EJ FLYNN, Author - Interview

This week, we’re Rambling On with author EJ Flynn.

EJ Flynn

EJ Flynn is a mom and a wife first, then an author and business owner. She spends most of her time trying to improve her and her family’s life, always striving for more and better. She loves spending time with her daughter Abigail, hanging with her husband John, playing poker, playing rock band (expert guitar!) and of course writing. She’s a singer, actress, dancer and pianist although she doesn’t get to do much of that anymore.
Her company is In Like Flynn Marketing (www.inlikeflynnmarketing.com), geared towards helping people and businesses find success through strong comprehensive marketing campaigns. She also offers the Be Dynamic Intensive which is designed to help empower women to know that they CAN have it all and give them the tools they need to achieve it.

Perspectives of the Heart, EJ Flynn

EJ’s new novel is PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEART, which focuses on teacher Alex Forrester and the various men in her life. “When Alex decides to post a flyer on a public bulletin board one rainy San Francisco morning saying that she has a room for rent, everything changes. She runs into Casey Morelli, gorgeous soccer player and cousin of the ex-boyfriend that she had feared all those years ago. The two fall for each other quickly, but when Alex’s new roommate, handsome lawyer Garson Reed, admits his feelings for her, her life becomes even more complicated than when she was alone. And when a string of devastating events take place that rock her life to the core, Alex discovers that happiness doesn’t come from the hand you’ve been dealt or how lucky you are, it all depends on how you look at things.”

Anthony: Welcome to Rambling On, EJ! Let’s start with where the book came from. What inspired it, what made you decide now was the time to take a shot at publishing it? How long have you been working on it?

EJ: I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been working on this book for most of my life. I actually started the book when I was fifteen because I wanted to imagine what mine and my best friends, Nikki and Tricia’s, lives would be like if we were grown up. I do realize I’m going to need to turn books around a lot faster than that.
I didn’t actually write non stop since I was fifteen. I dropped it and picked it up over the years which I think lends to Alex’s growth really well. She grew up with me. I never really intended to get it published because I thought that was so far fetched of an idea. I picked it up for the last time in 2008 when I took part in a Writer’s Intensive Weekend with Laura Banks, author of Embracing Your Big Fat Ass and Breaking the Rules (both co-written with author Janette Barber), and decided that it was time to get serious. It was tough to get through it and stay focused with life happening. With the help of people close to me I was able to stay motivated. And then this past December I learned about the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest which had a deadline of February 6th and decided to make that my completion goal. I didn’t actually get to enter the contest, entries filled up before the deadline. I did, however, make my deadline. Then I figured, hey it’s done, let’s publish it. I wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it when a friend of mine, Adam Weissman also a self published author, told me about CreateSpace.com. Shortly after that, I attended a “how to get published” webinar where I learned that the romance genre is the most downloaded genre for ebooks on Kindle and Nook. I used to have a bit of a chip on my shoulder saying that PERSPECTIVES was “literary fiction” not a romance novel but when I heard that about Kindle and Nook, I quickly dropped the chip and embraced the romance genre.

A: You’re a wife, a mother, and you hold down a steady job. Tell us a bit about your writing process. How do you fit the time in?

EJ: Once I committed to finishing it, most of my writing was done in bed, on my dell mini, late at night after my little one was asleep, and it still does. My husband works nights and doesn’t usually get home until after 1AM so I have a lot of uninterrupted time at night. I also started a writer’s circle which we fondly called a writer’s rhombus because there were only four of us. That was essential in gaining motivation and confidence and we always had fun. It’s now shrunk to a “writer’s line”, just two of us, myself and an amazing writer Patricia Faulkner. We motivate each other and encourage each other. Set goals and hold each other accountable. It’s really essential in my process to have someone pushing me and to have someone to read my stuff and tell me if it sucks or not.

A: Writers groups of any size are vital, I think. I’m involved in a couple. Back to PERSPECTIVES: the story centers on Alexandra, but shifts frequently to the internal thoughts of other major characters. It’s a bit of an unusual structure in that these shifts happen mid-scene rather than at chapter breaks. Was this a structure you decided on before you started, or something you noticed happening once you’d begun writing and then decided to keep doing?

The book was actually written in first person when I first started it. Then I realized that it handcuffed me to only Alex’s thoughts and feelings. When I changed it to third person it enabled me to delve into the other characters’ minds and feelings to give the story more depth and roundness. The structure then just happened organically. I didn’t plan to do it a certain way, I just went with what made sense to me and didn’t really think about it. When I tested it I did ask the readers if they found it at all confusing and not a single one said it did so, I kept it.

A: I have to admit, I’m not a modern romance/tragedy fan. I’ve never read anything by Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picoult, authors this type of story seem to be connected to. So what seemed to be “heaping one problem after another on the main character” to me might be the conventions of the genre. I felt like poor Alexandra couldn’t catch a break — one disaster after another befalls her and her loved ones. Did you ever feel, as you were writing the next horrible thing to happen to her, that perhaps you were throwing too much on Alexandra and wanted to cut her a break? Or was the intent always to prove how resilient she is by hitting her with one punch after another?

AJ: I have to confess, the book is somewhat autobiographical so I never thought I was giving her too much. I didn’t give her everything that has happened to me because I was afraid it wouldn’t be believable and one major tragedy that happens to her didn’t happen to me but I felt it important to where I wanted the story to start. There is much happiness in between the tragedies for her and it was meant to show that no matter what life threw at her, as long as she kept the right perspective on things, she could get through it just like I have.

A: Speaking of other authors: we all draw from the authors we love, intentionally or not. When I spoke to Evelyn LaFont a few weeks back about her paranormal romance book, she said that it was a genre she loved and also a genre she wanted to poke fun at because of its popularity. What authors do you see PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEART sitting alongside of on the bookshelves? Who influenced you as you wrote?

EJ: That’s an easy one. Danielle Steel. I have read most of her books. The first book I remember reading in its entirety, that wasn’t for school, was Danielle Steel’s Daddy (later made into a movie starring Patrick Duffy, Linda Carter and a very young Ben Affleck!) Anytime anyone asks me what kind of a book Perspectives is, I always say it’s a very Danielle Steel-esque type novel.

A: Without giving too much of the plot away, I think I can safely say: everyone in this book falls in love at first sight, and most of those relationships aren’t very successful. Was that an intentional theme of the book, the idea that rushing in doesn’t often lead to solid long-term relationships?

No that was not intended at all, the intention was more to follow your heart despite the risk, enjoy things to the fullest while they last and you’ll have no regrets.

A: PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEART is obviously a labor of love. What would you say to someone who doesn’t normally read this type of book (like me!) to convince them to give it a shot?

EJ: I would tell them that it’s not just chick-lit, it’s a story that most people can relate to on some level. It will hopefully evoke emotions good and bad and maybe change the way you look at things by the time you finish it.

A: So, what’s next for EJ Flynn in the writing realm? Working on anything currently?

I just started the actual writing of my next book. It’s a complete departure from PERSPECTIVES. I said earlier that the first book I ever read in its entirety was Daddy by Danielle Steel. The second book was Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Other than those two, my favorite authors to read are John Saul, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child and John Grisham. I can’t imagine only writing romance when there’s so much beauty in other genres too. My next book is a much darker, intense psychological thriller called TWELVE DAYS. I’ve also got a nonfiction in the works that’s called THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER, UNTIL YOU HAVE tO CUT IT YOURSELF, a real and funny look at relationships and dating, marriage and divorce.

A: Looking forward to both of those! Now for my usual last question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to recommend it to someone who hasn’t read it yet?

This is such a tough question. If I could pick by genre it would be easier. The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. It’s a very intense, very intelligent, science driven, supernatural story with amazing characters that you will admire and root for. I think though that for many people and definitely for myself, what’s happening around you when you’re reading a book affects the impact of that book on you. I read Cabinet of Curiosities while on a girls’ weekend in New Orleans for my 30th birthday. So really awesome memories surround it. When I reread it I think of that awesome time.

A: Thanks, EJ, for agreeing to be interviewed!

EJ: Thanks Anthony!! This was fun!!!

You can find PERSPECTIVES OF THE HEART in both print and ebook formats on Amazon. You can also find her on her own website.

SAM MCPHERSON, Author - Interview

Trying something a little bit different this week, rambling on with fellow pop culture rambler Sam McPherson!

Sam McPherson

Sam McPherson is a contributing editor for the entertainment news website TVOvermind. He’s also an administrator for the fansite Lostpedia, and considers Fringe, Game of Thrones, and Doctor Who to be his areas of expertise. Sam also created the fansite Knowing Lost, which is the home to several original fan fictions and works of fan art related to the television show Lost. You can follow Sam on Twitter, where he is known as the McPhersonator.

ANTHONY: Hi, Sam, thanks for taking the time to chat!

SAM: No problem. Thanks for helping out my ego!

A: I’m primarily familiar with you as a reviewer/commentator on TV Overmind. How did you get started with the site?

S: I discovered the site a few months after it started up, and filled out the little application. A little while later, Jon Lachonis, who owns the site, dropped me an email back and said that he’d love to have me on the staff. That was back in July 2009, and I’ve been writing for the site ever since.

