Today’s interview is with Thomas Rupp, author of The Hell of Mumbai (A true story).
Please see it below!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
I have no special author name, my name is Thomas Rupp, But you can call me Tom. I live in Sonthofen in Germany, that’s near the Lake Constance in the south of Germany. I’m from near Munich in Bavaria, that’s where the “Lederhosen,” the “Wiener Schnitzel,” the “Brezel,” and the “Oktoberfest” come from.
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
The title is “The Hell of Mumbai.” It’s a real life crime story. I was involved in a terrorist attack with my flight crew.
3) What is the book about?
It’s about the Mumbai Attacks of the year 2008. Maybe you know the Hollywood-Blockbuster “Hotel Mumbai.” It’s about the attacks which took place In the Taj Mahal Hotel in the November of 2008. I wasn’t in the Taj Hotel but in the Café Leopold, another hotspot of the attacks. That was the location where the attacks began. We were hiding under a table when the terrorists with their guns drew nearer and nearer. We could hear their steps from under the table. That was really breathtaking in the negative way. We were frightened to death!
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
Writing a book in my traumatic situation was an effective way to heal my soul. And in fact it helped me to digest the terrible events.
5) How long did it take you to write it?
I wrote only about four months on it because everything was still so fresh in my mind. Then I had my book corrected by a friend whom I had told my story before and who was very curious about the details I had left out when I told it to him immediately after my experiences in Mumbai.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
Yes, I have experienced how important it is to talk about things which really burden us.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
I have a video about my film on www.youtube.com with the title: “The Hell of Mumbai.”
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
No, because I’m a self publisher, on www.amazon.com: Thomas Rupp, The Hell of Mumbai.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
Yes, I would do this if anyone asked, of course. I was very grateful when my friend reviewed my work. It’s always helpful to have a second opinion from a literature expert for reviewing. I like criminal novels, science fiction, thrillers and novels from foreign countries like India or China.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
My favorite book of all time is the novel Clockwork Orange because Anthony Burgess uses such hilarious expressions and the story is so fresh and fascinating.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Livingfrom Dale Carnegie as a non-fiction book because it’s so optimistic.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
Yes, we have an aquarium with platy fish. They are so small and therefore absolutely fascinating.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
Yes, I have a kindle reading advice. But normally I read ebooks on my IPad. I like reading ebooks very much because I don‘t know where to put my paperbacks and hardcovers any more!
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Today’s interview is with Eileen A. Bjorkman, author of Unforgotten in the Golf of Tonkin: A Story of the U.S. Military’s Commitment to Leave No One Behind.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)? Eileen A. Bjorkman, I split my time between Washington State and California. If you can only put one state, please put Washington!
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre? Unforgotten in the Gulf of Tonkin: A Story of the U.S. Military’s Commitment to Leave No One Behind. It’s a narrative nonfiction book in the categories of military history and biography
3) What is the book about? The book is about the thrilling rescue of a Navy pilot whose aircraft was hit over North Vietnam. It also weaves in a short history of combat search and rescue, along with the continued search for the 80,000+ Americans still missing in action from previous wars.
4) Where did you come up with the idea? I was working on a magazine article about a Navy plane, the F-8, which I tripped over a YouTube video that provided a thumbnail sketch of the pilot’s ejection and rescue. Planning to write an additional article about the rescue, I tracked down the pilot. But it was too much material for an article and it turned into a book.
5) How long did it take you to write it? From idea to turning in the manuscript was four years. The bulk of the actual research and writing once I had a contract was about a year.
6) Did you learn anything from the project? Yes, I learned a lot about the history of combat search and rescue, and also the POW/MIA movement that began in the US in the late 1960s. I was aware of that movement since I was in high school at the time and some of my classmates had fathers who were POWs or MIA, but I didn’t really appreciate the full history until doing my research.
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? Get your writing out there! I started out with some freelance articles that gave me credibility when I went to pitch my first book to an academic press. That first book and my articles help me land an agent and then publisher for this book. And be persistent! I had a lot of rejection letters before I got my first publisher and then my agent.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I read mostly nonfiction, although I do like a good detective novel or mystery at times. I am open to reading new authors and reviewing their work.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? This is a tough question because I like so many books for different reasons. But if the number of times I have read a book is an indication of favoritism, it would have to be Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air.” The book is so gripping that it’s hard to put down. I’ve done a lot of hiking, but I’m fascinated by the tales of mountain climbers. His writing style inspires me as well.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? I have one cat, a black and white tuxedo.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I don’t own an electronic reading device, but I have the nook and kindle apps on my iPad mini. That works better for me since I travel a lot (although that has slowed down with the pandemic). I like the portable aspect of the iPad and it’s also great for books I’m using for research since the ebook version is usually less expensive. But overall, I prefer print copies of books because I like to take marginal notes, skim certain topics, and move back and forth at will (which I commonly do with nonfiction books).
Admin:
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Today’s interview is with Ron S. Nolan, author of Met Chron New-Humans.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)? Ron S. Nolan, Ph.D. has lived in Aptos California near the Palo Alto ship wreck on Sea Cliff Beach since 1990
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre? Met Chron New-Humans (Book 2 of the Metamorphosis Chronicles Series). It is a hard science, space technothriller.
3) What is the book about? Set in the year 2030, the novel tales place in a world near the global warming tipping point and humanity’s survival is threatened by raging wildfires, android wars, floods and viral pandemics. Ironically, there is a new discovery that could dramatically lengthen the human lifespan causing rampant economic and social chaos. Timing is everything. If the intern at the Lunar SpeeZees Lab hadn’t accidentally selected the wrong sequence of avatars in a training program, the world’s first New-Human would not have been 3D printed and brought to life.…and without Chron’s genius, the strategy of developing a space elevator to convey pods of seawater into space and generate snowfall over tropical seas would never have been implemented.
Furthermore, if Chron had not assisted her longevity research, Dr. Astra Sturtevant would never have made her game clinging discovery of how to control the genetic clock and arrest the aging process. Meanwhile, the AI androids that had mutated in the high radiation zones following the nuclear detonations in the Bay Area have launched campaigns to gain their independence and annihilate all organic humans.
4) Where did you come up with the idea? I have had many unique experiences, like camping on the most radioactive spot on the Earth’s surface, working with a bonafide psychic and building artificial reefs in Micronesia for my doctoral research, that have given me a plethora of plot ammo. To reveal the connections between the past and the present in my stories, I have set up a backstory website: https://planetropolis.blogspot.com./
5) How long did it take you to write it? One year to write. Two months to revise.
6) Did you learn anything from the project? AI androids and robots are on the rise. Beware, they are smarter, stronger and better suited for space travel than us organics.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video? Ron S. Nolan’s website: https://planetropolis.com/
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? I use Misty Mountain Productions for eBook formatting and highly recommend attending Vincent Lowry’s book marketing workshops.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I was an avid Sci-Fi reader, but stopped when I began to produce my own stories because I want my ideas to be original. However ,I do read many scientific journal articles and frequently consult Wikipedia for technical information.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? That’s easy, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ by Ernest Hemingway published in 1952. It is powerful and eloquent. I believe I read it in Mrs. Baker’s 6 th grade class when I attended Pinckney School in Lawrence, Kansas. But, little did I imagine then that four decades later I would become close friends with Jack Hemingway and his daughter Margot (Ernest’s son and granddaughter). One of the highlights of our many adventures was a tarpon fishing trip to the Florida Keys where Jack told us stories about his childhood as we soaked up the ambiance and drank cold beers at Sloppy Joe’s in Key West—a bar once favored by Papa.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? A couple of crows come by for almonds, which I throw from my deck.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I have a vintage Dell Workstation which a local nerd has juiced into a supercomputer that reads and edits most eBook formats.
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Today I’m pleased to bring you this interview with Carol Van Den Hende, author of Goodbye Orchid.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name?
Hi, I’m Carol Van Den Hende, which seems like a mouthful but is pronounced just the way it looks. Fun fact: if you meet me in person, you wouldn’t necessarily associate me with a Dutch last name (hint, I married into it!)
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
I’ve written a contemporary novel with romantic elements evocatively titled “Goodbye, Orchid.” True story: my editor and I brainstormed the name over cocktails and Zoom.
3) What is the book about?
Just as successful entrepreneur Phoenix Walker is falling for beautiful half-Asian marketer Orchid Paige, he suffers a traumatic accident. When he wakes in the hospital, Phoenix longs for Orchid. Then, he remembers how much she’s already suffered. Alone, broken, he’s faced with the hardest decision of his life…whether loving her means saying…Goodbye, Orchid.
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
I was inspired by combat-wounded veterans. These soldiers leave for duty at the top of their game, then some come back from military tours with life-changing injuries. But Goodbye, Orchid isn’t a story of pity. Like many of these vets’ lives, my book is about human optimism and resilience.
5) How long did it take you to write it?
I penned the story during an intense, caffeine-fueled nine to twelve months. …And then the editing, marketing and publishing? Well, that took several times longer than the writing!
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
I learned so much from writing and researching Goodbye, Orchid. I learned about empathy and the capacity to love no matter what. I can’t thank my sensitivity readers enough. Like Purple Heart-decorated Sgt Bryan Anderson who gave my writing high praise when he said “she gets my experience.” And Boston Marathon bombing survivor Heather Abbott, who raises money for people injured by trauma, and loved Goodbye, Orchid.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
Come hang out with me at www.carolvandenhende.com. There, you can sign up for my newsletter and learn that besides being a writer, I’m also a speaker and marketer (in chocolate, sweet!) You can see me in action through video clips of speaking engagements at writers’ conferences. For up-to-date author info, you can also follow me at fb.me/CarolVanDenHendeAuthor
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
After twenty years in marketing, strategy and insights, I do have tips for authors. At the highest level, I always recommend starting with what you stand for (your personal brand), how that translates into your visual identity (design), and planning your objectives before jumping into tactics. If you’re hungry for more, check out the blog on my website, and note that I do take on select clients.
As far as professional recommendations, I’ve loved working with Ellie Davis at Pressque (she’s fun even without cocktails or zoom!), and the adorable husband-wife team at Chykalophia for my website design. Before I signed my publishing contract, I thought I might hire my own cover designer and fell in love with Lauren Harm’s work. Of course, always undertake your own due diligence, as each author’s needs and work style can differ.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
When I was a kid, I treasured my stacks of library books. Nowadays, I sneak time for fiction and business non-fiction, but my time’s fairly spoken for.
I feel lucky that life is so full, with work I love, my twins and humorous hubby, and serving on a non-profit Board. That means, though, while I’d love to read more new authors’ work, I simply won’t be able to. For now, I pay my good fortune forward to new authors in other ways, like sharing my knowledge at conferences and workshops.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
The answer is so temporal. In my experience, a certain book is right for a certain time. When I was a child, “A Secret Garden” spirited me away to a lovely hidden place. As an edgy teen, Ayn Rand’s hyper-independence appealed to me. Now as an adult, I’m moved by a book’s truth. I recently recommended Mary Louise Parker’s book of essays entitled “Dear Mr. You,” but I could easily name dozens of others that have likewise touched me, expanded my world, and filled my heart.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
Our family dotes on our Siberian rescue cat. She alternates between skittish and lovey, which has trained us to coax sweetness from her with Shrimpy Shrimp Temptations. Note to self: buy more treats.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
I read books on my iphone late into the night. Take it from me, don’t try this at home. The blue light will screw up your circadian rhythm.
…Unless you’re using your iphone to sign up for my newsletter. In that case, hey, it’s always great to live a little!
Best, Carol
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Today’s interview is with two authors of the same book, Suha Al Khalifa and Richard Bellamy.
Please see it below.
Thank you,
Vince
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
We are Suha Al Khalifa and Richard Bellamy.
Richard and I met in the summer of 2003 at the New York Film Academy in London. He was working as a teacher, while I was taking other classes. We developed a great friendship over our backgrounds and love of storytelling.
Suha’s response: I was raised in Bahrain yet spent some time in Washington DC as my father was the ambassador. Pursuing a career in film and writing was frowned upon where I come from, but my efforts have managed to change the minds of many in my country. I have been able to establish myself as pioneer and somewhat of a rebel for never giving up on my dreams.
Richard’s response:
I grew up in the UK at first struggling with reading as I had dyslexia. However, a good English teacher had some faith in me, and I found my storytelling voice. From there I became obsessed with mythology and movies and started writing my own.
Our paths seem intertwined by our love of stories and despite the distance between the UK and Bahrain, we quickly fell in love. We spent 6 years apart, but never stopped working on our stories.
We just celebrated our 11year wedding anniversary. We now live in London with our three kids.
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
Heir of Darkness. Gothic Fiction.
3) What is the book about?
For me, the heart of the story is tribal. Our tribes come from very different backgrounds. Humanity is represented through the noble classes who occupy the city, whereas the gypsies roam on the periphery of society. Ghost also linger, trapped in a purgatory, unable to move on. Then there are the immortal vampires who have remained in the shadows of the mountain, until now. These lost souls search desperately for love, family and acceptance and will go to the extreme lengths of good or evil to reach their ambition.
The story takes place in the end of the 18th century, on a mountain range, in Bohemia. Sophia, a medium receives warning of an approaching danger. From his mountain palace comes Luicano, son of the Vampiress Lord Vedel, intent on finding his queen at the Countess’ ball. Instead, he discovers the captivating Lilianna, a gypsy girl and a rival in the Countess’ son Alexander.
Luciano and his mother, Vedel, are known to the gypsy people. Every gypsy child is taught to fear the vampire threat. When Lilianna returns home to her mother, Nadja, she unleashes a nightmare at her people’s doorstep and sends Vedel’s plans into chaos.
This clash of fates with bring together the living, the dead and the undead into a tempestuous adventure of love, hate, jealousy, and murder. Who will stand to oppose the ambitions of the formidable Vedel?
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
Suha’s response:
In Bahrain I would hear the most wonderful spiritual stories that have been passed down for generations! Ghost stories are a norm there and I started to daydream what the ghost world would be like if it mixed with a vampire world.
I started to tell Richard these ideas over the phone and the characters just started to come alive. Once I was able to move and get married we really sat down and wrote it down originally as a screenplay.
