CAROL HANSEN, Author - Interview

This week, I chat with author Carol Hansen.

Carol Hansen

From her blog: Carol J. Hansen has always had a passion for reading and her intrigue with the mystical aspects of life, whether real or fantasy, are what motivated her to write DarkStar, her first novel. Setting and accomplishing goals are a big part of Carol’s life and DarkStar is the result of her latest goal. The strength in her story comes from her understanding of what the youth like and how they think. Raising three children, being active with and observing the youth for many years gives her an advantage as she has the ability to combine her knowledge with a vivid imagination and come up with a believable fantasy laced with mystery, gripping drama and an unforgettable love story. Carol has worked in the cosmetology industry as a stylist, educator and salon owner for many years and enjoys it immensely. She loves traveling and anything that has to do with the outdoors, especially camping and riding four wheelers. The most important aspect of her life is her family and she resides in Utah with her husband and has three married children and five beautiful grandchildren.

Dark Star by Carol Hansen

Darkstar is the story of an ancient obligation, a reluctant wizard who despises having it forced upon him, a mystical romance full of passion, mystery and intrigue and a conflicting power struggle haunting two magical brothers. DarkStar is the first novel of a trilogy and the epic will continue in the much anticipated; Wizard.

ANTHONY: Hi Carol! Thanks for sitting down to chat with me for a little while. Tell me a bit about the process of writing DarkStar. Where did the idea for the book come from?

CAROL: When I was in high school my friends and I had nicknames and a symbol. A special friend gave me the name of DarkStar and my symbol was the moon and star. I have carried the name in my heart and collected moon/star symbols for years. I always thought that it would be an awesome basis for a story or a movie, but little did I know that I would be the one writing the book!

With the title, “DarkStar,” I knew the genre would be fantasy and I chose the storyline to be about a wizard, not because of the popularity of them, but because my friend’s nickname was Wizard. It just felt right.

I’ve always been an avid reader and have written a few things for my family but it’s crazy how DarkStar came about–because I really wasn’t planning on writing this particular book. I actually had another one in my head at the time. I was going through a tough time in my life and one night I couldn’t sleep. While sitting in the dark thinking about everything and what direction I wanted my life to go, for some reason, DarkStar popped into my head and I remember thinking that maybe I should try writing a book. I knew that there was a huge fan base for the fantasy genre (because I was one of them) so I decided, “What do I have to lose?” So, I got a pad of paper, started writing and, well, the rest is history…DarkStar was released on April 1 of this year. (No April fools either)

ANTHONY: How long did it take to go from your original idea to a finished manuscript?

CAROL: The night I began DarkStar was the first of July, 2008. My manuscript was written by October but the editing and re-writing took until spring 2009. Since I was new in this crazy literary world, I had no clue where to even begin and I learned that you can waste a lot of precious time trying to figure everything out. Of course, I’m sure you never figure everything out because things are changing too fast. It’s all part of an ongoing process and I’m learning so much. I know there are a lot of things I will do differently with “Wizard,” the second book in the sequel– because of what I have learned.

We’re so lucky to have the internet and so many channels we can turn to for information and help. It has given me a whole new appreciation for authors from the past. How in the world did they write without all the technological advancements we have today? I bow to them.

ANTHONY: You’ve got quite a bit going on at the center of the novel. A reluctant hero who just wants his life to be normal. Deadly sibling rivalry. Family commitment and honor. Forbidden love. How did you keep all these strands organized as you wrote? Are you a detailed outliner or a “see where the characters take me” kind of writer?

CAROL: It’s interesting how easy it was for me to keep all of the strands in my book organized, especially because this be my first novel. I am, by nature, an organized person, I have to be with everything I’m involved in, but as a writer, I think I’m a little of both. I’m definitely not a detailed outliner, knowing the specifics of everything; I don’t know how you could be with this type of a book. A good analogy; it’s like raising a child, you bring them into the world and give them a direction and a path to follow, but once they leave, even with your guidance, they’re gonna decide what’s going to happen. While writing DarkStar, I knew some of the things that I wanted to happen and some that “needed” to happen but then, (like a child) unexpectedly a character goes and does something that is totally unexpected and you have to stop and re-group. You pretty much have to go back and adjust the story so that everything will fit. It’s really kinda cool when it happens.

I chose the Cache Valley in Utah as one of the settings for DarkStar, knowing I needed somewhere magical and mystical for Alec to experience the events that were going to take place. Since I’m acquainted with that area, I was aware of the locations certain things would happen. In that aspect, I did have an outline but I wasn’t sure of the sequence until the story was being written. I actually visited the sites and wrote while I was there so my characters were familiar with them and so I had an accurate picture in my mind.

ANTHONY: Tell me a bit about writing your two central characters, Alex and Amrie. How did they develop in your mind, and did they change at all once they were on the page?

CAROL: I love Alec and Amrie. It is an amazing experience exploring characters and selecting the distinct qualities and characteristics that make them each unique individuals. I am amazed at how personal it is and how protective you become of them–and I am very protective of Alec and Amrie. I knew that as I developed them, since they were both dealing with their own struggles in two very different parts of the world, they would have to have compatible personalities and something amazing that would bring them together.

DarkStar is written from both Alec and Amrie’s perspective. Alec is being forced into a magical world where he detests becoming a wizard. Amrie is a very strong, independent girl who is mature beyond her years and the caretaker of everyone she cares about. Their worlds intertwine as she curiously witnesses his struggles with peculiar powers and they find comfort and strength in each other as they try to figure out the strange but definite connection that bonds them together.

My favorite subject to write is Alec. I love helping him try to figure everything out and I especially like creating the communication between him and his wizard grandfather.

Alec and Amrie didn’t change once written, they only became stronger.

ANTHONY: You’ve already announced that DarkStar is the first in a trilogy, and that the second book, Wizard, is on its way to completion. Do you have the full details of all three books plotted out, or are you allowing the story to grow and change?

CAROL: The story will definitely grow and change. Once again, I am aware of certain things that I want to happen but nothing is set in stone. As DarkStar developed, I became aware of characters that I will introduce in Wizard and I’m in the process of exploring and developing them now. I’ve been a bit reluctant though, because I have to step into the “dark side” for some of them and it’s not my favorite place to be. I am very happy with the way Wizard is progressing. DarkStar is a “can’t put down” book and leaves you wanting the story to continue so I want to make sure that all my readers will be as intrigued with Wizard. My final book in the sequel, The Mysticryss, is already forming in my mind. With all of the different directions I could take and the individual character stories I could expand on, I could very well write more than three books, but I do believe I will try to keep it as a trilogy. I have other story ideas emerging and I can only keep so many characters in my head at once. Lol

ANTHONY: You self-published DarkStar through CreateSpace. Tell me a bit about that experience and process.

CAROL: Once I had my novel to where I felt comfortable with it, I began researching and querying agents, trying to be patient as I learned the process of attempting to find someone to represent me and my novel. Needless to say, it was very disheartening. I also researched every form of publishing and at one point, considered putting DarkStar out exclusively as an e-book. I connected with an amazing graphic artist, Liviu Peicu, who took the images from my head and designed my beautiful cover. I personally setup the interior of my book in e-book form and was ready to submit–but it just didn’t feel right. I knew I wanted DarkStar as an e-book, but it was important for me to have an actual hard copy in hand also. That’s when I reverted back to researching and querying again. I was accepted by a couple publishers but turned down their offers after reading their contracts and as much as I would have loved to publish the traditional way, I knew the chances were more than slim. Things are changing so fast in the literary world and with the technological advances, even agents and publishers are changing their strategy. E-books and self-publish are the wave of the future so that’s the direction I chose. I decided to sign with CreateSpace because they are an Amazon company. My experience with them has been awesome and because I already had my cover designed and my interior set up–the process was quicker. CreateSpace offers many services, anything from editing to trailers–and everything in between but, of course, it comes with a price. They actually designed a second cover for me because they wanted me to have two to choose from, but I went with my original cover. Once I submitted my manuscript, they put it into the files used to print my book. At that point, they sent me a digital proof on which I could request changes or approve it. Once approved, they printed my first soft cover book, (so cool to receive that first book!) and once I approved the book….it was ready to print!! It took about three weeks beyond that to have the files set up to make DarkStar available as an e-book on Amazon and all the extended distributions channels. I’ve been very happy with my decision to self-publish and would highly recommend CreateSpace. 

ANTHONY: You also connected with singer-songwriter Matt Lande and he’s created special music (three songs so far) for the book. How has that process been, and where and when will people be able to hear the songs Matt created based on the novel?

