Category Archives: Interviews
Vexing Stages of Culture Shock
Michael Greco Author Interview
Plum Rains on Happy House follows an American who is trying to turn an Inn into a school but is thwarted by the house’s strange creatures. What was the inspiration behind this unique story?
I live in Japan, and it’s a place I know well. The book’s dedication probably says it all:
This book is for Japan. It’s the place I call home—though it may not want me to. For over 25 years I have grappled with the dos and don’t’s of my host country, destroying the language in conversation, giving up, resuming more study, eventually resigning myself to the boundless plateaus of almost-speech.
And Japan abides. Like a patient steward, it absorbs the frolics and the ribbing, while providing a solacing habitat in which to write and teach and parent and grow.
I came over to Japan in the 80’s and I’ve lived in some pretty seedy guesthouses—what we call gaijin houses. In creating the residents of Happy House, I just mingled the characteristics of a few of the unique people I’ve met over the decades in Tokyo and in Los Angeles. In some cases, I didn’t need to exaggerate at all.
On one level Plum Rains on Happy House is a detective story. A fellow named Harry Ballse invites the protagonist, nicknamed the Ichiban, to Japan. But the residents of Happy House all deny any knowledge of this mysterious Harry Ballse.
Some readers may pick up on the references to the 1973 film The Wicker Man, about a policeman who is lured to a Scottish island to investigate the report of a missing child. It’s a game of deception. The islanders are playing with him. The paganism and the sexual activity the sanctimonious policeman finds so objectionable are simply part of the selection process—to see if he possesses the characteristics to burn in their wicker effigy so that the village will have subsequent successful harvests.
In Plum Rains on Happy House, the Ichiban must undergo his own horrific sacrifice to appease the house. My novel is in many ways a tribute to that remarkable film, and it has the same foundational plot lines, but I’ve laid down a hearty layer of satire and lots of cross-cultural lunacy.
There are some weird and fascinating things happening in this story. Was this an easy outlet for your creativity or was there some effort put into creating these things?
Nothing is easy. If women will forgive me the metaphor, creating Plum Rains on Happy House was like giving birth—it hurt a lot. There were points when I considered giving up because it was just too hard. I’m not a funny person, but I have little trouble dreaming up wacky stories and characters. The residents of Happy House had to be distinctively quirky. I didn’t know how bawdy things were going to become, or how much depravity would creep its way into the story. But once I had the characters they took charge, and I relegated myself to being, more or less, their stenographer.
Dialog was also something I paid close attention to. Of course, sharp dialog is vital in any story, but for this kind of back-and-forth humor to succeed, I felt it really had to have zip. Just like a comedian practices his delivery line, the dialog exchanges had to have real punch. As with most writing, dialog should say a lot , with very little. The communication isn’t in the words being said but in the subtext. Good dialog says it without saying it. One quick example from Chapter One has the resident of Room 3 (nicknamed The Goat) explaining to the new resident about his missing foot:
“I saw you looking at the bottom of my leg.”
“Your foot?”
The Goat scowled. “Obviously, you can see that no longer exists.”
“It’s in Cambodia.”
The Goat went into a cross-eyed fluster. “What is?”
Sometimes readers need to work a bit to understand the exchange, and I think they appreciate that. Dialog is an organic process. It’s the way characters talk in my head, and I think I know how to write them because they are all a part of me. It all works toward satisfying the element of what a good scene often comes down to: one person trying to get something from another.
Mix that in with the baffling idiosyncrasies of Japan and its language, and the vexing stages of culture shock, which frame the Ichiban’s adventure in Happy House, and readers have a lot to juggle, especially those uninitiated to living in other countries. I’m hoping this confusion is a part of the magnetism of the story. On top of that, one should remember the old guesthouse is haunted:
“Happy House is an amoeba everlasting, a floating world—capturing and sealing the self-indulgence of the red-light districts, the bordellos and the fleeting, delightful vulgarity of ancient Japan, an eternal time capsule of the flamboyant and the boorish.”
What do you find is a surprising reaction people have when they read your book?