Richard’s response:
Suha had the notion of ghosts and vampires being at odds – the victims returned to haunt their attackers. We found the story was best told through a medium who is a conduit between the worlds of the living, dead and undead. From there it just fell into place and we found it growing into an epic struggle of good and evil, love and betrayal, revenge and acceptance. We were able to weave in my passion for mythology and Suha’s expertise in psychology to, we hope, create characters who the characters invest in and empathise.
5) How long did it take you to write it?
Suha’s response:
In total I’d say a solid 10 years from when the ideas and stories started forming in our heads to writing the screenplay. Then came 7 rewrites before we decided to expand it into this full novel.
Richard’s response:
After all this time, it very much feels like Heir of Darkness is our fourth child and now it is ready to go out into the world.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
Suha’s response:
Oh, where do I start. The first thing that comes to mind is time management. After getting married we started our family. Now with three kids, two who happen to have autism who need extra care and attention.
Then just finding balance of being able to write while the kids sleep and we get even less sleep. We dived into the struggle of getting our story out there. Knowing were more likely to have it told would be to expand it into a full novel.
Finding an agent took a long time So long in fact we were able to write a prequel/sequel that we hope will make it out if Heir of Darkness is a success. Signing with Stephanie Hansen of Metamorphosis Literary Agency was a huge blessing for us.
Richard’s response:
Input from others can be everything. From the simple feedback of a reader to the suggestions of our agent, Stephanie, the story can grow and move in directions you never expected. For us, a suggestion to switch the gender of some of our characters created a far stronger dynamic that both broke the stereotypes of the genre and allowed us to delve deeper into the theme of parental love.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
We have a Facebook page for our work as writers – both literature and TV. We currently write screenplays for MBC Studios as well as for our own production company, DreamScreen Productions. So, any news of what we are doing will go up there. www.facebook.com/dreamscreenproductions
We put together a book video for Heir of Darkness – youtu.be/uuaiB8CGaEU This is a poem that features in the novel, a cautionary nursery rhyme of the gypsy people, warning of the threat of the vampire Vedel.
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
Suha’s response:
Being persistent and constantly working on your craft. Exposure is very important, so make sure to deal with the right people and platforms.
Richard’s response:
I agree, persist with the writing. Hone your craft – take classes, make mistakes, and learn from what is not working. To make that step to getting your book out there requires the dreaded networking. People need to see what you are capable of. If may not be the book you are trying to pitch that gets you the break when that right person recognises your talent. For us it was our agent Stephanie Hansen of Metamorphosis Literature and our boss at MBC Studios, Peter Smith who took a chance on us to fix an episode of a TV drama for him. We went on to write the whole season and much more since. So, persist.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
Suha’s response:
Gothic, history, and psychological research as I am a psychotherapist.
I would love to read new authors’ work, this is very much what I do at MBC where I fix stories particularly with character development.
Richard’s response:
I find that I read history books as a basis for expanding my knowledge and for inspiration for my own work. Otherwise I enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
Suha’s response:
Steven King’s Salem’s Lot and Philip Pullman’s Dark Material trilogy. I cannot choose between the two.
Richard’s response:
The most influential book I have read is Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. I am drawn to the power of mythology as a tool for shaping society, morality and finding one’s own place in the world. Stories can and should be part of our rite of passage. Campbell’s work solidified many of those ideas for me and allowed me to see the universality of both myth and storytelling. Stories prove we are all the same at our core.
The fiction that most resonates is Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy. It is a masterful use of these same mythological notions and draws you into a wonderfully realised world.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
We have no pets but would love a dog for two of our children who are on the autistic spectrum children when one becomes available through our local Support Dogs charity.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
Suha’s response:
I have a Kindle, but I have more recently taken to audiobooks.
Richard’s response:
I generally read and write on my Surface laptop but most books I read are audiobooks. I even listen to my own writing through text to speech as it allows me to hear the words and often find mistakes I did not see on the page.
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Today’s interview is with Jez Cajiao, author of Brightblade.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
I go by own name, as it’s a lot simpler for everyone, plus I kinda liked the idea of people I used to party with seeing my name on a book and having a ‘what the hell??’ moment…
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
My First book is Brightblade, a LitRPG dark adventure, with my second book, The Forgotten Faithful releasing on the 5th of August..
3) What is the book about?
It follows the Main Character Jax, as he searches for his brother in the UnderVerse, a realm at the center of reality, where all our dreams and nightmares are born. Jax is kidnapped, and given the option of performing a task for the father he’d never known, or dying… slowly. He takes the job when he’s told his missing brother was given the same task, only to find out the first step is to defeat the other noble houses chosen champions int he arena first. Twelve will enter, only one can leave…
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy and I considered gravity, it’s a force strong enough to compress stars, and yet we can ignore it at will (for a short period of time) by jumping, one theory is that this is because it bleeds away through the multiple realities that surround us. I considered what if we can ‘feel’ those realities? Sometimes interact with them in our dreams. What if H.R. Gieger was seeing that realm and drew the things he saw?
