Category: Indie Authors

Interviews of Indie Authors

Chat with Sarah Angleton

September 12, 2018

One of my favorite reads last year was Launching Sheep & Other Stories, which is a collection of humorous essays about history from the perspective of everyday life. It was written by Sarah Angleton, one of amazingly talented writers in the writers guild we both call home—Saturday Writers. To say I laughed my way through reading each of the stories wouldn’t do them justice. They are funny and thought provoking (in a tickle-my funny-bone kind of way) and I think I might have even learned a few historical facts. Should I ever be called up as a contestant on Jeopardy I might be able to hold my own.

Since Sarah’s debut novel released last week, I decided that now would be a good time to introduce her to my readers. Her new book, Gentleman of Misfortune, is historical fiction. I’m about a third of the way through it and have to keep making myself get up to take care of all those other things life demands. That means I’m loving it.

J: So Sarah, tell us a little about yourself.

S: I’m a writer, blogger, wife, mother, book nerd, and history enthusiast from St. Louis. I love rooting for the Cardinals but don’t care for the pizza.

J: Ha! I’m just the opposite—I love pizza, but don’t care much for baseball. Which isn’t a good thing when living in the home of the Cardinals.

J: I love books that bring me to tears. Is there a book that made you cry?

S: I recently read Like a River from its Course by Kelli Stuart, a World War II novel that focuses on the effects of German occupation in Ukraine. It’s a beautiful, gut-wrenching read. It’ll clear out your tear ducts for sure.

J: I’ve heard good things about that book, but haven’t read it yet.

J: What genre(s) do you write and why? Is there one you’d like to try?

S: I primarily write historical fiction because I really love the process of researching. I also sort of stumbled into writing humor as my blog developed. What started as a history blog morphed into part history, part humor, and part personal narrative. I also read broadly and have a soft spot for dystopian fiction. I have written the first in a dystopian trilogy that for the foreseeable future will likely only see the inside of a drawer in my writing office, but it captures my imagination, which for now is enough.

J: Ah ha … the ole book in the drawer. Well, I for one, hope it sees the light of day sometime.

J: Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?

S: I tend to plot, with a loose, flexible outline that inevitably changes a lot as I work through the first several drafts. If I don’t have some idea of where I’m going, I find I can’t move forward enough to get anywhere.

J: I’m more of a pantser—I get an idea and jump, hoping there’s something to grab hold of.

J: Who are your favorite authors? Have they influenced your style?

S: This is always a tough question to answer because of course there are so many. But I love Anne Tyler for her wonderfully quirky, yet totally relatable characters. I love Graham Greene for his unapologetic use of allegory. No one puts together a sentence like John Updike or is as thorough in his research as James Michener. These are a few of the bigger names I admire. Right now I am fairly obsessed with the YA author Neal Shusterman, whose dystopian light horror is intriguing and chilling and brilliant, and I think the dark and luscious work of Dianne Stretfield is just amazing. I have never intentionally mimicked another author, but I do believe that everything I read influences how I write, and that the more I read, and the more widely I read, the better writer I become.

J: I totally agree with that—I also read widely and deeply in a variety of genres. Doing so improves my skills. Interesting you should mention Neal Shusterman. I had the delightful privilege of meeting him at a writing conference in 2017 where he was one of the keynote speakers. I purchased his novel, Challenger Deep, which is one of the best depictions of mental illness I’ve ever read. He wrote it after his own son was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was only 16. The artwork in the book is his son’s.

J: How much of yourself do you put into your books?

S: My books certainly reflect my interests and my general personality and sense of humor. I think if they didn’t, I’d have a hard time communicating with my readers. But I have never knowingly based a character on myself or anyone I know, or based a plot upon any part of my real life.

J: I actually have in a couple of instances. In my debut novel, there’s a dog named Cooper, who I developed after a friend’s dog’s story. And there’s also an Italian gentleman who is loosely based on a friend. But he knew I was including him and was cool with it.

J: Do you have a favorite Indie author?

 S: I admire the work of J.J. Zerr. His writing has a snappy sort of rhythm that’s really fun to read and he spins fascinating tales.

J: I’ll have to check him out.

So, tell the readers about your latest, Gentleman of Misfortune.

S: Gentleman of Misfortune is the story of nineteenth century gentleman swindler Lyman Moreau, who finds his next big scheme and loses his heart among a shipment of mummies bound for the most successful prophet in US history. I was delighted when Jeff Guinn agreed to review it.

“Quality fiction and real history make a great match, and Sarah Angleton’s Gentleman of Misfortune offers the best of both. This is an engaging story with surprises on every page”.  — Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Gunfight and Manson.

It came out October 2018 and is available for purchase at your local bookstore or online at:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO

J: What inspired Gentleman of Misfortune?

S: It’s historical fiction, so it follows a real story in which eleven mummies were shipped from the Valley of the Kings to New York. The shipment was claimed by a man who identified himself as the nephew and heir of the Egyptologist who discovered the mummies and died shortly after. The supposed nephew, Michael Chandler, displayed the mummies across several states, and eventually wound up in Ohio with four of them and a few pieces of papyrus covered in hieroglyphs. This remaining collection, he sold to Joseph Smith, founder and prophet of the Mormon Church.

The problem is that no one has been able to find a connection between Chandler and the Egyptologist or explain how he came to possess the mummies. When I came across this story, I had already written a related novel and in it, I had a minor character named Lyman Moreau, who was screaming that he had a larger story to tell. As I thought about it, it made a lot of sense to let him step in and assume Chandler’s identity and carry a novel as the leading man he seemed born to be. The other novel was unfortunately caught up in a conundrum with a small publishing house and so will be arriving on scene second instead of first, which I imagine makes Lyman pretty happy.

J: I’m sorry to hear about the snafu with the small publisher, but delighted that Gentleman of Misfortune has hit the shelves. I’d be reading it right now except that I need to get this done.  J

J: What is your favorite quote from Gentleman of Misfortune?

“Elegant crime takes commitment and capital.”

J: What  are you working on now?

S: I am currently knee deep in research for a historical novel that will explore the stories of missionaries to Liberia in the 1830s and 40s.

J: I love how you find such interesting topics to write about.

J: Do you hide secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

S: I don’t know that I hide secrets, but because I am writing historical fiction, I try very hard to do all my homework and place the little tidbits that will allow someone who really knows the specifics of the era or the historical details I’m using to understand and appreciate the work that has gone into creating the appropriate world for the story. Of course there’s always going to be that expert who catches the one mistake you make, but a little extra effort goes a long way to toward balancing out the inevitable errors.

J: Sarah, thank you for spending some time with my readers today. I believe you have a special giveaway to announce? 

Yes, I do. For those who might find my work interesting, if you’ll follow me on Goodreads I’ll enter you to win an ebook copy of Gentleman of Misfortune. Check out the book trailer at:

https://videopress.com/v/NylnfYo6

Where can readers follow you and your work?

My website at: https://sarah-angleton.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13504508.Sarah_Angleton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahAngleton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sangletonwrites/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angleton.s/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sarah-angleton

 

 

 

Chat with Katie O’Rourke

August 14, 2018

A few months ago, I was delighted to receive an invite from Katie O’Rourke to try out the audio book version of her novel, Finding Charlie. I took her up on it and listened to my very first audio book. I am now OMG hooked on audio books and listen to them all the time.

But enough about me. I’d like to introduce you to Katie. Katie writes contemporary women’s fiction, so I figured I’d love her from word one, and I was right. I’m sure you’ll love her work as much as I do.

First off, Katie has extended an offer to my readers. The details were in my August 2018 newsletter, so if you missed it, drop me a line at jeannefelfe@gmail.com (put Katie in the subject line) and I’ll get you hooked up if it’s still available.

Katie, what is something readers might want to know about you.

I’m a hybrid author. My debut novel, Monsoon Season, was traditionally published along with A Long Thaw, which I later rereleased on my own. Finding Charlie, was chosen for publication by KindleScout in 2015. My fourth book, Blood & Water, was released last year. I write family sagas with overlapping characters, so they’re all connected.

Hmm… now I’m wondering if this one is about blood being thicker than water. I can’t wait to read it — it’s coming up on my TBR list soon.

Name a book that made you cry.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I haven’t read that yet, but want to.

How long have you been writing seriously?

My first book was published in 2012. Since then, I’ve written with a more serious eye toward publication.

What are you currently reading?

The Baggage Carousel by David Olner

Another  one I haven’t read yet. I just checked it out—looks like a debut novel that I might have to take a peek at.

What was the hardest part of writing Blood & Water?

I started Blood & Water in 2016, but it’s set in 2017. Once Trump won the election, I didn’t know how to write a story set in America, especially in a border state, with what felt like such a volatile, precarious future.

I bet that would be difficult.

 

Tell us about your main characters? Were they inspired by real-life?

Something I only realized when I’d finished is that Blood & Water is very much a love letter to the deepest friendships of my life. The character of Ally serves as a composite of those real people.

Don’t you just love it when your writing surprises you like that? I know I do and my characters are always throwing new twists my way.

What is the most special thing a reader has said about Blood & Water?

I like when I’ve created characters who connect to the reader. One of my recent reviews for Blood & Water said she was sad to see them go. That’s what I like to hear.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad ones?

I read all my reviews. I don’t understand writers who don’t. Isn’t the point of writing a book to connect with readers and hear their response? I think negative feedback can be helpful and I don’t expect every reader to love my work so it never really hurts my feelings.

I’m kind of like that so far in my writing journey. Each review makes me think about how I can improve in my future writing. And I feel like if someone is going to take the time to leave a review, I should acknowledge that by reading it.

Do you hide secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Yep. Sometimes it’s a nerdy writing reference that only other writers will get. Most often, it’s something I’ve worked hard to make subtle and then get frustrated when nobody notices. In my last book, I repeated certain lines in different character’s POVs. I worried readers might think it was accidental, but—so far—no one has noticed.

Ha! Now I’m going to be watching for it.

Katie, thank you for taking a little time to chat with me. 

You can learn more about Katie and her work at the following:

http://www.katieorourke.com/

https://www.facebook.com/katie.orourke.78

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katie-o-rourke

https://twitter.com/katieorourke78

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5806453.Katie_O_Rourke

https://www.instagram.com/katieorourke78/

 

Interview with Nicole Evelina

August 3, 2017

I’m really excited to interview Nicole Evelina, my first interview of an author I actually know in person. I first met Nicole when she gave a talk to the writers’ guild I belong to, Saturday Writers, in St. Peters, MO. I was so impressed, I immediately purchased her romantic comedy, Been Searching For You. I absolutely loved it and have since read Daughter of Destiny. Being a long-time fan of Marian Zimmer Bradley, I felt right at home with this Guinevere tale and highly recommend it. I proudly present this interview so more people can become acquainted with her books. She is definitely a rising star author to be watched.

Nicole — Tell us about yourself

I’m an award-winning author who writes historical fiction, romantic comedy, women’s fiction and non-fiction. My four books have won nearly 20 awards, including two Book of the Year designations.

Yes, I’ve been watching your awards roll in. It’s mind blowing, but all well deserved. 

What do you do when you’re not writing?

By day I work in marketing for a health care company. I have two superpowers: a really sensitive nose I call the Super Sniffer and, according to my boss, I work very quickly and can accomplish twice that of the normal person. If I wasn’t a writer, I would be a historian or a makeup artist. Oh, and I am a huge cat person. I only have two, but they are my children.

What would you like to tell readers about your books?

My first two books, Daughter of Destiny and Camelot’s Queen, are historical fantasy that tell Guinevere’s story from her POV. Daughter of Destiny covers her early life before she meets and marries King Arthur, when she was a priestess of Avalon who was in love with someone else and had no dreams of being queen. Camelot’s Queen covers Guinevere’s time on the throne, including her infamous affair and tumultuous relationship with Morgan, neither of which unfolds like you might expect. My third book, Been Searching for You, is a contemporary romantic comedy set in Chicago that chronicles a modern woman’s search for her soul mate after age 30. My most recent novel, Madame Presidentess, is biographical historical fiction about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president in the US in 1872. She was born dirt poor, the daughter of a con-man and religious zealot, and yet managed to also become the first woman to own a stock brokerage on Wall Street, the first to speak before the House Judiciary Committee of Congress, and one of the first to run a weekly newspaper. Despite all of this, she’s not in the history books.

If you could collaborate with any author (living or dead) who would it be and why?

It’s tempting to say Shakespeare or Marlowe, but if I was going to work with an author from the past, I think it would be Daniel deFoe. I’m a huge Moll Flanders fan. I would want to learn how he came up with such an outrageous storyline and yet managed to make it believable. I could teach him a thing or two about spacing in modern novels (the original Moll Flanders has no chapter breaks and very little distinction between narrative and dialogue).

If you travel, what was your best (or worst) experience?

You know, I think my best and worst came on the same trip. Last year I went to Oxford, England, for the Historical Novel Society Conference. The journey there was the trip from hell. My flight from St. Louis to Chicago was delayed three times and then ended up being pushed to the next day, which messed up my schedule and resulted in me paying for a night’s hotel that I didn’t use. Then they lost my luggage. Everyone I talked to told me something different regarding where it was and when I would get it. It ended up taking six days (I was only there for eight) so I had to buy everything new from toiletries to clothes and shoes. It took six months after I got home to get the airline to reimburse me. Needless to say, I will not be flying them again.

But once I got settled in England, aside from falling out of the bathtub at my first hotel (did I mention I am VERY clumsy?), everything was great. I fell in love with Oxford (which is tied with Glastonbury as my favorite English city) and had fun creating my own Discovery of Witches tour based on places mentioned in the book. I got to stay in St. Anne’s College during the conference (a dream come true). I learned so much and met so many wonderful people. To top it off, I met up with some writer friends I hadn’t seen in like a year. Despite the trouble I had getting there, the trip was wonderful.

It’s great you were able to make what could have been a bad situation into something that worked for you.

In your wildest dreams, one or more of your books is made into a movie. Who plays the lead roles? Why?

Oh, I cast my books while I write them because it makes it easier for me to write realistic dialogue, body language and facial expressions, so I can answer this one easily. I have Pinterest boards that have my actors on them. I’ll include the links.

How fun!

The why is pretty much the same for all: they are actors I know have the chops to play the roles and they look like the characters. Sometimes they are a little too old for the characters, but I don’t really care. This is my fantasy world, dammit!

Daughter of Destiny and Camelot’s Queen — https://www.pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/guinevere-trilogy-characters/

Guinevere: Jessica Brown Findley

King Arthur: Christian Kane

Aggrivane: Orlando Bloom

Isolde: Rachelle Lefevre

Elaine: Emilie DeRavin

Been Searching for You — https://www.pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/been-searching-for-you/

Annabeth: Ashley Clements (she’s actually my audio book narrator for this book)

Alex: Bradley Cooper

Miles: Charles Michael Davis

Nick: Sebastian Stan

Mia: Kathleen Robertson

Madame Presidentess — https://www.pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/madame-presidentess/

Victoria: Sara Joy Brown

Canning: Ed Westwick

James: Ed Norton

Tennie: Zoe Boyle

Theodore Tilton: Michael Therriault

What’s Next — What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on my first non-fiction book, The Once and Future Queen, which traces the evolution of the character of Guinevere in Arthurian legend from her Celtic roots to the present day. I’ve also got an untitled novella in the works that takes place about halfway through Been Searching for You. I want to be working on Mistress of Legend, the final book my Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, but my characters aren’t talking right now.

I hear you on that one… they do go silent from time to time.

Below are blurbs from each of Nicole’s books:

Daughter of Destiny — You may think you know the story of Guinevere, but you’ve never heard it like this: in her own words. Listen and you will hear the true story of Camelot and its queen.

Before queenship and Camelot, Guinevere was a priestess of Avalon. She loved another before Arthur, a warrior who would one day betray her.

In the war-torn world of late fifth century Britain, young Guinevere faces a choice: stay with her family to defend her home at Northgallis from the Irish, or go to Avalon to seek help for the horrific visions that haunt her. The Sight calls her to Avalon, where she meets Morgan, a woman of questionable parentage who is destined to become her rival. As Guinevere matures to womanhood, she gains the powers of a priestess, and falls in love with a man who will be both her deepest love and her greatest mistake.

Just when Guinevere is able to envision a future in Avalon, tragedy forces her back home, into a world she barely recognizes, one in which her pagan faith, outspokenness, and proficiency in the magical and military arts are liabilities. When a chance reunion with her lover leads to disaster, she is cast out of Northgallis and into an uncertain future. As a new High King comes to power, Guinevere must navigate a world of political intrigue where unmarried women are valuable commodities and seemingly innocent actions can have life-altering consequences.

Fans of Arthurian legend and The Mists of Avalon will love Daughter of Destiny, the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy that gives Guinevere back her voice and traces her life from an uncertain eleven year old girl to a wise queen in her fifth decade of life.

Camelot’s Queen — This highly anticipated sequel to Daughter of Destiny proves there is much more to Guinevere’s story than her marriage and an affair. See the legend you think you know through her eyes and live the adventure of Camelot’s golden days yourself – but be prepared to suffer its downfall as well.

History remembers Guinevere’s sin, but it was Arthur who transgressed first.

Forced into a marriage she neither anticipated nor desired, Guinevere finds herself High Queen, ruling and fighting alongside Arthur as they try to subdue the Saxons, Irish and Picts who threaten Britain from every direction. Though her heart still longs for her lost love, Guinevere slowly grows to care for her husband as they join together to defeat their enemies.

Meanwhile, within the walls of Camelot their closest allies plot against them. One schemes to make Guinevere his own, another seeks revenge for past transgressions, while a third fixes her eyes on the throne. When the unthinkable happens and Guinevere is feared dead, Arthur installs a new woman in her place, one who will poison his affections toward her, threatening Guinevere’s fragile sanity and eventually driving her into the arms of her champion.

Amid this tension a new challenge arises for the king and queen of Camelot: finding the Holy Grail, a sacred relic that promises lasting unity. But peace, as they will soon learn, can be just as dangerous as war. As the court begins to turn on itself, it becomes clear that the quest that was to be Arthur’s lasting legacy may end in the burning fires of condemnation.

Been Searching For You— Searching for Mr. Right is harder than she thought…

A hopeless romantic, Annabeth Coe knows that her soul mate is out there – somewhere. After all, she’s been writing him heartfelt love letters since she was teenager. Her plan is simple: write her future husband letters and gift them to him on their wedding night to prove how long she’s loved him.

Now, as an adult, Annabeth worries that he may never come along. But when she meets handsome literature professor Alex Grantham, she believes her quest for true love may finally be over. Unfortunately, her timing couldn’t be worse. Frustrated with the love gods, Annabeth vows to take her fate into her own hands. But when the scars and mistrust from her past relationships threaten to destroy a budding relationship, she must face the harsh truth. With an ex-boyfriend who won’t let go and a meddlesome best friend, Annabeth just might be searching for love for the rest of her life – unless the man she’s destined for is just one love letter away.

Madame Presidentess — The story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Where can readers find more about you or your books?

I have an author website at https://nicoleevelina.com/

Goodreads

Readers can follow me on Facebook

Smashwords

Amazon

KOBO

Audible – Daughter of Destiny

iTunes – Daughter of Destiny

Indie Bound

Barnes & Noble

Nicole, thank you for your time and for sharing with us. I look forward to reading Camelot’s Queen and the rest of your future books.

Interview with Joseph Y. Roberts

April 17, 2017

Today, I’m interviewing Joseph Y. Roberts. Joseph has written a series of short stories and novellas that revolve around a single, central character—Jacob Vanderhoek. I find them fascinating because they take place in South Africa in the 1970’s, during a time of great racial turbulence. Jacob is a new Selous Scout—a shadowy Special Ops regiment of the Rhodesian military. The setting and character arc keeps me reading as Jacob grows from a young, and decidedly racist recruit, to a changed man tortured by his life as a Scout.

The first story in that series is Bright Light, Dark Heart.

Joseph—tell us about yourself.

I was born in the late fifties in San Pedro, the harbor suburb of Los Angeles. I grew up there in the sixties when it had a small town feel despite being a part of the L.A. metropolis. Because of that, I like to call myself a “small town boy from a big city.”

I spent many years working as a newspaper graphic artist building display ads. When you work at a newspaper, you learn the ins and outs of human behavior, especially those of your coworkers. My hobby of tabletop role-playing games honed my understanding and drafting of character backstory and portrayal. (Yes, I am a reformed gaming geek. I know what a D20 is.) Through those years, I also wrote and shared opinion essays on LiveJournal. These experiences and interests paved the way to becoming a writer, something I suspect may be common among writers.

About two years ago, I relocated to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to family. I’ve always loved forested land and rain, so I believe I was born for this region. By moving here, I feel I fixed some kind of cosmic mistake. In short, I have arrived where I need to be… for now.

I love that area, but I’d be a statistic—not enough sun for me. But it sure is beautiful.

 

How long have you been writing seriously?

Going on four years. When I became permanently disabled and was forced into early retirement I no longer had anything constructive to do. To pass the time, I found myself daydreaming to songs on the radio. One song in particular, Africa by Toto, became a recurring daydream that grew in detail every time I indulged in it. I came to love visiting it and became attached to its central character, an adventurer from South Africa. So obsessed, I decided to write the daydream down. Thus, I wrote my first Jacob story, the novella “Zimbabwe.” More ideas followed based on Jacob and I was hooked. I’d always wanted to be a writer. With this turn of events, I decided to make a go of it.

 

What do you like to do for fun?

Well, on Sunday nights I like to listen to “Floydian Slip” on the radio while indulging in a craft beer or a cider. (Highlight of my week.) Overall, cruise Pinterest, listen to music on Pandora, and toy around with my role-paying games (even though I don’t have any players at the present). Once the weather warms up a tad more, I’ll start taking walks again.

 

Do you write to music/create play lists?

Since my current writing career was born from daydreaming to music, absolutely yes! I’ll either pick a playlist that reflects the mood or genre of the story I’m working on, or I will select a theme song for the story. For example, for the novella “Mozambique,” it’s “Brothers In Arms” by Dire Straits. For the novelette “Scars,” it’s “Get Together” by The Youngbloods. I often listen to Pink Floyd songs to get deeply in touch with my emotions for writing purposes.

I’ve found I can’t write with music on if it has words. I tend to sing along.

 

Who are your favorite authors? Have they influenced your style?

Mostly the Sci-Fi writers I enjoyed reading back in the Seventies: Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, Frank Herbert, and George R.R. Martin. Later, I became a fan of Robert E. Howard, Richard Brautigan, and Clive Barker. Now, not all have influenced my style, but they do inspire me in other ways. They all taught me things.

Misters Bradbury and Martin taught me to imbue my tales with hearts and souls. Mr. Martin also taught me that a powerful story does not require a happy ending. Niven and Clarke inspired me to write SF and that, no matter how advanced technology becomes, humans will still have flaws. Mr. Howard taught me the joys of a rollicking adventure and that a writer need not be chained to one genre. Mr. Brautigan taught me not to take this all too seriously and that it’s okay to cut loose once in a while and be the madcap.

I haven’t yet expressed all these influences, but they are there, lying in wait in my head.

 

What inspired “Dragonfly?”

Like some of my other Jacob stories, it was born of my interest to follow up on characters that appeared in earlier stories. In this case, to explore what became of the helicopter pilot in “Scars.” It was also my way of addressing the issue of homeless veterans and the struggle with drug addiction. The latter topic gained a personal dimension when a family member passed away, possibly due to an overdose, during the writing. The story has a greater meaning for me than it did when I first conceived it.

Really good stories have a way of doing that. I appreciate you tackling that topic as I also lost a loved one to addiction last year.

 

Tell us about your two main characters? Were they inspired by real-life?

That’s easy, Dragonfly has only two main characters. The protagonist, Jacob Vanderhoek, is my prime recurring main character, the star of the series. He’s my flawed hero: noble in intent, but faulty in execution. A man raised in a hyper-masculine environment, who proves to be too empathetic to remain that way. As for inspiration from real life, I gave him some of my own traits, but far from all. He’s not my alter ego, by a long shot.

Adrian “Dragonfly” Thackerey, the title character, isn’t based on any one real person. But his statements about drug addiction, and about heroin in specific, are drawn from things friends who were addicts have said to me.

Their banter was inspired by similar exchanges between myself and my male friends.

 

What is the most special thing a reader has said about Dragonfly?

Pamela Murray said: “Very well constructed, the characters jump off the page, they are so real. I hope to have a chance later today to finish it, SO intriguing!” I suspect I can count her as a fan, eh?

 

What are you working on now?

My historic novel about the Second Boer War. It’s been in progress for the last three years, and I’ve entered the final stages for release (editing to be specific). When it is, it will be my first novel.

 

Dragonfly Book Blurb:

Johannesburg 1999. Not all battles are fought in the field between armies arrayed side to side. Some are fought inside, where no one can see, a war of the soul. Every conflict has a victor, but it must also have its vanquished.

Jacob must help an old friend from long ago find his way. Does he have the resources to succeed? Can he defeat an enemy he neither sees nor understands?

Where can readers find out more?

Facebook author page

Amazon author page

Smashwords author page

Joseph, thank you for your time and for sharing with us. I look forward to your future efforts.

Interview with Lisa Hofmann

March 14, 2017

Today, I’m interviewing Lisa Hofmann, who lives and writes in Germany. I got the surprise of my life this past fall when I read the first two books in her Medieval Fantasy Dies Irae series – Stealing the Light (which won an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards) and Into the Dark. Surprised because I haven’t read much in this genre and I was truly blown away at Lisa’s story-telling abilities. I’m normally a slow reader and I flew right through both. I can’t wait for book three and after our interview, I’m anxiously looking forward to Trading Darkness.

Lisa, Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m 41 years old and a summer person, who loves traveling, art, music, and cats. I’m an independent writer, which means that I don’t sell my work to a publishing house, but instead market directly to my readers.

I don’t do this because my manuscripts were ever rejected by a publisher. I just never submitted anything to an agent or publisher simply because I don’t believe this would work for me at this point in my life. I’m basically a very stubborn person, and I feel a strong need to retain my independence in my creative expression. Holding all rights to my work and having full control of what I do with it is very important to me, and I love that what was unthinkable twenty years ago is actually possible nowadays with e-books and print-on-demand.

Going it alone is hard work, but luckily, I have a wonderful, supportive family who can live with the fact that I chose to handle it this way. They are the kind of people who will tiptoe around me while I’m editing, and sometimes even throw food at me when I’m sitting at my desk in front of my laptop drafting new material. I sit there a lot because I’ve always been a workaholic, and I treat both of my professions with a lot of dedication.

As an Indie Author myself, I completely understand. Thank you for sharing that with our readers.

 

You said both professions? So you don’t write full-time? What kind of job do you have, and does it play any role in your stories?

In all honesty, I wish I could write full-time, but I’m afraid I have to work long hours in my day job to ensure my cat can continue to lead her decadent life of luxury…

No, seriously, most independent writers can’t live on what they earn from their books. Many, many authors who write for publishing houses can’t, either, for that matter. But, since I’m my own publisher, I also have costs to cover that non-Indies don’t have, such as editing, cover art, and formatting, and unless I sell a certain number of books, I have to live with the fact that those costs may exceed the earnings from the works I produce. Until I can manage to achieve a steady income from my books, I’ll just have to work in two jobs, really. That can be tough, sometimes, but did I mention I’m a stubborn person…?

Whether or not my day job has ever played a role in my stories, I can’t really say. I don’t think it has, at least not directly. But I work in a social profession, so I’m always around people during the day, and I believe that has some influence on how I look at things and the way I write, as opposed to if I lived in seclusion or worked in an office job as an accountant or whatever with little or no customer contact. I actually worked in an office job in my early twenties for a time, and soon realized that’s not for me. I was bored to death.

Life is about achieving a balance, and although I often find myself having to meticulously organize my days around my family and those two jobs, I also think it makes me go about my writing extremely consciously. I use the time I spend on it well, I think, and I can’t say I’ve ever sat in front a blank screen for hours, wondering what to write – I sit there for just under a minute, wondering what to write first before I start typing like the devil was at my heels.

Why do you write, and how long have you been writing seriously?

I’ve been writing seriously for about three years now. I always dreamed about writing, and I was that kid in school who was always asked to read her essays aloud, but it wasn’t until a friend started encouraging me a few years ago that I considered actually publishing something of mine. It started out as a hobby to help me to cope a little better with the stress of my day job, but I soon found myself communicating with other writers. Somehow, one thing just led to another, and here I am.

I published my first two novels and several short stories in 2016, and my new book is coming out this summer.

Who are your favorite authors? Have they influenced your style?

I read a lot of different things. What and how I read has changed over the years since audio books have become more affordable, e-books are easy to take along anywhere on my phone, and works by Indie authors have become readily available. But I still try not to miss anything new by Dean Koontz, Stephen King… and… here goes: Cornelia Funke. A children’s book author, I hear you say in bewilderment. How does that fit in? Well, it does. She has evolved in the most interesting way as a writer, and I love her most recent YA series. The writing as such is superb, and the story is rich and intriguing.

I’m sure most authors are shaped in some way by the words they read. It would be strange if it were otherwise. However, I think it’s always wise to read a LOT to make sure you’re not influenced too much by the voice of any other individual author. You have to make sure you don’t surrender your own voice to someone else’s style. As a new author, it’s not just important to find your own voice – you have to be able to keep it, and develop it, and listen back to it so you never forget to take what you’re doing to the next level and keep evolving positively.

 

What are you currently reading?

I have this habit of reading three or four books in parallel. Right now, I’m reading an as yet unpublished work by an Indie writer friend. I’ve got Amanojaku by Damien Lutz on my phone’s Kindle. I’m also revisiting an older book I read years ago, as an audio book version this time, since I spend so many hours a week in my car: Lightening by Dean Koontz.

 

About your latest work that’s coming in summer, Trading Darkness: What inspired it?

A true story did. Some of the characters in Trading Darkness are loosely based on people who lived during the final wave of the local Witch Trials in the 17th century. While researching a paper for a college class I took twenty years ago, I came across an event that was never explained, and that was when the initial idea to this book started taking shape in my head. The story I spun around this event is purely fictional, of course, but it’s been stewing in me this long, which was why I finally decided to give it priority over the series I’m also working on at the moment. I’ve always been fascinated by local history, myths and legends. I think this is generally what influences and inspires my writing most.

 

Tell us about the characters who were inspired by real-life.

That would be Agnes Smith, for one, a secondary character inspired by the real-life Agnes Schmidt, who lived near Wildenburg around the year 1650. She was a mother of six who was “tried”, which really means she was tortured, and sentenced to death for being a witch. On the eve of her execution, she was imprisoned in a barn near Friesenhagen, which is the village I modeled Oakwood on. The “witch tower” at Wildenburg Castle was full, so there wasn’t any room for her there. A guard was posted outside that barn to make sure she couldn’t escape. She’d been tortured, so no one really would have assumed she’d actually be in any state to flee. But despite the locked door, and despite the guard, she did. I found that remarkable. She must have been a very strong woman. No one could explain how it happened, and that was what got me thinking. Maybe the guard took pity, or there was another way out of the barn, but again: she’d been tortured, willfully broken, though through it all, she never confessed, so… when they found her a few days later, she was with one of her children. She was asked why she’d fled. Silly question, really, but they did ask, and her response was noted for the record. She said she hadn’t intended to escape her sentence, but that she’d merely wanted to see her children one last time to say goodbye.

Another character who is loosely based on a real person is Hermann Heistermann. He was the bailiff at that time, an exceptionally greedy and cruel man who took great pleasure in having people tortured. He was a real villain, and that’s how I depicted him in the book as well, though something good came from his existence in my story. I won’t say what.

 

Can you tell us anything about the fictional characters without giving too much away?

Yes, of course! There’s a really dark demon with a deep longing for vengeance. There’s a character I modeled on Ricdin-Ricdon, better known as Rumpelstiltskin, but he doesn’t spin straw into gold. And, we have a heroine, who falls in love with a knight in shining armor. I loved writing all of them. Finishing the final chapter was awful, because I knew I’d miss them.

 

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on the third book of my current series. It’s titled Fair of Souls, and I’m having a lot of fun getting back into that. Lorcan will be traveling to many interesting places, trying to find his son, and later, he will be faced with having to find a way to keep The Fair safe from the dangers that have arisen with Catherine’s ascent to power. We’ll be seeing a very angry, power-hungry Catherine establishing her rule in Trondenburgh and beyond, while Dean is in deep trouble. I’m very excited about writing this.

 

Where can readers find out more?

My Amazon page

Readers can follow me on Facebook

My Author website

And I’m on Goodreads

Lisa, thank you for your time and for sharing with us. I’m looking forward to both Trading Darkness and Fair of Souls 

Interview with Damien Lutz

March 9, 2017

Today, I’m interviewing Damien Lutz, who lives and writes in Australia. I must admit that I don’t read much sci-fi, but I met Damien in a writer’s workshop so I read Amanojaku and became an instant fan of his writing. His style so easily blends the technical aspects of sci-fi with the human elements that make a story worth reading. He writes about the human condition and wraps it inside a futuristic world. Bravo!

 

Damien – tell us about yourself.

I’m a writer and web designer living in Sydney. When I’m not working at my full-time job or writing in my spare time, I like to swim, or do some digital illustration. I couldn’t live without my laptop. If the power ever goes out for too long, there’ll be no more Mr. Nice Guy.

I hear you on the laptop thing, but I’m going to have to try this summer when I spend two weeks in Africa.

What would you like readers to know about your book, Amanojaku? And what the heck does that mean anyway?

Amanojaku (天邪鬼), n : a demon-like creature in Japanese folklore, able to provoke a person into perpetrating evil deeds.

Andre Cross keeps his volatile temper on a sturdy leash—an implant auto-medicating him to subdue his violent impulses.

Dreaming of leaving his dark past behind, he slaves away on Brulle’s perilous vertical farms, and peddles the drug Neura, to fund his escape to a distant ocean city called Anchora.

But when he meets the beautiful, self-aware android Mo Da, he discovers the implant not only sedates his aggression, it also subdues his ability to love. Andre’s desires unravel his carefully controlled plans, delivering him to a place where even his implant may not contain his rising emotions, or the madness of Amanojaku determined to consume him.

I know you don’t yet write full-time… what kind of job do you have and does it play any role in your stories?

I’m a User Experience Designer for digital products (apps, websites, etc.), so I research how humans interact with technology, and design apps and websites based on those findings. The work gives me insight into the relationship between humans and technology, and the UX processes have similarities and parallels with the writing and storytelling processes. So, my job both inspires and financially supports my writing. But it also steals my writing time.

The way you write it wouldn’t surprise me if you suddenly become famous.

How long have you been writing seriously?

I started writing seriously at the beginning of 2014. I had an epiphany, that I was single, childless and had plenty of spare time, something many people would love to have, and I wasn’t utilizing that. I figured it was time to make the most of that luxury of spare time, to pursue a dream. The fear of failure makes us put a lot of expectation on ourselves, so much that we don’t even try to chase a dream. I told myself I was testing the dream of writing, and if I didn’t like it or do well, it was okay to give it up. At least then I had tried and knew it wasn’t for me, and I’d be free to move onto something else. But I loved it, and I have many stories inside I’d love to articulate and share.

That was right about the time we met. How fortuitous for me, and of course for your readers.  🙂

Who are your favorite authors? Have they influenced your style?

I read Stephen King constantly, as his style and creativity inspire me. I take notes while I read his books—on structure, technique and style. His writing breaks rules, but his style feels like someone very real is telling you the story, which is what I’m hoping to develop in my own style. Also, I love Tom Robbins. His stories are crazy, funny, poignant romps through metaphorical stories that turn preconceived notions, about all things, inside out. He’s changed the way I view life. I’m hoping develop a style that is a Robbins/ King hybrid.

Good to see you shooting for the top, and you’ve sure got the writing chops to succeed.

In your wildest dreams, Amanojaku is made into a movie. Who plays the lead roles? Why?

Yes, that is my wildest dream! I don’t have anyone in particular in mind, but Andre, the main character, is non-Caucasian, and the cast has a mix of ethnicities, religions, sexualities, etc. to reflect diversity, so I’d like to see that kept true.

What is the most special thing a reader has said about your writing?

There are two most special comments. The first is from a San Francisco Book Review, which likened Amanojaku to Blade Runner, such a compliment, especially considering that BR is a film. The other is from a reader of Android’s Orchid (the short story that Amanojaku was born out of), which said “The story of the android Ki Po is beautiful and soulful.” The fact that the spirit of the story shone through the sci-fi made me very happy, as it’s a goal of mine to give my stories insight into the human condition as much as how technology might affect us.

 What can readers look forward to next from you?

I’m working on the four sequels to Amanojaku, which is a big job and will take a while. While I’m ticking those over, I’m also writing shorts stories for an anthology, one of which, The Motherhood Effect, will be printed and illustrated in the April 2017 issue of Popshots Magazine. 

I’m hoping to publish my next stand-alone book, Dismantling Henry, later this year, which follows the attempts of an unreliable, out-of-work actor trying to reclaim his career, and fighting the effects of signing over the rights to his digital image.

I can’t wait to read the next one.

 Where can readers find out more?

Check out artwork, explore Brulle and more: http://www.damienlutz.com.au/author/

Buy Amanojaku on Amazon

Damien, thank you for your time and for sharing with us. Good luck on your next book.