Monday, June 30, 2008

Interview with Steven Marshall

Author Pen Name: Steven Marshall

CA: What genre(s) do you write?

SM: Horror / Supernatural / Dark Philosophy

CA: Why do you write the stories that you write?

SM: In short…

Because: as soon as we delve into the very topic of horror and see it manifesting in our everyday lives certain truths are quickly realized. Horror is ever present and can be found anywhere you look, even in beauty. It’s a fragile balance indeed, but wherever you find one, you can always find the other. For example, a rose may lavish you with its sweet sight and smell, but then prick your finger with its thorns, resulting in blood and pain. Greedy hands may seek its mystique and selfishly pluck it from the earth. With its last breath it struggles so we can momentarily admire its beauty, before we discard it to the ground. Indeed where there is beauty lies a greed that grows. In fact, horror is most realized in the purity of beauty and fear of its loss. So where are some places we can find horror? How about in the police blotters and the coroner reports from gruesome murder sites? Or perhaps looming in the killing fields in the middle of a raging war? Maybe right at home watching the news as they tally the death toll of another natural disaster or major hurricane. Let’s not forget about the latest suicide bombings. Now these are the tangible earthly fears that are present in our everyday lives which linger in the back of our minds and haunt our being. No scary monsters, vampires, demons or ghouls need apply; these characters are already portrayed right here in reality. Horror is wallowing in the prison cells and on death row. It’s breathing in the veins of a strung out heroin addict. It’s nestling in our schoolyards and abducting our children. It commiserates in bitter divorce and love long lost. It overflows in the tears of poverty, starvation and illness. It manifests in the forms of terminal disease and aging. It hides in our nightmares and secret dark fantasies. It courses through the body and its fragile mortality. It seethes in the decaying mind and its brittle sanity. It lingers in the soul and its questioned continuum. We live in a world which has fallen into a departure of faith and hope, one where death is certain yet life is not. We seem to take a morbid comfort in our own fascination with death and suffering, where people we don’t know and only hear about on the news, become these far away fictional characters on a statistical stage. So does it empower us somehow to have a sense of control over forces that are threatening our global population? Or are we just simply overwhelming ourselves with the nuclear pyre which is burning down our culture? Perhaps a little bit of both I suspect.

The human mind is a strange mechanism indeed; the human heart and soul even more complex in mystery. Sometimes the most trivial events that haunt us, whether by daydream or nightmare, continue with us through the years as if they had a life all their own. We don’t know why these insignificant moments revisit us but they do seem to give us some kind of comfort and resolve within. But experiences of extreme emotion are now forever imposed indelibly upon us as they recede into shadows of the past, mute and motionless to today’s relevance, until a ray of mental light reawakens them. At times they are more than memories, more than ancillary storage space in our brain. They become a life’s moment realized and redefined in time through retrospect. They ultimately become a part of you and you a part of it until it becomes one seamless memory. Yet of all our memories we recollect trauma and loss more vividly than the most pleasurable of experiences. In the end, the degree of horror is measured by our compassion. It can shame us into recognizing our own capacity for human cruelty. It is a part of our psyche that is imposed on us from childhood all the way to the grave. They are enshrined in a multitude of tales of heartbreak and woe and help us better understand the nature of our battles ahead. Horror can define us in what we despise and shape our opinions of the world around us. It can remind us of how close we come to our most forbidden thoughts…and how we are a mere relapse away from indulging them. In short, it’s really a fundamental part of the human story, one that generations will embrace in pursuit of a more meaningful truth, no matter how dark. Whether it’s found in writing, screenplay or reality, real horror is what dwells inside our imagination and resides in our internal self. Its that dark uncertain lingering within that's screaming and resounding, haunting and everlasting. The swift bludgeoning of someone out of rage (or fulfillment) is exclusive only to gore. Once a person is dead they can suffer no more physical pain. But the act of horror is the inward impact within the warm cozy confines of our mind when our once sunny world becomes tainted with corruption. True horror lives deep inside the mind and is ongoing and forever, darkening your daydreams and illuminating your nightmares. For me, it helps better understand the darker nature of myself and of people.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SM: Probably before I knew how badly it paid! At age 8, I wrote these little what people would call chapbooks today but with pictures and words, called The Great American Horror, and was about these horrible banshees that scared even me at the time, who went around and ate people…Hey, not much changed actually over time, huh? I guess I’ve always had quite a vivid imagination and always felt it was my strongest calling.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SM: Jack London as a child, Stephen King as a pre-teen, Dean Koontz and David Morrell as a teen, Clive Barker as a young adult, then came the evolution of Edgar Allan Poe, & H.P. Lovecraft by age 30, to Thomas Ligotti currently, as far as literary craftsmen.

CA: What’s your work schedule like when you're writing?

SM: Don’t write when I’m at work.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SM: Supercalanostalgilistic.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

SM: Finishing them.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SM: Think about what to write next. I also play bass and have this little horror mag thing that I’m kind of doing on the side. www.freewebs.com/snmhorrormag

CA: How many books have you written?

SM: 3 with 2 published. Maybe a distant 4th novel.

CA: Which is your favorite?

SM: As far as a complete theme novel, The Banished, because it constantly keeps your attention with fast paced action and death and everyone loves a good mutant story. The trick is not just arbitrarily making the dead come to life or creating some evil mutants who kill, it’s making mutants become more human as the story progresses and getting the reader to take their side by understanding the innate instinct and desperation to survive and understanding life from another perspective that doesn’t just create a world of good guys verses bad guys, but rather survivors of another day and victims of fate. I think The Banished would make a great screenplay and has this universal theme to it that people can relate to in a struggle to survive kind of way. Plus did I mention that it has these really cool mutants in it that eat people?

The Dark Art of Wonder, however, is my choice in terms of cerebral assaults and most difficult concepts to execute, entangling much deeper affairs and literary weavings from a much darker, more suggestive viewpoint that relies not on splattering, rather mattering. Of course, Rituals of Terror was my first and will always hold a dark place in my soul and you always remember your first. But there is so much evolution in the writing of The Dark Art of Wonder that overall I would day its my darkest of scribes.

CA: Do you base characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SM: What about real imaginary people, do they count, or are they just in my head? Do you want to know about the ones that tell me to kill? Really, I can? (Ahem.) I actually write about people who’ve made a memorable impact in my life after they are no longer in my life. No, I swear I didn’t hide the body; the acid dissolved the last of it!

No, what I mean is not usually current friends, but people that were ‘characters’ who were in my life at some point, the stand-outs in my life that have left some horrific impact on me in their absence or loss after I killed them. See, I do show sympathy in missing them now! Will that reduce my sentence any? Oh wait, maybe a little too much information here? Next question, please.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

SM: Yes, quit now, give up! Help prevent suicide and insomnia! Either that or you better be very dedicated to your craft while earning less than a McDonalds salary on royalties when you are starting out! Be prepared for lots of rejection and handling it diplomatically so as not to burn bridges. There are more authors now publishing than at any point in our history. And after much blood, disdain and rejection, if you get that far -- then submit to SNM Mag!

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SM: http://www.stevenmarshallhorror.com/ or myspace.com/stevenmarshallhorror

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

SM: Maybe a little about the magazine, since it is my main focus now. Now is it time for the shameless plug? Huh, huh? I just launched a free new online horror magazine in May called SNM Horror Magazine, which features 8 new short stories from new authors every month, plus interviews and book reviews from…Crystal. Hey, you have the same name of the girl that works with me! We’ve got over 2,000 visits in 60 days running and are listed on page 1 of Google and Yahoo under free magazines and are up on all the major horror directories. We also have this cool haunted hangman on there with a high score set by…Crystal. Hey, you have the same name as the girl who set the high score! We’ve developed quite a big following in a short time and are getting many new authors exposure by featuring their stories, interviews and book reviews to the world. Hey, instead of talking about it, why not just check it out yourself -- it’s totally FREE!

www.freewebs.com/snmhorrormag

CA: Steve too funny, I AM the same girl lol! Thanks for such a great interview, and everyone should check out the horror mag…even if you’re not into horror, maybe after reading some of the short stories you might just change your mind.

Interview with Linda Dominique Grosvenor


Author Pen Name: Linda Dominique Grosvenor

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

LDG: I've written 7 contemporary fiction novels and currently have 1 non-fiction book to assist people in relationships titled The Plural Thing: Spiritually Preparing for Your Soul Mate. I write fiction because I have so many ideas in my head that writing fictional stories is the only way for me to get them out and stay sane. Some of my research and background in psychology and relationships is what led me to write The Plural Thing. I believe that whether it's fiction or non-fiction there is something to be learned from whatever I write--or at least I hope my readers think so!

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

LDG: I was a 16 year old trying to find a way to express herself and that's when I was first introduced to poetry and toyed with it for a few years and eventually fell in love with it. When I wrote my first novel in 1998 it was a fluke. I was actually writing an article that I hoped would be accepted by a popular women's magazine and it just went on and on and wouldn't stop, so, it evolved into a short story and then a novel that I later self-published and went on to sell 13,000 copies of. I now teach an online book promotion course teaching everything I did to sell that many books. My course is pretty popular and although space is limited, authors who take their books seriously are normally contacting me in advance of the February, June and September course to secure a spot. In between that I've continued to craft edgy stories for public consumption and find it rather exhilarating.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

LDG: Life in general inspires me to write books both fiction and non-fiction. My husband inspires me too. He's always saying something that I have to pause and immediately think "Hey I could include that in my book!" I promised him that I'd write a story based on our lives and the way we met and became reacquainted one day soon. I love nature, most particularly the beach, tall trees, grass and just watching the birds take flight into the blue billowy sky. Scents like oranges, pineapples and other fragrant fruits get my creative juices going too. I can't imagine doing anything else beside writing.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

LDG: I normally am a focused maniac when I'm trying to get a book completed. When I'm knee-deep in a book not even the weather or 80 degree temperatures can sway me. I'm currently working on my 8th novel and a couple of follow-up relationship books directly related to The Plural Thing: Spiritually Preparing for Your Soul Mate. Other than that, I'm pretty fun to be around.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

LDG: Beaming with absolute excitement for a few minutes until it turns to panic with me wondering if I've done everything I needed to do to ensure its success!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

LDG: Meditating on the beach with my husband is a fun relaxing activity for us. We have a regular spot on Sandy Hook where we enjoy the waves and the sound of the ocean before we go to the beachfront restaurant and get a bite. The lull of the ocean is pretty tranquil albeit romantic and we want to savor every moment we can together. We find relaxing drives enjoyable too.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

LDG: I've written 7 books so far. My favorite book has to be The Hamptons because it was the hardest to get in print and it was the easiest to write. I believe I wrote it in 30 days flat. Everyone says that it should become a movie and enjoyed how visual it was. If it becomes a movie I'd love to see Halle Berry and Regina King star in the roles. I think Will Smith will make a great leading man. I've sold more copies of that book than any other novel I've written I think. But I love how my non-fiction book The Plural Thing is helping people learn how to have better relationships too. In my heart it's probably a tie.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

LDG: I think most of the time I do get pretty basic structure from my characters from people I know, be it their behavior or general appearance, but then by the time I fill in my character's quirks and habits, likes and dislikes, they're unrecognizable.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

LDG: I've currently revamped my website to reflect my non-fiction side so if you log on to www.LindaDominiqueGrosvenor.com you can see how to purchase my non-fiction book The Plural Thing: Spiritually Preparing for Your Soul Mate. I love feedback, so, readers can contact me on my website or via my Myspace at http://myspace.com/lindadominiquegrosvenor and add me as a friend. To order copies of The Hamptons (that are going quickly) readers can follow the link below: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0974171425/prolificwritersn

LDG: Thank you for this wonderful blog Crystal and an opportunity to reach avid readers.

CA: Thank you Linda! I really enjoyed your interview, I wish we lived by the ocean…I have a two year old and meditation on the beach sounds heavenly!!



Interview with Michael Murphy




Author Pen Name: Michael Murphy

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MM: I write the type of novels, I enjoy reading, mystery and suspense, though my latest novel is a bit of a departure. Ramblin’ Man is a romantic comedy.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MM: I actually began my first novel when I was in 7th grade. I wrote for the school newspaper in elementary school and in high school, then majored in journalism at Arizona State. I set aside my writing aspirations for quite a few years and didn’t get serious about it until my forties.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MM: Reading got me interested in writing. The first novel I read was White Fang by Jack London. When I was nine, I read Gone with the Wind. I was a geek at an early age.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MM: I try to write every day, and since I also have a career and family I have to balance the need to write with those other equally important commitments. No schedule, just write when I can.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MM: I’m always humbled by the thought that someone I don’t know would pay money to read what I write.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

MM: Writing was easy, finding a publisher was hard.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MM: I jumped out of an airplane once, but that’s really not me. I spend most of my free time with my family, my wife of 36 years, my two children and eight grandchildren and all our wonderful animals including Tinker a Yorkie-Pom who appears in my new novel Ramblin’ Man.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MM: Ramblin’ Man is my sixth novel. Class of ’68 will always be special to me because it was the first one I wrote and it’s about such an important year in our history. But, Ramblin’ Man is probably my favorite, because I was able to take Bart Wheeler, a secondary character in two of my other novels, Secrets of Sheridan Manor and Cuts Like a Knife and make him a leading man. He’s so much fun to develop and it makes the novel and fun and funny read. I sometimes find myself drifting into the character and Bart-speak, you know what I’m sayin’. Dude, it can be a rush. Recently I was a guest on a writer’s chatroom and spent half the time answering questions as Bart Wheeler. Whoa, that may have been a mistake. The dude was more interesting that I was.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MM: I’ve never based any of my characters on real people, but there are elements of family and friends in all of them.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

MM: I conduct workshops at local libraries called You Too Can Write a Novel. The theme of the workshop is forget get started, keep going and finish. One can always revise and polish, perhaps the most important part of writing, but the real challenge to a novice is to get started and keep going.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MM: My books can be purchased on Amazon and from my publisher at http://www.wings-press.com/. Readers can purchase an autographed copy of any of my novels by going to my website, www.mjmurphy.com and emailing me.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

MM: Creating a world through words is a wonderful experience. I encourage those who like to read to give it a try. Enjoy the characters you create and have fun.

CA: I agree with your last statement, Enjoy, Create, and have Fun!! Thanks for doing this interview :)

Monday, June 23, 2008

Interview with Barry Eisler




Author Pen Name: Barry Eisler

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

BE: I write thrillers. Why? It just seems to be the way I’m wired… give me a set of otherwise neutral story points, and my mind will weave them into a thriller.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

BE: I’ve been writing something or other since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I was thirty and living in Tokyo that a story idea came to me that eventually felt right for a novel.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

BE: I actually have no idea! I just love to express myself on the page—stories, of course, but also on politics on my blog, The Heart of the Matter.

CA: When writers block attacks, what do you do to get back on track?

BE: This is one of those places where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you’re constantly feeding your mind by indulging your interests, I’ll wager that you won’t suffer from writer’s block. In fact, you’ll probably have the opposite problem: too many ideas, not enough time to develop them all. As for mini-block, which any writer can encounter here and there, that’s what those magic questions are designed for. Just keep asking who, what, where, when, and why, and you’ll find your story in the answers.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

BE: I like to get an early start, but real life, including promotion, can get pretty intrusive. So I just write when I can, longer and longer stretches as the book develops and the deadline nears.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

BE: Excited!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

BE: Work out, read, watch movies, take walks, spend time with my little girl…

CA: What is something shocking or weird about you that your readers don’t know about?

BE: I own a book called “Contingency Cannibalism.” It’s billed as “the ultimate survival book” and the jacket says, “Where all other survival books end… this one begins!” It also says:

Contingency Cannibalism is the book that answers all the questions you’ve been afraid to ask. Such as:

Will it taste like chicken?
Will I catch a disease?
What will my friends say?
What if I like it?!

I guess not many people knew that about me. I feel better now, like I’ve unburdened myself or something.

CA: LOL, Barry glad that you’ve unburdened yourself! And I too am one of those people that wonder if it tastes like chicken!

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

BE: I’ve written seven—six in the John Rain assassin series, and now a new standalone, Fault Line, which will be out in February. I couldn’t pick a favorite; I love ’em all for different reasons.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

EB: It’s a mix. Some characters, like my series protagonist, half-Japanese, half-American assassin John Rain, seem to come mostly from my imagination. Others, like Rain’s partner, former Marine sniper Dox, have a definite provenance: in Dox’s case, a CIA paramilitary instructor of mine.

CA: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

BE:
1. Keep writing. Can’t emphasize this one enough. Every day is ideal, but the goal is to just be as regular as you can. Same as learning a language, or a martial art, etc.

2. Reread passages from books you love and ask yourself, what is the author doing here that’s working so well? And if you see something that you think is bad, ask yourself, why is this bad? What could the author have done differently to make it work?

3. Read books on writing. Stephen King’s “On Writing” helped me a lot. David Morrell’s “Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing” is also terrific. There are many others. But don’t read the how-to books at the expense of your own writing. Whenever you have to choose, practice your writing instead.

4. If you’ve got time and you’re serious, a writer’s workshop can be a huge help with motivation, feedback, and discipline. Google “Writer’s workshops” and the name of your city and you’ll probably be able to find a bunch.

5. When you think your book is as good as you can possibly get it, it’s time to try to find an agent. The way to do this is to go a library or bookstore and get a book like “The Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents.” Identify the ones that handle your kind of book and contact them in exactly the manner they request.

6. One of your best friends as a writer is what I think of as the “what if” question. “What if someone cloned dinosaurs and planned to open a dinosaur theme park on a remote island?” (“Jurassic Park”). “What if a yuppie drug dealer were about to do a seven-year prison stretch?” (“The 25th Hour”). Etc. If the what-if question interests you enough, it’ll lead you to other questions, all of the who, what, where, when, why, how variety. Follow those questions and you’ll start to find your story.

7. For more, check out the For Writers page on my website – www.barryeisler.com

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

BE: I’m pretty reachable on my website discussion board, or on myspace at:
www.myspace.com/barryeisler

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

BE: Believe in yourself! And keep on writing.

CA: Barry, thank you for such an awesome interview! I really liked the points that you included for aspiring writers! Your books sound really interesting and are definitely something I need to read! Thanks again Barry!

Interview with Mackenzie Drew




Author Pen Name: Mackenzie Drew

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MD: I write dark fantasy/horror/paranormal because I find it very interesting and I love the thrill, even though I scare myself some times. As far as trying to write any other genre, it doesn’t work for me. There’s always an evil phantom lurking around a corner somewhere in my books. And since I grew up watching horror flicks that totally fascinated me, I wanted to create chilling stories of my own.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MD: To be honest, I didn’t give writing a thought until high school and then it was only for English Lit that I wrote any stories. I wanted to become an actress and a singer. But unfortunately, I didn’t go for my dreams. However, I did sign a contract to do television commercials at fifteen, but my agent went under and that was the end of my short lived fame.

In the same year though, an exciting story kept pecking at the back of my mind, and a few months later, my story Maddie Ann’s Playground was born. And since then, it went through major reconstruction.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MD: I can be anywhere at any given time and something will inspire me to write. Just the other day while driving down the road, I spotted an old barn on its last leg. And from out of nowhere, I created a new story. Before I got home, I knew the names of all the characters and the title. It’s weird how that happens, but in the same breath, it’s exciting!

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MD: Let’s see; I try to write when the kids are in school. And most of the time, I write in the wee hours of the morning. For some reason, the muse flows so much nicer.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MD: Ecstatic!

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

MD: The rough draft was easy to write. However, the rewrites gave me fits. I’d put it off as long as I could and when I’d go back to do more corrections, I’d tense up. Many times I wanted to toss the manuscript out the window and chalk it up as a good learning experience. But once you start writing, it becomes an addiction—an outage from the real world and I wasn’t willing to give that up. So with great determination, I stuck with it and the rest is history.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MD: I love to spend time with my family, go to church, watch movies, and read. Oh and I’d love to take peaceful walks in the woods if we actually had woods instead of cornfields. *hehe*

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MD: So far, I’ve written seven novels, several short stories and Maddie Ann’s Playground trilogy is my favorite.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MD: Yes, my characters in Maddie Ann’s Playground are based on my childhood friends. The characters in my other novels are fictional.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

MD: Great question! Yes, keep writing. Never give up! The more you write, the better you become and the more confidence you have. Treat your writing as professional as possible. Tell yourself that you can accomplish your dream of becoming a writer. Believe it! Live it every day. Learn the tools you need to create a fascinating story. Read everything even if you don’t like certain genres.’ Study other writers work. Get the feel of how their words flow and their style of writing. Once you’ve tackled that, keep going. There’s something to learn everyday. And above all, believe in yourself and have fun!

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MD: You can find the links to purchase my book on my website at http://www.mackenziedrewnovels.com/ .

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

MD: Thank you Crystal, for giving me the opportunity to tell the readers a little bit about myself and my book. This is my first interview and it was a great experience.

CA: Mackenzie, I hope this is the first of many interviews and I wish you great success in your career (smiles), thank you for being here this week!!

Interview with Sapphire Phelan/Pamela K. Kinney



Author Pen Name: Sapphire Phelan/ Pamela K. Kinney
Pamela K. Kinney, for horror, SF and fantasy and a nonfiction ghost book, Haunted Richmond, Virginia, published by Schiffer Publishing.

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SP: I generally write in both erotic and sweet paranormal, fantasy (includes urban fantasy), and science fiction romance. I also have published a sweet historical romance short story, “Old Friends” that appeared in Cobblestone Press Quarterly’s December 2007 issue. So I may do a straight historical romance again someday. I write what I write as that is what I enjoy reading and I like to even go beyond what is out there—go beyond the usual, instead take the unusual that stretches the boundaries.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SP: When I was eight-years old and started making up my own stories. Told my parents I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. (smiles)

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SP: Writers that I read when younger were all my inspiration: Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Madeleine L’Engle, Anne McCaffrey, Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Matheson, J.RR. Tolkein, Nora Roberts, both Bronte Sisters, Heinlein, and many others. Books that inspired me: the Narnia books, Peter Pan, Wrinkle in Time, The LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit, The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The raven, The Black Cat, Tell Tale Heart, Wuthering heights, Jane Eyre, and many others.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SP: I get up in the morning, go exercise, shower and breakfast, watch early Show on CBS, check my email while I’m at it, and then start writing. I do that during the week, during the daytime. I have written at night and on weekends with a book due.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SP: Excited. Nervous. Feeling like a proud, worried mother watching her baby head off to a school for the first time.. Hoping that the readers will want to read the books of my heart.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SP: Like to act (done both on stage and in films in past). Create and sew up costumes that my husband and I wear to Sci-Fi conventions and Ren faires. Also read and watch DVDs or go to movies with my husband or adult son. I also enjoy going to Sci-Fi conventions too. Bake.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SP: Including those whose rights were given back into my hands as the publishers close: six in e-Book form. One of those with rights reverted back to me, Crimson Promise, was published as an Oz HeatSheet with more stuff added to it, plus more to the ending by Phaze March 17. I also have stories in the three Forbidden Love print journals published by under the Moon, and in two anthologies by Phaze, Coming Together: Under Fire and Phaze in Verse.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SP: Though I am sure that my characters are based on some of me and in people I know or have met, still they are totally from my imagination. None of my heroes or heroines are based off actors/actresses or models. Which is good for the reader—let them imagine how the hunky hero looks! (smiles)

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SP: My email: PamelaKKinney@comcast.net or through my MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/SapphirePhelan%20.They can also go to my website at http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/ and use the email links there to contact me. Or subscribe to my newsletter at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SapphirePhelansParanormalNewsletter .

To buy any of my books (e-Books and Print):

Beast Magic: ISBN: 978-1-59426-786-4: http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Beast+Magic+by+Sapphire+Phelan Also at Fictionwise: http://fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook52252.htm and All Romance eBooks at http://allromanceebooks.com/product-beastmagic-4888-153.html .

Crimson Promise: ISBN: 1-59426-728-6 978-1-59426-728-4
eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-59426-728-4 http://phaze.com/

Coming Together: Under Fire: download for $7 (ISBN 978-1-59426-857-1), or in print at $16 (978-1-59426-881-6) at http://www.kingcart.com/Phaze/product=Coming+Together+Under+Fire+by+Alessia+Brio+and+Will+Belegon,+eds Or in print at Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594268819. As e-Book, also at Fictionwise: http://fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook54018.htm and All Romance e-Books at http://allromanceebooks.com/product-comingtogetherunderfire-5708-166.html

Phaze in Verse: http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Phaze+in+Verse+by+Phaze+Authors

Wedded Magic: http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=1&products_id=16

To Save the Day (Amazon Short): http://www.amazon.com/To-Save-the-Day/dp/B000R7GA50/ref=sr_1_4/103-0687312-5804636?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180489026&sr=1-4

Forbidden Love: Bad Boys: ISBN: 1934153141 At Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Love-Bad-Boys/dp/1934153141/sr=1-1/qid=1169420587/ref=sr_1_1/103-4820911-4322244?ie=UTF8&s=books

Forbidden Love: Wicked Women: ISBN: 1934153370 At Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Women-Forbidden-Love-2/dp/1934153370/ref=sr_1_1/103-0687312-5804636?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179883563&sr=1-1 .

Forbidden Love: Sacred Bands (all Male/male romance stories): ISBN: 1-934153-22-2 On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Love-Issue-Sacred-Bands/dp/1934153222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197296147&sr=1-1

Find “Old Friends” in Cobblestone Press Quarterly’s December issue and get the download for free: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/cpq.htm

For anything by Pamela K. Kinney, check my website for links at http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/ . As for Haunted Richmond, Virginia, it can be found at Schiffer at http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764327124 Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Richmond-Virginia-Pamela-Kinney/dp/0764327127/ref=sr_1_1/103-0687312-5804636?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181040113&sr=1-1, Barnes and Noble athttp://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780764327124&itm=10 , Borders at http://www.bordersstores.com/search/title_detail.jsp?id=57302520&srchTerms=haunted+richmond%2C+virginia&mediaType=1&srchType=Title , target.com athttp://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-0501644-7774522?asin=0764327127&afid=yahoosspplp_bmvd&lnm=0764327127Books_:_Haunted_Richmond,_Virginia&ref=tgt_adv_XSNG1060 , and Books A Million at http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3900666326975&isbn=0764327127.

CA: Sapphire, your book covers alone make me want to get them all! Thanks for dropping in this week!!!



Interview with Savannah Chase

Author Pen Name: Savannah Chase

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SC: First off I wanted to say thank you Crystal for having me here. I’m very happy to be doing this interview.
To answer your question I write contemporary, paranormal, fantasy romance and erotica. I have always loved to write. My passion has always been writing stories about love. It doesn’t matter if it’s about vampires or race car drivers. I just loved to write stories.

CA: Thank you Savannah! IT is great to have you here this week!

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SC: I have been writing for over thirteen years but I never knew that I could publish my work. After reading one of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books I got the push to try to get my work out there. Let people read it and try to get it published.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SC: I was inspired by Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books. Her Dark Hunter series got me hooked from the very first page. Her writing transported you to the different location in her stories. You couldn’t wait to turn the page. When the book finished you wished that there was more.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SC: I try to write daily at least one thousand words. If I’m not able to work on a story then I use the time to research or plot other books. I write when the muse hits. I make sure to carry a pen and paper with me at all times.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SC: One word……excited

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SC: When I’m not writing I love listening to music and reading. I also work on research for future stories. Doing research sometimes spikes my muse and I come up with even more new story ideas.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SC: So far I have written seven books. One called Bid For Love will be re-released later on this year and the rest are looking for a home. I’m always working on new stories and it is usually not one book at a time. It’s hard to pick one as a favorite. I love all my stories.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SC: Most the characters in my books are from my imagination but there are some that might have traits from people I know or people I have met over the years.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

SC: Never give up. The road is hard to get to where you want to get but all the hard work pays off. If you love what you are doing never stop. Work hard and push forward till you achieve your dreams.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SC: You can get a hold of me via my official web site www.savannahchase.com there’s a place to send me email in the contact section.
With purchasing my books there is a direct link to my books and where you may purchase them on my official web page.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

SC: I can also be found at the following places:
Official Yahoo Loop
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savannahchase/

Official Newsletter
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SavannahChaseNaughtyNews/

Official My Space
www.myspace.com/savannah_chase

There is something usually going on at the yahoo loop from parties, to author events and much much more.

CA: Again, Thank you Savannah for dropping by this week, I have one of your books to review and I am looking forward to it!!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Interview with Bekki Lynn *E-BOOK GIVEAWAY*

Bekki is giving away an ARC of A Psychic Hitch in e-book format!!! All you have to do is comment to win, please leave your email address so that we can contact the winner..this will not be used to spam you or anything I PROMISE! The winner will be chosen on Sunday June 22 and the winner will have 5 days to claim their prize or a redraw will be done. Thanks and good luck everyone!!




Author Pen Name: Bekki Lynn

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

BL: I primarily write erotic contemporary whether it’s mainstream or series, all with mild to heavy controversial topics. However, I’m open to anything. I learned a long time ago that saying ‘never’ sealed your fate in doing whatever it is. I’ve just finished a couple paranormals and there was a time I never would have believed I’d go that route.

I’m not sure I know the reason I write the stories that I do. Sometimes, the story doesn’t follow the storyline I had in mind, but what the characters do instead is so much better. And I do love research, which they’ve had me doing quite a bit of.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

BL: I think this question ties in with my answer of the next question. I was a budding young woman and I needed more than the humdrum lines of the romance I’d been reading. I wanted women who stood up for themselves. Women who had a say and fought to not only to be heard, but to have some control. I wanted the bedroom doors opened and if that meant the woman became aggressive and demanding, hurray.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

BL: My reasons are very simplistic. I grew up in a small town with a small library. When I wasn’t playing ball with the boys or climbing trees, I had my nose in a book. The library couldn’t keep me in fresh reading material and after a while I found I couldn’t reread another book they had. I knew them my heart. So, I started writing similar stories with a twist. I added what they were lacking. Women with guts, determination, and power to stand on their own two feet despite what was thrown at them.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

BL: I’m on my computer twelve – eighteen hours a day, but I’m working on stories half that time. While I write, I’m also promoting A Psychic Hitch and my upcoming release, Last Glass of Wine. As well as critiquing chapters for my critique groups, doing research, checking email and touching base with blogs, groups myspace, author friends, and updating my website. I spend a total of, maybe, twenty-two hours a week over a four-day period at a job away from my computer and the rest of the time is for sleeping.

Oh, and I need the television and music playing all this time or I can’t function worth a darn.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

BL: Devastated.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

BL: Deviating from the character structure I wanted to write in order to conform to what was expected.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

BL: Not write! Are you kidding! Can you say withdrawals? When I can, or I have to, I relax in a bubble bath with a good book, or tend my roses, do things with the family. I love fishing and baseball, both activities allow you to write, so it’s all good.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

BL: I’m asked this quite often and I still have to use my fingers and name off the titles. J I have eleven where at least the first draft is written. Right now, I’m working on the last two books in the restaurant series currently with Siren Publishing.

I don’t know which one is my favorite. I enjoy writing anything new, but when I sit and think about the ones written, I find I miss the characters and can’t wait to get back to them. They’re all family and though in reality I know it’s possible to favor one member over another, but in my books, I don’t feel that choice is possible.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

BL: When you’re in the line of work that I am, it’s really hard to avoid it. The people I meet are so versatile that they become stored and when you need something, the mind processes through the mental files and pulls something out.

For this reason, I think there is something of everyone I’ve met over the years in my characters. Do I mirror looks and traits? Yes. It’s a base start, but on revisions I remove what I think would be tell-tell signs for those who know the person and myself.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

BL: Join a critique group and critique everything you can get your hands on. This is the best learning tool. What you miss in your work, you’ll catch in someone else’s which will make you more aware.

I recommend joining other author groups to mingle and learn from, but also those groups that include the readers. While it’s nice to network and make great friends you can relate to, the readers who are not authors, are people you need to connect with as well.

And while you think you don’t need it yet, you do. Set up a website, myspace and blog and get it going. When you find yourself with a contract, you’ll be so relieved to have the stress of building these sites out of the way.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

BL: I’d love to hear from my readers.

To contact me they can email: bekkilynn2006@yahoo.com or visit www.myspace.com/bekki_lynn and even at http://www.bekkilynn.blogspot.com/

My book can be purchased at: http://www.sirenbookstore.com/ or www.sirenpublishing.com/bekkilynn/aph.asp

On the buy now page there is a button to click on to write a review. When you’ve finished reading the book, please go back and write one or email me.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

BL: Yes. A huge thank you, Crystal, for giving me this opportunity. It was fun to come up with answers to new questions. (smiles) --Bekki

CA: Thank you Bekki for hangin’ out! Also as I mentioned Bekki is giving away an ARC of A Psychic Hitch in ebook format!!! All you have to do is comment to win, please leave your email address so that we can contact the winner..this will not be used to spam you or anything I PROMISE! The winner will be chosen on Sunday June 22 and the winner will have 5 days to claim their prize or a redraw will be done. Thanks and good luck everyone!!




Interview with Karl L. Kruger





Author Pen Name: Karl L. Kruger

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

KLK: I began writing military fiction short stories that were based upon my own experiences as a Trauma/En Route Care Nurse in Fallujah, Iraq, but my true love is writing Young Adult Fantasy Fiction. I believe that there is no other genre that lends itself as well to the use of metaphor.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

KLK: I always wrote a lot when I was a child. I remember writing quite a few young detective/mysteries when I was in fourth grade. But it wasn’t until I became a father that I really started putting some of these stories down on paper. My children used to have me make up little stories on the spot. I remember one time in particular, my daughter asked for a story about a princess and a dragon. She was only three at the time and I was afraid of telling a traditional “slay the dragon” story. So I turned it into a sort of “love conquers all” story. She loved it!

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

KLK: When I was in elementary school, I read every book in our library regarding Greek mythology. I was fascinated with the subject. After I read them all, I moved on to Norse, but those stories just didn’t have the same great feel to them. So I started making up my own. Then, many years later, my two children were voracious readers. So I wanted to write something for them. When I learned that I was going to be deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, I made an attempt to put all of these “life lessons” that are so important to pass down to the next generation into a parable format. So the book Pajo was born.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

KLK: I’m still an active-duty military nurse. I work in the Intensive Care Unit of Naval Medical Center, San Diego. So those twelve-hour shifts really take their toll! But on my days off I usually try to sit down and dedicate four to five hours to writing. I have found that you really do need to treat writing as if it’s your job. I need to take it seriously in order for it to work.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

KLK: Although my children are my primary audience, it feels wonderful to have other readers get in on it! I’ve received great feedback on the book already and, as anyone who writes can attest, this story that you created is very much like your child. No one likes it when someone says that you have a goofy-looking baby! But you swell with pride when someone comments on how well behaved your son is! It’s much the same with your writing. You really put yourself out there and expose yourself by putting your thoughts, your story, and your soul down on paper for others to see.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

KLK: Usually working in the hospital, it seems! But I also enjoy spending as much time as I can with my family. We do a lot of outdoor activities such as running, rollerblading, or just going to one of the many parks or beaches here in San Diego.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

KLK: Pajo is my first book, but it is the first in a series. The next book in the series will be named, The Prince’s Orphans and is approximately ten percent complete. I need to hurry with these next two books, however. I already have started mentally outlining the next book after those!

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

KLK: Great question. Mostly my characters are metaphors for character traits or are vehicles for illustrating decision paths. But some of them are inspired by real people that I’ve met. One of the characters in Pajo, Talm Geneson, was a loose mix of Huckleberry Finn, The Artful Dodger, and my father. I think that dad would have liked Talm, despite—or perhaps because of—his many faults.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

KLK: Writing can be a difficult, and emotional, process. First, believe that you can do it. For every author out there, there are ten who could have done it but never followed through. Second, if you make that decision to be a writer, then don’t take it lightly. As long as you treat your writing like it’s only a hobby, then that’s the limit that you have set for yourself. If you’re serious, then treat your writing like it’s your career.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

KLK: Readers can contact me at pillarsauthor@san.rr.com and the website for Pajo and the rest of The 3 Pillars series is http://www.the3pillars.com/. Pajo can be purchased at any online bookseller such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

KLK: Only that I really enjoyed this interview and I appreciate the opportunity given by you, Crystal, and others out there interested in independent literature! Thanks!

CA: Thank you Karl, as you know I have read and reviewed PAJO and it was amazing! I do hope you continue to pump out those books, you’ve really got the talent!
Here is the review link for Pajo:
http://bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com/2008/02/pajo-by-karl-l-kruger-print-book.html


Interview with Angela Albee



Author Pen Name: Angela Albee

AA: I would like to thank you for this opportunity. The exposure you give to authors and aspiring authors alike should be commended. You are doing a good thing here, especially for those writers such as myself who are without an agent.

CA: Angela, it is great having you here and your book was awesome if I must say so myself LOL!!

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

AA: I like to write dark poetry and stories. I'm not sure why I write dark. I've always had a fascination with the dark and death and torment. Many people can't understand how I write so dark when I'm quite an outgoing person. The dark words just seem to flow. I once tried to write a children's story, but it somehow turned into a massacre, so I gave up. I also pay tribute to people/pets after they die. It's a release and helps heal the soul when I write about them. Remembering the lives and not dwelling on the fact that they are gone.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

AA: I wrote my first poem when I was about 10 or 11 after our dog, Woolie, died and I saw her. It was traumatic. I wanted to capture her memory, so I wrote a poem. Since that moment, I started writing more poetry and stories.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

AA: I had always been fond of the writing genre and styles of Edgar Allen Poe and Stephan King. When I read my first book, City Infernal, by Edward Lee, I decided I wanted to write a novel. Edward Lee has been an inspiration with me...so much that we actually have emailed back and forth. he's given me some pointers...

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

AA: I work in advertising, so I'm always busy. I basically have to just say to myself, "Ok, it's a little slow here at the moment, I'm going to write something." It's tough to find the time as I work about 50 hours a week.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

AA: Just one word?....ECSTATIC

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

AA: I watch a lot of TV. Movies, Family Guy, Simpsons...I was a media child. I also like to relax with my husband, Dave. We play video games, go for walks, hang with friends.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

AA: I have written 2 books and have several poems published. My first book is called In the Dark. It's a collection of dark poetry. I am very proud of this one as it was my first, but also that my mother was one of the illustrators. It was tough for her, because it's quite dark, lots of death and references to hell. My mother is quite religious and felt it was eerie to paint such tormenting pictures. On my book, Tyree Cambell stated: "In minimalist style it evokes images of fears, nightmares, and personal demons, all the way to the chilling denouement.My other published book is called Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls. This was my first attempt to write a longer story. It's about 50 pages long. Long time ago, I wrote a 1 page short story, always knowing the story had potential to be so much more. I can picture this story on the big screen. Some blurbs on this book: “frightening tale…moving at a break-neck speed…shocking finish”“brimming with haunting images that pull no punches” - Joe Kroeger, Horror World"...genuinely creepy. It'll change your outlook on a picture perfect wedding…dont do it!!!""Angela...is the voice of horror, prose and poetry for our generation"- Tracy Crockett, Unspeakable Magazine"a chilling little story"- Monsterlibrarian.com I am currently working on another story. It is quite a bit longer than Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls. I am really excited to start sending it off to publishers. It will be titled The Edge of Darkness. I also started another book tentatively titled The Devil's List. I'm very early in the writing process on this one. Also be on the lookout for another book of poetry from me in the future. It's almost ready to send out to publishers.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

AA: For the dark stuff I write, I hope they are only in my imagination! (smile) I would be terrified if some of my characters were real people. The streets would not be safe in the least. We have enough trouble in the world, we don't need my psycho characters running amuck, terrorizing the place.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

AA: I can always be contacted via myspace. http://www.myspace.com/darkangela13
In the Dark can be purchased at http://www.genremall.com/poetryr.htm#inthedark Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls is available through me for the price of $13. ALL copies of this book will be personally autographed by me. To purchase a copy, email me on my myspace. (Since severing my contract with the publisher, I have limited copies left to sell while I wait and hope the rewrite I've done will get picked up by a new publisher.)


AA: This has been a fun interview. You asked some great questions. Keep up the great work! I look forward to conversing with others who happen by this interview.

CA: Angela thank you for taking time out to spend the week at my blog lol!

Interview with Janet Lane Walters



Author Pen Name: Janet Lane Walters

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JLW: I call myself an eclectic writer since I write in a number of genres, romance from sweet to spicy, cozy mysteries, suspense and drama, fantasy from young adult to very adult.ort .

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JLW: When I was in third grade, I read Anna Karenina for a book report. I re-write the ending. Besides that I was nearly suspended from school for reading a book too adult according to the teacher. My father told the teacher if I could read the words I could read the book.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JLW: Inspiration came when my husband was in the Public Health Service and we were stationed in a very small town. The library had a limited number of books, mostly Zane Gray. Not that I'm against westerns but one can read only so many. The next time we went to a larger town, I went to the library and took out many books on writing. That's how it all began.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JLW: My work schedule is fragmented. I write all my drafts by hand and I do four or five of those and type them into the computer. I work back and forth between the two places, usually typing the project I'm not writing. I also take breaks to read a chapter of research or someone else's work/

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JLW: Each time one of my books is published and I receive a copy either electronically or in print, I usually laugh. It's a happy time.


CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JLW: I've written a lot. Actually thirty-two published and three awaiting publishing dates plus the ones I'm currently working on. My favorite book is the one I'm working on currently. In this case, it's called the Dragons of Fyre and is a second in the Fyre series. Each of these books is an independent though they are set in the same fantasy world.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JLW: Characters. There's a bit of other people, a bit of myself and a bit of imagination in every character I write. I generally use Astrology to chart their lives choosing to use the Sun, Moon and Rising sign for each of my characters.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

JLW: If they want to leave me a message, I have a space on Facebook. ON bookswelove.net I have two places where messages can be left in my guest book. Also by going there there are a number of times a year when contests are run. Jewels of the Quill have contests often featuring some of my books/ There are also forms that can be printed so my books can be ordered from the publisher.

JLW: Now to finding my books. Fictionwise, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, most of my publishers. New Concepts Publishing, Hardshell Word Factory, DiskUs Publishing, Mundania, Zumaya and an anthology that comes out in March can be ordered from Whiskey Press.

CA: Thanks Janet for sharing a little bit of you with the readers!!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Interview with Dee Dawning



Author Pen Name: Dee Dawning

CA: What genre(s) do you write?

DD: Before I answer, Crystal, I’d like to thank you for having me. It is a privilege and an honor; now your question. I’ve pretty much stayed in various sub-genres of contemporary. Contemporary erotic romance, erotic chick-lit, suspense, action thrillers. I did write one erofantasy short story and I’d like to do more.

CA: Dee it is an honor to have you here with me this week as well!! Thank you for taking time out to do this interview!

CA: Why do you write the stories you write?

DD: Since I began writing fiction some three years ago, I seem to have a compulsion to write. Why do I write contemporary? I’m not sure. I like to read Sci-fi, fantasy etc. but I guess if I’m going to write, I’d like to write about something that has a possibility of happening.

Maybe I strive to live within my characters and I sure as heck wouldn’t want to be a vampire or werewolf.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

DD: This is strange. A little over three years ago, my wife was out of town taking some classes and I had an idea for the beginning of a story. so I sat down and typed it out and then I typed some more. I never knew where it was going but I didn’t stop until I had a ninety-five thousand word action/thriller.

I never realized I wanted to be a writer until I started. Then I was hooked. I found the idea of creating stories including people, and events fascinating. If you think about it, it’s almost Godlike. Hey maybe I ought to look into that as a story. People in one of my books worshipping their creator—Dee Dawning. Wouldn’t that be bizarre?

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

DD: President Bush. I wrote so many rants and diatribes about him I honed my writing skills on Dubya. LOL

Seriously, I don’t have an inspiration, unless it’s the bevy of authors I used to read before I got too busy doing my own writing.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

DD: Freaky. I wake up between 1 and 3am and write until 8-ish, work my day job, which is designing and building homes, (not a particularly rewarding business right now) until about four. Then write again or I get on the internet and promote. I go to bed between 7 and 9pm.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

DD: Would you believe regret? I regret that relatively few people know about me and my books, but I’m working on that. With each new release more and more people will read me.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

DD: Dead ends and new ideas. I have a graveyard of partially written novels. Some I stopped because I didn’t like the path I’d taken, never bothering to fix them and others I set aside to work on a hot new idea.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

DD: Gosh, not much. Maybe I’m daydreaming up plots, shooting or catching bad guys, helping a friend out of a jam or maybe I’m making love to a beautiful woman. You did know I’m a man didn’t you? LOL

CA: How many books have you written?

DD: I’ve written five full length novels, two novelettes and about six shorties. One of the novels and novelettes is set to be released shortly. Oh yeah, I wrote a screenplay of one of my novels.
`
CA: Which is your favorite?

DD: Whew! That’s like picking a favorite child. I usually like the newest and freshest best. In that case it’s tie between my newest published , Getting Naked at the Hilton and my soon to be released, Love and Seduction in Las Vegas. I also made the cover for the latter.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

DD: A little of both. Sometimes, I’ll borrow a name too.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

DD: Go get ‘em tiger!

CA: LOL

DD: Anyone who wants to be a writer needs to develop a thick skin and perseverance. I went around with the agents on my first book and got nowhere, so I turned to the epubs. After beating my head against the wall for months I got my first acceptance in sixteen hours. I was so used to rejection, I thought there had to be a mistake. That book, Fortune Cookies went on to be a finalist for an Eppie award this year.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

DD: They can email personally at: deedawning@yahoo.com or visit my web page: http://deedawning.millenniumpromotion.com/

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

DD: Yes, thank you. I’d like to address my readers and would be readers.
It’s you I write for. Your approval, your praise. It’s keeps me going. It inspires me. If you like what I wrote, tell me about it. If you didn’t like something, I want to hear that too.
I take my compliments wherever I can get them. My editor on Fortune Cookies said she wanted to edit everything I do. My editor for Getting Naked at the Hilton apologized for taking so long because she got so involved in the story she had to keep going back to reread and do her job.
To those who have yet to read me, a word. Yes, I write about sex, but I won’t get into extreme sex. I would never write anything demeaning to women. I love women.
I consider myself an entertainer. People say my books are entertaining and that’s just fine. If you read one of my books and are entertained, the next time you want to be entertained, you’ll probably grab another Dee Dawning book. They’re all different, but then again they’re all the same—entertaining.

CA: Thank you again Dee for being here and sharing your interview with myself and the readers!

Interview with Michael Richard


Author Pen Name: Michael Richard

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

MR: Well, it started in the romance section. Since then, if I want to write about it, I do. Very few things disinterest me. I seem to unknowingly absorb stories from somewhere, a word here, and a word there, suddenly a story is born. Once I write the first few lines of a story, just to get it going, it rockets out of the starting gate. I just love to write now for some odd reason. If you would have known me years ago, you would have said to yourself, ‘you wrote this?’ Question after question followed my first story. All believed I had copied it from somewhere. Though crude, in it’s wording, it was loved. Readers said they had never read anything like it. It was a historical romance, then again, it wasn’t. None knew how to place it in its genre and I for one, had no idea and I really didn’t care. I had moved on to the next story and the next. Basically, I began writing for my own localized readers. I had no intentions of pursuing publishing…it was for them. I was happy and content to bind and hand out those stories to them.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MR: About four years ago, I overheard my wife on the phone with two of her sisters. They were discussing books. They mentioned that there were no good ones that had come out in a long time. Suddenly, something very strange hit me and I spoke out, “I will write you guys a book.” They were laughing at me when I said it, but it didn’t faze me at all. I left them still talking on the phone and disappeared. A few minutes later I reappeared in front of my wife, with what I had written. She read it over the phone to her sisters. All my wife could do was stare at me in disbelief at the first chapter. “You copied this!” When she said that, I struck out again and quickly hammered out chapter two. Giving it to her, and again, she read it over the phone to her sisters. By now, the laughing had stopped. “Write chapter three,” she said to me. Again I took off and returned a short time later with chapter three. ‘Oh my God,’ said the three. From then on, after completion of each chapter, my wife would call her sisters to read them what I had written. Now that was joy in and of its self. It was the sheer pleasure of writing. I had stumbled across something simply amazing I never knew I could do.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MR: Except for what I have already stated, there is no other. Though I was convinced to try and get published, even though I didn’t really care to. What a nightmare that became! Traditional trade publishers make it frustrating, to say the least. Most authors end up going the route of self-publishing, a very hard road indeed. A lot end up spending all the money they have saved, to publish their book. A fraction, I will even go as far as saying hardly any will find success in their endeavor. I never knew so many people were trying their hand at writing and doing they’re very best to get published. This is a sad world we live in when so many good works are out there and will never be seen or published. If you read some of the stories published now, “what were they thinking” comes to mind.

I believe I was given this special gift to write, which could have only come from God! I cherish this gift to create works from nothingness. I will continue to write no matter what. If I become a household name, so be it. If I am not, so be too. Nothing can deter the enjoyment and pleasure I find in what I do. I am old enough to know money will not control nor dictate my destiny, I do. Trust in God, this I do wholeheartedly, He will deliver me where I need to go. He led me to you, Crystal, and let me say now, it is, and has been, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MR: I started a new career recently and it is time consuming. My writing time is cut severely. Once I learn the ins and outs of the business, and get into a routine again, I can better answer this question. As of now, my writing is sporadic and I have no set time or schedule, I do it when I can. But I will be back at full throttle soon. I can already see new adventures coming up in the people I meet. These people will be my characters in novels soon to come.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MR: Moved! When I was notified that I was going to be published, I was so excited I danced my way through the house. It was a feeling of euphoria. Now you, Crystal, are doing my first interview, one of many, I pray to come. This too, carries a new sense of excitement. I am delighted and honored to step into the ring with so many great authors who have come before me.

CA: I do hope you have more interviews Michael, this seems to come so easily to you!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MR: When I am not writing I like to do strenuous labor, the harder the better. There is nothing like a good sweat for several hours to keep you in shape. The alone time is for me, to collect myself, and my thoughts, back into a focused mode. I have even come up with stories while doing some of these demanding tasks. Whether splitting wood with an ax, hand digging trenches, moving large stones, the physical aspects help clear the mind, body, and soul.

When I retired from the Navy, after twenty years, my wife and I searched for that perfect permanent home. We were tired of moving from one place to the next, in our military lives, so we searched far and wide in the area from which we came. My wife discovered our farmhouse first. ‘You have to see this place,’ she told me. When I finally saw it, I knew too, this was it. Built in 1928, the two-story, 10 acre tract, with a white picket fenced yard, was our dream home. We had talked about such a place for many years and now we found it. The only thing missing was our pond, and I am currently working on digging it out and building it.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MR: Nine books thus far. Which is my favorite? Well that is a hard question to answer. Each one has a personal attachment because they started out as only thoughts and now they exist. To ask if I have a favorite one, I cannot truly say I do. That’s almost asking which child is your favorite!

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MR: I use characteristics of real people. From my travels, I have witnessed first-hand, many different people and cultures. Using this mixture, it seems to create relatable characters. Much like an artist who sits and studies all the features of a landscape, before they begin painting.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MR: Readers can contact me personally at eyesofmichael@yahoo.com
At present my book is in the digital format only, an electronic (e-book), which can be viewed on a computer or book reader. The following sites offer free downloadable versions for viewing e-books. Please check them out. I believe readers will be surprised how much cheaper e-books are compared to paperback. To purchase a book please visit
http://www.clublighthousepublishing.com/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.mobiepocket.com/

Also on these sites, you will find out more about the different types of readers---with new ones emerging on the market in ever-increasing numbers. These readers allow you to carry with you as many as two hundred stored books, so you will never be caught without a good book to read. In seconds, without leaving the comfort of your own home, you can be reading an electronic book.

Crystal, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to let readers know that I, and my book, exist. You have brought hope that the strict publishers of magazines and newspapers, do not wish to do, and that is to hear authors requests and our voices. I guess once an author has made a name for themselves, it is easier, but what about before then. I could not get anyone to hear me speak. You don’t know the amount of time spent, just on them, trying to get my voice heard. Now you appear, all smiles, loving your job, and with enthusiasm to do it right. If you can do it, why can’t they? If people no longer like their jobs, and can no longer attack it with the passion they once had, they should step down. There are many others with the eagerness to go get it, devouring what they really love. I am foremost an author, not an advertiser nor promoter. I love to write, so I have chosen what I really love and do it with passion, pouring all my heart and soul into it. To remove me from my field, and place me in the advertising department, truly affects my writing. That is the difference in a good book and a great book. An author needs no additional stress, because most are already under a timeline to finish their next book. Publishers are generally looking for a trilogy or a running-line of books, and to get them completed while the market is hot for the author or the series. Normally 3 – 5 books a year, not an easy task, just in itself, but it can be done. Though having these added distractions compounds our efforts. Help, such as yourself, Crystal, is a welcomed sight. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. –Michael Richard

CA: Michael, Thank you so much for your kind words. And yes, I do love my job, although it does get a little backed up at times because I am first and foremost a mother and a wife..but I always find time to read no matter what. I wish you all the luck in the world with your writing career and if there is ever anything I can do to promo you just let me know and I’ll be there!! Thank you again for taking time out to do this interview, you truly are one in a million!—Crystal


Interview with Joe Miller



Author Pen Name: Joe Miller

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JM: I write about motivational ideas to help people find happiness in life. Helping other people is my passion, and if I can write a book that will help just one person then I am happy.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JM: Very recently. I wrote my book in December 2006 and after writing it I really enjoyed the process so much that I want to do more.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JM: My Brother Chris was my inspiration for writing the book "Find Your Spinach" but my friend Pat Longo has been my constant writing companion and inspiration.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JM: I am a speaker for a living so I have a lot of free time to work on my writing!


CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JM: Excited!

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

JM: I love to climb mountains.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JM: I have written two books. "Find Your Spinach" is my favorite.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JM: All of my characters are based on real people and experiences.

CA: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

JM: Write what is in your heart and don't change it for anyone.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

JM: My books are sold on my website: http://www.findyourspinach.com/
You can also find us on MySpace: www.myspace.com/findyourspinach

Monday, June 2, 2008

Interview with Mark David Gerson




Author Pen Name: Mark David Gerson

CA: What genre(s) do you write?

MDG: At present, I'm writing fantasy fiction (what some might call visionary fiction), as well as nonfiction about writing/creativity and spirituality. However, I try to remain open to whatever words and stories in whatever form/genre that might be waiting inside for me to notice them and commit them to the page.

CA: Why do you write the stories that you write?

MDG: My basic philosophy of writing — and that includes what I teach and write about — is that we don't choose the stories we write (at least not consciously). They choose us. My job as a writer is to trust that the stories are there, listen for them, surrender to them and translate them into words on a page. Perhaps the question ought to be, "Why do your stories choose you?" To that question, I have no answer!

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

MDG: When I was in public school and university, I hated writing and didn't believe I was creative. I focused on math, where there was only one right answer and avoided all the shades of gray that mark creativity in all its forms. Like my stories, I suppose, writing found me. It hooked me first when I began working in public relations after college and had to write, sunk the hook deeper when I began freelance writing on the side and, finally, conquered me when I reluctantly took a creative writing workshop in my mid-30s. Suddenly, I was launched on a new path of writing, teaching writing and writing about writing.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

MDG: Perhaps the two most profound sources of inspiration for the kinds of writing I now do are Ursula K. Le Guin, particularly her Earthsea books, and Madeleine L'Engle. Even though the Earthsea books and L'Engle's books are considered Young Adult fiction, I only discovered them as adults. Both L'Engle and Le Guin have also profoundly affected my philosophy and approach toward writing, along with Ray Bradbury, Steven King, Natalie Goldberg and others too numerous to mention.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

MDG: It varies from project to project. Sometimes from week to week. In the past, I've written in the mornings but that seems to be changing. I try not to be attached to any particular rhythm or routine, knowing that each project has its own rhythm that it demands of me.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

MDG: Gratified.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

MDG: Reading, watching movies, hiking in nature, teaching and talking about writing and how anyone can write because we're all innately creative.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

MDG: I've written and published two: The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy and The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write. A third book, a sequel to The MoonQuest, is in process. I can't name a favorite any more than a parent can name a favorite child. I love them both — for their strengths and weaknesses and for what they've taught me and continue to teach me.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

MDG: I don't consciously manufacture my characters. They form on the page. At the same time, I'm sure they're influenced by people I know or have met. It's the same for the "imaginary" places in the mythical land that is The MoonQuest's setting.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

MDG: The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy and The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write (along with its companion 2-CD set of guided meditations for writers, The Voice of the Muse Companion) are available online via Amazon.com or http://www.lightlinesmedia.com/. They're also available at selected bookstores coast-to-coast. For more information about me, or to subscribe to my free newsletter, visit http://www.markdavidgerson.com/.

CA: Mark, I have your book up for review shortly and I look forward to reading your writing style.
Thank you for dropping in this week!