Category Archives: Interview

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Interview: Joshua Silverman, Author of The Emerald Tablet

Everyone, please welcome Joshua Silverman, a talented author who combines mythology, science fiction, and fantasy into his planned 7-part series Legends of Amun Ra.

Joshua Silverman was born in Washington, D.C. He moved to Orange County, California where he was raised.

While attending California State University, Fullerton and studying Criminal Justice, Joshua was introduced to a creative writing class where he wrote a series of paranormal stories. As a child, he has always been an amateur historian, focusing on ancient Egypt, Greek, and Roman civilizations.

Since working in the legal environment he has combined his passion for creative writing with his love of ancient history by penning his debut novel, The Emerald Tablet, the first of seven in the Legends of Amun Ra series.

Joshua currently resides in Orange County, California and enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with his family.

SilvermanEmeraldTablet1) In my experience, some of the best fiction is based on facts and history. How do you build your research into your fictional works?

I usually try not to be terribly overt about it. Sometimes it’s as simple as names of places (i.e. Karnak district in the Thothian Empire is a real place in Egypt). The story Pythos tells Atlantia of Lycurgus and Osiris – Lycurgus was a real person in ancient Greece. Or even how the Amun Priest’s all have shaved heads and beards, which was standard grooming for priests in ancient Egypt. Also, foods they eat, how they’re cooked (which I get more into in subsequent books – The Emerald Tablet doesn’t focus too much on food), are all based on real cuisine in ancient Egypt or Greece. In The Soul of the World (book 2), I introduce a drink called Henqet, which is a whiskey-like cocktail. But the word “Henqet” is actually the ancient Egyptian word for ‘beer’. So it’s little things like that. Thoth’s conquest of the district of Messenia is inspired by true history as well, except it was the ancient Spartans that conquered Messenia in the 7th century, BCE, and made the Messenians into “helots” or slaves.

2) Hearing historical tales and ancient myths as bedtime stories, was there a time in your life that those stories were very real to you?

I’ve always been enamored with the story of Thermopylae. Not the fake one in the movie 300, which was an interpretation of Frank Miller’s comic book, which was an interpretation of real events, but the true story of the battle and that whole war, is quite amazing.

3) Which ancient or historical works have you not read and periodically kick yourself for not having made time for them yet?

Ah, that’s such an impossible question. There are 21 books on ancient Egypt in my immediate TBR pile. A quick Amazon search reveals that there are 5,800 books on ancient Egypt available on Amazon. So you can see, the danger in writing about mythology is that there’s so much research material available, one could never stop researching. But, the most alluring books in the TBR pile are Serpent in the Sky, The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus: From Ancient Egypt to the Modern World, Thoth: The History of the Ancient Egyptian God of Wisdom, and Egyptian Magic: The Quest for Thoth’s Book of Secrets

4) In one of your first writing classes, you wrote a paranormal series of stories. Any plans to brings those to the published world?

Let’s just say that I have ideas. Something’s brewing back there for a story, but I need to work out some big questions first.

5) Your educational and work background is in legal stuff (technical term), including a degree in criminal justice. Does this background add to your writing skills, or was it all pretty much a snoozer and you keep it completely separate from your writing identity?

I don’t know if working in the legal environment has helped me directly with writing fiction – they’re completely different skills and styles of writing. What working in the legal environment has done for me, however, is give me a crazy passion for research and legwork as well as a very organized, logical way of doing things. It makes the writing easier.

SilvermanGardensOfAmpheia6) The Legends of Amun Ra series strongly incorporates Egyptian mythology. What are a few nonfiction books you would recommend to the uninitiated who are curious about alchemy, the Egyptian gods, and their daily practices?

The first one I’d say to read has nothing to do with alchemy. It would be Normandi Ellis’ modern translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It’s called Awakening Osiris. If that doesn’t get your curiosity going on the pure power of that book, then reading everything else won’t interest you at all. For a good intro book specifically on Thoth/Hermes/alchemy, I would go with The Hermetica by Thimothy Freke and Peter Gandy. It’s about 100 pages and a quick, easy read.

7) Conventions, book signings, blogging, etc.: what are some of your favorite aspects of self-promotion and what are some of the least favorite parts of self-promotion?

Conventions are by far the best thing about being an author. I love meeting fans and talking to them about Egyptian mythology and the book series. I’ll never forget that one guy asked me to write a blog post specifically about the Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet, because he couldn’t find any information on her in mainstream books. So I did. It’s that interaction that I thrive on. My least favorite things is anything to do with social media.

8) Brain candy – things that make you grin, guffaw, and let your mind relax: What do you relax with?

Some weights, my guitar, a scotch and a cigar and I’m good.

9) You’re constantly learning & paying attention to things like the Discovery Channel. What is the latest thing you learned about an ancient civilization that astounded you or rocked your socks? 

The find of the ancient port city of Heracleion in Egypt’s Bay of Aboukir. Researcher’s found 64 ships down there and the port is thought to be 1,000 years older than any other ancient port found. It lends some credence to John Anthony West’s and Robert Shoch’s theories about the origin and inadequate dating techniques we’ve used with ancient Egyptian artifacts.

Places to Find Joshua Silverman

Joshua’s Website

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Interview & Giveaway: Rahima Warren, Author of Dark Innocence

RahimaWarrenAuthorPicEveryone, please give a warm welcome to author Rahima Warren.

Rahima Warren is the author of Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy, a deep, rich novel of the healing journey. With Master’s degrees in Clinical and Transpersonal Psychology, she was in private practice as a licensed psychotherapist for over 20 years. In 2006, Rahima retired to focus on her expressive painting, creative writing, and spiritual studies.

In her work with clients recovering from abuse, she was awed by the human capacity to heal, and to reach new levels of forgiveness, wholeness and happiness. She also learned to trust the psyche’s own process. This enabled her to allow a dark and mysterious story to flood forth unhindered: Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy.

Rahima is a third-generation native of California and resides with her husband in Northern California, where she periodically chases squirrels off the wild bird feeders, and deer away from her roses. Her life-long love of fantasy is her parents’ fault: they left sci-fi & fantasy magazines with fascinating cover art lying around the house.

RW: Thanks so much, Susan, for inviting me to be a guest on your blog, and for asking such specific and thoughtful questions. I’ve very much enjoyed answering them! I confess I took advantage of your kind invitation to be wordy.

DoD: All three of your books deal with spirituality and inner healing. How did using the medium of a fantasy novel to convey some of these ideas differ from your other books?

RW: The three books of The Star-Seer’s Prophecy are the only books I have written. Well, I have a half-written fantasy novel languishing somewhere on a disc. (Yes, it’s that old!) I was not planning on being a writer. My career was as a dream group leader, psychotherapist, and expressive arts therapist. I had thought about writing a self-help book, or a spiritual memoir, but the main character of this story had other ideas. I’ve written about how this character, whose name is Kyr, took over my life and turned me into a writer here.

DoD: You’re not only a writer, but also an artist. Have there been science fiction and/or fantasy classics that have inspired some of your art?

RW: Not that I am aware of. I do what’s called expressive art. The inspirations for my paintings come from my inner experiences: dreams, meditations, visions, emotions; and from transformative experiences I’ve had on my own healing journey. I’ve shared many of these paintings, along with dreams, poems, and gems from my journals on my expressive arts website: www.soulplay.com. Expressive art is focused on the experience or process of painting (or other art forms) rather than the technique or product. That’s also how I wrote this trilogy.

Writing a short story about Kyr opened up a torrent of passionate, creative energy, and I continued writing his story, allowing and following the flow for three years, until I/we reached a satisfying conclusion, three books’ worth later. So I think of my books as “expressive art novels.” This was the right-brain intuitive part of my writing process. Of course, I then I had to do the left-brain work of learning how to write fiction. I read many books on that topic, and spent several years working with an editor to revise and improve the trilogy, especially the first book, Dark Innocence.

WarrenDarkInnoncenceDoD: Being a bird watcher and rose lover, how do you integrate nature into your fiction?

RW: I’m glad you asked!

I love Nature and include descriptions of beautiful natural scenes throughout my books. At first, Kyr knows nothing of the natural world, having been raised as a slave in the dark labyrinth of the evil sorcerer-king called the Soul-Drinker. After he is rescued, he has to learn about many ordinary things, such as friendship, kindness, flowers, rain and snow. Here’s short scene of Kyr’s first encounter with snow.

“An alien landscape met his eyes. Pristine whiteness covered the ground, mounded over bushes, outlined the branches of the trees and coated the roofs of buildings. Stunned, he stepped back until he felt the door of his room at his back. He looked to the side and there was the familiar row of sleeping rooms, unchanged. He breathed a sigh of relief.

…Reluctant to mar the sparkling purity that stretched before him, Kyr stood still. A deep hush enveloped the world. However, in a short time, Winter’s fierce chill seeped through his cloak, and he stepped off the porch. His boot crunched through the thin layer of snow. Startled, he froze in mid-step.

Nothing happened. Stepping as lightly as he could, he crossed the courtyard and followed the path to the Temple, marveling at the silver and ebony tapestry Snow and Moon had woven.”

More importantly, it’s almost as if Nature is a character in the story: flowers teach Kyr a painful lesson; and the Great Tree called the Heart of the Forest is semi-sentient and works with the Tree Warden, Svahar, to heal Kyr of a terrible addiction. Also, the people in this world each have a soul-kin: an animal or bird spirit with whom they are bonded. Kyr’s soul-kin is the Eagle. The Soul-Drinker has devastated the land near his labyrinth, breaking the bonds between the people and their soul-kin by stealing their soul-energy in the terrible orgies he uses to sustain his powers and immortality. The Star-Seer has prophesied that only Kyr can restore the land, by bringing back their Goddess, Zhovanya, who was banished by the Soul-Drinker many generations ago.

DoD: You were a psychotherapist for a good chunk of your life, helping people struggle through their inner dark to become whole again. How do those decades of experience show in your book Dark Innocence?

RW: That is the main theme of Dark Innocence: Kyr’s journey of recovery, healing and transformation.

Kyr is not the usual intrepid hero of many fantasies. His is the hard path of the inner journey toward wholeness. Born and raised as the cold-heartedly obedient slave of the evil Soul-Drinker, he knows nothing but enduring and inflicting terrible suffering at the whims of his vicious master. Rescued, he begins to learn that there are such things as kindness, friendship and love in the world. This knowledge brings home to him the terrible things he has done as a slave. Overcome with remorse and self-loathing, he seeks to do penance at the hidden Zhovanaya Sanctuary. The most difficult part of his healing is when he has to face his own pain and rage, and has to learn to forgive himself. As one reviewer wrote: “While Kyr’s situation is an extreme one, … most people will find in the story a journey towards redemption which will touch on their own.”

Certainly, I drew on my experience with my own healing journey and those of my psychotherapy clients, though this was not my conscious intention. In hindsight, I realize that one of my main inspirations for writing this story is the amazing ability of my clients, and all of us, to recover from the worst abuse, given sufficient compassionate, wise help. Recently, in a meditation, I was shown that I was guided to write this story to help transform the culture of judgment and punishment toward self and others into one of compassion and healing, even for the worst offenders. As programs such as the Insight Prison Project have shown, this can be done.

DoD: Your novel career has started in the latter half of your life. How has your age been received in the fantasy literature community? A hindrance? Welcomed open-armed? Not even commented upon?

RW: I have to admit that I haven’t gotten very much involved in the fantasy literature community. To the extent that I have, no one has commented on this. I haven’t thought about much it myself since I don’t feel “old” yet. Well, except maybe when I look in the mirror. I tend to avoid doing that as much as possible. :)

WarrenWritersDenDoD: On The Star-Seer’s Prophecy blog, there is a page for fan art. I love looking at fan art as I enjoy seeing what characters, scenes, or story location inspired people to create something. How did you react when you received your first piece of fan art on Dark Innocence?

RW: I was thrilled! It was such a wonderful surprise!

DoD: Being a writer, an expressive painter, and a mystic, what does your writer’s den look like? Neat & tidy or full of inspirational knick knacks?

RW: Oh, definitely the latter! I have an altar to the Goddesses of Creativity and Compassion, three of my most inspirational paintings on the walls, and mandala prayer flags over the window. Here’s the view from my writing chair.

ABOUT Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy by Rahima Warren

The “twin-souled dark innocent,” Kyr, is a youth born and raised to blindly carry out the Soul-Drinker’s brutal commands. At first, Kyr’s one desire is death, the only escape from the Soul-Drinker’s hellish rule. Just when he is about to get his wish, the secret Circle rescues him. Now he has to choose between the familiar easy path of despair and death, or the hard path of healing, living, and a greater destiny, about which he knows nothing. How can a slave who has known only evil, pain and obedience choose to become a man of courage and compassion, and fulfill the Star Seer’s Prophecy?

GIVEAWAY

Rahima is giving away prizes, including an e-copy of her book at each blog stop on her tour AND a Grand Prize Giveaway of a Custom Jumbo Tote Bag with your choice of fan art, chosen from here:
http://www.starseersprophecy.com/fan-art/
, plus other goodies, including a signed copy of Dark Innocence for one lucky winner, shipped to anywhere in the world!

1) To win a book: Leave a comment on this blog post about your favorite healing fantasy novel to be entered to win a book. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner. This giveaway ends five days after the post goes live.

2) To win the Custom Jumbo Tote Bag with Rahima’s fan art of your choice, or a signed copy of Dark Innocence, or other goodies, click the link to go to Rahima’s website here:
http://www.starseersprophecy.com/blog-tour/
 and enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of that page, or click on the rafflecopter giveaway link just below. A winner will be selected on June 21st.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Places to Find Rahima Warren

Rahima Warren’s website-
http://bit.ly/YDWLdo

Read an excerpt of Dark innocence:
http://bit.ly/11AqQ0o

Rahima Warren on Twitter:
http://bit.ly/12dIIxc

Rahima’s Facebook Fan Page:
http://on.fb.me/XZu15l

Rahima Warren on Pinterest:
http://bit.ly/WBau8l

Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy on Amazon:
http://amzn.to/11eiksn

Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy on Barnes & Noble:
http://bit.ly/WTiwvA

Rahima-Warren_Blog-Tour-Banner

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Interview: Mysti Parker, Author of The Tallenmere Novels

MystiParkerProfileDab of Darkness welcomes Mysti Parker, author of The Ranger’s Tale, Serenya’s Song, and Hearts in Exile. Mysti was kind enough to subject herself to my nosy and prying questions. Enjoy!

1) In your writings, what makes a complex character an essential part of the story? 

Thanks so much for having me here!

To answer this question, it really boils down to my love for character-driven stories. I love writing and reading stories in which the main characters have several options they can take when faced with a challenge. Should they choose option A as opposed to B, it becomes a whole different story. Remember those old “Choose Your Own Adventure” books?

When characters have to make choices, you really get to know them and what makes them tick. They may even make a choice that goes against their beliefs or morals, but the motives behind it add to their complexity. Their faults and hang-ups get in the way too, adding more layers to their personality. For example, Jayden Ravenwing, one of the leading males in my series, has a weakness for women, and sometimes married women.

‘Mary Jane’ (perfect) characters are boring. Give me a character who’s uncertain, unwilling, bitter, scared, or lonely. I want to see imperfection—moments of selfishness, jealousy, rage, and lust—and then you’ve got a complex character who may or may not rise above the challenges. That doubt keeps you reading (and rooting) for them to succeed!

ParkerRanger'sTale2) The Tallenmere series strongly features elves and romance, so I have to ask: Did you read Tolkien and wonder what was going on behind the scenes with the elves? 

YES!! Those elves were just too perfect, don’t you think? Better than everyone at everything, like those perfect soccer moms who attend every PTA meeting with J. Crew sweaters draped over their shoulders and a Starbucks latte in hand. Ahem…

Tolkien’s elves, though I dearly love them (my God, don’t get me started on Orlando Bloom as Legolas *drool*), they were all so whimsical. I just knew they had skeletons hiding in those tidy closets of theirs, so I decided to expose some of those bones once and for all.

In Tallenmere, elves put on a perfect show for the world around them, but as soon as you step inside their private chambers, you’ll see a whole different act. Pure elven women can give birth to a maximum of three children, but if you listen to the gossip, you’ll find out about all the half-siblings there are, many of whom come from Leogard’s nobility. All the elves tend to be xenophobic and intolerant of every other race, even other elven races. Half-elves like Galadin Trudeaux (A Ranger’s Tale) are especially looked down upon.

In reality, elves are just as imperfect as the rest of us, suffering from petty jealousies, inflated egos, self-doubt, and wanton desires. But, I did keep one aspect of Tolkien’s elves: they’re still very good-looking!


3) In writing your bad guys, do you want the reader to enjoy hating on him/her, or do you want the reader to be waiting for that magical moment when they redeem themselves?

ParkerSerenya'sSongThis really depends on the story. Complex villains are best—those who show more than just a 100% evil attitude. They have to have motives for their actions. Not just “I want to take over the world”. Ok, so maybe they do, but why? Did Mom abandon him? Did Dad get drunk and beat everyone in the family? Did one of their siblings steal all the attention?

Take Sebastian Crowe from Serenya’s Song, for instance. At the beginning of the story, readers just hate him, but as the plot unfolds, we start to see a completely different side of him, one that’s much more than just a big, mean brute.

Just like the main characters, I want to make it obvious that the villains have a choice in their actions. Sure, they may have someone in the background driving their evil deeds, but ultimately the choice is still theirs whether to continue on their path of destruction or not. I think just leaving that question in the readers’ minds is best. Give the villains a little bit of heart, some hints that they could do a 180, but keep the readers wondering (and hoping) until the very end.

4) You’re a gamer, so tell us your addictions: Oblivion? Titan Quest? Assassin’s Creed?

Big fan of the Elder Scrolls series. Currently, it’s Skyrim. Before that, it was Oblivion, and before that, Morrowind. Before all of those, it was Everquest & Everquest II. I’ve also had moments of addiction with Zoo Tycoon 1&2, Webkinz, and several others.


5) If I stumbled in to your Super Secret Writer’s Cave, well, you would need better security, but what would I find? 

My son has some sort of Lego construction on my desk. Some papers are strewn on the floor near the printer. There’s a messy book shelf. Make that two. A few instrumental CD’s scattered by the CD player and a too-full bulletin boards covered mostly with children’s art. A coffee cup with a ring of dried coffee in the bottom (better make more while I’m thinking of it). And copious amounts of dust and cat hair. Crap, now I need to clean…be right back!

ParkerHeartsInExile6) In the Great Mighty World of Fiction, what are 5 creatures you would want to avoid and why? 

Flitters: These are native to the Eastwood Mountains of Tallenmere. Butterfly-sized creatures with cute little pixie faces and pretty patterns on their wings. Just don’t look them in the eye for too long, or you’ll wind up in a paralyzing trance, while they shred you to pieces and have you for dinner.

Vampires: Yeah ok, so they’ve become sparkly lovers in recent years, but seriously—what’s so romantic about a guy biting your neck and drinking your blood?

Were-anything: Same here. If a guy can eat me for breakfast should he so choose, I’d rather not sleep next to him. No offense to the Jacob-lovers out there.

Zombies: This should be obvious. All instinct, some are very strong and fast, and always ravenous. And they smell bad, too.

Angry dragons: In Hearts in Exile at least, they’re usually not a threat unless you cross them or they think you’ve crossed them. There’s an old Haddo saying that goes something like this: “Never break a promise to a dragon; ye won’t live long enough to be braggin’.”

7) In passing nuggets of wisdom on to aspiring writers, what are some non-writing, non-reading activities that you would suggest to improve writing? 

Play roleplaying games like Skyrim. They’re like visual novels in themselves, filled with massive worlds and storylines. They can really get your imagination flowing.

Watch movies—not just for the special effects, but for the stories. See how the plot unfolds, how suspense is built, how the characters react to different situations. You’ll catch some brilliant ideas and some not-so-brilliant ones that will teach you both what to do and what not to do in a story.

Also, travel and visit as many places as you can, even if it’s local, like different restaurants, zoos, museums, parks, etc. You’ll gather all kinds of visual and sensory information that could provide new settings and help spice up your stories!

ParkerHeartsOfTomorrowAnthologyThanks again for letting me be Chatty Cathy for a while. These questions were really fun!

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale, was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind’s ‘Sword of Truth’ series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

ParkerChristmasLitesAnthologyMysti’s other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She has also served as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s six week free course, F2K. 

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specific publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Contact the Author:

Blog: www.mystiparker.blogspot.com
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221
 

Twitter @MystiParker

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4625596.Mysti_Parker


A Ranger’s Tale, Tallenmere #1

Serenya’s Song, Tallenmere #2

Hearts in Exile, Tallenmere #3 Available June 3 @ www.melange-books.com

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Interview & Giveaway: Robert Snow, Author of Folsom Point

Pico being used as a bookstand.

Pico being used as a bookstand.

Everyone, please welcome Robert Snow back to Dab of Darkness. His first novel, Folsom Point, features private investigator Abigail Romero solving cases and finding missing items in northern New Mexico. Don’t forget to check out the giveaway at the end of the interview. Enjoy!

Having been a psychology professor for decades at Arizona State University, how does that feed into your current efforts at writing mystery novels?

I want my protagonist, Abigail Romero, to rely primarily on her intellect, although she is very athletic and a survivor. She majored in sociology and anthropology at University of New Mexico, and she uses that background well in Folsom Point. My intention is to bring social psychology principles into the stories at points that make sense in advancing the plot and solving problems.

One of your favorite hobbies is cooking. Care to talk about some of your favorite dishes?

Experimenting with cooking is one of my favorite creative outlets. Abigail will always cook, although I’ve been cautioned about bringing too much food into the stories. In part, the food influence comes from Nero Wolf (Rex Stout), who had gourmet dishes on a daily basis. As for personal favorites, my aim is to sample and enjoy all kinds of cuisine. But don’t look for Abby to get too daring. As a single woman, she is often too tired to cook up a storm, but she’ll always try to buy local and fresh.

In Folsom Point, your lead protagonist is Abigail Romero, a single Latina woman in her 30s. Did it take some effort to come up with this character, or did she sprout fully formed, more or less, from your mind, ready to go?

Having lived in Abiquiu for twelve years, and been fortunate to have formed many friendships with locals, it was easy to develop the character of Abigail. I also support women’s rights and wanted to develop a strong, independent woman protagonist. And, there are many role models for Abigail in the Abiquiu, El Rito and Ojo Caliente area.

How did you get into beekeeping and how long have you been doing it? Any tips or resources you would point out to beginners?

Bill Page, from Ojo Caliente, whom I met while serving on the El Rito Library Board ten years ago, asked me if I’d be interested in joining him in becoming a bee keeper. We jumped in with both feet. However, the past few years, we’ve experienced the same problems that a lot of beekeepers have suffered through, and now we’re down to just a few hives. It’s fun, but also hard physical work. As for advice to the beginner, the drought has reduced the forage to the point of disaster.

Who have been some of the most influential authors throughout your life?

This is a tall order, as there have been many. If I had to pick one author who I wish I could emulate in writing style and impact it would be F. Scott Fitzgerald. Among mystery writers: Rex Stout, John McDonald, Georges Simenon, Dick Frances, Tony Hillerman, and, of course, Raymond Chandler; and Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Nevada Barr, P.D. James and Jacqueline Winspear to name a few of the excellent women mystery writers. I lean more to protagonists who use their wits more than their fists or weapons.

Your wife is a yoga instructor. Do you yourself practice yoga and does your wife use you as a guinea pig when she wants to try out some new yoga form?

I take two classes a week, both of which are taught by my wife, and she treats me like any other student, including paying her going rate. No, she never uses me as a guinea pig. She’s very good at tailoring the class to fit the needs and abilities of the students.

Folsom Point is Book 1 in a series of Abigail Romero mysteries. At this point, how many books do you foresee in the series and will all of them take place in the northern NM area?

The series will have as many books as I can possibly do in the productive years that remain. The next one, Turning Point, should be out in June or July 2013. In this one, Abby witnesses a murder on Christmas Eve in Taos, and becomes entangled with a female assassin who could pass for Abby’s twin. The third book will take place in a monastery near Abiquiu and will involve a murder through shock caused by bee stings. The fourth may involve the Cumbres & Toltec train.  All will feature Abigail as the protagonist, her cat Duster, and friends Carmen and Nick. Look for a love interest as well.

Please share with us any other ongoing or upcoming reading/writing events and projects you would like to chat about.

The stimulation to try my hand at mystery writing came from taking a workshop with Lesley Poling-Kempes of Abiquiu. As an accomplished historical and fiction author, and student of Tony Hillerman, Lesley knows the ins and outs of getting started and maintaining momentum. In addition to knowing how to craft a story, Lesley is also an excellent teacher who knows how to lead a beginner, like me, along. I’m sure all beginning writers know teachers and critics who fail at this. My hope is that readers will like Folsom Point enough to give Turning Point, which has a more complex plot and more drama, a chance. Turning Point also delves a bit more into the subtleties of northern New Mexico culture.

Here is a tantalizing little blurb on Turning Point, coming out Summer 2013.

A high profile politician is murdered on Christmas Eve at a sacred pueblo dance in Taos, New Mexico by someone wearing a monk’s robe. Abby is convinced the assassin is a woman and the hunt is on. Friends Carmen and Bob join in the intrigue involving a slick Santa Fe art dealer, a nefarious developer, and Mexican drug gangs. A psychological dilemma looms large, and Abby is forced to question her own motives in the hunt.

Places to find Robert Snow

Homepage

Facebook

Amazon

LinkedIn

The Giveaway

A paper copy of Folsom Point will be given to one lucky winner. To enter, simply comment on this interview; enter the rafflecopter (see below) for additional chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway & Guest Post: The Black Shard

SimcoxMagicWarblePlease welcome Victoria Simcox back to Dab of Darkness. You may remember her earlier interview where we talked about C. S. Lewis, talking animals, and cover art. Here she has returned to talk further about the second book in her juvenile fantasy series, The Black Shard. Also, we have a giveaway of winner’s choice of her two books, so make sure to check that out at the bottom of this post.

Goodreads blurb on The Magic Warble:

Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals and the evil Queen Sentiz. In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she’s honored as “the chosen one,” the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz’s control. But it’s not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous “Magic Warble,” in its final resting place. She must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen’s “zelbocks” before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, and an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart.

SimcoxBlackShardGoodreads blurb on The Black Shard:

Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse. Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Black Shard,” Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.

Both questions and answers were provided by Victoria Simcox.

On your blog you state that your teenage daughter inspired Kristina, but who inspired some of the other characters, like Werrien and Hector? (Hopefully, no one real inspired Davina or Hester ;D)

Yes, Kristina, in the book was inspired by my daughter, and even though I named Kristina my character after my daughter, the two are different personalities. Werrien came from different personality traits of people I know. I have a teenage son, and I took some traits from him, as well as his friends and other teenagers I have encountered. Hector, I created from my imagination, at least I can’t pinpoint where I got him from. Davina’s and Hester’s personalities came from kids I knew when I was in grade school—bully type peers. Even though they were annoying, hurtful and even scary when I was young, now that I’m an adult I find it quite fun to use their character traits in my writing.

This book has some beautiful illustrations. I know you teach art, so I was curious as to whether the cover or any of the images inside were your drawings?

Yes, I teach art and have been doing so for 11 years, but the illustration and cover were not done by me. I have a different style of drawing and painting than what is in my book.  An artist by the name of Amanda Swanson did all the art work inside the book as well as the cover. She specializes in fantasy art and I am very happy with what she has created.

Bernovem seems to be such a beautiful place. Is there any place that you’ve been to or read about that inspired it?

I was inspired to create Bernovem from different places that I have been, like the Hoh Rain Forest in WA. I love hiking through its densely green, moss laden trails. There is definitely something magical about it. Hemlock Valley Mountain, in BC Canada, is a place I have been skiing at since I was a youth. It is a majestic yet peaceful place. I was in Tahiti and Hawaii some years back and enjoyed the beaches, aqua-blue waters, and tropical forests. I created Finimus Island from my experience at these two paradises. My mother and father are immigrants from Europe and throughout my lifetime I have had the opportunity to visit Austria, Germany and other places, like the beautiful city of Prague. These places have influenced me in creating the city Ezeree as well as Salas.

What inspired you to be a writer and to write the Magic Warble series?

I remember I was sitting in the movie theater watching the first Harry Potter movie when I envisioned my main character Kristina walking down a snowy sidewalk. At the time that was all of the story I had. I went home that night and wrote my first page not knowing where the story would go.

So the ending of The Black Shard often leaves readers in total, utter suspense – can you tell us when to expect the third installment of this amazing series?

I was hoping Book 2 would leave readers wanting to read more and I’m so glad it did.  I am in the process of writing the 3rd book and when it is finished (I don’t have a set date yet) I will definitely let all my Magic Warble fans know.

Victoria lurks in various fantastical and common Earthly places on the web:

Her Blogspot

The Magic Warble Webpage

Goodreads      Facebook      Twitter

 Now for the giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment on this guest post – and an email or twitter handle. For additional chances to win, fill out the rafflecopter below. Good luck!

Giveaway of 3 ebooks – winner chooses Book 1 or Book 2 (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway & Interview: Guy Hasson, Author of The Emoticon Generation

HassonEmoticonGenerationCoverFolks, please welcome Guy Hasson back to the blog. Recently, I enjoyed being part of The Little Red Reviewer’s blog tour featuring Guy Hasson’s The Emoticon Generation. If you missed my review, check it out over HERE. Today, we have a great interview with Guy, followed by his generous giveaway of 10 ebook copies of his book The Emoticon Generation. The giveaway is open international – scroll to the bottom to enter.

Without further ado, here is Guy Hasson:

1) This year you have published two novels, The Emoticon Generation and Secret Thoughts, both collections of stories. The first focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) and the second on telepathic women. How did you go about developing these stories as the two subjects are so very different?

The Emoticon Generation is filled with stories about Big Ideas and what they mean to us and to the characters in the stories. For example, the story that gave the book its title, Generation E: The Emoticon Generation came to me when I realized that emoticons are actually words that are too small to say. For example, if instead of using a smiley, you would say, “Hey, I like that” you would give too great an emphasis to whatever it is you wanted to put a smiley on. It’s not the same. Smileys are words that are smaller and shorter than written or spoken words.

So once I had that idea in my head I asked myself, What’s the tinniest tiniest word that could ever be? The answer’s in the story, of course. And out of the answer came all the situations and all the characters that you meet there.

In Hatchling I figured out a new way to create a human being. The result is the most human and touching story in the collection.

In Freedom Is Only a Step Away I tried to suggest a new way to teach kids everything they need to be taught in school in a way that doesn’t limit their imagination and feeling of freedom.

So The Emoticon Generation is a story about Big Ideas. Just like the science fiction I grew up on.

HassonSecretThoughtsMeanwhile, Secret Thoughts is about delving deep, deep, deep into our own brains. If telepaths, capable telepaths, ever exist, wouldn’t it make sense that their understanding of us, and themselves, would be so much greater than our own? If someone could delve into the depths of everyone they see, wouldn’t that give them knowledge about what we are and what they are? I wrote the book’s first novella The Perfect Girl imagining a world in which telepaths exist and there are experts at what they do. These experts teach the newbies about the secrets of our minds. It was a chance to go exploring our deepest places and the dark crevices we never allow ourselves to see. I wrote The Perfect Girl back in 2005 as a stand-alone. It won the Geffen Award for Best Short Story of the Year. I never meant it to be anything more. But even as I was writing it, I knew I was creating a world, and that there could be dozens of stories written about it. Part of what makes The Perfect Girl story rich is that I hint in it to about six other stories about telepaths I could have written, but never did. The world feels like it has so many possibilities.

Years passed, and I kept returning to that world. I had crazy ideas about what real telepaths would do. For example: Telepaths connect by touch. What if a telepath got pregnant? She would feel the baby growing in the womb. She would feel not its thoughts, but its first half-thoughts, its first half-formed emotions. She would feel the brain that isn’t yet human, but is half human, a quarter human. She would sense what it’s like to become human, step by step. That’s the story of the last novella in the book, Most Beautiful Intimacy. Now, if you had ideas like these, could you resist writing them and putting them in a book?

2) You also work in film and will be releasing an independent science fiction short film soon, The Indestructibles. Care to give us a little tease and temptation on what this film is about?

Ah, this is fun. The Indestructibles is an idea I had for a film. The budget? A mere $600 million. The story was carved out, I knew everything that was going to happen in it, and I had the first twenty minutes written.

And then I stopped. I’ve already written big budget scripts on spec. They’re still waiting for Hollywood to glance in my direction. But why should I wait for Hollywood? Even if producers bought my scripts, my scripts would not survive the experience the way I had intended them to be. So… Why can’t I do these films at home? I already had a low-budget feature-length SF film under my belt, which I had written, directed, shot, and produced. So I knew I could shoot a professional film, guerilla-style. If I could find a way to rewrite the script so that it fit my budget, why, then… I have a camera at home, I know great actors, I could limit the number locations, I could write it for one-shots which would almost eliminate the need for an editor, and I’d shoot and direct it myself for free… It could be done!

So I rewrote the script. I turned an epic SF tale that spanned centuries and contained scenes with dozens and hundreds of superheroes – I turned that story into a 45-minute film that was shot for $250.

I already shot the film, it’s been edited, and right now we’re going back-and-forth on the soundtrack. If all goes well, it’ll be ready in a few weeks. At which point I will release it for free on the web and let the story find its audience.

I really don’t want to say anything about the content of the film, because everything in it is a spoiler, except that it’s a classic superhero tale turned on its head two times over, to create something you’ve never seen before.

If you want to be updated when it comes out, follow my blog.

And the most important thing is: Now that it’s done, I know I can do it by myself, without a studio. I can tell almost any SF story I want in film… By myself. At home. With my little camera.

HassonTheIndestructibles

3) You also have a serialized fairy tale fantasy, Tickling Butterflies, on your blog. What drew you to attempt to capture 128 fairy tales in one story?

This is turning out as a confessional for how my pieces are made. Works for me.

Here’s how Tickling Butterflies was created.

At first, I wanted to create a story that’s such an explosion of imagination the readers would be thunderstruck. The original concept was to create some kind of encyclopedic map of a magical fairy tale land and have the book be a dump of story ideas. Well, that idea died quickly. If it doesn’t have a story that runs through it, I can’t write it.

So I found a story about King John the Cute. John is born with a prophecy hanging over his head: That this little farm boy will become king at the age of 18 and would die at the age of 20, having saved the fairy tale land. We follow John through his adventures, which, as a side benefit, take us through all the fairy tales of the land. It begins innocently enough with the fairy tales of his childhood up to the point where he becomes king. Then, forced to discover the secrets of the land, John explores it. It begins with regular-themed fairy tales (like the Happily Ever After Home for the Married, where all the romantic fairy tales go to live), but then twists to discover an island where all the funny fairy tales go (The Land of No Respect), and then to The River Red Continent where all fairy tales for adults exist. With John we go through fairy tales about the secrets and origins of magic, through legends about a land of storytellers, a land that has no magic, no happy endings, and no fate. And then the story gets really crazy…

It’s all done through fairy tales that are seemingly independent, but actually form to create an epic story involving all the threads of fairy tales we’ve seen along the way.

Writing Tickling Butterflies also gave me a chance to explore a writing technique I’ve never used before. I discovered how to write beautiful stories. Not just good stories or fun stories or interesting stories or wow stories, but stories that give you a feeling of beauty. Every few fairy tales, I would insert a beautiful tale, while in the fairy tales themselves I would slowly explore the nature of beauty.

As I wrote it, I realized why something is considered beautiful. So I created the solution to the big mystery in the book in such a way that it isn’t just a wow ending, but also a breathtakingly beautiful ending.

Don’t believe me? Read the book.

Tickling Butterflies is being translated to Hebrew and will published in Israel later this year. I’m also in talks with a European publisher that I can’t name yet. And after 45 agents in the US and the UK refused to look at it, I decided to serialize it online. A new fairy tale is being published every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at my website. Here’s a page with the links to all the Tickling Butterflies stories that have been published so far.

4) You are also a playwright. What are a few of the key things you keep in mind when picking your medium to tell the story?

To me, every medium is about something else. Prose is about exploring a story, a plot, and ideas. The theater is about either comedy or the most gut-wrenching dramas. Film is about looking into the eyes of the actors/characters and seeing their souls.

A big thank you to Guy Hasson for adding a few more books to my towering To-Be-Read pile!

THE GIVEAWAY

Entering the giveaway is simple. Leave me a comment on this post about the interview or about Guy Hasson’s works or his webpage. For greater chances to win, enter the rafflecopter below. Guy Hasson is generously giving away 10 ebook copies of The Emoticon Generation (see blurb below). This giveaway will be open for 4 weeks, closing on May 22, 2013. The giveaway is open international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

From Goodreads:

Guy Hasson’s The Emoticon Generation features seven stories about life-changes brought about by our new electronic generation: stories that blur the borders between our world and science fiction, stories that make you ask, ‘Has this already happened? Is that actually true?’

In this collection you’ll find a man who, after losing his fiancée to a terrible accident, seeks to learn if true love really exists; a girl, hardly a teen, who searches for her father only to learn a terrible truth about herself; a man who wants to immortalize his genius but ends up tricking himself out of it; an old hero whose entire life unravels when the truth about his heroic act is revealed; a harmless birthday gift that triggers a profound search into the depths of a young couple’s relationship; and more.

Guy Hasson is one of the freshest new science fiction authors out there, with a knack for finding the human heart in the biggest ideas.

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Interview: Ally Malinenko, Author of Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb

Everyone, please welcome Ally Malinenko, entertainer of children, and writer of poetry. She’s stopped in today to let me peak into her life. I expect you’ll find it as entertaining as I did. Enjoy!

MalinenkoAllyAuthorHi. I’m Ally.

I live in Brooklyn which is good except when it’s not which is horrid. I’ve been writing for awhile, and have some stuff published and some stuff not.

I don’t like when people refer to pets as their children and I can’t resist a handful of cheez-its when offered.

I have a burning desire to go to Antarctica, specifically to the South Pole so I can see where Robert Falcon Scott died.

I like to read books. I like to write stories and poems. I even wrote a novel. Rumor has it, it got published. But I don’t believe rumors. And you shouldn’t either.

MalinenkoLizzySpeareCursedTombLizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb is available here from Antenna Books (Grades 4 and up)

MEET LIZZY SPEARE…

…a normal twelve year old girl with a talent for writing, who has a very not normal family secret. And when Lizzy’s father vanishes, that secret will change her life in ways unimagined. (Spoiler Alert!  It turns out that Lizzy, or Elizabeth S. Speare, is the last living descendant of William Shakespeare.  Shhh!  Don’t tell anybody!)

Then Lizzy and her best friend Sammy are kidnapped, awakening in the faraway land of Manhattan. Their host is Jonathan Muse, whose job is to protect Lizzy from becoming the latest victim in a family feud going back nearly five hundred years.  Is that why the mysterious, eye patch-wearing Dmitri Marlowe is after her? (Spoiler Alert 2—he’s the last living descendant of Christopher Marlowe, a friend and rival of Shakespeare’s.  But keep it to yourself!) Is Marlowe after Lizzy’s family fortune rumored to be kept in the tomb of that bald guy with the goatee? Does he seek artistic immortality? Or Revenge (with a capital R) for a death long, long ago?

In a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, Lizzy and Sammy are thrust into the realm of the mythical and fantastic—from satyrs and Cyclopses to Middle Eastern cab drivers and Brooklyn hipsters in what is truly “an improbable fiction” as the Bard himself once wrote.

1) A poetry book and a children’s book – two very different books. How did you end up having these two be your first two published? 

When I first started writing I focused almost exclusively on poetry. That was all I wrote. I had no interest in writing a novel. Even the short stories that I wrote were few and far between. I got my first book of poems, The Wanting Bone published by a small press in Pittsburgh called Six Gallery. It was a really amazing experience and taught me a lot about publication. After that, I sat down one night to write, only instead of writing poems, I started a story about a girl who was the last living descendant of Shakespeare. And her featherless parrot. That eventually morphed into Lizzy Speare.

2) Let’s chat about your fascination with Robert Falcon Scott, who led an expedition to the South Pole in 1912. Why the fascination with him specifically and not another member of his team or someone from the Norwegian team?

Well in full disclosure I’m probably nearly as obsessed with Lawrence “Titus” Oates who, knowing he was going to die, got up and walked off into the storm – his final words being “I’m just going outside and may be some time.” It was a brave final moment in which he hoped that by sacrificing himself, he could save his friends (sadly he didn’t). I can’t get too obsessed with the Norwegian team for a number of reasons – 1. They went to Antarctica to be the first people to reach the South Pole while Scott’s team were there as scientists. 2. Admunsen, the Norwegian team leader, killed and ate his own dogs as he headed south. That just bothers me.

Plus Scott and his team did it on foot nearly the whole way. They had no dogs. In the beginning they had ponies but they proved to not handle the terrain as well as Scott had hoped. That means that he man-hauled, pulling a 100 lb sledge of supplies through the most hostile territory known to man. THAT deserves respect.

3) In Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb, we have Lizzy, who’s life gets turned upside when she finds out that she’s the last descendant of Shakespeare. What drew you particularly to Shakespeare as the historical figure for your children’s novel? 

I’m a Bardolator which is what they call people like me who are obsessed with Shakespeare. I’ve always been a fan. Truthfully I have trouble understanding people who aren’t. Come on, no Shakespeare = No Three’s Company. The man invented the misunderstood love triangle.

I knew I wanted to write Middle Grade because those were the books that meant the most to me growing up. Those were the ones that made my brain explode. So then I figured I would combine my favorite things: mythology, magic and Shakespeare. It made sense in my head, I swear.

4) Children are not pets and pets are not children; do you have either? Would you ever name a pet after a relative? How about a kid after a beloved pet? (I can hear you snickering! And yes, my granma’s poodle, who I am named after, was very nice….to my granma).

I have a cat named June. She’s a tabby and I’m pretty much convinced that if people were to spend any time with her they would open their minds to the notion of reincarnation – because if this cat wasn’t once a really bad person paying for their crimes as my cat then I don’t know what she is. That said – that comment I made about children not being pets is because it drives me crazy when people refer to their pets as children only because they clearly have never had either. June isn’t my child. She’s a roommate who doesn’t clean up after herself and never chips in for pizza.

I’ve never named a pet after a relative, though June was named by my husband who had a babysitter with that name. He claims it’s utterly un-related.

MalinenkoWantingBone5) What are the major themes of your poetry book, The Wanting Bone? Amazon.com says you are a unique and subversive poet….and the snark in me wants to say all poetry could be considered subversive. Comment?

Actually a lot of the themes that are present in The Wanting Bone are also the same themes in Lizzy Speare – mainly family and what it means to be family – how these things are determined and a lot about trust. Also there is a large portion of The Wanting Bone that deals with my mother’s cancer treatment.

As for Amazon’s description – I have no idea where that came from. Honest.

6) You have written a variety of short stories that are available to read through the links on your site. If you had to pick just 2 or 3 to briefly discuss, which of those pushed you as a writer to go beyond your normal comfort zone?

Paper Heart, which was published by Jersey Devil Press, was a story I was very proud of mainly because I had adopted a completely different writing style for that one and that was no easy feat. It was rejected numerous times before it found a home – most people were hung up on the notion that a person would be born with Ectopia cordis (a heart on the outside of the body) and that it would be made of paper. Also, the boy with no tear ducts seemed to baffle people. That’s why I’m thankful for places like Jersey Devil Press. They let me send them all my really weird stuff. And they were kind enough to nominate me for a Pushcart – which while I realize TONS of people get nominated for and it doesn’t really mean anything – but it meant something to me that the editors at Jersey Devil picked my story out of all the other fantastic stories they had published.

Tentacles published by Slush Pile was also a tough story for me. It has no real supernatural element which is rare in my stories and it’s very much about a dying old man and his marriage. I don’t usually write stuff that straight forward. I’m more of a banshee/desert train/circus freak show sort of writer so this was a leap for me.

7) You also contribute to the magazine Down in the Dirt. I can’t help but notice that the February 2013 issue has a goat on it’s cover. Would you like to tell my readers a bit about Down in the Dirt? Or you are welcome to go on about the goat…..

I myself would like to know more about this goat. Who is the goat? Where is he from? Has he traveled far? Do his little goat hooves hurt? Will his horns grow any longer? If they do, what does that mean? Is he a billy? Is he a gruff? What other questions are there?

8) In giving advice to other aspiring writers, what are a few non-writing activities you would recommend to increase a writer’s skill?

Reading. And I can’t stress that enough. You only learn how to write by reading. Reading is key. Read, read, read. Then when you’re done, go read some more.

Also – walking. I go on long walks – they are great for working out plot issues.

9) Finally, if you would like to share about ongoing or upcoming projects or events, please do!

Sure why not? I’ve got your attention right? After all those goat questions, I should.

I’m currently working on the second Lizzy Speare book called Lizzy Speare and the Hall of Hecate.

And I’m also drowning in a hot mess which is a YA book about chess, street kids, dopplegangers, parallel worlds and time travel. Think The Outsiders meets Fringe. But mostly think “hot mess” cause right now that’s all it is.

Places to stalk Ally Malinenko:

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Interview: Garrett Calcaterra, Author of Dreamwielder

Everyone, please welcome author Garrett Calcaterra. He recently approached me with reading his latest book, Dreamwielder (just came out this month). As usual, I tend to go through an author’s website before reading their book, and he looked so interesting I had to ask for an interview. Lucky for me, and you too, dear readers, he acquiesced. What follows is a little info about him, his latest book, and a damn entertaining chat about beer, writing, dogs, and his band Wheel House. Enjoy!

Garrett Calcaterra is an author of dark speculative fiction. His books include Dreamwielder, The Roads to Baldairn Motte, and Umbral Visions. In addition, his short work has appeared in dozens of magazines, journals, and anthologies. He is a member of the National Writers Union and teaches writing at various academic institutions. When not writing, he enjoys hiking with his two dogs and quaffing good beer.

CalcaterraDreamwielderIn a world shrouded by soot and smoke, young Makarria has literally been forbidden to dream…

Legend has foretold the demise of Emperor Thedric Guderian at the hands of a sorceress with royal blood, and the Emperor has made it his legacy to stamp out all magic from the Sargothian Empire in favor of primitive coal fired smelters and steam powered machines. When Guderian’s minions discover a Dreamwielder on a seaside farmstead, a chain of events forces Guderian’s new threat—the young Makarria—to flee from her home and embark upon an epic journey where her path intertwines with that of Princess Taera, her headstrong brother, Prince Caile, and the northman Siegbjorn, who captains a night-flying airship.

Dogging their every step is the part-wolf, part-raven sorcerer, Wulfram, and Emperor Guderian, himself, a man who has the ability to stint magic and a vision to create a world where the laws of nature are beholden to men and machines. Only by learning to control the power she wields can Makarria save her newfound companions and stop the Emperor from irreversibly exterminating both the magic in humans and their bond with nature.

1) You have three books out, one a mosaic written with two other authors, one that contains two novellas, and now a full-length fiction novel. Please share a little of your experiences in writing in these three different styles?

You know, when I look back at all three books now, the growth and progression of my writing is very apparent, which is a good thing I suppose. My first go at writing a book was a sprawling novel called Praxis of the Gods. It was a great learning experience and there are some fantastic aspects of the book, but I simply wasn’t there yet as a writer—my skills were too raw and the resulting story left a lot to be desired. After giving up on trying to get that book published I went back to writing short fiction. During that time I was really forcing myself outside my comfort zone to get better, and the two novellas that comprise Umbral Visions came from that period. “The Shadow” was written first and it’s very experimental with aspects of meta-fiction. With “The Key Ring” I pushed myself to explore the dark inner workings of my protagonist and reinvent the haunted house story. It was probably several years later that Craig Comer and Ahimsa Kerp asked if I wanted to join in on a mosaic novel project they had thought up. One of them had pondered what The Lord of the Rings would be like if told from the perspective of Sauron’s soldiers, and that got the whole thing rolling, the idea being to tell the story of a war from both viewpoints. It was a lot of fun. I got to take part in the world building phase and then we each came up with our own characters and wrote interlinked novellas that told the story of this civil war from multiple vantage points. By the time I was finished writing my portion of The Roads to Baldairn Motte, I knew I was ready to write a new full-blown novel. I started writing Dreamwielder back in 2008 and it took me about three years to go through the entire process, which included a major rewrite. The resulting product is a novel I’m very proud of. I don’t know that it will change anyone’s life, but it is a good fantasy novel, I think, and it’s a great testament to all the work I’ve put into my craft. The world building I put into the story was far more involved than anything I’d done before, the plot is complex and sprawling with about a dozen viewpoint characters, and the narrative voice is an omniscient one that rides the line between YA and darker adult fantasy fiction. The true test will be how readers respond to the book. If I did my job well, the reader will notice none of this craft business and merely get caught up in the characters and a compelling story.

CalcaterraBaldairnMotte2) In teaching writing to others, are there non-writing/non-reading activities you recommend to help build writing skills?

Absolutely. Go live life! A lot of young writers think you get better by burying your nose in books and then practicing your craft. Certainly that’s part of it, but if you want to write stories that move your readers, you have to experience life. Lots of it. You need to experience love, grief, pain, and joy. Otherwise, how can you expect to write about these things in a believable manner? And then there’s the intimate know-how of how things work. How do you replace your breakpads? How do you pick a lock? How do you hone a straight razor and then shave without cutting open your jugular? How do you make a roux? How long does it take to grow tomatoes from a seed? How do you mix a good Manhattan? These are the little things that go into stories and make them feel real, and to that end, a good writer needs to be a jack of all trades.

3) I notice quaffing good beer is one of your favorite past times. Do you brew? Or do you have a favorite microbrewry nearby that is worthy of a visit?

I do brew my own beer, but not as often as I like. I was just about to start a batch in the new glassware I got for Christmas, but my dog Jager was bored apparently and ate all of my malted barely, along with half the plastic bag it came in. I tried malting my own barley (which simply means sprouting it), but the grain I got at the grocery store was either sterile or irradiated. I’ll have to find some organic, viable barley somewhere and try it again. I don’t have any favorite local breweries (I live in Orange County—not exactly a region known for it’s beer making prowess), but I make it a habit to visit breweries whenever I travel (which again, is not as often as I like). I visited Firestone Brewery this last Fall and if all goes to plan I’ll be visiting Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii this summer. One of these days I’ll finally do a camping trip to Andersen Valley Brewing Company and happily stumble back and forth from the brew pub and my tent each day. Oh, and I’d love to go back east and visit the Dogfish Head brewery. Oh, and the Pacific Northwest… I could go on and on about beer for hours. If there are any publishers out there who want to pay me a huge advance to travel around and write about the great microbreweries in our country, please, call me!

4) Rock, blues, and funk all in one band. Please tell me a bit about how Wheel House came to exist?

Rock music has been a love of mine since high school. I played trumpet in grade school, but gave it up when I was in high school because it wasn’t “cool” enough for me. Luckily, it gave me enough of a musical foundation to pick up other instruments. In college, I picked up the bass and played in a short-lived alternative/prog rock band. After that I just sort of monkeyed around on my own for years, playing guitar and bass as a hobby. When I started dating my partner, Mandy, who is a classically trained singer, we decided to jam in the garage with my roommates Pete and Eric. It was crazy. We went into it with no expectations, but somehow all jelled immediately and started writing songs. The concoction of rock, blues, and funk is simply a melding of all of our musical influences, and it works. The biggest difficulties we’ve had so far were agreeing on a name for the band and a name for our new EP.

5) How did you celebrate that first time experience of having a piece accepted for publication?

You know, I’m not sure I even remember now. Probably with a hoot and a little victory lap around the living room. The first one was a small publication, and I think it might have even been a poem. I slowly worked my way up the totem pole to bigger and better publications, so it’s been incremental and I’ve never had that jaw dropping acceptance letter I didn’t see coming. Hopefully the trend keeps on going. My goal is to finally get to the point where I can make a living from my writing. If and when I finally get a decent royalty check and don’t have to work over the summer digging ditches, I’ll celebrate in grand fashion.

CalcaterraUmbralVisions6) You’re a dog person. Will you share a little about your two dogs?

Of course! The aforementioned barley stealing dog, Jager, is a ten year old black lab and German shepherd mix. My other dog, Jack, is a seven year old yellow lab and Great Dane mix. (Yes, yes, my dogs are named Jager and Jack. What can I say? I was in my twenties when I got them.). They’re both huge, in size and personality. Jack is a little high-strung around other dogs and new people (he thinks he’s a chihuahua), but he’s a sweet, intensely loyal guy. Jager’s nick-name is Houdini because he’s a magician, sneaking in and out of places he has no business being. We’ve had some great hikes together, but they’re starting to get to the age where they can’t handle ten mile days with packs anymore. Just an hour and half long walk to the park this weekend has them limping around the last couple of days.

7) This is where you let me pry a bit and please do tell me about some ongoing or upcoming projects or events?

My pleasure. My newest work in progress is a near-future literary sci-fi novel tentatively titled Remember the Future.  It’s about a man named Cabell trying to make it with his family as hi-tech homesteaders in a world besieged by a harsh ecological climate. The son is clairvoyant to a small degree, but this only muddies up the issues Cabell has to deal with. Unlike with Dreamwielder, I’m not outlining this novel in advance. It’s very much a character story, and I’m essentially throwing Cabell into a tough situation and letting him write the story. That’s my hope, at least. I’m only a chapter and a half into, so we’ll see what happens in the coming months. Thanks so much for having me by to talk. It’s been great!

Places to stalk Garrett Calcaterra

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Interview: Elieba Levine, Author of Wanderlust

Elieba Levine seriously at work.

Elieba Levine seriously at work.

Everyone, please welcome Elieba Levine to Dab of Darkness for the day. She stopped by for tea, bookish gossip, and more. Enjoy!

Elieba Levine is a passionate writer and discerning editor who currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has written five fiction novels, a picture book, and an award-winning screenplay. Her extensive world travels greatly influenced the settings in her erotic trilogy Wanderlust, Interludes, and Escapes-which have recently been released in electronic format. She is currently working on her next novel.

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1) Your Wanderlust trilogy was originally published in the 1980s as romance novels. Yet, they are a bit steamier than romance novels. How do you think the publishing world and readers in large have changed over the years when it comes to erotica and romance genres?

I believe it was always distributed as erotica, never romance.  I have always disliked the romance genre and stayed away from it.  When my editor came to me with this idea I told her I would only do it if I could go further than romance and into erotica.  She consented and the book was very successful earning me a three book contract.

2) You traveled the world at one point in your life and used much of that experience as the basis for this trilogy. Would you say that your personality closely matches any one of the characters?

No.  What I used were the locales and some of the people I met along the way, but I stayed out of it.

3) Please share a few pieces of advise to new writers who are exploring the erotica genre.

I believe erotica has gone further than I ever imagined.  Therefore I don’t think I’m the person to be giving advice as it presently is too explicit and not mysterious enough for my taste.

4) While writing, do you have favorite music that you listen to, or a favorite location (secret writer’s den), or favorite snack food to help keep the writer muse around?

No music.  I love music so much that it would only be a distraction.  I need quiet but then need to get out and prefer the sounds of a big city as contrast to my solitude.

5) What writing projects are you currently entertaining, if I may snoop into your writer’s life?

I am presently writing a book about a woman caught up with a group of terrorists who come upon one another in a broken down castle outside of London.

6) If you could have food and lodging for free, and automatically be transported, what part of the world would you like to visit today?

Vietnam.  It’s so much a part of my history and would like to see it now.

LevineWanderlustDescription of Wanderlust by Elieba Levine: 

ADVENTURE From New York to Kenya to Katmandu, Jane Perry sets out to explore the world and finds romance and excitement at every turn… PASSION From Bali to Sydney to Hawaii, Jane follows her heart’s desires… and leaves behind men who will never forget her… WANDERLUST An erotic odyssey of passion and obsession. Part of a trilogy: Wanderlust, Interludes, Escapes

This interview is part of a blog tour hosted by Virtual Author Book Tour. If you are interested in further reviews, a giveaway, and interviews, check out the tour schedule HERE.

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Interview: Chris S. Marks, Author of Elfhunter

MarksElfhunterEveryone, please welcome Chris Marks to the blog. She was kind enough to let me probe into her life, and provide bonus picks of her pimped up ride! Enjoy, as I did!

1)   In Elfhunter, two heroines are the lead characters. Was it a conscious decision from the beginning to have 2 female leads or was it something that came about from a more nebulous idea?

I started out to write a short story, having conceived the idea of the villain and wanting to explore it. I needed protagonists, and wanted to have both male and female characters in leading roles, but I really wanted an understated heroine whose strengths could be revealed as the story progressed. Being female, it’s a natural choice. In 2000, when I first started writing the tale of the Elfhunter, there were far fewer “fantasy heroines” than heroes, and precious few worthy ones. I dislike weak female characters, and I wanted to portray my own vision of feminine strength. These books really aren’t about feminism or gender issues, but they are about being true to yourself–knowing who and what you are. Gender issues, when they happen, are a consequence of that.

MarksAuthorPhoto2)   You are a writer and an illustrator. Do you find taking a break from writing to do some illustrations recharges your writing mojo, and vice versa?

I play at being an illustrator, but I do enjoy making art. I have done a lot of sketches of the characters, and a few paintings of Gorgon which shall never be made public, as I don’t want to color the readers’ perception of what he looks like. The only one of my drawings of Gorgon appearing in the original Elfhunter is the one of his eyes. Once I am into a writing project, I rarely stop to do illustrations until I have finished it. If I wanted to make a living at my art, I’d do nothing but dog and horse portraits on agate. Dog show people and equestrians love them–I could be busy for the rest of the year. Then I guess I’d have a real “dog and pony show”, eh!

MarksElfhunterElfmobile13)   Being the biologist you are, what would be your top 5 creatures of fiction you would love to run into in the wild? What are the top 5 you would avoid at all costs?

Interesting question. Let me see–if the term “creatures” includes humanoids, my top five (six!) would include: Wood-elves, Wolfriders (from Elfquest), Dire Wolves (from Game of Thrones), Unicorns/Pegasi, friendly dragons, and the eagles from LOTR. Boring, I know. The ones I would avoid: Bodvari, Ulcas, Orcs, Ulfar (read Elfhunter to find out what those are–I outdid myself with them!), and those nasty earwig-things from The Wrath of Khan–you know, they burrow into your brain through your ears? In fact, let’s just include anything that burrows into your brain. :-P

 

MarksElfhunterEyes 4)   Do you really have custom decals of your cover art decorating your personal vehicle? What gave you the idea and what has been the response?

Yes, there is an Elfmobile. In fact, there are two. I have included photos of the old and the new–the older vehicle (original Elfmobile) is covered with my own art from the original covers; the new one is from newer covers by Hope Hoover. :-) The response–well, I’m lucky no one has been involved in a wreck while trying to photograph it on the interstate. I have come out of restaurants to find people having their photos taken with it. It’s like a rolling billboard–one of the best promotional ideas I’ve had. There are pictures of it on cell-phones across America!

5)   Having worked with horses (an intelligent animal species) for years, what are your thoughts on humans as the superior intelligent race on Earth?

Hmmm. Sometimes I wonder. I work really hard to earn money so I can feed my horses, build them a first-class stable, give them a warm, dry bed, take good care of their feet, provide heath care, and in general give them everything a horse could want. Granted, they do have to work for a few hours once in a while, but who’s the intelligent one? By this standard, the only being more intelligent than my horses would be my spoiled rotten Border Collie, Bob.

We humans are intelligent–no doubt about that–but sometimes I wonder whether we’re only intelligent enough to be dangerous. The human mind is a phenomenal thing, capable of creating incredible beauty, but also capable of ugliness unsurpassed by even the most savage of creatures.  I hope we can keep pace spiritually with our own technology, or we might be in trouble. We already are, in fact. We might need to remember that intelligence is nothing without loyalty, sacrifice, empathy, love…

MarksElfhunterElfmobile26)   Who were some of the authors you read as a kid that left a lasting impression on you? What modern-day books/authors do you recommend?

I love the classics such as Dickens and Shakespeare, and have always enjoyed mythology (my third grade book report was on The Iliad). As far as modern authors, I adore Tolkien (he introduced me to epic fantasy, and is the undisputed master of the genre in my opinion). I also enjoy Stephen King (as long as he’s not killing off the dog in the story), Larry McMurtry, and Richard Adams, but my real “comfort read” is James Herriot.

7)   Please let me pry and tell me what are some of your upcoming bookish projects and/or events?

As a fan of Blazing Saddles, I cannot resist the following:

Well, if you must pry…

(I must! I must!)

There’s so much happening in Alterra right now, I can hardly stand the excitement. Elfhunter will be available in print soon, The Fire King (first Alterra Histories novella) is already in print. Fire-heart is due for re-release this spring, a new novella (Fallen Embers) to follow shortly thereafter. Ravenshade re-release will come along later in the summer, and another new novella (Shadow-man), which I have started work on already. There’s a table-top RPG in the works for late summer. THEN there’s the graphic novel version of The Fire King (provided Hope can bear to do the artwork–she still can’t read the final scenes without getting emotional). And I haven’t even mentioned the NEW Alterra series, Undiscovered Realms. I wouldn’t look for the first one until 2014, though…it’s been written for a while, but we can’t release it until after Ravenshade. I’ve got a reasonably full convention schedule planned, as well. Comic Con, GenCon, DragonCon…(whew!)

This post is part of the Elfhunter blog tour organized by Nancy Roberts of 123Ion.com. Check out the schedule HERE to catch more interviews and reviews.