The book has received mixed reviews. Of the five books I have up on Amazon, Plum Rains on Happy House was the first to receive a customer review of one star—perhaps rightfully so: the reader was “disgusted” by some of the more explicit scenes, and I think that was my fault; the earlier cover gave no indication of the sexual content within, and this poor woman was clearly ambushed. With the one star, I know I’m finally an author, and wear it as a badge of honor.
There are, however, cultural elements in the story that some will not understand: the usage of the various slipper customs inside a house, the daily beating of the futon, the laundry poles, the shockingly steep stairwells, the neighborhood garbage trucks that play cute tunes to let you know they’re coming, the confusion between the colors of blue and green.
The dichotomy of substance versus form also plays an important part in underscoring the tension—in the way one swings a tennis racket, or walks in a swimming pool, or plays baseball, or eats particular dishes: What should predominate—what you are doing or how you are doing it?
On another level, the story examines language acquisition and the role of structure within the learning process. The residents all have their various opinions: As teachers, should English be taught through some kind of lock-step formula, or would one be better off approaching it in a more hands off manner, rather like painting? Everyone seems to have an opinion.
The idea of structure comes to the forefront again when discussing what one character, Sensei, calls the hidden structure of the house, which, like the neighborhood (or any cityscape in Japan) appears as an amorphous sprawl. But look underneath this sprawl and one sees the organism. Sensei says that the randomness, or chaos, embraces a flexible, orderly structure, and he likens the house to an amoeba that has the ability to alter its shape. Similarly, this amoeba can be seen as a microcosm of Japan as a whole.
What are you currently working on and when will it be available?
I’ve finished the first few drafts of a story about Special Needs teens who discover time travel. But the adult teachers at the school find out what’s going on and abuse this ability to travel back into time for their own selfish needs. It turns out the ones with the Special Needs are not the teenagers—who are all somewhere on the Autism spectrum—but the supposed grownups, and it’s up to the teens to save the day. It should be out in autumn.
Thanks for having me!
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![Plum Rains on Happy House by [Greco, Michael]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Q1wl7Un%2BL.jpg)
In Japan, the little inn called Happy House welcomes its guests … unless it’s rainy season. When the “plum rains” arrive, trying times of volatility and decadence begin for everyone.
The American in Room 1, however, is dead-set on turning the derelict Happy House into a burgeoning English school.
The house has other plans, and Room 1’s attempts are thwarted by a freakish creature that lives under the floorboards called “the Crat”.
That Loving Gesture
Gloria D. Gonsalves Author Interview
Jai the Albino Cow is a lovely children’s book that teaches kids how special it is to be different. What was your inspiration for this book?
During a holiday in Austria while hiking going uphill, I felt exhausted and lay down on a grazing pasture. A brown calf approached and licked my face. That loving gesture was indelibly printed in my mind.
Once back home in Germany, I had an idea to write a story about cows. I vividly remember that the story lead was going to be a female and her name is Gundula. The idea landed on a list I keep for children’s story topics. I wrote, “Once upon a time, there were three cows Gold Bell, Spotty and their sister Gundula. They lived with their mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Moo, in the alpine meadows of Nocky mountains. Gold Bell always wore…”
On another occasion visiting my home country Tanzania, I observed more cows in the pastures of Usambara Mountains. Soon after, the story idea developed further with themes from my motherland. I desired to create a main character who is female, different and also have her story address the topic of human diversity.
In some African countries, people with albinism have suffered and are still suffering from discrimination and other horrendous acts including being hunted for their body parts for magic potions by witch doctors. We can help solve this problem through stories which teach love and respect from an early age, such as in this book which uses a cow as the protagonist.
The book is told in both English and Swahili. Why did you want to tell this story in both languages?
My mother tongue Swahili is spoken not only in Tanzania but also in the neighbour countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. The intention to have a bilingual story was with a hope that the message will have a great impact and reach many more, particularly in areas where albinos are maligned.
I loved the art in this book. It was both artful and bright. What was the art collaboration like with Nikki Ng’ombe?
Nikki is a daughter of a friend. Besides being acquainted with each other, she is very professional and delivers concrete results. We have worked together in another book project and already knew each other’s pace of work. She grasped quickly the vision I had for this book. I will certainly work with her again if not occupied by studies.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently proofreading a manuscript for a children’s Swahili book co-authored by Tanzanian writers. We intend to publish this year.
Author Links: Facebook | GoodReads | Website
![Jai the Albino Cow: Jai NgâOmbe Zeruzeru by [Gonsalves, Gloria D.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51j9uGD0HdL.jpg)
Can an albino cow possess abilities to be admired by other cows?
Anjait (Jai) is Ankole cow who lived with her family in Kole Hills. Jai suffers from albinism. Other cows thought she was cursed. One day, Jai shocked other cows for doing something that no other cow did before. She also surprised them with a magical skill.
What is it that Jai did as the first ever cow? Will her actions and skill help bring love and respect to albino cows?
Get your copy now to find out the answers and reveal to your children the importance of showing kindness and respect to everyone, even if they look different.
Surprised and Amazed
Simon Perlsweig Author Interview
Front Porches to Front Lines uses the story of your great grandparents to tell a larger story about a small town affected by WWI. What was the inspiration that made you want to put this story into a book?
There were actually several inspirations which motivated me to turn my great-grandparents’ story into a book. Perhaps the most basic of these is simply the fact that I love history and thoroughly enjoy doing the research and writing about it. With that being said, the best way to cover all of the inspirations behind this book can probably best be told by talking about how the book began in the first place.
Front Porches to Front Lines is actually the expansion of a college essay with a similar title. I had always heard from my mother that there was letter somewhere in a box which talked about what took place on Armistice Day in 1918 in the small town of Springfield, Vermont where my great-grandparents were living at the time and I’d always hoped that I would find it someday. When I re-enrolled at the University of Connecticut in 2014 to finish my B.A. in American Studies I made up my mind that I wanted the remainder of my coursework to include an independent study project which would be completed under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Fortunately I found this letter and soon after found an advisor in Dr. Walter Woodward, a professor at UConn and the State Historian of Connecticut.
During the Fall 2014 semester, I researched World War One and the subsequent Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and in turned used the letter about Armistice Day and about 300 more family letters to tell the story of my great-grandparents’ experiences at this time as a microcosm of how the war and epidemic impacted people on the local, regional, national and international levels.
While, one of my biggest inspirations to write this book was to record my family’s story, I chose to tell this story in particular because of the wealth of primary resource material available to me and also to help expand the knowledge and scholarship of a chapter in the history of the United States which in some ways has gone largely overlooked until recently.
Lastly, I chose to turn this story into a book because it simply kept me busy with something I enjoyed doing. Since finishing my degree in the spring of 2016, my job hunt has been largely unsuccessful and expanding the essay which was my “senior thesis” of sorts into a book had given me a project to focus on amidst my bad job prospects. Plus, I was also of the belief that it would make my resume stand out in the future in a way that not many recent undergraduates’ resumes do. However, these last reasons are all somewhat secondary to those mentioned above.
I enjoyed the historical information provided in the book. What kind of research did you undertake for this book?
The scope of my research for this book was very broad and in fact I learned a lot of doing research and research methods on the fly while compiling the materials for Front Porches to Front Lines. The bulk of my research, about 60% of it, involved the careful analysis of the letters between my great-grandparents as well as those written between other family members and a few of their friends as well. I feel very fortunate to have had such an archive at my disposal while writing my book because it’s those letters which make up the majority of the family story which is at the center of the book.
Aside from the analysis of the letters, I conducted a handful of interviews, one with my great aunt, who is my only living relative at this time who knew all of the family members referenced in the book; I also interviewed the couple who run the historical society in Springfield, Vermont on two occasions to get a sense of what materials the town had left from the World War One era; and lastly, I interviewed a number people who had lived in Springfield during the first half of the 20th century and had some recollections of stories their parents and relatives had told them about Springfield during the 1910s.
I spent many hours in the public library in Springfield going through the microfilm they had copies of their local newspaper going back to World War One and was an excellent source of soldier letters as well as advertisements relating to both the war effort as well as the many remedies people were trying to cure themselves of the Spanish Flu. I spent time combing the objects and other materials at the Springfield Art and Historical Society and lastly, I used any primary source material related to war that I could get hands on along with a handful of pictures and other items from my family’s records.
What were some things that you found surprising about your grandparents lives?
To be honest, the majority of the information about my great-grandparents’ lives which I included in the book was all new to me. Since the location of their letters had been somewhat unknown for such a long period of time and since my family didn’t talk about many of the aspects of their lives that were detailed in these letters, much of what I learned from them was both new and surprising. For instance many of the down to earth details about daily living during this tough chapter in our nation’s history left me both surprised and amazed, especially given the circumstances of the world in which I grew up in the 1990s and 2000s. I was repeatedly left in awe of my great-grandparents’ ability to press on from one day to the next, when under the constant threat of a potential German invasion, the rapid spread of an infectious disease or both.
One particular episode during the 1910s which I found particularly curious actually was referenced in a letter between my great-grandmother and her sister. In this letter, my great-grandmother’s sister talks about hearing former president Theodore Roosevelt speak at a rally to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide. Given, my family’s rather apolitical stances on things, it was surprising to find out that any of them participated in any event that was about an issue which didn’t directly threaten their lives or the nation’s security.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have just begun the research for my next book, which at the moment is going to be a more comprehensive look at Armistice Day and how that day was celebrated around the world. However, since I am also in the process of getting ready to go back to graduate school, I do not have a good idea as of yet as to when that book will be completed and made available. I know that some of it will depend on my graduate school commitments as well as my ability to amass the resources I need to complete this project and do the topic justice.
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World War One and the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. Two events which will alwaysdefine the 1910s, a decade which saw great political and social change; a long list ofdisasters and a realignment of the global stage, something which would help define manyof the subsequent events of the twentieth century. When the United States declared war onGermany on April 2, 1917, it was just the first of two major calamities which would in someway impact just about every American man, woman and child during the latter half of the1910s.The second of these wars, the Spanish Influenza of 1918, came right on the heels of theGreat War’s conclusion on November 11, 1918 as many of the returning soldiers camehome with the influenza virus, having caught it either in Europe or sometime during thejourney home from France. Front Porches to Front Lines tells the story of how the citizensof one small New England town, came together to confront these two wars and in doing sobecame one of the most generous towns when it came to contributing to the war effort inthe form of Liberty Loans, war gardens and war supplies as well as dozens of soldiers, RedCross nurses and civilian workers, such as machinists.
Rest Assured, It Will Be Interesting
John Fennell Author Interview
Raven and the Code Book follows Raven as she must secure a code book containing a world changing secret. What was the direction that you wanted to take this book that was different from the first two books in the Raven series?
I mixed in two characters and a special flying machine from the John Vacara series to add a different flare to the story line. I wanted the reader to experience Raven Anderson as they have come to know her, but I wanted the story line mixed up to keep it interesting.
Raven Anderson is a femme fatale secret agent who uses her skills, intelligence and sex appeal to get the job done. What were some new areas of her personality that you wanted to explore in this book?
I wanted Raven Anderson character more defined in this book. I think the reader now has a better perception of her personality, her dreams and why she shunned Naci from her life for over a year. She has learned that she may need to change her life direction as she gets older. I haven’t decided what she will evolve into five or six volumes from now, but rest assured, it will be interesting.
If Hollywood came knocking who would you cast as the lead characters in your book?
Raven – Gal Gadot. Naci – Matt Damon.
What are you currently writing and when will it be available?
A book magnet designed to intertwine both Raven Anderson and John Vacara series. It will explain the background and lay out the future for both series. This will be available late spring 2019 and will be available in electronic version only. It will be free. The next Raven Anderson book is Raven and the Psychiatrist, a story in the world of human trafficking. The next John Vacara series is Nadia’s Return. A very personal look at perhaps the world’s most sought after agent with a slight twist of scifi. these should be out late fall 2019.
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Raven teams up with world renown assassin Morgan to seek revenge on her former employer, The Foundation, for not letting her bring closure to her beloved Uncles death. The Foundation put Raven in their sights because she went rouge, a policy that her lover, Naci, tried to change. Morgan and Raven organize an auction that bring together world leaders and a rouge scientist, Falcon-X, who will sell to the highest bidder, an advanced breakthrough in travel. Things don’t go as planned at the auction, Raven must protect Falcon-X and hide him. During their travels to Raven’s bunker, Falcon-X reminds her of something very important. Raven’s uncle Bill, although passed, sent her a signal in old film clip that saves her life. She must protect herself and all those around her, after the devastation Morgan creates in her life. Raven must find out the reason for her uncle’s death and who’s really on her side. She, along with her deceased uncle, put an end to, Raven Gone Rouge.
God Influenced Her Choices
Eleanor Tremayne Author Interview
Seven Days in Lebanon is based on your family history that has been passed on to you from your grandmother. Why was this an important book for you to write?
My grandmother was an amazing woman not only because of surviving such horrific events in her life, but also because she always believed that God influenced her choices. When she dedicated her life to raising me, I never realized at the time how much she taught me. It was important for me to preserve her stories, and her memories the only way I knew how; The only way I knew that I could. A novel that all her future generations could keep and learn from. I was determined to immortalize my grandmother’s memory.
Did you have a complete picture of the events you wanted to tell in this book or did you undertake some research?
There were so many stories that my grandmother told not only me but other family members and friends, that I knew I had to include all of them. I chose to use a framework technique to keep the reader interested. Flashbacks were also important to create a genuine sense of how my grandmother must have felt during some of the events. Nevertheless, there were many hours of research to keep the story authentic, and historically correct.
What were some things that surprised you when you first learned of this story?
When I discovered that the Ballerina that my great grandmother, Natasha, knew was the famous Mathilda Kschessinska, the former lover of Tsar Nicholas, it added a new dimension. Later I also remembered that Natasha met the Prince of Kiva when he was a young child. This was ironically the same Prince that saved my grandmother’s life and married her.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next novel is, The Mermaid’s Grandson. Although this novel includes fantasy, it introduces a completely new spin on previous stories. The reader will be able to relate to many of the experiences and learn that the line between fantasy and reality is much more related than one believes. My personal objective is to have it ready for print by November 2019.
Author Links: Amazon | Twitter
![Seven Days in Lebanon by [Tremayne, Eleanor]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51nTo8y0eYL.jpg)
On a frigid winter morning in St. Petersburg, Russia 1917, eighteen year old Olga Von Eggert must leave her country and family. The Bolshevik army is on a mission to destroy all aristocrats. When Olga fails to join her entourage at the designated rendezvous, Prima Ballerina Mathilda Kschessinska notifies the Khan of Kiva, a mutual acquaintance. The Khan’s son, Prince Razek Bek Khadjieff, defies his father’s orders and sends his strongest Cossack soldier to save the young Baroness. Nearly ninety years later, Damian Tolbert, a Frenchman living in Paris bids $100,000 on an antique diary with the initials NV on the leather cover. Once the journal is translated from Russian to French Damian is determined to find the rightful heir to this antique keepsake. Several years later, by coincidence, or perhaps fate, Damian discovers Anastasia Sullivan, the only living descendent to the journal, in an odd town called Lebanon, Ohio. Rather than answers, Damian finds more missing pieces to his puzzle. Will the “Mind Marauders ” finally leave his psyche? And, who is this mysterious artist, Anastasia Sullivan? This historical novel is inspired by true events of the author’s grandmother, Olga Von Eggert Khadjieff.
A Completely Foreign Environment
John Wilker Author Interview
Space Rogues is a genre-crossing novel with elements of a science fiction, action, and adventure as well. Did you start writing with this in mind, or did this happen organically as you were writing?
Organically, I’m more pantster than plotter so the stories just sort of form as they go. In hindsight it makes sense, since as a reader, I’m drawn to similar stories.
Wil was an interesting and well developed character. What was the inspiration for his character and backstory?
Wil is a mix of TV scifi characters. Some John Crichton (Farscape), some John Jaqobis (Killjoys), and a healthy dose of Mal Reynolds (Firefly). I like the idea of the out of his depth character, just getting by. He’s smart, but in a completely foreign environment and even the smallest things is a huge learning curve.
I’m assuming you’re a fan of the space opera genre. What are some books in that genre that you felt most inspired this story?
One of my favorite genres to read for sure 🙂 Omega Force by Joshua Dalzelle, Ryk Brown’s Frontiers saga, Randolph LaLonde’s Spinward Fringe, and Jamie McFarlane’s Privateer Tales are kind of my top four, I devour every new book that’s released in these series.
This is the first book in your scifi series. Where will book two take readers?
I view each book as a sort of episode or movie, so I like to sprinkle in a little bit of “Stuff happens before the story starts; a weird mission the crew is talking about, etc. Book two finds the crew in another “Save the galaxy, even though no one asks them to” kind of scenario. I like using the crew to explore big ideas I have, and letting the story play out from their perspective.
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![Space Rogues: The Epic Adventures of Wil Calder, Space Smuggler by [Wilker, John]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WpoHaOgDL.jpg)
Wil just wanted a crew for his ship.
He got a galactic conspiracy.
Wil Calder is a human, the only one to leave our solar system.
But that was years ago.
Now, he’s a lonely smuggler, looking for a crew, because space is lonely and boring.
Just a few folks to boss around once in a while, is that so much?
What he definitely isn’t looking for, a galactic conspiracy.
But that’s what he and his new crew find. They’ve just met each other and now they have to save the commonwealth from war, no big deal.
Does this untested crew and their entirely out of his depth human captain have what it takes?
Her Duty to Mankind
John Fennell Author Interview
Raven Gone Rogue follows Raven as she tries to find the truth behind her uncles death and needs to go against her former employer to do it. What was the inspiration for the setup to this exciting novel?
Raven Anderson is a very determined character who will stop at nothing to accomplish her goal. She knew The Foundation would never let her take out her uncle’s killer because he was a source of vital information, so she went rogue to hunt down the man who changed her life forever. As the author, I knew this was a natural story that would make a great plot for Raven Gone Rogue.
Raven is an intriguing character that I enjoyed following. What were some driving ideals behind her character development?
She was thrown into the agent lifestyle because of her uncle’s death, thus giving me a perfect character to develop. In the first book Raven and the Panther, Raven went from a teenager to a highly skilled assassin trained be her uncle and the Panther. In Raven Gone Rogue she had to leave The Foundation to accomplish her goal. This also set up conflict with her love Naci Vacara, grandson of The Foundation matriarch Amelia Vacara. The Foundation placed a target on her back.
I enjoyed the balance between action and exposition which kept the novel on a steady pace. Was there a balance you tried to strike, or did this develop organically while writing?
I wanted the story to follow a deliberate course to keep the reader engaged. I knew Raven needed to get back in the graces of The Foundation. Something drastic needed to happen in the plot so Raven could work her way back into The Foundation. It’s all in the book and the reader won’t be disappointed.
Where do you see this series going in future novels?
Raven will continue to rid the world of evil. She and her love Naci along with The Foundation will take on several more adversaries with a whole host of challenges. The next novel, Raven and the Code Book, deals with something that will change the world forever. Again, Raven Anderson meets her adversary head on and fulfills her duty to mankind.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
![Raven Gone Rogue by [Fennell, John]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51MkEhfUFnL.jpg)
Raven teams up with world renown assassin Morgan to seek revenge on her former employer, The Foundation, for not letting her bring closure to her beloved Uncles death. The Foundation put Raven in their sights because she went rouge, a policy that her lover, Naci, tried to change. Morgan and Raven organize an auction that bring together world leaders and a rouge scientist, Falcon-X, who will sell to the highest bidder, an advanced breakthrough in travel. Things don’t go as planned at the auction, Raven must protect Falcon-X and hide him. During their travels to Raven’s bunker, Falcon-X reminds her of something very important. Raven’s uncle Bill, although passed, sent her a signal in old film clip that saves her life. She must protect herself and all those around her, after the devastation Morgan creates in her life. Raven must find out the reason for her uncle’s death and who’s really on her side. She, along with her deceased uncle, put an end to, Raven Gone Rouge.
A World Much Darker
T.L. Bailey Author Interview
The Dark Age Chronicles is a genre-crossing novel with elements of a fantasy, horror, and adventure as well. Did you start writing with this in mind, or did this happen organically as you were writing?
Well, I knew that I wanted to have the book set in the time of pirates. I saw “Treasure Island” when I was twelve years old and after that I was in love with pirate movies. I watched every Earl Flynn movie I could, or anything pirate related. It wasn’t until I was older that I wanted to take that aspect of the dark ages, of how we treat one another, and introduce a world much darker, more sinister. Growing up I watched sci-fi, fantasy, and horror movies and I think I always knew I would combine them if I could. My love for shows like, “Charmed”, “Walking Dead”, “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, and “Supernatural” helped me want to combine the genre as I got older.
What was the initial idea behind this story and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
I know this is going to sound so lame but I had a dream when I was twelve about this girl standing on a dock at night in a storm overlooking three tall ships. In the dream she was so sad and she seemed distressed. I woke up and have never got that image out of my mind. That was the day the story started to develop in my head…the day Eve was born. It wasn’t easy because as I grew up so did my character and I found ideas along my life that I wanted Eve to experience. I also had to develop a writing technique that I didn’t have at twelve. I actually had a file that I would place ideas in until the day came to actually start writing it. When it did, well, the book was transformed to new ideas as I wrote.
Eve is an interesting character that I thought was well developed. What were some driving ideals behind her character development?
I wanted a character that was in the world but felt alienated as well. Giving her pale skin, unusual red hair, and a mark on her hand in the dark ages was like signing her death warrant. To have to be born with that stigmata helped set up the story line for Eve’s fears, and her long for social acceptance. Because of the lack of love she has been shown from Randall Cambridge, her grandfather, she feels like she is evil. Children often always blame themselves when adults do things, and Eve is no different. She even still tries to believe if she does what he wants she will win his love someday. Even though she is beaten down, she has an inner strength that won’t let her give up. I wanted a character that had to struggle with should I help these people even though they watched me get abused and didn’t help me? It would be hard for anyone to do that. I wanted to take her down that path and find out the answers.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be published?
The Dark Age Chronicles has four books total in the series and are all out on Amazon.com paper back or Kindle and I am currently writing a new novel called Portals.
The Dark Age Chronicles books in order: Eve of Darkness, Eve of the Hunters, Eve of Destruction and Eve of Battle.
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In 1717 it was a time of darkness,where stations kept to their own and people struggled to survive. A time where pirates still roamed the seas, slavery was suffered and ignorance reigned supreme. But there is coming a greater darkness that man can’t hope to fight A darkness that will consume every soul on earth. One young girl named Eve, born with a mark on her hand, outcast and abused, learns that she is the chosen one that must stop the rising evil. The last of a known race who protected the world, she must fight a horde of demonic hell hounds, demons, and her worst fears. Together with six others, she must learn to use powers she never knew she had if she ever hopes to defeat Nyx…. the most powerful Necromancer ever born.
Murder/Mystery
Dave Frolick Author Interview
The Cabin: A Murder Mystery is a twisting murder mystery that follows a homicide detective trying to solve a case in his hometown. What was the inspiration for the setup to this intriguing novel?
Buck Woods was a character I originally created as a back woods trapper when I attempted to write a story when I was 14 years old. I liked the name so I made Buck an NYPD Homicide Detective. Since I’m a fan of James Patterson and Stuart Woods, I decided to attempt a murder/mystery novel as my first book. I choose Orono, Maine for Buck’s home town just from looking at a map of the United States.
Before publishing the book, my wife and I took a trip to Orono to check out the location. By personally checking out the setting it helped me get the facts straight, and make the story more authentic.
Buck is an interesting character that I thought was well developed. What were some driving ideals behind his character?
I tried to develop Buck into a strong caring character that people can identify with. However, I gave him obstacles he had to deal with on a daily basis. PTSD from his Gulf War days, self-blame and feelings of guilt from the death of his teenage girlfriend, Doreen Warren and the murder of his NYPD partner, Cheryl Jenkins were a few of the challenges Buck had to work through.
I enjoyed the mystery that unfolded. Was this planned or did it develop organically while writing?
The Cabin: A Murder Mystery started as a rough idea. Once I determined what the story would be about, I sat down at my computer and began to write the first chapter. I walk every day for almost two hours.
This gives me time to think and plot my story and develop characters. I find this is the best way for me to write. I don’t sit down and plot every scene on paper like other writers do.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next novel is now completed and will be edited this April. The book is called New York City Murders. Homicide Detective Buck Woods returns to New York City and teams up with a new partner, a beautiful woman named Kristie Karlsson. The novel is a stand-alone sequel to The Cabin: A Murder Mystery.
Author Links: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
![The Cabin: A Murder Mystery by [Frolick, W.D.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/514lo-DpyML.jpg)
Buck Woods, a stressed-out NYPD homicide detective and former Marine Scout sniper on sabbatical, returns home to Orono, Maine.
Upon arriving back in town, Buck meets up with his old high school friend, Detective Jim Barkowsky of the Orono PD. Jim invites Buck to stay with him, his wife, and their two children.
The next morning Buck and Jim go to check out Buck’s new home, an old run-down log cabin he inherited from his grandfather on two acres of land on Punshaw Lake. Upon entering the cabin, they discover the decomposing body of an unidentified man. The victim died from a single gunshot wound. It is obvious that he was murdered.
Buck and Jim set out to solve the murder by putting together the pieces of the puzzle. Unexpected twists, turns, and obstacles abound, leading to a climax that puts Buck’s life on the line.
Toxic Relationships
Diane Pomerantz Author Interview
Lost in the Reflecting Pool is a candid retelling of your life and the many trials you faced throughout. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was an important book for me to write Lost in the Reflecting Pool for several reasons. On a personal level, writing was a way for me to process some very difficult, and traumatic times in my life. The act of writing itself, allowed me to gain enough distance and perspective to gain understanding that I don’t think I would have otherwise gained.
Equally important, my book covers many issues that are of particular relevance to women and men in terms of toxic relationships, narcissism, trusting the red flags that one sees early on in relationships and I think that it is important that these are important issues for the general population to be aware of as they enter into relationships.
You wrote about a relationship with a man that you struggled to break free of; what is one piece of advice you wish you had at the beginning?
Trust what I saw – and to not ignore what I saw.
The book is a memoir about many difficult things in your life, but the story is ultimately uplifting. What do you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope that people will take away from my story that it is possible to change to course of one’s life even when things feel as if there is no way out – things can get better. Developing a support system is essential. When in a toxic relationship make sure that one does not allow oneself to become isolated from all other supports (friends and family).
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a psychological thriller, Call Me Angel which should be available late 2020 and I am working on two children’s books.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Twitter
![Lost in the Reflecting Pool: A Memoir by [Pomerantz, Diane]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41nkLYogIsL.jpg)
When Diane, a psychologist, falls in love with Charles, a charming and brilliant psychiatrist, there is laughter and flowers—and also darkness. After moving through infertility treatments and the trials of the adoption process as a united front, the couple is ultimately successful in creating a family. As time goes on, however, Charles becomes increasingly critical and controlling, and Diane begins to feel barraged and battered. When she is diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, Charles is initially there for her, but his attentiveness quickly vanishes and is replaced by withdrawal, anger, and unfathomable sadism. What Diane previously thought were just Charles’ controlling ways are replaced by clear pathologic narcissism and emotional abuse that turns venomous at the very hour of her greatest need.
A memoir and a psychological love story that is at times tender and at times horrifying, Lost in the Reflecting Pool is a chronicle of one woman’s struggle to survive within—and ultimately break free of—a relationship with a man incapable of caring about anyone beyond himself.
