Author Interview: Allie Burke (Nowhere Train)

Malibu is pretty much the last place you’d expect a zombie 

apocalypse to happen, but that’s ground zero in Nowhere Train by Allie Burke.  

Here’s the description: 

Two-years post end-of-the-world, all Jetilyn Fournier wants to do is learn to navigate a world that is no longer her own. Surviving zombies feels easy, though, compared to dealing with her rocky relationship with her best friend, the death of her mother, her sister’s faux happiness, and her father’s sudden desire to speak, after decades of silence. Saving herself is not even something she can fit in at the moment. Enter Devlin Shea: for all intents and purposes, a mortal enemy. Though she should hate him instantly upon contact, she doesn’t, and before she knows it, Jett has another life to save. Told in the surreal prose that Allie Burke has come to be known for, Nowhere Train is the first zombie novel of its kind. At two parts hippie and one part magic, it is as deadly as it is beautiful; as dark as it is hopeful, baring the question in mind: who–and what–are Jett and her family really fighting for?

Allie is hanging out today to tell us all about this kick-ass book.

Tell me about Nowhere Train.

Nowhere Train is the first in a dystopian trilogy about the zombie apocalypse in Malibu Beach, California.

What inspired you to tell Jetilyn’s story?

Jetilyn’s story is very unique because I felt she was caught in between two (or three) worlds. She is the way she is because her family brought her up that way, but she has been exposed to so much through her friendship with Chris that I thought she could tell the story of zombies like no one else could. 

What drew you to writing in the zombie genre?  

I didn’t used to be into zombie fiction, but I’ve had a bit more exposure to it due to my brother being absolutely obsessed with it. My brother is very supportive of my work, so I wanted to write something he would truly enjoy. I really wrote it for him. Beyond that, it’s always my goal to write something that stands out from the genre, and so far, readers have confirmed that is the case with Nowhere Train.

The world you’ve created is divided into factions, The Holies, The Gunners, and The Enders. Can you explain those a bit? What inspired you to create these factions? 

It is really about The Holies versus The Gunners, and both of them versus The Enders. The Holies have adapted a holistic lifestyle wherein they don’t speak (most of the time) and The Gunners believe in living by force, which often involves weapons. The Enders are the zombies. My inspiration to write this series this way derived from my fascination with physical energy and auras.  

Now that Nowhere Train is released, what is next for you?

I’m working on Prius, the sequel (or prequel) to Nowhere Train.

Do you have any writing rituals?

No, I don’t. I’m always writing, no matter where I am or what I’m doing.

Where is your favorite place to write?

In independent coffee shops.

What inspires you to write? 

Everything.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Five books? Haha. I have an entire to-be-read-bookshelf. I’ll tell you what’s on my immediate list, ie what’s in my car and my purse: The Red Queen, First Frost, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, The Untouchables, and Unblocked.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

I recommend anything by John Green: books, videos, anything. He is my hero. 

You can connect with Allie online at her website.  

Author Interview: Amy Boyles (Rendered)

YOU GUYS! I have a awesome interview today with Amy Boyles, and we’re talking about her book RENDERED which seriously had me at hello.

Here's the official description:

Ten years ago, Drian Becker underwent the Rendering, a humiliating body exam imposed upon the masses by her father, a commander in the Patriot Army. Being a high ranking official’s daughter, Drian thought she was safe from the practice—not so. Her father’s betrayal left her emotionally scarred and dishonored. 

It’s now 2098. Drian hasn’t thought about the Rendering since she became leader of a rebel faction—mostly because she’s an expert at hiding her feelings behind a thick outer wall of badass attitude.  

All that changes when Colvin Hinton walks into her camp. With his easy swagger and even easier demeanor, Colvin makes being a rebel look good enough to taste. But when Drian finds herself tangled in his charms she lets down her guard, giving an old enemy the chance to take her out once and for all.  

If loving a man is this dangerous, would Drian have been better off remaining in the clutches of her father and living with the scars of being RENDERED?

It’s got a great set up, a creepy world, and a kick ass heroine and a smokin’ hot hero. So let’s get to it! (PS: Giveaway at the bottom of the post! Go and enter!) 

Tell us a bit about RENDERED.

Sure thing. The year is 2099. All the oil is gone. So is the United States government as we know it. It’s been replaced by a faction called the Patriot Party, a group that maintains control of the people by imprisoning anyone who speaks out against them and by subjecting young women to the Rendering, a physical exam that you either pass or fail. Pass it and you’ll marry well, most likely to someone the party has picked out for you. Fail and you’ll be removed from all good society. 

RENDERED follows Drian, a rebel who’s failing miserably at leading her group of people. Her band is on the verge of mutiny when Colvin, a rebel from a neighboring group, appears with a solution to her problem—all she has to do is trust him. That’s easier said than done. Drian’s been burned by those she’s loved and trusted before and wants to avoid it happening again at all costs. But her attraction to Colvin is impossible to ignore. Can Drian give herself over to passion without getting attached? 

Can you explain what a “rendering” is? What sparked the idea for a “rendering”? And is it something only forced on the women? 

Simply put, the Rendering is a virginity test. Doesn’t sound that bad, right? However, the procedure is used as a tool to determine what happens next to the young woman. Pass the exam (be found whole) and you bring respect to your family. Fail and you humiliate them. The Patriot Party also uses this as a means of controlling the masses—after all, you have no choice but to allow your daughter go through with the test. If a mother or father decided to speak against the party at the time their daughter was being rendered, she might not return to them in one piece. 

What sparked the idea? I have no clue. It just came to me in the middle of writing UNLIKELY REBEL, book one in the Dark Revolution series (of which RENDERED is book two). 

I love rebel factions! Can you tell us a bit more about the rebels Drian joins? What are they trying to overthrow?

So the rebels want to overthrow the Patriot Party. Since the party has come into power, not only have they mandated the Rendering, but they’ve also forced people to dress from the time period of the American Revolution, outlawed weapons and rationed food. People who live in cities and towns must line up daily to receive their ration of bread, cheese or whatever is available that day. People have very little to hope for in this world that they no longer control. 

This book has a real post-apocalyptic ring to it. Are you drawn to post-apocalyptic themes? If so, do you have any ideas why?

That’s a good question. I never considered writing anything post-apocalyptic until this idea came to me. I generally write fantasy or contemporary novels. Once the idea for this series hit me, I felt I needed to get it out. 

What are you working on now? Any new books on the horizon?

I’m currently writing book four in the Dark Revolution series. In this book, girls who fail the Rendering are sent to a place called the Hold, which is part workhouse/part hell. There, we meet a woman named Tess who knows a secret that could ruin the Patriot Party. But will she be able to share it with the right people before the party finds her and kills her? You’ll just have to read it to find out.  

Do you have any writing rituals?

Yes, I make a cup of coffee before I start writing every morning. Every single day I drink that cup as I work. 

Where is your favorite place to write?

My kitchen table. I have a couple of desks but there’s something about the space that table affords that I like the most. 

What inspires you to write? 

Knowing that one day I will be able to quit my day job. That inspires me. Also, great characters living inside my head fighting to get out. 

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Revival by Stephen King

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

That depends on the person and what their interests are. If you live in a city with an active theater community—go see plays. Hear how people talk to one another. Go sit in a subway or airport and watch people. See how one person’s movements affect another person’s. Eat awesome food. Read whatever you want, but if you like fantasy read Mistborn, if you like romance, read Pride and Prejudice, if you like suspense, ask someone else because I’m not well versed in that genre.

Amy is giving away three copies of RENDERED and two $10 Amazon gift cards. Enter below! 

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Author Interview: R.S. Mellette (Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand)

Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand is an enchanting upper middle grade novel that will make you believe in the power of magic. 

Here’s the official blurb:

"E = mc2 is no longer the most powerful force in the universe. Your wand is." Twelve-year-old Billy and his best friend Suzy Quinofski didn't mean to change the universe. Billy, a quantum physics prodigy, just wanted to find a way to help his hoarding, schizophrenic mother – and maybe impress a coven of older girls in high school. Suzy, his intellectual equal, wanted to help her friend and cling to her last remnant of childhood, a belief in magic. Together they made Billy a real, working, magic wand, and opened a door to the Quantum World where thoughts create reality, and all things – good and bad – are possible.

Author R.S. Mellette’s career trajectory spans film, television and theater, in addition to fiction writing.  He worked on Xena! Let me repeat that: HE WORKED ON XENA! 

I am thrilled he agreed to join us today to introduce us to the smartest kid in the universe!

(By the way, there's a Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post. Xena fans for sure will want to check it out.)

Tell me about Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand.

This book is the story of a 12-year-old kid, Billy, who is into quantum physics, and his best friend, Suzy Quinofski, who is into microbiology.  Together they make a real, working, magic wand… but have no idea how to use it.

