Interview with Steven Montano: Vamps, military and so much more
Happy Saturday everyone! Now I'm sure many people are enjoying the Olympics, I wanted to bring to you a fantastic author of Dystopian Military Dark Fantasy writings. So without further delay, I'd love for everyone to say hello to Steven Montano!
Author Bio:Steven Montano spent years as an accountant who dreamed of being a writer before he realized, at long last, that the two weren’t mutually exclusive. Maintaining both jobs while raising a family, however, has driven him mostly insane.
Steven is the author of the popular Blood Skies series. He lives in Washington State with the coolest family in the universe.
Hi Steven, pull up a chair, grab yourself something to drink and let's get started. :) Now on to the questions. <clears throat>
RG: If writing is not your full time job, what do you do for a living?
S: I’m an accountant for Wizards of the Coast, the gaming company that makes Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. =D
OH I am SOOO jealous! That would be a fantastic place to work.
RG: If it was declared illegal for you to write, what career would you love as much?
S: Vampire hunter.
RG: Do you feel that a person has to have a passion for words/books to become a good writer?
S: At the very least, they have to have a passion for stories. I think a passion for words or books certainly helps.
RG: Analyzing the books you've written, what do you think they say about you?
S: That I have really freaky nightmares, that I hate my characters, and that I’m probably not right in the head.
RG: How many books have you written and self-published?
S: As of July 2012, I’ve written and self-published 3 novels (the Blood Skies series, Blood Skies, Black Scars and Soulrazor), one horror novella (something black…), and two short stories (Tales of a Blood Earth and Tales of a Blood Earth 2). Book in the Blood Skies series, Crown of Ash, comes out in late August.
Blurb:
In the time after The Black, human survivors of the Southern Claw Alliance clash with vampire legions of the Ebon Cities in a constant war for survival. Earth as we know it has been forever damaged by an arcane storm that fused our world with distant realms of madness and terror. Things that once existed only in our nightmares stalk the earth.
Now, humanity is threatened by one of its own.
Eric Cross, an enlisted warlock in the Southern Claw military, is part of an elite team of soldiers and mages in pursuit of a woman known as Red -- a witch whose stolen knowledge threatens the future of the human race. The members of Viper Squad will traverse haunted forests and blighted tundra in their search for the traitor, a journey that ultimately leads them to the necropolis of Koth.
There, in that haven of renegade undead, Cross will discover the dark origins of magic, and the true meaning of sacrifice...
RG: Of the books you've written so far, which is your favorite and why? Least favorite and why?
S: That’s tough, because I actually like every novel of the series very much. I’ll go with Crown of Ash as being my favorite, because right now it’s freshest in my mind, and I really like the way I split the story out. Naturally, the one I’m writing at the moment (The Witch’s Eye, Book 5 in the series) is my true favorite, but since it isn’t finished yet I don’t think it counts. ;D
RG: Who do you use as a sounding board for your books?
S: My wife Liberty and my writing homie Jen Kirchner give me tons of feedback during the writing/planning/editing process.
I can so relate to that. I bounce things off of hubby all the time. I think he wants to throttle me once in awhile, but he keeps me grounded as well. :)
RG: What single word, in your opinion, describes you the writer?
S: Dark.
RG: If you could live inside one of your books for a year which would you pick and why?
S: I don’t think I’d want to live in any of my books for even five minutes.
RG: I have an enemy, which one of your books would you put him/her in and why?
S: I’d put them in either Black Scars or Crown of Ash. We could pick whether to stick them in the vampire gladiatorial games or into the subterranean prison’s death race.
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
RG: Okay, time for some dirt on yourself:
RG: Are you a social butterfly or a fly on the wall?
S: I’m social online. In person, I do an okay job, but I tend to keep to be shy at meeting people.
RG: You have 4 hours of down time. Would you hang out with friends and/or family, beam yourself to a deserted island or go to a party where the music is loud and everyone wants to dance with you?
S: Friends and family. I only barely get to squeeze that in between the day job, commuting and writing.
RG: I invite you to a costume party, what would you dress up like and why?
S: A writer. Because I don’t do dress up stuff. Maybe a well-dressed writer?
RG: You’re invited to a dinner party, where extremely intelligent people will discuss the future of humanity. You can’t bring your spouse or significant other, who would you bring?
S: My Mother-In-Law. She’s a social butterfly, highly intelligent, and she’d be so fashionably dressed I’d be able to hide in her shadow. ;D
RG:What single word, in your opinion, describes you the person, not the writer?
S: High-strung.
RG: If you could have any superpowers what would they be and why?
S: Telekinesis. I just think it’s cool.
Love the answers! Okay, onto some other good tidbits. Reading:
RG: What genre do you like to read?
S: Epic fantasy, dark fantasy, dystopian, some horror, some sci-fi. Ahh same here!!! :)
RG: What genre do you read only if someone is twisting your arm?
S: I tend to ignore arm twisting. I’ve read some paranormal romance, and could read more if I had to. (Grumble, grumble…)
RG: What single word, in your opinion, describes you the reader?
S: Picky.
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Love it. Okay, now onto just some random insights I think.
RG: Where were you born?
S: Denver, Colorado.
LOVE Colorado! Visited it twice and even considered moving there. Much cooler (most times) than TX.
RG: What's your favorite color?
S: It used to be black, but anymore I’m not sure. I like earth tones. Let’s go with slate grey.
RG:What's your zodiac sign?
S: Aquarius.
RG: If you could play a part in any movie, what movie would it be and who would you play?
S: Hicks, in Aliens.
RG: What's your favorite season and why?
S: I love the Fall. The colors are beautiful, and the temperature is perfect.
RG: What's your favorite holiday and why?
S: I still get excited over Christmas, largely because I have kids. (I’m also horrified by Christmas for the same reason…)
RG: What is your favorite type of music?
S: Gothic/Industrial and dark Alternative.
RG: What do you do to totally relax, other than writing?
S: What is this “relax”? ;D No, I love to go hiking, get outdoors, watch movies, read and occasionally play video games.
RG: Are you scared of anything (phobias)?
S: Being alone.
RG: If you could own any animal as a pet which would it be and why?
S: A dragon. I’d ride that sucker everywhere.
RG: If there was a movie made about your life. Who would play you? And what genre would the movie be? Horror, Action, Comedy, etc…?
S: I think I’ve determined that my celebrity twin is Stephen Dorff (not really, but I can pick whoever I want, so…) I’d make it an Action-Horror film. (Why, you ask? Seriously, have you met my kids? ;D)
RG: Fantastic. Okay, and lastly. If you had to recommend a book for me to read (not your own) but by an Indie, which one would you pick?
S: That’s a tough one. I’m going to go with Xenoform, by Mike Berry. A brilliant sci-fi. (But, honestly, that’s an unfair question, because there are SO many good Indie authors out there…)
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thanks so much for visiting with us today Steven. It was a pleasure to have you over for some fun banter. Your books look amazing and I know I'll be looking into them soon. Just so everyone knows, here are some ways to find you on the internet.
The Blood Skies series on Amazon
Website: Here
Twitter: Here
Facebook Fan Page: Here
As always, happy writing and reading everyone!!
Warm regards,
RG Porter
Author Bio:Steven Montano spent years as an accountant who dreamed of being a writer before he realized, at long last, that the two weren’t mutually exclusive. Maintaining both jobs while raising a family, however, has driven him mostly insane.
Steven is the author of the popular Blood Skies series. He lives in Washington State with the coolest family in the universe.
Hi Steven, pull up a chair, grab yourself something to drink and let's get started. :) Now on to the questions. <clears throat>
RG: If writing is not your full time job, what do you do for a living?
S: I’m an accountant for Wizards of the Coast, the gaming company that makes Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. =D
OH I am SOOO jealous! That would be a fantastic place to work.
RG: If it was declared illegal for you to write, what career would you love as much?
S: Vampire hunter.
RG: Do you feel that a person has to have a passion for words/books to become a good writer?
S: At the very least, they have to have a passion for stories. I think a passion for words or books certainly helps.
RG: Analyzing the books you've written, what do you think they say about you?
S: That I have really freaky nightmares, that I hate my characters, and that I’m probably not right in the head.
RG: How many books have you written and self-published?
S: As of July 2012, I’ve written and self-published 3 novels (the Blood Skies series, Blood Skies, Black Scars and Soulrazor), one horror novella (something black…), and two short stories (Tales of a Blood Earth and Tales of a Blood Earth 2). Book in the Blood Skies series, Crown of Ash, comes out in late August.
Blurb:
In the time after The Black, human survivors of the Southern Claw Alliance clash with vampire legions of the Ebon Cities in a constant war for survival. Earth as we know it has been forever damaged by an arcane storm that fused our world with distant realms of madness and terror. Things that once existed only in our nightmares stalk the earth.
Now, humanity is threatened by one of its own.
Eric Cross, an enlisted warlock in the Southern Claw military, is part of an elite team of soldiers and mages in pursuit of a woman known as Red -- a witch whose stolen knowledge threatens the future of the human race. The members of Viper Squad will traverse haunted forests and blighted tundra in their search for the traitor, a journey that ultimately leads them to the necropolis of Koth.
There, in that haven of renegade undead, Cross will discover the dark origins of magic, and the true meaning of sacrifice...
RG: Of the books you've written so far, which is your favorite and why? Least favorite and why?
S: That’s tough, because I actually like every novel of the series very much. I’ll go with Crown of Ash as being my favorite, because right now it’s freshest in my mind, and I really like the way I split the story out. Naturally, the one I’m writing at the moment (The Witch’s Eye, Book 5 in the series) is my true favorite, but since it isn’t finished yet I don’t think it counts. ;D
RG: Who do you use as a sounding board for your books?
S: My wife Liberty and my writing homie Jen Kirchner give me tons of feedback during the writing/planning/editing process.
I can so relate to that. I bounce things off of hubby all the time. I think he wants to throttle me once in awhile, but he keeps me grounded as well. :)
RG: What single word, in your opinion, describes you the writer?
S: Dark.
RG: If you could live inside one of your books for a year which would you pick and why?
S: I don’t think I’d want to live in any of my books for even five minutes.
RG: I have an enemy, which one of your books would you put him/her in and why?
S: I’d put them in either Black Scars or Crown of Ash. We could pick whether to stick them in the vampire gladiatorial games or into the subterranean prison’s death race.
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net RG: Okay, time for some dirt on yourself:
RG: Are you a social butterfly or a fly on the wall?
S: I’m social online. In person, I do an okay job, but I tend to keep to be shy at meeting people.
RG: You have 4 hours of down time. Would you hang out with friends and/or family, beam yourself to a deserted island or go to a party where the music is loud and everyone wants to dance with you?
S: Friends and family. I only barely get to squeeze that in between the day job, commuting and writing.
RG: I invite you to a costume party, what would you dress up like and why?
S: A writer. Because I don’t do dress up stuff. Maybe a well-dressed writer?
RG: You’re invited to a dinner party, where extremely intelligent people will discuss the future of humanity. You can’t bring your spouse or significant other, who would you bring?
S: My Mother-In-Law. She’s a social butterfly, highly intelligent, and she’d be so fashionably dressed I’d be able to hide in her shadow. ;D
RG:What single word, in your opinion, describes you the person, not the writer?
S: High-strung.
RG: If you could have any superpowers what would they be and why?
S: Telekinesis. I just think it’s cool.
Love the answers! Okay, onto some other good tidbits. Reading:
RG: What genre do you like to read?
S: Epic fantasy, dark fantasy, dystopian, some horror, some sci-fi. Ahh same here!!! :)
RG: What genre do you read only if someone is twisting your arm?
S: I tend to ignore arm twisting. I’ve read some paranormal romance, and could read more if I had to. (Grumble, grumble…)
RG: What single word, in your opinion, describes you the reader?
S: Picky.
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Love it. Okay, now onto just some random insights I think.
RG: Where were you born?
S: Denver, Colorado.
LOVE Colorado! Visited it twice and even considered moving there. Much cooler (most times) than TX.
RG: What's your favorite color?
S: It used to be black, but anymore I’m not sure. I like earth tones. Let’s go with slate grey.
RG:What's your zodiac sign?
S: Aquarius.
RG: If you could play a part in any movie, what movie would it be and who would you play?
S: Hicks, in Aliens.
RG: What's your favorite season and why?
S: I love the Fall. The colors are beautiful, and the temperature is perfect.
RG: What's your favorite holiday and why?
S: I still get excited over Christmas, largely because I have kids. (I’m also horrified by Christmas for the same reason…)
RG: What is your favorite type of music?
S: Gothic/Industrial and dark Alternative.
RG: What do you do to totally relax, other than writing?
S: What is this “relax”? ;D No, I love to go hiking, get outdoors, watch movies, read and occasionally play video games.
RG: Are you scared of anything (phobias)?
S: Being alone.
RG: If you could own any animal as a pet which would it be and why?
S: A dragon. I’d ride that sucker everywhere.
RG: If there was a movie made about your life. Who would play you? And what genre would the movie be? Horror, Action, Comedy, etc…?
S: I think I’ve determined that my celebrity twin is Stephen Dorff (not really, but I can pick whoever I want, so…) I’d make it an Action-Horror film. (Why, you ask? Seriously, have you met my kids? ;D)
RG: Fantastic. Okay, and lastly. If you had to recommend a book for me to read (not your own) but by an Indie, which one would you pick?
S: That’s a tough one. I’m going to go with Xenoform, by Mike Berry. A brilliant sci-fi. (But, honestly, that’s an unfair question, because there are SO many good Indie authors out there…)
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.netThanks so much for visiting with us today Steven. It was a pleasure to have you over for some fun banter. Your books look amazing and I know I'll be looking into them soon. Just so everyone knows, here are some ways to find you on the internet.
The Blood Skies series on Amazon
Website: Here
Twitter: Here
Facebook Fan Page: Here
As always, happy writing and reading everyone!!
Warm regards,
RG Porter
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