Interviews
An Interview with author Michael Palmer
We had a chance to talk to New York Times Best Selling Author, Michael Palmer about his writing experiences. Below is that conversation and we hope you like it.
WW. You have been with the same literary agent for years. How has that relationship evolved and does it make the writing easier because you know one another so well?
MP. Jane Rotrosen and I met in 1979 when she read my first effort, The Corey Prescription and told me that I could do much better, and that if I were willing to start over on a totally new project, she would take me on as a client and work with me. The singular defining moment of my career was believing in her, even though all I really wanted at the time was to get my name on the cover of a book. I still thought of myself as 100% doctor. After my first book with Jane (The Sisterhood) sold a million copies and got translated into 35 languages, the percentages began to change. I have had complete trust and faith in her since day 1, and to the best of my knowledge, she has never steered me wrong . . . well, maybe once when she told me to turn down a movie deal for The Sisterhood. She still insists it was the right thing to do. Now, she has turned over the day-to-day management of my career to Meg Ruley, who has been with the agency almost as long as I have. But Jane is never far away. Meg has her own sensibilities, likes and dislikes, but she is rapidly earning my trust just as Jane did. In the agent department, I am truly blessed. If they wanted 50% and not 15% as they get, I would seriously consider it.
WW. Do any of the physicians you work with, read your books and if so, what kind of feedback have you gotten from them?
MP. Most of the docs I work with have read at least one of my books, and a number of them are legitimate fans and supporters. I have never heard a nasty or jealous word from any physician, and most of them openly say they feel I speak for them on many of the issues I write about. I teach a yearly course on Cape Cod for doctor/writers with the great and brilliant Tess Gerritsen. We have between 190 and 230 registrants for the weekend course, which is now in its 11th year. Many of those taking it are repeaters, and a number of them have been published.
WW. Will you first novel, The Corey Prescription, ever see an English printing?
MP. My books are characterized by being based around a medical ethical issue, such as managed care, euthanasia, holistic healing, and robotics. The Corey Prescription is a “generic” thriller with a doctor as the main character. A number of foreign publishers, anxious to “fill in” for the fact that in the early days I was writing a book every 2-3 years read and published my first book. In truth, as my agent said, I can do better. Much as I would like another title and royalty statement, I do not think TCP, while an intriguing tale, would do much to add to my body of work. For the time being, I do not have the time to make the changes necessary to bring it up to the standard of the rest of my novels.
WW. We read on your website that the writing in The Corey Prescription was initially described as “God awful”. Do you ever look back at the work and still think it is bad?
MP. I never really thought the book was that bad, but the truth is I haven’t read it since I wrote it in 1979. I am currently offering the manuscript as a prize to my “facebook” fan who answers the most questions about my other books. My attention is always focused on what I am writing at the moment. TCP may one day be published in English, but at the moment I can’t imagine it happening.
WW. You novel, The Last Surgeon was not only entertaining but also enlightening in that it deals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. How important was it to you to shed light on that subject?
MP. Thanks for the kind words. People have really been enjoying the book, and I’m excited to see how the paperback does in January. A few years ago I flew to DC next to a soldier who talked to me about his PTSD. I was moved, saddened, and shaken. In the end, I decided I wanted to write about the condition. The hard part is putting that desire into thriller format, and developing an entertaining story around a hero with the condition. The more I wrote and researched, the more I knew that the public had to become better aware of what PTSD is, and the terrible fallout from having this neurological condition. Eventually, I committed myself to raising money for the Home Base Project at Massachusetts General Hospital, a new program dedicated to treating PTSD and also to increasing public awareness. We are especially interested in removing the stigma among servicemen that accompanies having the condition.
WW. How did you formulate the idea for the ‘non-kill’ style of murders in The Last Surgeon? MP. The “What if?” question I formulated for this book was “What if all those in the operating room three years ago for a botched operation begin to die without anyone picking up on the pattern?” In order to make that happen, I needed a killer who could make murder look like suicide, accident, or natural causes. Enter Franz Koller. In the prequel to the book, available on www.michaelpalmerbooks.com , readers can “share” in the development of Koller’s unique abilities.
WW. We reviewed a video clip where you said your typing is really bad. Do you hand write your novels and then transcribe them or do you hunt and peck your way through?
MP. My handwriting is just slightly better than my typing. However, even though I type with two fingers, I am exceedingly fast for short bursts. Fortunately, that’s the way I think—very accurate for short bursts. It is hard for me to believe I have written 16 novels this way. I just sit here and keep typing and typing. Incredibly, even though I flunked typing and never could “get it”, I can play the accordion with 160 buttons that I can’t even see plus about fifty keys on the right side. Go figure.
WW. What is the title of your next novel and can you give us any blurbs about it?
MP. I am nearing the end of the first draft of A HEARTBEAT AWAY, which is scheduled for publication in February, 2011. It is a medical political thriller about a domestic terrorist group who releases a deadly, highly contagious virus into the State of the Union Address. President Jim Allaire knows the germ well—we were developing it. Now he is forced to quarantine the Capitol with 700 people in it including all the successors to the presidency except one—the doomsday survivor. The hero is Griff Rhodes, a virologist, thrown into prison by the President because of evidence he tried to steal the virus. The virus hunter is unique in that he refuses to do any of his research on animals. Stay tuned.
WW. What is the last good book you read that you would recommend to us?
MP. I mostly read first novels to give endorsements because in 1980, a number of famous writers (Cussler, Clark, Saul, V.C. Andrews) took the time to give me blurbs. Many of the first novels are quite good. Among my for-pleasure books are several of Lee Child’s Reacher novels, and The Abyssinian Proof, a super thriller by anthropologist Jenny White. As soon as I finish A Heartbeat Away, I intend to find out what all the Steig Larson fuss is about.
WW. What is the single most important piece of advice that you would give to other aspiring novelists?
MP. Believe in yourself, and never forget that if writing were easy, everyone would be doing it. Hey, wait, everyone IS doing it.
Let’s see….
--If it doesn’t feel right when you read it over, it probably needs a rewrite.
--Be fearless
--Relax
--It’s all about the people. When the book isn’t working, something’s wrong with the characters.
Michael Palmer’s books include THE FIRST PATIENT, FATAL, THE SECOND OPINION, EXTREAM MEASURES, and THE LAST SURGEON to name a few. You can purchase Michael's books at http://www.michaelpalmerbooks.com/books or at www.amazon.com
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An Interview with author Lauren Kate
WebbWeaver had the priveledge of interviewing Lauren Kate about her new 4-book YA series which includes the already released FALLEN and the soon to be released TORMENT. Here is that interview;
WW. Can you tell us how you came up with the concept for FALLEN?
LK. The idea began when I came across a line in Genesis that talked about a group of fallen angels who were kicked out of heaven because they lusted after mortal women. (I later learned this idea is compounded in several other books in and out of the bible, including the apocryphal books, Enoch 1, 2, and 3). I started thinking about what it would be like to be normal girl--suddenly the object of an angel’s affection. All the excitement and the challenges that would naturally spring from that. As someone who's been writing love stories my whole life, this angel angle seemed like the perfect way for me to up the ante and tell a really BIG love story, one that brought in questions about trust and betrayal, and preconceived notions good and evil.
WW. Luce Price could be any girl, anywhere. Was there someone in particular that you based her character on?
LK. Luce’s physical traits are based on my oldest, closest friend—the dark wavy hair, hazel eyes, tiny teeth, etc. When I first started writing her, I pulled some personality traits from this friend, but as I continued with her story, Luce veered away from my friend into an identity of her own. I share some traits with her—like her stubbornness and tendency to get swept away by romance. But if I had to say which of the characters I’m most like (though this is hard to imagine), I might be a crazy combination of Arriane and Penn.
WW. We know your FALLEN series has been optioned by Disney for a movie. Any idea about who you think would be a fit to play Luce and Daniel?
LK. Luce and Daniel are the hardest for me to figure out! I love Emma Stone for Arriane and Ed Westwick for Cam, and there’s a character in Torment that I dream of having Michael Cera play, but Luce and Daniel are so close to me that it’s hard for me to see them as played by real life actors…guess we’ll have to wait and see!
WW. Can you tell us how long it took from the conception to the actual printed novel of FALLEN?
LK. You might not believe me if I told you how fast it all happened…I started writing Fallen in the spring of 2009. It was sold on proposal (which means I had five chapters written and an outline for the rest of the series). When Delacorte bought the series in early May, they told me they wanted to publish it by the end of the year. I finished the book in two months and it went straight to press. This was a crazy schedule for everyone concerned. Usually these things take a couple of years. But I love the intensity of the publishing schedule for the series—it keeps the pitch of my writing intense, which seems to work for the tone of the books.
WW. Can you tell us what your most exciting experience has been since publishing FALLEN?
LK. It’s really been a whirlwind of excitement. I love touring and doing book signings and readings. I love getting to email, blog, and occasional meet with the readers. But I’m surprised to admit how exciting it’s been to get further into the actual writing of the series. Yes, I conceived of the series as a whopping, epic four-book thing, but I never could have predicted how BIG or complex the actual story was going to get. How much of a grip it was going to have on me. Compared to Torment and the books that will follow it, Fallen is really just a tiny glimpse of what’s to come. I’m so excited about where the series is going.
WW. We are looking forward to the release of TORMENT. Is there anything you can tell us about this upcoming sequel to FALLEN?
LK. Torment picks up right where Fallen left off. Luce is in a new location, with a whole new cast of characters (though most of the characters from Fallen do show up as well). Luce is eager to find out more about her past lives—and she finds the tools to unlock those lives in a very surprising place. One more thing: there’s a new guy in play who offers Daniel some stiff competition…
WW. We understand that there are four books in the FALLEN series. Do you have the last two installments mapped out on paper or do you work straight from your head?
LK. I do like to map out the books, especially as the plots have gotten crazier and more complicated. This week I’m finalizing, an outline for Passion, the third book, and I get feedback and notes from my agent and my editors before I start actually writing the books.
WW. Lauren, do you have any future plans to write outside the YA genre?
LK. I really do love writing YA novels, particularly series, and I hope to keep doing this for a while. But I also just finished working on a screenplay with my husband. It’s a big departure from Fallen (a quirky road trip story), but I really enjoyed the change in format. I’d like to get into some more screenplays in the future.
WW. Can you tell us if there are any books that you have read lately that you would recommend to our readers?
LK. I’m fanatical about The Hunger Games books. I also love John Green, Lauren Oliver, and Frances Hardinge’s books. I just read and loved an ARC of Revolution by Jennifer Donelly. It comes out this fall and it’s incredible.
WW. Is there any one piece of advice that you would give to all the aspiring authors out there?
LK. Eavesdrop! I mean: draw inspiration from as many things around you as you can. Once you start writing a story, finish it. Don’t give up. Someone told me that once and it’s the best writing advice I’ve ever gotten. Just finish it. That way you’ll know you can. When you’re finished, find a writing friend to share your work with. Constructive criticism is the greatest gift to your writing. Take a few suggestions and try your hand at revising. My books get about twenty times better between the first draft and the second. That’s my formula: 1. Eavesdrop. 2. Don’t give up. 3. Share your work with someone who can help you make it better.
You can keep up with Lauren Kate and her work on her web site at http://laurenkatebooks.net/ and you may purchase her books at http://www.amazon.com .
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Interview with Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
by CK Webb & DJ Weaver
WW. We've read about your deep love of the South and the influence it had on the writing of Beautiful Creatures. Would you ever consider relocating?
K&M: We would love to move to the South one day. Charleston, SC is one of our favorite cities. But for now, we have to live in Los Angeles where our families want to stay.
WW. How do you feel about Beautiful Creatures being likened to the next Harry Potter or Twilight series and does that comparison put added pressure on you or make you go ‘WOO-HOO‘?
K&M: We don't really pay much attention to those kinds of comparisons, although they are flattering. Harry Potter and Twilight are phenomenons and we certainly wouldn't put ourselves in the same category as either of them. We hope people will see BEAUTIFUL CREATURES as something different.
WW. Co-writers need balance. Between the two of you, which one represents the light and which one is the dark?
Kami: Margie is absolutely the Light, and I am definitely the Dark.
Margie: Basically she's Amma.
WW. Since Publishing Beautiful Creatures, has the writing process changed at all due to time constraints, book tours, etc.?
K&M: No. Little, Brown invests a great deal of time in the revision process and we go through a number of revisions. They give us a lot of time to work on the novels.
WW. What has been your most exciting and humbling experience since the release of Beautiful Creatures?
Margie: The most exciting moment for me was when the ARC arrived at my house, and I actually held the book in my hands. I cried like a baby.
Kami: The most exciting moment for me was when I saw the book on the bookshelves in the store with my kids.
WW. If you could choose, which actors would you want to portray Ethan and Lena in the screen adaptation of Beautiful Creatures?
K&M: Ethan and Lena are real people to us. We can't imagine anyone playing them. It would be like asking who you would cast as yourself.
WW. Any plans for you two to make a cameo appearance in the film?
K&M: Neither of us are interested in being in the film. More people will want to go see it if we aren't. J
WW. Is there any one author that either of you find yourself star-struck over. If so, who?
Kami: Clive Barker, Melissa Marr, Holly Black, and Cassandra Clare.
Margie: She always takes my answers. I would add Kristen Cashore and Robin McKinley.
WW. We know the two of you are working hard on the Caster Chronicles series. Are there any other books in the works and if so, are they in the same genre?
K&M: We aren't working on anything else. The Caster Chronicles is a huge series and it takes up all of our time. We are happy living in Gatlin and Caster County for now.
WW. ‘Jack in the Box' is a favorite of mine but I've not had the pleasure since leaving Seattle. Just out of curiosity, what do you guys order at 2 a.m.?
Margie: Jalapeños poppers, curly fries and tacos (before I was a vegetarian).
Kami: Chocolate milkshakes and Diet Coke, the elixir of the gods.