I've tried to make this a science-fiction book for the whole family.  I can't wait to find out from readers if they feel that I've succeeded.

What inspired you to tell Billy’s story?

There were a lot of little things that inspired Billy's story, which is to say, if fans read or hear different stories, don't fret.  They are all true.  One of the things that got me started was spending time in the Science-Fiction section of bookstores.  They are packed with vampires, werewolves, witches and wizards.  Don't get me wrong, I love those stories, but they aren't sci-fi. 

My inner 12-year-old got into a huff about it, so I started thinking, "if you want witches and wizards in the Sci-Fi section, then have them come from a scientific source."

About that time, the movie The Craft reran on TV.  It's a great movie to watch on a rainy day, or a late night.  This time, my inner 12-year-old asked me why I didn't hang out with girls like that coven when I was their age.  I laughed.  "Yeah, like those girls would give you (me), a kid totally into science, the time of day."

The idea of a science nerd like me having a crush on a coven of witches joined with my desire to see more Science in the Science-Fiction section got the creative juices flowing.

Can you bring us into your world a little bit? Billy and his best friend “made” a magic wand. How does the real world change for them? 

For one thing, they get two new friends from the Quantum World.  It turns out that Billy knows a ton about quantum physics, but it's aware that beings live in that reality.  Where we are mostly mass, with a tiny bit of energy, they are mostly energy with a tiny bit of mass.

It turns out that Billy's wand opens a connection between these two worlds, which have had a symbiotic relationship as long as life as existed.

When Billy first uses the wand all he wants to do is escape the ridicule and bullying from the entire school, so he disappears.  For real, totally, disappears from the universe.  That scares him so badly that he and Suzy use the wand sparingly from then on.  They only have a vague idea how it works, and are a little freaked out by the power of what they have made.

In writing this book, I think I've spent more time asking myself, "How would our world change if we could make real magic?"  It then gets more complicated when that power is in the hands of kids.  Still, I approach the question from an adult perspective.  This isn't a "silly" book.  I hope it will make the reader think as much as I have had to.

How did they pull off creating this wand? What was the “science” behind it?

That's the question of the first half of the book.  Let's see if I can explain it without giving away too many secrets.

Einstein tells us that Space and Time are connected, and that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.  But… paired quantum particles – which, when you change the spin of one, the other one changes its spin instantly – change their spin faster than a single could move from one particle to the other.  So, something is able to break the universe's speed limit.  That's all real science.

Billy puts all of that together, to figure out that there are multiple timelines, so many that pretty much anything you can think of exists somewhere in an alternate time/space connection.  He thinks that something locks us in our linear time, and if he can break that link, he can create magic, which he defines as "seemingly unrelated cause and effect."

Suzy figures out what the key is that locks us in our timeline.  Billy then figures out how to use that to create magic.

Billy’s mom is mentally ill (specifically schizophrenic). How does this effect Billy’s world outlook?  

Billy wishes more than anything that his mother would be "normal."  It is a big driving force in what makes him want to create magic.  Later, he learns that her paranoid belief that the neighbor's yard gnomes are spying the family is actually true and that the universe is a much more complex place than he ever imagined.

You’ve worked a great deal in film/television/theater. How different is the experience of writing a novel from these other mediums? 

The biggest thing about writing a novel is that there's no crew.  I have to make all of the decisions about clothes, hair, makeup, props, sets, etc.  I don't want to do all of that.  I just want to say, "Int. Billy Bobble's Room – Day" and get on with the story. 

Plays, for either stage or screen, are like an orchestra score.  It's not the finished product, the performance is.  Novels are the final version, so they require as much energy as making a movie or staging a show – not just writing the script.

What skills from TV/film writing did you use while writing Billy Bobble? Anything you had to completely throw away? 

What I had to throw away?  The word "suddenly."  That's used in screenplays all the time, but in a book if you say, "suddenly" such-&-such happens, then it's no longer sudden.  When I cut the word, the reader gets the shock value that I'm looking for.

Of course, the basics of storytelling doesn't change – and that's a major part of all writing.  I would have to say that my acting training comes in handy with dialogue.  Having performed words by Neil Simon, David Mamet, Shakespeare, etc., and having written plays for stage and screen, where dialogue is the major way of getting the story out, it helps a lot when writing novels.  I know dialogue is a difficult thing for a lot of novelists, so they try to avoid it.  I revel in dialogue.  I hope my readers do, too.

