Monthly Archives: August 2014
YAJNA RAMNATH: I WANT TO CREATE
Yajna Ramnath is our author #25 in the guest interview section with writers. She already established as quality contemporary and romance novelist. Yajna is from South Africa and describes herself as a “lover of the unknown and the incredibly sexy”.
– Lady Ramnath, what is your last book REVENGE (Tales of Dramir Book 2) about?
– REVENGE is the second book in my Tales of Dramir series. It continues from exactly where the first book — RAGE — left off. The series follows twins Atalia and Akiv Vladimir who are on a quest to find themselves. The supernatural contingent believes they’re the strongest vampires out there, but they have no idea just how strong they really are. Revenge continues with the heartbreak, the love between siblings, betrayal and even twisting plots and schemes from an old and new adversary.
– How you decide to write the story?
– It had always been my dream to write a paranormal/urban fantasy. Something about being able to manipulate characters as strong as the supernatural into doing whatever you want them to do—it allures me to that world. I wanted to tell the story of one of the strongest creatures in the world and the struggle it takes to get there, the prices one has to pay for power and the sacrifices that could change your life.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I paid too much attention to writing what I think others would enjoy instead of writing for myself. Once I managed to set my focus on what I wanted out of the story, the writing process became fairly easy. There after it was about getting the events and myths in place.
– Tell us something more about the main characters in your books? Are they close to someone from your real life?
– The bond between Atalia and Akiv represents the bond I have with my sister. We have a really strong relationship. There are no secrets, there is an easy-going vibe between us and most importantly, just like Atalia and Akiv we had managed to overcome many hurdles together. Atalia’s character is a bit of me, although I would never reveal which parts.
Skylar and Kian from Beneath Her Beautiful symbolise those people who have a little bit of good and bad in them. They represent people who aren’t afraid to be who they are. I guess that would describe many of the people in my life.
The rest of my characters usually represent some part of me or parts of people that I have met in life.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– It depends on the story process. I take each day as it comes. If I can only write just a paragraph then that’s all I do. I don’t force the creativity to appear because then the flow of the book becomes rushed. Usually it takes me a month or two to complete a rough draft, and thereafter it’s a fast process from the beta readers and editing.
– Tell us more about your other three works that were published in 2014 – Beneath Her Beautiful, Love in Seattle (Something Like Forever Book 1) and Worthy of Me?
– Beneath Her Beautiful was the first book I published. It was literally a book that wrote itself. There was no planning or rough notes. Names and descriptions of the characters came to me as I wrote. It was a book that caught me by surprise because I had no intention of ever going into the romance genre. But this book made me realise that I’d actually be pretty good at it.
Love in Seattle is a novel that I wrote one day after reading a Facebook status. The status was from a girl that complained about her ex and it made me think about how that would impact on the person reading it. So I started a morbid tale of how airing personal things about others can impact on lives differently almost dangerously.
Worthy of Me is a personal attempt to talk about the impact of parental separation and what it does to children. At the time I wasn’t ready to really express the depth of emotion that the book needed so it turned into a short story, however Mia and Aiden’s story will be retold in the eyes of brand new characters in my upcoming Tortured Love series.
– Who are you?
– I’m a twenty-two-year-old loner. I spend my time reading, scribbling down ideas for new books or designing book covers. I love messing around with technology. I’m an Aquarius with no fashion sense and a love of the colour red. My perfect day out would be relaxing on the beach or at a park with a good book.
– What are your writing habits?
– I must have soft music playing, usually mellow tracks along the lines of Taylor Swift, The Script, Ed Sheeran and many more. I must also have a cup of coffee and a bowl of chips. I like doing extra research and keeping them handy as I write.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Every author would tell you that they are happy to even sell one book. Do I wish there were more and my book was a best-seller? Definitely. But I am satisfied so far. Yes I have a list of projects that are in the works. A final book in the Tales of Dramir series and the first book in a new series.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I am all social networks, I engage with readers and authors and get word out. I take part in lots of giveaways. I have a very hardworking PA who is constantly posting on various book sites about my books.
– How do you find your own style of writing?
– I find it has a variety of voices in it. My writing style adapts to the kind of characters I want to create. So it depends on whether the character needs to tell a sad story, a happy one or is confused.
– What is your routine in constructing an erotic scene in your books?
– Wow, this is kind of tough. It usually depends on the emotions that lead up to that particular scene and what I would like. If I was emotional would I want an erotic scene to be passion filled and all consuming or would I want it to be slow and sensual. It’s all about what I see in my head. However it plays out in my head is how I write it. It’s all by ear with no planning whatsoever.
– South Africa is one of the most interesting places in Earth. How would you describe this part of the planet?
– I would describe it as free. I live in Durban which is known as the warmest city in the province of Kwazulu Natal. Yes there is crime and the norm that comes with almost every country in the world, but we are free. When you walk the streets of the city you can feel the gift of freedom that people fought for twenty years ago. There’s diversity in cultures, there’s a feeling of togetherness.
You may find more about Yajna at her
FACEBOOK PAGE
TWITTER
Check out the books of Lady Ramnath:
Beneath Her Beautiful
Love in Seattle (Something Like Forever Book 1)
RAGE (Tales of Dramir Book 1)
REVENGE (Tales of Dramir Book 2)
Worthy of Me
American Dream (The Erotic Life of Hannah Rai Book 1)
JACKIE CASTLE: YOUNG READERS ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCE
Jackie Castle is our next guest. She is a teacher, who wrote “The white road Chronicles”. Her last book Caprtures was just published so we will take a closer look on it. Something more, Jackie is the perfect person to ask about the kids and their love of reading, because she works with them daily. Enjoy!
– Jackie, what is your last book Captured (A White Road Tale Novela Book 1) about?
– Captured is the first of three novellas in the White Road Tales prequel series…
When Tarek’s family is taken prisoner by the conniving, self-proclaimed King of Racah, they make a pact to lay low and do whatever is necessary to survive until they devise an escape.
Despite Tarek’s efforts to follow his parent’s orders, he has no choice but to save the Princess from making a life-threatening mistake. And despite his best efforts, he can’t help when he loses his heart to the enchanting and lonely Princess. Unfortunately, Tarek is in danger of losing more than just his heart. He might lose everything if their secret is found out.
– How you decide to write the story?
– Captured is my first attempt at writing a novella. I wanted to try my hand at writing a short piece. They don’t take long and are easier to edit and get ready for publication compared to a full length novel. I decided to write this particular story to go along with my novel series, A White Road Chronicles which now has three books published. There should be a total of five or six.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Keeping track of the different story lines, especially once I go into different points of views in the latter books of the novel series. Along with that, editing is a big pain. I get so fussy with this part, it seems to drag on forever before I feel ready to hit the publish button. Then after, I still find mistakes. It’s maddening.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– I’m not sure where Tarek came from. At first, I wasn’t going to keep him in the series, but then he kept popping up and soon began to take on a strong personality. So he gets to stay. For now.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– Wish I could actually get a book done in a month like some authors boast about, but that’s simply not realistic for me. I like to eat and see the sunshine. And shower, and stuff. So, with that said, I’m doing well to get a novel length books written and done in four months. In between these I like to write short fiction and enter flash fiction stories to keep things fun.
– Your The White Road Chronicles are very popular; please describe the three books of the series that are already published and do you plan some more?
– Think Wizard of Oz meets Narnia and you have the gist of The White Road Chronicles. There is a spiritual element to the series similar to Narnia, if the reader chooses to see it, but the story itself is about Alyra’s journey to freedom and finding out who she really is.
Alyra makes friends during her journey home which includes a warrior, a centaur and a wisdom keeper. Each friend helps her along on her way. The proceeding books deal with her and her friends embarking on their own quest and learning how to use their talents.
I love the world of Alburnium and have grown to adore each character. The stories are fun, yet I think deep enough for people to find a take-away value in them. I’m planning for there to be at least five books, and the novellas.
– Who are you?
– Great question. I’m a wanderer, who is getting through this life, chasing my dreams and doing what I love the most in this world which is writing. I’ve wanted to do this since I was in elementary school and now I am. I couldn’t be happier and I love where my own path is taking me at the moment.
– What are your writing habits?
– I get up early in the morning and after checking email and doing a bit of social network/ goofing off, I settle down to write while my mind is fresh. I’ve just went through a major life change by taking on the care of my elderly mother, so I’ve had to start working around her schedule a bit. But I did it when my children were little. I wrote when they slept and learned to not let circumstance dictate my creativity.
I want to be a writer, which means I have to write. So I do.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– Well, Captured just came out and people are used to the novels, so sales haven’t quite taken off yet. But the series is doing well, though I’m eager to see the books continue to prosper. I understand this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. I’ve taken the route that requires a lot of work and great patience and I’m good with that. Still, I’m happy to see my sales steadily increasing each month.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– What I’ve found works best so far for me is to blog … unfortunately, I’m way behind on this because of life circumstances beyond my control. And I’ve found, my sales have sagged a little. Blogging, talking about what’s going on with my books on my social networking sites, sharing bits of dialogue or a favorite line I wrote that day, these things seem to keep up interest in my stories.
I also do paid advertising, but reserve those for when my sales are down a little.
– You are a teacher, what is your opinion on current educational system in USA?
– I wish we’d ease up on teaching to the standardized testing. There’s a lot I’d like to see done a bit differently, but over-all, teachers work hard and those I’ve worked with in the past really do have a heart to help students succeed. What we need most is more good teachers who are gifted in engaging children.
– Why the young kids prefer to play on computers instead of reading books?
– Well, a lot of kids love the computer games, but there are still many who love to read. That’s why I write for a younger age group. They are die-hard fans for the books they love and I think that’s awesome.
Maybe if we could add a joy stick and some noises to books, then those who love the computer games would read more, I don’t know. As Indie writers, we have to opportunity to think outside the box, to try things that publishers aren’t willing to invest money in. I’m thrilled to see how books for youngsters are more interactive. I love finding mid-grade books that offer websites where readers can explore more about the story world and characters. What J. K. Rowling is doing over at Potterworld is simply amazing.
Readers, especially young readers, are looking for an experience. As writer’s we need to continually brainstorm and tryout new ways we can engage readers. I also host a book blog where I introduce newer books for children and even teens. I don’t review books, I look for activity ideas parents and teachers can use to help children become more engaged in the stories they read.
We need to find ways to keep reading fun, to make our stories a fun experience readers will want to explore more and return to often. I’m always open to new ideas if anyone has any. =)
– You are saying that “you are looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary”. What is the last extraordinary thing that you witnessed?
– I find sunsets extraordinary. I find when I plant a garden and actually get produce in return it’s simply amazing. I lost my wallet during my vacation and the person who found it was willing to mail it to my home, and actually did. I was staggered by that, just as I was when my mother was in the hospital and I’d made a joke on facebook asking if pizza places delivered to the ER because I was hungry. Soon after my phone was blown up by people willing to make the drive to bring me something to eat at 9:30 in the evening.
There’s a lot of bad in this world, but real bravery is taking on the challenge to purposefully find the good- and it’s there, I promise. Even if the good is something as simple as a child bringing you a flower because they thought it was pretty and they like you, or someone offering you change when you don’t have enough for the soda machine. We encounter the extraordinary every single day, but often overlook it in our rush to get through this life.
Anyway, that’s what I think. =)
Do you want to know more about Jackie Castle? Check out her
BLOG
The Castle Library
Interested in her books? Well, you may order them below
Capruted
Illuminated: Book One (The White Road Chronicles 1)
Luminosity: Book Two (The White Road Chronicles 2)
Emanate: Book Three (The White Road Chronicles 3)
ROBYN PIERCE: I WORKED 8 YEARS ON MY LANISTTER SERIES
Robyn Pierce is one of the youngest indie authors around. She already wrote 5 books of her Lanistter Chronicles and now we would like to put on your attention the first one. You may enjoy her covers, as well. I said her, because she did them by herself. Ready, set, goooo, it’s time for an interview 🙂
– What is your new book Darkest Embrace about?
– Darkest Embrace is the first of a seven-book series depicting the tales of the royal vampire family. In this book, the main character, Elyssa, is running away from her father’s choice. She gets caught in a freak storm, causing her to seek shelter in the only nearby place: the Lanistter castle. Little does she know, the reason she’s running away is in the castle, waiting for her…
– How you decide to write the story?
– I have been working on this series for around eight years. It started out as a collaboration between myself and another aspiring writer, but he moved on to other ventures, granting me his blessing to continue with the story. It wasn’t until 2010 that I completed the first draft of Darkest Embrace, after discovering National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process
– Writing every day is the hardest part for me. In order to keep momentum and not lose focus, I have to write every day. But health problems get in the way of it, and it makes the process slow-going.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Elyssa Smith doesn’t take after anyone I know in person, but the other two main characters, Zeke and Reid Lanistter, both take after a couple of amazing friends. Every time I re-read or write a new scene with them in it, I can’t help but be reminded of them.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– I like to get my first drafts done within two months so I can set them aside for another month before beginning the editing process. Overall, I like to have a novel finished in six months. It doesn’t always go as planned, though, so I make room for the speed bumps life throws my way.
– Tell us about your other novels?
– Most of my other novels are from the same series as Darkest Embrace. Destructive Embrace starts right where Darkest Embrace left off, but Masquerade begins with an entirely new set of Lanistter characters (though there IS a special guest appearance made by Reid Lanistter).
– Who are you?
– I am a newly-married student who works from home. I enjoy the simple things in life, really. There isn’t much to say about me.
– What are your writing habits?
– Every day, I sit down to write. Some days I get a lot of writing done, and some I can hardly get 200 words out. On those days, I go back and edit stuff I’ve previously written. It’s also imperative to read every day, so if I’m not writing or editing, I’m reading.
Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
My sales could be better, but I’m quite satisfied with how well locals know me. I get messages all the time from my friends who take the bus and see others reading my works. It feels good.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I actually kind of suck at promotion! I don’t like to ‘spam-share’ my books, so I’m really just trying to work my way into readers’ hearts through interaction on social media. In addition, word of mouth is one of my favorite things.
How much time it takes for you to do such a great covers and what are you searching as final effect?
It takes me anywhere from a few hours to two days to make my covers. I try to convey the underlying feelings and issues my characters are dealing with, but the overall goal is to not give too much away.
– Everybody, who was in Las Vegas, has a story to tell. You are living there, so you have for sure at least one. Please tell us the most interesting one?
– I don’t go out very much because the whole club thing isn’t my ‘scene’ and a lot of my friends are too busy to go out (I know — SUCH a boring Vegas girl!) but the most exciting thing that’s happened to me was when my friend was hospitalized (he is doing much better now) and was reading my book. His nurse came in, instantly recognized it, and they had a long conversation about how he knows the author.
Take a closer look of Darkest Embrace (The Lanistter Chronicles Book 1)
Check out more about Robin
JUSTIN BIENVENUE: PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTO HORROR
Justin Bienvenue is our next guest. My last question to him was how he was able to mix horror and poetry. Yeah, these are his two favorite genres. Are you intrigued how he was able to translate between them? Don’t go to the last question directly, check out previous ones, because you may find some other very cool things.
– What is your book Like A Box Of Chocolates about
– The book is a collection of 40 poems all within a different genre. Poems within genres such as horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, among many others. Some poems are serious, some are funny and some are just in between both to really give the reader a great assortment of unique poetry.
– How you decide to write the story?
– I decided to make the book after having friends vote for titles on Facebook. Each week I would post four titles and the one with the most votes became a poem. After a while I thought gee since I have enough I should make a book out of them all, and that’s what I did. Almost all the poems except for a selective few were picked by people.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– I would say the biggest challenge was getting the poems just right. After I wrote them I had to decide whether or not they were good to go or needed work before they went into the final for the book. Most of them were touched up editing wise but as for content only a few were re-done to add a bit of flavor and spunk to the mix. Also the formatting process was straining at times, just to get each poem on it’s own page without another poem running into it.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– After I assembled all the poems together I started working on it in for 5 months. Before the poems were all added to the book, that process took about a month and then the whole publishing aspect took almost a month so altogether it took about 7 months to finish and get published. I will also say that some may think that’s not much but each and every day I worked by doing something with the book and it wasn’t easy.
– What about yours other works?
– My first book is a book of horror poetry called, The Macabre Masterpiece: Poems of Horror and Gore. It was first published back in 2010 by a poor company that shall remain nameless but has since been republished back in 2014. The book contains 50 poems within 5 chapters, all of a certain type and presence of horror.
My second book is a Western Horror entitled, A Bloody Bloody Mess In The Wild Wild West. It is a story about a desolate small town that must battle against a Mexican outlaw who along with his undead Civil War Soldiers tries to take over the town and make it his own. A young man by the name of Emerson Shaw along with the rest of the town folk take on Javier “Bones” Jones and his slick corruption and destruction.
– Who are you?
– I am Justin Bienvenue. A young, writer, author and poet just trying to make a living and write works that I hope people will come to love and enjoy. I am a friendly and easy going person though just like anyone else have my moments and consider writing to be a great passion of mine. I am an optimist and always like to think positive and I try to at times when it calls for it, incorporate that into my writing. Aside from being a friendly down to earth kinda guy and a writer I’m also a big sports fan, particularly football. I like who I am and I believe in myself and my work and overall I just try to be the best person I can be.
– What are your writing habits?
– A lot of procrastinating lol. No, in all seriousness I have a habit or being organized and making a list of what I want to write before I get started. So basically I try to have a listed plan before getting to work. I also have a habit of just writing or typing away as much as I can, as much as I can think of and then after I go over what I wrote. This way I can focus more on the story and not have to worry about correcting myself over and over in having to stop. I wouldn’t say I have any weird quirks or bad habits, I really just try to stick with what works for me and get into not only a good habit but a good rhythm.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– If I’m going to be honest, No. I’m not happy with the sales of my current book but I am also not upset, I’m neutral about it. But I’m not blaming anyone but myself. I know that only I can really get myself out there and promote my work but overall within all my books I would say I’m where I want to be, I have a realistic goal in mind and I reached it and there’s always room for improvement.
I do have plans for a new book but it’s not going to be worked on until 2015. It’s quite hush hush right now but I can tell you, it’s going to be quite an interesting tale that takes place in the 20’s.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I would say word of mouth and taking advantage of social media and Goodreads. I like to stick to what I know and what I’m comfortable doing. I don’t try to spam but just try to mention my book every once in a while to peek readers interests. I have a giveaway currently going on which I hope will get a lot of people interested. A little goes a long way and I just hope that what I’m doing will work and if another opportunity comes along I shall try it.
– What was the love story that inspired you to start write poetry?
– It wasn’t love at first site lol. I didn’t take an immediate interest in poetry when I first read it, just sort of thought of it as another way to write, a unique way to which people right but just another dumb thing I’m going to learn in English Class. Ironically it was in English class that I really started to come to like it. Reading greats like Robert Frost and Shakespeare really gave me an appreciation and opened my eyes to the world of poetry. I started writing my own but it wasn’t until I wrote a poem in another class that wasn’t English that I realized I was truly interested and enjoyed poetry.
– What is your experience in creative writing?
– I’ve always been told I have quite a creative mind and imagination since I was a kid. Telling weird stories to people, rambling on and on. In high school I took a class in Creative Writing mu junior year and I gotta say it was definitely one of my favorite classes. The teacher let us write what we wanted, we would use certain sets of writing skills when asked and I really just had fun and learned a lot from the class. Since then I just use what I know and my strange innovative mind to create and write stories I think people will love.
– It’s a strange mix, poetry and horror. How you manage to transform from one to the other?
– Poetry was what I intended on writing first and when thinking of what I wanted my first book of poetry to be about I thought, people are really into horror and Horror sells so I decided to write a book of horror poetry. When it comes to combining them I really had to dig deep down and channel my inner Poe which at times can be seen in the book. For my second book I was watching spaghetti westerns and thought hmm I like westerns and could write one. However given the popularity of zombies I decided to make it a Western with a bit of a twist, sort of a not your grandad or dad’s type of western, though hopefully they will enjoy it too.
I don’t wanna be tied to one genre. I mean yes I am a poet so if I’m going to be tied to one genre then let it be that but that’s where I mix it up. My poetry is unique and about different things and it just so happens that I’ve gone back and forth between poetry and horror. Some days I just really wanna write poetry and other days I really wanna write horror. Also other days I don’t want to write either. I wanna try to write a poetry book, a regular genre book, poetry book, regular genre book and not necessarily horror either, I want to expand into other genres. So not only transform from poetry to horror but poetry to other genres as well.
To find out more about Justin check out his web page
Look out for Mr. Bienvenue’s books
A Bloody Bloody Mess In The Wild Wild West
Like A Box Of Chocolates
The Macabre Masterpiece: Poems of Horror and Gore
MATTHEW W. HARRILL: I WRITE ON THE BUS
Matthew W. Harrill is a classic horror author. He is a pure example for indie author, who spends his free time to his hobby – the writing. The results are more then perfect. Just check out the reviews of his books in Amazon and Goodreads and you will see why he is considered as one of the most talented upcoming authors in the genre.
– What is your last book Hellborne about?
– Hellborne is the second book in my series ‘The ARC Chronicles’. The protagonist Eva Ross has survived the dreadful climax to Hellbounce, the first book in the series, and wishes for nothing more than to settle down quietly with Madden Scott, hellbounce, demon returned in human form, and father of the child growing within her.
All this changes when a cult calling themselves the Convocation of the Sacred Fire announce that Eva is expecting the next Messiah. ARC (Anges de la Resurrection des Chevaliers), the mysterious organisation that has been monitoring demons for centuries, makes what amount to unreasonable demands, sending her, heavily pregnant after yet more answers.
Eva, with the help of those closest to her, must travel to the source of the claims. She learns that there are those hidden behind the truth, those that manipulate from the shadows. Those that have not been defeated.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– Hellborne was always in my eyes a link between Hellbounce, and the way I wanted to finish the series. However, as I was writing it, the story took on a life of its own. In terms of choosing to write the story, I didn’t stop from writing Hellbounce. Literally one day writing the epilogue to book 1, the following day beginning research on book 2
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– From looking at my manuscript I would say that the biggest challenge has been keeping the nomenclature correct. By that I mean that in writing a story, sometimes the names change slightly. For example, The Convocation of the Sacred Fire ended up sometimes as the Convocation of the Sacred Flame. Fortunately I have a wonderful editor who picks up all of my literary waywardness.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Eva Ross is based physically on a lovely young lady from Poland called Ewa Glowacka. She used to work in my office and is the primary reason I started writing again after a long break from writing an epic fantasy series called ‘The Tome of Law’. In terms of her personality, Eva Ross is not based on anybody in particular, but I do love a story with a strong female protagonist, and Eva is no exception.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– From the start of research to publication, I think Hellborne took about 9 months. I will not write a novel until it is thoroughly researched. It was easier for me to write since the world in which it is based is real, and all of the characters, with a few exceptions, were fleshed out from book 1.
– What about yours previous works?
– Hellbounce took me the best part of 18 months from inception to completion. I won’t write anything I am not ready to write. Saying that, when I was writing ‘The Path of Dreams’ from my epic fantasy days, having free time (I had been made redundant), I churned out a 225 thousand word novel in 6 weeks.
– Who are you?
– That’s a very good question. Father. Brother. Son. Husband. Uncle to some, nephew to others. Shareplan Implementor by day. Writer on the bus!
– What are your writing habits?
– I take my lunch hour every day to write and organise my works. I also write on the bus to and from work. If my daughters have a party at the local sports centre, you can always find me there writing with a pint of cider at my side.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– They don’t seem to be selling too badly. Hellborne unfortunately did not have the release I had hoped because I lost my internet connection the weekend of release. But If those who read Hellbounce enjoy it, and from the amazon reviews they have, hopefully they will help things along buy buying into the series. I am already writing the final book in the series: Hellbeast.
– What are you doing to promote your book by the best way possible?
I have an engaging public on Facebook, twitter, google+ and Goodreads. I have adverts on iAuthors, and in September I have a discount month on Bookbub. Also If anybody would care to leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads they can sign up to my newsletter on http://www.matthewharrill.com and I will send a free copy.
– You’ve got only 5-stars review from the readers, which is great. How do you feel when you receive such a positive feedback?
– I treat it with caution, but at the same time I am very humbled by the reviews. They are not just by people who know me, but also many whom I have never met before. I like that there are those who might not read the genre but have been drawn in to the story. The way people are hooked on reading it justifies the change of pace I introduced into my writing with the shorter chapters.
– You are fan of Wheel of time as me. I enjoyed very much earlier books, maybe until number 6 and then something changed in the way Jordan told the story. What is your opinion, why Robert Jordan changed the pace of the book?
– In all honesty, I never noticed the change. Robert Jordan was a man with a brilliant vision and a beautiful gift. I love epic fantasy, and I also love to immerse myself in a world as much as possible. The wheel of time allowed this because it was so huge, both in scope and word count. Saying that, when Brandon Sanderson took over writing the series, I thought he electrified it. I would like him to go back and galvanise the entire series.
– You were influenced by the TV series Californication. What is there in common between you and Hank Moody?
– Hank moody is a man who came back to write successfully after a long period of not doing so. I associate with that. I also happen to find myself in trouble a lot despite meaning well! That aside, I can promise I like a nice quiet life and the appetites of Hank Moody for those that have watched the TV series are not like mine….
– With four kids around you how do you find time to write?
– Easy : ) Don’t write with the kids around!
To see more about Matthew, check out his web page
Take a look at Harrill’s books:
Hellbounce: The ARC Chronicles Part 1
HELLBORNE (The ARC Chronicles Book 2)
JEFF LEITCH: SAVING OUR PENNYS IS THE ULTIMATE STORY OF REDEMPTION
Jeff Leitch made his author debut with “Saving Our Pennys“. The novel was co-writed with Roy Dimond, who was one of our previous guests. It’s always interesting to hear about the excitement of debuting writter. Did I mention that “Saving Our Pennys” is my preferable style – non-fiction?
– Jeff, How would you describe Saving Our Pennys?
– Hello Ognian! Before I start, I would like to “Thank-You” for the opportunity to speak with you. My great friend, and Co-Author, Roy Dimond, extends his appreciation as well. Saving Our Pennys is a non-fiction story of a family man who seemingly has his life in control and has every reason to be happy. Yet happiness is only fleeting for him during certain times of his day, his weeks and months, and with great angst, our main character undertakes great pains to uncover who he is, after searching the depths of his ego. It is the ultimate story of redemption and finding the magic in our lives. Saving Our Pennys is a story for those who dare to believe that hope forever carries the day. This true story will change your life…
– When and why did you decide to write the story?
– At the beginning of my teaching career, (I can hardly believe it was twenty years ago), I had the great fortune to work with my educational mentor Roy Dimond. He was on the cusp of retirement as a Youth Worker, and after many conversations we realized that so many of our questions of people, whether they were school-age or about to take their last breath, echoed so much about humanity and each of our purpose waking up every day. As we worked with youth in crisis in our school, we realized that these kids reflected so much of the heartache and greatness of the human spirit that their story must be told. We channeled our efforts into a main character – Penny – who is real, and the story of Saving Our Pennys evolved over the course of a calendar year.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write-up process?
– The biggest challenge really wasn’t through the writing, or the story, but understanding the nuances and subtleties of the publishing industry. Roy and I learned, sometimes brutally and candidly, that the publishing world seems cold and unforgiving. Neither Roy, nor myself are particularly fazed by criticism and we both believed that this story had “legs.” After a while, we realized that “No” just simply meant “Not now.” We knew it was just a matter of time before Saving Our Pennys would be published, bound and printed. Thank you Grey Gate Media!
– How did you create the main character?
– A great question Ognian. Penny was a student that Roy worked with under the most horrific of situations. Her story is real and she was the inspiration – the signature student and the face of so many youth we worked with who struggle to survive every day. Penny’s story is nothing short of remarkable.
– Explain the joint writing process? How did you organize the writing with Roy?
– Co-writing is a fantastic way to write a book. When Roy retired he moved to a small coastal community about two hours north of me and my family. Saving Our Pennys became a “talking stick” as we mailed and / or emailed chapters, or pieces of chapters back and forth over the course of a year. This year allowed us to understand the feelings that a year’s four seasons does to each of us. How we move from Fall to Winter to Spring to Summer is a magical window of change. This tapestry of nature is a vital piece of the many bridges we all walk from light to dark, day to night, and sunset to sunrise. Nature’s wonderment through the eyes of all our characters gives the reader so much to identify with. In some of the wonderful feedback we have received, nature’s might and quiet have awoken many a person from unconsciousness.
– Who are you?
– I love this question. I have been asked this question many times over the course of the last five months, and my answer hasn’t changed much, although the first time I was asked, it took me a month to answer. I am a believer of hope, dreams and that there is no such thing as the impossible. In short, I am a “Magic Protector.” I am a man who is loyal, a forever friend, and a teammate for life. My wife, kids and dog have been a blessing, and they remind me of how lucky I was to grow up with my two brothers, under the watchful caring hand of our parents, Bill and Sharon Leitch, who made our childhoods magical. I love them for this. Now it is my turn to protect the magic; it is the most precious honour an adult has to give – even to other adults.
– Top 3 favorite authors?
– My three favourite authors? Wow… that is tough to narrow down, but the ones that immediately spring to mind are Stephen King for his ability to scare me with the lights on and the windows open, Dirk Hayhurst for taking me back into the world of locker rooms, Big League dreams and the magic of sport, and Jane Leavy for writing a masterpiece Biography entitled Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy.
– Do you plan to write another book?
– Absolutely. I have a couple of embers stirring my writing soul. Although I would like to write a book on my own, I would also welcome the journey of co-writing with Roy Dimond again. We really understand each other, and we enjoy the war stories of life and sport that come out of our down times as well.
– Beer, wine or whiskey?
– An ice cold beer to remind me of my friends, family and teammates who I’ve laughed, cried and spilt blood with in my life. A stiff whiskey to remind me of the fallen, – and to never forget those who I raised my pints of beer with.
– When will the aliens make contact?
– Ha-ha… Based on some of the behaviours I witness daily, I’d say they’ve arrived in full force.
– If you have a chance to ask one question to President Obama, what it will be?
– Wow, a great question to finish the interview! I am intrigued how Obama learned to have such great poise. A person with such poise has great conviction and patience, and must have endured and / or felt deep pain. I suppose the real question I would ask him is if he would tell me his life story. He evokes great compassion and tapping into his world would be fascinating.
Look at Jeff’s blog
Check out here Saving Our Pennys
HARRY WHITEWOLF: I AM A WARRIOR BECAUSE I OPPOSE ALL INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD
When you understand if an interview is good or now? In my experience when you finish it with a smile in your face and your mind is start to think about some of the answers it’s definitely a quality one. Harry Whitewolf is our next guest, so enjoy his answers. Harry is the first author in our interviews section, who don’t want to show himself in a picture, but I will try to get one just for us!
– What is your last book Route Number 11: Argentina, Angels & Alcohol about?
– Route Number 11: Argentina, Angels & Alcohol – a beat driven, spiritual travel book with sex, drugs and reggaeton!
– How you decide to write the story?
– I didn’t really. It just fell out of me- the words wanting to be written. Although it somewhat reads like fiction, it is a true story of my backpacking trip around Argentina, and over the borders of Chile, Paraguay and Brazil, newly single, broken hearted, consumed with cigarettes, alcohol, girls, parties and loneliness- told with humour and stuffed full of fresh smelling prose.
It began as just scraps of demanding-to-be-written writing, some of which turned into articles, one of which was published, and then somehow or other I found I was writing a whole book!
– What us the biggest challenge during the write up?
– Spending so many hours re-reading the same words and passages again and again, drinking too much coffee, smoking too much, forgetting to eat, forgetting to sleep, unable to function in the outside world because I’m absorbed in my writing that’s slowly sending me insane in that maddening pocket of time!
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– The protagonist of Route Number 11- the nameless tourist- is indeed me, although in some ways he’s a caricature of me, whilst in other ways, he’s as unflinchingly honest about himself as he can be. And yet, in Route Number 11, he becomes so many other people, as he blends into others’ ways of being. And there’s enough of a cast of contradicting characters he meets along his journey- blending in with girl mad Sean in alcoholic Asuncion days, sharing the same spirit with his Norwegian friend Jack, superficially nearly falling in love with Rosa Esperanza, watching Neil Skywalker acting like a chica predator, and so many others.
– Who are you and what is your real name?
– Good question! But are you suggesting Harry Whitewolf is not my real name? Well, I’ll give my answer as this: I’m only thirty eight, but I sometimes feel like an old man in the way that the internet/digital age happened and I blinked and missed it. And the one thing that’s come up in this brave new i-world is that everyone gets to have online friends and show themselves to the world with pictures of them and their cats and interacting on every social site going. I’m not knocking those who live that way. I can see the goodness of community in it. It’s just never been for me.
I like the old days, when you only knew what an author looked like if there was a photo on the inside sleeve, and there often wasn’t. Just as there was often little information about the author in terms of biography. I like those days. Where you could be a famous writer and yet still have privacy. Where the reader would only get to know you through your book. That’s what it was all about! That’s what it should be about. Everything seems to have to have a story attached to sell on an emotional level to the consumer these days. We vote for the sob story act on shows like X Factor because we feel sorry for them. And sometimes we buy books based on readers having gotten to know their authors first.
Well, I’m more than happy to get to to know my readers, as I am indebted to them, and I’m starting to enjoy meeting wonderful people online- and it’s led me to discover different authors for one thing- so I’m happy to engage with people, but who the hell really cares what my real name is and where I was born and raised? If you want to get to know me, reading my books will allow you to do that in such a more personal way.
– What are your writing habits?
– Hmmm… Let’s see. Well, I suppose I write prose unconventionally, with a bebop, beat hop kick to my writing before rushing off on strange tangents to talk of mystic beliefs, before it’s back to the beat of the heat of hot girls and weather.
Hmm… I’ve certainly got my own style, and although the words fall out of me, it’s clear they’ve been influenced by the likes of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the rest of those cool cat, old dog, cheap trick beatniks.
Route Number 11 is also cut up in time frames in a Burroughsesque way.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the books and do you plan the next one?
– When I was first writing Route Number 11, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to try and get it published. It seemed like such a personal story, and it was told in such an odd way, I wasn’t really sure readers would get it. After getting some incredibly positive feedback from people, I decided to just put it out there, see what happened, and that was that. Facebookless. Twitterless. Online-Friendless. I didn’t want to get involved with that world, just to publicise myself. I thought I’d feel like a fraud. However, in the last few months, I’ve found Goodreads.com and realised what a great community it is, and have slowly crawled my way into twenty first century living. After all, I’m doing an online interview, ain’t I?
So- to actually answer the question!- I had several sales in the first year without any publicity at all, and since I’ve been getting involved with actually promoting myself, giving away copies of my books, doing review requests and bloggers writing about Route Number 11, I’m starting to see the sales go up and up.
The next book is nearly ready to go: The Road To Purification: Hustlers, Hassles & Hash. It’s a post-modern, pot smoking, Egyptian pilgrimage! (And another true story!) Coming soon.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your books?
– See above! I’m trying to mostly focus on having a presence on Goodreads, as that’s the community for me. The more I’m involved with that community, the more people, groups and competitions and so on I’m finding. So I’m now continually trying and doing different things, and new opportunities come all the time. I guess I don’t believe in over-promoting oneself, but at the same time you have to let people know your book exists. Be proud of it. Go with the flow. “If you write it, they will read!” is my Field of Dreams inspired motto!
My website is fairly new, and some changes’ll be coming in the future. Keep an eye.
And I have a couple of promo videos for Route Number 11 on my YouTube Channel, which is devoted more to my conspiracy beliefs than to my writing (but that’s another story…).
Other than online things, I’m just telling everyone, who might tell everyone to tell everyone! You never know. We’re all only six degrees of separation after all! I even got chatting to the guy doing a blood test on me, who was a big beat fan, and he bought and loved my book!
– In your bio file you are saying that in ethereal world you are spiritual warrior. Please explain what is to be a spiritual warrior?
– Spiritual is goodness, laughter, love, compassion, music, truth, freedom and peace. I am a warrior because I oppose all injustice in this world. Look around. There’s a lot of hate in the world right now. Only when people’s hearts are open and loving, only when their third eyes are shining, only when they give instead of take, will the world be a better place. That’s what I’m fighting for. World peace and truth. In the ethereal world, and in this, I fight for that every day.
– Do you believe that every man’s fate is already known?
– Ooh, tricky. To quote a passage from Route Number 11: “Destiny and creating your own reality may seem like they’re contradictions, but the tourist’s starting to understand that they actually go hand in hand. The more you become your higher self, from being on your Soul Path, the more you can use the Law of Attraction (making things happen for yourself) for more beneficial purposes than the ego’s selfish desires.”
Yes, I believe our fates are known and given, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have free will and choice along the way. We all live in a multi-persona, multi-universe where every infinite possibility is played out at a quantum level anyway. Do what you wanna do, or do what you feel Fate is telling you to do? If you start the journey to really knowing yourself, you’ll realise there is no contradiction, because you’ll want to choose Fate.
– When the Apocalypse will happen?
– It already is, just look around you. Though I don’t like the word Apocalypse. The end of the world is no more than a new world coming. Changing patterns is a turbulent time, as we see all around us in so many ways, but we’ll come out the other side to make a New Earth of love, truth and beauty. Although there had better still be some damn cigarettes and a pint of Best still around…
Check out Harry’s web page
Look for his intriguing novel
Route Number 11: Argentina, Angels & Alcohol
PATRICK MICHAEL MURPHY: MY DREAM IS TO LIVE UNENCUMBERED BY ECONOMICS
Our interviews continue with another extremely interesting author. Patrick Michael Murphy is a motion picture cameraman, who saw amazing things during his career in USA army. He won Emmy award for his works. As a writer Patrick is evaluated very high by Amazon readers. All his three books are with average rating 4.7 stars or higher!
Going down into the lines of the interview I started to feel some chill in my body. I remembered how I dreamed to be adventurer as a kid. I am wondering if you will feel the same.
– What is your last book A forest, A river and me: off-grid wilderness adventure about?
– A Forest A River and me, is a memoir about my time living an off-grid life in a small cabin I built in the wilderness of Northern Idaho, in the United States. Because it was located so far back in the woods, I often had to walk in carrying all my provisions, even as much as 4 miles each way from where I parked my car. It is also about my life, and the questions confronting me; questions that I think confront us all. It’s a search for reason and a simpler life.
– How you decide to write the story?
– I decided to write the story because I wanted to understand what had happened to me during that time. I became a different person in many ways. There were joyous times, and times of desperation. The experience peeled me to my core. I wanted to learn all I could from that, and so I used the benefit of times passing, and the exercise of writing it down. I also wanted to preserve my memories.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– The biggest challenge to writing a memoir is to truly be honest with yourself and the reader. I didn’t want to tell only the surface experience… I wanted to better understand my world and my own choices, my situation, and to try and communicate that clearly, for whatever it is worth to the reader.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it 100% you or just for this adventure you changed from your normal life?
– This is a true, nonfiction memoir and accounting of what happened. Nothing is fictionalized other than a couple words, because I could not recall every word of every conversation, so I made certain to be true to the essence of every conversation.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– It took about one year to write the entire story, though that time was broken in two. I love to rewrite. Writing is rewriting, for me. A first draft and a final draft can be quite different. I sometimes rewrite 5 or more times. And it is very important to let a lot of time go in-between those rewrites, so I can gain separation – so that when I do go back and reread I don’t know every word or passage before me. It is, in essence, new reading. Mistakes, clunky wording, wordiness, pop out at me more this way.
– Tell me more about your other books On The Banks Of The Animas: Outdoor Adventures, Environmental Observations and Across the Desperate Miles?
– On The Banks Of The Animas: Outdoor Adventures, Environmental Observations is a collection of travel and nature essays from life experiences around the world. The stories range over a 45 year period of my life. Some are funny, some scary, others may make a person angry or awed. Across The Desperate Miles is my first novel (I have another on its way out in several months.) It’s about Rand and Kera, a husband and wife, who must journey across America to try and recover their children in a time of an uprising that has all government and public services at a standstill. It’s a contemporary fiction, with thriller aspects. It seems to resonate well with a lot of readers.
– Who are you?
– I was born in the Midwestern United States in the 50s, a small town, middle class guy who left home and got out into the world. I have been a bit of a wanderer and I have great curiosity about this planet we live on. I tend to be moved by wide open spaces and vast landscapes, not to mention a good love story, or a story of faith and companionship. My own relationships have been very hard work and I think that’s reflected in my writing.
– What are your writing habits?
– I was first a television cameraman and writer. Then I became interested in screenplays and novels. I love to write. I do take quite a bit of time on a project and between projects. When I am writing, I enjoy mornings the most, because I feel clearer. I used to write for many hours at a time, often eight. But I now seem to write for an hour or two at a time. I still work, running my own small business, so I have to keep moving. My experience is that once I flush out my idea, organize it in my head or on paper, I am able to write about two maybe four pages in an hour… I get into a flow. I don’t over edit as I write a first draft because I think it’s important to just let your creativity, your inner voice, speak. When I begin a day’s writing I usually read what I wrote the day before, then pick up where I left off… that gets me into the energy of it. Stories have not always gone where I thought they would go. Characters absolutely do come alive. Even in my memoir, my realizations as I wrote took chapters in new directions, or created new chapters entirely. I like that. I let go when that happens. Stuff gets birthed on its own, and in there is the gold.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– I would like more people to discover my writings. I do write to communicate with my human family, even if I am also writing to preserve my thoughts, experiences, and creations. I am not a grand publicist. How I wish I was. I believe I will always write. It’s my creative outlet and a way of considering things. I am writing another novel now and will have it out later this year, before Christmas.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I place my books on Amazon mostly, where I also have an Author’s page. I have my Facebook author’s page as well. I try to line up readings and book signings. I belong to a reading group or two. I speak with those I know. I just did a book giveaway on Goodreads. I strongly believe in word of mouth. I feel that if I write well, those who read it will let others know.
– Which story that you covered in Army is the one that you will never forget?
– One is my five trips to Enewetak Atoll in the South Pacific. It was used as a nuclear testing site in the 40s and 50s, and afterward the United States had to return and clean up the islands. It was a terrible project in a magnificent place. A tragic story really. I wrote about that in On The Banks Of The Animas.
– To record a good video or to write a story? Which is more difficult for you?
– They are unique and each a wonderful challenge in their own way. Video or film, you have to capture light and motion and sound. You have to be ready at all times, intensely prepared. You often piece intricate scenes together to make a whole, and it needs to make sense and be fun and interesting to watch. The written word, you have one plane you are working on. People cannot hear or see what you hear and see unless you write it well. You have time to reflect, but also time to lose the passion of the moment, of the exchange. Or you try to communicate that motion, that light, that sound, that emotion only to find… you can’t quite capture it with your words. It’s humbling. In either case, you have to tell a story. If no one knows what you are trying to reveal, or consider, in your message, it falls as flat as a bad joke in a comedian’s standup. Very frustrating for all concerned.
– What is the adventure that you dream to do?
– One lifelong dream was realized and told in A Forest A River and me. I have another dream of living freely, unencumbered by economics and the constraints of my own thinking. That would be my ultimate adventure – to be free to simply experience anything I wanted in this grand life and world we live in, and to get out of my own way.
Find out more about Partick at his facebook page
Check out his great novels
A FOREST A RIVER and me: off-grid wilderness adventure
On The Banks Of The Animas: Outdoor Adventures, Environmental Observations
ACROSS THE DESPERATE MILES
MICHAEL PARKER: I CALL MY WRITING PROCESS THE “SWEET CURSE”
Michael Parker is an author with big experience. He’s got two pages with books, that are published in Amazon. The British writer continues to release quality novels. Let’s hear something more about his next book and others interesting topics that we discussed in the interview!
– Michael, What is your last book The Eagle’s covenant about?
– The Eagle’s Covenant is set in modern Germany and is about the kidnap of a week old infant that goes badly wrong. The baby is the grandson of the world’s most powerful citizen, Manfred Schiller, whose empire touches almost everything people come into contact with during their everyday lives. Schiller plans to hand over his entire business empire to the Israeli nation because of his advancing years, and it is a plot by Franz Molke, leader of the Volkspartei that leads to the kidnap of the child. The group who kidnap the infant are led by a beautiful, South African, white extremist name Breggie de Kok. Among the group is Conor Lenihan, an ex SAS soldier and IRA terrorist. Conor is betrayed by Breggie de Kok and almost killed after a brutal blackmail leads to the death of most of the kidnap gang. Conor now seeks revenge, and persuades the baby’s mother, Joanna to help him find her baby. It is because of Joanna’s remarkable computer skills that she and Lenihan are able to wage a cyber-war against Manfred Schiller and his covenant to the Israeli nation.
– How you decide to write the story?
– There was no long thought out decision about the story. The idea drifted into my head and I began some research at my local library (in England). Eventually I contacted the German Embassy in London who sent me a comprehensive work on the German police force. This meant I was able to use all the correct ranks, department terminologies and processes that help to make the thriller more enjoyable.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Simply writing the book. I’ve always called my writing process the “Sweet curse”. I love writing but its hard work. It almost always takes me a year to complete a novel. Bearing in mind of course that it is my hobby; not a career.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Conor Lenihan is a figment of my imagination, and I’m glad I don’t have friends like him.
– How much time do you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– This book was first published by Robert Hale Ltd., of London. It usually takes them about a year to publish the print copy. Once I had acquired my paperback and e-book rights from them, it took about two months to publish on Amazon. The process is much quicker now because I am at the top of the learning curve. It’s still a fiddly job though from finishing the first draft to seeing it through to completion.
– You’ve got so many published books. Please give us highlights of the Top 3 of them that you value as the best ones.
– North Slope was my first novel. It was inspired by the discovery of oil in Alaska in 1968. I had set out to write a novel set in Canada. It was published by Macmillan when I was 38 years old. I thought I’d made it then as a writer. So that’s my favourite book. Hell’s Gate, a colonial venture set in Africa in 1898 is what I would call my masterpiece. I loved writing it and still think it’s a wonderful book. It was inspired by the building of the railway line from Mombassa to Lake Victoria at the end of the nineteenth century. There really is no No.3, but if pushed I think I would have to go for Roselli’s Gold. I just liked the idea of writing something to do with the Vatican, so arranged to have a fortune in Vatican gold secreted in the Sahara desert during the Second World War.
– Who are you?
– I have been writing thrillers for many years and have experienced the highs and lows of being a writer. My first novel, NORTH SLOPE was published in 1980, and is now available as a POD paperback and Kindle on Amazon. I have been married to Patricia for fifty four years and we live in Spain. We have four sons, ten grandchildren and one great grandson. My hobby is writing, of course, and to date I have had eight novels published. You can see my list in Author Central. My other hobbies are snooker, speedway, football and music. I play snooker, watch football and speedway, and play the keyboard (not too well). I am a born again Christian and played keyboard in my fellowship for several years. I worked as a maintenance technician most of my adult life, serving sixteen years in the Royal Air Force, and about seventeen years with a food manufacturer. I retired in 1996 (I was fifty five years old) and moved out to Spain a year later. Pat and I have lived here, on the Costa Blanca for seventeen years. We are now planning to return to the UK. Other jobs I have done include Merchant Seaman, Office boy, and general maintenance for a chicken farmer! I have received many excellent comments about my writing, but the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating. I am a member of the International Thriller Writers and used to be a contributing editor with them. In 2009, I worked on a global project with eleven other writers and produced a novel called PASSAGE TO REDEMPTION. This is now available as a POD novel and Kindle by Acclaimed Books Ltd. (www.acclaimedbooks.com) of which I am an associate. For those of you who want to know a little more about me, and see me ‘in the flesh’, check out my website at http://www.michaeljparker.com, where you’ll be able to see a couple of TV interviews I have had. My last thriller novel titled THE BOY FROM BERLIN was released in December 2011. It has been picked up by Harlequin who have purchased (leased) the English language paperback rights for North America and Canada. This has been published (2013) now in paperback. Meanwhile my current paperbacks; NORTH SLOPE, A COVERT WAR ROSELLI’S GOLD, HELL’S GATE, THE DEVIL’S TRINITY, and SHADOW OF THE WOLF (March 2013) are available on Amazon and Kindle. THE EAGLE’S COVENANT paperback is available on Amazon.co.uk only because Harlequin have now agreed to publish THE EAGLE’S COVENANT in USA and Canada. My latest title, PAST IMPERFECT will be published by my London publisher, Hale, in 2014. This is a romance with a rough edged back story. Something of a change from my other titles!
– What are your writing habits?
Terrible. I still haven’t mastered the art of self-discipline when it comes to writing habits. It is probably due to the fact that I worked shifts for many years, including nights, and my writing has always been a hobby.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– I would like to sell a million books, but living in the real world I have to say that I am happy to be a writer who sells books. My figures are not high, but I have enjoyed a moderate success occasionally.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– This is something that I call my ‘scattergun’ approach to marketing, and I keep promising myself I must do better. I blog all over the place, am on Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, Stumble, Google plus, LinkedIn etc., etc. I spend money on advertising, but not all the better websites are amenable to a low, amazon ranked author.
– What is the secret to deal with publishers, as you’ve got a long successful story with them?
– Always remember that they will drop you the moment they think you are no longer worth their investment, but never forget that the publisher who takes you on has a certain amount of faith in you, and is taking a gamble. So make sure you respect the relationship and don’t get pushy.
– You’ve got great experience in writing. What are the biggest mistakes that you made as author?
– First mistake: believing I was as good as authors already published. Second mistake: Believing in the publicity (I was described as a ‘Gifted narrator’ in the Financial Times). Allowing my ego to get the better of me. Finally; not working hard enough.
– You have been married for 54 years. What is the secret of such long relationship?
– I love my wife.
– Why do you prefer Spain over UK?
– We came out to Spain seventeen years ago because I retired early and my wife was very keen on the idea of living out here. But now we are moving back to England where we will see the rest of our years out. Personally, I don’t prefer Spain over UK, but I’ve always been happy to defer to Pat’s choice unless I was strongly opposed to it.
Check out more about Michael on his
web page
Here are the top books of Michael Parker:
North Slope
Roselli’s Gold
A Covert War
The Eagle’s Covenant
The Devil’s Trinity
Hell’s Gate
DENYSÉ BRIDGER: IF MONEY IS YOUR SOLE REASON TO WRITE, YOU WON’T BE IN THE BUSINESS FOR LONG
Denysé Bridger is a master of short stories. She published seven since the start of the year. Her last one is 1-900-Surprise. Look out for some very interesting info about this extremely specific genre.
– Denysé, you are a specialist in short stories. Tell us about your last one?
– The last one was actually a challenge kind of story, I had a strict word count limit, and for me that made it truly interesting to attempt to tell a fully rounded story within a set number of words. In the end, the story became a very hot little erotic piece, but as reviewers noted, it has a beginning, a middle, and an ending that fits, so in that regard it was a success.
– How you decide to write in such format?
– I never consciously set out to write short stories. It’s always interesting to discover that an idea I think will be a novel instead tells itself in the course of 20,000 or so words, and sometimes the opposite happens. Recently I created what was meant to be the concept for a piece of flash fiction, falling between 1500-2000 words – after I began outlining and detailing the idea, it became the template for my first series. So, I am developing a set of stories to go with the characters who have stepped forth in my mind and introduced themselves to me.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Sometimes the biggest challenge is to discover precisely what the story is going to be about. I often have the characters well developed before I know what it is they are meant to do in the story. Occasionally, an entire story will present itself, then I have to find out about the people who are going to convey that vision to readers.
– How do you find your characters? Are they close to someone from your real life?
– I rarely base any character on a real person I know. There are times when I will “cast” a character in my mind to help me connect with them, so what happens is I will give that character the traits I “see” in the face I’ve chosen to represent the character. Inevitably, what and who I begin with changes, sometimes dramatically, by the time the story is told.
– How much time you need to finish a 50 pages story and to publish it?
– There have been times when I can write a 50 page story in a few days. Other times, it takes much longer. Much depends on if there is research to do, or if the story I began changes and I have to rethink it. Recently I’ve simply stopped writing, and it’s been many months since I wrote a new work. The past few weeks, for the first time in a long time, I am actively writing again. I think I was just suffering burn out from non-stop work for almost ten years. I’ve learned to work more slowly now, and to stop the near desperate rush to publish and produce new works.
– As Fate Decreesis based in ancient Greece. Was it tough to write in such times, when we know from history books that love was very different, compared to our days (dynasty marriages, homosexuality was something normal…etc)
– I read many, many books about mythology before I began writing
As Fate Decrees. The idea was one of those that came to me almost fully developed, then I needed to begin the process of learning my background, and evolving a solid story. Being based on Greek mythology, there was a great deal of flexibility, so it made the writing a lot of fun once I began crafting the novel. I see much I would have done differently if I was writing the story now, but readers have embraced the book as it is, and continue to ask for sequels.
– Who are you?
– Interesting question. I am a Canadian girl with an imagination that finds beauty and stories in everything I see, hear, and experience. I think the voice of my soul is expressed through written words, and in that voice is the real me. If I can touch others, and make them smile through the stories I create, that’s the real measure of personal success.
– What are your writing habits?
– I tend to write whenever I can find a few minutes, so it’s erratic most days. I’m a caregiver for an aging parent, so I have to fit in my personal time as I’m able. Ideally, I like to write mornings and evenings into the night, but it doesn’t always work that way.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the books and do you plan another one?
– I’m always planning another book, I have several novels all outlined and ready to write when I am able to find the time to get them out of my head and onto the page. Sales can always be better, but if one focuses solely on the monetary compensation of writing, you will miss the real joy of it all in the end. And, if money is your sole reason to write, you won’t be in the business for long. There are few financial successes without a great deal of time and investment.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– Promotions and marketing is an endless learning curve. What works for one book may not work for the next one, so each time it’s a new experience. I buy advertising space, do blog tours, actively participate in author events. All of the things that have become the normal course of business in recent years. There are no sure-fire ways to assure your book reaches any audience. Word of mouth is still any author’s greatest asset.
– You are writing a lot for the love, but do you find the meaning of this word in the real world?
– I try very hard to maintain an optimistic view of humanity, despite the lack of empathy many show. It’s my honest belief that if you don’t try to remain positive, you will ultimately become bitter and isolated. I’d rather hold only my hope for love, than believe in a world where it just doesn’t matter. When the end of a life comes, it is the love we’ve given and received that is the true measure of our wealth and success in this life. Idealistic, perhaps, but rather that than cynicism.
– Italy? Is it something lovely to you? Explain why you like so much this part of the planet?
– For me, Italy represents both the past and the future. It’s a country steeped in history, but one whose people are passionate, creative, beautiful souls. Old world respect and appreciation for the happiness of living is in evidence with so much of the culture. I feel a special connection with that energy, with the positive nature of it. The language is lyrical and pleasing to the ears, the spectacular landscapes are a pleasure for the eyes, the food is an incredible experience in taste… for me, this is the one place on the planet that is “alive” in all the best ways. I’m sure there are others, but Italy resonates for me and speaks to my heart, always.
Check out Denysé introducing video
Her web page
Here are some of Denysé’s best selection books:
As Fate Decrees
Stolen Rapture
Winner Take All
Champagne and Chocolate
Land Of Books 