Interview with Yvonne Anderson, author of "The Story in the Stars"

Who do you think would like your book? (Or alternately: Please tell prospective readers why they’d like your book.)

This story would probably appeal most to fans of soft SF and space adventures (Star Wars) or fantasy (Tolkien), because it's a little bit of both: it's a fantasy played out on the backdrop of space. However, some of my writer friends who never read that sort of thing enjoy it too. Even the romance writers love it--despite the fact that there's no mushy stuff in it.

What is your favorite thing about your story?

I enjoy creating my own little world and being allowed to live in it every waking moment! But that's from my perspective. From the reader's point of view, I think they enjoy visiting that fantasy world with me, meeting some fun characters and seeing familiar personalities reflected in them. But since these characters are in an alien world, you never know what to expect, so there are surprises around every corner. Often, even I'm surprised.

Do you remember how long it took you to write? How about to edit and find a publisher?

I wrote the first draft about five years ago. I don't recall how long that took, but probably about a year and a half. I originally wrote it just for my own fun; I had no intention of every showing it to anyone, and I wasn't in any hurry to get it finished. After completing the first draft, though, I realized it was something I wanted to share with the world, and I've revised it several times, trying to make it presentable. Risen Books contracted it in January of this year, which was four and a half to five years after I started.

What is your favorite type of book to read? Do you have any favorite books or authors?

I like books with depth, that make me think, that raise interesting questions (even if I don’t agree with their premise) or that teach me something I never knew before. I don’t like formulas, I do like surprises. I like subtlety. I like humor. I like stories that resonate in my mind long after I’ve put them down.

Favorites? I have a hard time picking favorites of anything -- colors, foods, authors, books. I enjoy too many things to narrow it down.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

I'm a very boring person and always have been. Probably the most interesting thing in my past is, in the early 1980s my husband and I had a mini-farm and raised enough of everything for our own use and sale that, bottom line, we ate for free. That's not to say it wasn't a lot of work, because it sure was. And there was also a considerable investment. But when we added up the cost and then subtracted the gain at the end of the year, we spent nothing for groceries but toil, sweat and tears. (The tears were mostly from the kids, who told their grandparents we worked them like farmhands. I think they'd have preferred we were rodeo clowns.)

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

Ha! I don't pick favorites, remember? But in this case, it's not because I enjoy so many things -- fact is, I don't much care for movies or TV. In fact, I don't even know how to operate a TV anymore, they've gotten so complicated. But when pressed to choose a favorite, I usually say the original TV miniseries "Lonesome Dove."

Can readers contact you?

You can find me at my blog, www.YsWords.com, or email me: yvonneanderson @ fastmail.fm (leave out the spaces from the email address, of course).

If you were alive in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc., did you have any hairstyles that now make you cringe?

I was alive in all those decades, and my hair always made me cringe. Still does, in fact. With three cowlicks, it does what it pleases no matter how I try to make it behave. Shaving it off might be a solution, but I don't want to look like a Cephargian pirate.

Please share a synopsis or blurb, and a brief excerpt from your book.

Blurb:

The inhabitants of the planet Gannah are known as bloodthirsty savages who once tried to conquer the galaxy. Now a plague has ravaged the planet and only one survivor remains, a young woman named Dassa.

Pik, the doctor from the League of Planets assigned to her case, hates everything Gannahan and wishes every last one of its people had died. Bereft of everything she’s ever known, Dassa clings to her God and the story he has written in the stars. He has given her an assignment: to return to Gannah and replenish it with a new race of people. But she must first overcome the prejudice of the entire galaxy and recruit her de facto enemy, Pik, to help her.

Brief excerpt (1st page):

Dassa trudged through the Ayin Forest across a crusted snow, her weary steps fueled by the nearness of her goal. Soon, she told herself. Soon this will all be over.

On much of the planet Gannah, winter was drab as an old faded photo, but the foliage in Ayin boasted the colors of a prism and the trees kept their leaves until spring, when the new growth pushed them aside. The frosty forest pulsed with color as Dassa quickened her pace despite her exhaustion and the steepness of the slope.

Labored breath billowing like smoke from a puffing firedrake, she crested the ridge and cast her gaze into the valley below.

A warm rush of delight coursed through her weary body. There it was. Home, the comforting outlines of the domed green roof barely discernable through the trees. Revived by the sight, she hastened down the hill across the sun-spangled snow.

She smiled as the round, two-storied house came into view. It was no mansion, like her childhood home. It couldn’t compare to any of the seven provincial palaces from which her father, the toqeph, reigned as the ruler of all Gannah. But she could think of nowhere she'd rather live than in this yellow stone cottage at the edge of the forest with her husband, Rosh, and their two boys.

Nor could she imagine a more perfect late-winter's day. Gannah's volatile temper was unusually mild that afternoon, with the sun smiling down from an azure sky and breezes caressing with a mother's gentleness. And today, this most beautiful of days, she, Atarah Hadassah Hagah Natsach, would finish her quest and be made Nasi.

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your book! :)

BUY THE BOOK HERE:

http://www.amazon.com/Story-Stars-Gateway-Gannah-ebook/dp/B0052UJ9PA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306699168&sr=1-1

Interview of A. M. Roelke, author of "The Space Station Murders"

Today we are interviewing...that's right: me. A. M. Roelke, author of "The Space Station Murders."

Yes, I'm interviewing...myself...!!

*pauses for gasps of shock and horror*

Who do you think would like your book? (Or alternately: Please tell prospective readers why they’d like your book.)

You might like my book if you’d enjoy a quick read that combines mystery in a SF setting with humor, drama, and buddy elements.

What is your favorite thing about your story?

I like that it’s a buddy story. I also like that it deals with the inner things the main character is dealing with, even though the story is pretty fast paced. (Well, it’s only 20,000 words. It has to move quickly to get the whole story in.)

Do you remember how long it took you to write? How about to edit and find a publisher?

I think it was about a month or less. It took much longer to edit, as I went over it a number of times. Eventually I sent it to the new publisher, MuseItUp Publications, which had accepted Terri Main’s mystery/SF book, Dark Side of the Moon, and they accepted it!

What is your favorite type of book to read? Do you have any favorite books or authors?

I like mysteries a lot. Obviously I also like science fiction—and more rarely, fantasy. I like lots of different sorts of books, including YA and some nonfiction, but somehow it trips me up trying to pick favorites—because there’s so much I seem to leave out if I have to pick favorites.

In mystery I love hardboiled works like those by Raymond Chandler, as well as cozy mysteries. I’m always finding new authors I like, but I still like most of my old favorites, too—such as the book I loved as a child, The Runaway Robot, by Lester del Rey. And I love Diana Wynne Jones’ children’s fantasy books. I’m really sad that she’s gone now and will never publish more.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

I’m really rather dull. But once I sang karaoke to a song that I’d never heard the whole way through. It happened at an amusement park, and there was almost no one watching. I picked “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and only realized partway through that I’d never heard the song all the way through before, and so didn’t know which ways to sing the later notes.

My brother and I also sang a duet, and that worked much better, as we knew the whole song. I’m not sure I’d have been brave enough to attempt either song, if it had been more crowded or I’d been in a less silly mood.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

Right now I’m into CI-5: The Professionals. I also like Starsky and Hutch, and Life on Mars (the American version—haven’t seen the British one), and enjoyed the short-lived Raines a few years ago. My favorite currently airing shows are Psych and White Collar. I’m also looking forward to the return of Rizzoli and Isles. All of these favorites mystery shows, you may notice!

My favorite movies are Frequency, Casablanca, and It’s A Wonderful Life. :D I also like The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, and Arsenic and Old Lace.

Can readers contact you?

Yes. :)

EMAIL: AliceRoelke *AT* gmail.com

On Facebook: http://on.fb.me/avHvJ0

If you were alive in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc., did you have any hairstyles that now make you cringe?

Not really. I used to wear a really long ponytail, but I didn’t like it. Everyone used to say to me, “No! You can’t cut your hair!!” But I finally put my foot down and got my hair cut, and I found myself much more confident and comfortable once I did.

Please share a synopsis or blurb, and a brief excerpt from your book.

tag:

“A grieving ex-cop. A crowded space station. A killer on the loose.”

blurb:

Herb Molloy went so far downhill after his partner died that he’s now an ex-cop living under one of the space station’s artificial beautification bridges.

Into his barely getting by life comes trouble and friendship. Trouble in the form of murders on the space station—his fellow homeless people targeted, picked off one by one. Friendship in the form of station newbie Zack Ives, who doesn’t know enough to look after himself yet... and who wants to investigate the murders.

Herb reluctantly agrees to help him, and the two step into danger’s path to solve... The Space Station Murders.

Mini Excerpt:

“You seen any papers since you got here?”

The kid shook his head, a blank look on his face. “Too busy and didn’t have the money.”

“Well, let me give you a clue, then. Somebody’s been offing homeless people, and if you’re not careful, you could be next.” He watched the kid’s eyes widen. “Don’t hang around alone. Stay in travelled areas, avoid dark alleys. That’s usually where the bodies are found.”

“Bodies?! How many has he killed?”

“Five.”

“Five!”

“The cops are working on it. But it’s always a dark spot, usually near a trash heap and a busted light, so the victims won’t be found till morning.” He cocked a finger at the kid. “Do your job-hunting in the open and get back here before dark. This is a safe spot.”

“Yeah, I know. They told me—that lady, Dolores?—she says there’s an ex-cop here. Says he keeps them safe. I bet it’s that old guy with the harmonica.”

Herb smiled to himself. “Look after yourself, kid.” He got up and started towards town.

You can read a longer excerpt on the publisher’s page, here: http://bit.ly/dmHnj0

Or download a sample for the Kindle, here: http://amzn.to/ixmMMu

Anything else you’d care to share?

Yeah. My dad teasingly said my story is “Mickey Spillane in space,” but I think he’s wrong! Sure, the main character is tough (sometimes too tough for his own good), but I don’t really think he’s really Mickey Spillane-like.

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your book! :)

You are SO welcome!! :P

~A. M. Roelke~ "The Space Station Murders" http://amzn.to/ixmMMu

SF / Mystery novella ~NOW AVAILABLE! ~ http://bit.ly/dmHnj0

Writing credits: http://sites.google.com/site/aliceroelke/

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/avHvJ0

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Interview with Travis Perry & Mike Lynch, authors of The Crystal Portal

Please join me today for an interview of Travis Perry & Mike Lynch, authors of The Crystal Portal.

Who do you think would like your book? (Or alternately: Please tell prospective readers why they’d like your book.)

TP: Well, I’d like to think this story will have universal appeal, but I did have a certain type of reader in mind—a young enthusiastic fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy, who is open to Christian message in a story—a stereotypical Chronicles of Narnia reader. That’s the kind of person I was from perhaps age 12 through 20…well, I’m over twice twenty anymore, but as a matter of fact I still am that sort of person.

ML: I think Travis pretty much hit the demographic we're shooting for. The only thing I would disagree with him is that a person without a Christian background wouldn't like the story. Yes, there are those elements in the book, but it's not an in-your-face kind of thing. This is a fun adventure story that takes the reader on an exciting journey of discovery into a crystal world, filled with all sorts of interesting characters. I believe people with all kinds of background will find something to enjoy in it.

What is your favorite thing about your story?

TP: Other than it blows my mind that it’s actually in print? Hmmm, it’s hard to say. I think I like my characters more than anything else. I’ve thought about them for so long that they seem like real people to me, especially Zachariah, Lehkahn, 9.06, and Agata.

ML: Piggy-backing on what Travis said, it comes down to the characters for me. The mark of a good story is that the main characters all come from very different backgrounds, but they also have very distinct personalities. Sometimes they are able to overcome their differences, other times they are the source of their problems. Whenever you have compelling characters, which I believe is the foundation of The Crystal Portal, it always makes for an engaging story in my opinion.

Do you remember how long it took you to write? How about to edit and find a publisher?

ML: Since Travis is the one who actually wrote The Crystal Portal, I'll give this one to him.

TP: I started the story back in 2006. About a third of it I wrote in a few months, but then I got stuck in a big way and didn’t know how to move forward. I kept writing bits and pieces, but progress was painfully slow until 2009, when I realized my problem with the story was I was focusing mainly on the actions of the heroes and not paying enough attention to the villain, Sargon, and his plans. Once I started thinking of the plot in terms of the villain’s actions, the rest of the writing went pretty quickly after that.

At the beginning of 2010, once the story was finished, I realized the writing was not doing a good enough job of matching the way I’d imagined the tale to be. I had self-edited, but it wasn’t good enough. So I looked for a co-author to help me get it into shape.

Mike Lynch volunteered for the job. It took us about a year of e-mailing back and forth (plenty of life events interrupting in the meantime) for us to finish. I’ll let Mike talk about finding a publisher.

ML: Okay, I'm back. After Travis and I finished retooling the entire story, we wanted to send it to some people we know who are authors themselves. I have published a few books of my own, and I have found that you always need an objective pair of eyes to help you point out problems in the story we may have missed, things like inconsistencies in the narrative, extraneous elements that really need to go, or sentences that need tightening. One of the people I sent a copy of the manuscript to was Grace Bridges. She absolutely loved the story, and offered to publish it on the spot. I had forgotten that she started her own publishing company, Splashdown Books, a couple of years back, and thought it was perfect for her audience. I was utterly amazed at how easy this was. In my previous publishing efforts, I was accustomed to months and months of rejection letters, working on re-writes, and slowly accepting the possibility we may never find a publisher for the book. I am happy to say this wasn't the case for us.

What is your favorite type of book to read? Do you have any favorite books or authors?

TP: I enjoy reading history, science fiction, and fantasy more than anything else, probably in that order. As I get older I’m more and more interested in classic works of all kinds—within the last year or two I read a collection of writings about Socrates, some John Milton, and Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. I think all these works have in common a window into people who think and act in a way fundamentally different from the way I am—I find that fascinating.

Growing up my favorite authors were “the big three” of classic Science Fiction, Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke. I still read those guys from time to time. Citizen of the Galaxy was my favorite Heinlein novel. To a lesser extent I enjoyed Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and I have a strong desire to have the effect as a writer that C.S. Lewis had.

ML: This might surprise you to hear, but I was not much of a reader growing up. Movies and television were more my genres of choice. Since I am a visual learner, I have always been drawn towards that medium. With that said, I would have to say my favorite writer of all time is Rod Serling when he did The Twilight Zone. The stories he told were very compelling, especially when he took the hot button issues of his day and masked them under the guise of science fiction. The original Star Trek series did the same thing in some episodes.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

ML: I've actually lived a pretty mundane life, not many exciting stories to tell. I learned how to ride a unicycle when I was in high school. I was also placed under arrest for camping on private property, but nothing came of it except a warning from the police officer never to do that again. I haven't. When I was on a missions trip in the former republic of Yugoslavia, I almost drowned. It was my fault for going out too far from the beach and exhausted myself swimming back. If a couple of people didn't pull me out, I wouldn't have made it. A friend of mine is producing a movie through Warner Brothers, and I was able to go onto the movie lot a few weeks back watch a pre-screening of the film. One the actors I got to meet was Stephen Baldwin. Other than that, just the usual boring life stuff. Travis, on the other hand, has experienced some things most of us could never imagine.

TP: From most people’s point of view I’ve had a pretty colorful past. I’ve lived in a log cabin, been trampled by horses and was dragged on my face with a foot caught in a stirrup, lost a finger in a childhood woodcutting accident, witnessed first-hand a gruesome firearms accident (my sister survived), been in dozens of smaller accidents, including an extremely hard landing on my fifth jump at US Army Airborne school (was on crutches for months), was the lead witness at a murder trial, have deployed to United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and now Afghanistan as an Army Reservist, have hunkered down in a bunker under rocket fire, was arrested due to a clerical error and thrown into the Denver county jail for twelve hours, interrupted a church robbery, used a gun to stop a man from beating his wife (she was a neighbor screaming at the top of her lungs and the police didn’t show up until long after I did), have calmly defended my faith before an abusive college professor, helped capture a man wanted for interstate drug trafficking, am a proud father of six, and I speak at least a little of eight or nine languages—depending on if something counts as a language or a dialect.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

TP: The Lord of the Rings movies are some of my favorite movies, but Apollo 13 is another I’d say I adored. My favorite TV series was Star Trek Deep Space 9, even though some of the episodes I admit were not very good. My favorite characters in the series were all Bajoran or Cardassian and I really enjoyed the interactions between these two races.

ML: I'm actually something of a movie buff, and have so many favorites. It would be impossible for me to narrow down the field below fifty. For TV, I would say the original Star Trek, Lost, Babylon 5, The Twilight Zone, Speed Racer and Gilligan's Island.

Can readers contact you?

TP: Sure. tt_perry@hotmail.com.

ML: My e-mail address is: lynchm@esuhsd.org

If you were alive in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc., did you have any hairstyles that now make you cringe?

TP: In the early 80’s I had a bowl cut and my hair was thick—it was pretty close to the “Dorothy Hamill” look. Wouldn’t want to return to that…

ML: My hair was pretty bushy when I was in high school, but hey, it was back in the 80s. Everyone wore their hair on the long side then. Now, I keep it pretty short, but not quite at the level as Travis'.

Is there anything else you’d like your prospective readers to know? (If not, I’ll just delete this question.)

TP: I hope to make a whole series of “Portal” books. The next one I’d like to call “The Dragon Portal.”

ML: As I mentioned before, I have some other novels I've written. If anyone is curious about those, the best place to check them out is on my website (www.mikelynchbooks.com).

Please share a synopsis or blurb, and a brief excerpt from your book.

Blurb:

A time-travelling warrior elf on a manhunt for an evil genius.

A state-of-the-art robot from New Los Angeles.

And a carpenter's son from first-century Israel.

Entering the Portal, they join forces with a princess of the Sapphire Monarchy

to defy their power-mad adversary.

Excerpt:

"This is how it should be," Sargon said, a sinister grin pushing against the corners of this mouth. "How it should have been from the beginning, just you and me." He extended his arm holding the canterole and passed it in front of the portal. A bolt of lightning shot out of the arched opening and struck Lehkahn in the chest.

Zachariah jumped back when the bolt blinded him momentarily, as though all the energy of the sun and been released in a single, massive burst. "Lehkahn!" he called out at the same instant. When no answer came, his fear seized control of him and he dropped down to the ground, his face planted against the stony surface. If Sargon had any intention of finishing him off, he would at least make it as difficult as possible.

It didn't take long for his eyes to re-adjust to the dark. Between his panic-fueled breaths, his eyes darted about, looking for any sign of movement. A dozen cubits away from him, he watched as the Lord of Balal lowered the now-glowing canterole to eye level. His piercing glare was illuminated by the shining blue gemstone as it crackled with power. A look of satisfaction spilled out of his gaze, one that brought a chill to Zachariah.

“This place is pulsing with power,” he said to no one in particular. "Can you feel it?" The Lord of Balal then raised his hand again, and from the portal lightning leapt forth once more toward Lehkahn.

He had dropped to his knees after the last jolt, but recovered just in time and thrust his golden sword forward. The blade somehow absorbed the dazzling bolt of power, though Lehkahn still cried out in pain—maybe from the earlier wound to the chest.

Sargon stood above him, triumphant. “There has always been just one possible outcome to the conflict that has defined us for so long. It is the only one there will ever be." He raised the canterole a third time, as if to strike.

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your book! :)

Thank you for giving us chance to share our story with you and those who follow your website.

LINKS TO BUY THE BOOK:

Splashdown Books: http://www.splashdownbooks.com/crystalportal.html

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/46747

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Portal-Travis-Perry/dp/0986451789/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301774113&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Crystal-Portal/Travis-Perry/e/9780986451782/?itm=1&USRI=travis+perry

Cheapest Flights

Me and My Heart

So the doctor told me I have a mild heart condition that should cause me no concern whatsoever: ‘mitral valve prolapse.’ There are some symptoms associated with it, and often none whatsoever. Many people have it and are never diagnosed. It’s usually not dangerous. Stress can make the symptoms worse.

There is occasional chest pain and a scary heart-thumping involved in it from time to time for me. I never knew the name or that there was a name—I thought everyone had that sort of thing—but it used to be much worse when I was younger. (Occasional dizziness when I stood up, and fairly common scary heart thumping moments.) That was back before I gave up caffeine, and stopped eating sugar and chocolate most of the time. From what I’m reading on the subject, stopping those items definitely helped lessen my symptoms.

Anyway I’ve been thinking about this MVP, because my chest has been hurting and pounding recently. I think it’s been the emotional stress, plus possibly the heat. (It got hot here very quickly, early in the year, and the heat is not easy for me.)

I sort of feel dumb for thinking about it, because my sister DOES have a serious heart condition, and here I am thinking and feeling concerned about this mild thing that I have.

But I can’t feel how she feels. I can only feel how I feel. And when my chest starts to hurt or pound a lot now, instead of just dismissing it and feeling annoyed, complaining a little and taking some aspirin if it hurts badly enough, I think about what it means—a heart condition—and I feel... vulnerable. Frightened.

Yesterday my chest hurt for most of the day. Just last week, my heart was pounding rapidly because of the stressful time I was having. I could barely seem to calm it down all day.

It just...makes me think, you know? To think about how emotional pain triggers physical pain for me, so often. I’ve never really thought about it in those terms, but it’s true. When my chest starts to ache a lot, there’s usually an emotional reason mixed in with whatever is physically going on. In the same way, crying both emotionally and physically hurts me. It doesn’t seem to affect everyone that way, but it does me. Both are reasons that I avoid watching disturbing news stories or emotionally intense movies whenever possible. For me, both hurt. Both take a physical toll.

I want to do what the doctor said and not worry about this mild heart condition. I also want to be even more careful about chocolate, because the last time I had some, just recently, my chest ached for days afterwards, and now that I’ve put it together that that’s the reason why, I don’t think it’ll be worth it to me anymore to eat chocolate, even once in awhile.

I even see a few repercussions in my writing. People who’ve critiqued my work sometimes tell me that I use descriptions of hearts pounding in distress too often. And I know that in my reading and writing, things to do with the heart, a feeling of vulnerability in the heart, always resonate with me for some reason. I guess maybe now I know why. My body knew something I didn’t know; that vulnerability was something I identified with.

And I wrote about hearts pounding scarily in distress because I experienced it.

I wrote...from my heart.

Nutritious Food

Interview of L. S. King, author of Deuces Wild: Beginners' Luck

Please join me today for an interview of L. S. King, author of Deuces Wild: Beginners' Luck.

Who do you think would like your book? (Or alternately: Please tell prospective readers why they’d like your book.)

Deuces Wild has often been described as a western in space. It has action, adventure, some campiness, and a few very serious, even uncomfortable, moments. Mostly, it's lots of fun.

What is your favorite thing about your story?

The interaction between the two main characters. They're so opposite, which was part of the story premise. And, personally, I enjoy watching Slap trying to find ways to irritate Tristan. Despite the tragedies in his life, he's still got some zest left.

Do you remember how long it took you to write? How about to edit and find a publisher?

The book was written as a proof-of-concept, published month-by-month as a serial novel, so I had a monthly deadline for each chapter to write and edit. The entire story was published in over a year-and-a-half's time.

What is your favorite type of book to read? Do you have any favorite books or authors?

I love all sorts of books, but my favorites are SF and westerns, which is one reason I wanted to merge the two genres in this story. Trying to list my favorite authors would make this a very long list, so I'll go with my most-read (in alphabetical order): Lois McMaster-Bujold, Agatha Christie, Zane Grey, R. A. Heinlein, and Anne McCaffrey.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

Rodeo? No. But I did do clown ministry for a time. I was a mute, auguste clown. I've also taught karate, driven a school bus, and worked at a radio station.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

That varies on mood. At this exact moment, it's a toss-up between Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog and Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV mini-series). Oh, and GalaxyQuest.

Can readers contact you?

Most certainly! http://loriendil.com/contact.php

If you were alive in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc., did you have any hairstyles that now make you cringe?

Hm, not personally. My hair in general makes me cringe. I don't have some bad hair days; every day is a bad hair day!

Please share a synopsis or blurb, and a brief excerpt from your book.

All Slap ever wanted was his ranch and family. The gangster Lyssel destroyed all that, leaving only charred remains. Tristan wanted nothing; he had no expectations from life and trusted no one.

The cowboy and space pirate discover they are hunted by a common enemy: Lyssel. Able only to trust each other against this gangster and his mob, the two are forced to work together. But how can two such total opposites ever make their alliance work?

Excerpt:

Raucous laughter, human and alien body odors combining in the heat, and the smell of stale liquor assaulted Slap's senses as he walked through the open door of the Rocket Wash Bar. Paint flaked from the adobe walls. Off-world aliens aside, it wasn't that different from home.

Pack over his shoulder, he picked his way through the crowd, looking for a table. The few empty chairs didn't seem good choices considering the glares from those seated nearby.

Slap muscled through to the bar and after calling twice to get the barkeep's attention, he banged a hand on the counter. Two eyestalks swiveled to stare at him. Slap gaped for a second before saying, "Something to eat. And a drink. Anything."

The bartender turned around, his mouth twisting as he spoke. "Ten quel. Cash. No credchits."

Cash! Slap gulped and fumbled in his vest. If a meal and drink cost that much, what would a room cost? He put the money on the bar and glanced around as the bartender turned to the wall tap. A motion on his right caught his attention but something told him not to move his head or look down. Cutting his eyes, he saw a hand sliding a thin stim-blade out of a sheath sewn cleverly into a black vest.

Brago's Bands, what was this guy up to? A glass thunked the counter in front of Slap, and he wrapped his hand around the handle, while keeping attuned to the man next to him. He felt a slight tug at the pack on his left shoulder—a thief trying to steal? Without thinking, Slap swung around, and his glass impacted with a face. The 'thief' hit the floor, a needlegun clattering out of his hand. What the—?He stared at the unconscious man for a split second, but the sounds of a fight behind him made him turn. The man in the black vest thrust his stim-blade into a man's gut. The attacker screamed in agony. Black Vest then kicked a second—right into Slap's chest.

Slap threw an arm around the man's throat and tightened. As he waited for the struggling man to pass out, he watched in awe as Black Vest continued to fight two more men. He looked like a dancer—leaping, spinning, kicking. Before long his opponents all lay on the floor.

Slap realized the man in his arms had gone limp and dropped him. Black Vest turned, regarded the two men at Slap's feet, and gazed up with coal black eyes. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

People crowded closer, gawking at the bodies and muttering. Black Vest's gaze darted about as he sheathed the deadly knife. "I think we'd better leave."

Slap agreed and followed him outside. The night air felt fresh and cool. "Why were they all fighting you?"

"Quiet. We have to get away from here. Come on."

Slap shrugged his pack higher on his shoulder as he rolled his eyes, then followed Black Vest through the narrow streets. As hot as the days could get, the nights got cold, and Slap found himself shivering in his sleeveless vest as he peered ahead at the dark shape of his companion. Once he stumbled over a body in an alley and got a mumbled snarl as the person woke.

Finally they entered the gate of an inn. Slap blinked at the faux torches glowing at each side of the arch. Wouldn't real fire be cheaper? But then most of the lighting he'd seen hadn't been natural. He shrugged. City ways.

They took a flight of curved stairs to the left of the courtyard, barely illuminated by sconces dimly flickering with—yep, artificial light. Slap's hand ran along the rough-plastered wall to keep his bearings as they ascended. Once inside a small room, the man closed the door and turned the light on low. He faced Slap. "Now we can talk."

"Why were those men trying to kill you?"

"They were assassins." He ran a hand through his hair. "I think."

"Assassins? Who in the world are you that assassins would want to kill you?"

"Never mind." He walked to the bed and grabbed a small satchel from the foot of it. "By jumping in to help me you might have made yourself a target." He straightened and stared at Slap. "I'd advise you to get as far away from here as possible. Jump planet if you can."

"Jump planet? Brago's Bands, I don't even have money for a place to sleep, or food"—he thought with regret of the liquor lost when his glass hit the one assassin's face—"much less enough money to get a ticket off this rock."

The man eyed him for a few moments. "I can help with that. But right now, let's see if we can get something to eat." He rummaged in the bag and pulled out a small item. He pocketed it in his vest, but Slap didn't see what it was. The man headed for the door. "There's a boarding house not far away that has a decent cook."

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It's known I took a room here. Too dangerous. Let's go."

Slap wasn't going to argue at the mention of food.

#

Here's my website: http://loriendil.com/

and a link to buy the e-book: http://bit.ly/DeucesWild_BL

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your book! :)

Thank you!

Interview of Kerry Nietz, author of the DarkTrench Saga

Please join me today for an interview of Kerry Nietz, author of the DarkTrench Saga.

Who do you think would like your book? (Or alternately: Please tell prospective readers why they’d like your book.)

"Cool" should be the subtitle of these books. They have robots, spaceships, bald implanted debuggers, future societies, the struggle for freedom, high-tech mysteries, and a bit of cyber romance. In addition they explore contemporary issues in an interesting and unique way.

Really there is something for everyone. A Star Curiously Singing has over forty positive reviews on Amazon, and every one of them has a distinct reason for why they liked it.

What is your favorite thing about your story?

The thing I like to hear most about my stories is that they’re unique. It is my favorite compliment. Sure they have elements that have been used in other stories, but I try real hard to use them in new and unexpected ways. To keep the reader guessing.

Plus my books are written in first person present tense. That in and of itself is unique. I’ve had people tell me their brain had to adjust a bit before they “got it” and then they were hooked. I think that’s appropriate for a story about a future man with an implant in his head, don’t you? :)

Do you remember how long it took you to write? How about to edit and find a publisher?

The first book in the series, A Star Curiously Singing, took me five months to write initially, but almost another year to get it to publishable form. During that time it grew 30,000 words and had a new beginning and ending added. There were also a number of months-long pauses in there while I waited for input from my always swamped editor and publisher.

During one of those pauses I started work on the second book, The Superlative Stream. I got about four months into it before I had to put it down to finish the first book. Then I picked it up again (in October of 2009) and finished the first draft three months later. It was published in April of 2010, so the first four months of that year was spent revising and editing.

With the third book I worked essentially nonstop for eleven months. I just (at the end of February 2011) sent what I think is a solid first draft to my publisher. It’ll probably be a month or so before he gets to it. Then, who knows? I’m hoping to have it ready for release next fall, though.

What is your favorite type of book to read? Do you have any favorite books or authors?

I'm pretty flexible, really. I read anything from science fiction to thriller to mystery to biography to you-name-it. In fact there have been periods of my life when I've forced myself to sample different authors and genres...specifically those that are considered classics. I like to study books and figure out what makes them work.

Science fiction is a heavy favorite, though. I was an early C.S. Lewis fan. Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Bradbury became friends in high school. Tolkien came later—in college—as did Isaac Asimov and others. I have a really long list of favorite authors. Some of them show up in my current trilogy. As swear words.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

I consider myself a refugee of the software industry. I spent more than a decade of my life flipping bits—first as one of the principal developers of a database product called FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates's minions at Microsoft.

I’m a husband, a father of three, a technophile, and a movie buff. I have three published books: a memoir entitled FoxTales: Behind the Scenes at Fox Software and then the two novels from the DarkTrench Saga: A Star Curiously Singing and The Superlative Stream.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

I have many favorite movies. My top three are probably the original Star Wars, the original Alien and the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. All epic films.

Current “must watch” TV shows are Smallville and Clone Wars, though I was a regular watcher of both Lost and the Sci-fi channel’s Battlestar Galactica when those were on. Fringe is fun too.

Can readers contact you?

Absolutely. There’s a contact form on my website, http://www.kerrynietz.com/

If you were alive in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc., did you have any hairstyles that now make you cringe?

Yeah, my hair prior to college was always just combed straight. I guess I kept all my imagination on the inside back then. Or I was lazy.

Please share a synopsis or blurb, and a brief excerpt from your book.

A Star Curiously Singing is a speculative Christian novel with a decidedly cyberpunk feel. It takes place in a future hundreds of years from now, where much of the world is living under sharia (meaning Islamic) law. It is dualistic society, where average people live on the streets in near-squalor and the powerful ride above them in cable-car-like conveyances. This latter group is shrouded in high tech, to the point of needing specialized debuggers to handle their machines. That's where my protagonist comes in. Sandfly is a debugger who's summoned to solve the mystery of why a bot malfunctioned. The unusual circumstance? The bot has been to space. Deep space. Something about the trip made it malfunction.

The Superlative Stream is the second book in the DarkTrench Saga series. At the end of A Star Curiously Singing, a couple of the characters were headed off into deep space, so this book follows their story. There was evidence to suggest that some supernatural force other than what the characters have known is out there . . . waiting. So, ultimately the quest of The Superlative Stream is to find the True God of the heavens. I think it is a very unique and enjoyable story, with a lot of unexpected twists. I hope it surprises people.

Samples of both are available at my publisher’s website.

ASCS is here: http://www.marcherlordpress.com/books/a_star_curiously_singing.html

TSS is here: http://www.marcherlordpress.com/books/the_superlative_stream.html

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with your series! :)

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Interview of Ann Margaret Lewis, author of "Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes"

Please join me today for an interview of Ann Margaret Lewis, author of Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. Thank you for being on my blog, and agreeing to answer some questions. :)

Thank you for having me!

Please tell prospective readers briefly what your story is about.

Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of three stories (novellas) that tell “untold tales” from the Sherlock Holmes canon. “Untold tales” are stories that Dr. Watson mentions, but never details for us. With this book, Watson alluded to three Church-related cases, two of which deal directly with the Pope of his time, Pope Leo XIII. I thought I’d tie them all together in one neat little package. =)

What’s your favorite thing about your book?

I loved writing the pope. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love writing Holmes no matter what. But I discovered what a terrific character Pope Leo was, and he was a joy to put on paper. His voice was just so noble, sweet and gentle I fell in love with him….in a platonic, fatherly sense, of course.

Do you consider this a religious book? Or a book with some religious elements? Do readers have to be Catholic to enjoy it?

This is a book with religious settings and characters, and you definitely do not have to be Catholic to enjoy it. I’ve had many friends read it who are not religious at all, and they liked it. One such friend gave me the honor of reading it twice—and he doesn’t even like pastiches! So that was a good sign.

Did you find it hard writing Sherlock Holmes as a character? Did you have to do a lot of research?

I did a good deal of research, and I liked using primary sources if possible. Especially when it comes to writing Pope Leo. The difficulty in writing Holmes is imitating the voice of Watson telling the story. If I don’t have that right, I can convince no one that it is really Watson and really a Holmes story. So that had to be done correctly otherwise the book would fail. That and avoiding anachronism were my two biggest concerns.

How long did it take to write your book? How about to edit the story and find your publisher?

It took me a year writing on and off to finish this book. That process was extended by the fact that I had another book idea in the middle of writing this one – so I took off and wrote that. Then I came back to this one and finished it. After that, it took me two more years to find someone to publish it. Books sometimes do take a while to be born, I’m afraid.

Do you have any advice to writers of Sherlockiana? (I ask this question from personal interest!) :)

If you’re doing a pastiche, read and re-read the canon। Scrutinize your words, and how you form your sentences. Spend a lot of time getting the language right, or you will convince no one that this is a Holmes story. I did pretty exhaustive work and I still have things that don’t work. Don’t rush through that part of the writing. Also, study Doyle’s story structure. If you change the formula, at least know why you are changing it or your audience will not accept it.

How did you discover Sherlock Holmes?

When I was in high school I read through all of my mother’s Agatha Christie’s and I really wanted to read more mysteries. They seemed to involve me more than any other reading I’d done. My mom suggested picking up Hound of the Baskervilles and I was hooked. Thanks, Mom!

What did you think of the recent adaptations (the movie, and the BBC TV show “Sherlock”)? If you didn’t like them, are there any adaptations you do like?

I was pleasantly surprised by the BBC Sherlock. I was ready to not like it—but wanted to like it—and I did. I think Mr. Cumberhatch is a perfect Sherlock, and I do adore his Dr. Watson (but I’m a softie for Watson). It makes me crazy that they only made three episodes. The cliffhanger about sent me…well…over the edge! I also loved Jeremy Brett, Holmes, too, and my (other) favorite Dr. Watson was David Burke. In fact, when I write Watson that’s whose voice I hear and whose face I see in my head.

Anything interesting in your past you’d care to share? Like have you ever worked as a rodeo clown, for instance? :)

I am a classical singer (soprano), and I’m singing with the chorus of the Indianapolis Opera in La Traviata this Spring. On top of that I’m teaching high school composition, directing a school play, writing another novel and raising a 7-year-old boy. Thank goodness I have my husband’s help or I’d be locked away in a looney bin.

Can readers contact you? Absolutely! They can contact me through my website: http://www.holmeschurchmysteries.com/

Is there anything else you’d like your prospective readers to know about you or the book?

That I hope they have a blast reading it. That’s why I wrote it.

Please share a brief excerpt from your book. You bet. You can read an excerpt from the first story on my web site: http://holmeschurchmysteries.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=57

Links: To buy the book: http://www.wessexpress.com/

http://www.wessexpress.com/html/vatican.html

(Amazon is having problems for some reason…)

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