Do you have any writing rituals?

For the longest time, I was a catch-as-catch-can writer, stealing time whenever and wherever I could.  Often during my day jobs.  I used to love showing up to a temp job with a notebook and hear, "oh good, you brought something to do."

Now, I write more at home.  When I need to build up the energy to write, I'll watch something I like on TV, like Dr. Who or anything by Aaron Sorkin.  Good writing gets me excited to do my own.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My office at home.

What inspires you to write? 

Mostly boredom.  If my mind isn't entertained, then it starts to entertain itself – which I then write down.  I know that's counter to my good writing comment above, but that's life.  It's complicated.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

This sounds like a shameful plug for my publisher, but it's the truth, anything from Elephant's Bookshelf Press.  I just finished Battery Brothers, which I recommend to anyone, but especially writers.  The first chapter of that book should go into a how-to textbook.  It's brilliant.

Cat Woods just edited a collection of short stories for EBP called Tales from the Bully Box, and I can't wait to dig into that.  I'm also looking forward to her novel in 2015.

I've also gone through the first two books of the Maze Runner series, a few Artemis Fowl books, a couple of Percy Jacksons, etc.

I'm also reading a lot of biographies of artist from the 16^th century for another project.  So I go from kid-lit to stories about Popes and their courtesans, it's a bit of a mind trip.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

Whatever they enjoy. Become an unabashed fan of whatever makes you happy.  When you've learned everything about it, you can make something like it that makes you just as happy – and that will make other people who like what you like happy, too.  That might lead you to making a living at something you love – and that can make for a great life.

You can find  R.S. Mellette on Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook. 

Here's the giveaway details:

1st Prize- *signed* copy of Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand

2nd Prize- Season two of Xena: Warrior Princess

Open to US only; Ends 2/25/15

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Author Interview: Clarissa Johal (STRUCK)

We are at the one year release anniversary of Clarissa Johal’s spectacularly creepy novel STRUCK.  She’s hanging out with us today to talk about her writing inspiration, her love of thunderstorms, and how doing a few plies keeps her writing mind nimble! 

But first, here’s the synopsis:

After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.

And now to the interview! (Honestly, I found my self nodding and yes-ing so much of through this interview, it's like Clarissa is my spirit guide. But not in a stalker-y way. I swear I am not that creepy.) 

Tell us a bit about STRUCK.

STRUCK is my second paranormal novel through Musa Publishing. I was inspired to write STRUCK during a terrific thunderstorm several years ago. I was out running and wondered what it would be like to be struck by lightning in the paranormal sense. I went to bed that night with the idea kicking around and ended up having a nightmare. When I woke, the whole of the book was in my head. I started doing research and interviewed several lightning strike survivors. The aftermath of a lightning strike can be pretty devastating. 

And God this book sounds creepy! I love the idea of Julian sort of straddling good and evil. Where did you come up with the idea for him?

Thank you! I aim for creepy. Julian came to me as most of my characters come to me—completely formed. He had his own ideas about what he would and wouldn’t do in my story. My characters always seem to have their own agendas, I just write it down.

What supernatural entity is he, or would that be a spoiler?

Julian has been claimed by dark entities that live within the “particular” energy manifesting as a lightning strike. He isn’t a demon but more of a dark soul. Telling you more than that would be a spoiler, but I will say this—the cycle has been going on for quite some time.

Can you tell us why was Gwynneth chosen by Julian?

There’s a part of Julian that feels a kinship with Gwynneth; she’s an artist and he was an artist. But initially, Gwynneth was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s only as the story progresses that Julian struggles with his initial intent.

You have some wonderful side characters. What do you love about writing sidekicks?

Thank you! I love to make them as interesting as the main character. My side characters have lives and back stories of their own. I always try and write with the idea that, if I wanted to, I could turn them into main characters and write another book just as interesting. 

Weather clearly plays a huge part in this story. Do you have a favorite weather event? I love anything with howling wind. (Except sleet, because that’s when I want precipitation to make up its damn mind!) 

I LOVE thunderstorms. Love them. Howling wind is always a plus, but if you’ve got lots of thunder and lightning going on, I’m usually outside playing in it. 

How old were you when you saw your first horror movie? What was it?