5) How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took two years, mostly because it was an hour here, and an hour there.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
Massively yes, I wrote it in part as therapy, as recommended by a friend, after an industrial accident, and it massively helped. Plus, I read some truly awful books on occasion, and thought, can I do better? (Probably not!)
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
I have a Facebook group, it’s very new, and is theunderverse2020 (Just the UnderVerse was taken, damn their eyes!)
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
I’ve been told that great artists and editors are a top-secret resource, but I will say, check out ArtStation, that’s how I found my artist, he’s amazing! It’s the first impression you make, so never, ever skimp there! (And I name my Editor and Artist inside my book, as thanks…)
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
I split my time between new authors and established, as I love to read, I’m also aware of how important a review is, so I always make the effort to leave one!
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
My favorite SERIES is the Wheel of Time, without a doubt, but my favorite book? Hmmmm…. Possibly ‘Legend’ by David Gemmell, because the characters were so well rounded and individual
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
Yes! I have three cats, a human, and a second pet human on the way, and I hope to get another Bedlington Terrier soon, as we sadly lost ours last year…
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
I use my phone! I have an iPhone Max and use that as the screen is just the right size, plus that way I’ve always got books with me wherever I go!
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Today’s interview is with Steve Searls, author of My Travels with a Dead Man.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
Steve Searls. I currently live in western New York State. I was born in North Carolina, however, and then moved to Colorado when I was seven. I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colorado State University, and the University of Colorado, Boulder, School of Law, respectively.
My wife and I moved to New York State in 1988.
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
“My Travels With a Dead Man” is a multi-genre literary novel that that blends magical realism, fantasy, alternate realities, romance, mystery and suspense in the coming of age story of the main protagonist, Jane Takako Wolfshiem.
3) What is the book about?
Jane is a naïve young woman of half-Japanese, half Jewish American ancestry who suffers a seizure and is saved by an enigmatic man calling himself Jorge Luis Borges, the same name as the esteemed Argentinean literary figure. When next they meet, nearly two years later, Jane inexplicably falls passionately in love with Borges. Soon however, he reveals a dark side to his character that frightens and confuses her. After visiting the Daibutsu, a bronze statue of the Buddha in Kamakura, Japan, with Borges, a demonic figure she names “the man in black’ plagues her dreams with nightmares of a violent nature. These nightmares and Borges’ manipulative treatment of Jane nearly drive her mad, even as she learns from him that she has the power to travel through space and time to alternate realities. Jane also receives visitations from the ghost of Basho, the famous Japanese haiku master, and the Daibutsu who appears in Jane’s dreams. Both offer cryptic advice warning her about Borges. Borges’ violent and manipulative treatment cause Jane to fear him, but all attempts to break his control over her fail. Ultimately, Jane learns Borges’ is exploiting her powers to fulfill a dangerous prophecy, one she’s led to believe by Ulrikke, Borges’ mother, will result in Jane’s death and threaten humanity’s future. Unable to know who to trust, Jane must decipher the true nature of the prophecy so she can take action to prevent it from coming to pass.
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
I originally wrote a short story about a young woman who encounters a homeless man named Borges in 2013. At some point in late 2014, I began to expand the story into a novel. I didn’t work from an outline, but just let the characters dictate how the story developed. It was an organic process in the sense that each time I came to a dead end I would think of a new character to add to the novel, and more of the plot would reveal itself to me. At this time I was re-reading many of Jorge Luis Borges’ stories and Basho’s famous haibun (a combination of haiku and poetic prose developed in Medieval Japan), Oku no Hosomichi – often translated as The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Both writers had a major influence on the story’s development.
5) How long did it take you to write it?
It took me roughly 5 years to complete. During that time I was working on another novel, a multi-generational saga, but I stopped work on that book to focus my efforts on completing “My Travels With a Dead Man,” which I deemed would have a better chance at getting published as an unknown author.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
Quite a lot. I learned how to better hone my craft in order to write a compelling story that would interest publishers to take a chance on a first time writer. And my research into various subjects, including Buddhism, Norse mythology and the history of the Vikings, and the works of Borges and Basho, all proved invaluable in developing the major themes of my book.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
Yes, I have an Author’s Facebook page. It’s Steve Searls, Author at https://www.facebook.com/SteveSearlsAuthor. My website, also named “Steve Searls, Author,” includes a blog of my longer form essays, along with pages devoted to some of my short fiction and poetry. The link to the website is here: http://www.stevesearls.com/.
At this time, I don’t have a video, nor do I plan to hire someone to make one. That’s not because I dislike book videos, but I made the decision to use my limited marketing budget in other areas.
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
As a debut author, I’m still learning as I go, but if I had one piece of advice, I would say, be persistent.
The only other thing I’d add is don’t use too many adverbs.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
I’ll read almost anything, from all genres of fiction and non-fiction, having been a bookworm since I was a young child. I am constantly checking out new authors, and have reviewed a number of the books from authors old and new.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
I’ve had a number of favorite books over my lifetime. It’s impossible to limit myself to just one book. Here are a few fiction titles I’d recommend:
“Collected Short Stories” by Hemingway
“As I Lay Dying” by William Faulkner
“The Stranger: by Albert Camus
“Lord of the Rings” by Tolkien
“Dune” by Frank Herbert
“The Man in the High Castle” by Phillip K. Dick
“Mrs. Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf
“Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier
“The Rings of Saturn” by W. G. Sebald
“2666” by Roberto Bolano
“The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles” by Haruki Murakami
“The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood
“Blood Meridian” by Cormac McCarthy
“The Broken Earth Trilogy” by N.K. Jemisin
“The Dispossessed” by Ursula K. LeGuin
“House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski
As to why? Because they are all fabulous reads.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
I’ve had dogs as pets in the past, but not at present. Regrettably, I cannot be around cats, as I am deathly allergic to them. And by deathly, I mean I need an epipen handy at all times, because they caused anaphylactic shock that required me to rush to the hospital one time when I was visiting an aunt who has several cats.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
I own a Kindle. Most books I buy these days are e-books because I own so many print books I’ve run out of space to put them all. For the present, my Kindle meets my needs.
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Zack, a psychiatrist, admits to the hospital an agitated young Saudi American, in the midst of what appears to be a psychotic break. Youssef has been hearing voices and was found hiding with his laptop in the woods from unidentified assailants whom he believes are trying to kill him. He’s found coded messages on the laptop that he suspects portend a terrorist plot.
When Youssef is found dead either by suicide or murder, Zack develops symptoms similar to Youssef’s, hearing voices and catching glimpses of his dead patient, whom he believes is trying to kill him. He becomes entangled with Youssef’s widow Jamilah in her efforts to solve the mystery of her husband’s death and the coded message, but nothing in Zack’s world is as it appears as he swings between concern for her safety and suspicion that she is responsible for Youssef’s death and part of the terrorist plot that he suspected.
4) Where did you come up with the idea?
It came to me after 9/11 as I contemplated the dilemma of balancing a psychiatrist’s duty to maintain confidentiality with the duty to prevent harm if a patient were to share information during treatment that might forewarn of a terrorist plot. Having the patient in the throes of a psychosis would complicate the doctor’s ability to determine the validity of the threat. As I played with the story, it occurred to me that if the doctor were also to develop hallucinations and delusions, his ability to discern the truth would be further compromised. And, of course, a mad psychiatrist at the center of the story would make it all the more engaging.
5) How long did it take you to write it?
Either 15 years or 6 months, depending on how you look at it. I wrote a half dozen chapters in 2006, got stuck and filed it away in Dropbox. After I published my Brink of Life Trilogy in November 2019, I stumbled upon the file and decided to have a shot at completing it, having honed my skills as a novelist over the past decade writing science fiction. The rest of the story flowed easily from its beginnings as the characters came alive in my imagination.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?
It was the first time I wrote in the first person. While sacrificing the ability of the narrator to get into the other character’s heads, I found that writing in the first person lent depth to the protagonist’s story and his experience. In the end, it was a worthwhile trade-off, particularly with a character in the midst of a psychotic break.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
I have two websites:rickmoskovitz.com was originally designed for my non-fiction self-help book Lost in the Mirror and the original version of my psychological novel about recovered memories Carousel Music, which I’ve just republished in a Revised Edition.brinkoflife.com was dedicated initially to my science fiction trilogy Brink of Life and now includes Shared Madness and the Revised Edition of Carousel Music.My blog, Visions of a Carbon Based Life Form was started while writing science fiction and deals with science based issues, but occasionally veers into social issues and politics. The title refers to the dichotomy between silicon based AIs of the future and humans and the class conflicts it generates in the future social order.I’ve made book videos for Shared Madness, Carousel Music, A Stand-in for Dying, and The Creators, all of which are on my YouTube channel
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
Be patient and persistent. It takes 10,000 hours to become proficient at any worthwhile creative endeavor. That certainly goes for writing. And marketing has a similar learning curve. Consider it a marathon, not a sprint, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes along the way.I have been delighted with the covers of Shared Madness and the new edition of Carousel Music, both designed by The Book Cover Whisperer. I found her reasonably priced, wonderfully intuitive, easy to work with, and fast. My socks are still on the floor across the room!
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
Science fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction. Oddly enough, I read slowly and find anything longer than 350 pages daunting. (some exceptions: Michener’s The Source and The Goldfinch by Donna Tart, which kept me engaged to the end) So I’m willing to read and review occasional short new author works. (I’ve also leaned toward writing novella length works for the same reason.)