A: I first became aware of you through your LOST posts, and now I follow your Game of Thrones posts as well. Do you and the other writers for TV Overmind have specific “beats” you work, or is it pretty much “write about what you want to write about?”

S: Well, we cover the news on a first-come-first serve basis. More in-depth pieces, though, are usually written by the folks who are experts on the show. That’s not to say that a show can’t have several experts — we have four people on the staff who are very knowledgeable about Fringe, for instance.

A: You are also a Lostpedia Administrator. How did that come about?

S: I started editing the site as a normal user in February 2007, right around the time the second half of season three started up. I really loved the community and worked to become a part of it over a few years. Around late 2008, I was part of a small group of users who did “Lostpedia Interviews” with various members of the cast and crew. I got to interview Rebecca Mader, Francois Chau, and a lot of background extras/guest actors. I was ‘promoted’ to administrator in March 2009.

A: I’ll admit I don’t tend to visit Lostpedia as much now that the show is over. I find that as much as I say I want to go back and watch the whole series from start to end again, I seem to be reticent to do it and a number of my friends who loved the show feel the same way. Do you think there’s a kind of “post-series letdown” that genre fans feel after a series ends?

S: Well, with LOST at least, certainly. The finale was hugely polarizing, and I don’t think a lot of people really wanted a lot to do with the show for a while after that. There are a little bit of a surge in interest with the one year anniversary of the finale a few months ago, but I think for the most part, there won’t be a lot of interest in LOST again for a few years until we hit the five- or ten-year anniversary.

A: We could talk about LOST for hours, so I’m going to play a little word-association. How did you feel about the following topics that Lost fans seem to be pretty divided on:

The Finale?

S: Loved it. There are a few seeds of disappointment because it wasn’t what I’d expected through my long time of watching the show — but the same can be said for the entirety of season six, really.

A: The whole “Flash-Sideways” concept?

S: Again, it was a bit of a letdown because it felt like a giant red herring since they drew it out across the entire season. If they’d only had it pop up sporadically, I think it would have had greater effect.

A: The tie-in paperback novels?

S: Have them, but haven’t read them. I’m more of a fan of the unofficial analysis books, like Sarah Clarke-Stuart’s Literary LOST.

A: Last LOST question: you started an online “fan-fic” that places fans of the tv show into the action of the show, with full knowledge of what is going to happen to the characters — how has that been received? Any feedback from the Lost creators on the concept or execution?

S: Knowing Lost started off well, with lots of readers. Then, as it became more and more of a chore to have a ten-page episode out every week, I started to get exhausted and just stopped for a while. I mishandled it and lost a lot of readers, but I’ve now started it back up. I’m currently working on an idea that will make the site the base for LOST fan-fiction and fan-art.

A: Okay, on to Game of Thrones. I had a conversation recently with a friend who has never read the Harry Potter books nor George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, and yet he loves (and has managed to avoid being spoiled on plot points for) the movie franchise and the tv series adapted from those books. As someone who is reporting on the GoT tv series but who has also read the source material, do you ever find yourself having to back up and reword things because you know stuff some of your readers may not know?

S: Oh yes. A lot of my articles over this hiatus are referencing the second book, from which season two will be adapted. I’m working on a series of articles now that reveal my fantasy casting for key new characters, and I’ve finally taken to putting a mild spoiler warning at the top of every article, because I’m so afraid I’ll spoil someone who accidentally clicks on to the article.

A: There’s been a lot of hate mail directed at George RR Martin by readers who feel betrayed that he’s not churning out ASOIAF books faster. Neil Gaiman famously weighed in a while back saying that essentially authors (and other creative types) don’t owe their fans anything on a set time-line (what people have paraphrased as “George RR Martin is not your bitch.”) I think the truth is somewhere in the middle: if you promise a series with a continuing storyline that will eventually conclude, you should commit to finishing it (leaving aside for now issues of writer’s block and other such roadblocks) or don’t write series fiction. As an obvious fan of series-type storytelling, what’s your take on this?

S: Well, I didn’t start reading the books until a few months ago, so I don’t know anything about the long, agonizing wait that fans have been put through recently. What I do know, though, is that Martin’s put himself on a very short time frame by having the HBO series premiere in 2011. He’s going to have to finish the series before the show catches up to him. So saying that “George RR Martin is not your bitch” is entirely accurate. He’s playing to HBO’s timeline now.

A: Do you think, if push came to shove, HBO would go ahead and create a series ending for GoT if Martin falls behind their production schedule? Or do you think they’ll space out production on future seasons to accommodate his slower writing habits?

S: I’ve thought about it, but I don’t know how that would turn out. I’m thinking that Martin will just narrowly meet the deadline, but if he doesn’t, we’ll probably be looking at some postponed seasons while HBO puts pressure on him to get it done. I don’t think that there will be an ending created only for the TV show. Martin’s pretty meticulous, and I think the story’s all going in one very specific direction.

A: On a somewhat related topic (in terms of delayed story continuations): what’s your feeling about the “split season” for Doctor Who this year? Do the producers of shows like LOST and Doctor Who owe it to viewers to tell a complete story straight through rather than splitting the season up to build tension?

S: The split season doesn’t bother me. The first half of the series ended on a pretty good cliffhanger, and I’m willing to wait to see where it goes. What does bother me, though, is the discrepancy in scheduling between the UK and the US. That sort of thing results in a lot of people getting spoiled. BBC America was doing great with same-day airings until they skipped Memorial Day, screwing it all up and putting the US a week behind the UK. I was spoiled for River Song’s identity because of that break. It’s even worse this summer for British Torchwood fans, who have to wait six days after the US to see what started out as their show, all because Starz got world premiere rights to the series. I expect that’ll cause a plummet in viewership.

A: I still don’t know River Song’s identity, so thanks for not spoiling that here! Do you think Torchwood will survive this switch to Starz having primacy over BBC, or could this move spell the end for the show?

S: I don’t know if it’ll survive or not. I’m afraid it’s going to be a lose-lose situation, to be honest. I’m not sure that Starz has enough subscribers who would watch the show, and over the six day wait I’m pretty sure UK fans will get the show through other means. I think the fact that Starz through in a “world premiere rights” clause in their contract might hurt the show where it counts.

A: You’re on Twitter, you’re a regular on TV Overmind, you’ve got your own occasional blog, and you recently graduated from high school. So what’s in the future for Sam McPherson?

S: I’m heading off to college next month, but for my online presence I hope it’ll be like nothing’s changed. I’ll keep writing for TVOvermind when I’m not living the college life. You guys aren’t getting rid of me that easily!

A: And my usual last question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to recommend it to someone who has never read it?

S: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Absolutely brilliant book that’s been begging for me to read it again as soon as I get through my ever lengthening to-read list. It’s perhaps the only book I’ve ever read that can never work in any other medium, because it’s so brilliant in this one. It’s the most rewarding book experience I’ve ever had.

A: Thanks, Sam!

NEIL OSTROFF, Author - Interview

This week we sit down to ramble on with author Neil Ostroff.

Neil Ostroff

In Neil’s own words: “I’m an author of dark, noir thrillers, romance thrillers, and middle grade sci/fi and paranormal novels. I was raised in a rural town outside of Philadelphia and have been a published author for more than twenty years. My science fiction and fantasy stories have appeared in numerous presses, zines, and websites. I have several published novels available at all online booksellers under the name N.D. Ostroff or Neil Ostroff. I am an avid boater, gardener, and poker player when not working on my novels.

After, a YA fantasy novel

ANTHONY: Hi, Neil. Thanks for stopping by to ramble on with us for a bit. In the interests of “full disclosure” I suppose we should start out talking about what we have in common: our years at Elmira College. I was an English Literature major, you were a Psychology major. I know how the EC English department influenced my writing — how did the Psychology department influence yours.

NEIL: Hi, Anthony. Yes it’s been a long time since those days. Learning psychology and how the mind works and how we interact with others is a huge help when creating characters. My serial killer character Cody Larson from FROSTPROOF was literally born out of my abnormal psychology classes. I also interned at social services so I got to see a lot of crazy personalities and behaviors that also helps when I decide on the personality traits of some of my strangest characters. Like the clairvoyant, psycho-killer prostitute in my novel, PULP.

A: Great, now I’ll be picturing Professor Rick Wesp when I read FROSTPROOF. Moving on … you’re one of those writers who can’t be pigeon-holed into a single genre. You’ve got several Young Adult sci-fi/fantasy novels, but you also write gritty pulp/noir thrillers and have at least one book that I would call “mainstream/literary fiction.” Does your writing process differ from one audience/genre to another? And if so, how significantly and how intentionally?

N: I don’t like to stick to one particular genre and usually write what I want to write. This drove one of my former agents, Gary Heidt at Signature Lit. crazy. He first tried to sell me as thriller writer, than a YA sci/fi writer, and then the literary novel finally drove him over the edge. My audiences do differ with my books but I think this draws more diverse readers. Emotions play a large part in what project I’m going to start next. For instance, my literary novel, DROP OUT was written after a friend died of cancer only eight days after his diagnosis. That was a powerful event that shaped the novel to be.

A: Lots of authors feel that they need to fall into one camp (YA) or the other (adults). Rick Riordan, for instance, has completely stopped writing murder mysteries to concentrate on his mythology-based YA series. Do you ever feel the pull to fully commit to one or the other?

N: Yes. My first novel FROSTPROOF is a noir thriller and I wrote two more noir thrillers following that one. DEGENERATES and PULP. Like I said before, my agent really pushed for me to continue with this genre, but I also had YA sci/fi fantasy stories that I wanted to tell. I wrote a three book middle grade sci/fi series after the noir thrillers and committed to that genre for a while. Then, of course, my friend’s illness happened and I changed genres again.

Frostproof, a noir thriller

A: I am always fascinated by how each writer I talk to starts the process of a book, story, etc. What do you find most often kicks off a new work? Do you start with an image, a piece of dialogue, a specific character?

N: Most of my books start with ideas I’ve had for years in my head. Usually, I get an idea for a novel and let it fester in my brain. I start to jot down notes of how I want the story to go. Eventually I have enough notes to actually formulate an entire novel. Then I write a few chapters and see if the story takes off. If it doesn’t, I scratch it and move to my next idea. For every three novels I start I usually complete one. The maturation process takes another few years or so. I’ll let the first draft sit for a month and then give it a re-read. Then I’ll let it sit again and then do another. Eventually I read it through and find that I have nothing more to add. That is when the book is complete.

A: Your most recent adult novel, DROP OUT, has its roots in the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, and the iconic image of smoke billowing from the Towers is a part of the cover art. Did you set out planning to write a 9/11 novel for the 10th anniversary? What has reaction to the book been like?

N: As I said, DROP OUT was written in response to my friend’s death. I incorporated the trauma of 9/11 to make the story universal in its theme. I started researching what others experienced during that event and became fascinated with tales of survival. The initial escape scene in the beginning of the book is a culmination of these stories. The reaction to the book has been pretty intense. I’ve received emails from total strangers saying that the book had a deep impact on how they see the world and gives them a greater appreciation for their time in it. The first draft was written four years ago, so its release was not really planned specifically for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. It just happened that way.

A: The proliferation of e-readers has been decried as “the end of the publishing industry as we know it.” As an author whose books are primarily available in that format, what effect has e-publishing had on self-publishing?

N: It’s only the death of the big publishing conglomerates. I believe this is the most amazing time in history for writers who want their work available for world purchase. The internet and ereaders have made possible for any writer to make a living at their craft. Personally, I hope every person in the world buys an ereader. When else in history can an author like me, from nowhere Pennsylvania, sell books in London, France, and Australia, which I have done? Or sell books all over the country, which I have done? Selling books these days is all about market and promotion. Find a couple of good websites and social network and you can sell thousands from sitting at your desk.

A: You recently blogged about “voice recognition software” turning everyone into a writer but not necessarily an artist. As technology makes it easier to write/create, what challenges do you see for yourself as a creative person getting your books to the largest possible audience, and what do you think the pitfalls will be for readers?

N: I received a lot of responses when I posted that. Most people agree that voice recognition will not make writers out of everyday people. A good story takes thinking, and plotting, and pacing, all which are very hard to get right the first time. Perhaps, voice recognition is a good way to write a very raw first draft, but it takes countless hours of staring at the page to get things right. The only pitfalls I see to readers are that there is probably going to be a lot of junk out there and readers will have to sift through it to find the gem novels.

A: It looks like you have two YA titles coming out soon: DREAM TRAVELER and INSECTLAND. Tell us a bit about each of those and when we can expect to see them.

N: INSECTLAND is due out in about two weeks. It is the second book in the middle grade series I mentioned earlier. Here is the back cover copy:

Be frightened! Be very, very frightened! Tiny, dragon-like creatures hidden in our homes will harm us. They will shrink us to the size of rice, enslave us, and turn our world into their own lethal military base. But there is hope. Legions of robotic insects intent on stopping them have recruited high school student Dan Larson to help. Thrust into danger on an alien planet, Dan risks everything in a desperate attempt to prevent an epic battle that could change the balance of power in the galaxy forever.

DREAM TRAVELER is the last book in the series. That should be out sometime early next year. Here is a quick summary:

200,000 years in the future. After centuries of conflict, human spirits called Phelastians, who live on a magnificent floating city in the clouds, are finally making peace with Dwellers, ape-like creatures who live on the decimated planet Earth. Formalities require that a twenty-first century human be present as a witness to the treaty. A Phelastian travels backward in time and recruits Jamie Richards, a geeky, everyday teenager. Core, a Dweller overlord, is pro-war and sabotages the celestial link connecting Jamie to her own world. She vanishes from the signing, crumbling the negotiations, and sending her on a series of mind-bending, alternate-reality adventures that shatter the boundaries of possibility.

A: And now my usual final question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to convince someone who hasn’t read it that they should read it?

N: I actually have two favorite books that influenced my writing career the most. The first is LESS THAN ZERO by Brett Easton Ellis. It’s old, and dated now, but that novel greatly influenced my noir style. The second is THE STAND by Steven King. I love the way King has multiple characters and stories and weaves them all together into one mega plot. My book DEGENERATES is styled after that one. I also believe that every wannabe author should read Steven King’s ON WRITING. It is simply the best book on the craft ever written in my opinion.

A: Thanks, Neil!

N: Thanks, Anthony.

Neil’s work can be found on his website, through Smashwords, at Author Den, and through the usual e-reader suspects like BN and Amazon. Neil himself can be found on his own website, on Goodreads, on his blog and occasionally on Twitter.

WHY I LOVE USED BOOKSTORES - Anthony R Cardno

I know I’m going to sound like a record with the needle skipping, but I love used bookstores in general, and I love the Half-Price Books chain in particular. And I love them for the same reason I know I will never switch completely to e-books despite how much I’m enjoying the Nook.

What reason is that?

Because there is nothing like filling in the gaps in a treasured series collection, and being able to look at that complete, or near-complete, run on your bookshelf.

The first time I walked into a Half-Price Books store, in Pittsburgh PA several years ago, I walked out with a handful of Perry Rhodan paperbacks at a cost of $2 each. Finding those books reignited my high-school love affair with Forrest J. Ackerman’s English translations of a German science fiction / space opera series. I’ve been looking for them in used bookstores ever since.

Perry Rhodan

Likewise, one of my first visits to the HPBs in the Dallas area hooked me up with a couple of the Bantam Doc Savage reissues from the 1970s. Tonight, at two stores in Arlington TX, I picked up another 12 to fill out that collection. Including this gem:

Fu Manchu. Solar Pons. Hamish Macbeth. Sister Fidelma. The Medieval Murderers anthologies. James Bond. Holmes pastiches by John Gardner, John Lescroart and LJ Greenwood. The works of Philip Jose Farmer and Edgar Rice Burroughs and John Buchan. Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Three Investigators. The early Hard Case Crime books that I missed when they were released. All series I’m enjoying slowly filling in over time as I come across them in used bookstores across the country.

Yes, I could order them through Amazon. Occasionally, I have. But honestly … nothing beats the feeling of just FINDING one of these books on a shelf in a store. Apprehension as I dig through the nostalgia section of HPB or scan alphabetically through the shelves of any store: is that a familiar logo on that spine? Could that plastic-wrapped paperback be the Carson of Venus book I don’t have? Look at all the Gardner on that shelf — are any of them the Bond books I’m missing? And what are the odds this is the time I’ll find one of those Otto Penzler-reissued “Sherlock Holmes Library” books? And then there’s the elation of finding something I know I’m missing: tonight, along with the Doc Savages, it was the second Sax Rohmer Fu Manchu book, John Gardner’s “The Return of Moriarty” and John Lescroart’s “Rasputin’s Revenge.” Those last two completed series runs (admittedly, short series — 3 books in the Gardner, 2 in the Lescroart — but still!).

There’s also the excitement of discovering something new in among the old. Tonight, I encountered for the first time Michael Avallone’s series character The Satan Sleuth, Gary Brandner’s The Big Brain, and John Creasey’s The Baron. All three look fun, similar to Doc Savage and Bond and the Saint. They could be horrible, of course. Maybe that’s why they’re not as famous as Doc Savage and the Shadow and the rest. What mattered to me was they were there, they looked fun, and they were cheap. We’re not talking collector’s mint signed first editions. I’m not that kind of collector. These are books I intend to read. Of course, I intend to read every book I buy.

The Satan Sleuth

The feeling I get when I find a book that’s missing from a run in my collection or when I discover a new long-out-of-print series that I might enjoy, is probably the same feeling some people get when they spy an especially well-aged whiskey on the glass shelf behind the bartender in a seedy little out-of-the-way joint: it’s hoped-for but unexpected, and the joy of discovery leads to thoughts of being able to savor it slowly because you may not come across it again.

That’s why I love used bookstores, and why I’ll never completely switch to the Nook.

TWO WRITERS IN DIALOGUE: A CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL AND A GAY LIBERAL CAN BE FRIENDS, Part 1

Bryan Thomas Schmidt and Anthony R. Cardno

BTS: So Anthony, a gay writer and an evangelical writer being close friends. Who would believe it? How did this crazy thing happen?