CAROL: One of my goals when I wrote DarkStar, was to have a song written and hopefully, made into a music video as part of my marketing stradegy. I was so excited when Matt Lande agreed to read DarkStar and write a song for it. What’s cool, though, is that in the process of reading it, he was inspired to write two additional songs! I recently received the lyrics to all three songs and that guy is seriously amazing! He wrote the original “DarkStar” song, an acoustic song called “Amrie” and a beautiful duet, “It’s In the Way We Are.”

Next summer, we will be going to where DarkStar takes place, Logan, Utah and Matt will make the music video in some of the locations in the book….so cool!

Matt is in the process of recording his second album, an acoustic called, “Welcome Home the Child.” I feel so fortunate that he took time out of his busy schedule to read, DarkStar and write three songs or me. He writes, arranges, produces and records all of his own music…so multi-talented!

Joining forces with Matt has been an amazing experience. This joint venture has proven lucrative for both of us as we are promoting each other along with our own projects.

Matt is scheduled to do an acoustic concert on February, 15, 2012 in the Eccles Theatre on the Snow College campus in Ephraim, Utah. He will be promoting his new album, “Welcome Home the Child,” and will debut our “DarkStar” songs! We have our fingers crossed that the recording will be done so the music will all be available at that point. You can follow my blog; http://dscarol78.blogspot.com for updates and information on my venture with both DarkStar and Matt Lande. I am extremely excited to see what we can do with this!

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

CAROL: Other than the scriptures, it’s hard for me to pinpoint a certain book because there are so many that I enjoy, but when I think of a favorite, it’s more an author. When I was in high school, I loved Victoria Holt books because they introduced me to castles on the mysterious moors of England and when I pondered where to begin DarkStar….that’s where it began….in a castle on the moors of England. Her books go back as far as 1960 when she released, “Mistress of Mellyn” and have given readers many years of enjoyable reading. I still love to get lost in one of her books.

ANTHONY: Thanks again, Carol, and good luck with the book and the sequels!

You can follow Carol on Twitter as @DarkStarDreamer, find her on Facebook, visit the book’s website and Carol’s blog, and order the book from CreateSpace or on Amazon.

NEW PAGE AND LINKS - Anthony R Cardno Blog

I have finally taken the time to add some of my short fiction to the site. Right now it’s just one short story. “Invisible Me” was first published by Willard & Maple magazine back in 2005.  I’ve edited it only slightly for presentation here — fixed some typographical errors and spacing oddities — but otherwise what you see is what readers of the magazine saw.

I’ve also added some links to the page: singer and friend Anthony Gargiula; author/editors Bryan Thomas Schmidt and Win Scott Eckert; storyteller and mentor Brian Fox Ellis; and webcomic Cura Te Ipsum. Please click on their links, check out their work, and tell them Anthony sent you!

I have also lined up several interviews with some of the above-named; those interviews should start showing up a week from today and will continue on a weekly basis for as long as people are silly enough to let me interview them! First up will be an interview with Evelyn Lafont, author of The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume One.

Thanks for checking in, everyone!

CANCER CAN KISS MY....- Anthony R Cardno

This week got away from me. I’d planned on Wednesday to post the first of a series of email interviews I’ve been conducting with writers, musicians and artists (this one with Evelyn Lafont, author of THE VAMPIRE RELATIONSHIP GUIDE, Vol. 1) but migraines and work stress got the best of me throughout the week.  I’d considered posting the interview tonight, but something else has happened that I want to write about.

I had a great night out with friends, but came home to the news that yet another of my oldest friends has succumbed to cancer. Had a feeling the news was coming because her husband posted something on her Facebook yesterday (her birthday) about he and her mother sitting with her as she peacefully “approaches the next passage in her life.”  That could have been read any number of ways, but it was feeling all too much like what turned out to be the end for our friend Karen just a few years ago.  What hurts is that Karen and Kris were bestest friends in high school, and to have them both leave us essentially the same way so few years apart stings.

So yeah. I’m feeling better than I was two hours ago when I got the news, but …. fuck cancer. Just fuck it.  I’m sick of it hurting my loved ones, of taking them from us too early. Karen and Kris were two of the most beautiful souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. We fell out of touch, then fell back into it thanks to Livejournal (in Karen’s case) and Facebook (in Kris’). I managed to have good reunion time with Karen before she left us, but never got that chance to see Kris face to face. Another regret.  I’m angry, and I’m crying. And then I’m laughing at the memories. And then back to angry again. I suspect sleep tonight will be rough (considering it’s already 2:30 am).

And of course I don’t hate cancer just because of its effect on my family and immediate friends. I hate it for what it’s doing to jaylake , who is a hero of mine for his cancer battle and his fantastic writing, and for how it took the beautiful Lis Sladen (of Doctor Who) from her family and her fans so early. And for how pervasive it has become across all social strata, taking so many every day regardless of whether are famous or not, rich or poor.

So.  Another name to add to my List of Those I Walk For come my June Relay For Life in Mahopac. Another person to think of as I’m taking my laps, and to remember fondly our good times at the very school where the Relay takes place. I will walk at least one lap carrying Kris on one side of me and Karen on the other. They supported me and put up with me when I was at my least-perfect, and their memory will carry me around the track in June.

And in honor of Karen and Kris, and Jay, and Lis, and everyone else I walk for, I going to make my first official plea this year for donations to my American Cancer Society Relay For Life event, June 5-6 at Mahopac High School in Mahopac NY.  I will be at the event, and I will be selling copies of my book THE FIRFLAKE to raise money. If you’re in the area, please come by and say Hi.

If you’re not in the area, you can make a donation to my effort (and thus, to my team and to the ACS) by clicking on this link: www.tinyurl.com/My2011Relay or by copy-pasting into your web-browser address bar if the link is not clickable when you look.  Any donation is helpful.  If you donate, please leave me a comment to let me know who you’d like me to walk in honor or memory of. That part is as important to me as the money is.

And if any of the writers or musicians I know want to donate copies of their books or cds to be sold at the event to raise money, please contact me!

LIVING WITH JUVENILE DIABETES, Frank LaPinta - Interview

This interview is a bit different from the usual writers, singers, webcomics folks and actors I’ve been interviewing. It’s a bit more personal as well, so I thought I’d give it a chance to really stand out by posting it on the weekend, when perhaps more people will have a chance to really read it.

Today’s guests are my cousin Frank LaPinta and his nine-year-old son, Frank John. Both Frank and FJ live with Type One diabetes, more commonly known as Juvenile Diabetes. Yes, for my teenage readers, the same form of diabetes that Nick Jonas has. I wanted to give Frank and FJ a chance to tell their story. Here it is.

ANTHONY: Hi, guys! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed! Let’s start out by talking a little bit about the Walk that you’re doing in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. When is the event this year, and where?

FRANK: The 2011 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes takes place in many locations throughout NY and the entire country. There are 3 walks on Long Island – 2 in Suffolk and 1 in Nassau County, which is where we walk. It’s on the campus of SUNY Old Westbury College. The entrance to the college is on Route 107 in Old Westbury, about 1 ½ miles north of the Long Island Expressway. Heading north on 107, it is on the left side.

ANTHONY: What’s the most common misconception people who don’t have diabetes seem to have about people who do have diabetes?

FRANK: It is unfortunate in a way, that misconceptions concerning the causes and effects of diabetes are becoming far and few between, because of the fact that it is becoming so much more common. One of the more common misconceptions is how one gets the disease, which even the best of scientists and doctors who are involved in some of the longest running research studies, still haven’t put a finger on.

Many think that it comes from someone eating too much of sweets and foods containing a lot of sugar. While that is clearly not good for you, and while it can indeed contribute to Type 2 Diabetes, with Type 1 or Juvenile Diabetes there has been strong evidence coming out of some of the research which suggests that a virus attacks the immune system causing ones own cells to attack the insulin producing islet cells of the pancreas until, over a short time, those cells are unable to produce any insulin. Findings like this have in recent years been cause to categorize Diabetes as an auto-immune disease.

Another common misconception is that someone with diabetes should not eat any sugary foods or carbohydrates or they will become very ill. Many years ago it was considered taboo, but today diabetes medicine has come so far that we now know that we can enjoy a lot of the same foods by carefully balancing our meals with insulin. And in fact, a reasonable amount of carbohydrates is absolutely necessary in everyone’s diet.

ANTHONY: Frank, as an adult dealing with the disease, tell me a little bit about your history: when were you initially diagnosed with juvenile diabetes? How quickly did you accept that this was something that would possibly be with you forever?

FRANK: I was first diagnosed with the disease about 2 weeks before my 17th birthday, on the day that was actually my brother’s birthday, almost 30 years ago. I had been to the doctor a few weeks earlier with symptoms of frequent urination and getting up a few times in the middle of the night. My family doctor treated me with medication for a kidney infection. About 2 weeks later, when that was giving me no relief, still having frequent urination, very thirsty and after losing a total of about 30 pounds, he did a quick urine analysis and sent me with my parents to the hospital where I spent 5 days being treated and learning how to give myself insulin injections and how to eat a whole new way.

As a teenager, this was obviously a very scary and upsetting thing. I learned very quickly from the doctors and nurses that this was not something that would go away, so I knew pretty much right away that this would be with me for the rest of my life. I knew of the disease and a couple of people that had it but didn’t know until then entirely what it meant to live with it. I had to accept it but I was not happy.

ANTHONY: How did it feel when your son was also diagnosed?

FRANK: Of course my wife Alison and I were devastated and again I was angry – an anger and fear that dwarfed the way I felt at 17. Until 4 1/2 years ago, I didn’t know the full effect it had on my parents. Anyone with a sick child can attest to that feeling of helplessness, even though we do all that we can to keep them safe and healthy.

The worry that I could pass on a gene to my kids had always plagued me to the point that at times I did not want to have children, even though I had been assured that the disease was not necessarily proven to be hereditary. It had always been on my mind to watch the kids for symptoms and whether or not it was all in my head, Frank John seemed to exhibit them sometimes. And during his regular doctor visits the pediatricians assured us that he was fine and indeed he was. He was a pretty typical and curious 4 year old and often watched me check my own blood sugar, asked a lot of questions and already knew a lot about how to take care of diabetes. I at times wanted to check him but when I asked him if I could, likely just afraid of the finger stick he said, “No, daddy. Maybe when I’m big like you.”

He was about 5 weeks short of his 5th birthday in January, 2007 when his preschool teacher requested that we send in some bottled water because he was drinking a lot. And on a day shortly after, I was home from work for about 20 minutes and noticed he had gone to the bathroom 3 times. He then finally agreed to let me check his blood sugar on my meter. He did not cry. In fact he was pleasantly surprised that it did not hurt. For me, the feeling was horrible waiting to see that number. 527 mg/dl. I will never forget it. I pounded the table in anger then composed myself for his benefit as Alison called the pediatrician who told us to take him to Schneider’s Children’s Hospital immediately.

How did I feel … after it all settled in? Sad! Very, very sad and very scared. I suppose we asked ourselves what any parent would ask, “Did I do something to cause this? Would this have happened if I did something differently?” While we still wish we had answers to those kinds of questions, we learned from his healthcare team that there are no answers other than “No.” Nobody really knows why, even with all the scientific studies going on for many years now. Thanks in no small part to support groups at Winthrop University Hospital, his endocrinology healthcare team at Schneider’s, and to JDRF and our involvement in the Walk to Cure Diabetes, we learned quickly that we are not alone. We are lucky that we caught it in time because we knew what to look for, and compared to a lot of families, lucky that we already have experienced this disease and we had some idea how to take care of him. For that, I am oddly happy that I was diagnosed when I was 17.

ANTHONY: Frank John, what’s the worst part of having diabetes?

FRANK JOHN: The worst part for me was in the beginning when I had to take shots – 3 to 5 times every day. And sometimes it was in a bad spot and it hurt very badly. Also when we were in restaurants, my dad had to take me into the bathroom to do the shots. That was annoying. Even now sometimes when the pump isn’t working, or when I need a new infusion set, I need to get a shot.

ANTHONY: What are your favorite sports to play? Does your diabetes ever get in the way of playing?

FRANK JOHN: I like to play soccer. I’m on a team that practices every Saturday in the Fall and the Spring. We practice for a tournament each season and for a game against the parents. We beat them every time! And NO! My diabetes doesn’t really get in the way. My dad checks me (my blood sugar) before the game and during our break. Sometimes I need a sugar tablet or juice box or a snack before I go play.

ANTHONY: What’s your favorite subject in school?

FRANK JOHN: My favorite subject in school …. hhmmmmm … Gym!

ANTHONY: What are your favorite movies?

FRANK JOHN: Hmmmmmm … Rango, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Rodrick Rules, Toy Story I, II & III, and Cars. Can’t wait for Cars II to come out on DVD.

ANTHONY: For both of you, what is your favorite book and what would you say to recommend it to someone who hasn’t read it yet?

FJ: I like SpongeBob books and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Rodrick Rules, The Last Straw, Doggie Days & The Ugly Truth. Me and my sister and my dad laugh when we read them. We are reading them a second time now. I would recommend the Wimpy Kid series because it has funny parts and the drawings that Greg puts in his diary are very funny.

FRANK: And Daddy has never really been fond of reading. I don’t remember which it was but I think the last novel I read was about 25 years ago or more in college. And now with a house and kids in school and one that requires more attention than the other, that’s pretty much out of the question. But I do wish I had the time to get involved in reading, if not for the enjoyment, then to set an example. I’m a firm believer that reading regularly makes a kid smarter and keeps you sharp, something that my wife might agree I’m not doing too well with in my middle years. But this interview isn’t about HER, now is it?

ANTHONY: Frank, I’m sure at the next family gathering Allie will yell at me for not interviewing her and Alexa too! Speaking of family: FJ, tell us a little about the person you dedicated your Walk to last year and this year.

FJ: We dedicated the Walk to my dad’s dad, my grandpa. He was the person I was named after and he loves me a lot. He always donated money to the Walk for the team every year since we started walking. He really wanted us to find a cure the most in the whole world.

ANTHONY: What is the team fundraising goal this year?

FRANK: $6000. FJ’s individual goal is $5000. It’s always a trick to set a goal and tough to get people involved if they are not directly affected, as I’m sure you know. The team has been absolutely fabulous though. Everyone is so busy but so extremely supportive and the feeling of love for Frank John has been amazing. So many people show up every year for him, rain or shine. And we’ve had rain, shine, wind & cold. And they come anyway.

The first year we did this, setting a goal was obviously an uncertain thing, at best, and the goal changed a few times along the way. Not knowing what to expect, I started low – I think about $1500 because that was recommended as an average for a particular type of fundraising effort like ours and for a first time. That year we raised over $7000, our best year to date.

ANTHONY: Where can people go to donate?

FRANK: JDRF offers a secure website for every team walker to set up their fundraising page. Frank John’s personal page is Frank’s Footers. From there you can donate to sponsor him at the Walk, join the team, access the team’s page to see who is on the team, and get hosts of information about JDRF itself, current research, life with diabetes and other ways to get involved in the fight against diabetes.

ANTHONY: Frank John, what would you like people to know about diabetes and about the Walk?

FJ: I want them to know that diabetes really exists. People are really suffering from this disease. We also want to let people know where the money is going. It’s going to JDRF who gives it to diabetes doctors and scientists who are working on finding a cure.

ANTHONY: Well, I’m proud that this year I’ll be able to be an active member of Frank’s Footers. I’ll be there with you guys on October 2nd! And I hope all of my readers will follow the link and donate. You’re at $2,000 tonight — I’d love to see you hit your goal before Walk day!

LINDA POITEVIN, Author - Interview

Today we ramble on a bit with author Linda Poitevin.

Linda Poitevin

Linda Poitevin currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, two cats, three rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods.

In addition to her books, Linda also does freelance writing and editing. Information about her services can be found at www.lindapoitevin.ca. Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers’ Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association.

ANTHONY: Hi, Linda! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.

LINDA: Thank you for inviting me, Anthony! It’s a pleasure. 

ANTHONY: Let’s start with the basic premise of SINS OF THE ANGELS. What made you decide to write an urban fantasy about angels rather than, say, wizards or zombies or vampires?

Sins of the Angels, Linda Poitevin

LINDA: That wasn’t actually my decision, I’m afraid — at least, not a conscious one. Aramael just kind of turned up in my head, already an angel. 

ANTHONY: What kind of research did you do into the hierarchy of angels and the legend of the Grigori? What sources did you pull from to craft your version?

LINDA: I did a tremendous amount of reading — there are huge numbers of angel books available, and fabulous sources on the Internet. I drew mainly from the Catholic descriptions of the hierarchy, but did a lot of literal interpretation of the descriptions to arrive at my own version.

ANTHONY: Talk to me about your writing process. Are you more of a detailed outliner, or a “see where it goes as I go along” type of writer?

LINDA: For the most part, I’m a “see where it goes” type. I like being surprised by my characters and twists that I didn’t see coming. I’ve found that writing a series has required a certain amount of planning ahead, however, so that I can be sure that something I write in book 1 or 2 won’t become a problem later on in the story arc. I also do a lot of mental scene-building (yes, I’m a daydreamer!), so I tend to have a lot of a story “written” before it ever makes it onto actual paper.

ANTHONY: Were there any moments in the writing of the book where a character’s actions took you by surprise?

LINDA: Many, many moments, to be honest. The biggest surprise to me was Seth’s appearance in the book. When he knocked on Alex’s door in the first draft, he very nearly took over the entire story. That’s when I realized that this would be a series…I had to promise him his own story to get him to cooperate! 

ANTHONY: How long did it take to go from initial concept to final publication?

LINDA: Are you ready for this? Ten years. Of course, most of that was spent doing stuff other than writing, lol, but that is the actual time it took to write Sins of the Angels.

ANTHONY: I’m not surprised. It gives me hope. My mystery novel AMBERGRIN HALL is going on year eleven right now… Tell us a little about Alexandra Jarvis and the joys or challenges of writing such a very strong, but emotionally conflicted, lead female character.

LINDA: Alex was actually really easy to write. I’m a very strong-minded person myself, and most of my friends are as well, so it was almost like creating a character I would like to know as a real person.

ANTHONY: SINS is obviously not meant to be a stand-alone book. Is this the first in a trilogy or the first in an on-going, open-ended series?

LINDA: What, you didn’t think things were wrapped up at the end?  You’re right, of course. This is the first in a series of four books.

ANTHONY: There is a dense history not only to the character of Alexandra Jarvis but also to the world in which she exists. “Real” Toronto is as much a character in the book as the angelic world you’ve built around it. How hard was it to balance the two?

LINDA: I’m honestly surprised to hear you say that…one of the reasons my editor was comfortable leaving the novel in Toronto was that she felt the setting was not a “character.” I chose Toronto simply for its familiarity and my knowledge of Canadian police procedure, but otherwise I think the story could have been set in any major city. Heaven, of course, is an entirely different matter… 

ANTHONY: Have you had any feedback, positive or negative, about the representation of God as Female and Lucifer as her male counterpart?

LINDA: Feedback on a female God has been very positive, with some readers saying that alone was enough to make them pick up the book. So far no one has commented negatively on the idea, and no one at all has commented on the Lucifer issue. These are early days, however. 

ANTHONY: It’s a trueism that names have power. I couldn’t help but notice how similar the names Caim and Aramael are to Cain and Abel. Was that on purpose, and if so, how?

LINDA: It wasn’t a conscious thing, no…and it wasn’t until a beta reader asked me the same thing that I even realized I’d done it. Apparently my subconscious has a strong hand in my writing!

ANTHONY: In some Judeo-Christian myths, Seth is the third son of Adam and Eve, and you have a Seth who comes into the story and has a mysterious destiny. Is there any deeper connection between Seth, Caim and Aramael?

LINDA: None at all.

ANTHONY: How soon can we expect the next book to come out? And what else are you working on other than the Angels books?

Sins of the Son, Linda Poitevin

LINDA: Book 2 of the Grigori Legacy, Sins of the Son, will be released on March 27, 2012. I can foresee the series keeping me busy for the next year or so, after which I do have another series idea I’d like to pitch to my editor. No angels in that one!

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

LINDA: I think my all-time favorite is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. For anyone who hasn’t read it, I consider it an absolute masterpiece of plot. The way Dumas pulls all the threads together at the end is nothing short of brilliant. It’s the kind of book you can read over and over again, and never grow tired with it.

ANTHONY: Thank you, Linda!

LINDA: You’re very welcome, Anthony! Your questions were great and I really enjoyed answering them!

You can find more about Linda’s work on her website. You can also follow her on Twitter as @lindapoitevin and friend her on Facebook.

MILENA GOVICH, Actress - Interview

And here I am with part two of “Beautiful Women Week” on the site. I am proud to know Milena Govich, and I’m so happy she was able to take some time to stop by and chat.

Milena Govich, Actress

Milena Govich has performed on Broadway (in Chicago), on television (Conviction; Rescue Me; K-Town; Law & Order) and in the movies (the upcoming A Novel Romance, among others). She’s also one hell of a Scrabble player.

ANTHONY:  Hi, Milena! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me.  It’s no secret we’ve known each other a long time now, so the most important question I can ask is … what’s your favorite memory of me? haha

MILENA:  Empire Coffee shop on 9th Ave. in NYC.   It was the first time we got to sit down and chat and I got to see why the Cornue clan is enamored by you.  

 ANTHONY:  Let’s talk about your latest project first. A NOVEL ROMANCE is out, and you co-star with Steve Guttenberg. Tell us a little about the movie.

MILENA:  The film is a romantic dramedy set in NYC.  It follows two people who have each just gone through a life-changing crisis–my character’s fiancee has just died, and Steve’s character is fired from his job in a humiliating way.  With the pressures and expenses of living in NYC, the two acquaintances decide to move in together to help each other out.

 ANTHONY:  What was it that initially drew you to director Allie Dvorin’s script?

MILENA:  I really loved the character of “Jenny”, and the film portrayed a kind of unique relationship.  I was also itching to do some comedy, and who better to star opposite than Steve?  To top it all off, Allie had studied acting with my teacher many years ago, so we both knew there would be a nice shorthand between us on set.

 ANTHONY:  What was Allie’s directing process like? Was there a lot of rehearsal before shooting or did you jump right in?

MILENA:  Since this was a smaller budget feature, there really wasn’t much rehearsal at all.  I think we met for two days, but rehearsing a film is not like rehearsing a play.  Most of the time was spent talking about the script, asking questions, and reading scenes at the table.

ANTHONY:  How long was the shooting schedule and where did you film?

 MILENA:  I believe we shot the film in 19 days–which is remarkable.  All the locations were in NYC, and our crew was wonderful.  It was clear that everyone on set wanted to be there.  No one was resting on their laurels and just collecting a paycheck.  It was all hands on deck every minute which made for a fun and energetic atmosphere.

 ANTHONY:  About a year ago you made the jump from being NYC-based to LA-based. What are the biggest differences you’ve seen in terms of the job market on each coast?

MILENA:  The biggest difference in my day-to-day is driving.  Ack!  It took me a bit to get used to braving the LA traffic and searching for parking before my appointments.  But aside from that, my work is pretty much the same.  I’m very fortunate to have excellent agents and an incredibly loyal manager who work for me on both coasts.   As for the LA market, there are many more productions shooting here versus NYC, but there are also many more actors.   Even though there are more opportunities, it shapes up to be a very competitive market.   But as you might imagine, I’m the kind of girl that has never shied away from a challenge!

 ANTHONY:  On television, you’ve had multi-episode runs guest-starring as a hooker with a heart of gold on Rescue Me, starring as a cop with something to prove on the original Law & Order, and as two very different district attorneys on Conviction and K-Ville. Which side of the law was more fun to work?

MILENA:  Well, carrying a gun and doing stunt fights was a ton of fun as a cop, but the wardrobe is much better on the lawyer side.   As for the criminal world, playing “Candy” the con artist on Rescue Me was one of the best gigs I’ve had.  The set felt like I was hanging out with my brothers, and I had most of my scenes with the amazing actor, John Scurti.

ANTHONY: There’s a cool story about how you ended up on Law & Order.  Can you tell us about that?

MILENA:  The way I ended up on L&O was really a dream come true.  I had been hired to do another series that Dick Wolf produced called Conviction.  We actors on the show affectionately gave it the tag line, “young lawyers in heat.”  It was a really good show (check it out on DVD!), but we didn’t get the ratings that NBC wanted, so they pulled the plug after 13 episodes.  The very next day after we got the ax, Dick called my agents and offered me the role of the first-ever female cop on the original L&O.  I have to say, this is the kind of positive feedback that every actor dreams of receiving.  To me, there is no bigger compliment than to have someone you worked for hire you a second time in an even bigger role.  

 ANTHONY:  You’ve worked with some great casts. What were some of your favorite moments?

 MILENA:  Shooting in NYC, you always get great moments, often from the people who aren’t part of the shoot.  As you can imagine, it’s pretty hard to block off a street, or even a sidewalk from pedestrian traffic.  No New Yorker thinks the barricades are for them.     One of my favorite moments was on the set of A Novel Romance.  We were shooting in Noho and the shot was a super romantic kiss where the camera revolves around us creating that swept-off-your-feet feeling (we didn’t actually end up using it in the movie, however).  Anyway, some guy, probably on his way to work, made it past the PA’s who were trying to keep the foot traffic at bay.  As he passed us kissing–right behind the camera–he looked at what we were doing and yelled, “Bullsh*t!” and kept right on walking.  Gotta love the New Yorker perspective.

 ANTHONY:  How do you personally prepare for a role once you’ve been cast?

MILENA:  Obviously, there’s the grunt work of the memorization of the lines, but most of my work centers around imagining my character’s relationships with all of the other characters in the play.  I find that if I have a strong point of view about everyone I encounter in the script, things start to pop.  I also like to play off of the other actors, so I try to never get set in a “way of doing things” in order to stay flexible and spontaneous.

 ANTHONY:  I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a lot of young actors and singers and I know read my interviews. Any advice you’d like to share with them?

MILENA:  Dream, and dream big.  Really imagine the details of what you want your life to look like.  Don’t let anyone else’s doubt cloud your view of who you can become.   That said, as far as an acting career goes, if there is absolutely anything else you are passionate about, go do that instead.  I know that sounds a little harsh, but my husband loves to say, “This is not a career, it’s a calling.”   This business is brutal.  An actor, no matter their status, receives more blatant rejection in one year than most people will ever experience in a lifetime.  Unfortunately, that’s not hyperbole.   Even though you may work hard, make great grades in school and do everything “right”, there is no guarantee you’ll ever make a dime in this business.  Now on the other hand, if you feel that you absolutely MUST give it a go, then by all means, give it everything you’ve got.   Learn everything you can: read, watch tons of movies, quality TV and plays.  Get on stage as often as you possibly can: join your community theater, do the school play.  Even if you’re just in the background you will be a part of the process.  Make your own opportunities: go sing for the Lion’s Club or at a nursing home, ask for a solo with the church choir.  Make your own videos: with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever.  Write a short film (can be as short as you want), get your friends together to practice and then shoot it!  Take every class you can and develop into the best artist you can be.  I don’t think the passionate pursuit of anything is ever a waste.  Even if you never book a professional job, we all learn so much about ourselves through the journey.   And who knows where those lessons might take you.

ANTHONY:  IMDB says you’re working on the next Resident Evil installment. How’s that experience been? Do you get any kick-ass action scenes?

 MILENA:  So here’s the thing about IMDB: it’s not run by anyone in the industry.  Their information is usually accurate, but it comes from non-industry people who scour the trades and re-post the info they find.  Occasionally, they are incorrect.  And unfortunately, this is one of their boo-boos.

ANTHONY: You mean everything we read on the internet isn’t true?? Aigh! Alright,then, what else do you have coming up?

MILENA:  As far as future projects go, my philosophy is to walk through the open door.  I never know what is coming next, and that is one of both the most thrilling and most terrifying things about what I do.  But a couple of things on the horizon are the DVD release of A Novel Romance at the end of January, and a recurring arc on an ABC Family series called Make It or Break It that will air in the late spring.  And this summer I will travel back to my home state of Oklahoma to play the title role in Sweet Charity at the Lyric Theater.  I’m really looking forward to getting my dancing shoes out!

If any of your readers would like more info on these, they can join my Facebook fan page where I post details on all of my upcoming gigs.

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

The book that had a real impact in my life is Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand.  I read it when I was 16 years old and it was the kind of positive reinforcement that rang blaringly true to a young, passionate, and ambitious girl like myself.  The theme of “man is capable” still inspires me today.  I truly believe that ANYONE has the capacity to make herself into the person she wants to be.  The process may not be easy, and the goal you achieve may not be the one you set out for, but passion and perseverance in everything you do will take you far.

As mentioned above, you can find Milena’s Fan Page on Facebook,  and you can also find her on IMDb. If you’re a fan of Milena’s work, please stop by both of her pages and leave some favorable comments!

WORKER PRINCE by BRYAN THOMAS SCHMIDT, Author - Interview

I’ve interviewed author-editor-TwitterChatMeister Bryan Thomas Schmidt before, and we recently posted a Dialogue Between Writers. Bryan’s visiting us again as part of his month-long blog tour promoting the release of his novel THE WORKER PRINCE, the first installment of the Davi Rhii Saga.

The Worker Prince

ANTHONY: Welcome back, Bryan! This time around we’re going to concentrate more on your upcoming novel release, which I was honored to receive an ARC of. So first let me say how much I enjoyed it. I’ve been talking it up to friends who like good solid SF.

BRYAN: Thanks, I appreciate that.

A: You started the story as an intentional reworking of the Moses story set among the stars. Davi Rhii is sent off by his natural, slave-born, parents and inadvertently adopted by the sister of the High Lord Councilor of the ruling society. As an adult, he learns of his background and has some hard decisions to make. One of the things that interested me is how your main characters map onto the Biblical originals in terms of their story function but also their personalities. Can you talk about your decision-making process as to when you opted to stick close to the originals and when to move a character in a different direction?

B: Well, I think a lot of that was sub-consciously done, to be honest. Obviously, between the Charlton Heston film, the Dreamworks film, and the oft-told Biblical story, some of those things are iconic, so they kind of just become tendencies when telling the story, you know? For example, the High Lord Councilor (aka Pharaoh) character, Xalivar, is obviously going to be strong willed and “an evil dictator” type. In this case, I decided to show his genuine love for Davi (aka Moses) and how his emotions tear at him a bit. It makes him more well-rounded and human and far more interesting that he’s conflicted. I’ve had readers tell me they really didn’t know whether to like or hate him, which is good. The Davi character (Moses) is also complex in similar ways with less obvious evil tendencies, although he’s imperfect. I did avoid things like the siblings Aaron and Miriam, but used Miri as Davi’s mother’s name in tribute to Miriam. I also skipped the whole father-in-law with beautiful daughters desert escape sequence. Davi’s love interest, Tela, has no father figure around really. And they meet in a more conventional way. Part of that is done because departing from the familiar is the only way to keep such an oft-told story fresh. And part of it because, frankly, it was more interesting for me than rehashing what’s been done before. But making Tela a strong-willed, independent fellow pilot, for example, also allowed for some relationship dynamics which are far more interesting. And it allowed for another strong female character. I have four strong major female roles: Miri, Davi’s mother and Xalivar’s sister; Tela, his love interest, trainee and fellow pilot; Lura, his birth mother (a supporting role) and Kray, a member of the Council of Lords (supporting). There are other women characters, but those are the ones who portray the kind of anti-damsel-in-distress women I grew up with in my family and which often don’t appear much in space opera. Also, because I was not writing a religious book but just a book with religion as part of its worldbuilding and because it was more science fiction rather than fantasy, I stayed away from the plagues, signs from God, etc. aspects of the story. They are important and great parts of the biblical story but hard to make work in a believable way in the context of what I am doing. Since these people are descendants of Earthlings, anyway, that’s actually part of their past history anyway, from a Biblical perspective.

A: Orson Scott Card tells the entire life story of Moses in STONE TABLES, embellishing some parts of Scripture and condensing others to fit the whole story into one book. Your story is intended to be a trilogy. How have you handled parceling out the Biblical story over the course of three novels?

B: Well, originally it was conceived as a giant TV mini-series or one long book. But once I got into it and started “playing” around with the story and departing a bit, it became obvious the story I had would go in some different directions. I wrote it as if it could stand alone, and I think “The Worker Prince” really could if need be (I hope there’s no need though). When I started considering how to write the rest of the story, I then realized there were two more books, one which deals with the aftermath of the fight for freedom and developing culture clashes as the workers/slaves are being mainstreamed as citizens against the desires of some others, and the other which deals with the exodus itself.

A: Authors often talk about characters “taking them by surprise.” Supporting characters suddenly come to the forefront because they can provide something to the narrative the main character can’t, etc. While your characters do map onto Biblical equivalents, as we’ve discussed, you’re also telling a large story with lots of supporting characters. Have any of these characters’ paths taken you by surprise either in Book One or as you’re writing and plotting Book Two and Book Three?

B: Oh definitely. And part of that is my trying to keep the cast from getting too big by finding ways to work the supporting characters I’ve already introduced back into new parts of the story. But in Book 2, I wound up killing some characters I never would have anticipated. It serves the story and character development very well, but they would not have been the ones I expected to “knock off,” originally. Also, some of the characters took divergent and interesting twists and turns in their journeys which surprised me. Farien’s journey, in particular, is really interesting in Book 1 but especially over the course of the three books. Some of the supporting characters who are minor in Book 1 take on interesting, larger roles in Book 2. Manaen, Xalivar’s majordomo, a couple of the Boralian military leaders, Bordox’s father Obed—several examples.

A: Another thing that intrigues me about THE WORKER PRINCE is the cultural history. Even though this is taking place in a far-away solar system and far in the future, there are references to “old earth,” and to the colonization of this distant system. The history of, and the animosity between, the races now known as the Borallians and the Vertullians clearly stems from our own time and place in the universe. That history is largely in the background of this first book, but can you tell us anything about how these planets came to be colonized and how one came to be enslaved by the other?

B: The Boralians are a group of colonists formed from mainstream Christian churches, Muslims, Hindus, new agers, and other Earth groups. The Vertullians are Evangelicals. Both groups fled Earth after years of conflict between them to start over. Unfortunately, the Vertullians’ ship broke down and crash landed on Vertullis before they even realized who their neighbors were. The Boralians had already settled the next planet over. When the two discovered it, the Vertullians tried to make peace but the Boralians enslaved them instead. That’s basically what I tell in Book 1. The other history is an animosity toward Evangelicals developed in society because of their conservative views and a gradual domination of more liberal ideologies on Earth. As such, the Evangelicals became marginalized and persecuted. Outcasts in their own society, they find themselves more and more maligned, which leads to their decision to flee Earth. The Boralians who also fled were a portion of those on Earth who just grew tired of the fighting and wanted a peaceful fresh start, or so they thought. Obviously they don’t end up living that out. There are a series of post-colonial incidents, like the Delta V slave revolt, which are referred to as well but not really explained. I actually plan to do a short story on that one. And I have plans for a YA early life series about Davi and his friends now as well. If the books are well received enough anyone is interested, that is.

A: The last time we talked, you gave a little bit of background on how you came to write THE WORKER PRINCE 25 years after having the initial idea in your teens, and how the current cultural climate (try saying that ten times fast!) regarding religion influenced the way you’ve told the story. I’d like to step back from the plot, characters and cultural influences for a moment to ask a more general question I didn’t ask you last time: which writers have influenced you the most, both in your writing overall and for the Saga of Davi Rhii particularly?

B: For world building, my hero is Robert Silverberg. Majipoor has always been one of my favorite series, starting with “Lord Valentine’s Castle” which remains one of my all-time favorite books. Silverberg built that world in amazing depth I couldn’t even begin to aspire too, but, at the same time, he also taught me a lot about the necessity to think through details I never would have imagined. I admire Lewis and Tolkein too, of course, and others as well, but Majipoor is the world I have the most passion for that I’ve read and know in most detail because of just loving spending time there so much. Losing myself. For action, Timothy Zahn especially but also Kevin J. Anderson were big influences on me. Kevin even gave some suggestions and answered questions as I went through revisions. I kept Zahn’s original Thrawn Trilogy handy as I wrote action sequences for pacing and just ideas and inspiration. I later did a blog entry on how to write action based on all I’ve learned. http://bryanthomasschmidt.net/2011/07/17/10-tips-for-writing-good-action-scenes/ I also used Nicholas Sparks, whose love stories move me deeply, in writing the subplot of Davi and Tela as well as Sol and Lura. Those two are the great love stories in this novel and I wanted sections of real passion and emotion captured in words which no one does like Sparks can. For thriller pacing, John Grisham and WEB Griffin are inspirations. They know how to keep books moving. Griffin also is great with political twists and turns which I threw a lot of into the books to keep the readers guessing (and myself as I wrote, actually).

A: How soon can we expect to see Book Two of the Saga of Davi Rhii, and can you give any hints about it without spoiling the end of Book One?

B: Book 2, “The Returning,” is almost done and scheduled for publication next spring. In Book 2, the workers are free and full citizens but protest movements and hardliner sections amongst the Boralians are protesting it, accusing the workers of getting governmental favoritism, stealing all the good jobs, etc. In the meantime, Davi and Tela’s romance has hit some road bumps. Then someone is killing off workers and Davi, Farien and Yao get involved investigating. Meanwhile, old enemies are seeking revenge. Does that whet the appetite a bit?

A: Since I’ve already asked you the usual “what’s your favorite book” question and I doubt your answer has changed in the past month, let’s vary it up a little: what’s currently on your reading table, and what upcoming releases are you most looking forward to?

B: “Spellbound” by Blake Charlton, “City of Ruins” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Silverberg’s Majipoor anthology—I have two of them, waiting for the third. They are authors I admire, two of whom are friends, and whose series I loved before. So I can’t wait to know what happens next. Much of my reading time is consumed by SFFWRTCHT reading– a book a week, and I have some huge epic fantasy authors booked this fall and their books are as big as their names. Then I have the magazines I subscribe to, especially Locus, Asimov’s, and Analog. I am perpetually behind reading them. And then I am still learning craft whenever I can so I read that stuff too. So I am looking forward to the next good read, obviously, but perpetually drowning in options and reading at the pace required to manage what I need to with chat and reviews first, everything else second.

Thanks for stopping by again, Bryan! Good luck with the rest of the tour!

Speaking of which, Bryan’s next Blog Tour Appearance is on SFSIGNAL tomorrow, October 3rd Oct. 3, discussing 15 Science Fiction Classics With Religious Themes

LAWRENCE BLOCK, Author - Interview

This week I get to interview one of my heroes. What can I say about Lawrence Block that hasn’t already been said elsewhere?

In his own words: “Lawrence Block’s novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner (Tanner on Ice) and the introspective assassin Keller (Hit and Run). He has published articles and short fiction in American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times, and 84 of his short stories have been collected in Enough Rope. In 2004, he became executive story editor for the TV series TILT. Several of his novels have been filmed, though not terribly well. His newest bestsellers are Hit Parade, his third Keller novel (July 2006 in hardcover), and All the Flowers are Dying (April 2006 in paperback), the sixteenth Matthew Scudder novel. Larry is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of both MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and, most recently, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Spain, and, as if that were not enough, was presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. Larry and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers.”

Lawrence Block

ANTHONY: I have to admit I’ve been dragging my heels on this interview because I’ve been a bit daunted. Everyone has those folks they’re just star-struck around. I’d be equally as tongue-tied if I had the chance to interview John Glover (even after having met him twice), or Neil Gaiman, or Michael Emerson. So that got me to wondering: who gets Lawrence Block star-struck?

LAWRENCE: Hmmm. There must be someone, but I can’t come up with anyone offhand. I think age is a factor here, along with life experience. You reach a point where you don’t have heroes anymore, and no longer get star-struck. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but it happens.

ANTHONY: Part of my problem was in trying to come up with questions you’ve never been asked before. And then I realized with a career like yours there probably aren’t any questions you’ve never been asked. I don’t have to be original, I just have to be interesting! Is there any single interview question you just dread hearing? And am I about to ask that question in this interview?

LAWRENCE: I don’t like hypothetical questions about my characters. “What would Bernie do if he met a werewolf?” That kind of crap. I also don’t like to be asked what I’m going to write next, because I don’t know.

ANTHONY: You’ve covered a lot of genres in your career: the light, comedic mysteries of Bernie Rhodenbarr, the more noir-ish Scudder books, Jill Emerson’s lesbian erotica and literary novels. I’d even go so far as to categorize Killing Castro as alternate history. Is there any genre you haven’t tried yet that you’d like to take a crack at?

LAWRENCE: No, I’m not really looking for new worlds to conquer—or to be conquered by.

ANTHONY: In Afterthoughts, you talk extensively about the reasons for using pen names and how your career has really moved beyond that now. Last month, you brought the “Jill Emerson” name back for Getting Off. Any chance that your other pseudonyms will make similar comebacks?

LAWRENCE: I wouldn’t think so. The others were just names of convenience. Jill has been something rather more than that, though I’m not sure I can put my finger on it. (And if this were one of those LB/JE dialogues, she wouldn’t let that last line pass without a comment.)

ANTHONY: Do you think there’s more of your early pseudonymous work still out there “undiscovered?”

LAWRENCE: Well, not undiscovered. In fact, people are forever discovering books that weren’t mine at all, convinced they’ve unearthed a previously unacknowledged pen name. Lots of luck.

But there’s old work I haven’t brought back yet, and probably will sooner or later, avarice and ego being such powerful motivators. In fact, two old books of mine, 69 Barrow Street (as Sheldon Lord) and Strange Embrace (as Ben Christopher) will be Hard Case Crime’s #69 sometime next year, produced in hard cover by Subterranean Press as a double volume, bound back to back or belly to belly, as you prefer.

ANTHONY: Getting Off is the first hardcover book from Charles Ardai’s Hard Case Crime imprint, and along with new work by Christa Faust and Max Allan Collins the book is the face of the HCC relaunch. Was there any extra pressure associated with that?

LAWRENCE: No, hardly that. Charles really got Getting Off, and his unqualified enthusiasm was a key factor in my decision to do the book with Hard Case. If there was pressure, it was temporal; I had to hurry it in order to be done in time for his fall list.

ANTHONY: What is it like working with Charles? How does the relationship differ when you’re re-issuing an old title versus publishing something completely new?

LAWRENCE: It’s a pure pleasure. I’ve had good luck with editors over the years, esp. in that the right editors have often been linked to just the right books. Joe Pittman edited the Burglar books at Dutton, and had such a feel for them that I wasn’t surprised when he went on to write London Frog. Many fine folks have edited the Scudder novels, and John Schoenfelder was a joy to work with on A Drop of the Hard Stuff. I worked particularly closely with Charles, and showed him work as I went along, which is something I never do; it would seem to indicate a high level of trust, and it was in this instance justified.

ANTHONY: Okay, last HCC question, I promise: If Charles ever decides to bring Gabriel Hunt back for another set of books, would you consider writing one? I’d enjoy seeing your take on Gabe’s womanizing, globe-trotting, modern Indiana Jones ways.

LAWRENCE: No, I don’t think so. I like the books but I don’t want to write one.

ANTHONY: You make it clear in Afterwords that you’re not really a fan of going back and rereading your early work to prepare it for re-issue. Between HCC and the e-books, there’s a lot of older material available again, but certainly not everything. Has there been, or will there be, any kind of organized “roll-out” of older titles? You’ve come close to refusing re-issues for a few titles, I know — are there any that are on the “absolutely not” list?

LAWRENCE: The only books I know I don’t want reissued are ones I didn’t write in the first place, books that were ghostwritten under a pen name of mine. With that exception, my feeling is a paraphrase of an old T-shirt: “Publish ’em all and let the readers sort ’em out.”

ANTHONY: Okay, time for some questions about craft. (Maybe I can learn a thing or two?) You’ve said that you rarely know what you’re going to write next, hence not being able to predict when a new Rhodenbarr or Scudder or Keller book is going to come out. Does that mean you’re also a “seat of your pants” writer once you’re into a project, or do you outline heavily before beginning?

LAWRENCE: Haven’t outlined in years. How much I know about a book before I begin is variable. Sometimes quite a bit, sometimes next to nothing. And I’ve always liked a maxim I’ve heard attributed to Theodore Sturgeon: “If the writer doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, he needn’t fear that the reader will know what’s going to happen next.”

ANTHONY: Have your writing habits changed over the years, other than changing writing locales?

LAWRENCE: Oh, probably, but I’m not sure how. Very early on I’d put on a stack of records, jazz or classical, and have music playing while I wrote. Now I cannot imagine why anyone would do something like that.

ANTHONY: Do you approach the creation of a short story differently than that of a novel?

LAWRENCE: I don’t think so.

ANTHONY: What’s your self-editing procedure? Do you edit as you write, or do you put out a full draft and then go back and tear it apart?

LAWRENCE: Well, I try to get it right the first time. And when I type THE END, I mean it.

ANTHONY: Okay, this one’s a little morbid, but I have to ask. Mickey Spillane left instructions for Max Allan Collins to complete his unfinished manuscripts. You once put the finishing touches on an incomplete Cornell Woolrich mystery. How do you feel about other authors completing any work you leave behind?

LAWRENCE: Well, if I keeled over fifteen words from the end of something, I wouldn’t mind if someone supplied the fifteen words. But I would hope that any old crap lurking in the corner of my office or some back room on my hard drive will be allowed to decompose.

And I certainly hope no one comes along and writes about any of my series characters. Just because readers would like to have another book about this one or that one is no reason to pander to them. Fuck ’em, I say.

I’m quite certain Bob Parker would find a continuation of his series by other hands perfectly appalling, but the man’s dead, and the living can almost always find ways to rationalize acts that bring them money.

OTOH, who cares what the dead want? Being dead means it’s no longer any of your business. Personally, if there’s no afterlife, what do I care? And if there is, am I really going to spend it giving a rat’s ass what happens to some moldering old books down here on this godforsaken planet? What kind of an afterlife would that be?

ANTHONY: Getting Off is out in hardcover. The Matt Scudder short story collection is available. What releases do we have to look forward to in the near future?

LAWRENCE: There’ll be a new novel from Mulholland sometime next year if I ever finish the damn thing. I told you about HCC #69. I’ve got 20+ sex-fact books by John Warren Wells waiting in the wings, and might bring them out as eBooks. I’ve got two years worth of my monthly column for Linns Stamp News, enough material for a book if I think anybody might want to read it. What else? Beats me.

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

LAWRENCE: I don’t know that I have a favorite. For many years I’ve acknowledged John O’Hara as my favorite author—so many years in fact, that I have to wonder if the statement’s still true. But all I’d suggest to anyone is that they pick up one of the books and read a few pages. Either they’ll like it or they won’t—which, come to think of it, is true of just about anything, isn’t it?

ANTHONY: Thanks again, sir!

LAWRENCE: You’re welcome!

You can find more of Lawrence Block’s discussions of his writing on his website, his blog, his facebook and his goodreads discussion group. You can also follow him on Twitter as @LawrenceBlock.

ALLAN WOOD, Webcomics - Interview

This week, we catch up with webcomics creator Allan Wood.

Allan Wood

Allan Wood writes and draws webcomics. He’s also a college student, a musician and an all-around nice guy I’ve had the pleasure of knowing through social media for quite a few years now.

ANTHONY: Allan, thanks for joining us this week.

ALLAN: Nice place you’ve got, here, Anthony!

ANTHONY: You started out in the webcomics world with an autobiographical eponymous daily comic on Drunk Duck, when you were in your mid-teens. What inspired you to start chronicling your daily life?

ALLAN: It was probably The Office. When I think back on it, now, I was drawing quite a few parallels between the Jim and Pam relationship, which lead me to want to write about my own life. Couple that with some research and I realized that the Journal Comic was way underdone (at least in my opinion). To me, reading about peoples’ lives in detail is fascinating (both for the included and the excluded information), and I made Allan as a means of exploring that fascination.

ANTHONY: Yours was one of the first comics, web or print, I’ve encountered where the panels run vertically instead of horizontal. The only other comic I can think of that used that format consistently was the classic “Little Nemo in Slumberland” over 50 years ago. Why did you choose that format, and have you ever considered switching Allan to a more traditional form?

ALLAN: Little pieces to my comics, such as layout, composition, writing styles, etc., are usually products of my own preferences and experimentation. Personally, I prefer scrolling to read things. Not sure why—it’s possible that it’s in the same vein as newspaper articles reading “faster” when they are wrapped into tight confines.

As for changing the layout, I have considered it. In fact, I’ve made some unpublished Allan strips recently that have branched out of my vertical layout.

ANTHONY: Being a chronicle of your life, Allan isn’t always “work-safe” but it is always truthful. You’ve opened up about relationship problems, losing your virginity, even the car vs. bike accident you had. Is there anything you regret making public? Or anything you’ve left out or glossed over that you wish you had taken the time to draw and include?

ALLAN: I don’t regret a single thing I’ve drawn. I’ve tried to make it all as accurate and honest as I could. Do I regret letting some of it happen?—sure, but creating a timeline that in 20 years I can look back on and laugh at how stupid I was is surely nothing to apologize for!

ANTHONY: Allan isn’t a daily comic anymore … adulthood has brought more constraints on your time, but you’ve also branched out a bit with other webcomics projects. Before we talk about those projects, one last Allan question. Do you foresee a time when you’ll discontinue Allan in favor of other creative endeavors?

ALLAN: Allan’s always been my “time-killer” comic. If I have an idea, I can draw a strip in under an hour. Because of this, Allan’s toughed out all the slumps I’ve come across with my other comic endeavors. It’s easy to pick up, accessible, and just plain ol’ fun (from an artist’s perspective). Having said that, I could see Allan “ending” around Day 1000. I’m not saying I’ll ever stop drawing journal comics, but with trends in comics I’ve noticed lately, the Formatted Comic isn’t necessary for success. Expanding on that, people seem less interested in comics and more interested in the people who create comics they read. It’s an interesting phenomenon, but creating a bond between your readers and yourself is probably one of the best things any webcomic artist can do, and having that bond with my readers, I couldn’t just see myself leaving them without any kind of continuation, regardless as to whether it’s on a site called Allan or not.

ANTHONY: Your other currently-running webcomic is Blue Circus. Definitely NSFW! Tell us what it’s about, who the target audience is, and where it can be found.

ALLAN: I grew up drawing a lot of men. Dragon Ball Z was a big influence when I young. Akira Toriyama’s understanding of the male physique sprouted my own appreciation for the muscles that make up our bodies. However, I never really “got into” drawing girls. They’ve always been a difficult enigma for me to craft accurately, stylistically, and femininely.

Blue Circus began as just an art project. I wanted to draw girls. The problem was, I was having a hard time thinking up girls to draw and at the moment I had no reference photos or anything like that (I was home for a weekend visiting family). As I struggled to draw the female figure in different positions I realized that I wasn’t attached to these drawings. So I began thinking up a backstory, and as I did, I found myself becoming more and more attached to this girl I was drawing. Her name was Amy (Amy is now one of the main protagonists in Blue Circus).

So once I decided on one character, the rest kind of all fell into place. It’s definitely not a comic I expect commercial success with or anything, so I never planned on an audience. Rather, it’s a means for me to stretch my artistic wings when it comes to cartoony females and to practice my story plots on the side.

ANTHONY: You’ve never been shy about sexual topics, but you’re a bit more …. detailed, shall we say, in BC than you’ve been in any other project. So what made you decide to really “work blue,” as the Vegas comedians used to call it?

ALLAN: Blue, indeed. I think it’s a well-established fact that I like sex. A lot of people do. I can understand why, too. Sex is fun, funny, and fascinating. It’s intricate and detailed, and it reveals a lot about people. Consider the explicity of it to be an experimental character device (you can learn a lot about a character through their dreams). Blue Circus is not about sex, but rather the people who do sex, and I’m working trying to find a good balance. It should be noted that the nudity in Blue Circus is not gratuitous. I draw boobs and penises for reasons. I don’t just shove them into the panels so people can beat off to them.

ANTHONY: I definitely wouldn’t describe BC as “pornography.” Now, let’s talk creative process for a minute. There are plenty of differences between Allan and BC: real life vs. fiction, vertical vs. horizontal page layouts, etc. For BC, how do you decide the composition of each page, the length of each story arc, etc.?

ALLAN: Blue Circus story arcs begin with an idea. How well-thought out that idea is varies, but that’s its beginning point. Earlier in production, I would think up the dialogue in my head, draw the characters, and try to match the events together. Now, I kind of create one strip at a time, writing the dialogue (which usually has changed by the time I’m done drawing) to strips and then drawing them. It seems to be working better.

Other comics I’ve done, such as Red Future, I’ve written in their entirety. The problem was, the comics themselves took too long to make and I got bored with it, trying to rush to the “good parts.” Personally, I find myself more entertained with my works when I surprise myself with each update.

ANTHONY: Since we’re both LOST fans, you know I have to ask: Does BC have an intended end point, or are you just making it up as you go along?

ALLAN: Right now, the latter. The final moment hasn’t been decided upon. The girls are all in college, so the easy end would be graduation. However, that’s boring, and personally, I’d want to go out with more of a bang.

ANTHONY: One more blue question: Whatever happened to the Blue Squire?

ALLAN: That’s like asking Star Trek what happened with Tribbles. The Blue Squire was an in-joke pertaining to a Medieval Times experience I had when I was younger. Later he became a bit of a mascot for Allan, and at one point I was in the process of creating a storyline for The Squire, himself. Things fell through, though, and time got away from me. I don’t know if you’ve figured this out, yet, but I stop a lot of projects before fully completing them!

ANTHONY: See what I did there? And since I mentioned the Squire, you know I’m going to bring up two other unfinished projects of yours: whatever happened to DandE and Red Planet? Any thoughts about going back to either one?

ALLAN: DandE was a comic I created in the midst of making The 600. I drew it at school during math classes because apparently I didn’t already have enough comic projects going on (even though I very much did). I stopped it early after publishing it online because of time restraints. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel attached to the project enough to pick it back up. I still may include some of those old strips in an Allan anthology or something, but for now, it’s done.

As for Red Future, I became bored with its process. Personally, I do more than just draw. I have to write, produce, create, and once I had finished writing RF, all I was doing was copying down the info.

ANTHONY: Are your comics hand-drawn and then scanned, or done completely on the computer? In either case, what are the tools you prefer to use to create the art?

ALLAN: Usually my strips are hand-drawn with some kind of fancy pen (no pencil sketching) then scanned into the computer and cleaned up just a tidbit. Occasionally I will make a digital strip (that is, a strip drawn into my computer through the means of my Intuous 3 Wacom Tablet), but this is usually for convenience (or lack of materials). An Allan page looks best to me when it visually represents a journal comic, and you just don’t get the same feel with digital processes that you get with pen on paper.

ANTHONY: And for my usual final question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to recommend it to someone who hasn’t read it yet?

ALLAN: I’m not much of a book person. I should be, because I like learning, thinking, and imagining, but currently I find investing the time impossible (I like getting things done fast). However, Fahrenheit 451 is my favorite book. The world Bradbury weaves of his own volition frighteningly predicts what the world could become (and even stranger—what it already has),

ANTHONY: Thanks again for agreeing to be interviewed, Allan!

ALLAN: Thanks for having me! And thanks for being so patient.

You can follow Allan Wood on Twitter, find his page on Facebook, and read Allan and Blue Circus on the web.

ZACK TREMBLAY, Actor - Interview

One of the first folks I met on Twitter that I didn’t already know in real life was Zack Tremblay. Zack was just starting to make a name for himself as an music interviewer and reporter. In the past year he’s exploded, interviewing everyone in his age range from Justin Bieber to Allstar Weekend. He’s an authentic guy, truly passionate about the performers whose work he loves. I owe Zack a big thanks: if I hadn’t seen him tweet about Burnham, I’d not have gotten to know their music and more importantly the entire Burnham family.

Zack Tremblay

I conducted this interview with Zack a few weeks ago, and then dropped the ball and didn’t run it as quickly as I’d intended. So here it is. Thanks for being patient, Zack!

ANTHONY: Hey, Zack, thanks for letting me turn the tables and interview you. We’ve chatted on Twitter and Facebook informally, but this is our first “official” chat. So first off: you’re making quite a name for yourself as an interviewer. How did you get started down this road?

ZACK: I got started about a year ago! I actually inteviewed one of my good friends Ayla Brown from American Idol. After posting it people just kept asking if I had more interviews and I just decided to keep it going. I landed my first big interview with Hollywood Records recording artist Jesse McCartney which really kicked off my career in the entertainment industry.

ANTHONY: What’s been the biggest factor in your growth as an interviewer?

ZACK: I watch a lot of my interviews back, I always find an area that need improvement! If you were to watch one of my first interviews from a year ago and then watch one of my interviews now you can see the growth and my improvement in some areas.

ANTHONY: You’ve interviewed a lot of interesting up-and-coming musicians, so let’s play some word association. First word that pops into your mind when you think of:

Justin Bieber – Swag lol
Burnham – Brothers
KE$HA – the dollar sign
Allstar Weekend – Good Friends
Katelyn Tarver – Big Time Rush
Christina Grimmie – Piano & Selena Gomez
Zack Montana – Radio Disney
Jesse McCartney – Had It All

ANTHONY: Who are your dream ‘gets,’ the folks you’re dying to interview?

ZACK: I’d love to sit down with Taylor Swift!

ANTHONY: Tell us a bit about “Tremblay Tonight.”

ZACK: ‘Tremblay Tonight’ is my new series that premiered earlier this month! I have been planning this for quite some time and I have some exiting things in the works!

ANTHONY: How often will we be seeing new Tremblay Tonight episodes?

ZACK: You can catch ‘Tremblay Tonight’ every Sunday Night at 8/7c on my Official YouTube Page! One last thing: you can catch the 2011 ZMT Awards Presented by ‘Tremblay Tonight’ on December 18, 2011 at 8/7c! Special guests, performers and more TBA!

ANTHONY: You started up a charity group a while back. How’s that developing, and what can people do to be involved?

ZACK: ‘Tremblay Wings’ has been going really well! I kicked things off last month with a Charity event for Hasbro Children’s Hospital and ended up raising over $1,000! I have some big things in the works and I am currently planning something special for the Make a Wish foundation! And opportunities to help out with ‘Tremblay Wings’ will be coming real soon.

ANTHONY: You know I have to ask: are you related to mystery/noir author Paul G. Tremblay?

ZACK: No. lol

ANTHONY: And my usual final question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who has not read it in order to convince them that they should?

ZACK: I have to be honest, I don’t read very often but I have read the twilight series and all I have to say about that is: if you enjoy the movies you will like the books 10000 time better!

Finally I would like to say thank you to all my fans #TeamZackTremblay you guys are amazing and I would not be doing what I’m doing without the love and support you guys give me every day! I have some very exciting things coming up that I can’t speak of just yet but trust me you guys are going to be in for a wonderful surprise and thank you Anthony for always supporting me! You’re awesome –Z

ANTHONY: Thanks, Zack! Best of luck, and let’s talk again soon!

You can find Zack on Facebook, follow him on Twitter as @ZackTremblay, view Tremblay Tonight and other interviews on Zack’s Youtube channel, and visit his official website.