Category: Interviews

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Interview with Jeri Westerson

Please welcome Jeri Westerson, who writes a medieval mystery series with lots of British myth, characters and landscapes.

blood lanceWould you please tell us about your latest book?

BLOOD LANCE is the fifth book in the Crispin Guest Medieval Noir mysteries where our hero/detective Crispin Guest—a slave to his personal honor—gets talked into finding a lost relic that an old friend in distress is looking for, must investigate a murder that everyone else wants to call a suicide, gets involved with a beautiful woman who means trouble, runs into Spanish spies, court intrigue, and Geoffrey Chaucer, that all culminates in a deadly joust on London Bridge.

What made you interested in writing this particular story?

Because Crispin Guest is a disgraced knight turned detective, he holds his personal honor dear. He lost his title, status, wealth and place in the world because he committed treason…for a good cause. (He lost all but his life) He hasn’t been a knight for ten years, but I still wanted to bring knightly attitudes and fighting into the book. And because Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been in the news lately, I thought I’d research it to see if PTSD is a modern phenomenon or has been with us since war began. There is some information on knights fleeing battles and talk about “cowardice” which was their only explanation at the time. So I decided to make one of Crispin’s old friends a knight with PTSD, desperate to get his hands on this missing relic that he believes will help him. All of Crispin’s chivalric training comes to bear here. Including London Bridge (which many readers were surely unaware contained houses and shops) just added another interesting element. The joust that happens on London Bridge has its precedence in the time period. Maybe not this particular joust but at least one did happen on the bridge.

jeri_westerson_1 (2)What does a typical writing day look like?

I get up and try to take care of necessary business at  7 am: emails, blogging, Facebooking, and Twitter first thing. Promotion is a necessary evil and it seems to drag more and more of my energy away from writing time. Keeping a balance between that business of writing and actual writing is tough these days.

But when that’s finally out of the way, I can sit down and get to my manuscript. I read over what I wrote the day before, editing as I go, and then plunge into the new work of the day. I make myself do a minimum of ten pages a day. They don’t have to be a good ten pages but they have to be at least ten. Theoretically, by the end of a month, I should have a finished first draft. It never ends up that way, because I may have to stop and do some research, or do a promotional event that day, or any number of other distractions. I’m usually done with a first draft these days in three months, and that includes the first month of writing the outline and doing some initial research (because although I have a pretty good handle on the day to day life and history of fourteenth century London, there are always real people, real history, and a new relic to research for each story). So I start writing around 9 am and am usually done or mentally spent by about 3 pm. Though sometimes I skip a lot of time in the middle and work later at night. I quit my day job a few years ago (which might have been premature, but I didn’t think it was going to be possible for me to produce three books in three different genres a year, short stories, and do all my promo while also stuck at a job that was just a job. But money is nice to pay bills with, too.) so I can write all day. Once I have a first draft I do a lot more editing and rewriting. Then it goes to my husband to read and more editing; then to my critique group for more of the same; then to my agent for yet more fine tuning; and finally to my editor for even more tweaking.   

Tell us about your main character’s psyche or personality. What led her (or him) to be the person s/he is today?

Crispin is complex. He’s noble to the core. And he defined himself by his nobility. He knew his place in the world because he was born to it. When he lost it all he was truly set adrift. Knowing he was guilty, knowing what he did was right at the time, doesn’t help him now. He had to make his own way in the world, stripped of all that he knew. He reinvents himself as the “Tracker,” a man who is hired to find things. When he stumbles upon murder he feels obliged by his knightly upbringing to see justice done.

He still has a hard time reconciling his current status living on the Shambles, the butcher’s district in London, to the courtly life and lands he once enjoyed, and he is naturally bitter, especially because he knows it’s his own fault.

Some years earlier, he reluctantly took in an orphaned street urchin, a young cutpurse named Jack Tucker, who insinuated himself into Crispin’s life as his servant and now serves as an “apprentice Tracker.” Their relationship is like a father and son, two people from two different worlds, but cleaving together for emotional and financial support. They get into trouble and adventures together, with sometimes the apprentice teaching the master a thing or two.  

What advice do you have for writers who have not yet been published?

Do your homework. Learn about your industry and the genre you write. Join professional organizations so you can network with authors in your genre so you don’t make amateur mistakes. Do a lot of listening and heeding advice. Believe me, you do not know it all and you will waste precious time and money if you don’t learn the ropes and pay your dues first.

Realize that this is not a money-making career. Less than one tenth of one percent of authors ever make a decent living at this, or any kind of living at all. Don’t quit your day job!

What are you working on right now?

The next Crispin adventure will be released October 15 of this year, SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST; Perenelle, the wife of infamous alchemist Nicholas Flamel, has been kidnapped and the culprit wants his most prized creation, the Philosopher’s Stone. Flamel’s assistant is murdered and ancient symbols turn up on walls and carved on stones throughout London. Crispin must decipher them in a strange treasure hunt to find the man responsible. What follows is a chase down the shadowy streets of London, between men who know the secrets of poisons and purges, sorcery and forbidden sciences. With the help of Flamel’s deaf mute servant Avelyn and the indomitable Jack Tucker, Crispin races against time to save Perenelle from disaster, and the Philosopher’s Stone from falling into the wrong hands.  

I’m also working on a Young Adult series with Jack Tucker. And right now I’m working an entirely new contemporary paranormal series with humor and adventure when a feisty female protagonist in a small New England village is forced to hunt down and capture creatures who have escaped out of an ancient book, with the help of a dark and sexy demon, the local coven of Wiccans, and the handsome sheriff.

In the meantime, people can read about my Crispin books, see the series book trailer, and read Crispin’s own blog and book discussion guides on my website at www.JeriWesterson.com. 

 

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Interview–Mandy Armstrong & Christina St Clair

Please welcome Mandy Armstrong & Christina St Clair telling us about their new mystery about four Japanese coins who find the right people to change their lives. Ten Yen True from Arlo

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

Mandy:  I am English, 38 years old and married to David. We have one daughter, Mia who is five. I worked in the banking industry for 14 years since leaving school, until I left to concentrate on my writing. I wrote my first novel Rose in 2004 and it was published in 2011. I live in Kent in the UK. I love to travel, read and ride horses but my passion is writing.

Christina:  I’m in Kentucky but have deep roots in England where I was born and raised. I’ve been writing for a long time.  On this journey I’ve learned a lot, suffered many rejections, and made some wonderful friends.

ChristinaMANDY

Would you please tell us about your latest book? 

Ten Yen True is a story of hope, love, forgiveness and miracles, exploring the spiritual and psychological underpinnings of the main characters, demonstrating the interconnectedness of human beings. When the four main characters each mysteriously receive one of four ten yen coins, none of them know or understand why or where their journey is about to take them.

What does a typical writing day look like?

Mandy:  Typically, after dropping my daughter at school, I’ll get home, make coffee, put on some music and write. I try to set myself at least 4 hours a day, though obviously, being a mother, I have to be flexible. At weekends, I like to write in the evenings, when I can light my scented candles too.

Christina:  I used to be very very structured, but now I tend to think quite a bit before I sit down to write. Once I’ve committed to a project, though, I write daily and try not to let distractions get in my way. There are times when inspiration comes in the middle of the night and I get up and write it down because if I don’t, I know the ideas and words will disappear by morning.

Can you describe your writing process?

Mandy:  I’ve never been great at ‘plot planning’. This is because I find my characters sometimes take over and it’s almost as if they guide the story for me. I sometimes start out with an idea for a character which then veers off in a completely different direction. It’s just what works for me. I like to think of it as giving my characters freedom!

Christina:  Every project is different. Some have been character driven, and sometimes I have a strong idea of where I want to take the novel. It is fun, though, when the novel goes where it wants and the characters run the show. One thing I love to do is research facts to get ideas and create a sense of place. This was important in Ten Yen True, since the setting is in Louisville, KY where I’ve only been occasionally.

How did you come up with your title?

Mandy:  I wanted something catchy that encompassed the thread of the story but didn’t give too much away. The title, Ten Yen True struck me as soon as Christina and I began discussing our ideas and I also like how it’s just as catchy when shortened to TYT.

Christina:  Completely inspired by Mandy.  We’d been spinning the plot and talking and generally having a good time, when she suddenly got a glazed look in her eye and said. “I’ve got it!  Ten Yen True.”  I loved it.  So similar to TNT–explosive!

If your book were chocolate, what kind would it be and why?

Mandy:  I’m not a big chocolate fan so I would say if my book were chocolate, it would be a Snickers bar. Not too sugary sweet, but just enough, and packed full of nuts. (Touching, yet gritty)

Christina:   I love chocolate and I love this novel.  What kind of chocolate? Hmmmm. Cadbury’s Milk Tray, because it is a delicious assortment as are the characters in TYT.

If you could host a magical dinner party, who are the six people (living or otherwise) you’d include?

Mandy:  Such a difficult question to answer but for me it would be Sylvia Plath, William Wordsworth, Robbie Williams, David Beckham, Margaret Thatcher and Christina St Clair.

Christina:  Let’s see: I’d invite writer friends: Kitty Lagorio Griffin, Marie Manilla, Laura Bentley, Eddy Pendarvis, Mandy Armstrong, and Marlene Satter.  Every one of them has encouraged, supported, helped, and been fun.

What are you working on right now?

Mandy:  I have several projects underway but am currently working on the sequel to Ten Yen True with Christina, Ten Yen Forever. We think it’s good to strike whilst the iron’s hot. If people enjoy TYT, they’ll hopefully want to read more.

Christina:  Blue Caravan, a sequel to Emily’s Shadow, will soon be published by http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com.   Marlene Satter was the editor. I’ve begun the third in this series, but only got 2 pages written, and it may go on a back burner while Mandy and I write Ten Yen Forever. I KNOW that will be fun, creative, and full of life!

Links

Amanda Armstrong–http://www.amandaarmstrong1974.co.uk & https://twitter.com/mandymia

Christina St Clair–www.christinastclair.com

To purchase:  Rogue Phoenix Press, Amazon & Barnes & Noble

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Interview–Mary Gillgannon

Imagine my delight on discovering another great book about Olde England. I mean really old. Mary Gillgannon’s last book is about the Celts, one of my favorite topics, and I know many of you can’t resist a good book about the Druids.

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

MaryI’ve been writing fiction for almost twenty years, and I’ve published twelve historical romances, mostly in the dark age and medieval time periods. I’ve also written two fantasies, The Silver Wheel, which is an historical fantasy, and a book I call “chick lit fantasy” in which my modern heroine travels to bronze age Europe.

Would you please tell us about your latest book?

The Silver Wheel tells the story of the Roman conquest of Britain from the Celtic viewpoint. As the Romans threaten to overrun Britain and conquer her people, Sirona, a young Druid-in-training in Wales, begins having visions. Desperate to discover what the gods intend for her, she joins her fellow student Cruthin in a sex magic ceremony. Their flaunting of druid rules results in both of them being banished, and Sirona sets off on a perilous journey to the north. Five years later, Sirona begins to understand what her visions mean. Determined to change the course of history, she travels to warn the Iceni queen Boudica of the danger to come. But when Boudica refuses to listen, Sirona is forced to risk her life and her immortal spirit to save her people.

What inspired you to write this novel?

TheSilverWheel2_850I originally became interested in the story of the Romans in Britain when I read about a body found preserved in a peat bog near Lindow, England. The body was of a healthy, aristocratic young man who had been strangled, bludgeoned, had his throat cut and then was pushed into the bog. Because the body dates from the time of the Roman conquest in the early first century, some researchers surmise that this man was offered as a sacrifice to petition the Celtic deities to aid the British in their battle against the invaders. Reading about this discovery immediately started all sorts of plot ideas spinning in my mind.   

What does a typical writing day look like?

My writing is mostly done in the morning. After checking email and internet stuff, I usually write for an hour or two before heading off to my job at the local public library. (A great job for a writer!) On weekends I may put more time in, but I also help my husband with his business and try to “have a life”, so I usually don’t write more than fifteen hours a week. It’s a slow but steady pace.

Can you describe your writing process?

I’m an “into the mist” writer, which means I don’t really plot. Once my characters “come to me”, I just start writing and see what happens. Scenes sort of appear to me out of the mist. If they don’t and I get stuck, I mull things over, often in the middle of the night, until I “see” the next scene.  It’s not a very efficient process, but it’s the only method that really works for me. I used to write the first draft a lot faster, but then ended up doing a lot of revising. Now I go slower and let the story happen at its own pace. If I do this, my first draft is usually pretty clean, unlike The Silver Wheel, which I wrote pretty fast but then revised five different times over ten years. It definitely was the most challenging book I’ve written.

How did you prepare to write about the book’s specific area or field of study?

I did a lot of research on the Druids and Celtic mystical belief, as well as reading the historical accounts of the time period (all written by the Romans). I’ve always been fascinated with this era and Celtic culture in general, so I enjoyed that part of it. 

How did you come up with your title?

The book was originally called When The Sky Falls because a famous Celtic chieftain was quoted as saying that he did not fear death or anything on this earth, only “the sky falling”, presumably referring to the end of the world. That perspective (and most of my first draft) just seemed too negative and pessimistic, so I changed it. The “silver wheel” refers to both the goddess Arianhrod, who is associated with the moon and the silver wheel of the night sky that affects human destiny, and also the magic Sirona uses at the end of the book to save her people.

What advice do you have for writers who have not yet been published?

The publishing world is very competitive and getting more so all the time. You have to faith in your vision, your unique voice, viewpoint and stories. That’s really the only thing that can set you apart from other writers and bring you success. You also really have to have a passion for writing, as well as tenacity and determination.

Excluding family, name three people who either inspired you or influenced your creativity. 

Jim Morrison was a huge influence on me as an adolescent. He was a poet as well as a singer/songwriter and his passion for words inspired me to read even more widely than I already did and to take my first steps as a writer. Morgan Llywelyn and Mary Stewart both influenced me a great deal because of the time periods and worlds they wrote about. 

If your book were chocolate, what kind would it be and why?

It would be dark chocolate (which I don’t personally like). It is an intense and often dark story, but also (I hope) rich and satisfying.

Tell us about your main character’s psyche or personality. What led her (or him) to be the person s/he is today?  

Because of something mystical that happened to her when she was a toddler, Sirona ends up training to be a Learned One/Drui from a very early age. She is also born with a special connection to the spiritual world and magical abilities, although those gifts don’t start to manifest themselves until she reaches adolescence when the book begins. 

Describe your protagonist as a mash-up of three famous people or characters.

She’s a seer and has magical abilities like Merlin, a priestess like Morgaine and the savior of her people like King Arthur.

If you could host a magical dinner party, who are the six people (living or otherwise) you’d include?

The three writers who influenced I mentioned previously, plus F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe (I think she had a great spirit) and William Shakespeare. Three men and three women, a nice balanced dinner party.

What are you working on right now?

I’ve almost finished the first draft of a reincarnation romance set mostly in modern Denver, but with characters who also lived in 6th century Ireland.

Learn more about Mary at http://marygillgannon.com

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Interview with Jerry Dubs, author of Imhotep

Jerry Dubs writes about Egypt. Need I say more? His novel Imhotep tells the story of three people who walk through a time portal and find themselves in ancient Egypt. Now he’s working on a sequel.

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a retired journalist. I covered state government, crime, local government, education, wrote feature stories and did a few years as an investigative journalist. I started with The Hanover Evening Sun and then spent 25 years with The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa.

My wife, Deb, and I have been married for 32 years. We have two sons, a daughter and one granddaughter. Deb and I have recently embarked on an experiment. While we were raising our kids we had a four-bedroom home, two-car garage, patio furniture, grill, and the works. Over the past four years we’ve been downsizing by squeezing ourselves into progressively smaller apartments. Now we’ve taken the next step. We’ve sold everything except our laptop computers, clothing and tennis gear. Everything we own fits into a Honda Civic.

Our idea is to travel the world (focusing on warm climates), living in furnished condos, apartments, homes, whatever we can find. Our first stop is Myrtle Beach, S.C., so we’re still in driving range of two of our kids. If we like the experience, we’ll start moving farther afield … Florida, St. Maarten, Ecuador, the Canary Islands, Malta, places like that.

Would you please tell us about your latest book?

The Earth Is My Witness is the last novel I published. Its protagonist is an accidental Existential-Buddhist detective.

It’s set in Hanover, Pa., where I spent the first half of my life and I had a lot of fun using my experiences there as fodder for the story. The story begins with the protagonist waking up in an extremely difficult situation and having no memory of how he got there. Things just careen out of control from there as he struggles to find out who killed his best friend. 

What inspired you to write this novel?

Two things … I wanted to try my hand at a detective story with an unusual protagonist, one who would give me an opportunity to inject some weight into the mystery. And, I kept having a recurring nightmare about a body being buried in the basement of the home I grew up in.  At least I hope it was a nightmare.

What does a typical writing day look like?

I’m a morning writer. (And a coffee geek, perhaps they go hand-in-hand?) After breakfast I settle in with music – jazz, world or classical when I’m writing, Diana Krall, Paul Simon, Dylan when I’m rewriting or editing. I write for two or three hours. If I’m unhappy with the plot or need to sort out some outlining, I usually do that with paper and pen. Using pen and paper rather than easily edited computer keystrokes makes me think more before I put words on paper.
Afternoons I usually play tennis or take a long walk.

Can you describe your writing process?

Usually I’ll kick an idea around in my head for a couple weeks, make some notes, do some research. For my next novel, The Buried Pyramid, I did a fair amount of reading about the era just after King Djoser, looking for historical events to serve as a skeleton for the novel.

I’m an outliner, so I spend a lot of time plotting, making notes about the kind of secondary characters I’ll need, jotting down ideas for scenes.

I usually write a chapter in one or two days. The next day I rewrite it. The third day, I read it, hopefully making very few changes, and then I move ahead to expand my outline and notes for the next chapter. The next day I give the chapter a final read. If I’m happy with it, I start writing the following chapter.

It isn’t unusual for me to wake up during the night with a plot idea, a snatch of conversation or a specific scene, and race out to write it down.

When I’ve finished the novel, I let it sit for a week or two and then read it, making notes. Then I begin the rewrite. When that is finished I send it off to a friend, who is a copy editor. When he’s finished, I make those corrections, and hopefully, I’m done.

How did you prepare to write about the book’s specific area or field of study?

Deb and I visited Egypt on our honeymoon, so I visited most of the scenes in Imhotep and The Buried Pyramid. I also do a lot of research, both hardback books and visiting web sites.
How did you come up with your title?

For Imhotep I just used the main character’s name. It said EGYPT and it felt right because of the central plot twist. The Earth Is My Witness is a quote from Buddha. My detective is Buddhist and there is a body buried in a secret place.  For my next book, there is a pyramid called the Buried Pyramid. It is in the right location and time frame for the novel and there are some mysteries about it that dovetail with plot ideas I had. And it sounds mysterious, right?

What advice do you have for writers who have not yet been published?

Amazon has been wonderful for me. If you can’t find an agent, follow the publishing guidelines and put your book up as an eBook. Don’t charge too much. I might believe that my book is worth $20 a copy. But if no one buys it at that price, I must be wrong. I priced Imhotep at $2.99 and it was selling a few copies, a dozen or so a month. I dropped the price to 99 cents and it started moving. My best month I sold about 3,000 copies.

Excluding family, name three people who either inspired you or influenced your creativity.

Mark Twain. Perhaps the American best writer, both his writing and observations are incredible. Gore Vidal. His historic novels are witty, intelligent and fun. The Dalai Lama. His writing is clear and uncluttered, as are his ideas.

If your book were chocolate, what kind would it be and why?

Dark chocolate. (It’s the only kind I eat.) It has more flavor and yet it’s smooth.

Tell us about your main character’s psyche or personality. What led her (or him) to be the person s/he is today?

Tim Hope, the main character of both Imhotep and The Buried Pyramid, is an artist who begins the stories as an injured innocent, becomes a powerful, confident leader (in the first novel) and then is hammered by fate in The Buried Pyramid.  I am still writing it, but so far he has absorbed the blows, and, though nearly broken, has begun to recover.

When I wrote about him I wanted to explore how a person who is sensitive, moral and intelligent would react to extreme situations, how they could reconcile reality with their idea of fairness. 
Describe your protagonist as a mash-up of three famous people or characters.
David Lamb, the protagonist in The Earth Is My Witness, has the savour faire of the Dude, the imposing physicality of Woody Allen and the social skills of Shrek. Yet he still figures things out.

If you could host a magical dinner party, who are the six people (living or otherwise) you’d include?

Bob Dylan, circa 1964; the Dalai Lama, now; Thomas Jefferson, at the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence; Isaac Newton, at the height of his mathematical powers; Carl Sagan, anytime; and Jane Fonda, when she made Barbarella.

What’s next for you?

I am nearly finished with the first draft of The Buried Pyramid. It is a sequel to Imhotep, my first and most successful novel.

Continuing the story of the main characters of Imhotep, it begins with the death of King Djoser and introduces some new characters, both in ancient Egypt and in the modern day. Like Imhotep there is a bit of time travel. I used time travel as a way to make the story of Imhotep possible. In The Buried Pyramid I’m using it a bit more, both as a plot technique and as a way to write about free will, randomness and fate.

It’s been a blast to write. I hope readers will have fun with it.

 

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The Next Big Thing

In the “Next Big Thing” blogging meme, an author answers ten set interview questions and then tags five more people to do the same. Here’s my contribution.

    1. What is the working title of your next book?

  The Star Family 

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was at the International New Age Book Faire and saw a book called William Blake’s Sexual Path to Spiritual Vision. In in introduction I learned that Blake’s mother was a Moravian, the church I was raised in. Then I read that in the eighteenth century the Moravians taught sacred sexuality. My mouth fell open. Had anyone told my grandparents? Why had I never heard of this before? I had to research it, then write about it. So I did.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Paranormal mystery or urban fantasy—you decide.

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

For my leading lady:  Angelina Jolie or Cate Blanchette. Her partner:  Harrison Ford.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Jane Frey leads the secret power elite in a hunt for the Founding Father’s occult weapon.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

We’ll see. I’m shopping it around right now.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Write? About 9 months. Research? Longer.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

  • Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, which deals with Washington, D.C. sacred geometry, as does mine, but I have a connection to colonial group and towns, plus bring in Prague and its sacred geometry.
  • Steve Berry’s The Jefferson Key deals with the colonial pirates settled in North Carolina now affecting D.C. politics. My novel is set in the colonial town of Winston-Salem where the founders hid a powerful key to D.C.’s sacred geometry.
  • Katherine Neville’s The Eight, The Magic Circle, and The Fire. Neville’s novels deal with family secrets and secret artifacts that can affect world power. The Star Family also has a secret family legacy that the character must discover for herself, plus a prophecy that suggests she holds a secret artifact.
  • H.D.’s The Mystery and The Gift. Modernist and Moravian H.D. wrote two novels briefly touching on what is called “The Shifting Times,” a time in Moravian church history when the mystical connections were openly taught. Goethe even went searching the church archives for this information while writing Faust.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

When I found the Blake book, but the more I read about this period in Moravian history, the more intrigued I became. I found connections to metaphysics, the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons. I took a flying leap from there and really had a blast.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

Here’s my blurb:  Jane Frey handles the disposition of her former music teacher’s estate after her job in oil and gas finance is given to a younger, more corruptible woman. The Gothic mansion is full of unexpected treasures:  original paintings by 18th century visionary William Blake, a secret room used for tantric rituals, and an ancient underground cavern. When a prophecy suggests she now possesses the key to an energy grid laid down by the Founding Fathers themselves, Jane becomes a target of competing world powers who want the artifact for themselves. Except Jane doesn’t have what they’re looking for, but she must discover it before more people die. Could the key be hidden in her family’s increasingly mysterious past? She follows a trail of clues to Prague, revealing a secret mystical organization in her childhood church and a three hundred year old ritual that only she can complete.

Here are the excellent writers who you’ll hear from next. Hope you enjoy their writing as much as I do. Click on their links to read their Next Big Thing.

Stefan Vucak is an award-winning author of seven techno sci-fi novels, including With Shadow and Thunder which was a 2002 EPPIE finalist. His Shadow Gods Saga books have been highly acclaimed by critics. His recent release, Cry of Eagles, won the coveted 2011 Readers Favorite silver medal award. Stefan leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry and applied that discipline to create realistic, highly believable storylines for his books. Born in Croatia, he now lives in Melbourne, Australia. To learn more about Stefan, visit his: Website: www.stefanvucak.com Twitter: @stefanvucak

Christina St. Clair, award-winning author, former shop-girl, chemist, and pastor, is currently a spiritual director, Reiki Master (don’t read too much into the title master!), wife, animal lover, and writer.
She says, “Boring life? Let’s not do duty. Let’s do awe! Take a look at your own complexity? You might be amazed. Life leads us into so many interesting and sometimes difficult crossroads where we get to choose what now, what next? As a student of mysticism and spirituality in all its incarnations both religious, secular, and new age, I want to understand what life is about, what is truth? I am still seeking, but I am offering to those who are interested my insights weaved throughout my essays and stories. I hope my writings might add to your already surprising lives.”
www.christinastclair.com/blog

Carole McDonnell is a writer of ethnic fiction, speculative fiction, and Christian fiction. Her works have appeared in many anthologies and at various online sites. Her novel, Wind Follower, was published by Wildeside Books. Her forthcoming novel is called The Constant Tower. http://carolemcdonnell.blogspot.com/

Gina Bednarz:  I’ve worked hard most of my life, but until a few years ago, I never really knew who I was supposed to be. When I realized that I had the courage required to follow my dreams, I enrolled in college after a 17 year absence and finally earned my Bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing. Now pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing (Non-Fiction) at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I’m hitting my stride, reveling in a passion uncovered, and writing my heart out. Thanks for joining me! http://www.writingwithmyhaironfire.blogspot.com/

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Interview with Lynda Hilburn, Author of Blood Therapy

I asked my friend and author Lynda Hilburn to drop by and tell us about her books. Lynda and I share an interest in music and sound healing, higher consciousness, psychotherapy, and – vampires!

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

I had to think about how to answer this. It’s not such an easy question anymore. On the surface, I’m a psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, tarot reader, energy worker, singer and vampire book writer. Years ago I would have added single mom, but my son is all grown now, so those challenges are no longer on the front burner. On a deeper level, I’m a seeker, a perpetual student, a devotee of crazy wisdom and an existential traveler.

Would you please tell us about your latest book?

My latest book is Blood Therapy, the second installment in the Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series, which presents the ongoing tale of a Denver psychologist who stumbles into a hidden underworld of vampires. It blends genres, and can be widely categorized as dark contemporary fantasy with mystery, humor, romance, sex, metaphysics and a little horror.

What inspired you to write this series?

I’ve been a vampire fan since childhood (I blame Bram Stoker), but never thought about writing fiction myself until I met a young client in my private practice who spoke about wanting to join a non-human group. As she shared her desires, I began to notice similarities between her story and some of the vampire fiction I’d read. After she left, I thought about how amazing it would be to walk out into my waiting room and find a vampire (especially a gorgeous one) sitting there. I went home that night and started writing The Vampire Shrink (book #1).

How did you prepare to write about the book’s specific area or field of study?

That was easy. There wasn’t really any preparation. Since I’m a rabid fan of all things undead and a psychotherapist, writing about a psychologist who counsels vampires was a no-brainer.

How did you come up with your title?

I always liked the title Blood Therapy. It popped into my head a few years ago, and just seemed juicy. Luckily, my editor/publisher was agreeable. The title for The Vampire Shrink was a working title. I was very surprised when it stuck. My editor told me recently she thinks it’s one of the best titles, ever. Who knew?

What advice do you have for writers who have not yet been published?

The same boring advice everyone gives: write, write, write. I think writing is a “learn by doing” skill. At least it is for me. Don’t spend a lot of time reading “how to” books or attending endless workshops. Take what you learn from those resources and put your butt in the chair. Writing (if you want to make a living at it) is a job and it requires discipline and structure. There are more options available to writers today than ever before, so it’s truly a wonderful time to be an author. Remember that everyone benefits from good editing.

If your book were chocolate, what kind would it be and why?

LOL. Since it blends genres, I’d have to say it’s rich, dark chocolate, crammed with almonds, raisins, caramel, peanuts, and every other yummy treat found at the dessert bar.

What are you working on right now? What’s next for you?

I am finishing up the rewrite of book #3, Crimson Psyche, which I have to turn in within the month (ack!). After that I’ll start working on book 4, I’ll brainstorm another short story in Kismet’s world, and I’ll try my hand at another erotic paranormal romance. Plus the day job!

Thanks for having me!

Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes books about vampires, witches, ghosts, psychics and other supernatural creatures. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot reader, university instructor and workshop presenter. Her first novel, “The Vampire Shrink” — which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld — was released in the UK by Quercus/Jo Fletcher Books, Sept., 2011 and in the USA by Sterling Publishing [Barnes & Noble], April, 2012. Book #2 in the series, “Blood Therapy,” was published September, 2012 in the UK [plus the USA kindle version]. The USA print edition will arrive April, 2013. Book #3, Crimson Psyche, is due in the UK in 2013. Several other books are planned. “Undead in the City,” an erotic paranormal novella, “Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker,” a satire/parody, “Until Death Do Us Part,” a humorous mini-story, “Devereux: The Night Before Kismet” are now available in e-form from all e-book outlets. Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009. For more information, visit Lynda’s website: http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com

 

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Interview with S.P. Hendrick, author of The Glastonbury Chronicles

When I saw that S. P. Hendrick had written a series called “The Glastonbury Chronicles,” I was so happy to have more to read about one of my favorite sacred sites in the world, so I invited her to drop by and tell us about the series, the latest book in it and her other work. Please welcome S.P. Hendrick.

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from San Fernando Valley State College which is now California State University at Northridge.  I also studied at UCLA Extension, taking classes in Television writing.  My first TV script, which was for The Man From U.N.C.L.E., was on the story editor’s desk when the show was cancelled.   Under the nom de plume Jennifer Starkey I did publicity for such rock groups as Buffalo Springfield (you can find my photo with Neil Young, Stephen Stills and the rest of the group in their boxed CD set) and others.  During that period and under that name I was a columnist for Teen Life, a national magazine, and my first novel, Sunset Offramp was published. 

In 1991 my husband Jay Mayer and I went to a gathering in Millom, England and met my future publisher, Peter Paddon (Pendraig Publishing).  I returned to Britain in 1994 to research the first volume of “The Glastonbury Chronicles”, Uneasy Lies The Head, and visited him in Luton while I was there, sending him a draft of the book when it was finished.  He replied that if he ever got around to publishing fiction, he would love to publish it.

A few years later he came over for a visit, fell in love with our housemate, Linda, and moved over here to marry her.  By 2010 he had decided to begin publishing fiction and took on not only that book, but my other series “Tales of the Dearg-Sidhe” and its first Volume, Son of Air and Darkness. The two series dovetail, though one takes place in the future and the other begins in the distant past, for the heroes of one series keep reincarnating together , while the hero of the other series is an immortal, and their lives are constantly crossing.

Would you please tell us about your latest book?

Volume VI of The Glastonbury Chronicles, The Barley And The Rose, finds the protagonists as Arthur and Gavin, son of the King of Britannia and Lord Tyrell, Prime Minister.  After the first five volumes in which they and the King’s Companions, Knights of the Order of the Sword and the Rose (an ancient Pagan Order which preserves the arcane history of the lineage of the Sacred Kings whose blood and bloodline preserve the Land and its people) this volume finds them far in the future on the last outpost of the British Empire, a distant planet called Britannia.  This time they are born remembering all that has gone before them instead of the way it has been in the past, when something triggers their Awakening.  The two are telepathic with each other, their bond stronger than that of brothers, for they have lived and died together throughout history, throughout legend. 

An ancient evil, one they recall from the far past on long-lost Earth, one they had believed to have died with their home world, has begun to make its presence known on a planet once more peaceful following years of revolution.   Can they, aided by Dubhghall, the immortal foster-son of the ancient Goddess Morrigan, stave off this new threat, or will their foe put an end to everything they have known and sink the Universe into eternal darkness?

What inspired you to write this novel?

I had no choice.  These characters announced they were back, they had a new adventure, and it was time for me to start writing it down as they dictated it to me.

What does a typical writing day look like?

There is no typical writing day.  Each day is different.  It is not unusual for me to be awakened in the middle of the night with “The Lads” as I have learned to call them, chattering away in my head and chiding me for sleeping when I should be at the keyboard writing.   Sometimes it is in the daylight, sometimes the TV is on in the background, sometimes it is dead silence.  The first book was written with black pen on lined yellow paper.   Somewhere along the line I learned to compose on the computer and it now flows more easily that way.

Can you describe your writing process?

There is an initial “What if” and an examination of history for odd facts and people my characters might have been in prior incarnations.  Then there’s the connecting of the dots in the same manner an ancient astronomer might have looked at the night sky to form pictures associated with mythology.  And then I listen to the characters, most of whom I have been living with since about 1994 in some form or another.

How did you prepare to write about the book’s specific area or field of study?

I read history and mythology, then try to visit as many of the places which actually exist as I can.  For the future history I try not to step on the toes of the past, but to echo it, as cycles keep repeating themselves over and over throughout time.  And I look for quirks in mythology…folks who are mentioned perhaps once and then never heard about again, and try to give them lives.

How did you come up with your title?

Barley and Roses have been symbolic throughout the series.  Barley is the symbol of the Sacred King and is used in several rituals in the books.  It comes from the old notion of John Barleycorn Must Die, which is in itself a reference not only to the making of beer and whiskey, but to the sacrifice of the King.  The Rose is the symbol of secrecy, and has also been used in the books to symbolize the women in the book.

What advice do you have for writers who have not yet been published?

Never give up.  It was about 30 years between the publication of my first book and my second.  If the ideas are good, you will eventually find yourself in the right place at the right time with the right publisher.  Just keep writing.

Excluding family, name three people who either inspired you or influenced your creativity.

Robert Heinlein, Robin Williamson and William Shakespeare

If your book were chocolate, what kind would it be and why?

Dark chocolate, about 85% cacao.  Rich, sweet, but somewhat bitter, complex and for an adult palate, because that’s the way my characters and their relationships are.

Tell us about your main character’s psyche or personality. What led her (or him) to be the person s/he is today?

There are really two protagonists, the King, in this case Arthur, and his Knight, Gavin, who is so close to him that in one life they were born conjoined twins, both the firstborn son of the King of England.  One cannot exist without the other.  They are the two sides of the same coin.  The King must die and the Knight must slay him, usually taking his own life soon after.   They are Hamlet and Horatio in the scene in which Horatio tries to drink the poisoned cup.  They are who they are and what they are because they have been through that scenario countless times over millennia, each time trying to stay alive until the proper time and place, no matter what the Gods or their fellow man have thrown up against them, and when the time is proper and the place is right, they complete the cycle and are at peace for a time, until the Need arises once more.   They have died unknown and unseen, behind their own lines at Ypres to bring about the end of The Great War, in the Tower of London to precipitate the end of the Wars of the Roses, in a sealed cave as the Revolution surrounded them to bring the blood of the Sidhe to a blue world to make it green and fertile.  They have not always been seen as King and Knight, but their Order knows who they are and so do they, and so will they always.

Describe your protagonist as a mash-up of three famous people or characters.

Hamlet, Valentine Michael Smith, and King Arthur

If you could host a magical dinner party, who are the six people (living or otherwise) you’d include?

Robert Heinlein, J. R. R. Tolkien, Robin Williamson, Peter Jackson, J. K. Rowling and Joseph Campbell.

What are you working on right now?

A deck of Tarot cards which are based upon the characters in my novels, Celtic Mythology, and British folklore.  I am hoping to get to Britain next fall to work on the physical research of the next couple of books in the “Tales of the Dearg-Sidhe” series, and working on a third companion series “The Glastonbury Archives” which will have a lot of back story on other characters and the Order of the Sword and the Rose, and there’s a detective novel I have written the first three chapters on, which I would really like to finish.  Also a novelization of a modern mythological rock and roll screenplay I wrote some years back called The Midas Chord.