A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 157
March 25, 2016
New Release – Rhubarb the Red Nosed Rabbit – Victoria Zigler
I’m delighted to announce the release of author Victoria Zigler’s new kids book – Rhubarb the Red Nosed Rabbit.
Victoria has featured here a few times and I’m sure you remember she’s a prolific author of kids books about animals.
Title: Rhubarb The Red-Nosed Rabbit
Author: Victoria Zigler
Genres: Children’s books – Animals – Rabbits & Children’s books – Holidays
Published: March 26, 2016
Synopsis:
“I’m sure you’ve heard all about the red-nosed reindeer that saved Christmas. But, have you ever heard the story of the red-nosed rabbit that saved Easter?
Every bunny has always teased Rhubarb because of his bright red nose, even though it’s not his fault he was born different. But when a misty night threatens to stop the Easter Bunny from making his yearly delivery of Easter eggs to the children of the world, Rhubarb’s red nose may be the only thing that can save Easter.”
Buy it from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611255
Buy it on iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/book/rhubarb-the-red-nosed-rabbit/id1079964807?l=en&mt=11
Buy it from Barnes & Noble: http://origin-mnr.barnesandnoble.com/w/rhubarb-the-red-nosed-rabbit-victoria-zigler/1123345633?ean=2940152600841
Buy it on Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/rhubarb-the-red-nosed-rabbit
Paperback version coming soon!
Professor Baker reviews High Couch of Silistra
A great review for a great book.
Read Professor Baker’s original reviews of High Couch and other fine books at: https://profesorbaker.wordpress.com/2...
#BookReview #ASMSG High Couch of Silistra (The Silistra Quartet Book 1)
Posted onMarch 23, 2016byprofesorbaker
One woman’s mythic quest for self-realization in a distant tomorrow…
Her sensuality was at the core of her world, her quest beyond the civilized stars.
Aristocrat. Outcast. Picara. Slave. Ruler.
“Engrossing characters in a marvelous adventure.” – Charles N. Brown, Locus Magazine
“The amazing and erotic adventures of the most beautiful courtesan in tomorrow’s universe” – Frederik Pohl
“The best single example of prostitution used in fantasy is Janet Morris’ Silistra series… Estri’s character is most like that of Ishtar who describes herself as “‘a prostitute compassionate am I’” because she “symbolizes the creative submission to the demands of instinct, to the chaos of nature …the free woman, as opposed to the domesticated woman”. Linking Estri with these lunar…
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Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Audio!
Hurrah! I am delighted to announce the release of The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I in audio. Rob Goll narrated and it sounds great. You’ll remember Rob from Heroika: Dragon Eaters, Tales of Erana: The Warrior’s Curse and much more. Do check out his page on Amazon/Audible. He’s also a Shakespearean actor, performing in Cambridge and other places in the UK.
Currently the audio book is on sale on Audible – as a new release – but also can be bought on Amazon and I-tunes.
Hopefully soon there will be an interview with Rob and a sample of the book can be found in an audiolink on audible.
March 16, 2016
Lift 4 Autism – Event and Promotion 1
A few authors are getting together to host/participate in several events for http://lift4autism.com/. April is Autism Awareness month.
Lift is a collective effort in the romance author/blogger community to raise awareness and funds that support families in need of autism resources and therapies on their journey. We are proud to partner with Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating, empowering and supporting families affected by autism. (See the website). The money raised will be going to help Talk About Curing Autism’s medical/therapy scholarship fund to help people with autistic children get the therapy and services they need.
http://www.tacanow.org/about-taca/taca-scholarships/
Sign up sheet https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11v0M...
Author Nicole Storey is having an auction – I’ve donated a book and so have various other people. I’ll post up more info nearer the time if anyone wants to participate but the links above will take bloggers to the sign up.
March 6, 2016
Read an E-book Week on Smashwords
Just in the nick of time!
A reader on SW asked me if any of my books were available for the Smashwords Read an E-book Week. https://www.smashwords.com/books/cate...
The answer is yes – until the 12th March ONLY
Outside the Walls – normally 99c. Use the code RW100 at checkout to get this book for free
Tales of Erana: Myths and Legends – normally 1.25. Use the code RW100 at checkout to get this book for free
The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book 1 – normally 3.00. Use the code RAE50 at checkout for 50% off
The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book II -normally 3.49. Use the code RAE50 at checkout for 50% off
Enjoy and if you take advantage of the offers please be kind enough to leave a review.
February 28, 2016
Character Interview Thirty-Five – Gul Shani
Tell Us About Yourself
Name: Gul Shaní – but you may call me Shaní
Age: Isn’t that a lady’s own business?
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was born on Arden in the year AE 12-322, to Mithélan and Crissel. Although a scientist by nature, my flair for politics led me into government service once I’d reached my majority. After three terms in office, I was elected to the Senatum – the ruling body of homeworld and our dependencies – and eventually, I became Deputy Magister and speaker of the House under Gul Sariff. (A great honor, for it is one of the highest offices a dignitary can hold).
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. Someone who would look at ease in your…Area 51?
Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why? Upon my emergence from the Arc – the great DNA storage repository fashioned to sustain our race through adversity – I became enamored with one of the leaders of the human-hybrid community who helped guide the refugees from Earth through the most difficult years of the siege, Deputy Commander Mohammed Amine.
Although quiet and reserved, he is not afraid to speak the truth. Working amongst politicians all my life, that’s a rare prize, let me tell you. Even when carrying a heavy load, he is polite, gentle and kind, and bears himself with dignity. What’s more, Mohammed displays a profound respect for others and their beliefs that makes him a most appealing man.
I haven’t worn down his natural reserve yet…but I will:)
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions? Yes, I love allorans. I believe you call them horses on Earth? Growing up, I was fortunate in that I got to ride quite a lot, and loved ranging far and wide on alloran…or horseback, as often as my duties at the Senatum would allow. One, a mare I called, Soulsea, was especially dear to me, as she displayed an independent spirit, yet was fiercely loyal. I was there the day she was foaled, and she remained my constant companion for many years until the advent of the Kresh…or as you call them, the Horde.
Do you have a family? Tell us about them. My mother and father, Mithélan and Crissel died during the Kresh rampage across Arden hundreds of years ago. My brother, Banor, was in the military, and died during the war that tried to prevent them from reaching Arden.
Can you remember something from your childhood which influences your behavior? How do you think it influences you? My fondest memories of childhood are the years I spent among the rolling hills of Selán, close to Genoas. My parents owned and managed a large stock-farming enterprise, you see, and although the business involved the selective breeding of both commercial and farm animals, allorans were by far my favorite. I spent many hours in the saddle as a young girl, riding the woods and sweeping grasslands which surrounded our estate, savoring sights and sounds too many of my classmates living in the municipality rarely got to enjoy. It made me realize how privileged I was to have such things, and sensitive to the characters of the creatures I met during my forays, deep into the forests.
I suppose you could say I inherited a free and open spirit from the friends I made in those woodlands, a spirit that has helped me form a special attachment to the world I serve.
As to influencing me now?
That inner fire makes me a formidable adversary on the Senatum floor. Although I’m a natural diplomat, I’m not swayed by the petty politics and party sniping carried on by many in the Senatum. Our world and its needs come first, and my commitment to Arden’s needs has made me the bane of those who don’t have their priorities right.
Like Mohammed, I’m not afraid to speak the truth, and would rather face differences and problems head-on, instead of ducking and diving all the time.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself.
I’m rather handy with a mastig – what you would call a whip. Growing up in the country, we were often plagued by ropillos, (a small rodent with leathery wings that had a macabre taste for carrion, blood, and animal manure. An unsavory combination that meant their bite often spread infection through the herds and flocks they plagued). Originally forest dwellers, the flying pests started to infested the warm, cozy shelters we constructed to house our animals. As they migrating into new habitats, ropillos became a nuisance because they would chew through almost anything to get at materials suitable for nest-building. If you killed them, their carcasses would only attract other of their kind, so we developed mastigs, flexile, thirty-foot long whips with a little electric stunner in the end that would put the fear of god into our fluttering little friends and scare them away.
Tell Us About Your World
Please give us a little information about the world in which you live. As you are aware by now, Arden is a planet on the far side of what you call the Milky Way galaxy, one of five in our solar system.
Starting at Soleíl – our sun – there’s: Issander, Arden, Danobe, Vesta, and finally, Ladesha.
Arden itself is incredibly beautiful. She’s half again as big as your Earth, and is blessed with breathtaking mountain ranges that graze the sky in pink and cobalt hues, and forests so vast, you’d think they were purple-green oceans.
It wasn’t always like that, of course, especially at the dawn of our civilization, but as we reached the Age of Enlightenment – (AE) – eight thousand years into recorded history, we marshaled our resources, colonized the stars, concentrated our numbers within self-sustaining cities, and began the process of restoring our planet to the glory it possessed at its birth.
It’s a wonder to behold: Seven major conurbations – Rhomane, Cumale, Floranz, Locus, Genoas, Napal and Elan – surrounded by sweeping grasslands or pristine snowfields. To better serve the needs of our culture, we spread our population centers across all four of our main continents. We have other cities, of course, but none serve the function that the major metropolises do.
Does your world have religion or other spiritual beliefs? If so do you follow one of them? Please describe (briefly) how this affects your behavior. At the dawn of our race there were many different religions. As time passed and we overcame the divisive influence those beliefs seemed to cause, we came to a better understanding. However, illumination wasn’t achieved until we began to dip our toes into the endless reaches of space.
At its height, our empire was vast and our technologies world-shaking. The further we delved and the more we searched, the more evidence we unearthed at how structured the Milky Way and the entire universe seemed to be: From the tiniest quarks and leptons; to the infinite reaches of the heavens; the clusters of galaxies; superclusters; megaclusters; and mysterious shadow-energy everywhere, holding everything in place. Simply put, we discovered everything seems to be connected. When you look at those various marvels to scale, each look like the inner workings of an ultra-cosmic brain. A big clue, for we came to view such synchronicity as evidence of design at play. And with so much evidence of design, somewhere out there must be its designer.
You don’t walk down the road and find a simple brick wall miracling itself into existence do you? And with something so much more defined, so intricate as our bodies, our brains, our world, we began to entertain the notion that, perhaps we shouldn’t scoff at the idea such things of grandeur and complexity wouldn’t form by chance either.
We call our Creator, Pherôn, a he/she/it who views all life as sacred.
Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where? Because of my work, I tended to spend much of my time in the forums of many of the inner colonies. When on Arden, I traveled extensively between Kirban, Viléth, Orianne, and Asten, the major continents. (That’s why I looked forward to my breaks in the country so much). However, all that came to an end when the Kresh outbreak began.
Now? As you know from Exordium of Tears, I’m one of the crew aboard the Avenger class dreadnaught, Shadow of Autumn, on a mission to the Verianda Nebula where the Kresh outbreak arose. What happens there waits to be seen.
Name and describe a food from your world. That has to be brégvan, a vegetable that looks much like a red cabbage from your world on the outside, but appearing much like a tomato inside. It’s spicy, crunchy, high in vitamins and can be eaten raw, mixed in with a salad, or hot as an accompaniment to a meat dish.
Having sampled some of the rare delicacies to have survived the transition from Earth, I would say the only way to describe its taste, is a combination of mild chilli-chicken and lettuce? (But I’m told, lots of things taste like your chickens?)
In any event, it’s one of my favorite foods and is simply divine on picnics.
What form of politics is dominant in your world? (Democracy, Theocracy, Meritocracy, Monarchy, Kakistocracy etc.) From what I’m told, you are already aware of the fact that our government is similar in many respects to something you once possessed on Earth when the Roman Empire held sway?
The Senatum is a governing institution representing homeworld and all thirty colonies. Senatum comes from the Ardenese word – sentia – which holds connotations of “elder” and “experience”. Thus, you get an idea of an assembly of older, worldly-wise individuals with the maturity and experience to represent the people from a more balanced vantage point…(If only, eh?)
We are voted into office via elections, and then hold our positions for several years. Distinguished by long, ivory colored robes clasped at the shoulders by bronze brooches, we are divided into two broad houses: Those who serve through political acumen and those who are better suited to scientific pursuits.
Politicians hold the honorific, Gul, and are identified by a purple border along their collars and cuffs. Scientists are addressed, Psi, and posses blue trims. (Thus my name, Gul Shaní)
Now, chief amongst us is First Magister Sariff. You know this because of the gold pins adorning his vestments.
Directly under him are the heads of each division. Chancellor Calen, for the scientists, and Consulan Pulígio, for the politicians. Both of them are recognized by their silver clasps. However, you might note that I also possess silver brooches? That’s because of my rank, Deputy Magister, identifies me as Sariff’s second. He has the weight of thirty-one worlds to contend with, and cannot be everywhere at once. I, therefore, speak with his authority on all but the most serious matters. Indeed, during the normal course of the Senatum, it is I who control the floor and the debates that rage back and forth, therein.
It requires a calm mind and a steady temper. Although at times I wish I had my mastig to chivvy some of the diehards along in their longwinded deliberations.
Our most significant task was to function as the peoples’ representatives, and see to it that the law and governance of our communities were administered fairly through a tiered system of administration.
Does your world have different races of people? If so do they get on with one another?
In the far distant past, we certainly did. But by the time we’d reached the age of enlightenment, national borders were dotted lines consigned to history. The betterment of our species as a whole became the overriding focus, so, within a few thousand years AE, there were very few genetic reminders of our ancient origins. That usually surfaced in darker eyes – we tend to possess a uniform aquamarine, topaz blue coloring – and as you might have noticed, Ardenese people display a predisposition toward blonde or auburn hair. Now and again, a dark-haired individual does pop up, and the ladies especially are in awe of someone who, to them, possesses the ultimate fashion accessory.
Name a couple of myths and legends particular to your culture/people. I believe an individual called Elvis came to live on one of our colonies after his time of Earth had finished? But I might be mistaken.
What is the technology level for your world/place of residence? What item would you not be able to live without? Before the fall, it was extremely sophisticated. By the use of applied science, we had eradicated disease and infirmity; revitalized barren worlds; could create matter from focused thought alone; cross vast distances in the blink of an eye; mimic life a wide variety of forms at the nano-level; and render the densest objects negligible by warping the very fabric of their texture to our will.
Thankfully, I’m not a materialistic person, so I don’t miss some of the comforts I used to enjoy…If anything, I miss my horses more than anything.
Within your civilization what do you think is the most important discovery/invention?Forewarned is forearmed. So, without question, the rip-space drive theorem that allowed us to do away with faster than light travel, and concentrate instead on folding hyperspace. Before its invention, the shortest distance between two points was a straight line. Rip-space did away with that by tearing through spacetime and connecting both departure and arrival points simultaneously. Almost instantaneous travel. Unfortunately, we now know of the mutagenic effect the release of such energies caused. Nonetheless, it was a magnificent achievement, and allowed us to expand into the stars and explore strange new worlds. One day, I hope we’ll be able to iron out the traps hidden within its matrix…then who knows what might happen.
Thank you for having me along, it’s been most entertain, discovering more about the customs and practices of people from other worlds. I do hope we get the opportunity to chat again some day J
Shaní
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
Exordium of Tears
Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Exordium-Tears-The-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B01AAFEU6O/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=514yQRH1xuL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR100%2C160_&refRID=15QDZCV07YFB9P4T19BE
Author name
Andrew P. Weston
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
http://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
https://twitter.com/WestonAndrew
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-P-Weston-Author/102335216581151?ref=hl
February 18, 2016
Author Interview 105 – Shellie Blum – Memoir
Welcome to Shellie Blum
Where are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Lake of the Ozarks Missouri but I now live in Lake Wales Florida.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc. My one and only book I’ve written so far is a memoir. It’s called Waterski Girl Wonder
Where do you find inspiration? I was extremely motivated to write my memoir. It had been a goal I set for myself a long time ago. I had originally written my life experiences as a screenplay. Hollywood is a tough nut to crack, but so is the traditional publishing world. But I feel like the old cliche may apply here, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Wouldn’t it be great if a non-celebrity like me could break through and prove it can be done? People love to root for the underdogs. I’d love to be part of the reason others realize that the underdogs of the world can succeed… if they never give up.
Do you have a favourite character? If so why? My favourite character in my book would have to be my mom.
Do you have a character you dislike? If so why? I dislike the small part of my assailant in Los Angeles for obvious reasons.
Are your characters based on real people? Yes! I did change the name of a “troubled” female waterskier. And it’s really a conglomerate of a few girl skiers, but everything I said that happened, did happen. I just combined some of the incidents into one character.
Research can be important in world-building, how much do you need to do for your books? Do you enjoy this aspect of creating a novel and what are your favourite resources? Since this is a memoir my research is pretty thorough. I have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to my sport of performance ski show waterskiing. Most of my knowledge about it comes first hand and is of course experience driven.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book? Yes, at least I hope so, I would like for people to take away from the experience of reading my book a layperson’s philosophy of deep thinking. I didn’t want to come off as preachy or full of pontifications. But I hope that people finish the book and maybe without realizing it, the theme of the story resonated and washed over them. That my story’s message might make people think more deeply about their own lives, and hopefully take away and make useful something positive from it.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…) Great story telling…
In what formats are your books available? (E-books, print, large print audio) Are you intending to expand these and if not, what is the reason? Hard copy and E-book
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? I had several people look over my book. If someone cares enough I think they can self-edit, but it’s hard to do. For lots of writers, I think money constrains us to get professional editing done.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? I do, but I’m hopeful with time this will change.
Do you read work by self-published authors? Yes! Of course, some of what the traditional publishers would tell us is good writing isn’t always what appeals to everyone. There’s a bit of a war going on with the creative writing academics. I am constantly hearing the “Show don’t tell” mantra but to be honest I enjoy a “good story told” versus writing that seems overally abused with adverbs, adjectives and wordy prose to fit the “show” part of the mantra. But hey, that’s just me.
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews? Authors commenting on reviews don’t impress me near as much as regular people reviews. I will consider the average mean of what the regular people say about a book more than a well known author. That was kind of confusing, but I think you know what I mean.
When buying a book do you read the reviews? I do, but I mostly read the 1 and 2 star reviews. I don’t need to know why everyone loves a book. I can make my own mind up about that, but I do want to be warned about why someone doesn’t like a book, and then, in my own writing, try to avoid it.
What are your views on authors reviewing other authors? Be kind.
What experiences can a book provide that a movie or video game cannot? Nothing can truly substitute the written word and the potential affect it can have on a person. I do enjoy seeing movies that have been adapted from books.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers? Don’t be too hard on yourself. Believe in yourself, and never give up.
What are your best marketing/networking tips? What are your worst? Be consistent and be authentic. Not sure what would be my worst, although I’m sure I’ve committed most of them.
Most authors like to read, what have you recently finished reading? Did you enjoy it? “The Free Market Existentialist” by William Irwin. I always enjoy books that stretch my mind philosophically.
Can you name your favourite traditionally published author? And your favourite indie/self-published author? Anne Rice for traditionally published author, and I’m just now getting to read some really good indie/self-published authors.
What are your views on authors offering free books? Whatever floats their boat, but for me, I think I want people to have some skin in the game.
Do you have a favourite movie? I have my two favorites, “Lawrence of Arabia” and “True Grit”.
Do you have any pets? I have two little doggies, Melvin and Victoria (Torie)
Can you name your worst job? Do you think you learned anything from the position that you now use in your writing? I have only had one job in my life… waterskiing. And I loved it!
Can you give us a silly fact about yourself? When I was little I could make liquids squirt out of my nose.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
Shellie Blum
https://twitter.com/shellieblum
www.linkedin.com/pub/shellie-blum/27/560/106
www.ShellieBlum.com
Interested in purchasing my memoir click here? http://www.amazon.com/dp/0996366903
February 11, 2016
The Six Strangest Medieval Diseases
Very interesting article. Certainly some of the cures were more dangerous than the disease, or at best did nothing. Check out a book called The Curious Cures of Old England. I read it recently and it touches on diseases and the wild ‘cures’ people used. Many of which were fairly dangerous in themselves. Sometimes it amazes me anyone lived through such times!
THE WRITER-LY WORLD OF ANDREA CEFALO
Historians refer to the first four hundred years of Europe’s Medieval period as the Dark Ages—and for good reason. To be frank, the last half of the Middle Ages wasn’t much better for the average person. For most, life was short and harsh. Unsanitary conditions and habits led to the spread of some horrific diseases. Due to the general ignorance and superstitious nature of the population, people resorted to ineffective treatments that sometimes made symptoms worse. From the unexplained madness of two kings to the miraculously cured boils plaguing Parisian peasants, below are six of the strangest Medieval diseases.
6. The King’s Evil (Existed throughout the Middle Ages)
The Problem: The king’s evil caused painless black masses to spread across the neck. As the disease progressed, these masses ruptured, resulting in large open sores. Perhaps even stranger than the disease was the proposed cure: the touch of a king…
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February 6, 2016
Review – Murders and Mysteries, People and plots
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28867416-murders-and-mysteries-people-and-plots
3.5 stars
I found this local history book when I was looking for something else. As I was born in Buckinghamshire it appealed to me.
The author is/was a vicar and this showed throughout the book. There was a bias towards the religious personages and buildings of the area, and although interesting enough some wider accounts would have been nice. The author knows his stuff and has obviously spent time researching the areas but all the accounts are pretty short, and sometimes a couple lumped in together, which gets rather confusing.
There were a few odd grammatical features – which began to get on my nerves after a while – mostly capitalisation where none was needed. Perhaps it was a style choice for the author, but it did throw me out of the accounts somewhat. That said the book was nicely laid out, with a reasonable mix of illustrations and prose and could be easily dipped into.
None of the accounts was especially detailed, but there were quite a few and these provided enough information to whet the appetite and leave the reader wanting to know that region of England better.
Overall I’d say a good first insight into the local history of this English counties.
February 5, 2016
Author Interview 104 – Oliver Chase
Welcome to Oliver Chase
Where are you from and where do you live now? I’m not from any one place in particular, and instead grew up on military bases throughout the country. Like all boys, we played good guys and bad, although usually I favored the good. Coaxing me into an afternoon of baseball or hiking the Southern California hills didn’t take much unless a book grabbed me first.
With my fourth novel scheduled for publication in the winter of 2016, I spend a lot of time on the family’s tiny farm along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. My job is farm hand, dung digger, and companion to the farmer, my lovely wife. We have family in north Florida, so I spend time there, too. The beaches are terrific and the fishing great, although my finny friends have little to fear from me.
I’ve got a corner of the old farm house that waits for me in the early mornings with all my forgotten and remembered friends and enemies, and my research. Every few months, I head out to bookstores and malls to sign my work, always with the intention of meeting new friends. Everyone has a story, and I love to listen. If we have the chance to meet one day, don’t be too surprised if you find your way into my pages.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc.
I’ve written five novels for publication to date:
Marsh Island, mystery thriller 2013 AEC Stellar, Inc New Orleans
Blind Marsh, mystery thriller 2014 (second in series) AEC Stellar, Inc New Orleans
Levant Mirage, military/science thriller 2015 Pearl River Publishing
Joshua Tree, political thriller 2016 Pearl River Publishing (release date March 15, 2016) PRPG
Bequeathed, adventure thriller projected 2016 PRGP
Where do you find inspiration? I like to write what I know. Hence, many of my characters are investigators, cops, soldiers, pilots, divers, drivers and unwitting observers to human shortcomings. I avoid autobiographical insertions and instead choose to believe many of my extraordinary acquaintances, both good guys and bad, worthy of my pages. I’ve known and respected strong women and opinionated men, the two traits not necessarily ascribed to either sex who’ve found their way into my pages. I find watching aggentively, meeting, and testing people to an internal yet intriguing exercise. In my devious brain, they slip into a new set of virtues and sins. No one knows I do this, so please keep it between us.
Do you have a favourite character? If so why? My current favorites are Scott and Angela McHale, the dynamic son and lovely daughter of California field workers. Winning election after election, the kingmaker proclaims the time is now and the sky is the limit. Cast in the image of John Kennedy’s bygone Camelot come hints of America’s first Latino presidency. Just when life seems its most promising, his beautiful senatorial aide goes missing. Rumors abound. Storm clouds darken the horizon. Three thousand miles away, an unwitting fisherman stumbles upon her pregnant corpse. Speculation and accusation become the media’s daily fare. At the height of the investigation, the senator plans a weekend retreat only to have his private airplane disappear into the night. Daily revelations drive delighted conjecture and reform public opinion until suddenly, the country’s electrical grid comes under hacker attack. Words of the senator’s warning prove prophetical as the nation plunges into a chaos that threatens a second, and far uglier American Civil War.
Have you ever thought about the secret you? The one that no one ever gets to see, not even the one person on earth we trust the most? Well, Scott thought that guy was under control. When he fought and climbed into the national limelight, he found fidelity and integrity often stand at odds with desires and dreams. Joshua Tree is more than a redemptive novel and begs to ask if history makes a person, or does an influential person make our history. Intriguing. I also note you address this concept in your later questions.
Do you have a character you dislike? If so why? I don’t dislike Walter LoPresti as much as I fear him. For all the thousands of years of social evolvement, Walter is a man bypassed by humanity’s better traits. His heroes are dark villains and nasty legends, his brilliance unmatched, and his wanton desires legion. If at some time you were to fall within his crosshairs, don’t run, because as the saying goes, you’ll only die tired.
Are your characters based on real people? I like to think that all my characters have doppelgangers in real life. The only difference is one character is many people that I’ve known through the years. Therefore, no one character is reflected by a similar live person. My research sets the stage and renders my setting believable and possible. My memory and the interpretation of my own emotion drives the characters.
Have you ever used a person you don’t/didn’t like as a character then killed them off?Funny question, but no, I’ve never committed murder either literally or … literally. Some have not survived the story, but it wasn’t me that pulled the trigger. One of those dang protagonists killed him.
Research can be important in world-building, how much do you need to do for your books? Do you enjoy this aspect of creating a novel and what are your favourite resources? Research is the best part of filling out the reality in a novel; organization makes it worthwhile and believable. My studies are broken into two general camps. The first allows me to build a world, even if it happens to be in downtown Miami on Calle Ocho. I like real places with a real feel. If a book is cooking inside my brain, I like to go there. Most of the time, I’ve already been there because frankly, Google maps just won’t do it. The exception might be a back alley in Fairbanks, Alaska or Reykjavík Iceland. I’ve been in plenty of alleys and recall the smells and feel, so no, I won’t go camp out in New Orleans and pretend it’s cold.
The second research I try to minimize is using Bing or Google while I’m getting the first draft down. Afterwards, maybe, but stopping to plan out the size of a doomsday asteroid breaks my concentration and may end me up with start-stop disjointed writing. That usually turns into an additional draft, etc.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book? Absolutely. Theme is equally as important as creating a world, characters, and plot. A theme is my shot at influencing and affecting my reader’s outlook. I’m not egotistical enough to believe I’m always right, but I do have an opinion, and I like to share it. The theme in a novel is more than an opinion and often borders on strong belief. Harry Potter had a theme, and if you missed it, you missed out on Ms. Rowling’s message, muggle.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…) In the historical context, great and strong personalities, possessing charisma, leadership, and other virtues are often consigned to local, less memorable events. This might be the respected dogcatcher, who with his superior wit and feel for animals saves a village from rampaging wolves. Because, the wolves are local, the dogcatcher never rises to the epic proportions of say, an Adolf Hitler. Here’s another character of wit and feel who stepped into history books largely because of the Weimar Republics’ abject failure in the 1920s. Could someone else have done what Hitler did? So goes the argument. My position? Historical circumstance allows the famous and infamous to be known, not the other way around. (Here comes all the philosophical opposites about to argue the other side of this well-worn coin. Go for it!)
In what formats are your books available? (E-books, print, large print audio) Are you intending to expand these and if not, what is the reason? Currently I only do print (Ingram Spark, Lulu, and CreateSpace-Amazon), and Ebooks (Smashwords, Kindle, Lulu, and PDF all via my website http://oliverchase.net). At this time, we’re considering an audio version of Levant Mirage. Joshua Tree will follow if LM is a commercial success. I love, trust, and believe in my work, but this stuff is really expensive. I haven’t done any hard covers or large print because I agree with setting financial priorities. Pearl River Publishing is a small, boutique publisher representing a limited number of authors with the stated goal of launching only a single writer at time. This enable that person’s full and unfettered use of all company resources. I had my shot, and now its Greg Lamb’s turn. He’s another terrific writer that PRPG will soon launch.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? That’s best answered by revealing my process:
1) I write a first draft…and a third draft, and each in between.
2) I then self edit in accordance with the Browne and King Self Editing manual.
3) The book then resides in a drawer (or desktop folder) for at least sixty days.
4) I again read, and edit, and fault search-not error search-in accordance with the Canadian fiction self editing guide. I’m not a Canadian, but it’s a heck of a good guide.
5) I then grab coffee, schedule a day without interruption and read for “continuity, cleverness, and consistency.” Red ink marks only.
6) I grind the novel into an MS find and correct using my own unpublished guide.
6) My novel is then ready for an editor. I hire one and send it off.
7) Following two drafts reviews, I read a last time (and boy am I sick of re-reading), and then…
8) I then send to my beta reader and give them a couple months.
9) And then, you guessed it. I re-read, correct and send off for one last edit, but not by me. By another’s set of eyes.
10) Then, I release the book to the world. Watch out.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? Absolutely. Today’s market has amazing self-pub authors (SPA). Some of the work I read, especially local colour literature easily reaches and exceed work I’ve read by traditionally published authors (TPA). For discussion purposes, a TPA is a product of one of the top houses or their off-shoot imprints. I’m somewhat a product of both and have my roots as a SPA, so when I say there’s a lot of less-than-professional work out there, I’m being critical of myself as well as others. We tend to rush our work to market, thinking readers will treat us like our mothers. Doesn’t work that way. A single mistake may put off a reader, and they’ll proceed no further. How many “free” novels have been offered? There’s no free novels in publishing! Those things drip in blood for god’s sake. Give them free to your parents, but sell them to a reader. How can they respect us, if we cheapen our work and ask for nothing except a promise in the future?
Do you read work by self-published authors? Yes. All the time. Too often I’m forced to quit early due to overwhelming errors. Often enough, I’m engrossed and lose sleep with great stories.
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews? If you mean, me commenting on my reviewers, some things must be done in private. I’ve been slammed before. If you haven’t, you will, because it’s only a matter of time. Keep your opinion of the reviewer to yourself.
One of the greatest compliments ever paid to me was a reviewer who took another reviewer to task. I stayed above the fray and didn’t comment publically. Nor did I cry in my beer. There’s no crying in writing…did I already use that one? Life’s too short to take on a knucklehead, even if they deserve it. I’ve read enough to know a good novelist will just use a denigrating reviewer’s portrait in some future work. I can’t wait to read it.
Reviews are huge and wildly important…to future readers. I like reviewers face to face. In a recent presentation to a library writer’s group, an audience member took me to task and pointed out a grammatical error. I appreciated that effort, because obviously she read the book. Afterwards, I scribbled a note to myself and added her critique to my self-edit checklist.
When buying a book do you read the reviews? Not as much as some. Generally, I know the authors, like the authors, understand that not everyone will be on their game every time. I also know that what I like, may not be liked by someone else.
What are your reviews on authors reviewing other authors? It’s okay, and done often. Honest reviewers are key. Writing is like any other game in life. Integrity means we all get our fair shot. Cheating is for cheaters, and they can play their own game without me.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers?
1) Read as often as you can. Always carry a book in some form with you and hope someone will strike up a conversation. If they do, cover up the title of the book, and have fun telling them about your book. Oops…integrity right?
2) Set a schedule and write. Get up early or stay up late, but write every day. Make it a habit.
3) Keep your life in balance. Treat writing, family, obligations, duties, and responsibilities with equal importance. Keep any one, from dominating the other as you set priorities.
Most authors like to read, what have you recently finished reading? Did you enjoy it? Eric Larsen’s Dead Wake. Absolutely chilling and suspenseful non-fiction.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
http://oliverchase.wordpress.com
http://facebook.com/oliverfchase
Here’s a trailer you might enjoy:
