Author Interview: Christiana Miller

This week, we have paranormal author Christiana Miller for our author interview. Her books include:


Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead (paranormal)
A Tale of 3 Witches (paranormal novelette)
Every Witch Way But Wicked (paranormal anthology)

You can find her on:

Her website
Facebook
Twitter

Her books are available on Amazon.

Fill in the blanks: Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].
It's really not like anything else I've read. It would be like... Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie meets The Witches Bible by Janet and Stewart Ferrar.

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
Yes. It was a Christmas story about an old man and his horse. The man was alone in life, he had lost his entire family, and now he was out in the snow with his horse, while a blizzard swirled around them. It was a happy story as far as the man was concerned -- he died in the snow storm, and was reunited with his loved ones. I was 10 at the time and it was for a Christmas story contest in one of the equine newspapers.

What's your favorite part about the writing process?
Having written! I have the hardest time with the rough draft, but once it's down I love rewriting. I can happily rewrite for years. My favorite part of the writing, however, is creating the characters and writing their dialogue.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?
It takes 10,000 hours to master your craft. So, you can either write a little bit here and there and spread that 10,000 hours over the course of your lifetime, or you can sit your butt in a chair and put the work in now.

You're stranded on a deserted island, and you can only bring one person with you. It can be someone dead or alive, but it has to be a real person (no fictional characters!). Who is it and why?
Dang. I was going to bring MacGyver, so he could get us off the dang island! I'd bring someone who could build a boat out of trees and a radio out of coconuts, navigate by stars and spear predatory sharks. So I'd look through NASA's scientist database for the strongest/smartest scientist I could find. But if you're asking who I could happily spend the rest of my life talking to, it would be my daughter. She's pretty awesome.

You get to go to Disneyworld with one of your characters. Who do you choose and why?
Hmmm. Well, Gus would be the most fun, but he'd probably get me arrested, or at the very least, banned from Disneyland. Tillie could scare our way to the front of all the lines, but that wouldn't be fun for anyone else. So, I'd probably go with Mara. She'd be fun and less likely to cause a major ruckus.

You get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?
Indiana Jones. We go to Greece or England and have an archeological adventure in either the Parthenon or Stonehenge. Or maybe I'll go with the Ghostbusters team (the movie, not the TV show) to New Orleans, where we have a comic paranormal adventure.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?
Late 1800s to meet Emma Goldman. She's a pretty awesome character. I've written a play about her and she features pretty strongly in one of my historical scripts.

Recommend a self-published book to the readers. Not your own ;)
J.R. Rain's Samantha Moon series. Barbra Annino's Opal Fire series. Bonnie Turner's brilliant book "Down the Memory Hole." There's so much good work right now in the in indy-published world!

It's Saturday night. Where are you most likely to be?
At home, curled up on the couch with my baby girl. Unless I'm out and about, doing research!

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing with your time instead?
Looking for a day job while wishing I could be a stay-at-home mom. Actually, even if I wasn't a writer, I'd probably be working on behalf of writers.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
The desire to read more about Gus and Mara and their wacky world!


Christiana, your books sound very fun! Thanks for stopping by!

Author Interview: Adam M. Johnson

The author I'm interviewing today has a unique novel out called Loud, Disorderly & Boisterous.  It's currently available on Amazon.

Adam M. Johnson, ladies and gentlemen!

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].

Loud, Disorderly & Boisterous is like A Princess Bride meets The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

What's the first sentence of this book?

New tutors came on Tuesdays.

What's the last?
“I can’t think of a reason in the world.”

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
If memory serves a first grader's idea of a sword and sorcery epic that I wound up giving to my first grade teacher.

How has your writing changed since you first started writing?
It has ceased to be utterly dreadful. (Or at least I hope that it's ceased to be utterly dreadful.) I think I'm slowly sauntering towards a more overtly literary style than was the case a few years ago. At any rate the paragraphs have been getting longer.

What's your favorite part about the writing process?
Those moments when a really clever solution to an otherwise intractable problem suddenly falls out of the jumbled assortment of neurons in my head. Also when you go back and really enjoy something that you've written it's one of the finer feelings in the world.

Did you ever write fanfiction? If so, for what fandoms?
Sigh. When I was ten the first really earnest stab I took at writing a novel may have been 'Star Wars' related. It was still better than 'The Phantom Menace' though.

You get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?
Japan, with Chewbacca the Wookie. I'm just guessing that wandering around with a Wookie in tow would make any situation awesome.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?
From Cormac McCarthy (not, alas, in person): "Anything that doesn't take years of your life and drive you to suicide hardly seems worth doing."

For better or worse, writing a novel is often a long, hard slog--sometimes you have to remind yourself that this is simply the price you must pay to produce something worthwhile.

You get to go to Disneyworld with one of your characters. Who do you choose and why?
Why the charming and delightful title character/heroine of course. In terms of being good amusement park company, many of the book's other characters suffer from the slight handicap of being at least slightly evil and coming from a century when regular bathing was frowned upon.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?
Being an optimist I'd much prefer to head into the future... Let's see what craziness is happening by 2112... Alternately though it might make more sense to just head back a decade and tell some family members to bet the ranch on Apple stock...

What's your favorite book, whether self-published or traditionally published?
Probably my two favorite books would be Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie.

It's Saturday night. Where are you most likely to be?
In a bookstore.

Thanks, Adam! Go on and check out his book, people! It sure looks like a fun one!

Author Interview: Cora Buhlert

This week, I have the prolific author Cora Buhlert here on the blog. She has quite a few short stories and novelettes for you to check out:

Countdown to Death, pulp thriller novelette

El Carnicero, historical romance novelette

Flying Bombs, pulp thriller novelette

Hostage to Passion, historical romance novelette

Letters from the Dark Side, dark fantasy short fiction collection

Outlaw Love, western short story

Rites of Passage, fantasy short story

Shape No. 8, spy fiction short story

The Kiss of the Executioner's Blade, historical romance short story

The Other Side of the Curtain, spy fiction novelette

The Spiked Death, pulp action novelette

Whaler, science fiction short story

Visit her Amazon author page, her author website or her publishing website. 

On to the interview!

A magician has cursed your next reader so they can read only one of your books. Which book do you choose for them and why?
Countdown to Death, the first of my novelettes about the Silencer, a masked avenger in the style of the 1930s pulps.

As for why, I'm very fond of this story. Besides, it's a real page turner.

What's the first sentence of this book?
“SILENCER TO FACE HANGMAN” the headline screamed.

What's the last?
“But this mask,” she said, “really ruins the complexion.”

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].
Countdown to Death is like the Spider pulp series of the 1930s and 1940s meets 24. And I don't even like 24.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?
I have a whole list of places I'd like to visit in that case. I'd like to go to Hamburg St. Pauli in 1960 and see the Beatles playing in the Star Club on the Reeperbahn before they were famous. I'd like to go on the second to last voyage of the Hindenburg, because Zeppelins are awesome and that was the last chance to enjoy a Zeppelin trip. I'd like to go to the Globe Theatre and see Shakespeare performing live on stage. I'd like to go to the assembly rooms in Bath in the early 19th century to enjoy some Regency atmosphere and have a chat with Jane Austen. I'd like to go to Blackpool in the early 1960s and see Freddie Frinton and May Warden performing their classic skit Dinner for One live in one of the many clubs there. I'd like to spend a night dancing at Studio 54 at the height of the disco era. And sometimes I'd just love to walk into a shop or department store in the past and buy some now priceless antique trinket (china, figurines, jewelery, dolls) when it was new.

You get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?
I'd go traveling the Canadian Rockies with Wolverine from the X-Men. I used to be a huge X-Men fan and Wolverine was always my favourite character. As for the Canadian Rockies, the scenery must be amazing and besides, it's Wolverine's homeland, so he should know his way around.

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
I have a couple of very early unfinished stories, including one with a flying red sportscar from outer space kidnapping two teenagers. But the first story I actually finished was something about a girl walking into a mad scientist's lair and getting turned into a monster plant, which is then subsequently chopped up into a salad. She wakes up and everything turns out to be just a nightmare. But the really icky salad she's served for breakfast sure looks familiar...

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?
Probably The Other Side of the Curtain, my spy fiction novelette set in 1960s East Germany. I had to ask the print magazine, where the story first appeared, for a deadline extension, because I just couldn't get it finished.

Interestingly enough, The Other Side of the Curtain is also the most personal of my published stories, because a lot of what Shoushan and Zane experience during their trip to East Germany is based on my own experiences visiting my great aunt in East Germany in the 1980s. Minus the run-in with Stasi agents, of course. I suspect the blurring between memory and fiction made the story difficult to write.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?
Either my humorous spy short story Shape No. 8 or Cartoony Justice, a funny fantasy short story coming soon. Shape No. 8 is the sort of story that just writes itself. Ditto for Cartoony Justice, plus it gave me the chance to turn the fictional stand-in for a certain kind of person I really don't like into a singing, dancing banana. Who wouldn't enjoy that?

Did you ever write fanfiction? If so, for what fandoms?
In pre-internet times, before I knew that there was such a thing as fanfiction and that I wasn't the only weirdo to make up stories about my favourite characters, I wrote a bit of fanfiction. I wrote about Star Wars, the X-Men and long forgotten animated cartoons such as MASK or Defenders of the Earth. I also wrote some crossovers between different fandoms, but no slash.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?
Write every day, unless you're dead or in a coma. But set your minimum daily wordcount so low (my target is writing at least 100 words of new fiction per day) that you can make it even when you're ill or tired or terribly busy with life.

Unfortunately, I forgot where I found that bit of advice. But my productivity skyrocketed ever since I implemented that policy.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
I want them to come away with a smile on their faces and their pulse pounding and perhaps having a few thoughts provoked.

Thanks, Cora! I enjoyed your answers to my cooky questions :)

Author Interview: Jack Blaine

This week, we have Jack Blaine!

His books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

Helper12, science fiction, dystopian, adventure

Twitch (soon to be released--perhaps already out!) related story to Helper12, science fiction, dystopian, adventure

You can visit his blog, Goodreads, or Twitter.

Fill in the Blanks: [Your Book] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [other book/movie/TV show].

Helper12 is like The Handmaid's Tale meets Pride and Prejudice.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?

I have fun with every book I write.  There are, of course, those moments when you get stuck or when the words aren't ringing true, but the experience of fleshing out a whole world and the people in it is a blast!

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?

Twitch, which is a companion novel to Helper12, is almost done (it may be out by the time this interview is posted, in fact), and while I wouldn't describe writing it as hard, it has been very interesting.  Twitch follows a minor character from Helper12, and seeing this character become whole and learning her story has been a wonderful ride!

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?

I go 100 years into the future.  Just to see if we somehow manage to figure out how to reverse course in a way that allows us to achieve our highest possibilities as humans.  Do we finally get a clue?  Or is the world a charred wreck?  

You're stranded on a deserted island, and you can only bring one person with you. It can be someone dead or alive, but it has to be a real person (no fictional characters!). Who is it and why?

Kazuo Ishiguro.  I would love to know him--he writes with such subtlety and beauty about complex human issues.  That sort of perspective is something I find grounding and hopeful.

Okay, now you get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?

I choose Rachel from A Gift Upon the Shore and we go to Bora Bora to a fabulous on the water retreat because we both need a break.

How has your writing changed since you first started writing?

I've learned a lot about pacing, and also a lot about having fun while I write.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?

Don't wallow in your words.  Move it along.  The reader isn't as in love with that sentence as you are--they want a story!

What's your favorite part about the writing process?

I love the first draft.  Just being there as things unfold and watching the story evolve is so much fun.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?

I want readers to have a fun time reading but I also want them to think about how dangerously close our world is to being like the world in Helper12 and in Twitch, and how we might prevent this from happening.

Thanks, Jack! Guys, check out his books! They are definitely on my "To Read" list!

Author Interview: C.R. Daems

This week, I've interview CR Daems, a fantasy and scifi author. He has quite a few books for you to choose from. Check them out:

With ePublishers:
- The Riss Gamble, Science Fiction/Fantasy
- The Laughing Hounds, Urban Fantasy

With ePublishers: coming in 2012
- The Riss Proposal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
- The Kazak Guardians: Lynn's Rules, Urban Fantasy
- The Kazak Guardians: The Unthinkable, Urban Fantasy

Co-Authored with J. R. Tomlin
- The Talon of the Unnamed Goddess, Fantasy (an EPIC finalist)
- Scales of Justice, Fantasy
- Wings, Fantasy YA
- Blood Debt, Fantasy
- Laying the Odds, Fantasy

You can find him around the web at:
Amazon
His Website
Fictionwise

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
The first Riss novel, but it wasn't published. It was my first attempt at writing, proving I wasn't ready to be a writer. I think it was a good story and somewhat unique given the hundreds of thousands of books published. A young girl goes out with her father and brother trapping. Her brother shoots a Gorilla-like creature not knowing the creature is a race of intelligent parasites that use the Gorilla-like creatures as hosts. The dying creature captures the girl and decides to transfer itself into the girl. The story is the girl's journey with the intelligent parasite.

Has your writing changed since you first started writing?
Oh Yes!! My education and interest has been math and computer science. Writing proved challenging for me. I love making up stories and writing the draft. But cleaning it up is very difficult for me. Fortunately, I was luck to find my co-author (J.R. Tomlin) who helped me learn the craft. I still like writing the draft better than editing it.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?
The first draft should be a mind dump--a shitty draft--just let it flow without regard to where it's going and how it sounds. It works well for me.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?
Of those currently available, the "Talon of Unnamed Goddess." The heroine has a good sense of humor, loves playing parts to out smart her opponents, an ability to out think her adversaries, and a kick ass bodyguard.

You get to go to Disneyworld with one of your characters. Who do you choose and why?
Liada, in the Wings of Evil. She loves playing parts, bargaining at markets, enjoys studying people and uses the knowledge to blend in a variety of environments, and not afraid to takes chances.

What's the last book you read? What did you think of it?

Imager's intrigue: the third book of the imager portfolio. It was an interesting series, unique environment, and a bit of a mystery. Although I like Modesitt, his books can be a bit slow at times. I'd give it a 4 star rating.

You're stranded on a deserted island, and you can only bring one person with you. It can be someone dead or alive, but it has to be a real person (no fictional characters!). Who is it and why?
Master Wang Daoke from the Wudang Mountain. I would never be bored, spending my time learning Wudang Taoism and Kungfu--a life time endeavor. What better place than a deserted island.

Through very strange circumstances, a mad scientist is exiling you to the world of one of your books. Which world do you choose and why?
The far future setting in the Riss Gamble. I'd rather live in the future with space travel than the past, although I rather do it without the tattoo and intelligent parasite that makes her an alien.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
That they enjoyed the characters, found their environment and world unique, and their adventures exciting. And a book they wouldn't mind reading again in the future.

Thanks, CR, for participating!

Author Interview: Marie Symeou

This week, we have fantasy and YA author Marie Symeou!

Her books:
FROZEN IN TIME (historical fantasy/vampire romance)
AGE OF DREAMS (coming of age/YA)

You can find her on her:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].
Frozen In Time by Marie Symeou is like Interview With The Vampire meets The Odyssey.

What's the first sentence of this book?
Philip could not believe his eyes.

How has your writing changed since you first started writing?
I'm sure it has improved a lot. I also think I write faster now as I'm gaining more confidence.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?
Age of Dreams because I let myself dream of what it's like to be really famous and it was a nostalgic trip back to the 80s for me. It was also the first novel I actually completed.

What's the last book you read? What did you think of it?
Casper the Commuting Cat: The True Story of the Cat Who Rode the Bus and Stole Our Hearts by Susan Finden

It's a memoir about an amazing cat from England who liked to travel on the bus every day and brightened up people's lives as he did so. He became famous all over the world.

Through very strange circumstances, a mad scientist is exiling you to the world of one of your books. Which world do you choose and why?
Frozen In Time. It would be fun to go back to ancient Greece and see what it was really like. Plus there are so many interesting characters I'd love to meet.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?
Either Italy during the Renaissance to meet some great artists or England during the Regency period where I hope to meet some of the my favourite Romantic poets like Byron and Shelley.

Okay, now you get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?
Eric from True Blood. Sweden (because it's my favorite country)

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing with your time instead?
Well I like to sing so I would probably concentrate more on that and write more songs. I also love animals (especially cats) and would love to be a cat behaviourist or animal communicator.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
I hope they enjoyed escaping into the worlds I have created and have fallen in love with my main characters, or at least related to them in some way. I also hope to have left them longing to read the sequel!

Thank you, Marie, for participating!

Author Interview: Sara Jo Easton

Don't you love finding new authors? Sara Jo Easton published her fantasy novel, The Zarder, in October and is here to tell us about it and about herself.

If you like what you see, you can also visit her. . .

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Author Central Page

Her book, The Zarder, is available on most ebook retaliers.

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].
"The Zarder" by Sara Jo Easton is like "Dragonflight" by Anne McCaffrey meets Smaug from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit".

What's the first sentence of this book?
At the beginning of time, the Great Lord of the Sky created the world.

You get to go to Disneyworld with one of your characters. Who do you choose and why?
I could see Lady Delsenni loving It's a Small World if she were shrunk down to human size. She's an empath, so she'd enjoy seeing all of the happy faces. The downside is that she would probably kick my butt at Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

Okay, now you get to travel to the country of your choice for one week with any fictional character of your choice (not your own). Who do you choose, where do you go, and why?
I would spend time with Eowyn from "Lord of the Rings", because she's my favorite fictional character of all time (I once got into a huge debate with someone who called her weak and whiny. It wasn't pretty).  We'd probably wind up in some nice part of the English countryside with plenty of gardens and a few horses. It would be a nice week with no pressure or time tables.

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
The first story I ever finished was a story about a pumpkin named Halloween who found a girlfriend and a house. I was four or five, and the illustrations were hilarious. Imagine, if you will, a pumpkin with a bow on its stem and long eyelashes.

How has your writing changed since you first started writing?
What I've had to edit has changed. Before, there was too little dialogue. Now, I sometimes have to make my characters shut up!

What's your favorite part about the writing process?
It has to be that joyous moment when you've revised a section a hundred times and realize it's finally to your standards. I could do a dance of joy sometimes.

Tell us about your last trunked story.
The last story that I put aside and buried was a tragic tale of an orphaned bobcat and the wolf pack that worked with him to survive the evil human hunters that threatened their forest. I didn't know that wolves sometimes eat bobcats. Also, the forest threatened by evil human hunters story is so overdone. It was fun to write in middle school, though.

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?
The novel I'm currently editing, "The Speed of Wind", was the hardest to write because the villainess had more speaking time in the story. I find it difficult to write from her point of view because she is a bitter and potentially insane individual with a violent streak.

It's Saturday night. Where are you most likely to be?
Watching whatever movie looks interesting at the moment, whether it is at a movie theater or on TV. Later, I'd be reading a new book.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
I'd want my readers to feel that it's okay to talk about love without reducing it to merely Twilight-esque romance.

Thanks, Sara Jo! I enjoyed interviewing you!

Author Interview: Parrisha Martelly

I'm really enjoying these author interviews. I hope you're finding some awesome new books! This week, I'm interviewing Parrisha Martelly.

She's the author of:

Fox, a YA fantasy novel

Rider, a YA fantasy short story

I've been meaning to read Fox for quite some time. Beautiful cover and an intriguing beginning!

If you like what you see (who couldn't like that book cover?), you can visit her. . .

Website

Twitter

Let's here from Parrisha herself!

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].
"Fox" is like Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter.

What's the first sentence of this book?
Though satisfaction would usually sear through him at finally finding his target, Levictious felt none.

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?
"Fox" was the hardest to write. I really wanted to get to know the characters and write something I hoped people would enjoy, and I didn't want to rush it. It took a lot of editing and a lot of patience and time for it to become the novel it is today.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?
"Ryder", a young adult fantasy short, was actually my favorite to write. It was short and sweet, and something that I just had fun with. I enjoyed Ryder himself, and coming up with the different elements within the Labyrinth he ventures through was exciting!

What's your favorite part about the writing process?
There are quite a few! :) I really enjoy writing scenes, especially emotionally charged scenes. I really enjoy writing the endings because I get to see how so much has changed. I also like having Beta-readers read my work. I love getting people's thoughts and opinions.

How has your writing changed since you first started writing?
It's definitely improved, and I think the techniques I use to write have also improved. I know which common words to avoid, I know what strategy works best so that I can complete my novel in a timely manner (ex: I like to make sure I've written 1,000 words a day before I go to sleep or watch TV), and I know how to make more well rounded characters.

You're stranded on a deserted island, and you can only bring one person with you. It can be someone dead or alive, but it has to be a real person (no fictional characters!). Who is it and why?
Probably my brother, Jerry. I have a feeling that he'd have some brilliant plan to get us off the island. Plus, he's funny.

Through very strange circumstances, a mad scientist is exiling you to the world of one of your books. Which world do you choose and why?
Either Fox's world, or the world of the current book I'm working on. But that world is a surprise! :D

You get to go to Disneyworld with one of your characters. Who do you choose and why?
Falcon. He needs to loosen up a bit!

What's your favorite book, whether self-published or traditionally published?
This is a really difficult question. I love many books, so it's very hard to choose! I really enjoyed: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Lord of the Flies, JR Ward's BDB series, Kresley Cole's IAD series, and Karen Moning's Highlander series.

Recommend a self-published book to the readers. Not your own ;)
"Blood of Requiem" by Daniel Arenson!

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
I want them to have enjoyed themselves and I want them to feel as if they connected to the characters.

Thank you, Parrisha! I'm excited to see that new story of yours!

Author Interview: Stuart Jaffe

This week, I'm interviewing Stuart Jaffe! He writes post-apocalyptic fantasy and scifi/fantasy short stories, and he's here to tell us a little about himself and his books.

His books:
The Malja Chronicles: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy

Book 1: The Way of the Black Beast 

Book 2: The Way of the Sword and Gun 

10 Bits of My Brain - SF/Fantasy short story collection

If you like what you see (that's a pretty awesome book cover, right?), you can visit his website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, or his podcast, The Eclectic Review.

A magician has cursed your next reader so they can read only one of your books. Which book do you choose for them and why?

The Way of the Black Beast -- it's the first of the Malja Chronicles, so it's the best place to start the series.

What's the first sentence of this book?

Malja had followed the killer for hours.

What's the last? 

Now, I'm the law.

Fill in the blanks: [My book above] is like [book/movie/TV show] meets [a different book/movie/TV show].

The Way of the Black Beast is like Xena meets Mad Max.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?

Far into the future.  Thousands of years.  If we're still around, it'll give me hope.  If not, I still won't know how long we have, so I can continue on without becoming Cassandra.

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?

A paranormal mystery I hope to see in print later this year. A major part of the mystery traces back to World War II. I ended up doing a lot of research on the war and the Holocaust. Every time you think you've seen the worst, there's always something more horrifying to learn. That aspect made the research gut-wrenching to go through.

Which book of yours did you have the most fun writing? Why?

My latest, The Way of the Sword and Gun, was a complete blast to write. It's the first book I've done since going indie, and as a result, I found a new kind of freedom in writing it. Plus, it's one of the most action-packed tales of done.

What's the last book you read? What did you think of it?

Clapton by Eric Clapton. I'm not one for autobiographies, but my wife put this on my Kindle.  I've played blues guitar for almost 20 years, so she knew I would enjoy this book, and she was right. Very personal and frank look at himself. I would've preferred more on his music thoughts, but that was clearly not the intent of the book.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing with your time instead?

Is this even possible?  To not be writing?

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?

First, I always want the reader to have simply enjoyed the experience.  I do layer in ideas on morals, government, leadership, and other topics, but if the reader doesn't enjoy the story, the rest is lost. So, that's paramount.


Thanks, Stuart! I enjoyed interviewing you!

Author Interview: Judi Coltman

This week, I'm proud to be interviewing Judi Coltman!

Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and her personal website:

In The Name Of The Father (Suspense/Thriller)

Is It Just Me? or Is Everyone a Little Nuts! (Humor)

You can visit her blog, website, or Twitter!

Without further ado. . .

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?

In The Name Of The Father was far harder than my first book.  It is easier to answer this question by telling you why the first was so easy.  I have a blog, My Life In A Nutshell, which is based on my life and the way it stumbles through life.  It was easy to compile these short essays into book form and it's really me just telling stories about me - easy peasey.  It has spent the better part of the last year as an Amazon best seller in humor.

In The Name Of The Father required me to expose myself through something I really covet - fiction writing.  I can control the material about me, guide it so that I am my own punchline, in fiction, all best are off.  Characters become very palpable, the story not guided towards a laugh and if it's bad, I become the punchline NOT by my own design.

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.

Ohhhhh *groans*  It was 4th grade.  I don't remember the title but it was a story about why the moon was made of green cheese.  Aliens landed and they looked like mice on steroids.  They take me and my cat back to the moon to show me that it is made of green cheese and that is what made them grow so big.  Then they let me take some and fly me back to earth.  My cat steals the cheese because she doens't mice to grow so big.

And there you have it.

What's the last book you read? What did you think of it?

The Righteous by Michael Wallace.  I loved the book.  It is a murder mystery within a polygamist society.  The beauty is that even though the protagonist is a from such a society, it isn't represented from an overly negative or positive angle, it just is and allows the mystery to unfold within.  Fascinating.

A magician has cursed your next reader so they can read only one of your books. Which book do you choose for them and why?

In The Name Of The Father, absolutely!  This is a far more compelling book, a page-turner.  I labored with joy on this one and I am very proud of it.

What's the first sentence of this book?

It always occurred during the 10 o'clock service.

What's the last? (don't worry, it's non-spoilery!) 

Barbara wrapped a large slice of pizza in a piece of paper towel and placed it in her bag, Harry might want some later.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?

Greece during the Age of Enlightenment.  I want to see how evolved they really were at that time.  It was a civil time, living large, seeking knowledge.

Through very strange circumstances, a mad scientist is exiling you to the world of one of your books. Which world do you choose and why?

I choose the location of In The Name Of The Father.  The setting is a beach in Virginia - Sandbridge Beach, one where I have spent the last 40 some years vacationing.  It is my muse.  Being exiled to the beach would be a dream come true.  Where do I find the mad scientist?

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?

Read it out loud.  If it doesn't flow when verbalized, it needs rewriting.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing with your time instead?

Art.  I paint and upcycle old hardback books into artwork.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?

I want them to feel exhilarated.  In either case, humor or suspense, I want them to feel like they've been on a wild ride and want to share it with others.