You can keep up with Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl at
www.BeautifulCreaturestheBook.com
Visit the Official US Fan site Caster Girls and Boys
Garcia/Stohl photo above by Alex Hoerner
WW. Your horror novels all have a mythical/fantasy aspect to them; werewolves, vampires and zombies. As a child, what spurred your love for these classic tales? TE. I think we all love fantastical stories when we're young. I remember seeing a film called ‘Jack the Giant Killer' when I was very small, and I loved the ‘Sinbad' movies with all those monsters, and ‘Doctor Who' made me hide behind a cushion. Fear is important to us a species. It does, in the real world, help us survive. I think maybe being scared makes us feel alive. WW. Any plans to add a new chapter of mythical creatures to your list of subjects? TE. I've done vampires, werewolves, and zombies - but I'm not sure what's left in the list of traditional horror archetypes. Ghosts maybe? The next novel I'll be writing is a Jack the Ripper novel called ‘PARIAH‘ in which I'll be resurrecting the notorious Victorian killer in 21st century London. WW. For our readers who are unfamiliar with your vampire and werewolf series, can you tell us what sets your books apart from all the others in this genre? TE. Well, I do use the traditional archetypes as I mentioned. By my writing is influenced more by thrillers and suspense novels than horror. I write fast-pace horror-thrillers, really. They are, hopefully, page turners. I don't tend to build up tension, which seems to be traditional in horror fiction: I chuck the readers straight into the action. You will see that, definitely, in ‘ZOMBIE BRITANNICA' (out in August). It starts with a zombie attack on Westminster Abbey in London and doesn't really stop. WW. I love that you added deleted scenes from ‘PREY' in the back of that book. Why did you feel compelled to do that? TE. I just thought it would be something different. We see it on DVDs these days. I think novelists, and publishers, too, must try different things to engage readers. I hope it was interesting. I also added a "Making Of..." article, and again I hope it offered an insight into how the book got written. WW. ‘PREY' was a fantastic read and has become my favorite ‘werewolf' book. Any plans to bring Laura Greenacre to the big screen? TE. That's really kind of you to say. And thanks for the great review! I'd love to see Laura Greenacre on the big screen - or the small screen. But no producer has picked it up, yet. Anyone out there interested...? WW. Was there a particular person that you modeled the character of Laura Greenacre after? TE. No one. I created her from nothing. I had a biography, which was very detailed. A lot of stuff didn't go into the book. Of course, as you write a character also develops almost of their own free will: they lead you through the story, and make their own choices, in a way. WW. Your final word in ‘PREY' was that you do not foresee another book in the ‘Maneater' series. Let me first say, "Oh no!", and are you still standing by that statement? TE. Oh, I never say "never". ‘Maneater' wasn't supposed to have a sequel, then ‘PREY' came along. You never know. There is a seed in my head of another story - but it might not be a novel; short story, perhaps. WW. Can you give us a little insight into your next novel, ‘ZOMBIE BRITANNICA‘? TE. Well, it's action-packed, it's non-stop - and I hope it's a page-turner. Especially for you, exclusively, here's the blurb:
WE WEREN'T As temperatures reach unprecedented levels, the dead rise - and eat the living. There is no warning. There is no time to prepare. And with tens of thousands dead or infected, another waking nightmare comes to terrorize the survivors - THE UNDEAD'S VICTIMS NOW RISE UP, A NEW WAVE OF ZOMBIES HUNGRY FOR HUMAN FLESH As the nation teeters on the edge of extinction, those who survived the onslaught fight for their lives, and for the lives of their loved ones ... CARRIE ASHER must battle her way across the blood-soaked streets of London to save her six-year-old daughter who is locked in the basement of their home - with her zombie-infected father upstairs. VINCENT MASKELL is trapped in a Welsh castle with the girl he loves. But how can he be her knight in shining armor with a zombie army besieging the medieval fort and the humans inside slowly losing their minds? CRAIG MURRAY and his family are stuck in a traffic jam in Scotland when the zombies attack. But when his younger sister is kidnapped, he is forced to confront a human monster as well as the undead hordes. The odds are against us. The zombie throng is growing. Our numbers are dwindling - WELCOME TO ZOMBIE BRITANNICA TE. Hope this appeals to you! WW. We love it! Now, can you tell us which writer you draw the most inspiration from? TE. In the horror genre, ‘Salem's Lot' (by Stephen King, of course) made me want to be a writer. Also Clive Barker was very influential. In terms of writing, I love Elmore Leonard, and I admire his style very much. I follow his creed that the writer shouldn't be in the story at all. I try to write simply using plain English. I hate flashy, purple prose. WW. Have you read any good books lately that you would recommend to us? TE. ‘Writers Workshop Of Horror' edited by Michael Knost; ‘Live And Let Die' by Ian Fleming; and ‘Home From War‘, an inspirational story of a young British soldier severely wounded in Afghanistan - and co-written by my wife, Marnie Summerfield Smith. WW. What is the single most important piece of advice that you can offer up to an aspiring horror writer? TE. Nail the story. I don't know who said, "Know the chase and cut to it," but it is good advice. Just tell your tale simply and clearly - don't try to be clever - and you'll stand a good chance of catching the eye of a publisher or/and an agent. Oh, and never give up. Thanks for talking with us and also for the lovely books we are going to give away to our readers. We wish you much success with your writing career and we'll be looking forward to following your work. For those of you who would like to have a chance at winning one of Thomas' signed books, please check over on our blog site ( http://bit.ly/HWQKW ) later on today for details.
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An Interview with author Thomas Emson
by CK Webb & DJ Weaver
We recently spoke with author Thomas Emson about his work and this is the conversation:
In 2009, Canadian researchers warned that a zombie plague would wipe out civilization ... unless we were ready -
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An Interview with Dr. Michael Rushnak Author of Terminal Neglect
by DJ Weaver
We are so pleased to have Dr. Michael Rushnak with us for this interview. His novel Terminal Neglect is a smash hit and we are so excited to have an opportunity to review the book and interview Dr. Rushnak at the same time. Dr. Rushnak's experience as a physician and as a proponent of evidence-based health care has given him first-hand knowledge of the health care system which carries over to his fictional account in Terminal Neglect. Dr. Rushnak retired from private practice in order to work in the public health arena. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Francine. His web site address is www.michaelrushnakbooks.com.
WW. How much of yourself and your own career, did you write into Dr. Jonathan Rogers, your lead character from Terminal Neglect?
MR. Authors write what they know. As a physician for the last 35 years, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of healthcare. In TERMINAL NEGLECT, Dr. Jonathan Rogers possesses many of my own values, both from a professional and a personal perspective. So, the character of Dr. Rogers is to a great extent an extension of who I am.
WW. Were there any significant events in your life or work that compelled you to sit down and write Terminal Neglect?
MR. Seven years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer, I felt a need to share some of my personal insights into what I was going through in dealing with my illness. With each keystroke, the emotions, the tensions, and the fears dissipated somewhat as it seemed as though they were being released from me to the page on which I was writing. Authoring TERMINAL NEGLECT was truly a healthy catharsis for me since I was able to combine my newly found attitude of "living in the moment," enjoying each day's joyful and tearful experiences, with my lifelong idealism to do whatever it took to be an advocate for the health of all patients. In this medical mystery thriller, Dr. Rogers is faced with ongoing ultimatums of choosing the greater good or something that would fulfill his own life's dream. In his dilemma, he must decide whether he will literally "march into hell for a heavenly cause" as the forces of evil threaten his life and career.
WW. When did you decide to go from prominent physician to prominent author?
MR. I have always enjoyed writing. As early as the age of ten through my college years, I penned "Walter Mitty" short stories and a few partially completed novels. However, my passion for becoming a physician left no further time to continue my pursuit of a writing career. But, my shocking diagnosis of cancer changed all of that. I looked into the abyss and saw that "life turns on a dime" and that "life is short" so I decided to return to my passion of writing before the sands of time in my life would run their final course. I began to write my story, my hopes and dreams, and my worst nightmares, combining them with what I had experienced over my entire medical career. Thus, TERMINAL NEGLECT was born out of an intense desire to save other folks' lives by sharing my own secrets about the dangerous "dark side" of healthcare.
WW. We see that you have a shining endorsement from Michael Palmer on your book cover. Where you excited to have him review your book?
MR. I was humbled to have a 14 time NY Times Best Selling author like Michael Palmer endorse TERMINAL NEGLECT when he called my medical mystery thriller, "one of the very best medical thrillers, I have read, not recently, EVER!" It is also gratifying to read the comments of readers posting their reviews online at Amazon, B& N, and Borders site that they found this novel compelling, entertaining, and bordering on real life.
WW. Has there been any talk of turning Terminal Neglect into a movie?
MR. Many screenwriters have offered to write a script of TERMINAL NEGLECT believing that it would be a gripping movie. A Venture capitalist company is currently considering funding of this project. The consensus is that my novel touched a nerve in the American public who have called this story "faction."
WW. Who would you consider as your favorite author and what would you say is your favorite read?
MR. I enjoy both non-fiction and fiction. Among non-fictional works, I love biographies such as those written about Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Jackson. Among novelists, I relate and enjoy those books written by the masters of the medical thriller genre, Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, and Michael Palmer. Dan Brown and John Grisham are further favorites of mine.
WW. What are you reading now and what is your favorite reading genre?
MR. I just completed THE LAST SURGEON by Michael Palmer and will begin THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown. I also found THE FAMILY by Jeff Sharlet to be spellbinding.
WW. Is there a particular book or author that you would recommend to anyone looking for an interesting read?
MR. The answer is it depends. It depends on what genre your readers enjoy the most. I still like going back and re-reading classics like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and GONE WITH THE WIND. I especially liked Dan Brown's ANGELS AND DEMONS. One of my favorite all time non-fiction books is THE RISE AND FALL OF THE GREAT POWERS. Then, there is the best- selling book of all time that I frequently read, THE BIBLE. Many life -long valuable lessons can be learned by reading these last two choices.
WW. What is the most amazing thing that has happened to you that you can attribute to having written Terminal Neglect?
MR. On social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, and others, over 5,000 people began following my career through my blogs and posts. So, I find it fascinating that an unknown author with his first book out just over a year ago could attain such worldwide attention through the Internet. I especially like book tours and have been amazed at the turnout for book signings and speaking engagements as well as and the engaging dialogue I've had with my readers.
WW. What are your future writing plans? Is there a new novel in the works and if so, is it also a medical thriller?
MR. My second medical mystery thriller THE SAVIOR VACCINE has just been completed and will be undergoing the editing process over the next few months. My 3rd novel in this trilogy of medical thrillers, CARE DENIED, is well underway. And, the outline for a 4th medical thriller has been swirling around my imagination for at least a year. In addition, I expect TERMINAL NEGLECT to come out in paperback in the near future. Lastly, many of the leading characters in TERMINAL NEGLECT will return in the subsequent novels unless they meet their untimely demise, the ever present reality that is woven into the fabric of all medical thrillers.
WebbWeaver would like to thank Dr. Michael Rushnak for allowing us to interview him and review his great book Terminal Neglect. We hope you have enjoyed our interview and also that you will check out Michael's web site www.michaelrushnakbooks.com
TA. Turkey is an extraordinary place-a gorgeous meeting of East and West. I adored it. The architecture and scenery is stunning, the food delicious, and the people some of the most friendly, helpful, and generous I've ever met. One of my absolute favorite experiences came on my third visit to Topkapı Palace. I was sitting on the floor in the Imperial Hall, scribbling notes after having taken countless pictures. The guards couldn't believe I was taking so much time in each room and asked why I wasn't rushing through like the other tourists. When I explained I was researching a novel, they were delighted, and took me through the harem, telling me stories and pointing out details I would have missed otherwise. It was fantastic.
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An Interview with author Tasha Alexander
by CK Webb
Thank you Tasha, for taking time out of your schedule to interview with WebbWeaver, we are very honored to have you talk with us.
WW. I know that you did extensive research on the region where Tears Of Pearl takes place and you also posted some beautiful pictures from that trip on your website www.tashaalexander.com. What was your favorite and most memorable part of visiting that area?
WW. How important is your research in achieving the total feel of the era for your readers?
TA. Research is absolutely critical for historical fiction. I'm fanatical about accuracy (although admit freely that no one can get everything right all the time). When I first started working on the ideas for Tears of Pearl, I had expected there would be strict limits to what I could have Emily do in Constantinople. Like most contemporary Americans, I assumed women--particularly Western European women--wouldn't be able to move effortlessly through the city, wouldn't have any access to the sultan or the harem. Amazing how ignorant we can be, isn't it? Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, whose husband was the British ambassador to the Ottomans in the early 18th century, wrote a series of letters that radically opened my mind. She visited with the sultan, bathed with his concubines (and revealed to readers that the Turkish baths were not, in fact, lascivious and degenerate), and became familiar with the city and its culture. Her letters (which she published) were greatly influential to subsequent English women travelers, who followed her example and explored the Ottoman capital with abandon over the next two centuries. I was astonished at the ease with which Lady Mary and the rest moved through the city, even without male companions. In the 19th century, Lady Layard, another British ambassador's wife, became close friends with the sultan, dining with him and his family, watching him play with his children in the harem, and making frequent visits to the palace. As accuracy is of vital importance to me, I was thrilled to see there was historical precedent that made it possible for me to send Emily into these places without having to stretch credulity. I'm constantly amazed by the adventures of Victorian women travelers. Often they were more bold than we are today--and that's something that without research, I wouldn't have known to be the case.
WW. What new, exciting countries will Lady Emily be traveling to in your next novel Dangerous To Know?
TA. Dangerous to Know is set in France, where Colin has taken Emily to recover from the injuries she suffered at the end of Tears of Pearl. They divide their time between his mother’s house in the Norman countryside and visiting friends in Rouen. I spent a great deal of time last summer in Normandy doing research. It is a spectacular place: rolling fields of barley, cloud-filled skies that look straight out of one of Monet's paintings, the rugged coastline. And the food! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Gorgeous cheeses, perfectly flaky croissants, sole cooked in brown butter sauce, beautifully tart cider. The following book, which I've just started work on, will be set in London. I thought it was time to go back to England.
WW. What began your love of the wonderful historical times that you write about?
TA. I've been fascinated by history since I was a little girl playing Little House on the Prairie under my parents' dining room table. I'm always amazed by the fact that no matter how different culture and society can be through time, the things people care about don't change all that much. Our humanity stays shockingly similar; we're driven by the same things. Love, power, guilt, ambition--the century doesn't matter. It's just that sometimes, people in the past had much, much better clothing.
WW. Have there been any talks of bringing Lady Emily to the big screen?
TA. We've had lots of interest, but haven't settled on anything yet. Readers, however, have some very strong casting ideas, about Colin in particular. Judging by the email I receive, Colin Firth and Jeremy Northam seem to be the preferred front runners at the moment, along with Jude Law.
WW. Do you see some of yourself in Lady Emily or are there character traits that the two of you share? If so, what are they?
TA. I think there are bits of the author in every character he or she creates. It's inevitable, if for no reason other than people don't tend to want to spend their time writing about things they don't like. There are lots of characteristics Emily and I don't share--for example, I'm not (unfortunately) the independently wealthy widow of a viscount. I do, however, share her love for classical art and port. Although I must admit that I'd never tried port before beginning work on And Only to Deceive. At that point, I felt it necessary strictly for research purposes, and was delighted to find that a nice glass after a good meal can be a very satisfying thing. Even if it a woman drinking it no longer shocks society.
WW. Elizabeth: The Golden Age was a beautiful movie. How close to your original novelization was the screenplay?
TA. I was asked to write the book based on the final shooting script, and used it as a broad outline for the book, but was given a free hand when it came to expanding the story and incorporating historical detail. Both the novel and the screenplay tell the same story, but they read very differently. Screenwriting is an art unto itself--I have a deep, deep admiration for screenwriters. They have about a hundred pages to work with--novelists get at least three times as much. To me, it's fascinating to view the two side by side. There are ways in which you can't really compare them, but together they give you incredible insight into the period and characters.
WW. How hard was it for you, as the writer, to see some of the changes that were made?
TA. It's a funny experience watching a movie when you know the story so intimately, but the film is gorgeous, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Movies and books are extremely different mediums, each with different goals--you can't expect them to be carbon copies. The film is a visual feast; the novel has the luxury of filling in some historical details and expanding the story. Both, however, can depict the character of Elizabeth I, one of the most extraordinary women in all of history. I thought the movie did an extraordinary job capturing her (Cate Blanchett is magnificent) and can only hope the book did as well.
WW. We understand that Tears Of Pearl has been named a finalist for ‘Best Historical Mystery of The Year' by Romantic Times Magazine...Congratulations on the nomination Tasha. How important is this nomination for you, coming from book reviewers?
TA. Thank you! I was surprised and absolutely delighted to be nominated. What an amazing group of writers in which to be included! Writing can be an extremely isolating endeavor--you spend lots of time on your own, writing these stories and crossing your fingers that they'll resonate with readers. To be chosen by the Romantic Times reviewers is such an honor. It gives me chills just thinking about it!
WW. We've learned that you are an avid reader. We wondered if there are any books in particular you've read recently, that you would recommend to us? Also, what is you favorite genre?
TA. My favorite genre....that's tough. Generally speaking, I will read pretty much anything that strikes my fancy, and I don't tend to be drawn to one genre over another. I just finished reading Kate Morton's The House At Riverton and absolutely loved it. Also enjoyed A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, and am currently reading Janice Lee's The Piano Teacher. One of the most enjoyable things I've read lately is How I Became A Famous Novelist by Steve Hely. It is, without question, one of the funniest books I've ever read.
WW. Is there a particular author that you are enamored with or consider yourself star struck over?
TA. Elizabeth Peters and David Mitchell are two of my absolute favorites along with Jane Austen, whose wit is simply brilliant. Sarah Dunant is fantastic, as are Anne Perry, Lauren Willig, and Michele Moran, Jeanette Winterson, David Lodge, Carol Shields, Haruki Murakami....I could go on all day. That said, anyone who wants to torment me need only threaten to do harm to my signed copy of Mitchell's Black Swan Green....
WW. What is the most important piece of advice ever given to you by someone in the literary community?
TA. I'm a believer in the famous "Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard" rule, which I believe comes originally from Stephen King. Great advice. Because if you don't actually sit down and write, you're never, ever going to finish the book. And nothing else can happen if you don't finish the book.
WW. What is the biggest challenge for you as a writer, when growing and evolving your characters?
TA. When writing a series, it's easy to fall into the trap of doing the same things over and over. I like to send my characters to places they're not used to--like Constantinople--to see how they manage. Emily is a very English girl--and despite being somewhat ahead of her time, she's still a Victorian. So to drop her into a society wholly unlike her own is quite a lot of fun. It's a challenge, too, because it's incredibly tempting to have her react the way we, as contemporary Americans, would. But that wouldn't be realistic. So I have to make sure she stays true to her 19th century self, even when I wish she could be a little more enlightened.
WW. What is the one thing that you would like your readers to walk away with after reading one of your novels?
TA. Mainly, I want them to feel entertained. But I also hope that their view of Victorian women is challenged. These ladies weren't the stuffy, prudish lot we're sometimes told they were.
Tasha, thank you once again for interviewing with WebbWeaver. We look forward to reading your next novel Dangerous To Know, which is due out in October and we hope you will talk with us again very soon.
Tasha Alexander's website is at www.tashaalexander.com
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Interveiw with author Jeremy C. Shipp
By DJ Weaver
Jeremy C. Shipp's writing has been praised by authors such as Piers Anthony, Jack Ketchum, Susan Straight and John Skipp. He has produced work for over 50 publications such as Apex Magazine and The Magazine of Bizarro Fiction. Jeremy lives in a sometimes-haunted house in Southern California with his wife, a legion of yard gnomes and a few attic clowns. His books include Vacation, Wolves and Cursed, which we've reviewed at WebbWeaver review blog. Feel free to visit his online home at www.jeremycshipp.com
We asked Jeremy to do this interview and we also have the review for Cursed up. Just go up to the tabs, click on ‘WebbWeaver Blog', and follow the link. We hope you enjoy!
WW. Can you tell us where you came up with the concept for your book Cursed?
JS. My wife's experiences with CFIDS inspired me to write Cursed. When she was disabled, some people didn't believe she was sick. Some people thought she was less than human. And some people thought she was more than human. Society, on the whole, invalidated her experiences. Invalidated her existence as a human being. Being disabled, in and of itself, isn't a curse, of course. But the treatment of disabled people is a curse in our world. A curse caused by social systems and attitudes. And so, that's what I was thinking about when Cursed started to form in my mind.
WW. Are the characters in Cursed, based on people you know or situations in your past?
JS. To some extent, the two main characters in Cursed are made up of the two halves of my personality. Cicely is my imaginative, strong-willed side. And Nick is my insecure, obsessive side. While my characters are primarily figments of my imagination, they do contain bits and pieces of the human beings and other animals in my life, from family to friends to strangers. I have experienced similar situations to those some of those Nick experiences in the novel. For instance, the way Nick and Cicely talk to each other reminds me of the way my wife and I talk to each other.
WW. Is there some lesson or underlying message that you want readers to walk away with after reading Cursed?
JS. There are themes in my novel. Mostly, I want my readers to experience Cursed, and feel a little better about life. I want the outsiders of the world to know that they're not alone.
WW. You have written short stories and novels. Which do you enjoy most or is it just based on word count?
JS. I love writing short stories and novels. But if I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose novels. I love sticking with the same characters and the same worlds for a long period of time. When writing a novel, I become extremely attached to my characters. They become real.
WW. Is your family involved in your writing or stories? Do they like or dislike your stories?
JS. Some of my family members enjoy reading my work. Some don't. And for those who don't, I don't hold that against them, as my tales aren't for everyone. As far as family goes, I'm a tremendous lucky human. Over all, they're very supportive. And my family is the reason why hope and love and friendship exist in my stories. My heart breaks on a daily basis, due to the state of the world. And without the love in my life, I wouldn't be able to piece my heart back together again. Without that love, my stories and I would be hollow.
WW. As my co-writer and I wrote our book, some aspects of our story changed in concept. Did Cursed change much from beginning to end?
JS. With Cursed, I had certain aspects of the plot planned out. But for the most part, let the story write itself. I enjoy writing this way, because I like the adventure. I like putting my characters in impossible situations, and letting them find their own way out.
WW. We know you have done at least one short film called EGG. How do you compare writing a novel and writing for film and which do you enjoy the most?
JS. Writing a screenplay is like using magic to bring a skeleton to life. Then the director and actors and everyone else contribute organs and flesh and clothes in order to complete the monster. Writing a novel is like creating your own monster by yourself. Movie-making is a wonderful, collaborative experience, but novel-writing will always be my true love, in the realm of creativity.
WW. My co-writer is very interested in the fact that you have said your house is haunted. She wondered if you really do have ghosts or do you just use that perceived energy to fuel your writing.
JS. I consider my farmhouse to be semi-haunted, as the ghosts are rather lazy and inactive most of the time. Once, when my dad and I were working in the attic, we came across a mound of ash. And before long, something started rising out of the ash. At first we thought it was an animal, but it turned out to be an old doll. The ghosts thought their little prank was hilarious, but I don't really get ghost humor.
WW. Based on Cursed, we wondered if you believe in curses. If so, do you think we all have one and what is yours?
JS. I believe in curses, and I believe in Fairy Winkles, too. The most powerful curses I've ever come across were created by civilized social systems. I believe that due to these systems, most everyone is cursed in one way or another. My greatest curse is my inability to help everyone that I'd like to help.
WW. Most writers write what they like. Cursed is fairly dark in nature. Can you tell us if that was your mind set at the time you wrote it or are you just generally a dark character yourself?
JS. I write about what I like, and I write about what I don't like. When my reality offends me in some way, my first instinct is to write about the horrors I've witnessed or experienced. And as my characters learn to cope with the darkness, I learn along with them.
WW. So many times, we have seen you tweeting about your yard gnomes and attic clowns. Do you think either of them will show up in a short film? Can you tell us what the attic clowns are? We only ask because clowns freak us out.
JS. I can almost guarantee that my yard gnomes and attic clowns will show up in a film, at some point. My yard gnomes tend to appear in many of my creative projects. The gnomes make an appearance in Cursed, and they're going to be featured in my upcoming short story collection, Fungus of the Heart. As for the attic clowns, they're evil clowns who live in my attic. A couple years ago, the clowns oozed out of an antique mirror that I bought off of an old prospector. Attic clown pastimes include trapping people in cotton candy cocoons and performing unnecessary surgeries on me in my sleep. Every once in a while, the attic clowns and yard gnomes team up to put on plays such as Charles in Charge the Musical.
WW. How much fun is it to be your characters as you write their story?
JS. The experience is sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, sometimes heartbreaking. My characters are interesting people with interesting lives. They're the perfect imaginary friends and imaginary enemies.
WW. Being as unbiased as possible, would you buy your own book based on cover art and jacket synopsis?
JS. I would, definitely. All my clones would as well.
WW. One answer please Jeremy...In your opinion, who is the greatest author ever?
JS. For me, today, the answer would be Kurt Vonnegut. His work consistently astounds me.
WW. Again, one answer please...In you opinion, what is the greatest book ever written?
JS. I love The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. The use of language is beyond brilliant.
WebbWeaver would like to thank Jeremy Shipp for doing this interview with us. You can purchase Jeremy's book at www.jeremycshipp.com
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Interview with author Luke Romyn
By DJ Weaver
Luke Romyn, author of The Dark Path agreed to do an interview with us, but since he lives and works in Australia, we had to do the interview through email. As much as we would have loved to sit-down and talk one-on-one with this accomplished man and Twitter 'funny-guy', the budget just did not allow so we had to come up with a few questions for him and then just let him run with it.
Luke spent 15 years working in the security industry. He has worked in some of the toughest pubs and clubs, but has also protected some fairly big names in the entertainment industry. When Luke decided to write, he initially did some short stories but then came up with the character of Vain and the novel known as the The Dark Path, which is a #1 best-selling horror. Luke's second novel Blacklisted will be coming out soon and we can't wait to read it.
We are so honored to have Luke on WebbWeaver and the following is what he had to say to the questions we asked. We hope you enjoy!
WW. When did you decide that you wanted to write?
LR. Writing is something which has always been a dream of mine - albeit a distant, seemingly out-of-reach dream. For some strange reason, I have always been something of a wordsmith, and the first time I sat down to write something was an experience beyond words - somewhat ironic coming from an author.
WW. Based on your past history, how much of yourself did you channel into the path of your character, Vain?
LR. There is a huge amount of myself within Vain's character, or rather what I wish I was like, locked within his self confidence. I must admit that I share the same volatile temper - something which I have struggled against for many years.
I believe that for a character to be truly believable, they have to come from a place inside the writer. I can research all I want about something, but if I don't believe in what I'm writing, nobody else will.
WW. Were there any significant events in your life that made you decide to sit down and write The Dark Path?
LR. I always had a lot of unresolved issues left over from my father's death during my teens. My early security work reflected this in that I always sought out the most violent clubs. I was often asked if I had some sort of death wish, but in hindsight I think that the only way I was able to express my suppressed emotions was through violence.
I went down a path in my own life, ending up in a very dark place. This was where the title for the book came from. I had reached rock bottom, drinking heavily and surrounding myself with unscrupulous characters. We did some truly stupid and immoral things, and I eventually arrived at a point in my life where I realized things could go two ways - I could clean up my act and become responsible for my actions, or I could end up in jail. When you're faced with a choice like that, you really have to search deep inside and decide what's important to you.
I chose to clean up.
Since that time, not everything has gone smoothly, but I stay focused on what I want to achieve in life. Writing The Dark Path was an integral part of this, and along the way I've found my calling in life, and a way to exorcize my own inner demons through writing.
WW. Based on what you have written about your own history, was it difficult when writing about Vain's character, to relive some of your own past through him?
LR. What was difficult was seeing how dark I could actually go. It's a really terrifying thing when you find it easier to write about a man who lives for torture and death, and then struggle when it comes to describing a character of benevolence like Sebastian.
That said, I loved writing Vain's character. There's something fantastic about using a character who can get away with things normal people can't. If your average Joe tried to act the way Vain does, readers would simply think him an arrogant prick. Vain can say and do almost whatever he wants, and it just adds to his appeal because in the end he's fighting his own nature in order to do what's right.
WW. In your book, The Dark Path, Vain in a sense, saves the world through a selfless act. Do you feel that writing this story was a way for you to not only save yourself, but to save others through your writing?
LR. I would love to think that my writing can have some sort of impact upon a person's life, though I doubt I have that power. However, in saying that, I would love to think that my words could impress an idea upon someone. Even something so simple as smiling instead of frowning, then everything would be worth it.
My readers' feedback has been massively overwhelming, and it means so much to hear how people love my writing. Anyone in the know will tell you that writers feed upon positive feedback, so never feel you're being out of turn in sending praise to an author.
WW. Are we going to see Vain in your next book?
LR. Alas no. I don't want to fall into the trap of playing it safe with characters I feel comfortable with. I need to constantly challenge myself with my writing; to create something new and exciting is the only way to stay fresh.
That said, I'd love to use Vain again in something. He is such an awesome character that once he gets into your system it's almost impossible to forget him. But it would take something massive to outdo The Dark Path and until I find it he'll just have to sit on the sideline for the time being.
WW. Did your family think you were a little unstable when they read The Dark Path?
LR. What are you saying? *laughs* I think they believe that writing, while out of character, is probably one of the most normal things I've ever done in my life.
It was a massive surprise for most of them to hear that I'd had a novel published. I mean, I've always been the black sheep of the family - through my work and lifestyle of basically living in and around nightclubs. I tried the whole settling down thing, even went so far as to building a house and getting a stable job. It didn't take.
I sold the house and my girlfriend and I took off for a year of travel around the world. I never told my family we were going, never let them know we were getting married in New Caledonia....
Nah, they're not worried about my sanity, this is the most normal thing I've ever done.
WW. Do you plan to write in other genres?
LR. Absolutely! Like I said before, I thrive on challenge. Just because I'm popular in one genre doesn't mean I should become complacent or safe. My second book, Blacklisted, is based much more within the realm of rock-solid reality and would definitely be classed within general fiction or as a thriller.
My aim is to write stories with massive amounts of action, utilizing characters which the reader can bond with and thus care for, drawing them into the story in the process.
However, I think it's safe to say you won't find any erotic romance novels with my name attached to them. I'm fairly certain of that. Sorry.
WW. What are the similarities between your previous occupation in comparison with your writing?
LR. Oh wow, this is a very dangerous question. As I've said before, a lot of my previous associates were people from an alternative side of life. It's difficult to explain without sounding too much like a thug, but I'll try.
When a person sets out to become a banker, they'll be associated with other people in that industry, their life will revolve around these circles of friends and they'll think nothing of discussing the pros and cons of high-risk variable asset accounts.
Likewise, I found myself surrounded by people of a similar nature to myself. I was quickly gathering a reputation as a proficient nightclub bouncer and as such my circle of friends was comprised of guys who did the same sort of work - violent work.
Anyway, this has been a long-winded way of saying that I don't believe there is a definitive nature to anyone. I've known borderline psychopaths who will go out of their way to help someone they don't know. I've seen the same bankers I described above trying to chew someone else's face off after taking their ninth ecstasy pill for the night.
Vain is like this. He has possibly the darkest nature you could imagine, but he sets out on a quest to protect a boy he doesn't know and shouldn't care about.
I love imperfect characters, because I am one.
WW. If you had a choice, what book would you pick up and read right now?
LR. Waylander by David Gemmell. My favorite book of all time and part of the reason I began writing.
WW. Have you ever considered putting all your daily, quirky Tweets into one book?
LR. *laughs* They're just fun, and a different outlet for my creative side. If I were to try to stick them all together into a book, it would take some of the fun away. Besides, I think my friend Claude (Claude Bouchard, author of Vigilante) would be upset as he uses them on his website for his daily "Simple Musings". He'd probably want royalties.
WW. Which person in your past was most influential in your decision to become a writer?
LR. I had a very good friend I worked and lived with named Mark Dixon who always talked about us writing autobiographies - including all of the stories of things we had seen and done during the course of nightclub work. It was naive talk from a couple of young men who thought being tough was something to be proud of.
Anyway, it always stayed with me, and when I felt ready I began writing about my life in nightclubs... a story which ultimately sucked. But it gave me the bug, and pushed me towards fiction. Along with the influence of David Gemmell's books, I came up with a title - The Dark Path - and wrote the words, "Please don't kill my wife!"
I didn't stop until the story was finished.
WW. Being as unbiased as possible, based on cover art and jacket synopsis only, would you purchase The Dark Path yourself?
LR. That is an almost impossible thing to do, especially considering I was the one who found the picture for the artwork and I was also the person who wrote the synopsis.
What I will say is that every single person I've shown it to who doesn't know I wrote it has the same reaction - WOW.
WW. One answer please Luke: In your opinion, who is the greatest writer ever?
LR. The greatest writer? Whoa. My instincts say David Gemmell, but he is simply my favorite. Steven Donaldson really dominated my early reading and I absolutely loved the scope of his imagination as well as his writing style. The man is a genius.
WW. Again, one answer only: In your opinion, what is the greatest book ever written?
LR. Ahh. I'll give in on this one and say Hero in the Shadows by David Gemmell, once again using the character Waylander. Love it.
WW. Just for our own knowledge and as a little side note of interest, we would like to know if you shave your head or did Vain scare the hair out of you?
LR. I've had my head shaved for so long now I forget what it's like to have hair. I'm actually scared to let it grow out again, as I'm not sure what it'll look like. God forbid, I might look... normal.
During the period between sending these questions to Luke and receiving a response back, Luke graciously signed a literary contract with the Tribe Literary Agency to represent his new book Blacklisted. We decided it would be fun to ask Luke just a few more question about that experience and how he feels about his new novel.
WW. We hear now that you have signed with a literary agency, TribeLit. for your new book Blacklisted. How did all that come about?
LR. The guys at Tribe Literary Agency are fantastic. We've been in discussions for quite some time regarding my second book and I couldn't be happier. I initially met Cari (Cari Hawkes Foulk) on the social network Twitter. We became fast friends without me ever knowing she was one of the most respected freelance editors in the industry or that she was joining Tribe as an agent. Somehow it came up in our discussions and things just panned out from there. It's really been amazing, and I am so thankful.
WW. Is Blacklisted completed and has anyone agreed to publish it yet?
LR. Blacklisted is indeed finished and it's everything I was hoping it would be and more. This is the novel which TribeLit is representing me for, with several large publishers already showing interest. I've got a really good feeling about it, and think it's going to be even more popular than The Dark Path, which is saying a lot.
WW. Can you give us an idea what the new book is about and how it differs from The Dark Path?
LR. I wanted to create a thriller which was based completely within reality, making it much more accessible to a mainstream audience. The Dark Path was so massive because it spanned dimensions, sliding into the depths of Hell during the course of the storyline. I wanted to write something even bigger, but locked totally within reality, not touching on anything remotely paranormal.
WW. Do you think the new book will do as well or better than The Dark Path as far as audience reception and book sales?
LR. Some fans of The Dark Path may fear they'll be disappointed by this change in style, but they can rest assured this won't be the case. I've upped the action so much on this one that you won't be able to catch breath, whilst still using characters of depth and believability. I really love this one!
Along with such a great storyline, I have the guys from TribeLit backing me, so you can rest assured this is going to be absolutely massive!
WW. Which of your two books do you personally love the best and which one was more fun to write?
LR. That's like asking which of your children you like the most, and it's something I really can't answer. Both novels are incredible and I'm so proud to have written them. I often find myself going back over them and seeing lines that make me sit back and think, "How the hell did I think of that?" I can say that writing Blacklisted went much quicker, probably because I learned so much during the writing and editing of The Dark Path. Each time I sit down to write it's a learning experience, and one which gets more enjoyable every time.
We want to thank Luke Romyn for doing this interview and we hope you have enjoyed reading about this witty, intelligent and charming man as much as we have. We at WebbWeaver consider Luke, a personal friend even though we have only spoken to him through Twitter and personal emails for the past several months.
We did review Luke's book The Dark Path a few months ago and you can read that review by scrolling back on our review page. We will be sure to let you all know as soon as we have word as to when Luke's new book will be out and in the mean time, be sure to catch Luke on Twitter and Facebook and on his webste at http://www.lukeromyn.host56.com/
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Interview with author Robert E. Crull
By CK Webb & DJ Weaver
w/ WebbWeaver Book Club
On Saturday, November 21, 2009, we along with the ladies of the WebbWeaver Book Club, had the privilege of interviewing the author of the soon-to-be-released new novel Dream State, Mr. Robert E. Crull, and his charming wife Tammy. We have previously reviewed Mr. Crull's book on our blog and when we were offered the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Crull, one-on-one, we, of course, jumped at the opportunity. The following questions were sent to Robert before the actual interview and a video feed of the sit-down interview is at top.
1. Is there a particular teacher in your past who sparked your interest in the literary field?
I wish I had an answer for this one. School and I have never really gotten along, and I have to admit that I barely passed the classes that should have formed the basis of my writing. Having been in the business world for far too many decades, I have learned how to craft business documents, and technical specifications, but never how to build a proper sentence.
2. At what moment in your life did you know you wanted to be a writer?
When the story line for Dream State finalized, I had been writing most of the day that day and from nowhere, the ending just popped onto the screen. I went back and read the last two pages I had written and screamed. It was an amazing feeling.That was the event that made me decide to try to publish it. The feeling of that final surprise at the end.
3. Do you prefer classic literature or modern and why?
I've tried reading some of the classics as an adult since I remember nothing from school. Poe, Hemmingway, Shakespeare, Stoker. None of them really made sense to me, so I stick with what is out now. Much less frustration involved. Our friend Claude Bouchard has an excellent page turner that I truly enjoyed. I also have read another of our friends, Winslow Eliot, and very much enjoyed that. For mainstream authors, this is terrible; I enjoy the story telling of JD Robb. On rainy days at home I like to take one of her "In Death" books and devour it in a single read. She also helps pass the time on the beach of damn near any island. Stephen R. Donaldson is a favorite dark author. His ability to suck you into the despair of his characters is a skill I want to one day attain.
4. What books are your reading right now?
Sadly none. The continual edits and corrections on Dream State have consumed my quota for reading. I find it best not to read other authors while I am writing as it tends to derail my thoughts about where I want my characters to be.
5. How long did it take from concept of DREAM STATE to actual print?
Roughly three years. I'm not sure what the normal time to produce is, but I had to balance the family, the day job with its travel schedule, care of a parent, and life in general. My writing was hit and miss for the first couple years. It was really only in the last year that I got serious about wanting to finish/publish the work.
6. What was the hardest part of writing DREAM STATE?
Removing my filters for what is acceptable to put in print. Some of the scenes pushed what I was comfortable with seeing written. Each of the scenes was written only once. I did not write some snippet and then come back and edit, it was a stream of consciousness that just flooded the screen. I polished the scenes and added filler to the other action, but the core of each scene remained as it was originally written.The other two hard parts were the non-action scenes and dialogue. The conversations had to be there but they were the toughest to make sound real.
7. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Write. Write and write some more. Do it on a notepad, on your computer, talk to your PC with voice recognition. Write to find your voice. Then learn how to polish. That is one of my biggest challenges to this day.
8. Do your future writing plans include books of the same genre or will you venture outside the suspense/thriller genre?
There are aspects of Romance that interest me, or maybe that's erotica, not sure which. But yes, I do plan on venturing away from the thriller as much as I played it in Dream State. The suspense part to me makes for a fun read and a page-turner, and I think I would keep that regardless of what else I attempt.
9. How crucial a role does your family play in your writing?
They are critical. I need to explain family though as I see it. There is my wife and son who are always involved early on in any project I undertake. Once I get the initial response to the latest crazy idea, I sit down and start hashing through the premise in my head. From there the rest of the family gets involved, my sister, best friend, and the wonderful gaggle of kids that run in and out of our lives.
10. How much fun is it to be your characters as you write their story?
Wow, I never looked at it that way. When I envisioned Drew, I wrote him from the omnipotent view, you know that detached observer of all that occurs. There was no way I could get close enough to a guy like that to write him, so I imagined the best thing that could happen for him, then turned it into the worst thing that could happen for the victim. The most fun though was the last three chapters. The initial ending was a little flat, the second one popped just a little. But the final version is, I must say, perfect. It came about after I had gone through a round of reads which I concluded by interviewing the readers. Their input throughout the book caused those last three chapters to tie in all the snippets in the previous chapters.
Thank you WebbWeaver, for the opportunity to be interviewed, it's an honor. I feel as though if I never sell that first copy of Dream State that I have been one of the most fortunate people alive. The conversation, the acceptance, and the friends the project has created have left me a changed man. Thank you for being here with me.
Robert E. Crull
Tammie: Do you still enjoy writing after all these years? Absolutely! I moved away from writing for pleasure for a number of years, not because I didn't feel like writing but simply because I was occupying my time with my painting, guitar and the day job! It really wasn't a conscious decision. It's more that it simply happened. While I was reviewing, revising and self-publishing my old manuscripts last spring, I found my old friends once again and an idea starting brewing to get them back into action. The result was The Homeless Killer which I wrote in about six weeks. Since, I've been spending a lot of time self-promoting my books but have managed to squeeze out three short stories and countless idiocies for the Simple Musings page on my site.Tammie: Between your art and your writing, which do you enjoy the most? I hope that "both" is an acceptable answer. I love creating things where I can express myself and let out what's inside. Painting is one outlet; writing is another and playing guitar, another still. Taking away any one of those would leave a very sad void.Tammie: Who in the literary world would you say is your greatest inspiration? If by "the literary world" you mean great literary fiction, I must confess that I've never been very attracted by the Hemmingways and Dickenses in terms of preferred reading. I tend to read mainly the same or similar genres as what I write and pinning down one author as an inspiration is quite difficult. John Grisham, Steve Martini and Scott Turow are great with legal fiction. James Patterson rules when it comes to fast-paced page turners. Michael Connelly, Robert Crais (especially the Cole/Pike novels), Jeffrey Deaver and Jonathan Kellerman all do consistently well in the crime genre, each with their own style. Lee Child with his Jack Reacher series also gets glowing praise from me. There are many others whom I haven't mentioned.Tammie: How old were you when you started writing? The first time I sat down to seriously write something was in 1995 when I wrote Vigilante so, I was 34.Tammie: What is your next project? I'm not even at the starting gate with this one yet so it may end up never seeing the light. However, I have been toying with some ideas and taking notes for a fifth in my Barry/McCall series which could tentatively be entitled Agents will Fall. Very briefly, it would involve a growing number of literary agents being murdered *smile* but let's remember that this would be yet another work of fiction!Sonya: Does it get easier to self-edit with each book you write? Not whatsoever! Self-editing is extremely difficult because you know what you are reading so your mind tend to skip over mistakes. If I use The Homeless Killer as an example, I'd type somewhere around ten pages then go back and read them and correct all the mistakes. Next was a printed copy which went to my partner, Joanne for her review and edit (yep, more mistakes). I then reviewed the printed pages again, usually making more corrections before going back to fix everything on the computer. Once the book was finished, Joanne and I reread the revised printed copy, both jotting corrections as we went. Then I submitted for publication and ordered a handful of copies. Jo and I read and corrected again. One copy went to my sister, Lucie, and she got back to me with a number of corrections (most of which Joanne and I had missed). Nope, it doesn't get easier! I do try to read aloud when self-editing as it forces me to read each word and notice missing ones.Sonya: What literary work is your favorite? As I mentioned earlier, literary fiction has never been my forte. If I was to pick a classic, it would probably be Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. In terms of a more modern day epic of historical times, the winner is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.Sonya: Is there a particular teacher in your past who sparked your interest in reading and writing? Not that I particularly remember. Both my parents are avid readers, even more so my dad and we were encouraged to read early on (along with everything else throughout our educations). That said, if anyone gets kudos for sparking interest in reading and writing (and learning in general) for myself as well as my brother and two sisters, it would be our parents, hands down! In closing, I would like to thank CK, DJ, Tammie and Sonya for your wonderful questions and interest but especially for inviting me to do this interview!! WebbWeaver Rocks and Alabama's First Official Chapter of Book End Babes Rules!! Merci!
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Interview with author Claude Bouchard
by CK Webb
On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, I had the sincere pleasure of conducting my very first author interview via phone and e-mail, with Canadian-born author Claude Bouchard. Mr. Bouchard lives and works in Montreal and has four self-published books to his credit. Vigilante, which he wrote in 1995, The Consultant, written in 1996, followed by Mind Games written in 1997 and The Homeless Killer written ten years later. Recently, Mr. Bouchard combined his first two novels, Vigilante and The Consultant into Duo which are available on Amazon.com.
I originally met Claude on the social networking site, Twitter and we quickly became friends. He asked me if I would like to read his first novel, Vigilante and review it on WebbWeaver blog. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity and enjoyed this book immensely. I recently asked if he would be willing to allow me to interview him for WebbWeaver and answer some questions from the ladies of the WebbWeaver Book Club.
He agreed and the interview follows:
CK: Thanks so much for doing this...I'm a little nervous.
CB: Thanks for asking me...I'm a little nervous myself.
CK: What was the pivotal moment in your life when you knew you wanted to be a writer?
CB: I had been reading for years; mostly espionage and crime thrillers but in 1995 I got an idea for a story. I didn't really know how to write but I just sat down and started and in two months I had a rough draft of Vigilante.
CK: Is there a line drawn between your art work and your writing?
CB: Not really. I try to concentrate on each equally and focus on them as I work on each particular art form.
CK: Has your writing inspired your art work or visa versa?
CB: Mind games was the inspiration for a watercolor and that watercolor is also the cover art for that particular novel. The art work also comes out in the writing through references to different aspects of art such as art museums, pieces of art work and the like.
CK: Where does you inspiration for your writing come from?
CB: From a lot of reading and the desire to write something that will pique someone else's interest.
CK: Are any of your characters fashioned after yourself, and if so, which one?
CB: Chris Barry has the same initials as myself. Chris Barry is much grander, much more handsome and more debonair fashioned after myself, who happens to do some things I would never do *chuckles*.
CK: In your opinion, what is the greatest book ever written...one answer?
CB: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
CK: Who is your most inspiring author or who do you enjoy the most?
CB: Lee Child
WebbWeaver Book Club questions answered via e-mail: