Games in July, and back in June we celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with two extra days’ holiday, street parties, pagentry and bunting. I don’t believe in the Mayan Calendar!
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
I don’t really have any advice other than to say that it’s important to read a lot. But if any aspiring authors are reading this, good luck. Just keep writing. You’ll get there.
Thank you for the questions, Kitty. I really enjoyed answering them.
July 20, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, TERRY RICHARD BAZES
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF, "LIZARD WORLD" TERRY RICHARD BAZES
[image error] [image error]
Hello Terry, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Lizard World is – in a nutshell -- the black comic history of a brain transplant: some Florida yokels kidnap a dentist named Max Smedlow, scoop out his brain and transplant it into the body of an evil and still-surviving 17th-century English Lord. As you can see, this is certainly a horror story. But it is also a protracted joke. After they’ve been surgically connected, the dentist and the lord alternate like Jekyll and Hyde: whenever the dentist’s brain tries to take control of the decrepit body and return to his life filling cavities in suburban New Jersey, the ancient lord interrupts him with three-hundred-year-old memories of his depraved youth when he debauched maidens, ate beggars, schemed to steal a dukedom and underwent excruciating operations that engrafted stolen body parts and cut out his growths of reptilian flesh.
Why did I decide to write this? That is a difficult question – and I can think of two very different ways of answering it. On the one hand, I can speak about the very slow, intuitive process I went through in order to come up with this particular story. But, on the other hand, I can speak about why I wanted – in the first place -- to find a story that is both horrible and very funny. And it is this second way of answering your question that seems to lead into deeper waters. For the idea of writing a comic-Gothic novel was born long before I slowly discovered the plot that this comedic horror tale would have.
I think the need to write a story that is both horrible and funny stems from the fact that I think this kind of story is my most sincere expression of how I see life. I am a voice-driven writer – which is to say that I discover my characters through the way they speak – and a black-comic plot releases these voices.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
The only hobby I have now is oil painting. I’m not a very good painter and that’s probably why I like painting so much – and why it’s so good for me. It allows me to be playful while at the same time (since I know I’ll never be Monet or Cezanne) it frees me from the perfectionism that sometimes afflicts me when I sit down to write. Painting a picture, like writing a novel, is about creating a world. It reminds me that I shouldn’t hesitate to make a cloud or rub one out and, through my very incompetence, that it’s okay to make a mess of things. Although I don’t paint often, I always wonder (when I do paint) why I don’t paint more; for I lose all sense of time – and, after I finally put my brush down, the canvas always draws me back again like a magnet.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
The most rewarding thing in my life? That’s easy: the people I love.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
Although Lizard World is a black-comic horror novel and so – sort of – belongs to the horror genre, I don’t think it should be shelved next to The Shining or Dracula. Instead I hope it might be placed next to other darkly comic fictions – and these are the kinds of books I mostly read. The modern masters of the comedic voice whom I like most are Nabokov, Thomas Berger, Evelyn Waugh, Aldous Huxley, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon and Martin Amis. Thomas Berger, for example, has written in many different genres – the whodunit, the western, the spy story etc. – but it is the comic voice that is the constant. But I do also have a longstanding fascination with the gory delights and nightmarish characters of the Gothic novel and have read most of the masterpieces. I particularly like books that, like Lizard World, fuse the comic and the gothic – like Patrick McGrath’s The Grotesque, for example.
But I also read entirely different kinds of novels. At least once a year I read a Simenon mystery in French and right now I’m reading Ian Fleming.
I like Tolkien’s and Neil Gaiman’s fantasies and William Gibson’s and Neal Stephenson’s science fiction. All of this reading is certainly always for pleasure, but it’s also always equally for business. That’s because I remain on the lookout for anything that will suggest possibilities for writing a scene or structuring a drama.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
When I was sixteen I became obsessed with writing papers for my English class. I spent hours and hours, sitting at my desk in my room, writing in longhand on a lined pad of yellow paper. I remember how I was always revising, changing words, adding phrases, experimenting with the order of my sentences and – not with a computer but literally – cutting and pasting with scissors and scotch tape. I remember one day realizing that I would always be doing this.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I’ve been working with a brilliant illustrator – named Lou Netter – on a graphic novel version of Lizard World. So that’s the next book in the works, although I can’t say exactly when it we’ll set the monster loose. I’m also in the very earliest stages of planning another novel – and so I have some sketches of a plot, some embryonic characters and some passages of polished prose. But it is much too soon for me to know what it will be and certainly much too soon for me to speak of it. That’s not because I want to be ungenerously secretive, but because my first creative writing teacher told me that it’s “bad luck” for a writer to talk about a work-in-progress – and because I’ve come to see the wisdom of that advice. The point is that speaking about a book before it’s had a chance to germinate is like prematurely letting the steam out a pressure cooker. Uncooked ideas have to stay inside the imagination, safe from either the approval or the disapproval of the outside world. Because approval or disapproval can be equally injurious, interfering with judgments and choices that require the clarity of solitude.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
Yes there was. His name was Robert Cullen and he was, for me at least, the “catcher in the rye.” Holden Caufield explains that phrase when he says that he’d imagined children playing on a field of rye – and a grown man standing on the edge, ready to catch anyone about to fall over. Cullen was, I think, the only person I’ve ever known who was enlightened – in the Zen Buddhist sense of the word. So when I, so to speak, stubbed my toe on the infinite, he was the one who helped me understand. It was because he suggested it that I spent years studying the poetry of William Blake. Cullen almost always wore sunglasses, but when he took them off and looked at you, he had eyes like blue laser beams.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I am much more drawn to the past than to the future and so I can’t say that I find myself thinking very much about future generations. But if I did dream about future generations, I feel pretty sure that those dreams would be nightmares. I don’t see things getting a whole lot better and think the world to come will much more likely be a dystopia than a utopia. I hope that my sons and their families (if they have them) will grow their own food and establish a self-sufficient sanctuary in the countryside as far as possible from the ugliness and contagion of the larger society. I once was on the coast of northwest Ireland where I was told that, on an island not from there, monks devoted themselves to transcribing the Bible during the dark ages. I think civilized people in the future will have to do pretty much the same thing – keep the candle burning in the night.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
National Geographic recently reported that a cave has been discovered in an ancient Mayan city – and that the walls of the cave are covered with paintings, one of which is a calendar that extends the future for at least another 7000 years.
So it seems that even the Mayans didn’t think that the world was going to end in 2012. I think they were probably right.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
The advice I’d most like to give to other writers is that they should write for the love of writing itself and not for any other imagined and extraneous benefit.
In other words, don’t write because you think it’s going to make you rich or famous – or even noticed at all, for that matter. The greatest joy I’ve gotten from writing came to me on those splendid and rare days when, in complete solitude, I had written pages that entirely pleased me. This bliss was sufficient unto itself and didn’t require anyone else’s attention or applause. Above all, trust yourself, your own sense of taste – and if it tastes good to you, it is.
If you’d like to know more about me, go to my website: http://terryrichardbazes.com/ I’d be delighted to have you visit.
Thank you again Terry for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
[image error] [image error]
Hello Terry, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Lizard World is – in a nutshell -- the black comic history of a brain transplant: some Florida yokels kidnap a dentist named Max Smedlow, scoop out his brain and transplant it into the body of an evil and still-surviving 17th-century English Lord. As you can see, this is certainly a horror story. But it is also a protracted joke. After they’ve been surgically connected, the dentist and the lord alternate like Jekyll and Hyde: whenever the dentist’s brain tries to take control of the decrepit body and return to his life filling cavities in suburban New Jersey, the ancient lord interrupts him with three-hundred-year-old memories of his depraved youth when he debauched maidens, ate beggars, schemed to steal a dukedom and underwent excruciating operations that engrafted stolen body parts and cut out his growths of reptilian flesh.
Why did I decide to write this? That is a difficult question – and I can think of two very different ways of answering it. On the one hand, I can speak about the very slow, intuitive process I went through in order to come up with this particular story. But, on the other hand, I can speak about why I wanted – in the first place -- to find a story that is both horrible and very funny. And it is this second way of answering your question that seems to lead into deeper waters. For the idea of writing a comic-Gothic novel was born long before I slowly discovered the plot that this comedic horror tale would have.
I think the need to write a story that is both horrible and funny stems from the fact that I think this kind of story is my most sincere expression of how I see life. I am a voice-driven writer – which is to say that I discover my characters through the way they speak – and a black-comic plot releases these voices.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
The only hobby I have now is oil painting. I’m not a very good painter and that’s probably why I like painting so much – and why it’s so good for me. It allows me to be playful while at the same time (since I know I’ll never be Monet or Cezanne) it frees me from the perfectionism that sometimes afflicts me when I sit down to write. Painting a picture, like writing a novel, is about creating a world. It reminds me that I shouldn’t hesitate to make a cloud or rub one out and, through my very incompetence, that it’s okay to make a mess of things. Although I don’t paint often, I always wonder (when I do paint) why I don’t paint more; for I lose all sense of time – and, after I finally put my brush down, the canvas always draws me back again like a magnet.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
The most rewarding thing in my life? That’s easy: the people I love.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
Although Lizard World is a black-comic horror novel and so – sort of – belongs to the horror genre, I don’t think it should be shelved next to The Shining or Dracula. Instead I hope it might be placed next to other darkly comic fictions – and these are the kinds of books I mostly read. The modern masters of the comedic voice whom I like most are Nabokov, Thomas Berger, Evelyn Waugh, Aldous Huxley, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon and Martin Amis. Thomas Berger, for example, has written in many different genres – the whodunit, the western, the spy story etc. – but it is the comic voice that is the constant. But I do also have a longstanding fascination with the gory delights and nightmarish characters of the Gothic novel and have read most of the masterpieces. I particularly like books that, like Lizard World, fuse the comic and the gothic – like Patrick McGrath’s The Grotesque, for example.
But I also read entirely different kinds of novels. At least once a year I read a Simenon mystery in French and right now I’m reading Ian Fleming.
I like Tolkien’s and Neil Gaiman’s fantasies and William Gibson’s and Neal Stephenson’s science fiction. All of this reading is certainly always for pleasure, but it’s also always equally for business. That’s because I remain on the lookout for anything that will suggest possibilities for writing a scene or structuring a drama.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
When I was sixteen I became obsessed with writing papers for my English class. I spent hours and hours, sitting at my desk in my room, writing in longhand on a lined pad of yellow paper. I remember how I was always revising, changing words, adding phrases, experimenting with the order of my sentences and – not with a computer but literally – cutting and pasting with scissors and scotch tape. I remember one day realizing that I would always be doing this.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I’ve been working with a brilliant illustrator – named Lou Netter – on a graphic novel version of Lizard World. So that’s the next book in the works, although I can’t say exactly when it we’ll set the monster loose. I’m also in the very earliest stages of planning another novel – and so I have some sketches of a plot, some embryonic characters and some passages of polished prose. But it is much too soon for me to know what it will be and certainly much too soon for me to speak of it. That’s not because I want to be ungenerously secretive, but because my first creative writing teacher told me that it’s “bad luck” for a writer to talk about a work-in-progress – and because I’ve come to see the wisdom of that advice. The point is that speaking about a book before it’s had a chance to germinate is like prematurely letting the steam out a pressure cooker. Uncooked ideas have to stay inside the imagination, safe from either the approval or the disapproval of the outside world. Because approval or disapproval can be equally injurious, interfering with judgments and choices that require the clarity of solitude.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
Yes there was. His name was Robert Cullen and he was, for me at least, the “catcher in the rye.” Holden Caufield explains that phrase when he says that he’d imagined children playing on a field of rye – and a grown man standing on the edge, ready to catch anyone about to fall over. Cullen was, I think, the only person I’ve ever known who was enlightened – in the Zen Buddhist sense of the word. So when I, so to speak, stubbed my toe on the infinite, he was the one who helped me understand. It was because he suggested it that I spent years studying the poetry of William Blake. Cullen almost always wore sunglasses, but when he took them off and looked at you, he had eyes like blue laser beams.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I am much more drawn to the past than to the future and so I can’t say that I find myself thinking very much about future generations. But if I did dream about future generations, I feel pretty sure that those dreams would be nightmares. I don’t see things getting a whole lot better and think the world to come will much more likely be a dystopia than a utopia. I hope that my sons and their families (if they have them) will grow their own food and establish a self-sufficient sanctuary in the countryside as far as possible from the ugliness and contagion of the larger society. I once was on the coast of northwest Ireland where I was told that, on an island not from there, monks devoted themselves to transcribing the Bible during the dark ages. I think civilized people in the future will have to do pretty much the same thing – keep the candle burning in the night.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
National Geographic recently reported that a cave has been discovered in an ancient Mayan city – and that the walls of the cave are covered with paintings, one of which is a calendar that extends the future for at least another 7000 years.
So it seems that even the Mayans didn’t think that the world was going to end in 2012. I think they were probably right.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
The advice I’d most like to give to other writers is that they should write for the love of writing itself and not for any other imagined and extraneous benefit.
In other words, don’t write because you think it’s going to make you rich or famous – or even noticed at all, for that matter. The greatest joy I’ve gotten from writing came to me on those splendid and rare days when, in complete solitude, I had written pages that entirely pleased me. This bliss was sufficient unto itself and didn’t require anyone else’s attention or applause. Above all, trust yourself, your own sense of taste – and if it tastes good to you, it is.
If you’d like to know more about me, go to my website: http://terryrichardbazes.com/ I’d be delighted to have you visit.
Thank you again Terry for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
July 19, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, KERGAN EDWARDS-STOUT
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, KERGAN EDWARDS-STOUT
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Award-winning director and Huffington Post contributor, Kergan Edwards-Stout, who was honored by the Human Rights Campaign as a “2011 Father of the Year”, recently published his debut novel, Songs for the New Depression. The novel has received much critical acclaim and was short-listed for the Independent Literary Awards.
Q: What inspired you to write Songs for the New Depression?
A: Over 12 years ago, out of the blue, a line popped into my head: “James Baldwin once wrote that Americans lack a sense of doom, yet here I stand.” At the time, I didn’t know where that line came from, who was speaking it, or what it would become, but that line stuck with me, eventually becoming the first line of the novel.
Q: Were you familiar with James Baldwin’s work?
A: I’d read Giovanni’s Room many years ago, and that concept, that Americans lack a sense of doom, really resonated. I really wanted to try to capture that moment in time, before the new HIV drugs came along, with all of that raw humor, love, friendship, sex, and danger. Too often, the temptation is to write about such times in sepia tones, but I really wanted to try to capture that moment as vividly as I could.
Q: Your lead character, Gabriel Travers, knows he’s going to die, and is looking back at the choices he has made. Are his experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
A: His journey is entirely fictional, but when I hear his voice in my head, it sounds a lot like my partner Shane Sawick, who died in 1995. He was witty, cynical, passionate, but also had his insecurities and self-doubt. I wanted to honor him, as well as friends who died during that time, and tried to do that with this book. It’s filled with a lot of the love, laughter, and sex that seemed to be so prevalent in those years.
Q: Gabriel makes many mistakes on his journey. What is he hoping to accomplish?
A: Like so many of us, Gabriel really wants to better himself, but doesn’t know how. Growing up, he wasn’t given the tools he needed, and when you don’t feel loved, it’s easy to make mistakes in pursuit of affection. When he realizes that he is dying, however, he is forced to confront his past, in particular a horrific event that happened in his youth and shaped his future choices. Learning to love and accept himself, flaws and all, is what he attempts to do. And I think that is why he and the book resonates with women. That kind of quest and the epic love story really appeal to women, as well as gay men.
Q: Your novel is broken into three distinct sections. What lead you to take that approach?
A: I felt like this story, Gabe’s discovery of himself, was really about peeling back the layers, finally revealing what is at his core and makes him act the way that he does. I like the way we first meet him, in 1995, facing death and trying to make amends. It then skips back 10 years, to when he’s in his 20’s, living that hedonistic L.A. life, and we seeing him making his mistakes. Then it jumps back another 10 years, finally revealing his high school self, his more naïve nature, and the moment which would inform everything that came after. Plus, if I’d told the story linearly, and the readers knew what he’d faced right away, much of the drama would have been gone.
Q: Given the events Gabe experiences in high school, how do you feel about all of the recent news about the bullying of LGBT youth?
A: Clearly, it is terrible. But I also believe that many of the campaigns trying to alleviate the problem are missing the point. We can never get rid of bullies. There will always be another. So the question becomes, what can we do about those who suffer at their hands? What tools can we give them? How do we make sure they have every chance to overcome their ordeal and blossom into well-functioning adults? It is our duty to help them not be defined by that moment.
Q: Where does the title, Songs for the New Depression, come from?
A: It’s the title of Bette Midler’s third album, released in 1976. Gabe is one of her biggest fans, and that album resonates thematically throughout the book.
Q: Who are your favorite writers?
A: Michael Cunningham is wonderful, and Armistead Maupin, who wrote the Tales of the City series, is just brilliant. I love his ability to quickly draw you in, sketch out the characters, and involve you emotionally. He is great at balancing the tender moments with much-needed humor, and I try to do the same with my writing. I’m not a fan of so much of what passes as literary fiction these days. Most of it seems over-written and is hard for me to connect with.
Q: Do you have a specific writing style?
A: I try to serve the story, in whatever way I think fits best. I’ve written light, funny things, as well as darker, moodier work. Songs for the New Depression walks a balance between comedy and tragedy, which is very challenging.
Q: What did you do before you started writing?
A: I’ve always loved writing, but when I was younger, I got my degree from UCLA in Theatre, focused on acting and directing, and did a lot of production work in film and television. Writing became more of a passion when I realized what a bad actor I was! (laughing) But I have some great stories from those days. I cast and directed Jack Black in his first college productions, one of which went on to perform at the Kennedy Center. I also directed Eric Close, of TV’s long-running Without a Trace, in his first professional production.
Q: What made you leave entertainment?
A: As much fun as all of that was, I wasn’t being fulfilled emotionally. I came to a point where I realized that I needed something more rewarding in my life, and I took a job at AIDS Project Los Angeles. I’d been a longtime volunteer, and ended up working there for four years, running an AIDS intervention program. Little did I know then how much that decision would ultimately change my life.
Q: Is that where you met your then-partner?
A: Yes—Shane was the coordinator of the Southern California AIDS Hotline. We were together for two years before he died, and that experience of fully loving and caring for another really readjusted me. Until then, I’d been pretty self-obsessed. Without that personal awakening, of being a caregiver for another, I don’t think I would’ve been a very good parent, partner—or even a decent writer.
Q: So, you mentioned you’re a parent. How did that come about?
A: My partner Russ and I have two amazing boys, Mason and Marcus, who bring us a lot of joy. Mason was adopted privately at birth, and Marcus came to us at age two, through fost-adopt. Mason is now 12 and terrific at sports, and Marcus is 9, and will likely end up on a stage somewhere.
Q: Do you have another project in the works?
A: I’m currently writing a memoir, based on an incident which made me question every single aspect of my life, called Never Turn Your Back on the Tide.
Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?
A: Absolutely—find your own voice. When I was in college, I worked closely with playwright Michael Sargent, whose writing was so good, so tinged with anger, that I thought to myself “I can’t write like him—I’ll never be a writer.” What I didn’t realize, though, is that I didn’t have to write like him to be a writer. You have to reach inside yourself and discover your own unique voice. And for me, that only came with age and life experience.
Songs for the New Depression is available now at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon, and fine booksellers everywhere.
[image error] [image error]
Award-winning director and Huffington Post contributor, Kergan Edwards-Stout, who was honored by the Human Rights Campaign as a “2011 Father of the Year”, recently published his debut novel, Songs for the New Depression. The novel has received much critical acclaim and was short-listed for the Independent Literary Awards.
Q: What inspired you to write Songs for the New Depression?
A: Over 12 years ago, out of the blue, a line popped into my head: “James Baldwin once wrote that Americans lack a sense of doom, yet here I stand.” At the time, I didn’t know where that line came from, who was speaking it, or what it would become, but that line stuck with me, eventually becoming the first line of the novel.
Q: Were you familiar with James Baldwin’s work?
A: I’d read Giovanni’s Room many years ago, and that concept, that Americans lack a sense of doom, really resonated. I really wanted to try to capture that moment in time, before the new HIV drugs came along, with all of that raw humor, love, friendship, sex, and danger. Too often, the temptation is to write about such times in sepia tones, but I really wanted to try to capture that moment as vividly as I could.
Q: Your lead character, Gabriel Travers, knows he’s going to die, and is looking back at the choices he has made. Are his experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
A: His journey is entirely fictional, but when I hear his voice in my head, it sounds a lot like my partner Shane Sawick, who died in 1995. He was witty, cynical, passionate, but also had his insecurities and self-doubt. I wanted to honor him, as well as friends who died during that time, and tried to do that with this book. It’s filled with a lot of the love, laughter, and sex that seemed to be so prevalent in those years.
Q: Gabriel makes many mistakes on his journey. What is he hoping to accomplish?
A: Like so many of us, Gabriel really wants to better himself, but doesn’t know how. Growing up, he wasn’t given the tools he needed, and when you don’t feel loved, it’s easy to make mistakes in pursuit of affection. When he realizes that he is dying, however, he is forced to confront his past, in particular a horrific event that happened in his youth and shaped his future choices. Learning to love and accept himself, flaws and all, is what he attempts to do. And I think that is why he and the book resonates with women. That kind of quest and the epic love story really appeal to women, as well as gay men.
Q: Your novel is broken into three distinct sections. What lead you to take that approach?
A: I felt like this story, Gabe’s discovery of himself, was really about peeling back the layers, finally revealing what is at his core and makes him act the way that he does. I like the way we first meet him, in 1995, facing death and trying to make amends. It then skips back 10 years, to when he’s in his 20’s, living that hedonistic L.A. life, and we seeing him making his mistakes. Then it jumps back another 10 years, finally revealing his high school self, his more naïve nature, and the moment which would inform everything that came after. Plus, if I’d told the story linearly, and the readers knew what he’d faced right away, much of the drama would have been gone.
Q: Given the events Gabe experiences in high school, how do you feel about all of the recent news about the bullying of LGBT youth?
A: Clearly, it is terrible. But I also believe that many of the campaigns trying to alleviate the problem are missing the point. We can never get rid of bullies. There will always be another. So the question becomes, what can we do about those who suffer at their hands? What tools can we give them? How do we make sure they have every chance to overcome their ordeal and blossom into well-functioning adults? It is our duty to help them not be defined by that moment.
Q: Where does the title, Songs for the New Depression, come from?
A: It’s the title of Bette Midler’s third album, released in 1976. Gabe is one of her biggest fans, and that album resonates thematically throughout the book.
Q: Who are your favorite writers?
A: Michael Cunningham is wonderful, and Armistead Maupin, who wrote the Tales of the City series, is just brilliant. I love his ability to quickly draw you in, sketch out the characters, and involve you emotionally. He is great at balancing the tender moments with much-needed humor, and I try to do the same with my writing. I’m not a fan of so much of what passes as literary fiction these days. Most of it seems over-written and is hard for me to connect with.
Q: Do you have a specific writing style?
A: I try to serve the story, in whatever way I think fits best. I’ve written light, funny things, as well as darker, moodier work. Songs for the New Depression walks a balance between comedy and tragedy, which is very challenging.
Q: What did you do before you started writing?
A: I’ve always loved writing, but when I was younger, I got my degree from UCLA in Theatre, focused on acting and directing, and did a lot of production work in film and television. Writing became more of a passion when I realized what a bad actor I was! (laughing) But I have some great stories from those days. I cast and directed Jack Black in his first college productions, one of which went on to perform at the Kennedy Center. I also directed Eric Close, of TV’s long-running Without a Trace, in his first professional production.
Q: What made you leave entertainment?
A: As much fun as all of that was, I wasn’t being fulfilled emotionally. I came to a point where I realized that I needed something more rewarding in my life, and I took a job at AIDS Project Los Angeles. I’d been a longtime volunteer, and ended up working there for four years, running an AIDS intervention program. Little did I know then how much that decision would ultimately change my life.
Q: Is that where you met your then-partner?
A: Yes—Shane was the coordinator of the Southern California AIDS Hotline. We were together for two years before he died, and that experience of fully loving and caring for another really readjusted me. Until then, I’d been pretty self-obsessed. Without that personal awakening, of being a caregiver for another, I don’t think I would’ve been a very good parent, partner—or even a decent writer.
Q: So, you mentioned you’re a parent. How did that come about?
A: My partner Russ and I have two amazing boys, Mason and Marcus, who bring us a lot of joy. Mason was adopted privately at birth, and Marcus came to us at age two, through fost-adopt. Mason is now 12 and terrific at sports, and Marcus is 9, and will likely end up on a stage somewhere.
Q: Do you have another project in the works?
A: I’m currently writing a memoir, based on an incident which made me question every single aspect of my life, called Never Turn Your Back on the Tide.
Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?
A: Absolutely—find your own voice. When I was in college, I worked closely with playwright Michael Sargent, whose writing was so good, so tinged with anger, that I thought to myself “I can’t write like him—I’ll never be a writer.” What I didn’t realize, though, is that I didn’t have to write like him to be a writer. You have to reach inside yourself and discover your own unique voice. And for me, that only came with age and life experience.
Songs for the New Depression is available now at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon, and fine booksellers everywhere.
July 18, 2012
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR, JANE KINDRED
GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR OF "THE FALLEN QUEEN" & "MIDNIGHT COURT," JANE KINDRED
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How an Atheist Fell in Love with the Russian Orthodoxy
I grew up among True Believers—not in Russian Orthodoxy, but in Pentacostal/Evangelical Protestantism. I went to church two to three times a week, went to weekly Bible studies, attended every summer camp and weekend retreat I could—including Baptist Vacation Bible School and even a few healing services, revivals, and “crusades,” and spoke in tongues—all before I was eight years old. I spent my middle school years at a Christian school, and later joined and toured with the youth choir. I even applied to Oral Roberts University while I was in high school. (Thankfully, they turned me down.)
But through all of that, I had a huge problem: I was a Doubting Thomas. I had questions, and the answers I was given weren’t satisfying. I couldn’t accept a lot of the doctrine. Consequently, I felt like a Very Bad Christian and spent a lot of time praying that God would make me a good one. It never took.
As I reached adulthood, I had to examine why I was still clinging to a faith I didn’t truly believe in, and when I realized the only answer was “fear,” I had to let it go once and for all. Fear is not a good reason to believe in anything.
I later explored paganism, which I still have a strong attachment to because of its ritual and its focus on nature and feminism, even though I can’t say I’m a true believer in any kind of deity. For the most part, I have been throughout my life and remain an atheist—or at best, an agnostic.
So why did I write a series about angels and demons? Maybe it’s because they always fascinated me as a mythology when taken out of the context of religious belief. All those wings (did you know Cherubim have two sets, and Seraphim have three?), beings of fire and light, warrior angels and rebels—and so many different orders. I wanted to have fun with a subject that had been one of somberness and seriousness throughout my childhood, and yes, of fear.
I made Heaven the setting of my fantasy world, because it seemed the natural place for angels to live, and I figured the demons ought to live there too. Of course, the demons are relegated to the slums. But my angel heroine, Anazakia, finds the Demon District far more interesting than the pristine celestial world in which she’s raised.
I had a lot of fun writing the world of The Fallen Queen and making up my own heavenly rules, unrestrained by religion. Then along came Book Two, and before I knew it, an important secondary character had emerged who was a True Believer: an Orthodox monk. I began to research the religion to make sure I was representing Brother Kirill properly; I wanted him to be a fully realized character whose actions came from a place of unquestionable faith and honesty.
I had already fallen in love with the buildings of the Russian Orthodox church while visiting St. Petersburg and Novgorod in Northern Russia—their simple beauty is awe-inspiring—but as I researched the traditions and the beliefs, I found myself moved by how intricately intertwined the religion is with the history of the country, how important it was in the fabric of daily life in imperial Russia, and how it has given believers hope in some of the darkest of times. Of course, that can be said of many religious beliefs, but there’s something about a church in which you enter and stand—no sitting in pews, no kneeling—and where you recite the liturgy with a priest standing with you, or take your prayers to the icon of the saint you wish to petition, that seems very personal and comforting in its simplicity.
I have to admit, I was envious when I stood in an Orthodox cathedral for the first time, wishing I could be part of it. I even bought a beautiful headscarf to wear since women must cover their heads inside the church. As a staunch feminist, I felt I ought to be offended, but instead I felt oddly honored, part of something special, and awestruck by the experience of being allowed to enter in the midst of their worship as nothing more than a tourist, so long as I was respectful of their space and their beliefs.
I’ve tried to remain respectful in writing this series, to do the beauty of the Russian Orthodoxy justice (admittedly, as I see it—a tourist, from the outside looking in), despite the fact that I’m writing about a world in which there is no God in Heaven, and despite the fact that as much as I envy the pure faith of true believers, I know in my heart I will never be one.
My character Kirill was problematic, as I had to take him through a journey in which all of his beliefs are shaken to the core. But despite the cruelty I subject poor Kirill to, I admire him immensely and hope I’ve done him justice. And through Kirill, I’ve fallen under the spell of Russia and the Orthodoxy just a little bit more.
Have you ever had an experience where something you didn’t personally believe in still affected you deeply? Tell me about it in the comments to enter to win an ebook of The Fallen Queen or The Midnight Court. (Note that The Midnight Court will be available only after release day, currently scheduled for August 14.)
About the book:
Against the pristine ice of Heaven, spilled blood and a demon’s fire will spark celestial war.
The exiled heir to the throne of Heaven, Grand Duchess Anazakia and her demon companions, Belphagor and Vasily, have made a comfortable home in the Russian city of Arkhangel’sk, but their domestic bliss is short lived. When their daughter Ola is taken as a pawn in Heaven’s demon revolution, the delicate fabric of their unorthodox family is torn apart—threatening to separate Belphagor and Vasily for good.
Anazakia is prepared to move Heaven and Earth to get her daughter back from Queen Aeval, risen in Elysium from the ashes of temporary defeat. But Aeval isn’t the only one seeking Ola’s strange power.
To conquer the forces amassing against them, Anazakia is prophesied to spill the blood of one close to her heart, while Vasily’s fire will prove more potent than anyone suspected. In the battle for supremacy over Heaven’s empire, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed, but love will reign supernal.
Pre-order The Midnight Court, available August 14, at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM | The Book Depository | Books On Board | IndieBound | Powell’s Books.
About the author:
Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.
She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.
You can find Jane on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and on her website.
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How an Atheist Fell in Love with the Russian Orthodoxy
I grew up among True Believers—not in Russian Orthodoxy, but in Pentacostal/Evangelical Protestantism. I went to church two to three times a week, went to weekly Bible studies, attended every summer camp and weekend retreat I could—including Baptist Vacation Bible School and even a few healing services, revivals, and “crusades,” and spoke in tongues—all before I was eight years old. I spent my middle school years at a Christian school, and later joined and toured with the youth choir. I even applied to Oral Roberts University while I was in high school. (Thankfully, they turned me down.)
But through all of that, I had a huge problem: I was a Doubting Thomas. I had questions, and the answers I was given weren’t satisfying. I couldn’t accept a lot of the doctrine. Consequently, I felt like a Very Bad Christian and spent a lot of time praying that God would make me a good one. It never took.
As I reached adulthood, I had to examine why I was still clinging to a faith I didn’t truly believe in, and when I realized the only answer was “fear,” I had to let it go once and for all. Fear is not a good reason to believe in anything.
I later explored paganism, which I still have a strong attachment to because of its ritual and its focus on nature and feminism, even though I can’t say I’m a true believer in any kind of deity. For the most part, I have been throughout my life and remain an atheist—or at best, an agnostic.
So why did I write a series about angels and demons? Maybe it’s because they always fascinated me as a mythology when taken out of the context of religious belief. All those wings (did you know Cherubim have two sets, and Seraphim have three?), beings of fire and light, warrior angels and rebels—and so many different orders. I wanted to have fun with a subject that had been one of somberness and seriousness throughout my childhood, and yes, of fear.
I made Heaven the setting of my fantasy world, because it seemed the natural place for angels to live, and I figured the demons ought to live there too. Of course, the demons are relegated to the slums. But my angel heroine, Anazakia, finds the Demon District far more interesting than the pristine celestial world in which she’s raised.
I had a lot of fun writing the world of The Fallen Queen and making up my own heavenly rules, unrestrained by religion. Then along came Book Two, and before I knew it, an important secondary character had emerged who was a True Believer: an Orthodox monk. I began to research the religion to make sure I was representing Brother Kirill properly; I wanted him to be a fully realized character whose actions came from a place of unquestionable faith and honesty.
I had already fallen in love with the buildings of the Russian Orthodox church while visiting St. Petersburg and Novgorod in Northern Russia—their simple beauty is awe-inspiring—but as I researched the traditions and the beliefs, I found myself moved by how intricately intertwined the religion is with the history of the country, how important it was in the fabric of daily life in imperial Russia, and how it has given believers hope in some of the darkest of times. Of course, that can be said of many religious beliefs, but there’s something about a church in which you enter and stand—no sitting in pews, no kneeling—and where you recite the liturgy with a priest standing with you, or take your prayers to the icon of the saint you wish to petition, that seems very personal and comforting in its simplicity.
I have to admit, I was envious when I stood in an Orthodox cathedral for the first time, wishing I could be part of it. I even bought a beautiful headscarf to wear since women must cover their heads inside the church. As a staunch feminist, I felt I ought to be offended, but instead I felt oddly honored, part of something special, and awestruck by the experience of being allowed to enter in the midst of their worship as nothing more than a tourist, so long as I was respectful of their space and their beliefs.
I’ve tried to remain respectful in writing this series, to do the beauty of the Russian Orthodoxy justice (admittedly, as I see it—a tourist, from the outside looking in), despite the fact that I’m writing about a world in which there is no God in Heaven, and despite the fact that as much as I envy the pure faith of true believers, I know in my heart I will never be one.
My character Kirill was problematic, as I had to take him through a journey in which all of his beliefs are shaken to the core. But despite the cruelty I subject poor Kirill to, I admire him immensely and hope I’ve done him justice. And through Kirill, I’ve fallen under the spell of Russia and the Orthodoxy just a little bit more.
Have you ever had an experience where something you didn’t personally believe in still affected you deeply? Tell me about it in the comments to enter to win an ebook of The Fallen Queen or The Midnight Court. (Note that The Midnight Court will be available only after release day, currently scheduled for August 14.)
About the book:
Against the pristine ice of Heaven, spilled blood and a demon’s fire will spark celestial war.
The exiled heir to the throne of Heaven, Grand Duchess Anazakia and her demon companions, Belphagor and Vasily, have made a comfortable home in the Russian city of Arkhangel’sk, but their domestic bliss is short lived. When their daughter Ola is taken as a pawn in Heaven’s demon revolution, the delicate fabric of their unorthodox family is torn apart—threatening to separate Belphagor and Vasily for good.
Anazakia is prepared to move Heaven and Earth to get her daughter back from Queen Aeval, risen in Elysium from the ashes of temporary defeat. But Aeval isn’t the only one seeking Ola’s strange power.
To conquer the forces amassing against them, Anazakia is prophesied to spill the blood of one close to her heart, while Vasily’s fire will prove more potent than anyone suspected. In the battle for supremacy over Heaven’s empire, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed, but love will reign supernal.
Pre-order The Midnight Court, available August 14, at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM | The Book Depository | Books On Board | IndieBound | Powell’s Books.
About the author:
Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.
She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.
You can find Jane on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and on her website.
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, JOHN BLUMENTHAL
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR OF, "THREE AND A HALF VIRGINS" JOHN BLUMENTHAL
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Hello John, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
I have no clue what this book is about, but if you insist, here’s the spiel:
“Three and a Half Virgins” is essentially a love story that basically answers this question: If you're a woman, how would you react if the man who broke your heart twenty years ago tracked you down to apologize? And if you're that man, what would motivate you to do something that bold and unpredictable, and what would you expect to happen?
The protagonist is a guy named Jimmy Hendricks. The story begins when Jimmy’s wife leaves him for the guy up the block. After a mostly unsuccessful attempt at Internet dating, he finds himself revisiting his reckless past. Engulfed by nostalgia, he's suddenly gripped by pleasant memories of three old flames -- Laura, Samantha and Molly -- all of whom happened to have been virgins when he first met each of them twenty years before.
But the warm refuge of the past soon gives way to icy reality as he confronts the sobering details of how maliciously he tricked, seduced and broke each of their hearts. Overcome by remorse and tantalized by curiosity, he finds a way to reshape his past.
Basically, each virgin’s story is divided into two parts – what happened between each virgin and Jimmy when they first dated, and what happens when he goes back twenty years later to apologize. It’s a suspenseful tale of deceit, love and redemption that transports readers back and forth through time, and ultimately suggests that the past is not necessarily prologue.
The suspenseful part has to do with which one he ends up with at the close of the book.
Why did I decide to write it? Mostly out of pure boredom and because paper is fairly cheap these days, at least at Staples, although you can get some good deals if you shop online. Not really. Sorry. Actually, I decided to write it because I guess it seemed like a good story that would entertain readers. It’s written with a combination of humor and drama. I’ve had 8 other books published, two of them novels, and I’ve written two motion pictures. I’ve been writing professionally since I was about 24. Basically, I just love to write.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
Hobbies? I re-enact Civil War battles in my kitchen, using soldiers made out of cookie dough and stale pretzels.
No, mainly, I write. I blog for Huffington Post, which has been fun, also OpenSalon.com. As for other interests, I swim, I collect historical autographs and documents as well as first editions, I manage investments and I read a lot. I’m the anti-Christ of foodies.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Collecting residuals from my most successful movie, “Blue Streak” which, for reasons that escape me, made about $180,000,000.
Oh, you don’t mean financially? Forget that then. Truthfully, it’s my children. I have two daughters, aged 24 and 26. Watching them grow and become adults is more rewarding than anything.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
To be honest, I really don’t care much for reading the kind of stuff I write. I like history and biography (I loved “Team of Rivals”), serious literary novels (I’m on a Philip Roth kick right now.) Jonathan Tropper, whose books are more-or-less in my genre, entertains me. Christopher Moore too.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
When I was a kid, just after I decided that becoming the first Jewish president would be a long shot.
Actually, I was lucky. Esquire hired me when I was 24; then Playboy magazine hired me as an editor/writer. It was at Playboy that I realized I could write humor pretty well. Then it was books, TV and movies, then back to novels.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
It could take a while. I’m writing a sequel to The Bible with vampires. Actually, I don’t know. I’m not planning a new novel right now. I’m still trying to promote “Three and a Half Virgins” which frankly, has become much harder than writing it and infinitely less satisfying.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I skipped high school and went directly from 8th grade to college.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I dream of a world without Republicans.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
Mayan Calendar? If you mean do I believe that the world is going to end soon, my answer would be, I sure hope so. Life is overrated. But frankly, I don’t believe in the Mayan Calendar. However, if Romney wins, I’m moving to Canada.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
Advice? Sure. If you want to be a writer, get a day job and write as a hobby. I naively resisted that strategy, and it could have been a disaster if I hadn’t gotten lucky. I could be waiting tables now or selling cars. But fortunately for me, it was a lot easier to get published when I was starting out.
Also, I think a lot of aspiring writers think writing a first draft is writing. It’s not. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that rewriting is the key. I’ve rewritten books and scripts as much as 50 times. Nobody gets it right the first time around.
Links:
Website: www.threeandahalfvirgins.net
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7bw522r
Huffington Post blogs: http://tinyurl.com/898m5dl
Reviews on Facebook Fan Page: http://tinyurl.com/8yzqcj2
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Hello John, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
I have no clue what this book is about, but if you insist, here’s the spiel:
“Three and a Half Virgins” is essentially a love story that basically answers this question: If you're a woman, how would you react if the man who broke your heart twenty years ago tracked you down to apologize? And if you're that man, what would motivate you to do something that bold and unpredictable, and what would you expect to happen?
The protagonist is a guy named Jimmy Hendricks. The story begins when Jimmy’s wife leaves him for the guy up the block. After a mostly unsuccessful attempt at Internet dating, he finds himself revisiting his reckless past. Engulfed by nostalgia, he's suddenly gripped by pleasant memories of three old flames -- Laura, Samantha and Molly -- all of whom happened to have been virgins when he first met each of them twenty years before.
But the warm refuge of the past soon gives way to icy reality as he confronts the sobering details of how maliciously he tricked, seduced and broke each of their hearts. Overcome by remorse and tantalized by curiosity, he finds a way to reshape his past.
Basically, each virgin’s story is divided into two parts – what happened between each virgin and Jimmy when they first dated, and what happens when he goes back twenty years later to apologize. It’s a suspenseful tale of deceit, love and redemption that transports readers back and forth through time, and ultimately suggests that the past is not necessarily prologue.
The suspenseful part has to do with which one he ends up with at the close of the book.
Why did I decide to write it? Mostly out of pure boredom and because paper is fairly cheap these days, at least at Staples, although you can get some good deals if you shop online. Not really. Sorry. Actually, I decided to write it because I guess it seemed like a good story that would entertain readers. It’s written with a combination of humor and drama. I’ve had 8 other books published, two of them novels, and I’ve written two motion pictures. I’ve been writing professionally since I was about 24. Basically, I just love to write.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
Hobbies? I re-enact Civil War battles in my kitchen, using soldiers made out of cookie dough and stale pretzels.
No, mainly, I write. I blog for Huffington Post, which has been fun, also OpenSalon.com. As for other interests, I swim, I collect historical autographs and documents as well as first editions, I manage investments and I read a lot. I’m the anti-Christ of foodies.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Collecting residuals from my most successful movie, “Blue Streak” which, for reasons that escape me, made about $180,000,000.
Oh, you don’t mean financially? Forget that then. Truthfully, it’s my children. I have two daughters, aged 24 and 26. Watching them grow and become adults is more rewarding than anything.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
To be honest, I really don’t care much for reading the kind of stuff I write. I like history and biography (I loved “Team of Rivals”), serious literary novels (I’m on a Philip Roth kick right now.) Jonathan Tropper, whose books are more-or-less in my genre, entertains me. Christopher Moore too.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
When I was a kid, just after I decided that becoming the first Jewish president would be a long shot.
Actually, I was lucky. Esquire hired me when I was 24; then Playboy magazine hired me as an editor/writer. It was at Playboy that I realized I could write humor pretty well. Then it was books, TV and movies, then back to novels.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
It could take a while. I’m writing a sequel to The Bible with vampires. Actually, I don’t know. I’m not planning a new novel right now. I’m still trying to promote “Three and a Half Virgins” which frankly, has become much harder than writing it and infinitely less satisfying.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I skipped high school and went directly from 8th grade to college.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I dream of a world without Republicans.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
Mayan Calendar? If you mean do I believe that the world is going to end soon, my answer would be, I sure hope so. Life is overrated. But frankly, I don’t believe in the Mayan Calendar. However, if Romney wins, I’m moving to Canada.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
Advice? Sure. If you want to be a writer, get a day job and write as a hobby. I naively resisted that strategy, and it could have been a disaster if I hadn’t gotten lucky. I could be waiting tables now or selling cars. But fortunately for me, it was a lot easier to get published when I was starting out.
Also, I think a lot of aspiring writers think writing a first draft is writing. It’s not. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that rewriting is the key. I’ve rewritten books and scripts as much as 50 times. Nobody gets it right the first time around.
Links:
Website: www.threeandahalfvirgins.net
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7bw522r
Huffington Post blogs: http://tinyurl.com/898m5dl
Reviews on Facebook Fan Page: http://tinyurl.com/8yzqcj2
July 17, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, MICHELLE THOMPSON
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF "FLAMES OF REDEMPTION," MICHELLE THOMPSON
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Hello Michelle, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Hi Kitty. I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to Great Minds Think Aloud as an author. My newest book, “Flames of Redemption”, is a realistic young adult fiction novel. This story is about a teenage girl who grew up in the foster care system and the difficult experiences and memories that she has acquired along the way. Ultimately she has to make a decision to either hold on to her fears and bitterness as a result of these memories and experiences or like the mythical phoenix, let herself become engulfed in the ashes of her past so that she can be reborn with a new perspective and lease on life.
The emotion in this novel comes from a compilation of situations in my own life, however what the main character experiences is completely fictional. The reason I decided to write such a compelling story is because I know that readers, especially young adult readers today, can relate to a “not so fairytale” plot and the gritty details of honest day to day struggles that we all deal with. Also, I’ve learned that sometimes reading about the struggles of reality can help me to put my own challenges into perspective and give me something to relate to. Hopefully others will also find this beneficial when reading my novels.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I love being outdoors and camping, especially with my family. Indoors I like to design and make my own cards and I have recently been intrigued with wheat-free cooking and baking. I also enjoy dabbling in photography and songwriting on the piano. You can see bits and pieces of these hobbies on my website (listed below).
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
One of the most rewarding things in my life right now is definitely my family. With the addition of our youngest son recently-after some personal struggles, I have come to appreciate life more and all of the little things that we often take for granted. My family is essential to every part of who I am and what I do.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I hate to admit it, but I haven’t always been a big reader. My husband introduced me to a plethora of books when we were married and I have loved reading ever since. I do tend to prefer young adult fiction and realistic fiction, but I also enjoy some science fiction, fantasy, mystery/suspense and historical fiction. I can usually tell by the first chapter if I will be hooked or not.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
Unlike reading, I’ve always loved to write. I was always better at expressing myself on paper than in person, and it didn’t take long for me to figure out that I have a knack for connecting with my readers emotionally. I started out writing poetry and short stories for fun, and then came to realize that I even enjoyed writing research papers for school. In high school and college I had the opportunity to write for the school newspaper and I also enjoyed being an opinion columnist for my hometown newspaper. Writing seems to come naturally for me, unlike many other things I’ve tried to do in my life. It is also a creative outlet that I feel that I not only want sometimes, but maybe even need.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I’m working on two novels right now, and have started formulating a third in my head. The first one is a sequel to my first novel, “Taming the Wind”, which most of my fans have requested, and the second is my first non-realistic fiction novel. It is sort of fantasy-like, and has been a lot harder for me to write than I expected – but I am excited at where it is going. I write on one or the other at a time, depending on the mood I’m in, and I’m hoping to have one or both finished by the end of the year. The third novel is still in the idea phase, but involves a fictional female character with a bleeding disorder. This story hits close to home since I am a symptomatic hemophiliac carrier, and there is not much out there that connects to women with bleeding disorders. My hope is to have it entertain while also being educational and relevant to the typical reader.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I was fortunate to have many amazing teachers and coaches in High School. I’d have to say that my soccer coach, Mr. B. probably made the most difference in my life. He believed in me and helped me to find and utilize talent that I didn’t necessarily know that I had and he also helped me to learn to believe in myself. Because of this I also learned how to work hard for something that I wanted and to not give up until I achieved it. My parents also facilitated me in this and I am forever grateful for their encouraging influence in my life.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I’d like for future generations to be able to enjoy and appreciate a great formal and non-formal education. Every bit of knowledge and experience we gain shapes us into who we are, and hopefully will give us the wisdom that we need to succeed in this life. I think this in turn gives us opportunities and desires to give back to others around us and in our own way influence their lives for good. This is one of the reasons I love to talk to school classrooms about writing and being an author.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
As far as 2012 goes, I’m just grateful for another year with my family and friends. I guess the key is to live each day to its fullest and not have any regrets. This way, no matter what we believe, we can all be satisfied with our efforts.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
For those who have started writing a book and have never finished, I guess I would say that if it is important to you, then you have to make time for it. Another thing that I’ve learned is that family and friends can be valuable sources of inspiration, ideas, and constructive criticism. The goal after all, is to succeed in telling a story that others want or need to hear and in the process find your voice and connect with thousands of people over and over again.
You can learn more about me and my books on my website, www.michellebooks.com and you can see what I’m up to on my blog, www.chellebellebooks.blogspot.com . You can also find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Tho.....
Thank you again Michelle for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my story!
Take care, and I look forward to working with you again.
Michelle Thompson
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Hello Michelle, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Hi Kitty. I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to Great Minds Think Aloud as an author. My newest book, “Flames of Redemption”, is a realistic young adult fiction novel. This story is about a teenage girl who grew up in the foster care system and the difficult experiences and memories that she has acquired along the way. Ultimately she has to make a decision to either hold on to her fears and bitterness as a result of these memories and experiences or like the mythical phoenix, let herself become engulfed in the ashes of her past so that she can be reborn with a new perspective and lease on life.
The emotion in this novel comes from a compilation of situations in my own life, however what the main character experiences is completely fictional. The reason I decided to write such a compelling story is because I know that readers, especially young adult readers today, can relate to a “not so fairytale” plot and the gritty details of honest day to day struggles that we all deal with. Also, I’ve learned that sometimes reading about the struggles of reality can help me to put my own challenges into perspective and give me something to relate to. Hopefully others will also find this beneficial when reading my novels.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I love being outdoors and camping, especially with my family. Indoors I like to design and make my own cards and I have recently been intrigued with wheat-free cooking and baking. I also enjoy dabbling in photography and songwriting on the piano. You can see bits and pieces of these hobbies on my website (listed below).
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
One of the most rewarding things in my life right now is definitely my family. With the addition of our youngest son recently-after some personal struggles, I have come to appreciate life more and all of the little things that we often take for granted. My family is essential to every part of who I am and what I do.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I hate to admit it, but I haven’t always been a big reader. My husband introduced me to a plethora of books when we were married and I have loved reading ever since. I do tend to prefer young adult fiction and realistic fiction, but I also enjoy some science fiction, fantasy, mystery/suspense and historical fiction. I can usually tell by the first chapter if I will be hooked or not.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
Unlike reading, I’ve always loved to write. I was always better at expressing myself on paper than in person, and it didn’t take long for me to figure out that I have a knack for connecting with my readers emotionally. I started out writing poetry and short stories for fun, and then came to realize that I even enjoyed writing research papers for school. In high school and college I had the opportunity to write for the school newspaper and I also enjoyed being an opinion columnist for my hometown newspaper. Writing seems to come naturally for me, unlike many other things I’ve tried to do in my life. It is also a creative outlet that I feel that I not only want sometimes, but maybe even need.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
I’m working on two novels right now, and have started formulating a third in my head. The first one is a sequel to my first novel, “Taming the Wind”, which most of my fans have requested, and the second is my first non-realistic fiction novel. It is sort of fantasy-like, and has been a lot harder for me to write than I expected – but I am excited at where it is going. I write on one or the other at a time, depending on the mood I’m in, and I’m hoping to have one or both finished by the end of the year. The third novel is still in the idea phase, but involves a fictional female character with a bleeding disorder. This story hits close to home since I am a symptomatic hemophiliac carrier, and there is not much out there that connects to women with bleeding disorders. My hope is to have it entertain while also being educational and relevant to the typical reader.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I was fortunate to have many amazing teachers and coaches in High School. I’d have to say that my soccer coach, Mr. B. probably made the most difference in my life. He believed in me and helped me to find and utilize talent that I didn’t necessarily know that I had and he also helped me to learn to believe in myself. Because of this I also learned how to work hard for something that I wanted and to not give up until I achieved it. My parents also facilitated me in this and I am forever grateful for their encouraging influence in my life.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I’d like for future generations to be able to enjoy and appreciate a great formal and non-formal education. Every bit of knowledge and experience we gain shapes us into who we are, and hopefully will give us the wisdom that we need to succeed in this life. I think this in turn gives us opportunities and desires to give back to others around us and in our own way influence their lives for good. This is one of the reasons I love to talk to school classrooms about writing and being an author.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
As far as 2012 goes, I’m just grateful for another year with my family and friends. I guess the key is to live each day to its fullest and not have any regrets. This way, no matter what we believe, we can all be satisfied with our efforts.