ARC: We can blame it all on Twitter. Neither of us would know the other existed if not for the advent of 140 character at a time social media. But of course, that’s just a tool, and a tool often used for ill rather than good. So I’m going to cut right to the quick of the issue: I think it all comes down to accepting that you’re never going to agree 100% with everyone, and not agreeing is a silly reason to stop talking to people. Reasonably people can have a dialogue and agree to disagree.

BTS: Totally agree. In fact, most of the people I have as friends on Facebook and Twitter disagree with me about one thing or another. As a writer I enjoy that diversity because it keeps me honest and informed when writing characters and stories, even if it’s painful to hear those views sometimes, even if it challenges me. I don’t know how I could be a good writer and write real worlds and real conflict if I didn’t see conflict myself. Also, how can one really be reasonable and confident in one’s opinion without fully examining the other side?

ARC: Thank you! You know, your response actually brings up two points I want to discuss. The first is that you can’t really write believable conflict/disagreements between characters if you haven’t seen both sides of the disagreement yourself. “Honest and informed,” you called it. For instance, in your novel THE WORKER PRINCE, you’ve got a society that is essentially polytheistic — no one suggests you go out and spend a year living as a Polytheist to make those characters believable, but I would assume you did some research into existing and past religions of that nature so that you’d be able to write Xalivar’s side of the conflict between himself and Davi.

BTS: Well, I spent time on several trips in Africa as well as between trips studying African traditional life and religions and many of those tribal cultures are polytheistic. I also taught on those subjects at the Masters level. So yes, I applied that research a bit. Enough to explain their beliefs. Although the people group in my book don’t really hold religion as a lifestyle, unlike their counterparts, which also creates even more cultural barriers between them. Totally different outlook on religion. So yes, I did have some prior knowledge to pull from, and do believe that was important even if I didn’t use it in the story all that much as far as details of that research. After a while, though, research becomes part of your intuitive knowledge base which you need to supplement with reading, quotes, etc. when doing academic writing but not necessarily in fiction.

ARC: I think I agree with that last statement, as far as it goes. I mean, we all know I am the worst researcher in existence, which is why I even make up my own towns to place my short stories in. But writing what’s intuitive brings me back to the other point I wanted to discuss. You asked “how can one really be reasonable and confident in one’s opinion without fully examining the other side?” I’ve tried to reasonably ask that question of lots of folks, and the answer I most often get seems to be “Well, I don’t need to be struck by lightning to know I won’t enjoy it.” No, but you do need to know the physical effects of getting hit by lightning to know that you won’t enjoy it. And yes, there is a metaphor in there somewhere.

BTS: Well, the same could be said related to our differences in sexual preference. I do not need to experience gay sex personally to know I don’t find the idea appealing. You may feel the same about hetero sex but I’ll let you speak for yourself. But at the same time, I think being able to talk to gay friends, and I have several, not just you, helps me to understand people with uncommon experiences to my own—how they come to be who they are, why they make the choices they make, why they sometimes characterize their situations as having no choice, etc. And I think that’s healthy for me as a human being a part of the larger global community around me. It disappoints me that so many who share some of my views refuse to engage in that dialogue or allow for such relationships. I imagine many of them can’t even picture healthy relationships but I can think of several I’ve had with gays or lesbians over the years. It does take honesty. I am very honest with you about who I am. And you are honest in return. And then we talk about things to the degree we’re comfortable and with respect for each other. That makes it easier, don’t you think?

ARC: See, I knew I was using an apt metaphor! But not to make too light of this, yes, you’re right. That mutual respect, the understanding that we come from different places but still have certain things in common, is key to our friendship. I think one of the problems in our society is that people don’t really understand the concept of “dialogue” anymore. What we see on television, fictive and factual, is over-lapping monologues. No one really listens to what the other side is saying, they just hear what they think the other side is saying and are already planning how to rebut. For instance, I have friends who would read your statement “I do not need to experience gay sex personally to know I don’t find the idea appealing” and would immediately respond with “You can’t know that until you try it.” Which brings us back to the lightning metaphor — if you, as a straight man, have a basic idea of how all the plumbing fits together, and you just don’t find anything interesting about it, then you have every right to say “no thanks, not for me” without having to actually experience the act. On the other hand, in the interests of full disclosure, I will admit that I have tried hetero sex several times, and as nice and loving as those women were (and they are still friends of mine to this day), it just didn’t work for me. So I can say “tried it, thanks, not for me.”

BTS: For various reasons, I figured you had. For one thing, I know I’m not attracted to men. I don’t deny the fact orgasm might occur with a man. Some things come naturally. But the ideas of kissing and other physical closeness are not something I even daydream about. It just doesn’t appeal to me. So from that perspective, blunt as I am, I can honestly say I don’t find the idea appealing, and it would be ridiculous for those friends of yours to question it. Because I think we all make decisions about what we like and don’t like that way every single day, including them. Don’t you make decisions like that? I know I wouldn’t like jumping off a bridge and falling to my death on an asphalt road below, for example. Do I need to try that first to prove it to them?

ARC: Exactly my point, and why I get frustrated with people on either side who only hear what they want to hear. And to sort of drive this back to our original question — “how can a gay writer and an evangelical writer be friends” — I think it’s because we have both listened to each other. I may not agree with everything you say, but I make every best effort to listen to what you’re saying as opposed to what I think you’re going to say. I try to understand your word choice in the way you express yourself. And I think, or at least hope, that you extend the same courtesy to me. Look, I could have blocked you on Twitter as soon as I visited your site and saw that you were Evangelical, that you’d recorded Christian music, etc. You could have blocked me as soon as you saw that I was gay and that many of my stories feature gay characters. I think we even had a moment or two of ‘what’s this guy all about,’ but we’ve found common ground — again, because we made an effort to listen to each other.

For part two of this dialogue please go to http://bryanthomasschmidt.net/2011/09/26/two-writers-in-dialogue-a-conservative-evangelical-and-a-gay-liberal-can-be-friends-part-2//

Megan L Heaton and Isabelle Melancon, Webcomics - Interview

This week, we welcome Megan L. Heaton and Isabelle Melancon, the creators of the webcomic NAMESAKE.

Namesake

Namesake is the story of Emma Crewe, a woman who discovers she can visit other worlds. She finds out that these are places she already knows – fantasy and fairy lands made famous through the spoken word, literature and cinema. Her power as a Namesake forces her to act as a protagonist in these familiar stories as she figures out how to get home.

Isabelle is a French-Canadian comic artist currently living in Montréal. She has currently 2 graphic novels published and a webcomic running and is planning to write many, many more. She is fascinated by fairy tales, mythology, gore and the macabre. She currently works in a french comic book store.

Meg

Megan is an American comic book writer, tech blogger and newspaper designer best known for co-creating the webcomic Namesake with Isabelle Melançon. She’s originally from Montgomery, Ala., and currently lives outside Harrisburg, Pa. In addition to writing comics, she is a designer and copy editor for The Patriot-News and app review editor for TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog).

ANTHONY: Hello, Ladies! First question: What’s the creative process like? Do you work with Megan giving Isabelle a fully-detailed script including dialogue? Or is there more creative give-and-take behind each individual page?

ISABELLE: Well, since both of us work on the story, it’s very much a back-and-forth. Megan and I discuss what happens in the next couple of pages and then she scripts it out. Once it’s scripted, I create the weekly pages from it, usually in sets of three, adapting her text to the comic format. She approves the visuals, I ink them, color them and then send the files to her for her to add the text in and make some last minute changes. So as you can see, it’s pretty much pure teamwork all steps of the way.

MEGAN: Exactly what Isa said. It’s teamwork all the way. Before Namesake began, we sat down starting in mid-2009 and hashed out a detailed story arc we dubbed the retcon. We broke the entire story into individual arcs, then from there we began breaking the first arc into chapters. The story’s evolved from that first retcon in a good way. We’ll now look at what we want to accomplish in a chapter as a whole, then I script it out. Originally, almost was computer-scripted from first to last, but then I realized I was getting my best results by handwriting the script first. So, I’ll take a Moleskine and fountain pen and script out a scene. Then, I’ll type it in Scrivener where I have the master Namesake file, then send the scene to Isa. She’ll create the weekly pages, adding in her own suggested dialogue and either expanding or contracting some of the suggested scenes/lines. I’ll approve the visuals, Isa then inks and colors, then I do the lettering for any last-minute text tweaks and because I am an acknowledged font snob. I hear there’s support groups for that.

ANTHONY: The idea of fairy tale and literary characters existing in our real world has been done before, in a number of different formats. You’ve tweaked that concept in an original and interesting way. How did you hit on the idea of Namesakes (Wendy, Dorothy, Alice, Jack) fulfilling specific literary roles in new adventures?

ISABELLE: I guess it’s always the way I saw adaptations as a kid. All the characters felt like different persons born of the same original concept. The first Alice was long gone and the one in the Disney movie I was watching was the “new” one. I don’t even remember the concept ever really hitting me like Newton’s apple. It just naturally evolved into Namesake, thanks to Meg’s encouragements and motivation to help me get my ideas into place. The whole idea really started solidifying in a silly parody of the “Wizard of Oz” I was doing. She saw a lot of potential in it, and that’s how it started off.

MEGAN: I came into Namesake after Isa’d already come up with the idea, encouraging her to do more with the idea.

ANTHONY: Your main character, Emma, seems to be the first new Namesake in a number of years — so much so that Alice and Wendy aren’t even really sure what literary role she’s meant to fulfill, although a Jane Austen connection is mentioned. Emma ends up in Oz, is greeted as the new Dorothy, and is read “The Dorothy Protocols.” Does every literary dimension have such Protocols (“The Alice Protocols,” “The Jack Protocols,” etc)?

ISABELLE: Yes and no. It depends how the world greets the Namesakes and keeps up with their history. For instance, Wonderland doesn’t have an Alice protocol because they really can’t manage to write down a logical one. In most worlds, the visits of Namesakes are recorded in the form of folktales, much like the other worlds are folktales in our world. Oz has a pretty specific protocol mostly due to the fact that Dorothies usually ended up staying as residents and most Ozites are immortal, thus allowing the memory of what a Dorothy is to stay alive and fresh.

MEGAN: There’s even rare cases where the Namesake has shifted from a guy to a girl or vice versa depending on the circumstances. We’ll eventually meet one of these Namesakes.

ANTHONY: Feel free to order me to be silent, but my theory is that Emma is not named for/empowered by the Jane Austen character because all of your recognizable Namesakes so far are named for child characters (Alice, Wendy, Dorothy, even Jack). Of course, that makes Emma even more mysterious. You, as the creators, do have a plan all worked out I assume. This isn’t going to be like so many genre TV shows that claim they know what the end-game is but really don’t at all, right? Feel like giving us any hints as to where the story is going?

ISABELLE: Rest assured, Emma’s story is pretty much all written out. Which allows us to laughs evilly when people make theories. Mwa-hah-hah. I guess the two only hints I feel comfortable giving is that not all Namesakes are kids and that Emma’s world is quite close to the ones of the rest of the Calliope cast. It is an existing literature world. And it’s not by Austen.

MEGAN: The vast majority of the Namesake cast is actually in their mid-20s to early-30s. As Isa said, not all Namesakes are kids or take their journeys when they’re children. Among the main cast, we have some who did their journeys as teens and some when they were younger, and there’s some who do their journeys as adults. But, yes, we definitely know the end game. It’s all documented in that aforementioned retcon/Scrivener file and in Gmail conversations. It’s like J.K. Rowling already having the epilogue to the Harry Potter series, but I promise we will not name a character Albus Severus!

ANTHONY: That poor kid will be scarred forever. (Couldn’t resist the pun.) Right now the focus is clearly on Emma in Oz and on Alice/Wendy/Jack’s efforts to figure out where she’s gone. But there are other mysteries running in the background: why did Vanessa kill Karen? Whose ghost was possessing Karen? What happened to Emma’s missing mother? And what connection do Charles Dodson and Alice Liddell have to the modern cast of characters? Will any of these mysteries come to the front burner in the future? Or are they all long-term sub-plots?

ISABELLE: All the current plot points will get resolved. Most of them will be closed when the big villain walks in, which is fairly soon. More flashbacks featuring Alice and Dodson will gradually show what their connection to the present is. Every member of the cast has a planned flashback sequence within the story, with some extra material that will be included as downloadable content in the future. In the long-term sub-plot part of the story, Emma’s mother is going to be a very important character in the future and the ghost too. So they have planned flashbacks as well. But be warned – every explained mystery pretty much opens another. Again : evil laughter. Mwa-hah-hah.

MEGAN: Speaking of the big villain, I am really looking forward to introducing that character and showing some of the research that went into said villain. As you can see with some of the current pages, we’re finally answering some of the questions from chapter 1, but raising others at the same time.

ANTHONY: Isabelle, this one is for you: what medium do you work in, and what tools do you use, to create the art for Namesake? How do you decide which pages, or sometimes just panels, get to appear in color versus which pages stay in black and white?

ISABELLE: I work with liquid china ink, Sakura micron pens and pilot fineliners on bristol board. I usually sketch out the art with a red pencil, then ink directly on top, scan the art and remove the red sketch lines with Adobe Photoshop. The shading and coloring is done with that program as well. The color highlights that are chosen usually come quite naturally. They either match the conversation or underline the use of magic. For instance, the current pages show that Jack feels guilty over Vanessa. So the blood-splatter-shaped marking on his hand is the element in color.

ANTHONY: There seems to be a stylistic difference between the Dodson/Alice Intermissions and Emma’s story. Am I imagining it, or are you purposefully using a slightly different art style for those flashbacks?

ISABELLE: The art style is mostly the same, the framing is a bit different. The sequences with Alice always have a striped wall in the back. Makes everything looks tight and caged. Emma’s story breathes a whole lot more.

ANTHONY: Who are your creative influences, respectively?

ISABELLE: …Oh boy. So many I don’t even know where to start. I guess the main ones would be 19e century illustration (as a whole), Terry Moore, Jeff Smith, Yukito Kishiro, Kerascoet, Fabien Vehlmann and many. many of my webcomic artist friends.

MEGAN: For me, the first was J. Michael Straczynski, the creator of Babylon 5. His televised novel made a huge impression on me as a teenager. Writing-wise, feel free to laugh, but I draw a lot of inspiration from Nora Roberts. She’s a romance/mystery writer (as J.D. Robb), and her characters are well-rounded and the stories filled with emotion. Other writing influences include J.K. Rowling, Rumiko Takahashi and Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin. I’m starting to study the work of Stephen Moffat more and love what he’s done with Doctor Who.

ANTHONY: What is the typical turn-around time from the beginning of script-writing to the completed pages being posted on the site? How far in advance are you working?

ISABELLE: So far, we seem to get stuff done about a week or two in advance. It’s not ideal, but it seems to work well for us.

MEGAN: Yes. Knock on wood, we’ve never missed an update. Some times I am doing the pages by remotely connecting to my desktop to get the lettering done, but the latest we’ve ever been was 30 minutes and that’s because I was driving home from the airport.

ANTHONY: Is there a plan for getting Namesake into print form?

ISABELLE: Since both Meg and me are fascinated by books, yes, absolutely. We are currently looking for printers we can use.

MEGAN: Yes, with a story like this, Namesake needs books. If you know of any good printers, please send them our way.

ANTHONY: When you’re not working on Namesake, are there other projects out there readers should be looking for?

ISABELLE: I have several graphic novel ideas currently in the works. For some of them, Meg and I will be working together again. For others, I will be working alone or with other talented writers I adore. We plan on having one or 2 mini-comics available this year. Among the planned ideas we have vampires, an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast with a gender-swap, magical murder mysteries and stories about fire spirits. So it’s going to be a lot of fun for both us and our readers. I think it’s what makes our projects so likable. It’s that we really have a ton of fun making them.

MEGAN: Isa’s provided a good description of our upcoming projects. We have a ton of fun making stuff and refining ideas. We write what we would like to read. Isa’s been encouraging me to develop my own ideas more, which is where the magical murder mystery came from. We also plan to have mini-comics featuring powerful women in history that don’t always get the spotlight. We also participated in Womanthology together, and that will be out in December.

ANTHONY: And here’s my customary final question: What is your favorite book and what would you say to recommend it to someone who has never read it?

ISABELLE: My favorite book changes every five years or so. I’m a fickle thing that way. But I think one of the books that will always be in my top 10 is the Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Why? Because it’s a story that is really complex and really simple at the same time. It’s imaginative, beautiful and truly an example of what timeless fantasy should be like.

MEGAN: I can never answer this one! I can easily give you a list of 10 that would be my favorites. My favorite single book is T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King.” I first read it in ninth grade, and it’s such a great fantasy story. I still have my very battered copy I got for school sitting on the shelf. I love how complex he made the traditional Arthurian characters and how he weaved the current events at that time, World War II, in with the fantasy setting of the novel. My favorite book series is the “In Death” mysteries by J.D. Robb (the aforementioned Nora Roberts.) It’s a series that’s spanned more than 40 books and novella since the mid-90s, and the beauty in the story is the complex mysteries and characters that change and grow as the novels progress. These are mysteries with a romance subplot, and they go hand in hand. But, I absolutely love them and it’s a rule in my household that I am not to be disturbed when a new In Death comes out.

ANTHONY: Thanks for chatting with me, ladies!

You can find read a new page of NAMESAKE every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You can also follow both Megan and Isaon Twitter.

CASTING AMBERGRIN HALL - Anthony R Cardno

Once again I’m trying to use the motivation of National Novel Writing Month to complete already-existing projects. Like my mystery-thriller AMBERGRIN HALL. (Which title sounds far more “gothic” than the book really is…)

The “elevator pitch” for AMBERGRIN HALL goes like this:

When his girlfriend dies in a freak accident, Garrett Anderson is left with her uncompleted play manuscript and a lot of questions about the hidden history of Croton College. When someone makes repeated attempts to steal the manuscript, will finding the thief also answer all of Garrett’s questions and enable him to put the ghost of Lisette behind him?

So it’s a mystery-thriller with a bunch of action and a hint of the supernatural and just a bit of singing, too. Most of the main characters have some connection to the college’s theater department, and there’s a Christmas scene that involves music. Not that I have any idea if most of the actors I mention below can actually sing.

Not long ago, an artist friend of mine who has read part of the manuscript asked for visual reference on the characters because he wanted to do some sketches. That got me thinking about who I would cast in a movie version of the book, if money were no object and I had final say. This is who I’ve come up with.

Jeremy Sumpter

Jeremy Sumpter as Garrett Anderson. Garrett is a lacrosse player, a solid student, and also plays the mandolin and does a great rendition of The Clancy Brothers’ “Bauladh Bos” (Jingle Bells). Garrett’s struggling back from a dark place after Lisette’s accidental death. Is someone really attempting to steal Lisette’s incomplete manuscript, or is Garrett’s grief making him just a touch paranoid? Jeremy is probably still best known for portraying Peter Pan, but he’s not that little boy anymore. He’s got the build and I think the chops to bring Garrett to life.

Curt Mega

Curt Mega as Ezra Sferra. Ezra is Garrett’s best friend and room-mate since freshman year. Ezra is gay, goofy, upbeat, the ultimate sidekick. But he’s also deeper than that. His new relationship causes problems that sidetrack Garrett from seeing what’s really going on. When things start to come to a head, will Ezra’s loyalty to Garrett and Lisette be impaired by his new love for Dylan? Curt Mega, “Nick the Warbler” on Glee, can definitely sing and be the goofy-sweet scene-stealer, and I think given the chance he could pull off the tough decision Ezra needs to make near the book’s end.

Daryl Sabara as Paddy Hamer. Garrett’s other best friend has a family history that is tied to the college’s, which puts Paddy in an awkward place when it comes to what Lisette’s play has to say about the school’s dark past. Does he know more than he’s letting on about why someone wants that manuscript and about how Lisette died? The fact that Paddy and Ezra have never liked each other is another complication for Garrett to navigate throughout the book. Daryl may be best known for the Spy Kids movies, but like Jeremy, he’s not that little kid anymore. He’s got the right look and glower to be Paddy.

Alexandra Daddario

Alexandra Daddario as Lisette D’Alayne. Yes, Lisette is dead before the book even starts. But there are flashbacks, and Lisette’s personality needs to be felt throughout the movie. She was (before death) a caring, talented, whirlwind personality. There’s a reason people miss her. I think Alexandra is the way to go on this one. She’s pretty, she can do action scenes (as seen in Percy Jackson and the Olympians) and I think she can bring Lisette’s personality across.

Calum Worthy

Calum Worthy as Dylan Smith. Dylan is a shy but funny freshman, in a budding relationship with Ezra. Dylan’s the kid who will let everyone turn him into a snowman outside the theater just because it’s funny. But as things get more dangerous, will Dylan’s presence and innocence hinder Garrett’s attempts to learn what’s going on? Calum did a great job several years ago as Garth Ranzz on Smallville, and the previews I’ve seen for his new Disney show Ally & AJ show he’s got the comedic timing Dylan needs.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdyas Jeri Hawes. Jeri is a freshman girl with a crush on Garrett and a scholarship thanks to being a “college legacy,” although no-one seems to know exactly how she’s connected to the school. She might be a very talented theater student, but she’s often too intoxicated to be on her best behavior. Jeri’s first scene is very slapstick, which I know iCarly‘s Jennette can do, but it would be fun to see her handle the darker scenes.

Shannon Woodward

Shannon Woodward as Danielle Renier. Danielle is Lisette’s best friend. The flashbacks show how strong their friendship was and while she doesn’t play a large role in the main plot, she is a part of Garrett’s emotional support system after Lisette’s death. She’s a reliable friend who handles her own grief and helps Garrett with his, and is someone outside the intrigue. On Raising Hope, Shannon shows she can be more than just funny, and she looks the part.

Colin Morgan

Colin Morgan as Thaniel Corcoran. Thaniel is a transfer student who takes the empty room in Garrett and Ezra’s dorm suite. He’s taken several years off from school for family problems so he’s a bit older than the rest of the students. He and Garrett immediately hit it off. As things progress, Thaniel’s slightly older perspective helps Garrett sort out what’s going on. Thaniel is also blind. I think Merlin‘s Colin Morgan can pull that off.

There are a few other characters to be cast: Professor Quentin, the head of the theater department, and Dean D’Oro, who is Garrett’s boss but also is heading the committee looking into Lisette’s accident. But WordPress is telling me I’m out of room so I’ll end this here. Would love to see people’s reactions to this cast.

AUSTIN MACDONALD, Actor - Interview

My first interview of 2012 is with talented young Canadian actor Austin MacDonald. American audiences aren’t as familiar with Austin yet, but I predict they will be soon.

Austin MacDonald, Colin Cregg

Sixteen year old Austin MacDonald has been acting since he was eight, starting in commercials and in a very well-received anti-bullying television campaign for the Concerned Children’s Advertisers group. American audiences have seen him in the movie Kit Kittredge: American Girl, a bunch of Roxy Hunter tv movies on Nickelodeon, and on several episodes of The Doodlebops. In Canada, He’s currently starring as part of the ensemble on DEBRA and appearing as a semi-regular on LIFE WITH BOYS (coming to Nickelodeon in the US in 2012). He’s also worked as a regular on the drama LIVING IN YOUR CAR for TMN/HBO.

ANTHONY: American audiences probably know you best from Nickelodeon’s ROXY HUNTER TV movies. How fun were those to film?

AUSTIN: I loved filming the series. There were a lot of really fun moments on set. The cast and I filmed in an old house in the middle of nowhere and did a lot night-shooting. The theme of most of them was spooky stories, so the house fit great and we played tricks on each other. The second two we filmed were during a blizzard so it was quite cold. I remember the crew made an ice luge for all of us to jump off of with tubes. I still see and work with most of the cast on other projects.

ANTHONY: You also had a supporting role (and were nominated for a Young Artist Supporting Actor Award) in KIT KITTREDGE, appearing alongside Abigail Breslin, Zach Mills and Willow Smith. Quite the ensemble, and you’re all becoming more well-known. Do you keep in touch with anyone from that cast?

AUSTIN: I keep in touch with Zach Mills as we were the closest in age and our trailers were close together. It’s pretty hard to keep in contact with them as they live in the US.

ANTHONY: One more question about the past: I have at least one niece who would be upset if I didn’t ask what it was like working with the Doodlebops.

AUSTIN: They were a lot of fun and, before you ask, yes I got to pretend to drive the magic bus! Ha-ha, I did several episodes where I was working on green screen, so for me all I would see when doing the skits, were the props in my hands. I also did an episode where I went to a concert with them and it was incredible to see how excited the kids were to see them.

ANTHONY: Alright, on to your current projects. For Canadian television, you’ve got your starring role on DEBRA! and your recurring role on LIFE WITH BOYS. How different are the characters of Auzzie and Andy?

AUSTIN: Auzzie tries to be a ladies man. Dresses really “hip”. He is funny and in love with Dancy. Almost everything he does somehow comes back to trying to get Dancy to go on a date. He is best friends with Debra, Preston and Brud in the show. Auzzie is almost always the comic relief of DEBRA. He plays in a band and is involved with the arts.

Andy is the athlete; he was the team captain of the wrestling team until Tess came along and beat him! I don’t think Andy is into the arts though; he is a jock of sorts. I think he is probably part of the more “popular” group at school. Andy is comfortable in team sweats than trendy clothes.

I also am in quite a few adult shows, and in one I play a guy named Scott. The show is TMN/HBO’s “Living in Your Car” Scott is a homeless teen who actually lives in his car and eats at soup kitchens and gets food and clothing from charities. It was another eye opening role for me when I was researching for it. I was floored at how much poverty was here in my own neighbourhood, kids in my own school.

ANTHONY: Other than Living In Your Car, do you have any appearances on other adult shows coming up?

Austin MacDonald

AUSTIN: I have several shows coming up one called Rick Mercer Report, I am a recurring comedian that comes on a bout once a season to do political comedy skits. Mudpit is a new (children’s) show starting on Teletoon’s here/Nick in US and I play Marvin in an episode. Have a small movie role as a Brian “the Bully” in Jesus Henry Christ with Toni Colette and Michael Sheen (Indie film) Its my second film for Julia Roberts “Redoms” production company.

ANTHONY: What are the main differences in shooting a teen comedy series and an adult drama?

AUSTIN: The difference is that in Adult drama you have to become the character , research what that type of person or role would be like. I don’t method act but like to know about what it would be like to be in that situation i.e., hungry, poor, snob, autistic…. In teen comedy the pace is much faster and you have to know timing. Know when to come in when to stop if they are using laugh tracks…. On a teen show there is a little more care put into language used on set, more kids in class together off set. In adult shows a little more swearing may be used, crew smoke around the corner on set, joke a bit more. Usually in school it is just me alone with a teacher. Also producers and director tend to be less tolerant of mistakes and line changes.

ANTHONY: Do you prepare differently for the adult shows?

AUSTIN: No, I need to know my lines equally for both, follow direction and know my marks. Maybe for the kids shows there is a little more distraction from giggling and trying to make each other laugh. Basically need to be professional and know where I am supposed to be on both. On time for set in the chair for hair and makeup and always let the AD know where I am!!

ANTHONY: With LIFE WITH BOYS set to premiere on Nickelodeon in the US in January, have you been approached about appearing more often?

AUSTIN: We have finished filming all of season one and I am in 6 or 7 episodes. Depending on the response to his character and where the story lines go…. I hope Andy is well received and they write him into the story more. I love the cast and crew and am good friends with Nathan who plays Gabe in the show. Feel free to email them and tell them you like my character! lol

ANTHONY: I always have to ask at least a couple of questions about craft. You’ve been acting for a few years now. Has your approach to preparing for a role changed at all as you’ve matured as an actor?

AUSTIN: Definitely. As one gets older, the types of characters he/she will do changes as well. The parts become much harder and longer to memorize etc, but it’s also more of a challenge, which makes it more fun.

ANTHONY: On your website, you mention taking acting classes with Lewis Baumander alongside some of your DEBRA! Co-stars and folks from shows like Degrassi. What’s working with Lewis like? What’s the biggest benefit you get from the classes?

AUSTIN: I love my classes! I have worked with several coaches and all have given me wonderful insight and tricks to help me out. With Lewis though I am really enjoying it, as I am in a class with actors from “Really Me”, “Degrassi”, “Life With Boys”, “Debra” and a few from musical theatre. It’s great as we can go to each other about problem and get good advice, we work on auditions we may have. An example is I had a self tape for an audition so near the end of class everyone helped me with it and I taped it with all their support. We even have a study group we do once a week outside of class. It’s important to have some close friends in the business that you can go to that understand how your feeling or your frustrations. Luckily we are supportive, not competitive, and truly excited for each person’s success.

ANTHONY: We also have to take some time to talk about the causes that are important to you. You appeared in an anti-bullying television campaign that aired in Canada. Do you think we’ve made any headway in combating bullying since those commercials aired?

AUSTIN: I did that PSA when I was 9 or 10, and the emails and letter I got, were so many messages of “help me.” It was overwhelming, my mom had to step in and help me manage them and find help line numbers. I think we have brought bullying out into the open, it’s not a “dirty secret” but it still is happening and until people truly stand up, and intervene for someone who is being bullied it’s going to happen. Now with computers people feel safe and empowered enough to say things to or about someone they would never say to their face. School is where it really has to start, education and intervention right away, let’s be honest teachers know right from Grade 1 who the bullies are…. instead of suspending kids put them in programs and make the parents involved.

ANTHONY: Were you bullied when you were younger?

AUSTIN: No, but a family member was and I saw how damaging it was. You can say “It gets better” and all those sayings to someone being bullied but at that moment tomorrow doesn’t matter, it is today and how they feel. It is also something I don’t think the person in question has really gotten over and has made relationships and trust very difficult for them.

ANTHONY: The long-term effects of bullying are something I think the general public is still uncomfortable discussing, sadly. You’ve taken a stand against physical bullying and also cyber-bullying. Which one, do you think, is the harder for parents to recognize is going on, and what advice do you have for kids who are being bullied?

AUSTIN: I answered a lot of this above but cyber bullying is the sneakiest one. Lets be honest how many of us are on the computer when we aren’t supposed to be, how many belong to site we aren’t allowed to be but we are so some kid bullies you online but you cant go to your parents because you will get in trouble for ….. It’s a cycle. Privacy is important for kids and teens but my mom knew everything I did and where I went online threw programs they had installed. If you are being bullied suck it up with the parents and say something, they love you and care about you and will forgive you, but a bully will never stop!

ANTHONY: You’re also instrumental in promoting Blessings in a Backpack; a charity U.S. audiences are familiar with thanks to Hilary Duff. Tell us about Blessings, and about how you became involved with it.

AUSTIN: Blessings in a backpack is in Canada now and I am so excited about this program. I first heard about BIB through a young journalist Angela MacLean. I was looking for a charity I could work with that helped in my own community and was totally non-profit. No big CEO making money from donations. I also loved that the people in the program aren’t identified by carrying a big corporate logo backpack; they can keep some dignity by keeping their involvement private. Pick them up full on Friday and then drop them off on Monday empty. Every part of the program is volunteered: lawyers, PR, backpack drives, donations. For myself, I know that I have used my voice in a positive way and do it because the kids in my community that get help may be the ones who would have been bullies if someone hadn’t stepped in to help them early on.

ANTHONY: What effect do you think programs like Blessings in a Backpack have on bullying?

AUSTIN: Blessings in a backpack is a program that feeds kids on the weekend. Kids can be in breakfast or lunch programs but on the weekend, they go home to nothing. The idea is a kid who is in the program is getting nutrition so they can study and get homework done on the weekend. A lot of kids don’t participate in these kinds of programs as they get older as they don’t want to be labelled as “one of those” so they can keep their pride by participating in BIB. That’s where the backpack comes in. It gives them a chance to bring home the food without being labelled as a “poor kid” or made fun of. A kid who is being fed and doing homework on the weekend and getting good marks is more likely to stay in school, have better attendance, better grades, better behaviour, and more self esteem.

ANTHONY: What’s the best way for people to get involved with Blessings in a Backpack?

AUSTIN: Best way to get involved with BIB is by going to www.blessingsinabackpack.org for the US, and
www.blessingsinaback.ca for Canada. Alternatively you can visit my website and click on the Blessings link there. Right now in Canada, the program is present in just over ten schools, we are planning on opening new ones in 2012. It costs approximately $100.00 to feed a kid for the full year. A typical school has 50-150 kids in a program. 40% of food bank users in Canada are children. You can help get involved by sponsoring a school or donating money at the website, hold a backpack drive. Keep spreading the word about our program, our motto is “Hunger Doesn’t Take the Weekend Off.”

ANTHONY: After such a serious discussion, let’s end on a lighter note with my usual closing question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who has never read it to convince them that they should?

AUSTIN: If anything, the Bourne Identity because of its splendid detail, plot, and wordplay.

ANTHONY: Thanks, Austin! Good luck this year, and please stop back to visit anytime!

You can follow Austin on Twitter as @auzzymac, Like his Facebook fan page, and check out his IMDB page as well as his newly redesigned website.

Follow the links to two funny clips of Austin.

First, “the birdcage scene” from Debra, with Auzzie and Brud.

Then, Andy gets his wrestling feathers clipped in a scene from Life With Boys.

5 BOOKISH FACTS ABOUT ME - Anthony R Cardno

Lifted from RoofBeamReader‘s Friday blog:

Q. Inspired by the inane Twitter trend of #100factsaboutme, give us five BOOK RELATED facts about you.

1. As I’ve said before, I cannot read too many books in the same series or the same genre or even by the same author in a row. I start to burn out on the subject or style. I need to alternate things, to keep my reading fresh.

2. My Book Review Pet Peeve: I get intensely agitated reading reviews that are 90% plot synopsis. I do NOT need you to tell me every plot twist in your review — if you give me every detail of the book, why should I bother reading it? Quote the back cover or inside front flap synopsis, and then tell me what you thought of the book.

3. Like many of my reader friends, I’m a bookaholic. I have purchased far more books than I will ever get around to reading. I’m also a completionist. Once  I start collecting a series, I have a compulsion to continue purchasing the series. I haven’t read anywhere near all of the Hamish Macbeth or Sister Fidelma mysteries but I own almost all of them because of this compulsion. Likewise George RR Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice.

4.  My latest obsession? Rebuilding my collection of Perry Rhodan paperbacks from the 1970s. I had a good three-quarters of the run when I was in high school, but they were sold off at some point. Thanks to finding three books late in the series at a Half-Price Books in Fort Worth two years ago, my interest was rekindled and I’ve been picking them up as I find them. When I fill in the early installments, I plan to start rereading them in order.

5. I used to be able to read anywhere, anytime. As a kid I could read in the back of our Vega Hatchback, facing backwards; I could read on buses. Now, I get motion sick reading in any vehicle except trains (as long as I’m facing the direction the train is moving) and planes.

There we go, 5 fun bookish facts about me for this Monday blog.

JOSEPH PITTMAN, Author - Interview

This week, we get a bit shady with crime fiction author Joseph Pittman.

Joseph Pittman

JOSEPH PITTMAN was born in the borough of Queens and lived there for the first seven years of his life, before his family moved to Upstate New York. A graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he then went on to get his Bachelor of Science at SUNY Brockport, where he majored in communication, with a concentration in journalism. While attending Brockport, he was an editor for “The Stylus,” the school newspaper, where he had a weekly book review column.

Upon graduation, he returned to New York City, where he began his publishing career. After short stints at Putnam Children’s Books and at Viking Penguin, he landed his first editorial job at Bantam Books, where he assisted with such authors as Jonathan Kellerman, Michael Palmer, Rita Mae Brown, actress Ali MacGraw and General Norman H. Schwarzkopf. He moved to NAL as an editor and worked with authors such as Max Allan Collins, Lawrence Block, Stephen King, Martha Grimes, Jeff Abbott, Joan Collins, Judith Gould, and many other best-selling and acclaimed names. His career has also taken him to the world book clubs (Doubleday Book Club), and small presses (Alyson Books). He is currently Editorial Director of the new Vantage Point imprint.

His novels include TILTING AT WINDMILLS, WHEN THE WORLD WAS SMALL, LEGEND’S END, and A CHRISTMAS WISH. His crime novels featuring Todd Gleason are LONDON FROG and CALIFORNIA SCHEMING. He’s at work on several other projects.

London Frog, Joseph Pittman

ANTHONY: LONDON FROG is the first Todd Gleason crime novel. Todd is not a crime kingpin, but he’s also not completely on the side of the angels. He feels a bit Robin Hood or Bernie Rhodenbarr. Give us a little insight into his character and his moral code.

JOSEPH: Todd is complex. Yes, he feels the world owes him something, but he’s willing to work for it. Even if the work is slightly on the wrong side of the law. He never takes from those who would suffer greatly from his schemes. He’s a petty thief with champagnes tastes. Big crimes like murder he would never be involved in—unless it’s stopping them. Like in “Frog,” he stumbles upon the murder plot and does all he can to stop it—but he also wants to make his money, too. So he’s always playing both sides, working them to his advantage. Don’t call him a crook. He likes sneaky opportunist. I suppose Bernie Rhodenbarr was a bit of an inspiration. I was Lawrence Block’s editor for those books and perhaps some of Bernie rubbed off on me. The ninth book in that series, THE BURGLAR IN THE RYE, was dedicated to me—an honor I would love to pay it backward.

A: What makes the reader root for Todd despite the fact that he’s a criminal?

J: I think it’s those damn dimples. No, seriously, Todd is just trying to make his way in the world and if he’s got some warped view of achieving that, well, that’s the fun of writing such a character. When it comes to describing the Gleason series, I always say that while Todd is a con man, he’s also the nicest guy in the book. Trust no one is my motto when it comes to the crime novels. But Todd is always handy with a smart-ass remark, and that helps endear him to readers. They laugh with him, not at him.

A: LONDON FROG was originally released in 2007. If I remember correctly, it got good press and was a Mystery Guild monthly selection. Vantage Point has brought it back in trade paperback format in anticipation of the sequel, CALIFORNIA SCHEMING, due out in 2012. Can you give us a hint at what to expect in the new book?

Yes, good reviews in hardcover and a Mystery Guild “editor’s choice.” That was a cool honor. As for “Scheming,” it picks up about six months after the action in “Frog.” Todd is relaxing (hiding out?) On the island of Bermuda when he is approached by an old flame, Cindy Scanlon, asking for his help. How she knew to find him there is but one mystery. It all revolves around Fast Cash, a notorious L.A. bank robber. Three million dollars is missing, so is Fast Cash, and if Todd finds the money he can help his friend…and pocket some cold hard cash. It comes out mid-January from Vantage Point Books, with the same great cover look as LONDON FROG. Pre-order it now! (the author asks nicely…)

California Scheming, Joseph Pittman

A: Unlike the fantasy and SF genres, crime and mystery fiction series don’t seem to favor the “long arc,” where characters age and grow and change, concentrating instead on stand-alone mysteries in long-running series. Where do Todd’s adventures fall, and how far ahead have you plotted/planned?

J: Oh, Todd will age. He won’t like it, either. I figure each book takes place six months after the last. I’ve got solid ideas for books three and four, but we won’t be any closer to finding out what makes Todd tick. He’s got a past, for sure, as indicated at the end of LONDON FROG. Not all is as it seems. Perhaps book five will explore the whole issue of Todd’s father—the guy who left to buy cigarettes when Todd was five. There’s a backstory there, and it also helps explain why the pet frog. Toad is the keeper of many secrets.

A: And when, after CALIFORNIA SCHEMING, can we expect to see him again?

J: You’ll see Todd again in his very first short story, “The Perils of Penelope Pittson,” to be published in a volume called CRIME SQUARE, edited by Robert J. Randisi, the founder of the Private Eye Writers of America. It comes out in March 2012. The story finds Todd imaging himself as a 50s gumshoe, coming to the aid of the imperiled Penelope. The next full-length novel, THE CANNES CON will appear early 2013…but I have to finish it first. Setting is the south of France, and truthfully, I didn’t mind the research for that one at all. It all begins, though, at the Vroadway opening of a revival of ‘Can-Can’.

A: LONDON FROG. CALIFORNIA SCHEMING. THE CANNES CON. How long can you keep up these city-inspired puns?

J: You’d be surprised. I have seven titles, even if I don’t have the plots for all of them. As long as I’m having fun with the series, I’m sure the titles will come to me. I had interest from a Japanese publisher and as a way to entice them I said I would write a Gleason story set in their country. Tokyo Ruse was the title. It didn’t sell. But I’d love to write it.

A: I’m always curious about process. How do you approach a Todd Gleason adventure? Do you outline fully before starting the work?

J: I hate working from outlines—I find them very limiting. I have a general synopsis that I work from, with characters specified, but the plot unfolds as I write it. You can’t plan twists and turns, they happen as you write. And that’s the fun of it all. Once I’m into the story, I may plan the next two or three chapters ahead, just to give me a sense of where I’m going. But no, I never have a full outline. It’s all structured in my head.

A: Do you approach the Todd Gleason books differently than your other books, which are not crime fiction?

J: Same approach, in terms of outlines/synopsis/characters. But the writing of a book like TILTING AT WINDMILLS takes more time. The language is different—the tone, the energy. Those books are more poetic, while the crime fiction is very…well, snarky. There’s a looseness to the Todd Gleason series that is not present in the general fiction. But I love switching the voice—whether first person or third, sweet and heartfelt, or suspenseful and sarcastic. It’s all about getting into the main characters’ head, and then trusting your instinct.

A: Speaking of those other works: Your Linden Corners books are back. TILTING AT WINDMILLS is back in print from Kensington Books, and you’ve heavily revised the sequel, A CHRISTMAS WISH. Tell us a little about those books.

J: TILTING AT WINDMILLS was my first published book, done by Pocket Books. It didn’t so terribly well on first publication—at least, not the U.S. version. It was a hit in Italy! Some readers though wondered what happened after that book ended, so I wrote A WISH UPON THE WIND, a Christmas-themed sequel. Both a re set in Linden Corners, which is located in the Hudson River valley. Both revolve around this old-style windmill, which inspires the people of the town. “Windmills” is back in print with a beautiful new cover.

A Christmas Wish, Joseph Pittman

A: Why “completely revise” WISH for its official commercial release? How long did that process take?

J: The publisher asked me to revise it. The original version was only 45,000 words. The published version is now closer to 70,000. I’ve added new scenes, expanded existing scenes with new descriptions and dialogue, and then also added to some of the subplots. But I think it’s pretty seamless; it’s hard to tell what’s been added. It was only about a month of rewriting to get the book into its final shape. We also agreed on a title change. So A WISH UPON THE WIND became A CHRISTMAS WISH. Booksellers do better with books when the word Christmas is in the title.

A: Are there any future Linden Corners novels planned? Or does WISH conclude Brian and Janey’s story?

J: We will revisit Linden Corners next year. Brian and Janey have had their big moment, so it’s time for some other characters in the town to take center stage. I am under contract with Kensington for another Christmas-themed book to be set in Linden Corners. Brian and Janey will play supporting roles in the book—the main character is Nora Connors Rainer, one of Gerta’s daughters. And a man named Thomas van Diver, whose family originally owned the windmill decades ago. They have both returned to Linden Corners just in time to help the town prepare for another holiday. It’s called A CHRISTMAS HOPE. Then Kensington will publish the stand-alone novel BEYOND THE STORM—new town, new characters, same dramatic tension as “Windmills.” But I think they plan to publish the next Christmas book first. That’s their decision. Fortunately, BEYOND THE STORM is already written. A CHRISTMAS HOPE is on my computer now, I’m just now getting into the writing. Not sure what comes first, finishing it…or Christmas itself.

A: And my standard final question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them to read it?

J: You want me to choose my favorite child? Haha. Actually, the two books of mine we haven’t discussed are WHEN THE WORLD WAS SMALL and LEGEND’S END. “Legend’s” is a family favorite, especially my mom. She always mentions “Legend’s” as her favorite. But I think WHEN THE WORLD WAS SMALL is my personal favorite. It’s the book that took me by surprise, in terms of the writing, its themes, and the fact that it spans twenty years. Usually I like a more concentrated timeline, like with “Frog,” which takes place in a matter of weeks. “World” was a big challenge to me, and I just love the symbolism through the story. Both “World” and “Legends” are new to Kindle—and at a 2.99 price, it’s hard to beat. Sorry to play salesman at the end of this interview. But I hope readers will give me a shot—whether they like mysteries or family drama or heartfelt tales of love, my books have something for everyone.

A: They really do. I can say that, having read pretty much all of them. And you know, I’ve never known Rosemary Pittman to be wrong. (Yes, I am bucking for an invite to Christmas dinner, haha)

You can most easily find Joseph Pittman, and all of his books, on his website.