It is an honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author RAI AREN.
"SECRET of the SANDS" ~~RAI AREN & co-author TAVIUS E.
http://www.secretofthesands.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you to write?
RAI: I usually have a message of some kind that I want to convey, either subtly
or more directly, and for me, saying it through a fictional tale is how I am
naturally drawn to communicate it. Personally, I love getting lost in the
pages of a book. I love the escape a great story provides, so I want to
provide that for other readers, give them an engaging place to lose themselves
for a few hours, and spark their imaginations. I dearly love crafting worlds
that I think readers will enjoy. Most tellingly though, I write stories that I
personally want to read. I explore ideas that are fascinating to me, that I feel
passionately about. Any book I write is one that I would immediately grab
off of a book, or library shelf. I love to pour my heart and soul into a story,
whether it's light-hearted action adventure, a thriller, or horror.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
RAI: J.R.R. Tolkien, he crafted such detailed, vivid worlds, with characters and
stories that contained so much heart. When I read his works, I feel that I
get lost inside them, that I walk through the worlds with the characters. I
feel their pain, struggles, hopes, and joys. That is an amazing gift for a
reader. I also love Anne Rice;Agatha Christie; Dan Brown; JK Rowling;
David & Leigh Eddings; and James Rollins.
Geri: What type of books do you enjoy reading?
RAI: My favorite books are thrillers; mysteries, adventure stories; science fiction;
suspense; alternate historical fiction; fantasy; and some horror novels. I
especially love anything that revolves around ancient mysteries, that's like
catnip to me! I very much enjoy being taken away from the everyday ordinary
on a fantastic adventure that gets me thinking. I am also fascinated by
quantum physics.
Geri: Should a book be judged by its cover?
RAI: Yes and no, I'm a very visual person, so a great cover that speaks to key
elements of a story will really grab me. I like covers that have strong visuals.
After that, the story itself has to appeal to me. I won't buy a book that I just
like the cover of, if the actual story doesn't interest me. On the flip side, I also
won't pass up a book where maybe the cover doesn't do anything for me, but
where the story really piques my interest. It's just that with a nice cover, the
book has more of a chance to be noticed, and picked up by readers. I would
say that it is a solid investment to craft a quality cover that, most importantly,
gives potential readers a sense of what the book offers. It is an amazing sales
and communication tool.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
RAI: I actually have a few. The first priority is to complete putting the
finishing touches on Destiny of the Sands, the sequel to Secret
of the Sands, with my co-author, and release it. The sequel carries on
where Secrets left off, and takes the main characters on an even darker,
more perilous journey. After that, I have three solo novels in various
stages of development. One is a science fiction horror novel, one is a
dark thriller, and another is a thriller. The stories all have very strong
messages, and deal with darker themes. I am very passionate about them.
The stories are fully formed in my head and partially written. I just need the
extra time to complete them! Oh! to only need an hour or two of sleep a
night!
Geri: Thank you kindly for today's interview. I wish you much success!
Rai: You're welcome.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to Interview Author MARC DOUGLAS.
Author of: "SLINGSHOT"
First of a three book series!
The sequel to "SLINGSHOT" is "THE ROAD TO DAMARI" Followed by:
"RIGHT OF WAY."
http://Edgepublishingcompany.com
http://twitter.com/douglasnovels
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: What inspires you to write?
Marc: I have written all of my life. September 11th, 2001, coincided with some
personal events that dramatically changed my life. I began 'SLINGSHOT'
almost immediately after the WTC attack, and spent the next nine years
completing it. Up until that point, I believed I was firmly in control of my
life, nothing could have been further from the truth. This revelation required
thought. As writing is my medium, the issue of controlling life continually
appears in 'SLINGSHOT' and all my other works.
Terrorism; corrupt/inept governments; war; environmental crisis; and dwindling
resources all beg the questions: How did we get here, and where do we go
from here? 'SLINGSHOT' is a 'What If' adventure. A story of romance, courage,
and fortitude of people placed in very difficult circumstances.
I have always admired the ability to combine words into sentences that can
allow someone to walk among a writer's thoughts, and bring you into an era
previously unknown. Authors, long dead, can reach across time as though
they sat next to you. Simple, common place words, ink on a page can
transport you into another world, feel emotions of a person you have never
met and introduce new ideas and thoughts. Habits, emotions of days long
gone are revealed, the dust is removed, and you live that life so long ago.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Marc: Well, that is impossible to answer as there are so many. Charles Dickens has
always been a favorite. I loved THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP, GREAT
EXPECTATIONS, and so many others. His ability with words was incredible.
Dumas created great stories, and I am currently working on a manuscript
inspired by "THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO." Hugo wrote perhaps my
favorite story, "LES MISERABLES." James Fenimore Cooper did a
wonderful job with the "LEATHERSTOCKING TALES." Dean Koontz is
always enjoyable to read and has inspired a couple of books I have written
as well as the dogs in SLINGSHOT, ''THE WATCHERS" by Dean Koontz.
Jane Austen's "PRIDE and PREJUDICE" is a good, fun read. Mark Twain is
classic. I really liked Bram Stoker's "DRACULA." Tolkien's "LORD OF THE
RINGS" was a book I read to my kids. CS Forrester's Horatio Hornblower
series was great fun to read growing up. As a kid, I loved the Hardy Boys, and
burned through their books.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
Marc: I am doing the final polish on BLIND SIGHT, which is my second thriller.
The art work is finished, and the book should be available in a month
or so. "THE SULTAN'S ANGEL" is almost done, and ready for editing.
I would say it has a chance at being released second or third quarter next
year. The second and the third book of the "SLINGSHOT" series are done,
but I will be fine tuning them before they are published.
Geri: Should one judge a book by its cover?
Marc: No, but a good cover can catch your eye and your interest. Therefore, it
is very important.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Marc: Well, the "SLINGSHOT" series is science fiction, but it is woven with the
elements that we live with today. I have to say that I am picky about what
I like in science fiction. Personally, I don't care for long stretches of the
imagination, magic or fantasy. There are exceptions to the rule. I loved
"LORD OF THE RINGS" so very much that I read it word-for-word to my
kids as they grew up as a bed time story. "FOOTBALL" by Larry Nivens is
nothing short of excellent. After finishing SLINGSHOT and the sequels, I
took some time off to read another Dean Koontz novel. His imagination is
fantastic, but I think the fact that the good guys always wins is why I am
hooked on his books, that and his obvious love of dogs. I decided to try
my hand at a thriller after finishing "WHISPERS" by Koontz, and published
"SOON." "SOON" was written for my own enjoyment. My editor really liked it,
and she was who convinced me to publish it, thank you Amanda. I think two
genres are enough, and I enjoy both immensely. That is not to say I don't love
a good mystery, historical fiction, romance, or drama. I just don't see those
genres for me right now.
Geri: Thank you for your time. I wish you much success.
Marc: You're welcome.
It is an Honor and with Great Pleasure to bring back Author Paul A. Ibbetson.
Author of: "OLIVER'S TALE: A Squirrel's Story Of Love, Courage, and Revolution."
http://www.ibbetsonusa.com
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW #2~~~
Geri: What type of books do you enjoy reading?
Paul: I enjoy a wide range of books. I try to mix enjoyment with education, so I
read things such as science fiction, along with American Literature
all through the week.
Geri: Should one judge a book by its cover?
Paul: Probably not, there are many books out there that are well written
that are yet to be discovered, so I try to give different kinds of books
a chance. I am often pleasantly surprised.
Geri: Which genre do you think makes the best movies?
Paul: I like science fiction, but I also like comedy, so I often look for that mix.
Any genre that is well done in movie form can be great to watch, but
as always, movies never touch the quality of their book versions.
Geri: Do you plan on writing a book every year?
Paul: I write a weekly national newspaper column, along with my radio and
television work. There is just enough time to do one book a year. It is a
very workable situation to write one book a year, and it is my plan as of
now.
Geri: Do you have a special comfort zone while writing?
Paul: I cannot have distractions, and just about anything will divert my
attention, so I find a quiet place to do all my writing. I am in the quiet
place about three-to-five hours a day.
Geri: Thank you kindly for your time. I wish you much success in your journey
of writing.
Paul: You're welcome.
It is an honor and with great pleasure to Interview author AC Katt.
Author of: "SHATTERED GLASS"
TheSarrans.com
ACKattsAMatterOfTrust.com
Shattered-Glass.com
ACKatt.com
http://twitter.com/ackatt
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlhansel
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~~
Geri: What inspires you the most to write?
AC Katt: Different things. I wrote my first book, THE SARRAN PLAGUE, because I wanted
to read science fiction, with a triad. My second book came from a phrase. Someone
asked me for a different idea on a book about a bear(gay lexicon for a hirsute
dominant gay men usually portrayed as a motorcycle or outdoorsy type). I came up
with the phrase 'Bear In Suit, casting the 'bear' as a gay, very well-to-do real
estate executive who wears Savile Row suits with Lobb shoes. He is a dominant,
but not your typical 'bear.' He appears as Donald K. Drummond in "A MATTER OF
TRUST." SHATTERED GLASS came from two different sources, a painting of a
young Syd Barrett from Pink Floyd, combined with the Bon Jovi song, 'Make A
Memory.' The lyrics of the song, plus the portrait of a young, troubled musician led
to the story of Liam and Milo.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
AC Katt: I love Robin D. Owens, and Mercedes Lackey. In my own genre:Jade Buchanan,
Mychael Black, Chris Owen, Jody Payne, Alley Blue, and J.M. Snyder write
great tales.
Geri: Did you enjoy reading as a child?
AC Katt: I devoured books whole as a child. I can still read one book a day, if I have the time.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
AC Katt: I'll always write some kind of romance. But I have been exploring different sub-
genres within the category.
Geri: Do you have current work in progress?
AC Katt: I just finished a re-write on "THE SARRAN PLAGUE" for re-release by
Captiva Press. I'm currently working on a sequel to :THE SARRAN PLAGUE"
tentatively titled 'Living With Syn.'
Geri: Thank you kindly for your time. I wish you much success!
AC Katt: You're welcome.