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?
“Of all time” is a tough call, given my age! Catch-22 comes to mind. Brilliant, incisive, incredibly funny and tragic at the same time, and timeless.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
No pets. I prefer to have the freedom to travel (at least pre-COVID-19). But I live on a bay, kayak regularly, and have frequent close encounters with dolphins, manatees, and all manner of exotic sea birds. Video clips from my dolphin encounters are featured on my book trailer for The Creators.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
I read most often on the Kindle app on my iPhone, which I find convenient and, of course, portable. I recently bought a Kindle Fire, which is OK, but the short battery life has been frustrating. I do enjoy the larger screen.
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Today’s interview is with Luke Soto, author of For We are More Than Conquerors.
Please enjoy.
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)? The author name I go by is Luke Soto, my actual name. and the knight of redemption a nickname i came up with
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre? The title of the newest book i am having released is called “For We Are More Than Conquerors” it would fall under Christian living
3) What is the book about? It is about the redemption of Christ, it is about how we as the creation of God were bound by sin and didn’t have a choice in the matter of how we lived because either way we were damned to hell. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation set us free from sin and now that we are free from sin, we can now choose to live our best life in Christ and live outside of that habit of sin that held up captive, its now our choice to live in Jesus Christ and free from our addiction to sinful living. Sin doesn’t want that and will do what ever it takes to keep you stuck under It’s control, its the slavery to sin God has set us free from. We now followers of Christ have to fight these temptations fight this addiction and long habitual practice of sin everyday of our lives, and what do we do we don’t even know how to, how can a man or woman stand against something if they don’t even know their identity in Christ, so this book is to help them to remember what Paul says, “…we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ” this books is a reminder of the fundamentals of our faith and what it actually means to be more than a conqueror. We hear in church all the time that we are more than a conqueror but what does that actually mean? read and find out what the very definition and life of the Christian is as more than a conqueror. That is what this book is about.
4) Where did you come up with the idea? It was just bugging me as I sat in church and heard the phrase “we are more than a conqueror.” and then go right on along. It was sung in song and in preaching it just became a by word, it was bizarre but it kind of just followed me and every time I heard it, it just echoed deep within me and it was like a haunt from a ghost. I felt that nudge of my curiosity that said, go find out what it means to be more than a conqueror in Christ.
5) How long did it take you to write it? it took me a long time to research it but it took about nine months to write this out. and studying everyday with hours at the computer typing out this sermon.
6) Did you learn anything from the project? Yes I did. I learned about the redemption we hold in Jesus Christ, I learned about faith, I learned about prayer, I learned about hope, about the responsibility we have to live right before God, I learned a lot about the life of Sin and Death and how it is a part of who we are but it doesn’t have to be the way we live, we can accept that fact that we do sin but we don’t have to stay living in it, and we can live a better life outside of our addiction to sin and death. We can live the life that Jesus Christ has planned for us. I learned the truth that Jesus is there to fight with us and we got to trust that He is God and has our best interest at heart and we can make it through our hard times. I learned about the Cross and the suffering and the pain that awaits us, but I also saw that we get battle scarred and also the love and the true reward of living the blessing that comes from fighting against the sinful self and the devil that looks to keep us in death and hell. I learned that we fall, we scrap our knees and get bruises but we can get back up and live better still. I learned the Lord God is a warrior and The Lord of Hosts is His name. That Jesus Christ is Lord of Angel Armies. and by the blood of Christ we are free to live in Him and free from the sins we were bound to. I learned salvation is a process and lasts our lifetime and that redemption is for the believer in Christ more than the sinner, but the sinner has the invitation to come and get that redemption from sin as well. God loves all humanity not just the few, I learned about the God who is More Than a Conqueror. I hope to share Him with you the readers.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video? yes i do www.knightofredemption.com – author website there you will see i have a blog as well that talks more on this topic and the stuff that goes along with the topic of redemption as for the book video i have it attached to this file. i dunno if that helps or do i need to send a link from my social media page For_We_Are_More_Than_Conquerors_720p.mp4(21,012K)
also here is my social media links incase readers are interested in following to keep updated on when the book is being released facebook: The Knight of redemption instagram: knight_of_redemption twitter: @knightredeemed
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? I’m a new author. I really don’t hold many tips myself. I can only say learn your history, apply the lessons best you can for yourself and read your book so much that you get sick of seeing it. Let that book be such a part of you that you ooze with the words and live the very pages in your life as an example. be the living word…. well the word that you want to emulate in your life. Don’t know if that helps any people out there.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I like classics, historical fiction mostly. I’m a huge fan of the classic authors, not this new stuff. I love Alexander Dumas, Robert L. Stevenson, Mark twain, G,K. Chesterton, sir walter scott, J.R. R. tolkien, C.S Lewis, Homer, Aesop, etc. they have to have a really good topic to talk on, and a point that can hold my attention, a lot of modern writers are very much so just lacking the imagination like the writers of the past centuries. Maybe I’m a bit of a purist, maybe i’m a bit spoiled after reading such legendary works I don’t think I could offer any advice that would be meaningful. Who am I to say what will work and not work.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? The Count of Monte Cristo but I’m so torn between that and two others. but i’ll say that one off the top of my head. The book has it all! drama, intrigue, love, adventure, revenge!, lessons to learn for our lives. the count shows a man who gave himself up for hate and lost his very identity and didn’t see the goodness that was there infront of his eyes all along, this man was stupid as a bag of rocks and just didn’t care. Heck the life of this man was something that can really make a difference in many people and also spark and inferno in the imagination and get you so involved…. I threw the book at one point when I saw that a certain event took place… I won’t spoil it. I never felt so involved than I was in that book.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? I personally don’t. but I love dogs
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? not anymore i don’t’. I had a nook when it was first released, actually a nook color. but i hated it. It was super frustrating. After trying to read through the book it was like I was making no progress and I was more focused on that than on the plot of the book. I was trying to enjoy and help me be stress free. It works for some, it’s just not my cup of tea.
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I’m pleased to bring you this interview with Beth Anne Nagel, author of Cry of My Heart – Meditations & Prayers for Adoptive Moms.
Please enjoy!
Best,
Vincent Lowry
Interview:
1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?My author name is Beth Anne Nagel. I live in Michigan.
2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?My book is entitled “Cry of My Heart.” It is a Non-Ficton Devotinal for Adoptive Moms
3) What is the book about? “Cry of My Heart” is a collection of personal stories taken from my own experience as an adoptive mom of 3, and the unique challenges many adoptive moms face when raising children who started out life in traumatic situations.
4) Where did you come up with the idea?I started a FaceBook group for adoptive moms like myself that was a safe place to share struggles and to pray for ourselves and our kids. One of the members asked me to consider printing a compilation of the prayers I had been typing each day. Once I had that completed, I asked for volunteers to proofread and provide feedback. A copy fell into the hands of a friend of a friend who happened to be a publisher. Eventually my two printed pages of prayers grew into a book of 52 meditations and prayers for adoptive moms.
5) How long did it take you to write it?It was a little over two years in the making as I managed my FaceBook group. Once I had more direction it took about six months to complete.
6) Did you learn anything from the project?I learned that writing so directly from my own heart is physically and emotionally exhausting. But if your words flow from your heart out to you fingers on the keyboard, your work will connect with the hearts and lives of those who read it.
7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?I started a YouTube channel that currently has a handful of videos. One is what I would call a promotional video in which I explain what I’m up to and ask friends and family to give a donation toward my publishing costs. My intent is to create more videos once my super special IT husband gets the updated tech in place. I have a couple of blogs I started years ago but they are not related to Cry of My Heart. I have a FaceBook page called “Cry of My Heart Book” and an author profile on KDP.
8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? If you believe you are supposed to write a book, don’t give up. The writing process is hard work that often causes you to question if you have anything worth saying. Sometimes it will feel like you are forcing something out. Go ahead anyway. That’s what editing is for. Don’t be afraid to take a break. Sometimes you have to go jump on the trampoline with your kids, take an unusually long nap, drink more caffeine than you should, and daydream about a book launch date. The publisher I contracted with also designed my cover. It is beautiful and perfectly matches its contents.
9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?I mostly read fiction. I like mysteries, crime, historical fiction. I’d love to find a good author of Christian fiction that is not the standard romance. Like seriously. I also spend a lot of time on classic non-fiction Christian writers like C.S. Lewis, Watchman Nee, or John MacArthur. If it’s a topic that interests me enough to feel I would be giving a fair review, I would happily do so.
10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? The first novel I ever read was “The Neverending Story.” I was ten years old. Before then I had never experienced a work that drew me so completely into the story I forgot my own surroundings. It was glorious and the beginning of my love of word crafting.
11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?We have 4 black cats. They are named, Linus, Lucy, Sally, and Schroeder. We have a dog named Kyla. She is super needy and drives the rest of the family crazy with whining if I leave the house without her. We also have around 50 chickens. Our rooster is Jack Sparrow. Most of the hens don’t have specific names, but one hen I took to when she was just a couple days old is named Goldie. She has a scissor beak which makes it tougher for her to eat, and she is blind in one eye. I trained her to sit on my fore arm and “kiss” me on the cheek.
12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I use the Kindle app on an android tablet. It is my preferred way of reading in bed because nothing sucks more than dropping a novel on your face. For non-fiction I prefer to have an actual book because I highlight, underline, circle, and make notes.
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As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Vincent
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