AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Sean P. Wallace

1. When and why did you decide to become a writer?

It was in my teens that I decided I wanted to write books. I'd always really enjoyed the story-writing assignments in English, far more than anything else in class, and decided to give it a proper go when I was 13. And oh boy was it bad! Just awful. I tried again at 17, and that we even worse! It was only when I turned 20, and really gave it a proper go, that I produced something that was merely bad. But I loved it, and decided that writing was my calling.

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy today?

When I was a kid, it was all American Horror books: King, Koontz, folk like that. My reading age was well in advance of my actual age, so I dove into them from a very young age. Which might explain a lot about my current nature! Now, though, I find myself enjoying Fantasy and Science Fiction far more. I still have a soft spot for Horror, but Horror stories have to be exquisitely told to reach the standards of my youth.

3. Can you tell readers the inspiration behind your novel Deep Echoes?

Deep Echoes started with the question of what a religion built around the prominence of women would look like. Hence the Contegon Station which both Maya and Chain belong to at the beginning of the book. From there, I wrote another story entirely to Deep Echoes, but realised eventually that I'd not included enough backstory, enough of the characters, for that tale to work. That was when I went back to the start of the story proper, the book that became Deep Echoes.

4. Were any of the disparate characters in the novel inspired by people you know in your "real life"?

Not particularly. Snow has a lot of me at that age in him, but most characters end up being a reflection of their creator in some way. Which, I suppose, makes me wonder what Wasp says about me!

5. Do you plan on writing or have you written a sequel to Deep Echoes?

The sequel to Deep Echoes is currently with beta readers! With any luck, I should get to release it Q2 this year.

6. Why did you choose such unconventional names for your characters,  like "Chain" and "Snow", while your main character had a more typical moniker ("Maya")?

In the world of Geos, names are picked from an old language, taken from the remnants of an advanced society. Everyone is given an 'Old Language' name. Maya, though, her name will have more meaning in the third book of the series...

7. Sol (the sun) is this future world's version of God and its worshipers are elitist and insular. Was this meant as a commentary on how modern religious orders act, or did it happen accidentally?

It's more a commentary on people. Centres of power, be they religious, political, or militaristic, tend to separate themselves off from those without power. It's why, in our times, the Internet is so valuable, because it connects people far more easily than ever before. Whilst religions, ancient and modern, do turn insular and elitist, it is not a trait peculiar to them.

8. What would you, as the author, like readers to take from this novel?

I would like people to take a sense that they were in this world with them, that Geos is a real place. I worked hard on making it seem real, considering incredibly minor things, and I'd hope that came across. I'd also like people to think about Maya and Chain, and their differences and similarities in the way they are about their beliefs, and how one grows whilst the other does not.

9. Would you want to see the story made into a film? If yes, which actors would you want to play each individual character?

I would love to see Deep Echoes as a film, though it'd likely never happen. I couldn't possibly cast them, though, because each of the main characters is really alive in my head.

10. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

With any luck, I will be producing a few novels a year, and I'll have a fanbase large enough to support me. Also, I'd love to get sent fan art or fan fiction. That's pretty much my second biggest career goal. My biggest would be to write an Anime series.

11. Are you working on any new projects that you are willing to share with KSR?

As I said, I'm currently working on the sequel to Deep Echoes. I have a Western Fantasy/Horror story called Dust and Sand, which was serialised on www.geek-pride.co.uk , with some agents, and an Urban Fantasy book just kind of waiting its turn.
If you want to hear me swear and talk about geeky stuff, check out the Geek Pride Cast on YouTube or Stitcher.

12. What would you be doing if you weren't writing?

I genuinely don't know. I suppose I might have gone more heavily into Video Games for a creative outlet.

13. Is the theme of rebellion, like how Maya rebelled against her teachings, something you will revisit again in a future book?

It certainly is a theme for Maya in the sequel! ;)

14. If you could collaborate with any author, who would it be and why?

I would say Stephen King, but I doubt I'd be able to contribute anything other than gushing praise. Instead, I'll say George R. R. Martin, because he rocks, and we could kill characters together!

15. Thank you for participating in the interview! Can you leave the reader with three things that may surprise them about you?

No, thank you. And my three things are that I have a degree in Video Games design, I didn't like the Harry Potter books, and that I loved the Harry Potter films immensely!

Find Sean P. Wallace online via:

Goodreads

Twitter

Official Site

BOOK REVIEW: "Deep Echoes" by Sean P. Wallace

In the fictional world of Geos, heresy is the worst thing possible if you're afollower of Sol, the sun. Being a heretic is the equivalent of being a terrorist in modern-day America.
Maya is ready to become a Contegon, a religious soldier, but deserts,  becoming a heretic and leaving suspicion on the head of her friend, Chain, who does graduate and become a Contegon. Chain has to deal with the elders of the Contegons and a new, mysterious young man who has taken an interest in her.
Maya escapes by tricking a vulnerable teen boy named Snow and stealing his mother's Identity Papers, never knowing that Snow's grandfather is a Desciple, the enemy of the Contegons.

In this novel about rebellion, religion and thinking for oneself, Sean P. Wallace created an amazing journey for the reader.Now, my biggest reservation about this book is it jumps almost too quickly between characters. I think each individual subplot needed a little more attention before it was switched after every chapter.
I am a lover of descriptive dialogue, and while the scenes were excellently depicted, the characters could've used some extra words.

Overall, this book receives a four from me because, when you get right down to it, it's the story that counts and Mr. Wallace gave us a great one!

4/5--inventive!

Receive a FREE copy of Deep Echoes via the following:

Author site

Smashwords

Support the arts and purchase a copy via:

Amazon (US)

Amazon (UK)

NOOK

Goodreads

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Thomas Bähler

I'm honored to have been asked to interview the talented writer, musician and composer, Thomas Bähler, via Malena Public Relations.
Read on to hear about his experience in the music industry and how he got the idea for his debut novel, Anything Is Possible: A Tale Of Æsop.







1. You started out as a musician/producer. When and why did you decide tobecome a writer?

This is a great question that I am asked frequently and I can understandwhy--my answer is pretty simple really…I was raised by an inspiring father, who encouraged me to be creative and ‘Do what you love, Son.’
For me, the tools and processes of creating are closely related regardless of the genrein which our creations may manifest themselves…words and music have alwaysbeen an artistic outlet for me and story, in particular has always felt like melody to me, so creating music and creating novels are simply different rooms in the same creative house for me.

2. Why choose Æsop's life; Greek history in general? What was the allure?

I’m enjoying your questions, Kelly--to tell you the truth, I don’t feel asthough I picked ÆSOP. I feel as though he picked me. My first Æsop ‘meeting' took place when I was three years old, listening to a WarnerBrothers ‘Reader Record’ of Bugs Bunny and the Tortoise. I was hooked andover the years our friendship and understanding grew in depth andunderstanding to the point that I feel as though he has moved in with me.
Greeks? Our western culture is based upon the Greeks who gave usphilosophy, theater and myth as well as the Æsop’s everlasting fables inwhich he has showed us the beauty as well fallibility of our humancircumstance. Æsop is the most quoted single author in history.

3. The theme of the book seems to be very inspirational--believing in yourown power & self-worth. Did working in the deprecating music industrypartly influence your thought process?

I’m not certain what this question means but if you will explain it to meI’ll be happy to answer it!

4. Whose work influenced you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading now?

In the Literary world, I was most influenced by ÆSOP, for his stories ofthe human condition both inspired and instructed me. I have also read many biographies of great contributors such as Lincoln, Edison, Curie, Franklinand so many of the great people who have shaped our lives. I still readmany biographies as well as a great range of fiction from Fitzgerald to Atwood.

5. Since I asked about your past career, will you tell the readers what itwas about the music industry that made you want to work in it?

My attraction to the music industry began from my musical family. It was and is a way of serving others. When my first hit song traveled the world, it thrilled me to learn that something I created in my living room had brought joy to people all over the globe.

6. You've worked with many talented musicians. What authors would you liketo collaborate with in the future, if any?

I love the collaborative nature of the entertainment business, although with no intent to being so, my successes as a songwriter and author have come from flying solo. I can tell you that I want to meet Margaret Atwood, Paulo Coelho and Carlos Ruiz Zafon to name a few. The collaboration of that opportunity would come from discussion of what moves and inspires us.

7. What musicians would you like to work with one day?

I have had the great pleasure to have worked with so many icons of our timeand I plan to continue navigating that river with whomever I can serve, or,creating together, can further serve and entertain our audience.

8. Are you working on anything, book-wise, that you can share with KSR?

Yes, I am! - I am on my post- 1st edit re-write of the follow up novel to Anything Is Possible, and at the same time, am writing a companion book to AIP as well. The world in which we dwell is so beautifully fertile. :)

9. Where do you see your writing career in the next ten years?

I see a total of three novels in the Anything Is Possible series,accompanied by companion books and programs that support their philosophy as well as many more speaking engagements, more music, more connection withand most of all, serving others.

10. Would you ever consider writing a non-fiction book about your time inthe music industry since the 1970's [background for readers, Mr. Bähler worked with The Partidge Family, wrote Cher's hit "Living In A House Divided" and formed his own band, The Love Generation, with his brother, John; he has also worked with Michael Jackson]?

Bingo! That book is already in the development, for I have wonderfulstories about the great talents and people with whom I have had the pleasure to create.

11. What is the biggest difference writing for yourself and writing forother artists?

For me it is always about story - songs to me are one act plays - and innovels, I have the opportunity to expand those stories to include richer detail - at the end of the day, no matter who is to perform or read - story is my melody. I am melody’s servant.

12. Writing lyrics can be like storytelling. What is the biggest difference between writing lyrics & writing a novel?

I am sure there is a difference…for me, I have always written what I hear, so whether it is a lyric, poetry or prose…I write what I hear - I amcompletely content with my audience, readers and listeners deciding their differences - personally, I would prefer that they are moved by their content and not their style.

13. Would you like to see Anything Is Possible turned into a film? Would you work on music for said film if it were to happen?

Anything Is Possible is quite cinematic to me and it’s sequel even more so. I imagine that I would contribute to the score in some fashion.

14. Were you to have to choose, would you rather work on music or writingfull-time?

For me, I breathe, eat, drink, sleep, make love and create. I cannot separate myself from any of those nor could I from their expression.

15. Thank you so much for participating in this interview, Mr. Bähler. Would you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

1. I am a “Jolly Rogers Fire Stix” junkie. 2. I love a wildly wide varietyof people and their stories. 3. I actually believe that anything is possible.

Find Mr. Bähler online via the following:

Book Twitter

Personal Twitter

Amazon

Facebook

Goodreads

IMDb

Official Site

Find Malena PR via the following:

Official Site

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

BOOK REVIEW: "Anything Is Possible: A Tale of Æsop" by Thomas Bähler

"Anything is possible".

That is the recurring phrase and title of composer/musician Thomas Bähler's debut novel, Anything Is Possible: A Tale of Æsop, Æsop being the ancient Greek storyteller.
Bähler's novel tells the tale of Æsop's early life as a slave under Theseus. Compared top other slaves, he lives an easy life with his mother Danae, in Theseus' house, able to learn from the best tutors Theseus employs for his own, rather bratty, son, Acacius. He finds he is gifted at telling tales, and entertains courteiers with them.
Theseus takes Danae to collect his brother, who has come for a visit, when tragedy strikes and Theseus is killed in an accident, along with Danae, making Acacius the new master.
Æsop's life is immediately altered, add he is now an "outside" slave, working long hours of manual labor and eating little. He now knows the true meaning of being a slave.As the story goes on (cut with line drawings of characters and particular scenes by artist Yulee Kim), the reader is repeatedly confronted with the theme of one being oneself's own master, slave to none and capable of anything.

Freedom comes from within, and if you believe in yourself you can do anything. That's the point Mr. Bähler tries to put across and into every reader's head. For the most part, I believe he succeeded in conveying that, no matter your race, gender or station, you can be and do anything.
It was a joy to read a novel that is both entertaining and inspiring. The life of Æsop is riddled with trials, but he keeps going despite the odds being stacked against him. It is a book for everyone who has ever been told they're not good enough, they're to fat, too poor, too human, to be and do what they dream of.
Amazing work, in a psychological, sociological and entertainment sense. Highly recommended for everyone who has a heart or wants to gain some confidence.
Thank you, Malena PR, for sending me this book!

5/5--inspiring!

Purchase Anything Is Possible via:

Amazon (Kindle)

Amazon (hard copy)

Goodreads

Barnes and Noble

Google Books

Lisa Kessler's "Beg Me To Slay" Blog Tour Stops at KSR!

In December Lisa Kessler gave readers a demonic delight with her new novel Beg Me To Slay. (Click here to read my review!)
Now she makes a stop here at KSR to talk to you all about the novel...and reveals some secrets behind-the-scenes of the book's creation.
Below the interview you'll find a Rafflecopter link, along with places to interact with Mrs. Kessler online.
Enjoy!











1. You've given us vampires and shifters. What made you want to write about demons?

My husband and I share an office and he works nights producing and writing a morning radio show. At about 1am I turned around to find him watching a webcam of the ocean. We live in San Diego county and many of the beach hotels now have webcams pointed at the coast. My hubby was taking a mental health break for 5 minutes, watching this grainy webcam with a floodlight barely lighting the waves coming in.
I asked, “What would you do if the webcam popped up and someone was burying a body on the beach?”
For a little over a week that question kept rolling around in my head and when I wondered why they'd never find the bodies, I realized they might have dug themselves out, transformed into demons. The book took off so fast I had to type quickly to keep up! :)

2. In the Acknowledgements, you say you wrote this about survivors when you were in a dark place in your life. Can you talk a bit more about what the inspiration was and what you want readers to take from Tegan and Gabe?

When I started Beg Me to Slay, I'd had some major upheaval in my family and found myself crying daily and feeling very lost. When Tegan and Gabe came into my life, I started out writing their story as an escape, but as the book continued, they both started healing, and I felt like I did too.
I hope that readers will take away that even in the worst of circumstances, you can rise above. We're not victims, we're survivors. Big difference...  I hope it inspires anyone in a dark place to get out there and keep fighting.

3. Demon fodder is all over the media, with shows like Supernatural getting viewers by the millions. Were things like that helpful in getting information about the demon world?

I'm such a sucker for paranormal shows! I can't get enough...  But my favorite shows were ANGEL and MOONLIGHT.  In my head Gabe looked a lot like Mick from MOONLIGHT, and he dressed and fought like Angel from Joss Whedon's ANGEL. I wanted the book to be dark, but action oriented like both shows were. I hope I achieved that! :)

4. What is the biggest difference between your other novels and this one?

Good question. Hmmm...  I think this one is different because my paranormal creatures were the bad guys. In my Night Series and the Moon Series the paranormal characters are usually the heroes, but in Beg Me to Slay although Gabe is a Slayer and tough to kill, he's still mortal just like Tegan. It was a fun dynamic for me to toy with too.

5. Will we see Tegan, Gabe and the unforgettable Lago again or is this a stand-alone novel? - 

I wrote this one as a stand-alone, but I've had so many requests for more, that my brain has been very busy pondering. Gabe did mention that there were other Slayers in the world, so if a new peril rose up we might meet a new Slayer and it might require all the Slayers including Gabe and Tegan band together to fight...  So you never know... :)

Rafflecopter contest:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Find Mrs. Kessler online:

Twitter

Official site

Amazon author profile

Facebook LIKE page

Goodreads

MONTHLY MUSIC MADNESS: Delta Wave

In my bio, many of you might've noticed that I said I might refer some music to my readers. I said that because music is a passion equal to books for me. It is another escape mechanism from reality, and it incites such deep feelings of...nearly anything. Love, sadness, anger and understanding are just some of what the listener will experience.
Until now, I have fallen short in that department due to the time my blog takes up normally (and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!), but this year I promise you all I will not slack off anymore!
I will try my best to do this monthly (hence the post title): dedicate a post to an artist/band I enjoy listening to and share them with you all. Here is my first artist: my amazingly talented & supportive friends, Delta Wave.













Originally formed in Los Angeles, California a few years ago under the name Awaken The Empire, Delta Wave built a small but dedicated cult following worldwide (who still call themselves "Insomniacs") with their unique brand of electronic rock music, sounding like a mix of 30 Seconds To Mars & Aerosmith.
They released two videos, "The Awakening" & "Rise+ Fall", under that name, and, most notably, they'd opened for indie synth-rock band Kill Hannah at their annual New Heart For X-Mas show in 2012 in Chicago, Illinois (the show was then in its ninth year).
Not long after that, they topped the MTV Buzzworthy charts with their video for "Rise+Fall", receiving high praise and gaining popularity.
Members Damien Lawson (vocals, guitar, lyrics), Daryl Falconer (drums), Shivan Somaratane (guitar) and newest member Romina Fronti (bass) then took a short break, making some changes including their name, location (current base of operations is an island off of Seattle, Washington) and sound, turning to the more alternative subgenre of rock.
Now, they're working on new music to release with Century Media Records, planning a tour with Maphia Management and want to make 2014 their year. And I, having known them all for years, believe that this could truly be the year of Delta Wave!

For fans of: Aerosmith, 30 Seconds To Mars, Kill Hannah, alternative rock music

Members:

Damien Lawson: vocals, guitar, lyrics






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Romina Fronti: bass






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Shivan Somaratane: guitar






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Daryl Falconer: drums






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Band accounts are as follows:






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Enjoy, my friends! Check back here monthly for new artists to listen to and check back weekly for new books to read!

MONTHLY MUSIC MADNESS: Delta Wave

In my bio, many of you might've noticed that I said I might refer some music to my readers. I said that because music is a passion equal to books for me. It is another escape mechanism from reality, and it incites such deep feelings of...nearly anything. Love, sadness, anger and understanding are just some of what the listener will experience.
Until now, I have fallen short in that department due to the time my blog takes up normally (and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!), but this year I promise you all I will not slack off anymore!
I will try my best to do this monthly (hence the post title): dedicate a post to an artist/band I enjoy listening to and share them with you all. Here is my first artist: my amazingly talented & supportive friends, Delta Wave.













Originally formed in Los Angeles, California a few years ago under the name Awaken The Empire, Delta Wave built a small but dedicated cult following worldwide (who still call themselves "Insomniacs") with their unique brand of electronic rock music, sounding like a mix of 30 Seconds To Mars & Aerosmith.
They released two videos, "The Awakening" & "Rise+ Fall", under that name, and, most notably, they'd opened for indie synth-rock band Kill Hannah at their annual New Heart For X-Mas show in 2012 in Chicago, Illinois (the show was them in its ninth year).
Not long after that, they topped the MTV Buzzworthy charts with their video for "Rise+Fall", receiving high praise and gaining popularity.
Members Damien Lawson (vocals, guitar, lyrics), Daryl Falconer (drums), Shivan Somaratane (guitar) and newest member Romina Fronti (bass) then took a short break, making some changes including their name, location (current base of operations is an island off of Seattle, Washington) and sound, turning to the more alternative subgenre of rock.
Now, they're working on new music to release with Century Media Records, planning a tour with Maphia Management and want to make 2014 their year. And I, having known them all for years, believe that this could truly be the year of Delta Wave!

For fans of: Aerosmith, 30 Seconds To Mars, Kill Hannah, alternative rock music

Members:

Damien Lawson: vocals, guitar, lyrics






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Romina Fronti: bass






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Shivan Somaratane: guitar






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Daryl Falconer: drums






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Band accounts are as follows:






Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Enjoy, my friends! Check back here monthly for new artists to listen to and check back weekly for new books to read!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: James DeSantis Talks "Exterminators: Shadows"

Author James DeSantis is back on my blog again to talk about the second book in his series, Exterminators; Shadows.
Warning: if you didn't read book one, Infected, there ARE spoilers in this interview! Purchase links for the first book can be found here.
Enjoy!







1. This story picks up where book one, Infected, left off. Each character has had some personal changes. Were those slight differences intentional or did they sort of grow up before your eyes?

They are slowly growing up. I look back and wonder how much I changed throughout the years. It's odd, everybody changes in some ways. Do you remember when you change though? Like major changes? I think changes almost always happened gradually. I wanted to make the characters in Exrterminators act just like all of us. Small changes to some, but major changes to the person themselve. 

2. In this book you delve deeper into the Summoners and Shadows, and their relationships with the Exterminators. Will you continue to write about those organizations in the future Exterminators books?

Yes, they are a huge part of the entire world that I've built. The three way war is something I find interesting. It's scary enough when two organizations are at war with each other, lives on the line. What happens when a third comes into play? Can you trust anyone? That's really what makes the whole thing so fun to write. 

3. Why did you choose to have Riven come back as such an essential character instead of having him fade away after be possessed Fred?

Fred was a character that builds the others in a lot of way. Even in his passing, he created a so called “road” for the other characters to travel on. Riven, is a huge symbolic character. Almost struggling to find his identity. Something many people can relate to. 

4. You deal with a lot of emotions most adventure novels leave out: love, loss, betrayal and self-doubt. Was it difficult to dredge up those intense feelings or were they easy to put into words?

At one point in life I felt almost everything these characters go through. Growing up we deal with love, betrayal, death, abuse (in some way or another) and putting it down on paper really is almost self reliving in some ways. So having these situations for certain characters can seem “mean” or “wrong” but everyone goes through troubles in life. Even the ones who have everything. Why should my characters be any different? To many stories protect their characters from real world problems. I want my characters to face them head on. 

5. Both books have had a lot of twists and turns to leave readers guessing. Is there anything you can tell them to EXPECT in the future installments of the series? 

As I finish book three, which connects with two in a lot of ways, I want to say you are in for a big roller coaster ride. Book four is the calm before the storm and will create the events of book five that with conclude the series. Everyone can see the war is coming, there's no secret there. This war will be HUGE and it'll leave readers in shock as the events unfold. I promise this much, what's to come is both scary and exciting. So get ready!

Find James DeSantis online via:

Goodreads

Twitter

Alternate Twitter

Facebook LIKE page

BOOK REVIEW: "Exterminators: Shadows" by James DeSantis

In James DeSantis' second Exterminators novel, he continues with his original story of the teen boys who were chosen to fight the Unknowns (demons from another realm) and protect mankind.
But this novel goes deeper than its predecessor.

Each boy has his own personal trials: Marshall and his girl are having a baby, Nick has moved in with his girlfriend and has angered his father by deciding not to go to college and Peter is learning how to feel real, human emotions.

One of their comrades, Jin, has a secret: he was secretly working with the Summoners, the enemies of Exterminators. When one of the Summoners kills Jin's lover, he goes on the hunt, not knowing that David, the leader of the Summoners, is planning a war between Summoners, Exterminators and the rogue group known as Shadows.

In this book, lines are blurred, crossed and breached by the three organizations' members and they have another problem: Riven, the demon who possessed the young Exterminator Fred in the last book, is back...but he's not alone in there...

Most series get worse before they get better, but that is not the case here. With a multi-faceted story, emotional scenes and realistic characters amidst a fantastical, violent plot, this is a book for adventure-seekers that will entertain you and make you long for the next installment, as I am!

Expect plot twists, strong emotions and crestures beyond your imagination in this book!

5/5--fantastical!

Purchase Exterminators: Shadows via:

Amazon Kindle

Amazon hard copy

Createspace

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Eric Robert Nolan

1. When and why did you decide to become an author?

 I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t telling stories.  I grew up in a working class Irish family in New York, and poems and stories were a big part of the culture.  For as long as I can remember, I was making up my own.  The first poem I remember writing was when I was about eight or so.  I think it was about a boy befriending a wild horse.

2. You write poetry, short stories and novels. What is the biggest distinction between the three and which is your favorite to write?

 For me, poetry is about economy.  You can say a lot with only a few words.  You can convey an image, feeling or message in less than a page – something that prose is often unable to do.  All writers are communicators – they have something that they would like to get across.  Poetry enables you to do that quickly.  I once recited a love poem for a co-worker when we were sneaking a cigarette break – it took less than a minute, and when I was done, he knew exactly how I felt about the woman who was the subject of the poem.
Prose is about detail.  I try to put as much thought as possible into characterization, setting, and “world building,” Here is where you can communicate at length with those who have more time to read.  I would like to be the kind of writer that can draw readers into the world of the story.  I want them to inhabit it – in the same way I’ve been able to inhabit the worlds of my own favorite writers.

3. Whose work inspired you when you were younger. Whose work do you enjoy today?

Two writers have been my primary influences as both a child and an adult.
Since the age of 16, I have loved the poetry of W.H. Auden.  In my own humble estimation, he was a sublimely beautiful mind, whose work is both brutal and lovely.  It can simultaneously move you to sadness and give you a love for the English language.  I think he was quite brilliant, and often sad, but I believe that he never really lost hope.  For me, Auden himself will always be the “affirming flame” that he wrote of in his poem, “September 1, 1939.”
Stephen King will always be my favorite storyteller of all time.  He is unmatched in his ability to immerse readers in the thought processes and emotions of diverse and complex characters.  I suspect he knows much more about the human mind than most practicing psychologists. And he can do these things while serving up a good old-fashioned, fun, creepy campfire story about monsters, ghosts or aliens.

4. Dagda Publishing in the UK published your poetry collection and first novel (The Dogs Don't Bark In Brooklyn Any More). Can you tell the readers how you got involved with them? Do you plan on publishing
more work with them?

Dagda Publishing has a strong commitment to helping new or emerging writers, and the company also has a very active Internet presence. Reg Davey, Editor-in-Chief, once “reblogged” a poem that I had published in another online publication in Britain, Dead Beats Literary Blog.  So I began submitting poetry to Dagda, and from time to time, they’ve been kind enough to feature it.
I indeed hope to publish more with Dagda. They are a smart, professional team, and a pleasure to engage and work with.

5. What was the inspiration for TDDBIBAM?

 There were a number of influences.  The primary influence was Saki’s “The Interlopers,” which my father read to me when I was a boy.  This is a classic short story with a surprise ending – if you’ve read “The Interlopers,” you basically know the story of TDDBIBAM and the planned subsequent books.
Another influence was the animated film adaptation of Richard Adams’ Watership Down. (I am embarrassed here to admit that I actually have not read the classic novel upon which it is based.) Watership Down portrays intelligent animals, yet they are not fully anthropomorphized.  (They have their own distinct language and culture.)  I wanted to take this idea and turn it on its head.  What if we had intelligent animals who were bad guys, while the human characters were the story’s protagonists?)  I’ve hoped since I wrote it that people might find this an original idea.
Finally, I was influenced by the real story of David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam” serial killer.  When Berkowitz was finally arrested by New York City police, he confessed that he was motivated to his crimes by his neighbor’s demonically possessed, talking dog.  That image, or idea, is one of the creepiest things I’ve ever heard.  I’ve always thought that talking animals could be the basis for a great horror story.

6. You said you're writing a sequel to the novel. How many books will his storyline span, do you think?

 I currently plan to write three books.  I’ve also flirted with the idea of writing a book or short story serving as a prequel novel – maybe a book entitled The O’Conners, following the early lives of Patrick and Flynn O’Conner (Rebecca’s father and uncle).

7. Are any of the characters based on people you know in real life?

No.  The characters are not based on real people, nor is Rebecca an “author proxy,” either consciously or unconsciously.  I have no idea where my characters come from.

8. Would you like to see a film made out of your novel or any of your stories? Who would be the stars?

To be honest, I’m not sure that I would like to see a film based on the book.  I’m not sure why that is.
If a movie were made, I could easily see Gillian Anderson as Rebecca, Elizabeth Mitchell as Janey Auburndale, and Rose Byrne as Molly Landers.  (In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit here that I have harbored crushes on all three of these actresses.)  I think Rutger Hauer would make a perfect Michael Donlon.  And if you have seen Elijah Wood’s performance as Kevin in Sin City, then you know that we absolutely need him to portray Francis Lestrade.

9. Are you working on anything else aside from the sequel? Is there anything you can share with KSR?

 I continue to write poems and short stories.  My newest short story, “At the End of the Worlds, My Daughter Wept Metal,” will appear in Dagda’s upcoming anthology, All Hail the New Flesh.  This is another doomsday science fiction story, and readers of TDDBIBAM will find that there are a couple of “Easter eggs” – character and thematic references just for them.

10. You wrote that you sold your first book in Italy and just recently autographed your first book. How did it feel to have your hard work appreciated?

It was amazing.  I never thought I would see the day when I was asked to autograph anything – except maybe a photo of actor James Wood. (We’re lookalikes; people comment to me constantly about the uncanny resemblance.)
I am always surprised at how kind and gracious horror fans can be.  The people I’ve met in the writing community and the fan community have been incredibly generous to me in their words and support.  It leads me to want to be a better person, and to be supportive of the efforts of others.  It’s a wonderful part of my life.

11. Do you have any inspirations outside of poetry/literature?

 I’m a movie nerd, and I’ve long drawn inspiration from my favorite films – everything from Vanilla Sky to Blade Runner to Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey.  If any George A. Romero fans read my writing, I feel certain they’ll recognize me as one of their own.
I am also an extremely vivid dreamer, and draw a lot of inspiration there.

12. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

 Gosh, that’s a very difficult question to answer.  If it is one thing that life has taught me, it’s that it’s unpredictable.
I can tell you where I would like to be.  I would like to continue publishing.  I would like to make enough money to afford airfare to visit my friends around the United States and the rest of the world. (My writing has helped me find friendships with many good people who are far away from New York.)  I would also like to find a way to employ my writing to serve my country and community.  I’m not sure how I might do that, but I would like to try.

13. What, if anything, do you wish for readers to take from TDDBIBAM?
 
TDDBIBAM is largely Rebecca O’Conner’s story.  By the end of the book, whatever her own failings or inner demons, she is an adult who tries to do the right thing.  She might lack the depth, the insight, or even the character of the people around her.  She’s only human.
But she is fighting the good fight, despite how life and fate have brutalized her.  She is committed, above all things.  She’ll never flag in her determination.  She’ll never stop.  No matter how hard it hurts.  Maybe that is what really makes someone a soldier.

14. Is there a genre you haven't before tackled but would like to in the future?

 Yes – historical fiction, contemporary military fiction and mainstream romance.

15. Thank you for participating in the interview! Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

 Thank you!  It is a pleasure for me to be here!  Three things that surprise people about me?  
I am not James Wood.
Most of my poems and stories are connected with New York, but I absolutely love the American South – especially South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
I studied psychology as an undergraduate, and once dreamed of working for the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit.

Find Eric Robert Nolan online via the following:

WordPress

Goodreads

The Book Marketing Network

Google+

Find Dagda Publishing online via the following:

Official Site

Facebook

Tumblr

Smashwords

YouTube

Pinterest

Twitter

BOOK REVIEW: "The Dogs Don't Bark In Brooklyn Anymore" by Eric Robert Nolan

Poet Eric Robert Nolan's debut novel, The Dogs Don't Bark In Brooklyn Anymore (published by the UK's Dagda Publishing) is a postapocalyptic science fiction story full of unique characters, creatures and emotions.

Rebecca O'Conner is this novel's flame-haired heroine, the story spanning her childhood and adulthood in Brooklyn, New York. The former depicts her childhood association with kids who grew up to fight in the war with her later. Mr. Nolan talks about her father, a war vet suffering from PTSD and grief over his deceased wife, her relationship with a classmate and witnessing the depravity of which kids are capable.

The latter is while Rebecca is leading a squad to defeat the wolves who decimated 95% of the United States. They began to mutate when she was a child, and slowly they came to destroy the country. She has to watch her friends die and relive her past while trying to save humanity.

In this epic debut, the reader is subject to the writer's vast pool of emotions, including loyalty, friendship and running the gamut all the way to despicable and vile.

There is some violence, to warn the readers, but it adds to the surprisingly realistic nature of the story and its characters. It's a fast, intriguing read for fans of sci-fi and war novels alike.

4/5--Great read!

Purchase The Dogs Don't Bark In Brooklyn Anymore via:

Amazon

Goodreads

Createspace

Dagda Publishing

Barnes And Noble

Google Books (Play Store)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Nicole Chardenet

1. When and why did you decide to become a writer? Did you always want to be a writer?

 I started out as an extremely frustrated writer, because I hadn't yet learned how to write. That didn't stop me though from writing down all the great stories in my head. Since I was functionally illiterate, nobody could read them including me. In first grade I was finally able to write my debut short story, The Little Fox. Unfortunately I lost it and Mom wanted to kill me. She thought it was a brilliant effort for a six-year-old whose grasp of literacy didn't include the proper spelling of most words and zero punctuation. Not that she was saying that just because I was her daughter or anything...

 2. What authors influenced you when you were younger? Whose work do you enjoy now?

 My early influences include Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak. I was also a fan of Little Golden Books and Grimm’s Fairy Tales, although later, when I could read Grimm's myself, I realized just how much Mom had cleaned up the sex and violence while reading them to me. These were the stories they told little kids a few hundred years ago? And they’re worried about Miley Cyrus and Grand Theft Auto today?

 3. What was your main inspiration behind Sumer Lovin'?

 My friend Sharon is a Jewish matchmaker, albeit not from New York, and I thought it was interesting that she was trying to hook people up together because I had just begun to realize that Toronto guys show much less interest in women than most other men. It got me to thinking about how funny it would be if a couple of women from cultures that do arranged marriages formed a consulting group to help Canadian parents arrange marriages for their clueless kids.
 The Sumerian villainess Lamashtu came from doing Google searches and while there wasn’t much written about her, finding out that 'the space between her legs was like a scorpion' made me think, “Now THERE’S a new villain!” And since I was unleashing ancient Sumeria on the hapless city of Toronto, from there was born the Canaanite Liberation Front, misdirected into Canada via a tragic map accident…

 4. What was the allure of a "fountain of youth" for you?

 I think I was looking at the City Hall fountain one day and it came to me. That connected well with the storyline of the search for love and the need to look beyond superficiality in relationships. Plus I like the idea of anything that makes Toronto randier. It’s a great city in many ways, but it’s gotta be the most tight-assed city in North America. Hell, even our own rogue crack-smoking Mayor Rob Ford gets more action, apparently, than the rest of us.

 5. Your relocation to Toronto obviously influenced the story quite a bit. How different do you think the story would've been had you still lived in the United States?

 That’s an interesting question, because I began writing dark fantasy when I was still in Connecticut. It had a little humour but it mostly reflected my chronic depression at the time. Moving to Toronto has been a major improvement in my life and I'm happier, ergo far more prone to humour. I think if I'd stayed in CT my villains would be bankers and hedge fund managers. And my characters would be a lot more unemployed.
For sure, there’s more humourous inspiration in Toronto than there was in CT – here we have a highly vibrant creative culture with many writers, artists, movie-makers, musicians, etc. People are more social because it’s a big city. There are a lot more single people who can devote time to their passions rather than in CT, which is a very family-oriented, two-SUVs-in-the-suburbs state. And because nobody can get laid here.

 6. Why Chinese culture interwoven with everything else?

 I think it was because I have more Chinese friends here, and I worked near Chinatown at the time. Chao Wan embodies a lot of the good qualities in men that women like Rachel often ignore because they’re focused on less important stuff like looks and money. So Chao is short and bald and not at all what she favours, which is men who are big and manly and – she’s clearly not the made the connection – dangerous.
I wrote this a couple of years after moving to Toronto from uber-self-segregated Connecticut, and was still very much aware and impressed with the multicultural atmosphere here – hence the widely varying ethnicities and religions in Sumer Lovin’.

 7. You talk a lot about racial differences in Sumer Lovin', between Muslims, Americans, Jewish and African Americans, and how they all seem to have something against each other somehow. What was the reason you included that in the narrative?

 I don’t think they necessarily have something against each other, but there are definitely ethnic and religious tensions in any mixed society. I did make it a point to break a few stereotypes – Mahliqa is a strong, confident Muslim woman with fashion sense, who wears the hijab for her own reasons, not because she’s ‘told’ to do it (and after I wrote this, the media started reporting on Canadian Muslim women who wore the hijab for political reasons). Amita is a strong Indian woman as well. Rachel’s mother may be a Jewish stereotype (apart from the racism) but feedback so far from Jews is that I nailed the classic Jewish mother, so she’s still apparently very much with us.
There's a bit of tension, or maybe competition, with Americans and Canadians. Americans really are a smug bunch who regard everyone else as less important sometimes. Canadians get annoyed with Americans and are also a bit envious – sort of like having an older brother who’s good at everything but is an insufferable ass to boot. They don’t always like Americans but they’re always seeking Americans’ attention and approval. Canadians don’t see that most non-North Americans, though, would rather invite Canada than the US to dinner, because Canadians can be counted on to be polite and provide interesting conversation and not insult the other guests.

 8. Virgin sacrifices are necessary to make your "villian" reach full power after she was forced away from Adam. Can you tell readers more about that legend and why you decided to use it?

 The killer vagina features in many ancient mythologies, including the millennia-old Lamashtu. There’s the old ‘vagina dentata’, or vagina with teeth, that anthropologists think expresses male insecurity about women and male need to control – a man enters a woman strong and ready but leaves diminished and unable to perform again for some time after that – maybe a few minutes if he’s young, longer if he’s older. And I chose male virgins as a bit of a twist on the old mythologies that always seem to demand virgin girls. And because Toronto men seem a logical choice :)

 9. Rachel is a woman struggling with her age and familial pressure, trying to make it in the working world, as many women are. Did you intend for her to be so relateable at the outset?

 Write what you know! I’ve been a newcomer to Canada...Rachel deals with the emotional pain of wanting to settle down and have children at a time when she’s less popular romantically because she’s older, and she’s got unsympathetic people like her mother nagging her to do what she wants to do but doesn’t know how. Of course, Rachel unconsciously contributes to her problem by favouring the wrong sort of men – or blowing off potential good candidates just to please her mother, which is why she makes a choice in the end that won’t please Ma at all. That’s something I don’t relate to myself, actually, because I never wanted children, so I didn’t have the drive to get married the way a lot of women do. And my family has NEVER pressured me to do otherwise.

 10. Are any of your characters based on real people?

 Many may be inspired by others – as Rachel was – but there the similarity ends, mostly because I want to keep my friends. Sometimes, though, celebrities or strangers can provide a basis for characters. Rachel’s bullying Homeland Security ex-husband as described is actually based on a power nazi I saw at an airport, having a grand old time bossing everyone around and showing off his over-the-top sorta homoerotic manly studliness.
Mahliqa and Amita, I think, were inspired a bit from the Canadian TV show Little Mosque On The Prairie which does a bang-up job of making Muslims look like normal, funny, just-like-us Canadians. It really fights the stodgy, stuffy, humourless reputation they have. Mahliqa is so happy to be friends with a Jewish woman, and she’s based on people I knew in the States, white liberals who wanted to reach out to blacks and be friends with them. Interestingly, I’ve had a few Muslims try to 'build bridges' with me, having mistaken me for a Jew. My Pagan pentagrams get confused with the Star of David so I’ve had Muslims wish me a happy Rosh Hashanah or they ask if I’m Jewish with a big smile and act friendly.

 11. What other works do you have out or are you working on something now that you'd like to tell the readers about?

 My previous novel is Young Republican, Yuppie Princess, which answers that burning question, What would happen if a stuffy conservative yuppie wannabe in the 1980s accidentally stumbled into an alternate medieval universe with her dorky D&D-playing friends and became an actual princess against her will? With a prince who seems to be channeling Andrew Dice Clay?

 12. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

 I see myself married to George Clooney and writing on the terrace of his Roman villa with a fine Italian vino at my elbow. With servants and Belgian chocolates and a breathtaking view of Lake Como and an Amazon ranking higher than Kanye West on his own awesomeness.
...Or did you mean where do I realistically expect to be in ten years?

 13. Would you like to see Sumer Lovin' made into a movie? If yes, who would you like to play whom?

 What writer wouldn’t like to see her novel made into a movie! I would love to see Angelina Jolie play Lilith, Lamashtu’s mother – in fact I had Angelina in mind when I wrote it, not because I was thinking of a movie role but because she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I think Selena Gomez would make a wonderful Lamashtu because she’s so gorgeous and I think she could pull off Lamashtu’s icy malice. Steve Reeves for Ammishtamru! No wait, he's dead. Maybe get that Thor hunk to play the Canaanite chieftain? Or Javier Bardem? George Clooney if it'll get me his phone number. Seth Rogen to play Dave the Virgin?

 14. Will you ever write another novel with similar tones as Sumer Lovin'?

 Already have! And it’s got Lamashtu in it as well, although she’s not a gorgeous crotch-killing psychopath in this one. It features more locations around Toronto which always pleases Torontonians and speculates on why it’s a bad idea to have sex with dead people. Okay, let me explain: Why it’s a very bad idea to perform a necromantic ritual on a dead rock star to be your boyfriend, no matter how big a fan you are and how drop-dead-sexy he was when he was still alive.
Oh, and if you ever wondered what Sarah Palin would be like if she were a witch…not that I’m saying any character in this forthcoming novel is based on Sarah Palin. Nosirree…uh, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

 15. Thank you for participating in this interview! Can you please leave the readers with three things that might surprise them about you?

 I used to be a belly dancer back in CT, doing ‘bellygrams' at peoples’ birthday or stag parties or whatever (no stripping). For fifteen years I was the terror of 40-year-old birthday boys in a tri-state area.
I once had to deal with a pissed-off Richard Simmons on the phone. I was working in the news department of a radio station and the on-air guy was supposed to interview him. He forgot to call him. So Richard called *me* and bitched me out for something that wasn't my fault.
I used to be a gigantic flirt and have three albums' worth of photos to prove it, but Toronto cured me.

Find Nicole Chardenet via the following links online:

Official Site

Blog

Google+

Facebook

Twitter

Deux Voiliers Publishing

BOOK REVIEW: "Sumer Lovin'" by Nicole Chardenet

Love and lust in Toronto. How strange matters of the heart are in that beautiful, cold, melting-pot of a city!

In Nicole Chardenet's light novel (a little more than 200 ebook pages), we see the Canadian city overtaken by an Underworldly being from ancient Sumeria who appears at a fountain after an unusual earthquake...stark naked. She is a killer, feeding on virgins and babies to give herself power. She was forced away from Adam (yes, THAT Adam) by her mother, so she says.
She meets Dave, the quintessential "perfect" virgin and knows she must sleep with and kill him to gain her full power.

Meanwhile, forty-one-year-old Rachel moved there after she divorced her husband in New York to start her matchmaking service. Though she's Jewish, she partners with two Muslim women to get her business off the ground...and maybe find herself a man while she's at it.

Sumer Lovin' is an excellent novel with sexual, gender and race politics, strong characters and an intriguing backstory. Ms. Chardenet has a cast of characters(including but not limited to a guy who raises gerbils and one obsessed with arachnids) who will entertain you till the very last page.

It will make you laugh, think and cringe, with the author's unique voice and vision. Worth a read? Definitely!

4/5--interesting!

Purchase Sumer Lovin' via the following:

Amazon

Author Website

Goodreads

Smashwords

Barnes And Noble

Google Books

iTunes

AUTHOR INTERVIEWV Lillian R. Melendez

1. When and why did you decide to become a writer?

When I was a child, I found myself writing a lot. I didn't believe that I was a writer at that point. But when I grew up people would say to me, “Oh, you’re a writer” or “You’re an author.”

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy today?

I read several books by R.L Stine when I was younger. Today, while I read contemporary books, I also enjoy reading the classics. Some of my favorite stories are Bram Stoker's Dracula, Leurox's The Phantom of the Opera, and Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

3. Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

No, they are not based on real people. But art imitates life. I believe there are people in this world who have similar personality traits to each of these characters.

4. In Auditory Viewpoint the main character, Gloria, is blind. Why did you decide to give her such a disability? 

I think we all have some kind of struggle, whether its physical or mental, but we can all learn from each other how a ‘disability’ can become a ‘strength’.

5. Instead of relying on police to solve the crime, you had Gloria and Anna work with Benjamin, an IT pro. Why do that instead of waiting for the police?

The police take their time to gather information and any break that can help solve the case. Gloria felt she didn't have a lot of options and with limited time, she thought the killer would strike at any moment. Gloria didn't want to undermine the police work by putting herself in danger, but she trusted her instincts and sought extra help from Benjamin since he is an expert in the technology field. Sometimes we may feel like the police do not act fast enough to protect us and our families, or that we do not get swift justice. 

6. With Gloria's lack of sight, did you intend for there to be a hidden meaning/metaphor?

No. Cyber criminals work where the visual eye cannot see. It's plain and simple and hackers know this. That's why they are successful most of the time at what they do. It takes more than eyesight to catch them and Gloria did it well in her own way.

7. In Dismantling Vindictiveness, why did you choose for the characters to be architects?

To me, it’s a metaphor for creating what was nonexistent and rebuilding what was destroyed. In  this case, relationships were damaged because of Christopher's greed. Can Christopher rebuild what he has destroyed? He will have to work extra hard to rebuild it again. 

In reality, many people know what happened on Wall Street a few years ago and many voiced their frustration. I think greed is a sad part of human nature. It's good to have materialistic things such as money to help us sleep better at night without worrying about financial issues, but we cannot let materials be the center of our universe. Whatever we obtain can be taken away just as quickly as we receive it, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters are people. If you hurt someone for selfish reasons there's a likely chance that they will not be there when you need them. Negative words and reputations will spread, making potential colleagues and friends turn their backs and disown you.

8. Dismantling Vindictiveness is a very involved novel where everyone is related to or works with everyone else. Was it difficult to write because it is so?

 No, it wasn't difficult. I think in life, we all are connected in some way. We all have to deal with each other, whether it's family, friends, colleagues at work where you spend 7-hours 5-days a week in, or even a stranger. I believe every day we are figuring out how to continue to respect each other and care for one another so that we can continue to become better individuals in society.

9. One of the main characters in Dismantling Vindictiveness is a reporter and your description of the job is very well-written. Did you study the profession for the book or has it always been an interest of yours?

 I did some research on this profession. In my opinion, novelists are similar to reporters, because we have to ask questions to write effectively on what we do not know well. Reporters are also writers so it wasn't that hard to understand their occupation. They ask questions to voice their findings and concerns to the world. Novelists voice it through creative writing.

10. Will there never be a sequel (or prequel) for Dismantling Vindictiveness?

No. I am satisfied with the ending. I think life is full of chapters that are different from each other and so this chapter is closed. Maybe with future books I'll right a sequel, but I don't see myself prolonging the same (chapter) unless it's really needed.

11. Thank you for taking part in the interview! Can you please leave the readers with one thing that might surprise them about you?

 Many believe writers today write solely on computers. I simply cannot do this. I have to write on paper first, and not only that, I cannot write on paper with lines on it. It simply distracts my thoughts. I always go to art stores to buy a sketch book to write my stories

Find Lillian R. Melendez via the following online:

Official Site

Twitter

Goodreads

Facebook (LIKE page)

Find Malena PR via the following places online:

Official site

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Hilary Shepard

1. You started out as an actress. What inspired you to write a novel?

I have always written throughout my career as an actress. I started out doing sketch comedy in the Groundlings in LA with Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz and Kathy Griffin and we all wrote and performed comedy sketches. I co-wrote a series, Material World for the CBC that I won a Genie for as well. After being diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago and beating it, I started writing about my experiences online--the reaction I got was so overwhelming and it really helped me to rediscover my love of writing. I was in bed recuperating from a lot of different operations so I decided to use my time to write SHESUS, which is based on a series of reoccurring dreams I've had ever since I was little.

2. In acting, there is a limited amount of room for individual creativity in most cases. What was it like going from show business to having total creative freedom with SHESUS?

Since SHESUS takes place in an imagined future I was really able to let my imagination fly and come up with whatever fantasies I could think of! it was awesome to create a world that sprung from my own mind and not have to work in the confines of someone else's vision.

3. Were you a big reader growing up? Which authors/books inspire you the most, past and present?

One of my favorite childhood memories is going to our local Library with my mother and checking out books every week! I loved anything by Ronald Dahl, Harriet the Spy, From The Mixed Up Files of Miss Basil E Frankweiler, [and] Island of the Blue Dolphins. My most favorite book of all time is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee; nothing can top that book for me. I eagerly await every new Alice Hoffman book, I love Margaret Atwood and anyone who can make me laugh like Sloane Crossley and Chelsea Handler.

4. Where do you see yourself and your writing career in the future?

I really hope to write the movie version of SHESUS. I think it would make a great film visually and can picture it even as an animated movie!

5. Do you have plans for any more novels in the near future? If yes, is there anything you can tell KSR about them?

I have a new book I'm cooking in my brain now, but it's too early to talk about now--just a tiny germ of an idea!

6. Aside from the names [note to readers, I'll get to that in a moment], were any of the characters in SHESUS based on real people?

All the characters were based on a mixture of people through out my life. The sisters TheRose and Bugbee, were based on my two daughters and also on my relationship with my older sister. Their mother Mooma is what the girls call me and is based on my best friend, the amazing eco-warrior Daryl Hannah who taught me a lot about how we are poisoning the earth. Radish (their dad) is my dad through and through--Radish is his nick name too! JJ has a lot of my grandmothers qualities--she was a wildly creative and mercurial character who took me to flea markets and shopping in Greenwich Village in NYC  for vintage things. 7, the genius baby who they find along the way, is actually a true story that happened to me--I found a baby in the woods when I was 5 and kept it all afternoon in my doll bed because my mother thought I was playing make believe!

7. Why dystopian fantasy? What is it about the genre that interests you?

I have always loved a great dystopian fantasy--from the book Handmaidens Tale to the 1970s  movie Logan's Run. One of my favorite movies I acted in was a little seen movie for HBO about a planet of women and all the men were pets called Last Exit To Earth! I loved acting in Star Trek Deep Space 9 and also playing the evil queen Divatox in the movie The Power Rangers!

8. You set the novel in the future and named characters after popular Hollywood A-listers as the norm. Why did you decide that?

Our culture is so obsessed with famous people, and people who are not even talented but who I call "self-tresses and self-ters". I started to notice that people were already naming their kids "Aniston" and "McCartney". Very few people were called Madison until Daryl was called that in the movie Splash! Now there are zillions of "Madison"s. I thought it would be funny to have people in the future with the full monikers- Bradpitt, for example.

9. People think nature is contaminated and consume only GMOs in SHESUS. TheRose and others fight to change that. Are you, personally, against GMOs now? Why?

GMOs are the devil. I think we are already seeing the disastrous results--the reason so many more people have gluten problems and problems with their digestive systems is because of all the genetically altered food we are consuming!

10. The main living area in SHESUS is set in SoCal. Is it because you lived and worked there, a statement on the fallacious nature of Hollywood or neither?

I really wanted to show the contrast between  the pure sheltered lives the sisters lived in the protected land of Eden and the world of the Supermalls. I watched LA spread out over the last 30 years that I've lived here, as more and more people move here and it's just a matter of time until it's one big strip mall all the way to Vegas! But I must say I think the media is so pervasive--TV, social media, the internet--that LA isn't any more fallacious than most places in America now.

11. In the book's introduction by the talented Daryl Hannah, she says you have been through a lot together. Did that long-lasting friendship play a part in creating the story?

My friendship with Daryl really informed the relationship the sisters have and the love they have for each other. Daryl is really a sister to me at this point. She also really taught me so much about the Earth and how we are poisoning her and with it ourselves.

12. Being an actress, would you like to see SHESUS made into a film and who would you like to see cast in it?

I know SHESUS would make a brilliant movie--my 16 year old daughter Scarlett Rose is a very successful model (Brandi Melville, Cody Simpson Iyiiyiy, Teen Vogue) and budding actress. I would love her to play TheRose. Daryl wants to direct the movie, and Cher would be my first pick as JJ, although Rosannah Arquette already says she wants to be JJ, even though she's 20 years too young, she'd rock it! I always pictured Adam Levine as Johnny Seed and I'd love to play Ivanatrump.

13. What would you like for readers to take from SHESUS?

I love when my readers tell me they get so attached to the characters they didn't want the story to end. I hope it makes them laugh, cry, their heart race and their imaginations run wild. I also hope they all want to love and revere our beautiful planet and take care of her for future generations.

14. While there is a lot of bad in your future Los Angeles, is there anything you created that you'd like to see really come to fruition one day?

I'd love to have a mood room like Butterflybowie's where your room can change according to your moods! I'd also love to run around in an animal pack like Tiger people with animatronic tails  and ears  like they do in the StaysinVegasmall! How fun would that be?!

15. Thank you for participating in this interview! Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

Three things that may surprise you about me:
I love to surf and I live on a wild bird reserve with a canal in my back yard where I Stand Up Paddle almost every day.
I love to knit and my specialty is little skull and crossbone baby sweaters.
still play bass guitar and love to jam with my friends.

Find Ms. Shepard via the following online:

IMDb

Wikipedia

Goodreads

Amazon author profile

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Visit Malena PR online:

Official site

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

BOOK REVIEW: "Shesus" by Hilary Shepard

In the year 2300, decades after cancer turned into an epidemic called the Big Sick, the people of Earth decided that it was Nature causing the illness and declared that GMOs (genetically modified organisms) were the way to go to stay healthy.
But some people decided that Nature was actually their saving grace and spurned technology in favor of living an old-fashioned lifestyle of organic food and living quarters.
That family, the deceased Radish (born Johnlennon), Mooma (Darylhannah) and their children, TheRose and Bugbee, live a happy life until the Govercorp decide to bomb their natural home due to a phantom threat of sickness.
It's up to TheRose and Bugbee to find their grandmother JJ (Janisjoplin) in the "mall" where everyone lives their synthetic lives and stop Johnnyseed, their father's old business partner, from destroying their home and, with it, their mother and the cure for the Big Sick.
But who can be trusted and what secrets will they uncover about their family's past?

Actress Hilary Shepard's (Star Trek, Full House, Deep Space 9) first foray into the world of YA fiction is a dystopian, sci-fi delight for the mind. The book is for the naturalists and nature activists, the young, the old, the sci-fi lovers and anyone interested in reading her interpretation of what really could happen to our world one day.

Yes, activists will devour this book, with its vegetarian, anti-GMO message (I did!), as well as its metaphorical commentary on Hollywood and our desire to stay young and be "perfect". But, as I said, anyone will enjoy this book with its strong teen lead and great supporting cast.

As a little bonus, Ms. Shepard references today's elite in show business and many of the best musicians in the sixties.
The book also features an introduction by acclaimed actress Daryl Hannah (Kill Bill, etc.).

For young and old, for activists and sci-fi fans, this book is a must read! Again, I thank Malena Public Relations for bringing such amazing talent to my attention!

5/5--so enjoyable!

Purchase Shesus via the following:

Amazon (Kindle)

Amazon (hard copy)

Goodreads

Facebook

Google Books

Tower Records

Book Soup

Barnes And Noble (print & NOOK)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: David Dean

1. When did you decide to become a writer?

Writing found me—I was thirty-four and taking a mandatory arts appreciation class at a local community college (I was trying to get a degree in criminal justice).
As our final, each student had to come up with some kind of artistic endeavor. I had always been a great reader, and thought, “I know…I’ll write a short story!”
So I did. Not surprisingly, it was about a young patrolman in a race to apprehend an increasingly violent (but as yet unidentified) burglar. My professor liked it and recommended I submit it for publication, which I did.
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine published it and I caught writing fever.

2. What authors influenced you growing up? What authors do you enjoy today?

My earliest influences were Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and Edgar Allan Poe.
I couldn’t get enough.
Later, I would discover H.P. Lovecraft, Oscar Wilde, Flannery O’Connor, Ruth Rendell, and Graham Greene.
It was their writing, as well as that of many, many others, that got me to reading in the first place. Without that I would never have progressed to writing.
Some authors I like today are Cormac McCarthy, Madison Smart Bell, and Robert Ghiradi.

3. You were a former policeman, and that influenced The Thirteenth Child. Will you continue to use your past as a theme in future books?

Yes, though not, strictly speaking, in an autobiographical sense. I’ve been around a while, done a lot of things, and been a lot places. Like most writers, I write what I know.

4. You were featured in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Readers Award. Can you tell the readers about the story that won you the award and how it felt to be the recipient of it?

I’ll answer the second question first—it felt GREAT! The story was called, “Ibrahim’s Eyes,” and concerned a survivor of the Marine Corps barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983.
Currently a clerk at a convenience store, we follow his preparations for a confrontation with some particularly murderous robbers who specialize in leaving no witnesses alive.
At the same time, we flash back to his tour of duty in Lebanon leading up to, and following, the bombing that cost 241 marines their lives.

5. Will you continue to publish your stories in EQMM?

So long as the editor will buy them.
I have a pretty good track record with EQMM, which I hope to continue.

6. What are some of the anthologies your work has been featured in (to give readers more to enjoy from your mind)?

“A Salesman’s Tale” in The Deadliest Games published by Carroll and Graf 1993; also in The Haunted Hour published by Berkley Mystery 1995.  “Don’t Fear The Reaper” in Law And Order, published by Berkley Mystery 1997.  “Falling Boy” was in Supernatural Sleuths, published by ROC Fiction 1996.  “Whistle” in Mystery-The Best Of 2001, published by iBooks 2002.
“The Vengeance Of Kali” in The Interrogator (a collection) Cemetery Dance Publications 2013, and “Tomorrow’s Dead” (Nominated for Edgar and Derringer Awards) in The Detective Megapack: 30 Modern and Classic Tales of Mystery and Detection by Wildside Press.

7. What was the inspiration behind The Thirteenth Child?

The idea began as a short story I wrote (never published) that featured a child vampire.
That story got me to thinking long and hard about the whole body of literature, from Dracula to I Am Legend.  Then one day it just hit me—how about a vampire that is in no way supernatural, but at the same time not human? Once I fleshed out that concept, the novel began to write itself.

8. Why did you make Gabriel unlike most popular vampires? Why stray from the path?

It was such a worn path, and I was particularly put off by the current crop of glam-pires, for lack of a better term.
They’re less frightening than Tinker Bell having a melt-down. Horror fans deserved better. On the www.thethirteenthchild.com site I go into a lot of detail regarding Gabriel’s history and background for those who might be interested.

9. Will readers get to enjoy any more stories featuring characters from The Thirteenth Child?

At the moment, I have no plans for that, though I have toyed with the idea of a prequel to TTC—Gabriel’s long history lays a lot of foundation.
Father Gregory Savartha has actually already appeared in a number of mystery/suspense stories, though this is his first outing in a horror setting.

10. You set the story where you live, in New Jersey. Was it your familiarity with the area or something else that made you choose it as your setting?

Familiarity, certainly, but it is also uniquely suited as both the region’s history and geography serve the story well for atmosphere and background. If any of the readers are curious about what, to some, may appear as a peculiar location for the story, let me suggest my blog “Gabriel Land” at www.thethirteenthchild.com .
You may be surprised by what you learn about South Jersey.

11. Were any characters based on real people?

Only Father Gregory comes close.  He is loosely based on a Catholic priest that I know, like, and respect very much.
Nick Catesby, the police chief, is nothing like me—he’s too tall and good-looking, though I am smarter—I created him, after all, not the other way round.

12. The Catholic Church plays a part in the story. What does the Faith mean to you or is it a symbol/metaphor for something else in the story?

I am a Catholic and it plays a large role in my life, but the inclusion of the Father Gregory character was in order to provide a counter-point to Preston Howard and Gabriel.
Preston is so intensely self-centered and arrogant that he is, at first, unable to see the real menace that Gabriel presents to the children of Wessex Township.
He can only view him in terms of a discovery that will vault him back into prominence; vindicate him against his detractors.
Without fully understanding what Preston is referring to, Father Gregory warns him, nonetheless, of the soul-threatening perils of pride and vanity; the importance of man’s role as protector of the weak and vulnerable.

13. Would you like to see The Thirteenth Child made into a movie? If yes, who would you like to play your characters?

Of course, but I have no idea who to cast.  I do know that I don’t want Tom Cruise in the movie…or anywhere near my couch.

14. Do you have any new books in the works? If yes, can you please give us some insights to them?

Tumblar Press is publishing my novel, The Purple Robe next year.
It concerns a young, and rather inept, Mexican priest who finds himself unwillingly assigned to investigate a cult in the Yucatan jungle.
The ancient woman who heads this group claims she is in possession of a sacred relic capable of miracles.
Even as the priest investigates, an American couple and a shady police captain are also trying to get their hands on it.

15. Thank you for participating in the interview! Can you leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

I’ll try.
One: I’ve been married for thirty-five years which surprises me.  I think it surprises my wife even more.
Two: I was once a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Now I don’t even like to climb a ladder to clean the gutters.
Three: I was a high school drop-out.
Hopefully this will be a surprise to those who have read TTC (my greatest fear is that it won’t).
I did get a GED, however, and a few years of college under my belt later.
My advice—stay in school, kids!

Find David Dean online via the following:

Official Site

Goodreads

Facebook

Find Malena PR via the following:

Official Site

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram