 
A Word Please

Conversations With

24 Authors

January –June 2012

Quiet Fury Books

Copyright © Darcia Helle 2012

All rights reserved

Smashwords Edition - License Notes:

This ebook is for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be copied, reproduced, or posted anywhere on the Internet without written permission.

Note to Readers:

This collection of interviews was initially published on _A Word Please_ , the blog belonging to author Darcia Helle. All questions were written by Darcia specifically for each author, for each book discussed. Along with the interviews, you will also find information on the books and authors.

Table of Contents:

Black Light of Day, Nights Gone By, and Walkout by Jason McIntyre

Bloodstone: The Guardian's Apprentice by J. Michael Radcliffe

Appliances Included and Cupid's Maze: Short Stories by Mark Souza

The Lion, The Lamb, the Hunted by Andrew Kaufman

A Murderer's Heart by Julie Elizabeth Powell

The Nightmare Within and Where Darkness Dwells by Glen Krisch

B-Sides and Broken Hearts by Caryn Rose

Finally Home by Elysabeth Eldering

Metallic Dreams by Mark Rice

Lair of the White Wyrm by Lea Ryan

Facing The Son by M L Rudolph

Changes by Charles Colyott

Playing With The Bad Boys by Sylvia Massara

The Bastard Year by Richard Lee Zuras

Slings & Arrows and Gone by Julie Elizabeth Powell

The Art Lovers Handbook by Les and Sue Fox

Web of Lies by Sarah Tate

King Trevor by Susan Helene Gottfried

Crashing Eden by Michael Sussman

Eerie by Blake and Jordan Crouch

Hide and Seek by Jenny Hilborne

Recall! Return of the IRR by Doug DePew

Corpse Days by Jonathon Kane

When America Slew Her King by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

Black Light of Day, Nights Gone By, and Walkout by Jason McIntyre

   **Dangerous Intersection** // At the same intersection over the course of the next year and a half, Janey Dietrich goes through the motions of her ever-changing life and might finally discover what's truly important to her.

**Remembering Train Car Six** // 58-year old Mort can't shake the feeling that he's been doing things in the past to help himself in the present. He just can't remember doing them.

**Two in the Park** // The man in the fedora is good with his video camera but recently-divorced Albert is too busy watching his own daughter boss her way through the playground to give him the notice he deserves.

**One Hour's Reprieve** // Allie gets one hour for lunch with her mom, to laugh, to catch up, and to deliver some heart-breaking news.

**Dark That Day, After All** // As they peer into the heavens together, elderly Jarvis Schloss unburdens his soul to another park dweller as they sit on his favorite park bench. The two each reflect on the primes of their lives and uncover something even darker than the sky overhead.

**Act of Contrition** // Mark Foley has climbed his way to a prime V-P position with Gabriel-Garvin and Subsidiaries but today he's getting more than a simple hand-slap over a deal that went south.

   **DDA** // Ada Verhoeven has just graduated from a Berlin university. Now she's following her father's words of advice, getting things in order and making plans for her new life.

**House Lights** // Thinking he needs to get out of the house Abe is now face-to-face with the girl he pined for through high school...and he's taking an acting class with her.

**Man With an Addiction** // The man in the pickup truck tells Katie that he's just out to buy dog food for his newborn pups but surely there's more to his offer of a ride home.

**Down The Line** // Otis Derry's lead line inspector finds something on the early morning train bound for the mountain pass through Willis.

**East Meets West** // Duncan loves to work in the dirt and now that spring is here he can finally get that new flower bed planted before darkfall but the next-door neighbour has other plans.

**Through the Transom Light** // Henry can't sleep and hasn't for some years now–not since that night seven years ago when his and Anna's lives were shattered with the scream of the baby monitor.

   Gavin is a wealthy and demanding investment banker, the sort of power-hungry, driven man those in the professional world don't question. When a beautiful young woman finds herself entangled with Gavin following his divorce of a year ago, things aren't exactly as they first seemed. Now, nearing the end of an icy winter, she's living in his luxurious home in a rich neighborhood just north of the sprawling city. She's washing his sheets and tending to his every whim...but a mysterious boat house on the property calls to her and, in time, she may not be able to stop herself from answering.

Our conversation:

Black Light of Day

**The first story –** _Dangerous Intersection_ **– takes place entirely with Janey in her car. What prompted you to set an entire story inside a car?**

I read a foreword (or maybe it was an afterword) by Stephen King some years ago when he tried to pre-empt questions about why he set his novel, _From a Buick 8_ , in Pennsylvania rather than his more traditional location of Maine. He said something similar to, "I was driving in my car in Pennsylvania when the story occurred to me so, to be honest to the story, I kept it in Pennsylvania when I wrote it."

To me, this answer seems almost too perfectly rational. In a similar way, the idea for Dangerous Intersection came to me in the car as I was driving home from work. Each day, week after week, I would inevitably be stopped in a particular left-hand turning lane with only the soft, rhythmic click of my signal flasher as witness. It struck me how this echoed the opening scene of my novel from last year called _On The Gathering Storm_ and that made me tune into the idea of echoes in our lives. Do we even listen to such echoes? No matter how often they repeat? Pretty soon, I had the nuts and bolts of the narrative and the characters figured out. I decided to keep the narrative not just inside the car but at the exact same intersection for much the same reason as King did. I felt I could be more true to the story if it felt more true to me.

_Act of Contrition_ **has a futuristic, sci-fi feel. This one brought to mind the 'group think' mentality, and also had shades of the Stanford prison experiment conducted in 1971. Did either of these things factor into your writing on this one? What was the inspiration?**

The idea of 'group think' is absolutely a valid notion for readers to take from this story. Here, an employee of a large conglomeration has moved even beyond the point of frustration with the constructs of his work-a-day world and is now forced into a trial by fire.

I vaguely remember learning about the Stanford prison experiment from 1971 when I was in high school but didn't have it at the forefront of my thoughts while writing this. Like most things, it was probably in the ingredient list of the stew which eventually became the final story. It is certainly applicable and an off-shoot and I love when readers bring such things back to me from their reading.

I was inspired by stories like _Lord of The Flies_ and _The Lottery_ (two other things originally gleaned from high school which I learned to love long after those awkward teenage years). They embody the idea that we as a species can be hunky-dory and even as cordial to one another as saccharine until the chips are down. Then, whamo!, we are throwing stones at each other or spearing pigs' heads and lighting forest fires. This thin piano wire between rationality and chaos has always intrigued me.

**Your writing is always visual, but** _Act of Contrition_ **in particular stood out for me. I could see the action playing out as if on a movie screen. Are you a visual writer? Do you see the scene in your mind, then write it? Or does it become visual for you as you create it?**

Striking question and I need to pause and really understand how it occurs myself before answering.

Okay. I'm back. Hope no one left to go to the bathroom or get a cup of coffee. If you need to, go ahead. I'll wait.

Wonderful. Feeling refreshed? Me too. Where were we?

Usually the premise or centerpiece scene of a story or book comes to me in a visual way, as if seeing it on a film reel in my mind's eye. The nuts and bolts scenes needed to either lead up to that centerpiece or trail away from it and explain it, occur in a similar visual way – but these parts unfurl in the moments as I write them. I go back religiously to ensure that the reader will take what I want them to from each of the filmstrips. I guess you could say I strive to be a master manipulator. If only I had political aspirations.

Nights Gone By

_Through the Transom Light_ **was the standout for me in this collection. The subject matter struck me deep. With Henry, the main character, you tackle the depth of a father's love. For this story, did you draw on your own feelings of being the father of two young children?**

This one was absolutely inspired by being a father. Despite this being Henry and Anna's first child, the inspiration for this story came not from being a pop the first time but instead the weariness of going through it all a second time. Ugh. The thinking and re-thinking about whether I would even want to bring a child into this mixed up, violent, harsh reality. And, oh, hey, lookie-here, didn't I just have this mental tug-of-war last week when we had the first baby? Sheesh. Now I'm mixing that with all the things I experienced that first time, logistical realities like not knowing how to handle baby's new teeth and her indigestive wailing, never sleeping myself, losing out on such things as career advancements simply because my priorities had changed from seeking prestige to simple nocturnal survival. Simple things too, like not knowing where the remote is even though I JUST. HAD. IT. IN MY HANDS.

Another facet of this story – which, to be fair, has been one of the hardest for me to write, EVER – was the idea that we have no real understanding of why things happen to us. We can call it faith, religion, fate, destiny, karma, but no one rightfully knows why certain things happen to certain people. Being responsible for human beings outside of my own physical body is a sobering notion. Something will happen. It's inevitable. And I will not be able to control it. Nor will I necessarily be able to explain it. There are irrational realities. And as a father, that's scary as hell.

The paranormal twist gave the story an eerie edge, and Henry's ability to hold onto his belief despite everything had a poetic feel. This was a fascinating blend. What was the inspiration behind this?

Simply, the idea that upon the birth of my second child, I had this unshakeable feeling of, "We did this once. It's killing us. But we got through it before. It will be okay again. Some day."

I don't know how I would react in a similar situation to Henry's and I hope I never have to be tested in such a way. But I have certain truisms about humanity that I hold dear. One is that we are a hopeful lot. We hang onto beliefs that are engrained in us, even if they are completely irrational and unfounded in the reality we see every single day. It's our main survival instinct.

The dichotomy of an almost religious-level of faith mixed thrown against the supernatural felt like an interesting two-step to explore. I believe that not knowing the answer to a big life question is almost always the main driver of effective suspense fiction. As a writer, if I can formulate a question in the mind of the reader without actually phrasing it, and then explore the character's path through to some kind of answer, I stand an excellent chance of scaring the bejeezus out of that reader.

**In** _Man With an Addiction_ **, you step into the mind of the story's antagonist. What is it like for you to write from the perspective of a 'bad guy'? Do you need to be in a certain mood or prepare in any specific way?**

For a rather short story, _Man With an Addiction_ took a considerable amount of thought and research before I set pen to paper, so to speak. Even before the newspaper clippings were consumed and shivered over, I was inspired by a shoddily-written warning note that was tacked to a community bulletin board at a local library. It warned of a known offender who had recently bought a house in the neighbourhood. Some citizen felt the need to spread the word.

The story's challenge was an interesting one. I was inspired – believe it or not – by the movieJaws. You see only the shark's fin until about 80% of the way through that incredibly effective movie. If you read Man With an Addiction closely, you'll note that nothing offensive, suggestive or off-colour is ever mentioned outright. As readers we're unsettled by only the implications being made by the narration. And those implications are of the most unsettling kind I can imagine.

It was a dark few days as I wrote the first draft of that story.

Walkout

This novella was full of your signature darkness and vivid imagery. What inspired this story?

In a nutshell, I'd moved in with my girlfriend (who would one day become my wife). We lived in a rather shambled, poorly-built house and I had trouble sleeping that first winter as I became accustomed to living with another person, sharing that space, the lifestyle and so on. I feared on one particular dark and snowy night that my identity might be swallowed whole by this new world I now inhabited, even despite the infatuation and love I had for the person I lived with. But in that night, as I lay staring at the ceiling I worried, I wouldn't ever go to sleep again. I'd grow so weary, reality would blur with imagination, bringing me to a state where I could legally claim temporary insanity. Would I go into a fugue and find myself standing barefoot outside one of our drafty windows pounding to be let in and having no real understanding of how I got there?

The confusion you feel in the story is an earnest attempt on my part to recreate that feeling of moving from a solo figure on the landscape to suddenly being half of a couple. Does an individual's identity survive? Can it? It does, I think, but depending on specific dynamics it can get a rather extreme face lift. Peach gets one of those, doesn't she?

Peach, the main character, goes through a period of intense confusion. Because she is the viewpoint character, her confusion becomes the readers' confusion. I felt like I'd fallen down the rabbit hole and could relate to Peach's disorientation. The sense of imbalance in the story could easily have left readers stumbling and irritated, but you managed to walk that fine line with ease. Are you aware of this tightrope act as you write? Or do you immerse yourself in the character's mindset and write what you see and feel?

How much ego is involved if I say that the tightrope walking is intentional? I will admit that I rarely start writing a story unless I'm reasonably confident I can succeed in whatever kind of medicine the story needs to heal – if that even makes a lick of sense. Writing is a bit like doctoring. You get a patient (in the form of a nagging idea) and then you set about administering drugs and therapy to the nag with the purpose of curing it (and yourself, vicariously). If you get some kind of response – the wiggle of a toe when you were certain that paralysis was imminent – you're encouraged to keep at it. Maybe you'll get an x-ray of clear lungs after a month of imbalanced, violent pneumonia-like hacking. That black sheet of film puts you a little at ease. You feel like you're on the right track with this course of treatment. The patient may not on live, but walk again, and breathe without the help of an air tank. As I wrote _Walkout_ I had that feeling of pending fatality avoided and kept at it. In the end, beta readers said I nailed it so I packaged it up and sent it out into the world.

In the end, after all the bandages, casts, pills and prescription slips, that's all I can do.

General Questions

Some readers are under the impression that a male writer cannot properly write from a female POV and a female writer can't properly write from a male POV. What is your opinion on this?

My opinion? It's laughable that anyone can tell another person they've failed in a creative pursuit, particularly one so subjective as gender-specific points of view.

I've had some success with stories like _Walkout_ , _On The Gathering Storm_ and _Bled_ – all told from a woman's perspective — and certainly wasn't inspired to try writing this perspective until I saw other male writers achieve it in their work. It's a broad stroke to say that any writer, man or woman, can truly inhabit another's point of view. You can't. But you can write it in a believable way. I've seen it done. I've also seen it faked. My hope is that when I write any character – man, woman, black, white, old, young – that I do it in a way which is nearly invisible to the reader. It should be a heartbeat from the reality they know for it to be effective.

If I've come that close for a reader, I consider the story partway to success. The next thing is to tell the story so it unfolds for them in a reasonable way – even if the dinosaurs in it are drinking cognac and talking about the Martian's chances in November's presidential race.

Your writing is generally in the dark and twisted zone, and you occasionally tap into people's fears. What scares you the most and why?

The news. I don't often sit down to write directly topical or issue books (at least, I haven't yet) but I work in a field that is directly related to the media and so I'm touched on a daily basis by the kinds of news stories tugging on the heartstrings and fear factors of average people. These ideas sort of saturate me, my psyche, my behaviours, and they tend to stew in me until they coagulate in a way that makes a bit of sense and I set about writing them down, either to get over them or cure them out of the wheelchair and make them walk again.

Funny confessional? I don't actually look at anything I've written as dark and twisted. Suspenseful? Yes, I hope so. But I think if I did try for the darkness, the tales might feel disingenuous. I'm honestly surprised that interviewers, readers and reviewers say that I write all this twisted stuff. Don't get me wrong. I've embraced it and play it up with things like spooky book jackets and podcasts filmed in a dark room, but actually I'm just writing about the world I see around me. It must be a scary damn place for most people.

About the Author:

Jason McIntyre has lived and worked in varied places across the globe. His writing also meanders from the pastoral to the garish, from the fantastical to the morbid. Before his time as an editor, writer and communications professional, he spent several years as a graphic designer and commercial artist.

McIntyre's writing has been called darkly noir and sophisticated, styled after the likes of Chuck Palahniuk but with the pacing and mass appeal of Stephen King. The books tackle the family life subject matter of Jonathan Franzen but also eerie discoveries one might find in a Ray Bradbury story or those of Rod Serling.

His books include the #1 Kindle Suspense, THE NIGHT WALK MEN, bestsellers ON THE GATHERING STORM and SHED, plus the multi-layered coming-of-age literary suspense THALO BLUE. McIntyre is the author of more than two dozen short stories, several novellas and full-length fiction. Currently, he is at work on the full-length follow-up novel about THE NIGHT WALK MEN.

Jason McIntyre on  Amazon

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/JasonCMcIntyre>

Website: http://www.thefarthestreaches.com

Bloodstone: The Guardian's Apprentice by J. Michael Radcliffe

   An ancient evil has returned to threaten the world of magic and mortal alike. Keegan Whitestone has become the Guardian – protector of the magical barrier known as the Veil – but he cannot yet control his powers. He must find and destroy the legendary Bloodstone, a jewel used by the powerful necromancer, Sava, to ensnare and devour the souls of others. In a bid to save the soul of the woman he loves, Keegan faces a terrible choice. 'Bloodstone – The Guardian's Curse' is a twenty chapter novella of 32,000 words, and is the sequel to 'The Guardian's Apprentice'. Also included are the short stories 'Forsaken' and 'Scale of a Dragon' as well as the never before published short story 'Inner Daemon'.

Our conversation:

What is it about the fantasy genre that intrigues you as an author?

I have always loved both fantasy and science fiction, ever since I read 'Star Wars' when I was in third grade. I love being able to create a world with a totally different environment than our own, with creatures that are only limited by ones imagination. Writing in the fantasy genre gives you a certain freedom to set the rules, to create your own world and populate it with the creatures (and monsters) from your imagination.

_Bloodstone – The Guardian's Curse_ **is the sequel to** _The Guardian's Apprentice_ **. Do you have more planned for this series?**

Maybe. I had originally planned a series of three books when I started writing TGA in 2002, but the storyline and plot have significantly changed over time. Book one was originally going to be called 'Whitestone – The Guardian's Apprentice', and then of course 'Bloodstone – The Guardian's Curse' and book three was going to be 'Blackstone – The Guardian's Salvation'. I may yet write book three...

I also have a couple of ideas unrelated to this series that I may explore first, if I can just find the time to write!

Magic is a big part of Bloodstone's plot. Are you a fan of modern magic or is it only the ancient magic like your character Keegan uses that fascinates you?

Although I enjoy the smoke and mirrors tricks performed by a good illusionist, I have to admit it is the ancient magic that fascinates me most. I think it must run in my family, as my sister, paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson, is just as fascinated with it – especially the old Celtic myths and legends.

How did you go about creating Keegan's world? Did the idea come to you all at once or was it something you spent a lot of time developing?

Now that is a tough question to answer. When I started out and began sketching the storyline, I had certain ideas about how I wanted the world to appear and operate. I have to admit though, that a good deal of that evolved over time – especially the creatures that populate it.

What is your writing environment like? Neat or cluttered? Quiet or noisy?

I will openly admit to being a 'neat freak', so my desk is pretty tidy – though I do have my dragon statuette (Idris, my writing partner) and several reference books on magical creatures, mythology and dragons lying about. As for the writing environment, it is almost never quiet. We have two kids still at home so it is fairly busy around our house. I usually write either late at night or early in the morning, when everyone else is still asleep. Either that or I plug in my earphones! 

Is there a time of day or night when you are most creative?

Usually either late at night, or very early in the morning. I have to admit though, I've had ideas while driving down the road or at other odd times. On a couple of occasions I have actually had a dream that made its way onto the pages – for example just before Christmas I had an unusual dream that turned into the short story 'Inner Daemon.'

I hear you have an army of cats. Tell us about them.

Yes, our ever-growing cadre of cats seems to keep getting larger each year! We are now up to five, two outdoor and three indoor, to be specific. I'll give you a brief bio on each of them – I've also included my writing partner Idris, the dragon, as he'd never let me hear the end of it if I didn't...

Idris (a.k.a. Shimmerscale)

   On a trip to Washington D.C. we visited a shop in Baltimore where my attention was drawn to a display case filled with various dragons. Now I have always loved dragons, but this one truly spoke to me – though I cannot explain why. I swear I heard his voice in my head saying "Finally! Have you ANY idea how long you've kept me waiting? Now pay the ransom and liberate me from this prison!"

Not being one to argue with a dragon, I paid the rather exorbitant price, er – "ransom" and brought him home. He now occupies a place next to my computer, where he supervises my writing – usually by providing frequent editorial comments about my dialogue.

After much prodding and cajoling, he has finally entrusted me with his name. His true dragon name is 'Idris' and his human given nickname is 'Shimmerscale.' I appreciate him sharing his true name with me, as most dragons are loathe to divulge such a thing to a member of one of the lesser races (humans, elves, etc.) Note: That last comment was from Idris, not me. I personally do not think we humans are a 'lesser' race, but who am I to argue with a dragon?

Mickey – the new recruit

   The most recent addition to our army, Mickey was adopted when the janitor at my wife's school found him locked in a storage shed in 96+ degree, humid Kentucky heat. Severely malnourished – you could see his ribs and backbone – she brought the poor little fellow home. The kids named him 'Mickey' due to his enormous ears and in honor of our trips to Disney (yes, I know, a cat named after a mouse...).

A very loving and affectionate cat, Mickey has fattened up and now weighs close to 10 pounds at just seven months; he also wants absolutely nothing to do with outside, preferring to sit on window perch and watch. Cocoa, Cookie and Jasmine have not accepted him yet and skulk about the back deck, plotting an assassination attempt. Maddie is more accepting, though dislikes it immensely when he pounces on her from underneath the bed skirt...

Maddie

   Maddie was found on the side of the road in December 2009. Only about five or six weeks old (we think) at the time, someone had apparently thrown her from a moving vehicle, shattering her left hip and leaving her with a multitude of scrapes and bruises. When found, she had a soda cup stuck on her head and was starving. A happy and healthy cat now, Maddie has made a full recovery and doesn't seem to realize she's missing a leg. Her natural prey are Nerf darts, which she attacks with a vengeance whenever possible.

Jasmine

   The "middle" cat, Jasmine has never quite grown up. Extremely loving and affectionate, she is also incredibly jealous. She despises Maddie and will go into a week-long sulk if around her. As a result, she is now the official upstairs cat, while Maddie and Cookie diligently patrol the lower levels.

Cookie

   Convinced that humans exist for the sole purpose of feeding her, Cookie is fickle with her affections and dictates when the unworthy may approach. She also has an odd fondness for the refrigerator, and if unguarded will jump onto the bottom shelf. She will then hide behind the soda cans and refuses to come out for at least five minutes. If human, she would be the Queen of Hearts, shouting "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" at those who annoy her.

Cocoa

   Evil incarnate, Cocoa is bipolar on her best days. When the mood strikes her and she wants your attention, she will sneak up behind you and lick your ankle, foot or leg. At this point you have two choices: (1) pet her and make her happy or (2) ignore her and suffer her wrath, which usually consists of latching onto you with her teeth (if you're smart, you'll go with option #1...). Once she tires of your attention she will usually sink her teeth into your hand, indicating that your usefulness has ended.

What are your 3 most treasured material items?

Yikes! That is truly a difficult question to answer – you see, I am a sentimental fool. I think I probably have every Father's Day and Birthday card given to me by my wife and kids and I form an emotional attachment to things. If forced to choose, I would say the three items are:

• My grandmother's cookbook – containing all of her best recipes written in her own handwriting, the pages stained and dusted with flour and cocoa powder.

• A star sapphire ring given to me by my mother, not long after she had a heart transplant.

• A gold pocket watch, given as a wedding gift to my great-grandmother and handed down through the Radcliffe side of my family.

About Michael Radcliffe:

An avid reader of fantasy and science fiction novels all of my life, I published my first novel The Guardian's Apprentice in 2010. I live with my family in rural Kentucky along with our five cats. When not acquiring cats for my wife's plan of world domination (cat armies are terribly hard to train), I enjoy spinning stories from the wisps of magic around me.

Website: http://www.theGuardiansApprentice.com

Blog: http://www.MichaelRadcliffe.wordpress.com

Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/Alderdrache>

Appliances Included and Cupid's Maze

Short Stories by Mark Souza

What is it about short fiction that appeals to you as a writer?

Writing short stories is the fastest way to get published, the best way to receive feedback, and the fastest way to learn the writing craft. A writer can spend a year writing a novel before submitting to agents and editors to get feedback. Good luck with that. Agents and editors are usually too busy to provide a critique. Feedback usually consists of "not for us." And unless you just wrote _The Hunger Games_ , they won't read more than the first few paragraphs.

If a writer pens short stories, they can submit ten or more stories in that same time period, the stories will be read, and chances for honest feedback improve drastically. With short stories, you are dealing with anthology or magazine editors who get tens of thousands of words coming across their desks each week, versus an agent who receives millions of words a week.

The advantage short stories provide is more repetitions at working your craft. Every element of a good novel can be found in a good short story, so what a writer learns from writing short stories is directly applicable to writing novels. And because short stories usually have a word limit, they also teach the art of editing and tightening prose. The lower the word count, the more a writer learns about editing. Nothing tightens flaccid prose better and quicker than flash fiction, stories of 1000 words or less. Those 1000 words have to do double duty. Wordy phrases have to be reworked till they're lean and precise.

It's also much easier coming up with ideas for good short stories than it is ideas strong enough to support a full length novel. And who knows, short stories sometimes grow long legs and turn into novels – I'm working on one of those now. What started as 5,000 words is now 100,000.

As you can probably tell, I'm a big proponent of writers cutting their teeth on short stories.

When you first sit down to write, is your focus more on the plot or the characters?

I usually start with a premise and plot first. But occasionally I'll come up with a character that cries out for a story. For stories that begin with plot, once I map out where I'm going, I look for my characters and make a fundamental shift toward a character driven story. I firmly believe that good fiction is all character driven.

I'm generally a plotter rather than a pantser. A lot of that has to do with time restrictions where my writing is concerned. I don't have the luxury of letting my characters wander until they find a story. That often leads to dead ends, ideas that peter out before they reach conclusion.

If you equate writing with driving, and time with fuel, those with a full gas tank and a fat wallet (i.e., plenty of writing time) have the luxury of pantsing – driving around without a map to see what they find. In my case, my tank is much closer to E. I have to have a map and check my route before I start. I need to know I have enough gas to reach my destination. There has a viable story before I'll even start down the path.

I get into arguments about this all the time, and always with those with plenty of writing time. I try to point out that just because I plot, doesn't mean I'm closed to the wonderful twists and turns my characters discover. If my characters take a story in a new and better direction, I am very open to revising my plot. But again, the new route has to be able to get me to the end.

Describe your ideal writing environment.

My ideal writing environment would be on the deck of my 120 foot yacht, anchored in a quiet lagoon off Aruba, with my loyal manservant Geoffrey keeping me well stocked with icy Diet Pepsis. Alas, I have no yacht, and Geoffrey works for someone else (Stephen King I think).

I do most of my writing at work during lunch. My yacht is a desk wedged amid cubical wall, my little cell in the hive. It's messy – two monitors, a phone, and piled high with paperwork. It could use either a good cleaning or a fire. There's always a background din from the chatter of coworkers and the hiss of the ventilation system; which is fine by me. It's my version of the Caribbean breaking over a white-sand beach. I grew up in a large family and feel more at home with a little noise in my ears, and ill at ease in total silence. The one good thing about having so little time to write is that you have to get down to it: no waiting on my muse. If she shows up, great. If not, I start without her.

**At the end of your story** _Appliances Included_ **, you give readers insight into a character that was inspired by an actual person you and your wife met one day. Do you often base your characters on real people?**

I often build characters a bit like Doctor Frankenstein — a piece from this friend, a trait from that one. It's easier to build a character if you actually see and experience the specific personality traits you want to use.

Sometimes I'll build characters wholly from scratch, but they rarely have the depth of personality as Franken-characters. They feel a little less genuine, and they are harder for me to visualize and know.

Rarely do I use someone I've met as a character, whole and unaltered. Sadie (not her real name) is an exception. Sadie didn't need anything added to her to stand out on the page and take over a story. She was bigger than life in person, and bigger than life on paper. I met her once, talked to her for about five minutes, and will never forget her.

Writers have to keep their eyes and ears open for that kind of found treasure. It's too easy to roll up the windows and move on, all the while missing out on something truly exceptional, and truly human. It only seemed appropriate to view the end of the story through Sadie's eyes. She's the neighborhood busybody, the Gladys Kravitz of her block. She's seen them come and seen them go, and always has an opinion she's only too glad to share.

**Your story** _Cupid's Maze_ **was inspired by a trip with your daughter to a corn maze. Tell us a bit about that experience and how the story idea was formed.**

My experience with my daughter was mildly alarming in that I thought it would be an easy matter to negotiate the maze considering it was relatively small and had a number of tall landmarks we could use for orientation. The corn wasn't all that high, yet we were lost for hours. In our maze, the biggest element of horror was dispelled when we discovered Porta-Potties installed at the center.

The experience did get the wheels turning in my head, though. What if the corn was tall enough to wall off the rest of the world, the maze much larger, with no landmarks to orient yourself? Add in frigid weather, the specter of impending nightfall, and the possibility having to spend the night exposed in the corn. Then last two elements; take away the laughter and reassuring sounds of others in the maze (safety in numbers), and put something menacing to stalk those trapped inside. Suddenly, the friendly little corn maze turns into a horrifying nightmare.

Jessy Marie Roberts, Chief Editor at Pill Hill Press, gave me a great piece of advice about writing horror; it isn't horror if bad things happen to people who deserve it, horror is when horrible things happen to good people, to innocents. I put that advice to work in _Cupid's Maze_.

These two stories share a paranormal-horror component. What draws you to this genre?

What drew me to horror is practicality. When I started writing short stories trying to get published, the large majority of calls for submissions were in the horror genre. Though I'm a big Stephen King fan, I started out a mystery and thriller writer. I'm no dummy. I learned what I needed to be able to write horror, found some success, and kept on writing it. There will be mysteries in my future, but I'm embracing horror.

The paranormal introduces the ultimate fear – the unknown; that which we don't understand and have never dealt with. Horror is a fantastic foil to show both the best in people, and the worst. I have little interest in gore or body count, but instead, concentrate on how characters respond to fear and duress. This aligns with my belief that good fiction is character driven. That's where Koontz and King succeed so brilliantly. If you can't get the reader to identify with the characters, you're only killing trees, no matter what the genre.

What scares you the most and why?

Being victimized and helpless. The only thing worse, having something horrible happen to loved ones and being powerless to stop it. I think that is the basis of horror; having your worst fears realized and not knowing what to do to prevent it or make things better.

In my worst nightmare ever, I had driven to the Grand Canyon with my wife and oldest daughter; she was about six in my dream. I pulled into a scenic overlook and parked right up against the short, stone, retaining wall at the edge of the canyon. I was distracted trying to find a camera lost inside the car. When I looked up, my daughter was balancing atop the wall and walking toward me. I lunged and tried to grab her before she fell. She startled and instinctively stepped back, and was gone.

I am a dog-lover (that sounds far creepier than it is), so I have to ask about your "beast-dog, Tater". Why do you call him a "beast-dog"? And how did he/she wind up with the name Tater?

My youngest daughter always wanted a dog, but we had a long list of reasons why that might not be a good idea. One day near Christmas, my sister-in-law asked our kids, "If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?" My youngest responded she'd buy a dog, because from what her parents said, that's about how much money it would take. A few weeks later, we picked out a rescue dog.

The website said she was a bloodhound/dachshund mix (MONGREL), and from the photo (floppy eared, long, black and tan body,) we thought that might be right. We were looking for a small, easy to manage dog. When we went to pick her up, it was clear the dachshund part was flat out wrong. The dog was much larger than we'd been led to believe. She is a shepherd/basset mix. Body of a basset, head and coloration of a shepherd (she weighs about 65 lbs now = BEAST DOG).

Comedian Ron White was very popular with my girls at the time we acquired our dog, so Tater – Ron White's alias when arrested for drunk and disorderly – was tossed out as a possible name, and it stuck. Take a German Shepherd, saw it off at the knees, and you have Tater. She never fails to draw stares when we take her for a walk.

About the Author:

Mark Souza lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, two children, and mongrel beast-dog, Tater. He writes primarily horror, though on occasion, other things that strike his fancy. When he's not writing, he's out among you trying to look and act normal (whatever that is), reminding himself that the monsters he's created are all in his head, no more real than campaign promises.

Mark Souza on  Amazon

Website: http://www.marksouza.com

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/souzawrites>

The Lion, The Lamb, the Hunted by Andrew Kaufman

   SHE ONLY STEPPED OUTSIDE FOR A MINUTE...

But a minute was all it took to turn Jean Kingsley's world upside down–a minute she'd regret for the rest of her life.

STEPPING INTO HER WORST NIGHTMARE.

Because when she returned, she found an open bedroom window and her three-year-old son, Nathan, gone. The boy would never be seen again.

A NIGHTMARE THAT ONLY BECAME WORSE.

A tip leads detectives to the killer, a repeat sex offender, and inside his apartment, a gruesome discovery. A slam-dunk trial sends him off to death row, then several years later, to the electric chair.

CASE CLOSED. JUSTICE SERVED...OR WAS IT?

Now, more than thirty years later, Patrick Bannister unwittingly stumbles across evidence among his dead mother's belongings. It paints his mother as the killer and her brother, a wealthy and powerful senator, as the one pulling the strings.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO NATHAN KINGSLEY?

There's a hole in the case a mile wide, and Patrick is determined to close it. But what he doesn't know is that the closer he moves toward the truth, the more he's putting his life on the line, that he's become the hunted. Someone's hiding a dark secret and will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

The clock is ticking, the walls are closing, and the stakes are getting higher as he races to find a killer–one who's hot on his trail. One who's out for his blood.

Our conversation:

**Your debut novel,** _While the Savage Sleeps_ **went straight to the bestseller list. Did that instant success affect your writing process and mindset when you set out to write** _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted?_

It's kind of funny. When I set out to write my first novel, the question I asked myself was whether I could write a novel. Period. I'd tried so many times before but failed. Once I finished it, I honestly didn't know how readers would respond, if at all. As writers, we work in a vacuum and really don't know what we have until we send it off into the world. After _While the Savage Sleeps_ went to number one, I realized this was a whole new ball game. Suddenly, I had an audience of readers. I understood the accountability that went with that, so when I started writing The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, the question was no longer whether or not I could write a novel; it was whether I could write a better novel. It's in my nature to want to stretch myself, to improve, but in this situation, the stakes seemed so much higher. I felt a responsibility not only to myself but also to my readers. I worked like I've never worked before to make this the absolute best I could. I was ridiculously hard on myself because I didn't want to let my readers down.

**I've read** _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted_ **, and I think your writing talent shines. Do you feel you succeeded in stretching yourself?**

On a personal level, I'd have to say, yes. I'm satisfied that I did everything I could to raise the bar. I love this book, and I'm proud of it. It's been true labor of love for me. Of course, we'll have to see what the readers think, but the response from the beta readers was overwhelmingly positive, and I was thrilled with that. The rest is up to fate, I guess, and is out of my control.

These two books do not fall in the same genre. _While the Savage Sleeps_ is horror, while _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted_ is a psychological thriller. What made you decide to switch genres, and were you worried about how your readers would respond?

This book is a complete departure from my first. We're talking two sides of the globe. The thing is, I never intended to be a horror writer, per se. I write what I'm passionate about and don't pay much attention to genre. _While the Savage Sleeps_ was just a story I wanted to tell. _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted_ is another. I think when you write from the heart, the readers can sense that, and then everything else falls into place. I'm not sure I'll ever want to be boxed into one particular genre; it seems too confining. I've worked hard to brand myself rather than just my genre. But yes, it was a risk for me to hop genres on my second book, especially after developing a following. Am I nervous about it? You bet. But it all goes back to following your heart and knowing all else will follow right along. I've learned to trust my gut; it hasn't let me down yet.

**I loved Patrick, the lead character in** _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted_ **. He's a complex yet sympathetic character. Can you tell us a little about him?**

Patrick is probably my favorite character to date. He's had such a painful and tragic past and yet has still somehow managed to remain genuine, sincere, and quite likeable. Don't get me wrong—he's flawed, terribly so, but in a way, I think, that endears rather than repels. A few of my beta readers said all they wanted to do was throw their arms around him. I think that says it all.

Patrick struggles with a multitude of challenges. Can you share a little about them?

He suffered a horribly abusive childhood, has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and as if that weren't enough, he's a bleeder. You said it: a multitude of challenges.

I wanted to raise the stakes for him like I've never done before with any other character. It was important that the reader see him struggle and rise above his obstacles, both on a personal level and within the story itself. The blood disease is a metaphor; he's been deeply injured, and as a result, is deeply vulnerable. On the physical level, he lives with the day-to-day fear of being injured, of bleeding to death. It's the same thing with his emotional state; he's scared of being vulnerable, of being wounded. It just felt like the right choice.

With the OCD, his particular compulsion is listing; he writes the same words over and over. To raise the stakes even more, he's a journalist, a writer, trapped by his own words. The irony in that fascinated me, and I used it as a device to show his tension. As the situation becomes more dangerous, his disorder becomes more pervasive. As for his abuse, that's directly tied to the plot, but it also makes him a more vulnerable character on so many different levels.

Are there bits of you in Patrick? Did you identify with him?

Not in terms of his circumstances, but on an emotional level, very much. It's interesting how each time I write a new book, my characters become so real to me that at times it feels overwhelming. They're almost like my children. I love them all and I feel their pain. I have to throw myself into their minds in order to portray them in a realistic and compelling way. In doing that, I tend to cross that emotional bridge and connect with them on a very personal level. I guess that's a good sign.

You characters come alive on the page and become people readers can relate to. What is your secret to creating characters readers so easily connect with?

I think flaws are vital to a character, but like I mentioned before, ones that draw the reader to them. Flaws add dimension and make them more interesting, and since none of us is perfect, I think they help us relate to them better. We identify with their shortcomings. Another reason is that I do my best to make their struggles seam real, and when it's all over, I want them to grow as a result, become changed in a significant way.

Your books lack sex, which absolutely works for you. Was it a conscious decision for you to avoid sexual relationships in your books?

The truth is that in real life, people aren't automatically attracted to one another just because they find themselves thrown together. I see it happen in books a lot and it bothers me because it often feels too predictable. It's so easy to take that path, so I choose not to. Besides that, I just don't see a place for it when I'm writing suspense. If a crazed killer is chasing you, sex is probably going to be the last thing on your mind. For me, it slows down the action too much.

**Tell us one thing you want readers to know about** _The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted_ **.**

Oh, gosh. There's more than one. I guess that this book has so many layers to it, and instead of starting with a bang like _While the Savage Sleeps_ does, it builds toward one. Kind of a reversal of sorts, but I think—or I hope—it's a satisfying one.

You're very connected to your readers. What do they mean to you?

They mean the world to me, and I say it every chance I get. Make no mistake about it: I'm fiercely loyal to them. Now more than ever, there are so many choices when it comes to reading. That they've managed to find me and then support me like they have is nothing short of awe-inspiring. I feel an intense responsibility to give them the best I can offer, and I never want to let them down. It's the reason why I dedicated this book to them. They're that important to me.

About the Author:

Andrew E. Kaufman is a freelance writer and author living in Southern California, along with his six Labrador Retrievers, three horses, and a very bossy Jack Russell Terrier (who, incidentally, thinks she owns the place).

After receiving his journalism and political science degrees at San Diego State University, Andrew began his writing career as an Emmy-nominated writer/producer, working at KFMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in San Diego, then at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. For more than ten years, he produced special series and covered many nationally known cases, including the O.J. Simpson Trial.

Andrew Kaufman on  Amazon

Website: http://www.AndreweKaufman.com

Blog: http://www.AndreweKaufman.blogspot.com

Blog: http://www.CrimeFictionCollective.blogspot.com

A Murderer's Heart by Julie Elizabeth Powell

   Anne Blake, psychiatrist, is good at her job and believes that even the most sick at heart can be cured...or at least saved enough that they can lead a better life. But maybe she's wrong? Maybe within a murderder's heart, evil lurks and nothing can be done except to save yourself?

Our conversation:

Anne Blake, your main character in A Murderer's Heart, became a psychiatrist because she was intrigued by how the mind works and what triggers emotional problems. Is this an interest you share with your character?

I have always been intrigued with how the mind works, especially how the emotions are linked. If I had time, I would like to study it in more detail, but for now have to be satisfied with basic research. I have suffered with depression for many years and I know it's connected to what happened to my daughter, although I fight it and find that grabbing onto any happiness is the best way of keeping it at bay most of the time. Writing helps.

An underlying theme of this book is that we shouldn't take people at face value. Not everyone is as they appear on the surface. Your characters, like people, are multi-layered. Do you spend a lot of time on character sheets, creating histories and personalities for your characters? Or do they come to life as you go along?

I would say the characters in my books, on the whole, come to life as I write. Something magical happens when I am typing, and I often find that they tell me what to do. Having said that, I can see someone in the street and it can spark an idea, or I use a mannerism I've spotted. Everyone is multi-layered and it's important to relay that in stories – that's why I constantly write how they feel and think and why they say and do. Descriptions are useful but these other ways bring the character to life much more. And I would always say that's it is vital not to take anything at face value, either in 'real' life or imaginary.

There are quite a few twists in the plot. Do you outline ahead of time or did these twists kind of create themselves as you wrote?

The plot came to life as did the characters, as if the story was inside my head all the time and I just plucked it out (like all my work). Although, when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about it, especially at night when I'm supposed to be sleeping – and that's usually when I think, 'Ah, now what about if...? and, 'Oh, yes, now that would be better!' (I frequently write at night, as the urge is just too strong to ignore.) The trouble with twists though, is remembering why, when and how etc.

You've written a lot of books, but I believe this is your only crime novel. What inspired you to take on this genre?

I don't usually write this genre, but as my mother loves a 'good murder', I thought I'd have a go. She enjoyed it! I do prefer writing fantasy, but like to try all manner of genres.

Why this particular story?

I have a keen interest in the mind and how /why it works the way it does and so I wanted to explore how /why it becomes broken. And no matter what point of view, there are always questions. After I've finished my current work (the last of the Avalon Trilogy)...phew...I want to write more about the mind – the effects of memory /lack thereof and how it makes us what and who we are. If I can make it work, it'll answer many questions that many people may have. I love to question everything!

What is your writing environment like? Neat or messy? Quiet or noisy?

Usually neat, although, when I'm writing notes (scribbling, more like) things can tend to become rather untidy. It's quiet though (and my lovely husband understands and he actively encourages me to write...even nags if I'm slacking.) I wouldn't be without my computer, and delight in the process of creation.

When you're not reading or writing, what is your favorite thing to do?

Going to the cinema with my husband as often as possible – I absolutely love it, though I'm often disappointed in the weak storyline, the big screen is wonderful. I also create handcrafted cards and jewellery, dabble in encaustic art, drawing, painting, scrapbooking – anything creative. I also like walking on beautiful days and gardening. I'd like to read more, but with writing, posting reviews for others and all the other things I have to do, time flies. I'm looking forward to a break, however, where I'm going to read all those Dean Koontz books I've been saving.

A psychic has just told you about your past life. Who were you?

I've no idea. Ideally, I would have loved to have been Leonardo Da Vinci – what an incredible mind! Or Shakespeare – all those wonderful words! Though thinking about it, my handwriting is so bad that nobody would have been able to read my work. And just think of all the quills and parchment I would have destroyed. Well, maybe someone beautiful and rich and...well, that's another story...

About the Author:

My name is Julie Elizabeth Powell with a passion for words and six books published...all thanks to http://www.lulu.com, much hard work, sleepless nights and a very understanding and supportive husband.

My eldest daughter has flown the nest and is married to a man who doesn't mind his mother-in-law though my son is still fluffing his feathers.

My middle child is off on a mysterious adventure, the like of which I can only guess...and tried to do so in my first book, Gone.

I love to read and am looking for ways to double time so to indulge in the mysterious and wonderful and delicious and strange...my favourite kind of story.

Writing takes up most of my days (and nights) though I enjoy creating handcrafted cards, making jewellery and dabbling in encaustic art whenever I can.

Oh yes, I used to teach or mark exam papers and have a BA (Hons) amongst other qualifications and hate all those necessary domestic chores that would, for me, be included in the Rings of Hell!

Julie Elizabeth Powell on  Amazon

Websites: <http://www.freewebs.com/julizpow> and http://www.alchemyuk.yolasite.com

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/starjewelz>

Goodreads:  http://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/1349023.Julie_Elizabeth_Powell

The Nightmare Within and Where Darkness Dwells by Glen Krisch

   Maury has the power to pull dreams into the waking world, giving the dreams

corporeal form. These dream-people range from seemingly human figures, to monstrous beasts compelled by the most primal urges. Once exposed to the real world, the dreams evolve, adapting to their surroundings.

Maury is gathering dreams for display at Lucidity, the soon-to-open Museum of Dreams. From a boy named Kevin, he removes Mr. Freakshow, a nightmare feeding on the trauma of Kevin having recently witnessed his father's murder.

As Maury falls in love with a dream-woman named Joy, he realizes how wrong it is to enclose the dreams. During the Lucidity's Grand Opening, Mr. Freakshow escapes. To create a diversion, Mr. Freakshow frees the other dreams. The Nightmares, The Erotic Dreams, The Serenity Dreams–all of the dreams–invade the city.

Mr. Freakshow knows the rules that govern the dreams:

1. A dream-person achieves immortality by killing its dreamer.

2. If a dreamer dies for any other reason, the embodied dream disappears forever.

At first Maury seeks out Mr. Freakshow in order to stop him, only to realize there is only one way to accomplish this; he must find Kevin first, killing him before the nightmare has its way.

Kevin will do whatever it takes to be free of his nightmare, once and for all.

Maury will do whatever it takes to protect the love of his life.

Mr. Freakshow will do whatever it takes to realize his immortality.

Will Kevin survive his nightmare?

   During a hot summer night in 1934, tragedy strikes when two local boys search for the truth behind a local legend. They stumble upon the Underground, a network of uncharted caverns just below the surface of Coal Hollow. Time holds no sway in the Underground. People no longer age and their wounds heal as if by magic. By morning, one boy is murdered, while the other never returns home.

The Underground is hidden for a reason. Certain locals want to keep their lair secret, no matter the cost.

After learning a long-held family secret, Theodore Cooper is set adrift. Once well off and set in his ways, he is no longer sure of his role in society. He leaves his comfortable life in Chicago to tramp the countryside, searching for meaning in this new context. During his travels, he's drawn to an abandoned house in Coal Hollow and impulsively buys it.

Cooper doesn't know that a massacre had taken place in his new house. In 1851, a group of bounty hunters tracked a family of runaway slaves to the home. They wound up killing the homeowners as conspirators, then chased the runaways into a cellar tunnel leading to the Underground. The bounty hunters cornered the slaves and killed them. To everyone's astonishment, the slaves then rose from the dead. Over time, the bounty hunters chose to stay below ground, taking advantage of their new slave labor to build what they term "Paradise."

Their numbers are augmented by deathbed miners who are offered immorality in exchange for their subservience and labor.

Below a town struggling to survive both the Great Depression and the closing of the local coal mine, there lives an immortal society built on the backs of slavery and pervasive immorality.

Our Conversation:

**In your novel** _The Nightmare Within_ **, people's nightmares literally come to life. What inspired this story?**

I wanted to write something of a thriller/horror hybrid. I imagined a novel with plenty of scares and an ever-tightening plot that, once the essentials were established, would be a sprint to the finish. I also wanted to try to make it as original as possible. On the surface it's a ridiculous concept—a man with the ability to pull dream-beings from the mind of a dreamer? But just about any horror trope, especially of the supernatural variety, is somewhat ridiculous. The dead rising from the dead to hunt the flesh of the living? Creatures that feast on blood and are rendered both immortal and mortally afraid of the sun? So I settled on the idea of dreams. But not all dreams are scary. But when they are... hold on to your seat!

You gave vivid descriptions of the nightmares, making them feel all too real. Were any of them adapted from your own nightmares?

Kevin suffers a case of sleep paralysis—the state when you're awake, but you're unable to move because your nervous system is still in "disable mode." Basically you're paralyzed for your own safety as you sleep. Occasionally signals can get mixed up and you're fully awake even though you still can't move. It's happened to me a few times. Even though sleep paralysis is not technically a nightmare, it is one of the most frightening things you can experience. Of the "dream people" in the story? I'm sure a few details drifted over from my subconscious, but I didn't purposely base any of them on my own dream experiences.

You perfectly captured Kevin, the young boy at the heart of this tale. His character was so well developed that I ached for him and wanted to rescue him from the nightmares. Tell us about your process for character development. Do you spend time outlining your characters before you write? Or do they evolve as you go along?

I tend to do a rough plot outline, nothing more than a "point A, to point B, to point C" sort of thing. My characters live inside my head. If I close my eyes, I can see what they wear, what they feel, know what they're thinking. I glimpse the plot through their eyes, and that's what ultimately dictates what happens.

**Your novel** _Where Darkness Dwells_ **is set in the 1930s and flashes back to the 1800s. I felt you did an incredible job of capturing the emotions and mentality of the eras. Did you do a lot of research? How did you get yourself into the necessary mindset for writing from the perspective of a generation you've never experienced?**

As I started writing _Where Darkness Dwells_ , the plot was just a heap of puzzle pieces, and I had to figure out how they had to come together. I'd been reading a lot of nonfiction at the time. These books were about the Great Depression, WWI, the fugitive slave laws, the Seminole wars, hobos... I'm sure there were other subjects that influenced me, but that gives you the idea. One day I was toying with a story idea. This 1930s hobo leaves the tracks he'd been following all day, and he soon comes across a gleaming red water pump handle. Once I wrote that brief paragraph or two, I knew I was in trouble. I'd never written anything that hadn't been present day. But once I started, and once I understood that I was writing a complex novel involving multiple eras, I knew I had to do right by the subject matter. I guess my hard work can be seen on the page. So much material never reached the final draft, but it was all essential for the creation of the finished project.

What draws you to the paranormal/horror genre?

Horror offers a flexible foundation on which to build a story. You can do just about anything. I'm a "what if" writer. I'm constantly asking myself that question. "What if a guy can pull dreams from the mind of a dreamer?" "What if a subterranean world exists where people no longer age? What if that world is ruled by evil men?"

With that said, horror, for me, has to have a point. If a horror story doesn't have some underlying message or some examination of humanity, it's just an empty sequence of words. As both a reader and writer, I'm always looking for depth of character, a revelation or insight, a nuance that prompts contemplation long after I've read (or written) the story.

Is there a line you won't cross with gory details? Do you feel horror should be about shocking with explicit detail, or more about allowing the reader's imagination to do the work?

_Where Darkness Dwells_ contains some of the most grim, dark material I've written. Even so, I censored myself when I wrote the Underground scenes. I'd originally intended to write a layer to the plot that I eventually scrapped. I thought it was too much. I wanted every bleak happening to have meaning. I didn't want to go for the gross-out. Actually, one of the worst things that happens (the murder of a child character), happens off screen. I thought the message hit home even harder by not detailing it. I haven't heard a single complaint about the graphic nature of the Underground, which has somewhat surprised me. I guess I struck the right balance.

I love the cover art for your books. Do you design your own?

I have absolutely no desire to do my own covers! I leave that to my go-to cover designer, Kealan Patrick Burke. Most notably an award winning author and editor, Kealan runs a full-service site for indie authors (covers, editing, formatting, etc). He can be found here: http://ebookcoverdesign.org

What scares you the most and why?

I have plenty of irrational fears. I'm actually quite neurotic, but try to keep things in check. My most realistic fear is the fear of something happening to my family.

Aside from reading and writing, what is your favorite pastime?

I claim to be a runner, but the last year has been horrible for that hobby. I also like to garden on a large scale. If I could ever afford it, I would have a 2+ acre organic garden, an orchard, honey bees, and chickens. Hmm... I just noticed how labor-intensive my hobbies are. Just thinking about it makes me tired. Maybe I should try out a new hobby: napping. Nah, sleeps over-rated!

About Glen Krisch:

I have written three novels: _Where Darkness Dwells_ , _The Nightmare Within_ , and _Nothing Lasting_ , as well as the novellas, _Loss_ , and _Brother's Keeper_. My short fiction has appeared in publications across three continents for the last decade. Dog Horn Publishing (U.K.) will publish my story collection debut in 2012. I am also a staff editor for Morrigan Books. As a freelance editor, I have worked on books by Tim Lebbon and Lawrence Block, among others.

Glen Krisch on  Amazon

Goodreads: <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4525598.Glen_Krisch>

Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/glen.krisch>

Blog: http://glenkrisch.wordpress.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/glenkrisch or @glenkrisch

B-Sides and Broken Hearts by Caryn Rose

   Lisa Simon, age 37, still loves loud punk rock and hates Dave Matthews with an all-consuming passion. April 15, 2001 should have been just another Sunday night. But a news headline landing in Lisa's email inbox changes everything: "Joey Ramone is dead." The death of one of her teenage heroes serves as an long-overdue wake-up call causing Lisa to examine her life and how she's lived it, from her youth as a poet on the streets of the East Village to 10 years later, all grown up with a career and a fiance. Add to the mix Jake McDaniel, lead singer of million-selling, critically-regarded Seattle band Blue Electric, known better to Lisa as the starving renegades who lived next door to her when she first arrived in Seattle. In the midst of an unexpectedly heated argument with the fiance over the historical relevance (or not) of the Ramones – which forces Lisa to face the truth about her relationship – Jake writes and invites Lisa to LA. Throwing what seems like half her cd collection in the car, along with a wardrobe consisting of high heels, jeans and t-shirts, Lisa starts driving from Seattle to LA in the middle of the night, accompanied by music, memories, and the ghosts of the past. Arriving in LA, she finds refuge, but also collides with her past, present and future; decisions need to be made, and this time, Lisa stands her ground.

Our conversation:

**While** _B-Sides and Broken Hearts is_ **not a memoir, only an author with an intense love of music could have pulled it off. Do you remember that moment when rock jumped to the forefront of your life? Were you struck by a particular song or band?**

I don't remember much of my life when I wasn't listening to music. My mother gave me her old radio and phonograph (god that makes me sound so OLD) before I was in first grade. I was buying records as soon as I had an allowance. My parents weren't rock and roll fans but my mother loved music (she was more of a Sinatra and Johnny Mathis kind of gal). So no, I can't tell you when I had that big A-HA moment because it happened so early on.

You give great detail on Lisa's adventures during the New York punk scene and later, in Seattle, on the emerging indie scene later labeled grunge. I'm assuming you experienced these to some degree yourself, since research alone would not have allowed you to write with such clarity. Which is your favorite, from a rock fan's perspective, and why?

I don't want to shatter anyone's illusions but — I didn't start going to CBGB's until I was almost done with high school. I didn't see the Ramones until 1981 and I only saw the Patti Smith Group once or twice before Patti retired. I never saw Nirvana live (I was living abroad and always thought I'd have the chance) and didn't move to Seattle until 1995. Grunge was over, done and dusted at that point.

To paraphrase Natalie Goldberg, a good writer can take a potato chip rack from a bar in Rochester and move it to one in Duluth and make it seem like it's always been there.

As to having a favorite I always say that I am a member of the church of Strummer & Springsteen. Which kind of puts me in no-man's-land, which is just about where I like it.

What are the 10 most played songs on your iPod/Mp3 player?

I had to reinstall iTunes recently which completely blew away all my setlist counts. I was interviewed back in December about this very question and at the time, The #1 most played song in iTunes was "Bulletproof" by the Afghan Whigs at 653 plays, and #2 is "Hold On, I'm Coming," by Sam & Dave which is only in the 400s. Frankly I was more shocked it wasn't "Born To Run," "Clampdown" or "People Have The Power" but it is what it is.

You are a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. What is it about his music that draws you in?

It's loud, it's epic, it's great writing, it's an amazing band, it's positive, it's hopeful, it doesn't talk down to you, it inspires you. He lives at the intersection of rock and roll and rhythm and blues and soul and that's my zip code. I love the energy and the earnestness and the complete and total lack of irony.

Let's talk about your writing process. Do you outline first? Do you make character diagrams, complete with personality traits, birthdates, job histories, etc.? Or do you grab an idea and run blind?

When I started *B-sides* I had no idea about process. I had always wanted to write novels and had tried to write novels. I did writing exercises for about a year until one night I dreamed the first chapter, woke up, and started writing. I wrote chapters out of order and then put them back together again, and had no idea how it would end until I got there. I am much, much more methodical now. I outline but not so much that I lose spontaneity. I do character sheets or at least sketches and the main characters have to have a playlist.

The one process I am absolutely dedicated to is showing up. I am a firm believer in butt-in-chair, move-hand-across-page. I write one day of every weekend. I don't care if I only write five pages, that's five more than I had the day before.

Silence or noise when writing? If noise, what are you listening to?

It depends on what I'm writing but I am a big big fan of silence. I have a manuscript that takes place in the 80s and the Sirius 70s and 80s channels were a godsend at recreating FM radio for me. Or, the character's playlist. But I can't have music on just to have music on.

_B-Sides and Broken Hearts_ **is your first novel. I read that you have others in the works. Can you give us a hint of what's to come?**

I should have my next book out by April 2013 – an editor approached my former agent a couple of years ago and pitched the idea of me writing the "'Eat Pray Love' of baseball and rock and roll". I'm completely uninterested in memoir but I am interested in writing about why I love baseball so much and what it's like to fall into it when you don't grow up with it, so that's the next novel. The book after that is the New York in the 80′s book I mentioned above. After that I plan on writing a sequel to B-sides. And I have other ideas after that, but that's about as far out as I can plan.

This summer I will be publishing an ebook about my month seeing Bruce Springsteen in Europe. I've always wanted to write a travel book and this will let me combine that and writing about Springsteen, which is something I do a lot of anyway.

Is there one book you've read that has influenced you or made a big impact on your life?

The books that influenced me the most when I was younger were _Harriet the Spy_ and _To Kill A Mockingbird_.

Best concert you've ever seen? What made it so special?

I could pick seeing the Clash at Bonds in Times Square instead of going to my senior prom, or Springsteen on the River tour (or even a few years ago when he performed with Sam Moore, a gospel choir and the Miami Horns), or U2 at Wembley Stadium on the Zooropa tour, but I've also seen house party shows or shows by bands most people have never heard of that blew me away. Leonard Cohen in 2010 was amazing and he's in his 70′s!

The great thing is that I'm still seeing amazing shows every year so I never have to stop and pick that one great show.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

"Ooh Child" by the Five Stairsteps. The lyrics explain it all.

About the Author:

Caryn Rose is a Brooklyn-based writer and photographer who documents rock-and-roll, baseball and urban life. She covers the ups and downs of the New York Mets at metsgrrl.com, reports on Bruce Springsteen for Backstreets Magazine and brucespringsteen.net, and ruminates about music at jukeboxgraduate.com. She lives in Greenpoint with her boyfriend and her cat, Jackie Wilson. _B-Sides And Broken Hearts_ is her first novel.

Caryn Rose on  Amazon

Book Website: http://www.bsidesandbrokenhearts.com

Blog: http://www.jukeboxgraduate.com

Website for a taste of everything: http://www.carynlrose.com

Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/carynrose> or @carynrose

Finally Home by Elysabeth Eldering

   It isn't just history against progress – it's daughter against father, or is it? Find out what secrets Kelly learns as she works to preserve an historic house in a small town that will help her bring her father Finally Home.

Our conversation:

**What inspired you to write** _Finally Home_ **?**

I had a vision one day while working of an old house. I work at home and have no idea why this vision came to me, but I had to stop working for about half an hour and just write this house. I put it aside for a couple of years and when I returned to it, I tried to make it a past lives story and the house was a bit different. I went through months of creating secret messages and codes that were discovered by Kelly (who at that writing was a 20 or 30 something year-old woman whose job was to preserve the houses). I sent to my editors and both of them nixed the story, saying that I needed to write it as a children's story or young adult novel. So a while later, I decided to participate in NaNo (that's National Novel Writing Month) as a writer (I'd already been participating prior to 2008 when I wrote Finally Home but as a spectator and cheerleader for my friends and acquaintances) but that was the first year my JGDS series was published and I was wicked busy during November so, I started the story the middle of November and completed it the middle of December – technically I did my 30 days and 50,000 words but just not during the month of November – lol. Anyway – after I wrote it, I let it sit for a long time before thinking about doing anything with it. I finally sent to my editors and a couple of other persons to edit it, and again putting it aside. I finally decided in 2011 that it was time to take Kelly off the back burner and really do my revisions and rewritings, leading to me publishing late in the year.

Kelly has a fascination with old houses and preserving them for history. Is this an interest you share?

No. I am not a history buff at all, although I do like the Victorian style houses and the look and feel of old houses as they do have so many stories to tell us.

Because of Kelly's father's job, the family is forced to move around a lot. Despite this, I found Kelly's character well-grounded. Many kids would feel lost in her situation. What keeps Kelly feeling secure in her new environments?

I haven't ever thought of what kept her secure with all the moves. I guess part of that comes from personal experience in that my father was in the service and we moved something like 7 or 8 times from the year I was born until I started high school. I also think that the house pulling her might have had something to do with it, especially since there was no indication prior to her family moving to this town that it would be any different than previous moves.

Finally Home has a paranormal twist that I won't give away, and also talks a bit about destiny. Do you believe we each have a destiny to fulfill?

I think so. I also believe that we have all had previous lives that are intertwined and that we all have mapped out destinies that will somehow get fulfilled.

What is it about the YA genre that attracts you as a writer?

lol – See my answer to question #1 about writing for children or young adults – I just write whatever is in order for the day. I've written several short stories that are not young adult as well as children's stories – so I'm game to whatever contest is calling me on a particular day, although I've not written anything for a contest in a while.

**You've undertaken a big writing project with your** _Junior Geography Detective Squad_ **(JGDS), 50-state mystery trivia series. Tell us a little about this series and what inspired you to write it.**

This was actually inspired from my first ever writing and contest entry. I took second place with my story "Train of Clues" and it ended up being a children's story with a mystery destination. I took that ms and sent to an editor with the _Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators_ and asked her to give me some guidance on how to make it a series with each state being the mystery destination or puzzle piece. She sent me some great information and from that I just played around until the right combination of story and game came around and worked perfectly for what I needed to do. I need to get back to writing more state stories but have put them on a hiatus for a bit because I've got a new idea brewing for the stories. More on that as the idea develops and formulates.

What is your writing environment like? Neat or messy? Silent or noisy?

Messy and quiet – I really should organize my desk but it is my catchall for work related and other things, but I can't stand for anyone to rummage around on my desk looking for anything because I know where all my junk is and what is in the pile and if it's messed with it I kind of get out of synch. I have to listen to doctors in my head all day long on my regular job so I totally like writing in silence. I seem to do better if I don't have other distractions when writing (some days – lol; I can write more when I'm just concentrating on the writing and not listening to music or anything).

Do you have a favorite author and/or book that helped inspire you to become a writer?

Not really. I used to read whenever I could when I was younger, mostly mysteries – Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys – but never really developed a favorite author. When I was in my 20s, I did enjoy V.C. Andrews very much but when I found out she had passed away and her books were being ghost written and weren't of the same quality, I stopped reading her. In my late 30s and early 40s, I was getting into Jonathan Kellerman but haven't picked up any of his books in a while either. I think at present, Jim and Joyce Lavene do have a couple of series that I'm into and really like but as far as inspiring me to become a writer – no, since I really didn't start writing until I was in my early 40s. I was challenged to enter that first contest and that was it.

When you're not writing or reading, what might we find you doing?

Working my day job as a medical transcriptionist, playing spider solitaire, crocheting or watching TV.

Favorite TV program?

I have too many "favorites" – lol – Survivor (the earlier seasons were the best), Dancing With the Stars, Rizzoli & Isles, The Closer, Criminal Minds, Top Chef (any and all of their series), Paranormal Kids: Children with Psychic Abilities, The Voice, SMASH, The Millionaire Matchmaker, Castle. Those are pretty much what I watch now, some not so much as others because I tend to forget when they are on.

Favorite food?

Any American chicken dish, noodle type dishes but of course most anything Chocolate – lol – seriously, I don't have a favorite food, I just like to eat – don't like super spicy foods (or they don't like me). I also can't have certain foods due to allergies but crave them so much – Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

One word or sentence that describes your current mood?

My current mood is content.

About the Author:

Ms. Eldering is the award winning author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series. Her stories "Train of Clues", "The Proposal" (available as an ebook), "Tulip Kiss" (available as an ebook), and "Butterfly Halves", all placed first, second, or runner up in various contests to include two for Armchair Interviews and two for Echelon Press (Fast and... themed type contests). Her story "Bride-and-Seek" (available as an ebook) was selected for the South Carolina Writers' Workshop (SCWW) anthology, the Petigru Review. Ms. Eldering makes her home in upper state South Carolina and loves to travel, read, cross stitch and crochet. When she's not busy with teenaged children still at home, working her full-time job as a medical transcriptionist or participating in virtual classroom visits, she can be found at various homeschool or book events promoting her writing.

For more information about the JGDS series, please visit the JGDS blog at http://jgdssseries.blogspot.com or the JGDS website at http://jgdsseries.weebly.com.

For more information about Elysabeth's other writings, please visit her general writing and family blog at http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com or her website at http://eeldering.weebly.com.

You can also connect with Elysabeth in the following places:

Elysabeth on  Amazon

Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/elysabeth42> or @elysabeth42

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=714420476

Metallic Dreams by Mark Rice

   Long-haired Scottish rock singer Spark MacDubh drops dead on a snow-covered street of his native Bronzehall, only to be jolted back to life by what he calls lightning from Heaven. Following Spark's resurrection, his sanity is stretched thin: during waking hours, he receives instructions from deities known as the Metal Gods; at night he is haunted by visions of a Devil who wields ultimate power over the music industry. Employing behaviour that swings between messianic and infernal, Spark gets his old band back together with a view to steering them towards greatness. The Devil, however, only grants success in exchange for souls. Unwilling to use his bandmates' eternal souls as bargaining tools, MacDubh comes up with a preferable route to stardom: put the Devil out of business for good. A simple idea but questionable in terms of practicality. For starters, it requires a trip to Hell, and only the right music can open the gateway to that dimension. Catch-22? More like Catch-666.

Our Conversation:

Like Spark, you've been a heavy metal fan since an early age. I have to ask the obvious question. Are there other similarities between you and Spark?

Many. Spark MacDubh is an alterego of sorts: the literary Superman to my real-world Clark Kent. Through him, I was able to go on the ultimate vicarious adventure. In terms of personality, we're very alike. We both have backgrounds in competitive sport. Spark's understanding of the Universe deepened when he lost beloved family members, as did mine. I instilled my love of animals in Spark. The passion for music is as deeply rooted in the rogue MacDubh as it is in me.

In one scene, Spark and some friends are playing with pipe bombs and you seemed to have extensive knowledge on these things. So be honest here. How many mailboxes have you blown up?

Bearing in mind that tampering with US mail is a federal offence, I must word this answer carefully. Six Virginia mailboxes exploded in my presence. Allegedly.

You include song lyrics for the band's first song – Little Evils for the Greater Good. Is there music to go with the lyrics? Any chance we'll hear the song?

I created guitar riffs, melodies and lyrics for the song. A couple of my virtuoso friends are more than capable of contributing bass, drums and keyboards, so a finished version of the track could happen at some point. It's on the back burner for now, but it'll be a lot of fun if/when it happens.

While discussing the blues and the use of the word 'ain't', Spark makes a comment in the narration that made me laugh. He said, American English is a shabby, bastardized dilution of proper English anyway. Being one of those Americans who uses a bastardized dilution of English, I have to agree that it's often true. We can be lazy with language. Do you think Scottish people are more proper in their speech?

In general, yes, but less so than in decades past. Scots have the advantage of a deeper pool of words. In addition to English vocabulary, we have the Scots dialect, which is a rich source of phonetically gorgeous words, for example drookit (sodden), hochmagandy (recreational sex), ramgunshoch (coarse and bad-tempered) and tattie-bogle (scarecrow). And there's also the old language, Gaelic, which is still spoken as a first language in some remote parts of the country. Speech patterns in Scotland reflect these diverse influences, with vernacular varying wildly from region to region. Despite being exposed to this vast vocabulary and an oral storytelling tradition that stretches back millennia, most Scots are becoming lazier with language. E-mails and text messages have made interpersonal communication quicker and easier, but have also brought about a decline in the quality of writing. This laziness is filtering into spoken language, especially that of adolescents. One technological advance that might help to reverse this is the e-reader. With an increasing number of young people reading for leisure, thanks largely to the Kindle and other e-book readers, literary competence – and, by extension, spoken language – should improve. When I hear flawed grammar, I can't help myself from blurting out corrections...like grammatical Tourette's. I view this as helpful to the correctees, but my friend Darran calls it socially retarded behaviour. I'm an equal-opportunity corrector, though; I do it in the US, the UK and (to quote Metallica) wherever I may roam. My corrections often go unappreciated, but that's my cross to bear: the plight of the stickler!

Spark's favorite Pink Floyd album is Division Bell, which made me like Spark more since it is also my favorite. Are you a Pink Floyd fan? Do you have a favorite song by them?

I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan. I own their whole discography, as well as the solo material by David Gilmour and Roger Waters. To pick a favourite track by Floyd is difficult, as there are several that I consider perfect. If I could only listen to one of their songs, it'd have to be Comfortably Numb. The lyrics are clever and symbolic. David Gilmour's voice is otherworldly. And that guitar solo...pure bliss.

The book is, of course, about heavy metal. Do you remember the first metal band you heard? What is it about the music that captured your spirit?

Saxon, closely followed by AC/DC, Motörhead and Thin Lizzy. I found Saxon's razor-sharp guitar tones and clean vocals captivating. AC/DC's amazing high-voltage energy hit me like a lightning bolt, transforming me for the better. Motörhead made more noise than any other band, so they became instant favourites. Thin Lizzy's folk-inspired heavy riffs resonated in my Celtic soul. All these bands contained larger-than-life performers whose personalities shone through in the music: Biff Byford of Saxon; Angus Young and Bon Scott of AC/DC; Lemmy of Motörhead; Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. I've been lucky enough to spend time with Biff and Lemmy. They're extremely humble individuals who have an unwavering belief in their musical vision. They understand that a wise man is one who lives his dream each day. This idea of transforming dreams into reality is a central theme of my novel.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you have a favorite playlist for inspiration?

I always listen to music while I write. It puts me in a more creative mindset. I don't have a 'writing tunes' playlist. What I listen to depends on my mood and the tone of the piece I'm working on. If I'm writing a poignant chapter, I might listen to something folky and Scottish, such as Paul Mounsey or Fred Morrison, or a classical cello piece. If I'm creating something dark, my music of choice is epic Finnish metal: Amorphis, Insomnium or Nightwish. There's certain music (Led Zeppelin, Rush, Rainbow, AC/DC, Joe Satriani, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Saxon, Hardcore Superstar, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, Jean Michel Jarre...the list goes on and on) that I can listen to anytime at all, as it never fails to get my creative juices flowing. During the Metallic Dreams writing sessions, Rush was my most listened-to band. So they're partly to blame for the end result!

Do you have a favorite book and/or author? What is your favorite genre to read?

Favourite book – The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie: mythic, multi-layered and ridiculously clever. Favourite author – Douglas Adams, in whom creativity and humour ran amok. Favourite fiction to read – magical realism. Favourite non-fiction to read – musicians' autobiographies.

What are you working on now? Is there a new book in the works?

I'm working on a new novel, a dark mystery set on the Isle of Lewis (in Scotland's remote Outer Hebrides). The story incorporates science, religion, philosophy, folklore and black-metal excess, manifested through the beliefs and actions of characters, the more eccentric of whom are a joy to write. Also, a follow up to Metallic Dreams is underway. I hadn't planned on writing a successor, but the characters started doing things in my head, often at inopportune moments. So, as their humble scribe, it is my job to document their (dirty) deeds. In addition to those two pieces of long fiction, there are a couple of short stories in the works: one revolves around the Scottish witch trials and executions; the other is a revamped version of Revelation Was Wrong, my tale of an unlikely prophet.

If you could spend 24 hours with any rock musician, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?

The choice is between Bon Scott and Phil Lynott. Phil often visits my dreams. Bon doesn't. So I'll choose Bon. Not only was he the voice in my favourite band of all time (his incarnation of AC/DC), he was the rarest of things: a universally loved human. Playful, funny, generous and wild, he loved life to the limit and beyond. Born in Forfar, Scotland (not far from me), Bon moved to Australia as a child. I'd love to hear his stories of Rosie (the gigantic Tasmanian woman who inspired the song _Whole Lotta Rosie_ ) and life on the road with the greatest line-up of the greatest band of all time. I'd play him a rousing version of AC/DC's _Touch Too Much_ on guitar, as both a tribute and an artistic statement (Bon's life – or, more accurately, death – imitated art: a touch too much alcohol killed him). If Bon sang along on that track, I'd ask him to accompany me on _Little Evils for the Greater Good_...his gravel-gargling voice taking care of vocal duties while I crank out monstrous riffs on guitar. You can bet I'd record that version on audio and video! It would be equal parts humbling and amazing to spend time with the most charismatic frontman ever to walk a stage. How would we fill the rest of the 24 hours? I'd let Mr Ronald Belford Scott decide. I suspect that he'd choose to drink copious amounts of alcohol then find some west-of-Scotland Rosies (which, due to the notoriously high-fat Scottish diet, are in plentiful supply) ripe for the plunder. Of course, I'd go along for the ride. After all, who am I to argue with an icon?

Tell us about the best live show you've seen. Who performed and what made it stand out for you?

Tough question. I've been at hundreds of gigs, most of which were excellent. Taking all factors into account, the Glasgow date of Rush's Snakes and Arrows tour was the best gig I've experienced: immaculate musical execution; uncanny chemistry between band members; perfect choice of songs; funny animated movies featuring cartoon versions of band members; a light show to rival Pink Floyd's; a set that lasted well over three hours, offering fans serious value for money. The total package.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Please share a bit of the lyrics and what they mean to you.

I'm tempted to say Sex Farm by Spinal Tap, but I don't want to encourage Scottish stereotypes. Seriously, though, it'd be _I Believe_ by Joe Satriani. 'I read the stories, see the photographs...world's in a crazy space. I've got to hold on to my dreams...there's just no other place.' That seemingly simple lyric communicates the importance of maintaining inner purity and integrity even when the outer world is going to Hell in a handbasket. That's a powerful message, and one that resonates completely with me. Now more than ever, in a world where mass murder is committed for oil and profit, it's important to have a strong inner compass and a sense of compassion for other sentient beings. The chorus of I Believe includes the lines, 'I believe we can change anything. I believe we can rise above it.' This theme of transcendence strikes a chord in my soul. We have the power to overcome the cruelty, prejudice and inhumanity that are all too prevalent across the globe. By challenging injustice, each person can play a role in righting humankind's wrongs. Hundreds of billions are spent each year on the manufacture of bombs, with new conflicts manufactured out of thin air (or thinly spun fictions) in order to keep War Inc in business. Whichever way you look at that situation, it's literally insane. It's time for a change. Time for folk to wake up and make that change happen.

Some things about Mark Rice:

\- born in Glasgow, Scotland

\- BA (HONS) in Sports Studies from Heriot-Watt University

\- various postgraduate qualifications spanning sports, personal training, marketing and creative writing

\- had the shortest-lived newspaper column in history (fired after one edition...for having the audacity to ask for wages)

\- edited, compiled, contributed to and published the anthology A Blended Bouquet in 2009

\- story on The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy published in The Book That Changed My Life, Luath Press, 2010

\- researcher for The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Earth Edition (BBC online)

\- chairperson of Writers Inc, a writers' group based in East Kilbride, Scotland

Mark Rice on  Amazon

Goodreads: <http://www.goodreads.com/metallicdreams>

Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/SparkMacDubh>

Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/Metallic_Dreams> or @Metallic_Dreams

MySpace: <http://www.myspace.com/metallicdreams>

Lulu: <http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/metallic-dreams/18670088>

Lair of the White Wyrm by Lea Ryan

   Sometimes when you run from your problems, they follow you.

Eric Duncan wants nothing more than to be an ordinary, sane guy. He believes he can escape his troubled past by leaving home. However, the voice in his head, that of his dead friend Benjamin, fights him every step of the way.

Eric finds his new home is a place filled with secrets far darker than his own. A monster prowls the grounds, and it wants to keep him close.

He will discover that his inner demons aren't the only things he should fear. In order to confront the wyrm and survive, he must also face the worst parts of himself.

Our conversation:

What inspired you to write this specific story?

_Lair of the White Wyrm_ was inspired by Bram Stoker's final novel. I read it last year after downloading it from Project Gutenberg. I really loved the premise. Lady Arabella is this creature who has two forms – a reptile called a "worm" (Stoker's spelling) and a human woman. I thought she was an interesting character because she lived a dual existence. When she wasn't a carnivorous reptile, she appeared almost normal and was driven by human desires, specifically when it came to her obsession with Edgar Caswall.

I loved your array of characters. Each has a unique personality and all are multi-dimensional. How do you go about creating them?

Thank you! I try to make them as vivid as possible. I usually work out who I want the characters to be before I start writing the story. I can hear their voices in my head, which probably sounds crazy. If they have memories they need to share, I sometimes come up with those later.

Dialog is really important to me. I try to develop speech patterns for the characters. For instance, Chelsea speaks quickly, sometimes without really thinking or listening. She's high energy, and I tried to convey that through what she said and how she reacted to certain things.

While we have closure at the end, you've also left an opening for a possible sequel. Do you have future plans for Eric?

I don't have a sequel planned, but I did intentionally leave it open, just in case. I get attached to my characters, so I like to have the option of circling back around to them.

Do you outline? Or do you get an idea and run blindly?

I plan meticulously. I use outlines and worksheets. For _Lair of the White Wyrm_ , I also had a sketchbook page with a map I drew of the property and a diagram of the tower with each floor labeled with its respective resident. It's the only way I can keep track of stuff like that. I need to get my thoughts in order and be able to refer back to those thoughts often or I lose track of where I am and what I should be doing.

What is your writing environment like? Messy or neat? Noisy or quiet?

My writing environment is reasonably neat. I take my writing stuff to the day job and work on lunch breaks, so I try to keep everything compact and mobile. I also work in different areas of the house, my recliner or the bedroom.

I need my work environment to be somewhat quiet when I'm really deep in a story. However, if I can't find quiet, I can substitute instrumental music on headphones and that does the trick.

As a reader, what draws you to the paranormal? And as a writer?

As a reader, the paranormal makes things interesting. Regular life gets boring sometimes. I think of books as a way to escape, both the reading and the writing of them. As a writer, I like being able to make anything happen. Maybe it's a control thing. Incorporating the paranormal into a book is like filling your world with magic.

Do you have a favorite book? Favorite author?

My favorite book of the moment is _American Gods_ by Neil Gaiman. I read it last year. It was deeply creative and vividly written. I read that HBO is developing a series based on it, so I'm really excited about that.

My favorite author is Stephen King. He's brilliant – his descriptions and people and his crazy stories. His imagination seems endless. I would like to meet him at some point.

Aside from writing and reading, what are your favorite pastimes?

I draw. I do my own book covers and trailers. I did some illustrations for an earlier version of _Destined for Darkness_. Those are up on my website if anyone wants to look at them.

I also play video games. We have an Xbox, Playstation 3 and wii. The Playstation is my fave. I've been a playstation girl for as long as there have been playstations.

Rock or country?

Ooh, rock. My current audio obsession is the Black Keys. I saw them in concert last summer. A-mazing. I would definitely go again. They are very talented.

Give us one word or phrase that describes you.

Persistent. If I really want something, I'll get it eventually. Getting there might take a while, but I get there.

About the Author:

Lea Ryan was born and raised in Indiana. She currently lives there with her husband, two kids, two cats and a dog. Her specialty is fiction about the paranormal. She is the author of two fantasy novels – Babylon Dragon and Destined for Darkness, some short stories and a novella entitled What the Dead Fear. She also blogs about life, writing, books, and movies at http://Lea-Ryan.blogspot.com

You can also find Lea in the following places:

Lea Ryan on  Amazon

Website: http://www.LeaRyan.com

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1> or @LeaRyan1

Facing The Son by M L Rudolph

   American Matt Reiser travels to The Ivory Coast on a mission to locate his estranged son. His only guide is a three-year old postal address. Fighting cultural vertigo and disorientation at the Abidjan airport, Matt relies on a glib and persistent limo driver who speaks just enough English to gain his trust.

The next morning, Matt wakes up drugged, robbed, and dropped into a grim city slum. Without ID, without money, and with no idea where to turn, Matt forges unlikely alliances that take him on a perilous journey out of the city and through the backcountry, where he fights on to continue his search for his son.

When he finds him, the struggle really begins.

Our conversation:

Matt is an average guy who'd never traveled, and suddenly he's traipsing through African villages in search of his son. This plot has many layers, with tremendous emotional depth. What inspired the story?

Ouch. Right to the heart of the matter.

All of us have parents. Some of us have children. Some of us have terrific problem-free relationships with our family. Some of us struggle to achieve that sort of balance.

The story is fiction. The characters are developed to carry the story. But the emotions are real, and many of them are mine. When I struggled with a painful family situation some years ago, I turned to the blank page to analyze and understand the pain, and to a great degree the composition of Matt Reiser's tale was therapeutic. (Though the family situation is unchanged.)

Also, whenever I met someone new and we swapped backgrounds, my years working in West Africa seemed to spark all kinds of interest. People responded to my stories. And I didn't mind expanding on my tales to keep people's attention. So when I needed a background for a family saga, why not West Africa? I enjoyed digging into my old materials, into my old memories, and researching the area for the story.

The story takes place in Africa in the late 1970s. You paint a vivid portrait of the various African countries. I felt like I was there with the characters. Only someone familiar with the areas could have transported me so easily. I read that you had traveled extensively in West Africa. Did you immerse yourself in the native culture, as Matt reluctantly did? What was the experience like for you?

Unlike Matt, I never ran into any troubles in West Africa though I traveled alone most of the time. I developed great admiration and respect for the people, both expats and natives, that I got to know. And I maintain a keen interest in that part of the world.

That said, I'm by no means an expert in West African lore. I realized how little I knew when I got into the thick of writing this story. I read about fifty books of fiction and non-fiction while I was creating the early drafts. I needed to keep reading in order to have any level of confidence to write about the area. Even though I spent three years, on and off, traveling there, three years is no more than an introduction to cultures as rich as these. And I know there is so much more I could have inserted about the peoples and their lives. But to be true to Matt's story, I had to be careful not to take local side journeys just to show off my reading. I got pretty ruthless in the editing and if something didn't pertain to Matt and his trip, out it went. I did try though to include enough cultural and historical background so the reader might share my enthusiasm. If anyone wants more, she can always grab one of the many great works coming out of Africa today by major talents who do much better work than I do.

Jean-Louis, a native African, has a lot of negative feelings on the French and their treatment of Africa. Are his sentiments typical of the African people at that time?

Jean-Louis is not meant to be typical. He is a character with father issues that align with historical and cultural issues. I wasn't in Africa at the time of independence and I'm sure feelings ran pretty high on both sides. The French did abandon their former colonies in pretty ruthless fashion. De Gaulle never expected the votes for independence to go against him. When they did, well, bah. Let them fend for themselves, was the first reaction. Jean-Louis allows expression of that part of the history.

The following generation would have only known boom – until the bust – but during the boom, independence was pretty fine for many people. Jean-Louis is one of those men drawn to the city for work education, income, who found himself there when the boom began. He lived a life completely different from what he knew as a child, in good ways and in bad.

Your characters are well-developed and multidimensional. They felt real and I easily got swept up in their world. How do you go about developing your characters?

How to create characters from scratch and make someone care about them? I'm glad you were swept away. That's a real compliment.

We all have multidimensional lives. We play many roles in the course of any given day, sometimes in the course of an hour. As I started with the characters it seemed natural that they too would have all these different roles, all these different demands on their time and on their emotions. With each scene, each character would reveal more about his or her past, and with each scene, we would get to know them better through their interactions with other people, through the choices they make, and through how other characters perceive them.

One more thing. I revised over and over again. With each revision the characters came into better focus, how they would act in a given situation became clearer, and it became easier to let the characters do the talking. I know that sounds like a silly cliché, but I learned through this process that a character will eventually flesh out, and trying to make one act out of character simply will not work. Your fingers won't go there. Your instinct will tell you no. And if you don't listen to your instinct, your readers will tell you no.

Describe your writing environment. Neat or messy? Silence or noise?

Rough draft stage: ideas all over the place. Messy brainstorming. Notes on legal pads. Texts, emails, and voice messages to self. Breaks during the process to outline, but the outline is descriptive not prescriptive.

Now into a fourth book, I've got to the point where I have trouble keeping track of all my characters. So, I bought a little composition book and each character gets his or her own page. They are all numbered, and each character's page includes key relationships, traits, and whatever.

Mixture of quiet and noise. When I need energy, I crank it up.

Do you work from an outline? Or an idea sparks and you run with it?

I start with a character, a scene, and a general story idea. Every writer has their own approach, but I believe story flows from character. And character is revealed by story. So I develop characters and turn them loose on the story.

You have a fascinating career history, including a job with CNN that, I understand, included a lot of travel. What was your favorite place to visit? Least favorite?

I'm not a favorites kind of person, other than to say my favorite place is probably where I am at the moment. When I was in Berlin it was Berlin. Moscow it was Moscow. New Delhi, Cairo, Johannesburg,...or a salt lick two hours outside Niamey. Pasadena, today, that's pretty nice. I loved all the travel, everywhere I worked, and I'm especially proud of my time at CNN. I had the best job in the world.

You have a new book in the works. Please tell us a bit about it.

Two books coming out later this year hot on the heels of one another. First one is Pasadena Payback, a story that unfolds on the seamier side of Pasadena following an old debt repaid with dirty money through the hands of some unlikely characters. Pasadena Put Down, a trainee private investigator stumbles on a criminal enterprise in the heart of this storied town and quickly realizes he's in over his head.

Some recurring characters, but the main carry over is the town of Pasadena. Such a great place with such an interesting history. But also with a great PR department. There's more to this town than meets the television eye on New Year's Day.

Aside from writing and reading, what might we find you doing in your spare time?

Family. Friends. Fitness. I swim in the Rose Bowl pool every morning at six a.m.

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Knowing Matt's story, there is only one possible answer to this one: Rocky Road.

About the Author:

M L Rudolph has worked for CNN, HBO, and Playboy among other American and British television companies around the world. He has written for general interest and trade publications. He has a bachelors degree in English Literature and an International MBA. Rudolph is a dual US/UK national and lives in Pasadena, CA. Currently: Teacher, trainer, tutor, spy.

You can learn more about Mark and his writing on his website: http://markrudolph.wordpress.com

Connect with Mark on Twitter at: <http://www.Twitter.com/MLRudolph> or @MLRudolph

M L Rudolph on  Amazon

Changes by Charles Colyott

  When a young woman is found murdered in a seedy massage parlor near his neighborhood, the police recruit Randall Lee – an American acupuncturist and Tai Chi master — as a translator and expert in Chinese culture, to assist in the investigation. Lee discovers that the murderer is an expert in a forbidden Chinese martial art – the dark mirror to his own healing practices – and joins in the hunt for the killer to escape his own inner demons and save the woman he loves.

Our conversation:

Randall Lee is such a vivid character. What inspired his creation?

Thanks! It's strange... I had never written a mystery before, and I didn't really know how to even begin. At the time, I had injured my back and, because of that, lost my job, so I was not in high spirits or anything... and I was more or less bedridden. And one morning I just got this image in my head of a young Chinese woman who was blue. That image was so strong, and I had no idea what it was all about, but I knew that she was the mystery — who was she, why was her skin blue, etc. As soon as I figured that out, Randall just appeared, pretty much fully formed, in my head (and believe me, I know how weird all of this sounds, but I think some of the writers out there will agree that it happens that way sometimes). From there, I made myself get to the computer and start writing. And painful as it was, the first draft of **Changes** only took 3 months, which is a record for me.

While this book is set in the U.S., Chinese culture is a big part of the story. You handle it so well, I can't help but assume the culture is or was part of your life. Did you ever live in or have you visited China? What is it about the culture that draws you in?

I am an enormous nerd for pretty much anything involving Chinese culture, and I pretty much always have been. I don't really know how or why it started. I used to watch the cheesy movies that they played on Kung Fu Theater on Saturday afternoons, but I really became obsessed when I saw John Woo's The Killer when I was in high school. From there, I found every Hong Kong action movie I could – which, coincidentally, were only available in Randall's neighborhood, in the kinds of grocery stores that I describe – and made many laughable attempts to learn Chinese. It wasn't until I went back to college after my injury that I was able to take a formal Chinese class and actually start learning. I was an Asian studies minor, and that let me take a travel study trip to China about two years ago. I can't wait to go back.

Randall is adept at the Chinese martial art called Tai Chi Chuan. Again, you handled this from a writing perspective with incredible ease. Have you studied this or any martial art?

Yes. When I was a kid, I really wanted to learn kung fu... but Southern Illinois in the 80′s pretty much only had Taekwondo schools. When I was in high school, I learned some Kempo and Aikijiujitsu from a friend. I went on to study Aikido, Lohan Kung fu, and a bit of Capoeira. All that time, I had read the crazy Tai Chi stories about the legendary skills of the Yang family, but the only Tai Chi instruction I could find was – let me put this delicately – not concerned with the martial history of the art. It wasn't until after my back injury that I found out that there was a teacher in my area who was a student of the current Yang family lineage holder. I started studying with him in 2005, and I really credit that with healing my back and getting me mobile again. Tai Chi is truly an amazing art.

Your characters talk about something called Dim Mak – the 'Death Touch'. Is this a legitimate aspect of martial arts?

Well, it's one of those things that has been rumored for a long time in various Chinese martial arts... Some say it's what killed Bruce Lee. Some say it's complete nonsense. If you do an internet search, you'll see that there are people who claim to be able to knock out opponents with a touch and people who claim those people are charlatans... and it all just goes back and forth. So who knows?

What I will say about it is this: Changes is a work of fiction, so just keep that in mind.

The second book in this series will be out this summer. (I'm looking forward to it!) Can you give us a little tease? What will Randall be tackling in this one?

Sure! The next one is called Pressure Point. In it, someone close to Randall is seriously injured in a bizarre attack, so he takes it upon himself to try to find out what's going on. Along the way, he gets tangled up in a twisted plot involving drugs, underground fighting tournaments, and a figure from his own shadowy past...

Is that enough of a tease? 

What inspires you?

Gosh. Pretty much everything. Life is pretty wonderful and terrible and astounding if you don't let yourself get wrapped up in all the bullshit.

Aside from reading and writing, what are some of your favorite pastimes?

Tai Chi, of course. I love spending time with my wife and two kids. I'm still always trying to improve my Mandarin whenever possible.

What scares you the most and why?

Being a parent, I think, is pretty much the most terrifying thing ever (and that shows up in a lot of my writing, including _Changes_ ). My oldest daughter was in the newborn I.C.U. for about a week when she was born, and I was a wreck. I had read all the books when my wife was pregnant and of course I had sort of considered the worst case scenarios, but the whole game changes when you hold this tiny person for the first time, and you love them more than you could ever imagine loving anything... and then to realize that they could be taken away from you... That's scary.

About the Author:

Charles Colyott is the author of _Changes — A Randall Lee Mystery_ , _Black — Canto I of the Nephilim Codex_ , and the collection _Unknown Pleasures_. He lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere (Illinois) with his wife, 2 daughters, cats, and a herd of llamas and alpacas. He is surrounded by so much cuteness it's very difficult for him to develop any street cred as a dark and gritty writer. Nevertheless, his stories have appeared in Read by Dawn II, Dark Recesses Press, Withersin magazine, Horror Library Volumes III & IV, Terrible Beauty, Fearful Symmetry, and Zippered Flesh, among other places. He also teaches a beginner level Tai Chi Ch'uan class in which no one has died (yet) of the death touch. You can get in touch with him on Facebook, Twitter, or email him at charlescolyott@gmail.com. Unlike his llamas, he does not spit.

Charles Colyott on  Amazon

Blog: http://charlescolyott.wordpress.com

Playing With The Bad Boys by Sylvia Massara

   As Mia sets out to unravel the mysterious death and prove the cops wrong, especially her archenemy, Detective Sergeant Phil Smythe; she comes up against an unsavoury cast of characters who will do anything to shut her up. But with a little help from her friends, Mia will not stop until she unearths the truth.

Mia Ferrari is a wiseass, older chick with determination and an attitude, and she never takes "no" for an answer.

Our conversation:

_Playing With The Bad Boys_ **is the first book in your new Mia Ferrari mystery series. What made you want to start writing a series?**

I get very close to my characters, and oftentimes I become like an alter-ego for them. If you've seen some of my blogs at Sylvia Says, I sometimes speak as Cat Ryan, who was my character in the online-dating romantic comedy "Like Casablanca".

The romance genre is difficult to use for a series because once the protagonist falls in love with the hero of the story, what happens next? She can't just move onto the next guy. Besides, there is only so much one can write in romance. So I decided that the best genre in which to have an ongoing series would be mystery/suspense. In this kind of series, I could have the same protagonist living through some interesting experiences/adventures, and at the same time I could give her a chance to develop more and more as a strong character.

I also believe a series will have readers who identify with the characters in the stories, and these readers will want to go along for a ride with those characters and onto the next adventure, and the next, and the next. It's like the characters become their friends.

This is how I felt when I read writers such as Patricia Cornwell and her protagonist Kay Scarpetta; and also Kathy Reichs and her "Temperance Brennan". I always identified with these women protagonists. I felt they were my friends, and so I wanted to do something like this myself.

A reader who knows you will notice the similarities between you and Mia Ferrari. Did you intentionally set out to create a character that shared aspects of your personality and background?

Yes, I did. First and foremost after having been through a nasty marriage breakup at an age when it's so difficult to start all over again, I wanted to reach out to those older women who've gone through something similar, or simply those in their 40s and 50s, and beyond, who can relate to the challenges that a mature woman faces.

Mia Ferrari is 48 and has recently been dumped by her husband of 18 years because he ran off with a younger woman. While this isn't what happened in my own marriage, I was dumped by my ex because I was ill and couldn't work. He did leave me for another woman, however, though she was not that much younger than me.

What happened to me made me think a lot about men and how little "staying power" they have in a relationship. Of course, I realize not all men are like that, but I'd say close to 90%? In any case, I became very guarded and intolerant of men (and people in general) who say one thing but mean something totally different. And I learned that actions will always speak louder than words, and not the other way around. I also learned that when a woman reaches a mature age her chances of starting all over again are diminished greatly–and that's if she can bring herself to trust a man again.

The other thing that really bugs me is that women tend to be relegated to some "unwanted and used-up" image by society, while men in their 40s, 50s and beyond are still considered sex symbols, and they often parade a young bimbo on their arm. This has happened right throughout history and it's not about to change. But heaven forbid that an older woman should take up with a much younger man–this is still considered taboo. So here we are, still living in a man's world.

Mia is a modern woman, who doesn't suffer fools gladly; she doesn't trust men (except an old flame of hers), but even here she asks questions about what would have been. After the kind of experience she's been through she emerges as a plucky, independent, sexy, and intelligent woman–the kind of woman we'd all like to be if we've been through a horrid breakup with the person we trusted with our lives.

So to answer your question, yes, I share many aspects with Mia. I've always been a fairly assertive person in the past, but after what I've been through I am now totally liberated. It's amazing the feeling I have sometimes when I can be totally honest with someone and not really care what they think of me, one way or another. That is not to say that I'm arrogant or rude. I am simply being me: the woman I was born to be; the independent, strong, and assertive woman that could never be with a weak man like my ex (or any of my other exes). I truly believe in "sisters are doing it for themselves", as the song goes; and so does Mia.

In general, I don't think women should look for self-validation through a man. If they are, they will soon be disappointed. But if they have the courage to navigate through the fear, the anger, the guilt, the depression, the disappointment, and whatever else; they will come out at the other end being their own true selves. And let's face it; you can't get better OR sexier than that. This is what Mia epitomizes, and what I follow. You might say that Mia is my hero.

What is the biggest difference between you and Mia?

Well, for one, I can't afford to buy a Ferrari! The biggest difference between us is that she can eat all the pizza, pasta and cannoli she likes, and she never seems to put on weight. LOL

This book made me hungry! Mia is quite the cook. Have you considered including her recipes at the back of the book? Or maybe creating a separate Mia Ferrari cookbook?

Funny, you should mention this. I did consider the recipe idea, but this is something that can wait until Mia becomes better known. I think you'll find that all my novels will make you hungry. My heroines love their food, and still manage to look good, but they don't adopt society's view that a woman has to be skinny to the point of anorexia to attract a man. Sure, we have to take care of our weight (especially for health reasons), but the way the media portrays female protagonists, especially in Hollywood, is shocking and totally unrealistic. More guilt for us to have to contend with if we're not as thin as Angelina Jolie, right? But of course, it's totally permissible for someone like Harrison Ford to parade with a partner who is 22 years younger than him and rather anorexic. Didn't he trade in his older wife for Calista Flockhart? Hmm.

Any hints about what Mia will be up to in book two?

Think "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" in a murder/mystery. For those of you who didn't see the movie, it's about drag queens, daaaaaaarling!

We know about your love of writing and reading. Tell us one or two other things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

That's easy, appreciating Renaissance art and travel at any opportunity I get. Tuscany is still high on the cards!

Are you spontaneous or do you prefer planning and routines?

Very spontaneous. The only thing that keeps me anchored at the moment is my 20-year-old cat, Mitzy. She's getting on and is not too well in health, so I cannot leave her alone just now. But once she goes to cat heaven: watch out, world! Sylvia will be on the loose. I could just as easily be on a plane to Hawaii, Hollywood or on my way to have a meeting with George Clooney at his villa in Lake Como, Italy, to discuss a film option for one of my novels.

Describe your current mood in one word or phrase.

Wicked and loving it! 

About the Author:

Sylvia Massara has been writing since her early teens and has written a number of plays, screenplays and, most recently, novels. Massara lives in Sydney, Australia.

Although a multi-genre writer, one of Massara's favourite genre is romance/chick lit, and she has a soft spot for chicks who are on the cusp of 40 and beyond. Yes, chicks still date after 40! To prove this, she wrote _The Other Boyfriend_ (loosely based on her own life experience while she briefly lived in Taiwan and Hong Kong). Just recently, Massara released a third book, a romance/chick lit novel entitled _Like Casablanca_ ; this is a cross between internet dating and Rick's Cafe (also loosely based on her life).

Massara has also written a general fiction drama, _The Soul Bearers_ , a story inspired by real life events and filled with hope and inspiration when overcoming life's obstacles and learning to live and love again.

Massara's latest is _Playing With The Bad Boys_ , the first of a mystery series whose protagonist is a spunky and wiseass chick–and she's 48! Older women have much more fun.

Sylvia Massara on  Amazon

Sylvia's Website: http://www.SylviaMassara.com

Mia's Website: http://www.MiaFerrari.com

Facebook:  http://www.Facebook.com/pages/Author-Sylvia-Massara/137608772926441

Twitter: @sylviamassara @miaferrari1

The Bastard Year by Richard Lee Zuras

   "It was exactly one year ago today," my father said, "that the hostages were taken." He looked at me as if he wanted me to say something. I figured he was probably wrong about it being a year to the day, but I wasn't about to tell him that. "A year is a long time," he said. "A lot can happen in a year." In the company of classic coming-of-age works, Richard Zuras's debut novel tells the story of a boy's final year of childhood and a family's near disintegration. When Zain's father is fired from the CIA in March of 1980, it creates a tremor that threatens to upend the family's precarious balance. Zain's awakening to a world riddled with cracks and his adolescent attempts to mend them are the stuff from which young men, and great stories, are made.

Our conversation:

Like Zain's father, your own father was in the CIA. Are there other similarities to your life or is this book purely fiction?

I write from a real and honest place and then, as they say, the book is the boss. I think it was Ansel Adams that talked about getting out of the way of the picture. I once gave a reading at Barnes and Noble and a man came up after and said I really understood being the child of divorce. My story was purely real to him. He was actually mad when I told him my parents never divorced.

Zain and his parents don't communicate. In fact, they tend to be secretive about their lives and particularly their feelings. Consequently, they barely know one another. The facts and descriptions you supply in the book are also sparse, which leaves readers wondering along with Zain. Was this an intentional writing technique? Or does your natural writing style lean toward this type of story?

I teach college fiction writing and have for fifteen years. I teach and believe each story or novel should be organic. My style and structure melds to fit the job at hand. Writers are like singers that way. Check out the long career of the Stones or U2–those guys sing the song the way that song needs to be sung.

Describe your writing environment. Neat or messy? Silence or noise?

I write in silence. No distractions. I write on legal pads. I've revised twice before the work sees a computer keyboard.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? Is there an author and/or book that helped spark the desire?

I wrote a short play when I was eleven or twelve. Always been a huge reader. I love readers. I care about them–about giving them my best work. I probably read ten or fifteen assigned novels in junior high. I got into theater for awhile, but the reading/writing bug was deep within me. My office is a wall of books. My students always hear me quoting Fitzgerald's letter to his daughter: Read all the Hemingway you can then wash it away with all the Joyce you can then Wharton and so on. Something along those lines. Reading and writing are married.

You're at work on a new novel. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Never tell anyone about the book you are working on. Never. Every famous writer will tell you that. It is advice I follow. Now showing some work to a trusted reader, early draft stuff, that's a little different...

What inspires you?

Reading great work. Viewing great films. Anything done on a high level. Oscar Wilde said the only way to live is to slavishly admire Art.

When you're not reading or writing, what might we find you doing?

Teaching takes a lot of time. I teach fiction writing, poetry writing, screen-writing, film courses, literature and composition, and even philosophy. The University and my family life keep me quite busy.

Describe your current mood in one word or phrase.

I'm excited to find new readers! But unhappy my dog Sasha just left the room...

About the Author:

Richard Lee Zuras was born and raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where his father worked as a CIA analyst. Richard earned a degree in writing at George Mason University, then studied at the graduate level at the University of Colorado before earning his M.F.A. from McNeese State University. After doing Ph.D. work at the University of North Dakota, he accepted a teaching position at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where he is now Professor of Creative Writing/Film Studies Advisor. He has held the Bernard O'Keefe Fiction Scholarship at Bread Loaf, a Wesleyan Fiction Scholarship, and has garnered a Yemassee Prize. His work has appeared in over twenty literary journals, including Story Quarterly, South Dakota Review, The Laurel Review and Passages North. In his free time Richard enjoys playing sports, watching Oscar-bait films, and spending quality time with his family. He is currently at work on a new novel.

Learn more about Richard and his writing here: <http://redroom.com/member/richard-lee-zuras>

Richard Zuras on  Amazon

Slings & Arrows and Gone by Julie Elizabeth Powell

   Nobody expects to lose a child but when it happens what can we do? In the sea of grief that seizes the soul how can we swim against the tide? But when that loss is compounded in each minute of every day, what do we do then?

Slings and Arrows is a story about the consequences of a moment, a moment, which separates a mother and daughter in ways impossible to imagine.

It charts their parallel lives, each suffering, one knowing, one not.

It is brutally honest; an account filled with bewilderment, guilt, anger and pain yet it also holds the key to hope. That whatever happens, the bonds of love can never be broken.

   After Charley dies in her office chair, how is it that she finds herself propelled into the mysterious world of Avalon?

Upon encountering an essence, which insists is her daughter – the one she knows she left behind – insanity battles with fear inside her mind.

The further she delves, the more puzzling things appear, especially after she rises into the Orb of Caprice – a realm of fairies, talking flowers and goblins...and something else, something that lurks in the shadows ready to swallow her whole.

Can she realise in time what it is she must do...or has she left it too late?

Gone is a story inspired by a true event.

Our Conversation:

Before we talk about the books, please tell us about Samantha before the tragedy.

   Samantha was born (1982) with transposition of the main arteries, two holes in her heart and a blocked valve. When she was eight months old she had corrective heart surgery and all seemed fine until her heart stopped and she died for the first time...leaving her severely brain damaged. I will say that before she 'vanished' she was brave, intelligent, funny, loving and kind, and I imagine that without the tragic event she would have attempted to conquer the world!

Let's start with Slings & Arrows. Samantha was born with a heart defect requiring surgery. My older son was very sick and had major surgery at 27 days old. While I can't even begin to compare my situation with yours, a couple things that stood out for me were the guilt and the fear. We can't help but wonder if we are somehow responsible for our child's defect. How did you cope with that? Is it something you've been able to move past?

It's every woman's nightmare that something terrible should happen to her child and I'm sorry that any must suffer – and it's good to know your son is okay. However, guilt and fear do play a major part in times like these and yes, speaking for myself; I did take on the responsibility for what happened.

Having said that, knowing of my ex-husband's heart disorder, we consulted a doctor and we were told that it would be impossible for it to be passed down to children because his was caused by his mother catching German measles during the first three months of pregnancy, therefore... How wrong they were. We didn't find out until many, many years later that Samantha had indeed the very same defects as my ex-husband.

Although that didn't stop me from taking the blame. I do still carry the burden, although since being with my present husband, he has helped me enormously in the healing process. He is understanding, and never minds how much I talk about her...in fact encourages me. I now try to celebrate her life –those two years before she died the first time – and keep in my heart the precious memories of how wonderful she was. I will never 'get over it' but with the right person in my life, it has made me feel that I deserve to live, despite my powerlessness and guilt in allowing her to suffer the way she did for seventeen years.

Writing the books have helped me address some of the issues, although I wrote _Gone_ before she died the second time (trying to answer the 'whys') and _Slings & Arrows_ I couldn't write until after she was finally at peace. Though I will add that fear still remains, especially for my other two children (now grown), that something may happen and I will lose them.

I admire your unflinching honesty in telling this story. You talk about how, after Samantha died the first time and was brought back to live in a vegetative state, you sometimes wished her dead. Some readers might initially feel this is a selfish, even horrifying, thing for a mother to feel. I actually think it's the most humane reaction a mother could have. In situations like Samantha's, do you think a parent should have the option of ending the misery in a safe and gentle way?

Yes, I wished her dead. And yes, many will be shocked by this statement. However, I can only say that after years and years and years of watching my daughter suffer, as her body and limbs twisted out of control, as her mind remained lost, with no understanding of whom I was or what was happening to her or why she had to suffer so, I could only wish for her torment to end. If that sounds selfish then so be it. In my opinion there are far worse things than death.

Do you have any advice for a parent who has lost a child, or is going through something similar to your family's experience?

Advice? I think that's impossible. All the emotions are real and you'll feel and think some terrible things. All I can say is try to be kind to yourself, ignore the protestations /condemnation of others and do what's best for you and your child. And it's good if you have support and can talk things through. Being isolated is extremely difficult. And keep hoping.

_Gone_ **, a magical tale inspired by Samantha, takes place in a fantasy realm called Avalon. Tell us about your creation process. Did you sit down and purposely outline what Avalon would be, or did you go on the journey along with Charley?**

I had no idea about Avalon until one night I thought, 'if she's not here then she must be somewhere' so I began to write. Avalon was created in the moment and grew as my fingers typed the words. I had no idea where it would lead. It has become a very real place for me and Charley brought it alive – yes, I journeyed with her and just waited to see what would happen next. In fact, I loved the 'world' so much that I couldn't let it go to waste and so began the _Avalon Trilogy with The Star Realm_ – an epic fantasy adventure supposedly for children (12+?) yet, I love children's stories.

I loved all your characters! From Penelope the talking flower to Brogan the Goblin, each has a unique personality and they felt so real I expected them to jump off the page. What sparks the creation of each of them? Do you start out with the intention to create a specific type of character/creature, or does each come to you at the point in the story where they are needed?

Thank you – yes, I love the characters too...there're like old friends now. The spark of their creation comes from my mind, as if they were there all the time and I just needed to pluck them out. And it's weird – they take charge! I don't know when or where they'll appear (as in all my books) but when the time is right the character says, 'here I am; now we're off'. Sounds odd but it's true and I love them all (even the baddies).

A big part of Charley's journey involves confronting her fears, learning acceptance, and being able to forgive herself. While this story is fiction, I couldn't help but think only someone who had experienced this type of personal journey could write about it so eloquently. Obviously you didn't travel through a world like Avalon (at least I don't think you did!), but did you go through your own journey of discovery on your way to acceptance and forgiveness?

Hmm, Avalon is a wonderful place and I'll never tell if I did or did not! ? Yes, there was certainly a journey and through Charley I did address many of the issues, even if I didn't at that time feel more at peace, as I do now. Nevertheless, it did help bring to light the tangle of emotions that needed expression. I quote from the Author's Note at the end of _Gone_ :

I've written so much over the years, but this story is the one most prized...for obvious reasons. I often wonder if it could be true and the wishes in my heart thrill at the thought.

I suppose I ought to say my favourite authors are Shakespeare, Dickens and Chaucer (and that's not to say their writings aren't absolutely brilliant) however, there is nothing I like more than settling in a quiet corner to read Dean Koontz, Stephen King and (yes, I'll admit it) J.K. Rowling's perfectly scrumptious exploits with the Prince of Magic himself, where my mind can dwell on the mysterious and wonderful and delicious and strange.

But for now, to those who have read this story – thank you, and to those it helped – I'm glad.

And for those who have lost a loved one, especially a child – long may Avalon reign!

Do you believe in destiny?

I think that destiny awaits our choices. There are certain things we can do when opportunities arise but we can choose to ignore or go forward, although we might never feel complete if we do close our eyes.

What is your favorite...

**a) song?** Over the Rainbow

**b) dessert?** Chocolate

**c) time of day?** Whenever I'm with my new husband, he definitely makes life worth living.

What are you working on these days? Do you have something new in the works?

My current work ( _Lost Shadows_ ) investigates memory. It's a fantasy, and somewhat darker than the previous 'adventures'. I've always been fascinated with the mind and so... I'm about ¾ through but it has many characters that all vie for attention, as well as the plot and the 'world', so I'm busy!

Thank you very much for your interest in my work and to all the readers – I hope you enjoy and become as embroiled in it as I do. Thank you all! 

About Julie Elizabeth Powell:

Hello everyone. If you haven't guessed by now I have a passion for words and have ten books published...all thanks to Lulu and Kindle, much hard work and sleepless nights.

My eldest daughter has flown the nest and is married to a man who doesn't mind his mother-in-law though my son is still fluffing his feathers.

My middle child is off on a mysterious adventure, the like of which I can only guess...and tried to do so in my first book, _Gone_.

I love to read and am looking for ways to double time so to indulge in the mysterious and wonderful and delicious and strange...my favourite kind of story.

Writing is my passion, though I enjoy creating handcrafted cards, jewellery making, scrapbooking and dabbling in encaustic art whenever I can.

Oh yes, I used to teach or mark exam papers but now concentrate on writing and enjoying my new life, which materialised, as if by a miracle. Though still dislike all those necessary domestic chores that would, for me, be included in the Rings of Hell!

That's it. Thank you to anyone who reads my books...enjoy the flight!

Julie Elizabeth Powell on  Amazon

Website: <http://www.freewebs.com/julizpow>

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1349023.Julie_Elizabeth_Powell

Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/starjewlez> or @starjewelz

The Art Lovers Handbook by Les and Sue Fox

   The Art Hunters Handbook is an Antiques Roadshow type book that reveals Trade Secrets to hunting down valuable paintings at garage sales and flea markets. The cover photo is the true story of Ripening Pears, a 19th century masterpiece by Joseph Decker bought at a garage sale for $5 and sold to the National Gallery of Art for $1,000,000! Will you find a million-dollar painting for five bucks? Probably not. But you might find a $5,000 painting for $100. Think Of This Book As A Lottery Ticket, the Foxes claim, With Better Odds. The Art Hunters Handbook is a profusely illustrated art book for the average person, not just art collectors, who'd like to make money while having fun. Based on decades of personal experience, it contains dozens of exciting stories of art discovered in garage sales, schools, attics, basements, farmhouses, estates, even in the trash, often bought for very little and sold for a lot. However, in order to find some of the millions of undiscovered paintings that may be waiting for you just around the corner, the authors need to teach you the basics of Art Appraisals (they offer Free Art Appraisals to the general public), and How To Sell Art At Auction, including Sotheby's and Christie's. Believe it or not, by following the simple Art Hunter Tips in this book (like don't assume a painting isn't valuable just because you don't like it, especially modern art), and comparing the Artist Profiles of 120 American, European and Latin American artists, Les and Fox say they'd be surprised if you don't find several valuable paintings a year. How valuable? That's the thrill of the chase! Although this book is intended for everyone who loves TV shows like The Antiques Roadshow, American Pickers, Pawn Stars and Buried Treasure, the Foxes are knowledgeable art experts with a knack for plain talk and common sense. You won't be intimidated by this art book. Instead, will find it as entertaining as a page-turner novel. But what you'll also like is that your $16.95 investment may come back to you a hundred-fold, or maybe a thousand-fold or more, if that weird painting of colored rectangles, or people eating dinner, or a winter landscape, turns out to be something unexpected. The Art Hunters Handbook is not about finding Picassos or Van Goghs. Forgetaboutit. This book will teach you about the other 240,000 listed artists whose paintings are worth $1,000 to $10,000,000, most of whom you've probably never heard of. Like Lyonel Feininger, Emile Gruppe, Hayley Lever. One of these three artists is worth millions. The other two are generally worth $5,000 to $25,000. The only way to find out who's who, and how you can cash in on becoming an Art Hunter, with Les and Sue Fox as your personal guides, is to read The Art Hunters Handbook.

Our conversation:

How did the two of you first get involved with art hunting?

Actually, we started buying art on our honeymoon in 1968! We stayed at a nice hotel in upstate New York when someone told us about a local art auction, which sounded exciting. We didn't have a lot of money, but we had just received some wedding gifts. It was enough to buy a few inexpensive paintings and lithographs in very attractive frames. In time, we learned that the frames were worth more than the art. The lithographs were by famous artists like Mark Chagall. But while Chagall's originals are worth millions, most of his lithographs are only worth $10 to $100. This was the beginning of a life-long quest to understand the value of art. We are self-taught art experts.

According to your research, an estimated 50 million valuable paintings are out there waiting to be discovered. In your opinion, how did all these valuable paintings get overlooked for such a long time?

Most valuable paintings "in private hands" were inherited from people who bought them from the original artists, or from galleries, at very reasonable prices many years ago. While the best paintings in the world (Monet, Picasso, Rockwell, etc.) are in museums and billionaire art collections, millions of lesser works by famous or semi-famous artists are still hanging on the walls of people who like them but who often have no idea of their true value. When someone leaves art to their children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, surprisingly it isn't always appraised professionally. As described in the chapter titled "Art Just Around The Corner" in The Art Hunters Handbook, a woman who worked as a seamstress for a wealthy New York family gave two valuable 19th century paintings by the famous American "Hudson River School" artist Jasper Cropsey to her family, which she had apparently received as a gift from her employer. For decades, the paintings were believed to be reproductions and the family almost used them as a dart board before discovering the truth, and selling them at auction for $840,000! In addition to the 50 million valuable paintings waiting for art hunters to find them, there are probably 50 billion pieces of junk! Many people can't tell the difference, especially with modern art.

One of the things you point out in your book is that the value or art doesn't have anything to do with its beauty or appeal. Instead, the value depends on the artist's fame. I've always been curious about this. What brings fame to one artist, while another, whose work might be more appealing to the majority, never reaches the same stature?

Fame is hard to explain, not only in art but in music, literature, sports and Hollywood as well. But there is something very original and distinctive about the work of famous artists, even modernists like Mark Rothko who painted gigantic rectangles now worth up to $70 million apiece, and Jackson Pollock, whose "drip paintings" sometimes appear to be the creation of a child or a chimpanzee! Famous artists all have a "voice" that sets them apart from others. You may not like the voice of some artists, but when knowledgeable art critics, museums, prestigious art galleries and other connoisseurs put their stamp of approval on an artist, he or she will become famous. That is no easy task. True, you don't automatically become famous by painting "pretty pictures" like Thomas Kinkade, and an artist doesn't become famous just because he dies. It's a lifetime process. Most famous artists were taught by other famous artists, they attended important art schools, they showed their paintings at hundreds of public exhibitions, they had a vision, they were obsessed, they were dramatically different, and they often struggled for 10 to 40 years before achieving serious recognition. Ironically, Vicent Van Gogh, one of the most famous artists of all time, did not receive fame or even commercial success during his brief lifetime of only 37 years. This is because he was the first "Expressionist", which describes an artist who paints what he feels, not just what he sees. Even the French Impressionists, who had just broken away from the traditional Barbizon / Realism art genre, did not understand or accept Van Gogh's new voice and great talent. They said he was ruining Impressionism. In fact, he was transforming Impressionism into Modernism which now embraces every style of art.

Of the artists included in your book, do you have a favorite?

Our favorite artist is Fern Coppedge, the only female member of the "Pennsylvania Impressionists" group (or the New Hope School) led by Daniel Garber and Edward Redfield, All three artists are showcased in The Art Hunters Handbook, and can be seen at The Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA. Fern was a prolific artist who painted seasonal landscapes, including phenomenal winter scenes along the Delaware River and primarily in Bucks County. She also painted very nice harbor scenes in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She did not paint portraits, and people almost never appear in her outdoor scenes. Like Van Gogh, Coppedge took the liberty of painting what she felt and frequently altered the colors of her landscapes to suit her inner self. Her paintings generally keep to the standard of Impressionism, but they are stylized in a way that none of the other Bucks County artists did. We own two painting by Fern Coppedge, one from the 1930′s and one from "New Year's Day, 1949″ (dated in fountain pen on the stretcher). They're worth $50,000 to $100,000 apiece, and we bring them to art events and book signings to show people what can still be found. Both paintings were found in attics, one in Florida in 2009, the other in Pennsylvania in 2004.

Is there one state or area of the country where these undiscovered gems turn up for often, or are more likely to be found?

Although valuable paintings literally turn up everywhere, a higher percentage seem to be found in Florida, the Carolinas and the southern states. Maybe because when people retire, they bring their stuff with them. Surprisingly, we are offered a lot of art from people in Minnesota and California, as well as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Because people move a lot, family treasures get scattered about the country. If someone is thinking of taking a cross-country road trip they could probably recover the cost of the trip by visiting flea markets, garage sales and antiques shops along the way, accompanied by our book, a computer and a cell phone!

What is your favorite piece of art that you've found yourself, and where did you find it?

We bought a 30″ x 36″ oil painting by the Indiana Impressionist Edward K. Williams on eBay about 8 years ago. It's dated 1922, and it was either painted on a farm in Wisconsin or Indiana. Williams was in the process of moving east at the time and there is no documentation as to exactly where this beautiful painting was done. The painting surfaced in Chicago, where someone had apparently nailed it to the wall as a decoration for many years. Fortunately, the small nail holes were very close to the edge of the canvas and were covered by the frame. Other than this slight mistreatment of Williams' earliest known masterpiece, the painting was fresh and original. The eBay auction enjoyed competitive bidding from several serious Indiana collectors, and we had to pay $35,000 for the painting. A similar painting (which we don't think is as nice) is shown in our book. It was sold in an Indiana auction in 2005 for $70,000.

Tell us about the Art Auction Partnership.

We began our "Art Auction Partnership" program in 2006 when we realized that people with valuable art for sale had only two choices: (1) Sell to a dealer for a fixed price, where the dealer kept the entire profit, or (2) Sell at auction, which takes 3-6 months with no guarantee of what the price will be, or if your painting will even sell. So we came up with a creative alternative: Sell to us for a fair price based on previous auction sales, then we put the painting up at auction and share the profit 50-50 with the original owner. For example, if we think a painting is likely to bring $25,000, we might buy it for $15,000 to $20,000 plus half the auction profit. The price we pay up front is a guaranteed minimum, and we pay as much as any other dealer would pay. But we are the only dealers, or as we call ourselves, art auction brokers, who will share our profit with the original owner. Because we sometimes lose money at auction, we are very selective in the paintings we choose for this program. We don't buy paintings worth less than $3-$5,000, and we try to choose paintings with "eye appeal" or historical perspective in the hope that this will translate to strong competition at auction, which is what drives prices up. By the way, we are happy to appraise paintings for people at no charge if they send us good digital photos of both sides of the paintings, the artist's name and the size. We only appraise original paintings, not prints or reproductions, by artists with public auction records. All of this is explained in great detail in our book. (Note: The 120 artists in our book are not necessarily easy to find. But they clearly illustrate why you shouldn't judge a book, or a painting, by its cover! We can research an online database of 240,000 artists with 5,000,000 auction records to determine current market values.)

You've written several books on the art of collecting, including _The U.S. Rare Coin Handbook_ (which my husband has) and _The Beanie Baby Handbook_. Are there ways to tell at the start when a certain toy or product will become a collectible?

To be honest, it's hard to tell when something like Beanie Babies will become a national obsession. In April, 1997, when we published the first edition of _The Beanie Baby Handbook_ , the toy had been around for three or four years. Beanie Babies didn't become a huge phenomenon until "Lefty" and "Righty" became the hot collectibles of the 1996 Democratic convention. At that point, the manufacturer, Ty, Inc. decided to start "retiring" Beanie Babies, which created "limited editions" instead of an unlimited open production run. A woman in Chicago named Peggy Gallagher published the first book about Beanie Babies, titled "The Beanie Baby Phenomenon" which was an instant success. We published the second book, and the most successful. _The Beanie Baby Handbook_ became the # 2 New York Times bestseller for 6 months, selling 4,000,000 copies. This allowed us to develop our Art Auction Partnership business. It would be nice to know what little-known toy or product will become a huge collectible. Rare coins and high quality art are staples. They will always enjoy a large collecting base, from modest prices to millions of dollars. So we just stick with the winners!

Les and Sue Fox on  Amazon

You can learn more about Les and Sue Fox, and their world of art, on their website: http://www.AmericanArtAdvisor.com

Web of Lies by Sarah Tate

   _Web of Lies_ takes you on an emotional roller-coaster, experienced through the eyes of Sarah Tate, an intelligent, young newcomer to Switzerland who is swept off her feet by an older, more experienced company manager. Within weeks of their meeting, Bill impresses her with a courtship vastly unusual in modern times. He lures Sarah with his intellect along with numerous gifts, expensive restaurants, and trips to luxury hotels. Sarah, who is searching for not only love but security, quickly finds herself falling for the worldly but sensitive and caring man Bill represents himself to be. In Web of Lies, she describes the highs and the lows of what it is like to be involved with a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), how to come to terms with the abuse, and most importantly, how to escape.

Our conversation:

What made you decide to write your story and share it with the world?

I knew from the very beginning that I had an important story to tell. Many of my friends and family encouraged me to get the whole experience down on paper whilst it was still fresh in my mind. Once I began researching the psychology behind what had happened, I was struck by how few 'real life case histories' are out there for public consumption. I wanted to write a book that was not only a gripping read, but could also be used as a tool to help others who have suffered in a similar situation. My motivation in writing _Web of Lies_ was to help others (both men and women) to spot the red flags, by seeing these traits being played out in an everyday situation. I also wanted give the readers hope that there is a way back from it.

A big part of your struggle seemed to be getting past your own guilt. You felt responsible for much of the problems in your relationship, which I think is all too common with women. Looking back, why do you think it was so much easier to blame yourself, rather than see your husband for what he was?

Not only is guilt a common problem for most women, invoking feelings of guilt is also a huge part of the Modus Operandi of the psychopath. It wasn't really a question of it being 'easier' to blame myself, it was a question of being manipulated into genuinely believing that I was the one who was failing in the marriage. This is all too common in these situations, and I've heard from countless women and men who all had a 'lightbulb' moment whilst reading the book, realizing that they too were blaming themselves instead of recognizing that they were being manipulated. It's very easy with hindsight to spot the red flags and glaring lies, but when the person concerned is a practiced pathological liar, they can easily pull the wool over your eyes. I've written articles about this on my blog and websites. I feel that an important part of the process of recovery is to recognize which of your own character traits left you open for manipulation or exploitation by the NPD/APD. A narcissist/sociopath/psychopath cannot sustain a relationship unless the partner provides a source of supply. Once you have recognized that you are the supply, you're half way to making the break.

At the end of your book, you state, "The key to successful recovery lies in the letting go." Have you been able to let go?

I won't pretend it's easy to let go, especially when you have to live day to day with the fallout of the toxic relationship. Getting out of the situation is only the very beginning. Recovery is a process which can take many years. I wasted a great deal of energy on self-recrimination; you can read about that in the book. I no longer feel those emotions. I have recognized my mistakes and I've accepted them. I have also recognized his character traits, and accepted them too. There is no longer any blame. This is what I refer to as 'letting go'.

How are your children coping with their father's absence?

Children are amazing and incredibly resilient. I took great care from the very beginning to get the best advice to enable me to support them through what was initially a grieving process.

All children require to thrive is love and security. As long as they have your attention, and feel loved, they are happy. Mine no longer ask about why their father left. They have accepted that it was what he needed to do. They were incredibly young when he left and they have now spent longer without him than they did with him. They still mention him from time to time, but he has become a figure from the past.

As they grow, they will no doubt want to learn more, and I will always remain honest and open with them about what happened and why I made the decisions I did.

Narcissism is just one of many personality disorders. Often, a person will have a combination of two or more. Now that you've escaped the situation and can look back on things clearly, what signs do you wish you'd seen earlier? Are there personality traits that stand out as things to avoid?

There are several levels of narcissism and not all of them are dangerous. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is when narcissism becomes pathological. It is one of the Cluster B variety of disorders, grouped together with APD (Antisocial Personality Disorder....ie. a sociopath/psychopath), Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder. This cluster of disorders almost always has co-morbidity with other disorders in the group.

NPD and APD are closely related. I think it's safe to say that whilst not all narcissists are psychopaths, ALL psychopaths are narcissists.

Looking back, I wish I'd spotted the superficial aspects of Bill's character much sooner. I was unable to spot many of the red flags because I was ignorant to the personality disorders being displayed. The only way to recognize these traits it to learn what to spot:

Elevated sense of self importance

Over exaggeration of personal achievements

Disregard for the feelings/achievements of others

Inability to empathize

Superficial charm

Do you have advice for women who feel they might be married to or involved with a narcissist?

If you can, get out. Cut off the supply. There is no cure for pathological narcissism and psychopathy. Try to talk to somebody about what you're experiencing. There is a wealth of information available on line, and also many fantastic support fora. Sharing your experience with others makes you feel less alone and more able to face up to what is happening.

I know nothing about Switzerland but your book made me want to visit. What is it about the country that you fell in love with?

The peace and tranquility, the pristine beauty of the mountains and the lakes, and the sedate way of life. All these things were a big attraction initially. I believe it's a great place for children to spend their younger years, as it's generally a very safe place with little crime. I would certainly recommend it for a holiday, you'll be blown away by the scenery!

**You've written a follow-up to** _Web of Lies_ **, entitled** _Renaissance – A Journal of Recovery_ **, which is currently available. You've also stepped into the fiction world with a psychological thriller called** _In the Shadow of an Angel_ **. Can you tell us about that book? When will it be available?**

'Shadow' will now actually be the fourth book, the second fictional title. I'm currently working on another book entitled 'The Middle Aged Twist', which is the story of two lifelong friends who meet at University against the back drop of the early nineties party scene. Their lives then take very different paths, but they both struggle with depression and addiction as they grow older. Their lives are intertwined, but both cope with their demons in very different ways. It's a book about triumph and tragedy, which I hope a lot of people will find both interesting and moving. I'm about a third of the way through it, and plan to have a finished manuscript by late June.

About the Author:

Sarah Tate is a single mother living and working in Switzerland. She arrived in Switzerland ten years ago and apart from a brief stay in France, has remained ever since, as Switzerland has become her adopted homeland.

Sarah has three young kids, who take up most of her time, but she still managed to find time to write her first book 'Web of Lies – My life with a Narcissist'. The book is an auto-biographical novel which describes in graphic details, the ups and downs of life with a person who suffers from (amongst other things) Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Web of Lies takes the reader on an emotional journey and gives a deep insight into what it's like to be sucked into the world of a disordered individual, and more importantly, how to escape with your sanity in tact.

Her second book, with the title 'Renaissance – A Journal of Discovery' was released in March 2011. It describes the road to recovery from narcissistic abuse, and charts the progress of Sarah and her children as they rebuild their lives following the break up of the family, and slowly come to terms with the devastation caused by Sarah's ex.

Sarah Tate on  Amazon

Author Website: http://www.sarahtateauthor.com

Awareness Website: http://www.waking-you-up.com

Facebook: <http://www.Facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Tate-Author/358586909900>

Blog: http://singlemumsal.blogspot.com

Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/SarahTateAuthor> or @SarahTateAuthor

King Trevor by Susan Helene Gottfried

   The aftermath of his onstage collapse has taken its toll on Trevor Wolff. He's become a virtual shut-in, dependent on the people around him to help in his healing. To make matters worse, he might have hung up his bass for good.

This is not the Trevor Wolff way.

When Mitchell hatches a plan to turn Trevor into the official King of ShapeShifter, it sounds like bunk. However, when Mitchell finds the perfect building to repurpose, the Big Idiot hires the best architect around—the brother-in-law he's never met. Trevor can't help but smell secrets that awaken the person he used to be.

After all, there's nothing Trevor Wolff likes more than intrigue—except maybe a chance to square off against his arch-nemesis: Mitchell's wife, Kerri.

Our conversation:

Let's start with Trevor:

Despite your status as King, much of this story revolves around Kerri. How do you feel about sharing your spotlight with her?

I'll never like sharing anything with her, especially books with my name on them. And Mitchell. And the fucking dining room table. Or the table in the kitchen. Or... well, anything. That covers it, doesn't it?

Your illness and recovery process have prevented you from touring. Do you miss it?

Do you get paid to ask stupid questions? Of course I miss it; it was all I did for years. Now, there's no one around to chase around with our rubber snake, or smack with one of those sticky hands, or... yeah. Go read the books. You can see the sort of fun I used to have. Wouldn't you miss it?

I'm sure you received lots of get well cards and gifts from fans. Do you have a favorite? Did anything stand out as funny or unusual?

Mitchell wouldn't let me see anything that made it past management. Talk to him about it.

Leaving out your own music, what are the top 5 favorites on your playlist?

Bands you've never heard of because Trevor Wolff lives in a parallel universe that exists simply so Susan can make shit up without anyone getting pissed that she fucked up the details.

Susan...

Each of the characters in both Trevor's Song and King Trevor has a distinct personality. What is your approach to character development?

I let them run around my brain and interact and come alive. Maybe I'm actually schizophrenic, but I doubt it. After all, the only thing I do that they tell me to is write down their activities.

Seriously, that's the approach. I take a real-life situation or experience and drop my characters into it and say, "Go. What do YOU do?" Instead of putting myself on the characters, I like to step back and watch them do their thing.

You're also a super talented professional editor. I know from experience that you keep all your suggestions true to the specific characters and storyline. I'm not an editor, but occasionally when I'm reading a story I find myself saying things like, I wouldn't have gone that route. Do you find it difficult not to interject your own thoughts on where a story should go or how a character should react?

No, not really – I've been hired to do a specific job, so I focus on doing that job. However, I also work as a paid book reviewer for one of the big, long-time media outlets such as Kirkus or Publisher's Weekly. When I read those books, I often yell at them. Not that it's the book's fault, but sometimes, all you can do is shoot the messenger.

You know I have to ask: Do you foresee a third book for Trevor?

Not at the present moment, although you're not the first or last to have asked that question!

I think it will depend on how sales go. Right now, the books aren't selling enough to justify the time spent on more Trevor instead of new characters, who will pull fresh people into my world.

If you could spend the day with any one rock star, who would you pick and why?

Okay, steel yourself for this answer. Most people automatically assume I am going to answer this by picking James Hetfield, the lead singer/rhythm guitarist of Metallica. After all, the Mighty Metallica is, far and above all else, my favorite band. Ever. I may even like them more than my own fictional creation, ShapeShifter. Maybe.

But to spend a day with someone? Dude. Gotta be Axl Rose.

Why? Because he's effing nuts and equally as brilliant (I think). Because I want to know if the reality matches the version of W. Axl Rose that, over the years, I've created for myself.

About the Author:

Susan Helene Gottfried is the author of _ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes — Year 1_ , _ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes — Year 2_ , _Trevor's Song_ , _ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes — Year 3_ , and _King Trevor_.

A tone-deaf rocker-at-heart, Susan worked in retail record stores, in radio stations, as stage crew, and as a promoter while earning two college degrees in creative writing.

Susan Helen Gottfried on  Amazon

Website: http://westofmars.com

Blog: <http://westofmars.com/blog>

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/WestofMars or @WestofMars

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestofMarsFans

Crashing Eden by Michael Sussman

   For one boy and his friends, the path to Paradise comes at a cost—one they may not be prepared to pay.

When a biking accident leaves 17-year-old Joss Kazdan with the ability to hear things others can't, reality as he knows it begins to unravel.

A world of legends exists beyond the ordinary life he's always known, and he is transported to the same Paradise he's studying in World Mythology. But the strange gets even stranger when his new friends build a device that delivers people through the gates of the Garden of Eden.

Now Samael, the Creator God, is furious. As Samael rains down his apocalyptic devastation on the ecstasy-seeking teens, Joss and his companions must find a way to appease Samael—or the world.

Our conversation:

What was the inspiration for this story?

First, I'd like to thank you, Darcia, for inviting me to discuss Crashing Eden.

About ten years ago I began playing around with the question: What if the widespread myths of a past golden age had some validity? Then I began imagining a story in which people could somehow recover what has been called Edenic consciousness: a blissful state of feeling at one with the universe. At first, the transformation was going to involve brain surgery based on fossils of early hominid brain anatomy. But how would you convince large numbers of people to undergo brain surgery? Luckily, my mother suggested altering the brain with a sound instead, and that idea sparked the story that became Crashing Eden.

This book's theme revolves around Gnosticism, Christianity, and mythology. (And I should stress that this is not Christian fiction.) Some of the places your plot takes us will no doubt spark controversy. Does this concern you?

I didn't set out to write a controversial novel, it just came out that way! But I welcome spirited discussions.

The story certainly contains elements that could be considered blasphemous to Jewish and Christian fundamentalists. Gnosticism is provocative in that it turns our conventional theological notions on their heads. I incorporated Gnostic cosmology into the novel simply because it fit very nicely with the plot, and because it aims toward a personal experience of transcendence, much like Buddhism and the Jewish mysticism of the Kabala. This is a strong theme of the story, that it might be possible to personally experience some form of cosmic consciousness.

You did an excellent job with the family dynamics. Relationships have many layers, particularly within families, and you captured that beautifully. How did you go about creating your characters?

Thank you! I think the greatest challenge in writing fiction is in developing believable characters. I start with brief character sketches and then try to fill them out as the drafts progress. Writers inevitably draw upon aspects of themselves and people they've known. But it's always surprising how characters take on lives of their own, saying and doing unexpected things.

**You've also written a children's book called** _Otto Grows Down_ **. Tell us a bit about it.**

My debut picture book was published by Sterling in 2009, with illustrations by Scott Magoon. It tells the story about a boy who is jealous of all the attention his newborn sister is getting. When Otto makes a birthday wish that Anna was never born, time reverses and his wish comes true! Otto is rid of his bothersome sister, but becomes trapped in backward time. Soon, he's just one year old himself and in danger of disappearing like his sister. The book has suspense, humor, and fabulous illustrations by Scott, who writes: "I like how Otto grew up when he grew down."

Describe your writing environment. Neat or messy? Silence or noise?

Messy! Notebooks and folders and scraps of paper all over the place. I prefer silence, but I'm next door to a daycare center!

I read that you once lived in a commune. This fascinates me, so I'm going to ask a self-indulgent question here. What drew you to the commune, and what were the pros and cons of the lifestyle for you?

First, I wanted to be way out in the countryside, so I chose a commune in rural Nova Scotia, where a friend's sister lived. I also wanted to be in a community that was as self-sufficient as possible.

The pros were living in such natural beauty, the companionship of friends, and having the time and space to think and get to know one's self. The cons were having no modern conveniences, being far away from family and friends, and only having a handful of people to interact with.

You have to live with a sitcom family for 3 months. Who will it be (which TV show) and why?

Well, it's not exactly a family, but I'd say Seinfeld. I love the humor, the nutty characters, and the sense of never knowing what might happen next.

Give us one word or phrase that describes your current mood.

Given that this is my first published novel, I'd say a combination of dread and exuberance.

About the Author:

Michael Sussman is the author of _Crashing Eden_ , a YA fantasy/paranormal novel, and _Otto Grows Down_ , a children's picture book featuring illustrations by Scott Magoon.

Dr. Sussman is a clinical psychologist and has also published two books for mental health professionals. He's the author of _A Curious Calling: Unconscious Motivations for Practicing Psychotherapy_ and the editor of _A Perilous Calling: The Hazards of Psychotherapy Practice_.

Dr. Sussman resides in the Boston area with his son, Ollie.

Michael Sussman on  Amazon

Website: http://www.MichaelSussmanBooks.com

Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/MichaelBSussman> or @MichaelBSussman

Eerie by Blake and Jordan Crouch

   TRAPPED INSIDE A HOUSE

On a crisp autumn evening in 1980, seven-year-old Grant Moreton and his five-year-old sister Paige were nearly killed in a mysterious accident in the Cascade Mountains that left them orphans.

WITH A FRIGHTENING POWER

It's been thirty years since that night. Grant is now a detective with the Seattle Police Department and long estranged from his sister. But his investigation into the bloody past of a high-class prostitute has led right to Paige's door, and what awaits inside is beyond his wildest imagining.

OVER ANYONE WHO ENTERS

His only hope of survival and saving his sister will be to confront the terror that inhabits its walls, but he is completely unprepared to face the truth of what haunts his sister's brownstone.

Our conversation:

**A conversation/interview with the two of you is included at the end of** _Eerie_ **. I was fascinated to learn that you wrote much of the book in real time using Google Docs, and that neither of you had specific parts or character viewpoints to write. Your writing styles blends seamlessly. Was this a difficult achievement? Did one of you have to bend your style or compromise more than the other did?**

*Blake*: Our styles are pretty similar to begin with so there wasn't much adjusting.*

Jordan*: Yeah, we've both been inspired by a lot of the same writers, and conveniently enough, one of those writers for me is Blake. I've read his stuff for years so I'm sure he's rubbed off on me in ways I don't even realize. There was a brief settling period in the beginning while we were learning how to write with each other on the same page, but we fell into a rhythm after the first few scenes.*

Blake*: I inspire myself too.*

Jordan*: I find your humility inspiring.*

Blake*: Thank you. We also edited each other which evened things out a bit. And this kind of story is helped best by terse writing which doesn't really allow for excessive prose. That was a natural boundary that kept things within a certain range. I never felt like I compromised my style to achieve that consistency. We both brought different things to table, and they ended up augmenting each other.*

Jordan*: No compromises here either. I will say that the element of Blake's style I adjusted for the most came out of the way he writes character action. When the suspense ramps up he uses quick, punchy sentences separated by line breaks to create a sense of urgency. It works great because your reading momentum speeds up with the action. It's a signature Blake thing that I definitely didn't want to lose.

**The story revolves around two siblings and, while their situation is unique, it bears all the hallmark battle scars of sibling relationships. Did you learn anything about your own relationship while writing** _Eerie_ **?**

*Jordan*: I recovered some memories about some of the ways he used to torment me when we were kids, but I'm working on repressing them again. In all seriousness, the best thing is that we learned that we can write together. That's pretty huge. I mentioned it in the interview at the end of EEIRE, but collaborating was like sharing a bedroom again. There's not always enough space, but finding creative ways around obstacles that naturally arise from having two minds aimed at the same problem is incredibly rewarding.*

Blake*: What he said. Writing is a personal exercise, and you never know if including someone else is going to be worth the cost of entry. It's great to be able to share that experience someone else. It's awesome to be able to share it with your brother.

You both have your own novels coming out later this year. For Jordan, it will be his first solo novel (Congratulations!) and for Blake it will be number 1,037 (Okay, I'm exaggerating just a little.). Can you give us a teaser about those novels? And is there any chance you'll collaborate on another book in the future?

*Jordan*: I'm not ready to talk about it in detail, but it's a thriller, set at sea, and will completely different than EERIE.*

Blake*: My next one will be out in August. It's called PINES, and here's a quick run down:

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels...off. As the days pass, Ethan's investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can't he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn't anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact–he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. Intense and gripping, Pines is another masterful thriller from the mind of bestselling novelist Blake Crouch.

*Jordan*: I've read it. Get excited. It's awesome. And we'd love to collaborate again.

*Blake*: Yep. There's nothing on the horizon, but I don't think this is the last time two Crouch names appear on the cover of a novel.

About the Authors:

Blake was born near the piedmont town of Statesville, North Carolina in 1978. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated in 2000 with degrees in English and Creative Writing. Learn more on his website: http://www.BlakeCrouch.com

Jordan Crouch is Blake's younger brother. He attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and graduated in 2007 with a degree in Creative Writing. Jordan lives in Seattle, Washington. Eerie is his first novel. His website is: http://www.AuthorJordanCrouch.com

Blake Crouch on  Amazon

Blake Crouch on Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/BlakeCrouch1> or @BlakeCrouch1

Hide and Seek by Jenny Hilborne

   Halloween. A group of friends gather at a mansion and decide to play a game. When one of them disappears and a large pool of blood is found in the grounds, San Francisco homicide inspector, Mac Jackson, is called out to investigate. Two days later, the body is discovered.

As Jackson questions the guests, he uncovers old hostilities, secretive pasts, and the victim's ties to another unusual death. At the center of it all is the lingerie bar, where the victim once worked. Are the girls in some sort of danger? Who is the thug with the scar? His best chance at solving the case hinges on an uncooperative source and Jackson must work fast, before it's too late and his source disappears.

Our conversation:

One of the things I love about your books is the character development. Each has his/her own unique multifaceted personality. You never go for the stereotypical bad or good guy. How do you go about creating such real-life characters?

I try to give every character at least one redeeming quality and include unexpected quirks in their personalities to make them more unique. I pluck out character traits from interesting real-life people and weave them into my stories.

**The plot for** _Hide and Seek_ **is complex, with many layers that kept me guessing all the way through. Yet, it's never confusing. I know from experience that this can be a difficult balance to achieve. Do you spend a lot of time outlining the storyline and various subplots?**

I'm a panster, meaning I don't outline. I write what comes into my head at each sitting and let each chapter lead me into the next one. I rarely start a novel with more than a title and a motive. The rest comes when my characters all start talking (often at once) and let me know where they want me to go.

Are you ever surprised at the direction your story takes?

Yes. I'm always surprised, which is what I love most about being a "panster." If I'm surprised, I know my readers will be.

What about the mystery genre attracts you as a writer?

Like many of my characters, I'm baited by the unknown. I can't resist a mystery and a puzzle or riddle to solve.

You're from the U.K. and now live in the U.S. Not only are many of our words spelled differently, we also have different slang and unique ways of speaking. Has it been difficult for you to make the transition in writing style?

I struggle with it and get caught out all the time. You may have noticed, all of my novels contain a British character, which helps me disguise my Brit English/US English confusion.

Any plans on writing a novel set in the U.K.?

My 4th novel is set in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. I'm 80% through the first draft and love writing about home. Trying to remember my British spelling and terms is a challenge. Maybe I'll incorporate an American into this novel.

What scares you the most and why?

It used to be the fear of failure. I learned it's okay to fail, but it's not okay to never try. I've always hated the dark and I fear the dentist.

What inspires you?

Those who go after their dreams.

Your favorite...

**a) color?** – yellow

**b)food?** – I'm not a foodie at all, so I'll go with chocolate.

**c) TV show?** – I don't have a favorite show, but I watch the Lifetime channel a lot.

**d) song?** – Bright Sunshiny Day by Johnny Nash

Give us one word or phrase that describes your current mood.

I'm flying high and finding my balance.

About the Author:

Jenny Hilborne has worked in a variety of fields, including the retail music industry, residential real estate, commercial real estate and finance. She was born in Wiltshire, South West England, and relocated to Southern California in 1997.

Madness and Murder is her first novel, a thriller set mostly in San Francisco and the first in the Inspector Mac Jackson series. Her second suspense novel, No Alibi, is also set in San Francisco featuring betrayed spouse, Isabelle Kingsley. Mac Jackson returns in Jenny's third novel, Hide and Seek, another San Francisco thriller, which takes place over Halloween.

Jenny is working on her fourth suspense novel; this one a break from the previous settings and set in Oxfordshire, England.

On the rare occasions Jenny is not writing or working, she catches up with family and friends and enjoys reading, travel, and a good movie – usually a mystery.

Jenny Hilborne on  Amazon

Website: http://jfhilborne.com

Blog: http://jfhilborne.wordpress.com

Facebook: <http://www.Facebook.com/profile.php?id=1641377034>

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/JFHilborne> or @JFHilborne

Recall! Return of the IRR by Doug DePew

   There hadn't been a full-scale recall of the Individual Ready Reserves since the Korean War. In January of 1991, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many people believed it would take World War III to trigger a recall of the IRR. Many people were wrong.

They came from cities and farms and towns in every corner of the country. With only a few days' notice, they quit their jobs, dropped out of college, kissed their girlfriends or wives, and got on planes to Atlanta, Georgia with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They had long hair, beards, and bad attitudes. They descended by the thousands on Fort Benning, Georgia, and they were not happy about it at all.

In this entertaining, true story, the author relates his own experiences as one of twenty-thousand IRR recalls who were ordered back to active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm. In a story reminiscent of "The Dirty Dozen" times ten thousand, the author takes you through the entire experience from beginning to end. He carries you along for the ride and explains exactly what it was like to be a recall. With the many IRR recalls over the last ten years of warfare, this first hand account could shed some light on how the current era of recalls began.

Our conversation:

What inspired you to write a memoir?

A lot of people through the years enjoyed my stories of when I was in the military. I kept having co-workers tell me,"You should write a book!" I finally took their advice and wrote my first book "SAT & BAF!" about my years in Germany. There were still some stories in my head, so I wrote "Recall!" last summer. I lived through some historic events and had the ability to record them, so I did.

Many people don't realize that military men and women can be recalled for a certain period of time if needed. In your book, you replay the conversation between yourself and some other men regarding what everyone was doing in their lives at the time of the recall. How difficult was it for you to literally drop everything you'd been doing and step back into military life?

It was extremely difficult. I was completely acclimated back to civilian life and looking forward to moving to Nashville. To switch gears like that was extraordinarily hard. It was like a lightning bolt. Everything happened so fast that it's still hard to comprehend.

Before you were recalled, you were studying to be a recording engineer. During that time, you met Adrian Belew, whom I remember from way back in his King Crimson days. You also did some work for the incredibly talented Dweezil Zappa. So now I feel a little closer to some rock gods! Tell us about that experience. What was it like to have a working relationship with people famous in the rock world?

It was incredible! We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and sharing stories with so many others. Nearly everyone I met down there was pretty down to earth, and each visitor taught us a lot. Adrian Belew in particular was a really cool guy. He hung out for a long time just playing with his guitar and giving us tips. We had staff who'd worked with nearly everybody in the industry. It was probably a once in a lifetime experience.

The people recalled are older and, of course, more experienced than the young recruits first coming in. How did that impact your behavior and feelings during (re)training?

I think most of us just wanted to get to the war. If we had to put on uniforms again, we'd just as soon get through the in-processing and get on with the fighting. We'd already spent years preparing for a war and felt little need to prepare any more. There was a generally low tolerance for much of the silliness associated with the peacetime military. We reminded me a lot of the draftees of earlier generations. We just wanted to get the war over and get back home.

What are your thoughts on the recall program in general?

It's an important part of the military. It's been in place since at least World War II. A lot of WW-II vets were recalled for Korea. I think the way we were used is probably more effective than what's been done since with single replacements or using IRR to fill out units. Putting us all together gave us a special bond that I think would have been quite effective in combat. I think we were the first (and maybe last) time that's been done.

You now teach in a federal prison. Do you think your military background helps in your position? If so, how?

My military background helps in everything I do. It gives me a confidence that can only be gained by pushing your mind and body farther than it can go and surviving. Confidence is the greatest gift I got from the military. It's been vital in my job.

Music was a big part of your life before the recall. What are some of the songs rotating on your playlist?

_Desperado_ by the Eagles has always been one of my theme songs. Once in a while, _Silver Tongued Devil And I_ by Kris Kristofferson creeps in there. I love a very wide variety of music from traditional to contemporary country to blues to classic rock to acid rock. I like some punk, too. I go through phases of listening to Pink Floyd on repeat. My favorite song by them is Wot's...Uh...the Deal off Obscured By Clouds. Now everybody will have to go hit Youtube. Almost nobody knows that song.

Since you were a history major, I have to ask: If you could go back to any time and place in history, where would you go and why?

I'd like to be an independent fur trader in the 1820s to 1840s. Somewhere around Montana, Wyoming, or Colorado would suit me just fine. I like freedom.

About the Author:

The author spent four years, one month, and seventeen days as an active duty US Army Infantryman. After his time in C 2/4 Infantry (Pershing), he spent the balance of his four year enlistment in the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado leaving active duty with an honorable discharge in 1990. He was recalled to active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. After the Army, he spent an additional five years in the USNR as a Storekeeper and Master at Arms. He earned a BSEd in history from Southwest Missouri State University, taught public school, was a corrections officer, taught juvenile delinquents for the state, and now teaches in a prison for the federal government. He lives in the country in southwest Missouri with his wonderful wife on a beautiful piece of the world.

Doug DePew on  Amazon

Facebook: <http://www.Facebook.com/home.php#!/DougDePewAuthor>

Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/DougDepew> or @DougDePew

Blog: http://towerratmaintango.blogspot.com

Corpse Days by Jonathon Kane

   Is this the end of the world? Is the Rapture upon us? Has a Zombie Apocalypse arrived? That's a matter of opinion, but it doesn't hurt to be a licensed Shooter in these uncertain times.

Meet Stan Norton – a middle-aged Shooter with a haunting past. He wants little to do with the living dead, and less to do with the living, until that is, a mysterious young woman with an affinity for guns and martial arts enters his life. An adventure begins, and the hunt is on for a reclusive enemy, as the clock ticks down toward a full-blown resurgence of the Corpse Days.

Our conversation:

_Corpse Days_ **is your first novel and would be classified as horror. What is it about the horror genre that drew you in as an author?**

To start with, I'm a Halloween fanatic. It's my favorite time of the year. I've always been attracted to anything that triggers the dark side of the imagination. Also, I feel that one of the great things about horror is that there are different types or styles within the genre – and I love them all. A good friend of mine told me he thought one of the character's lines in the story (one of Stan's lines) was cheesy. He said no one in real life would ever say that. I thought – you really just don't get it, do you?

**I read that this story was born on a drunken night out, though I might be embellishing a bit. Tell us how the concept for this story originated**.

The best ideas (and the worst) often come from an altered state of mind. Can I just leave it at that? Seriously though, I suppose I had been thinking about cult religions at the time. It's not a big leap from there to horror.

Did you outline the plot and spend time on character development prior to writing anything? Or did you dive into the story relatively blind, letting the details form along the way?

The characters developed mostly on the fly. The plot was a combination of diving in and outlining. When I first started writing the story, I had the basic overall concept, and I had a good idea of how it could begin. So, I sat down and wrote the first chapter, and then it was like – okay, let's see if this thing has legs. Fortunately, it did. As the story progressed, and especially as it got closer to the end, I did some outlining because it was becoming difficult to keep it all straight in my head.

_Corpse Days_ **ends with the possibility of more. Do you plan on writing a sequel? Or turning this into a series?**

Yes, the story will continue. As of right now, I'm writing Chapter Nine of the sequel to Corpse Days. I'm hoping to have it ready for release within the next few months.

What did you find most difficult about the writing process?

I found the re-writing part of it a little difficult. There's a certain amount of humility involved. You have to be able to admit that something you spent so much time working on has some problems, and then be willing to fix them.

And what was easiest for you?

It was easy for me during those times when the story seemed to write itself. Honestly, there were a few parts I couldn't write fast enough.

Describe your writing environment. Neat or messy? Silent or noisy?

Mostly noisy, and less than clean. Sometimes I write while slouching on the couch with the television on. Other times, I'm at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and headphones on. Once in a while, it's completely silent, and that works too.

When you're not reading or writing, what might we find you doing?

I play guitar in an alt/rock band with a few of my friends. All original stuff. Not saying it's any good... just saying it's original.

What inspires you?

Songs that pull me away from whatever I might be into at the time – the kind that are impossible for me to ignore, even if I've heard them a hundred times before.

Describe yourself with one word or phrase.

I was only kidding.

About the Author:

Jonathon Kane has been writing fiction since he was just a skinny lad in middle school. What was once an outlet, has developed over the years into a serious passion.

Jonathon Kane on  Amazon

Website: <https://sites.google.com/site/jonathonkanesite>

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/14740794-corpse-days

When America Slew Her King by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

  There will be no Revolution.

Our conversation:

Why the American Revolution?

After my fourth novel, I wanted to experiment with Alternative History. A modest amount of research revealed that it has been riotously consumed by "what if the Nazis won the last World War" themes. I don't believe that the genre should have lapsed into such lackluster fantasy; I wanted to enter it in the purest direction and actually remake a portion of time with as little modification as possible. I wanted a single event, and a single person's action to suspend everything we had ever learned, but I wanted it all to be frighteningly plausible. This was so rich a period of danger, I almost left off inventing anything to help the story evolve.

All of my novels are about journeys of intense personal change. I pit characters against themselves, and in thinking about this theme I wondered who might have the greatest impact if they were suddenly opposite of themselves. Remaking someone well-known, even for an instant, had a crushing appeal about it. The Revolution gave me countless possibilities in players to target, but a deliciously small handful of towering figures who could have stopped time the way I wanted to stop it.

While the story is fiction, the 'characters' are real. This is an alternate take on history, which required you, as the author, to know a lot of detail about this time period. The amount of information is astounding and had to require endless hours of research. Tell us about your writing process. Did you do most of your research first or did you research facts as needed?

I hate to write while weeding out information that I don't need, or cannot use. I target exactly what I desire to support the directions the story wants to move. However, this story was almost lined up too perfectly for me.

It quickly became only a search for people who were in position to enter as one of my characters. In that effort, I sometimes had trouble. Not everyone was connected as I hoped, for that reason there are literally hundreds who do not appear. I would work for hours to determine if a single person actually fit the story as it was developing. So, I would read and learn for about four days before ever including that person at all. Then, once they were established, I had to continue following their own history, to glean elements that could support their place in this story. In a few instances, my research led to a person with a more plausible thread in their own real history, so they became my focus instead of some other character.

This book is more like nonfiction than fiction. How did the writing process differ for you, as compared to your four previous novels?

Every person, but two, actually lived the life I described. I only changed their actions from that January morning in 1774. There is so little fiction in this that it is disturbing. This could have happened. As the story unfolded, I began to lose my sense of being an author, and actually felt at times like a mere reporter.

In truth, I hope that historians attack this to unravel it and prove it impossible. I believe that would be frustratingly more difficult than my job of writing it.

If you could spend the day with any character/person from your book, who would you choose and why?

Martha Washington. I believe we've only ever glimpsed the power of support she gave to her husband. It is very tenderly displayed in this story, but still the quality that best defines her within it.

When America Slew Her King is only available in hardcover, and will not be released as an ebook. Why?

I'm read electronically by thousands, who will never hear the delightful whisper of my pages when they turn. That de-evolution will never happen to this story. Books are too precious a commodity to continue separating their souls from their bodies.

This is a deeply personal desire of mine—to create a book that might last a hundred years.

You work for a small publisher called Journalstone. Tell us about that.

I reviewed an author's book over a year ago, not knowing he was building a publishing company. He appreciated my opinion of his work, and offered me a job. So, I read all the submissions to JournalStone Publishing now, and would never have dreamt that my own experience would turn that direction. I've had the pleasure of helping other author's see their books in print, and that is tremendously gratifying. A real world job still claims my regular hours, but give JournalStone about twenty hours each week, just reading and managing their contests.

If you could go back to any time and place in history, where would you go and why?

I believe I would have put myself to sea with Magellan. It would be wonderful to feel the shuddering deck of a great ship in the grips of a storm. I was born four hundred thirty-five years too late.

What is your favorite...

**color?** Sea Blue

**food?** Yes, food is my favorite.

**time of day/night?** I love the twilight hours, or the very early hours of morning. I adore stillness and shadow, though I'm terribly afraid of the dark.

**animal?** Cats, then dogs. Line up all the rest according to size and that's my list.

**song?** 'Alleluia, Behold the Bridegroom' a traditional Russian liturgical hymn from the thirteenth century. No one even knows who wrote it.

Describe yourself with one word or phrase.

Curious

What inspires you?

I have a smallish collection of very dear books—each over three hundred years old. It is quite possible, that I might have been the first reader in more than a century to turn all their pages. In my hands they come alive again, and those centuries fade to something meaningless. They are true time-travelers when open, existing in both the present and past.

Every book I've ever held, has inspired me.

About the Author:

When not reading, he is writing. When not writing, he is reading. Author Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick lives with his lovely wife and their two boys in Southwest Colorado.

A novelist with five published works–only four of his books are available in Kindle format.

Being a fierce supporter of independent and self-publishing, Joel straddles the fence quite well in the industry. He is the current Acquisitions Director for JournalStone Publishing, and is the first contact for authors wishing to be published in the traditional modes.

His motto, which he freely shares as terribly good advice–Authors should write for themselves, then share their work.

Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick on  Amazon

Website for _When America Slew Her King_ : http://www.WhenAmericaSlewHerKing.com

Website: http://brownbrushbooks.com

Twitter: <http://www.Twitter.com/JBKirkpat> or @JBKirkpat

Note from Darcia Helle:

That concludes the collection of conversations with the authors who were guests on my blog _A Word Please_ from January through June of 2012.

I am fortunate to have gotten to know some incredibly talented authors through my blog interviews. A heartfelt thank you goes out to each and every one for taking the time to answer my questions.

A Word Please: <http://www.QuietFuryBooks.com/blog>