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
For those who have started writing a book and have never finished, I guess I would say that if it is important to you, then you have to make time for it. Another thing that I’ve learned is that family and friends can be valuable sources of inspiration, ideas, and constructive criticism. The goal after all, is to succeed in telling a story that others want or need to hear and in the process find your voice and connect with thousands of people over and over again.
You can learn more about me and my books on my website, www.michellebooks.com and you can see what I’m up to on my blog, www.chellebellebooks.blogspot.com . You can also find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Tho.....
Thank you again Michelle for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my story!
Take care, and I look forward to working with you again.
Michelle Thompson
July 16, 2012
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, LINDA POITEVIN
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF "SINS OF THE SON," LINDA POITEVIN
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Hello Linda, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Thank you so much for having me on the GMTA blog today, Kitty! It's a huge pleasure to be here. My latest novel is Sins of the Son, which is the second book in the Grigori Legacy series. I'm not sure that I decided to write the series as much as it chose me to do so, lol! But I did want to write an angel story that pushed the boundaries of our concepts of Heaven and Hell a little...I may not enjoy conflict in my personal life, but I'm definitely more open to the idea in my writing.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I'm an avid gardener, so that takes up a big chunk of time over the spring/summer/fall -- and I love to do my own food preserving when my schedule allows. I can, freeze, pickle, and dry all kinds of interesting things. I love walking in the woods with my dog and I'm going to start dragging my husband along on some weekend hikes, too. Coffee with friends, cooking (it's more fun now that I'm not having to produce three meals a day for an entire family, lol!), reading (of course), crocheting, television...there's never a shortage of things to do.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Watching my children spread their wings and leave the nest. I have two daughters who have moved from home this year and a third who is becoming increasingly independent. It is incredibly rewarding to see them take their places in society and begin their adult lives.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I read widely across many genres--which may account for why my own books cross so many genre lines! Thrillers, the occasional cozy mystery, suspense, paranormal romance, YA (dystopian and paranormal), urban fantasy...I'm more interested in a well-told story than any particular shelving section in the bookstore.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
I've always written, but I'd never considered publication to be a viable option until my husband convinced me to try for it about twelve years ago. Once I decided to pursue the idea and make it my profession, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
Book 3 in the series, Sins of the Righteous, will be out sometime next spring-ish--but I don't have an exact date as yet. It will continue Alex's story as she struggles to keep humanity from becoming its own Armageddon...only to find herself directly involved yet again in the machinations of angels.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I had several teachers that I liked, but none stand out as having changed me in any particular way. I was a pretty stable kid during those years...focused on school work, kinda geeky, not inclined to be a troublemaker. Pretty boring, when I think back.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I hope that future generations will be better than we've been at learning from past mistakes...and that they'll be better at acknowledging our interdependence in this world, both with regards to each other and to other species. I dream of a return to a more sustainable lifestyle, a greater appreciation for how fragile we really are, and an attitude of acceptance rather than just tolerance when it comes to our diverse natures. I'd like to add world peace to that, but given human nature and our track record thus far, I'm not convinced that's entirely possible.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
A tiny part of me wonders...but the saner, more logical (and much larger!) part of me says no. While I see distinct signs that our way of life is becoming unsustainable in many ways, I hold out hope that we might still rescue ourselves. *crosses fingers*
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
To other aspiring authors, I would say "persevere." Read, take classes, study your craft, join a critique group, send out queries and proposals, and just keep writing. Every word you put down on paper is one word closer to your dream.
If you have a question or comment, I'll check in over the day to respond, and you can also find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/lindapoitevin) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/LindaPoitevin), or at my website (www.lindapoitevin.com).
Thank you again Linda for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
Thank you so very much for having me here today, Kitty, and I would love to do more with you in future!
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Hello Linda, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. It is a pleasure to have the chance to get to know more about you and your writing. First tell us about your newest novel and why you decided to write it.
Thank you so much for having me on the GMTA blog today, Kitty! It's a huge pleasure to be here. My latest novel is Sins of the Son, which is the second book in the Grigori Legacy series. I'm not sure that I decided to write the series as much as it chose me to do so, lol! But I did want to write an angel story that pushed the boundaries of our concepts of Heaven and Hell a little...I may not enjoy conflict in my personal life, but I'm definitely more open to the idea in my writing.
Tell us about some of your hobbies, things you like to do in your spare time.
I'm an avid gardener, so that takes up a big chunk of time over the spring/summer/fall -- and I love to do my own food preserving when my schedule allows. I can, freeze, pickle, and dry all kinds of interesting things. I love walking in the woods with my dog and I'm going to start dragging my husband along on some weekend hikes, too. Coffee with friends, cooking (it's more fun now that I'm not having to produce three meals a day for an entire family, lol!), reading (of course), crocheting, television...there's never a shortage of things to do.
What is the one most rewarding thing in your life right now?
Watching my children spread their wings and leave the nest. I have two daughters who have moved from home this year and a third who is becoming increasingly independent. It is incredibly rewarding to see them take their places in society and begin their adult lives.
When reading for pleasure do you tend to stick to the same genre you write or do you like to read other genres as well?
I read widely across many genres--which may account for why my own books cross so many genre lines! Thrillers, the occasional cozy mystery, suspense, paranormal romance, YA (dystopian and paranormal), urban fantasy...I'm more interested in a well-told story than any particular shelving section in the bookstore.
When was it that you realized writing was what you wanted to do with your life?
I've always written, but I'd never considered publication to be a viable option until my husband convinced me to try for it about twelve years ago. Once I decided to pursue the idea and make it my profession, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
When can we expect your next book out and can you give us a sneak peek?
Book 3 in the series, Sins of the Righteous, will be out sometime next spring-ish--but I don't have an exact date as yet. It will continue Alex's story as she struggles to keep humanity from becoming its own Armageddon...only to find herself directly involved yet again in the machinations of angels.
Back in your high school career, who was the one teacher you would say made a profound difference in your life, if any?
I had several teachers that I liked, but none stand out as having changed me in any particular way. I was a pretty stable kid during those years...focused on school work, kinda geeky, not inclined to be a troublemaker. Pretty boring, when I think back.
What dreams do you have for future generations that you'd like to share with others?
I hope that future generations will be better than we've been at learning from past mistakes...and that they'll be better at acknowledging our interdependence in this world, both with regards to each other and to other species. I dream of a return to a more sustainable lifestyle, a greater appreciation for how fragile we really are, and an attitude of acceptance rather than just tolerance when it comes to our diverse natures. I'd like to add world peace to that, but given human nature and our track record thus far, I'm not convinced that's entirely possible.
One off the board question I like to ask, is what are your views as far as 2012, and do you believe in the Mayan Calendar?
A tiny part of me wonders...but the saner, more logical (and much larger!) part of me says no. While I see distinct signs that our way of life is becoming unsustainable in many ways, I hold out hope that we might still rescue ourselves. *crosses fingers*
Finally, do you have any advice you'd like to give to other aspiring authors, also please leave us your links where we can find out more about you.
To other aspiring authors, I would say "persevere." Read, take classes, study your craft, join a critique group, send out queries and proposals, and just keep writing. Every word you put down on paper is one word closer to your dream.
If you have a question or comment, I'll check in over the day to respond, and you can also find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/lindapoitevin) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/LindaPoitevin), or at my website (www.lindapoitevin.com).
Thank you again Linda for the ability to do this interview with you. Perhaps we can do more together in the near future.
Thank you so very much for having me here today, Kitty, and I would love to do more with you in future!