My parents were pretty strict about the television and movies I watched. I was a pretty sensitive kid, so that was probably a good thing. It wasn’t a horror movie, but I remember watching the 1971 version of Omega Man with Charlton Heston. I would have been about seven years old. I have no idea why my parents thought it was okay for me to watch, other than it was billed as science fiction. The afflicted albino mutants scared the crap out of me. I had nightmares for weeks! I’m good with most horror movies but once you start messing with the eyes, I’m done. The eyes are the windows to the soul. 

What drew you to gothic horror?

I started out writing fantasy. I was working on a trilogy when I was hit with the characters of Cronan and Lucas from BETWEEN. They wouldn’t leave me alone. I would wake with their back story in my head, I would get flashes of their homeland and people they knew—I felt like I knew their lives inside and out. It was weird. It took me about a month to write the rough draft, which never happens, it usually takes me much longer. I joke I was pulled into the Otherworld with BETWEEN because it changed my life. I’ve been writing paranormal and gothic horror ever since. 

Do you have a favorite gothic horror novel?

I really enjoyed Brom’s Krampus: The Yule Lord. He was able to portray Krampus as a sympathetic antagonist, which is always a plus. I just read An Inquiry into Love and Death by Simone St. James and enjoyed it. Anything by Neil Gaiman is instantly on my “to read” list. I have a bit of a writerly crush on him. 

What are you working on now? Any new books on the horizon?

Yes! I have a paranormal psychological horror VOICES coming out May 19, 2015 through Permuted Press. I’m also working on THE ISLAND which should be ready to submit to my publisher by January.

Do you have any writing rituals?

No secrets here, I’m OCD when it comes to my writing day. First, I’ll start with coffee. Coffee is a must. Two cups of Gevalia French roast in the morning. Then, I get my daughters off to school. From there, I hit the gym, come home, have breakfast and do some ballet (I’ve been dancing for about 20 years). After I get my body in gear, I write. By noon, I’m slumping so I have to eat almonds because I’m addicted to them. Blue Diamond Honey Roasted almonds, to be exact. Then, I write some more until it’s time to pick up my daughters from school. My day in a nutshell, haha. 

Where is your favorite place to write?

I have a chair in the living room that reclines. It’s my favorite chair because it’s beside the fireplace and I can look out the window. If I’m feeling restless, I’ll write upstairs in my dance studio so I can plié between scenes. I can’t write when other people are home, though. It messes up the energy. 

What inspires you to write? 

Art inspires me. I’ll see a painting or some relic an anthropologist has found and stories will come to me in a rush. It’s almost painful not to write them down. A lot of times, characters speak to me and tell me their stories. I just write them down. That sounds weird but writers are a weird bunch. 

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Hmm, I just bought The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue. I’m excited to read that. I’m also reading Doctor Sleep by Stephen King and Last Stand of Dead Men (Book #8 in the Skullduggery Pleasant Series) by Derek Landy. I generally can’t read “for fun” when I’m writing because it has tendency to change my writing style. Right now I’m reading (for research): Darkness Walks: The Shadow People Among Us by Jason Offutt and The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger by Patricia Lysaght. 

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

To see (out and about): My recommendation is to go to an art museum. Look at pretty things. Take a friend or take your child, but just go. There’s something special about art. 

To see (at home): I rarely watch television, but I’m really into American Horror Story: Freakshow right now. There’s some great writing going on with that series. I would love to collaborate with those writers. 

To read: I think any of the books I’ve mentioned are worth a read but people have different tastes. 

To hear: Corvus Corax is a great band but not to everyone’s tastes. If you like bagpipes and neo-medieval type music, give them a listen. 

If you want to stalk Clarissa along with me online you visit her website, or hook up with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Author Interview: Gustavo Florentin (The Schwarzschild Radius)

I'm stepping away from the paranormal today to feature the contemporary thriller,  The Schwarzschild Radius, set in my fair city. When Rachel's sister goes missing, the 18-year-old Columbia University student falls into a violent underworld of child pornography, snuff films, and other horrific crimes. In searching for her sister, Rachel finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who "auctions the deaths of young girls in an eBay of agony." This book is not for the faint of heart, with trigger warnings galore, but it's getting some terrific reviews, and worth a look if you like exciting but unsettling reads.

You can visit author Gustavo Florentin over on his website, connect with him on Facebook. And look for the giveaway at the end of the interview -- it's for a $50 Amazon gift card!

Tell me about The Schwarzschild Radius. What inspired you to tell Rachel’s story?

The Schwarzschild Radius had its genesis decades ago when I attended the Bronx High School of Science. I met so many brilliant young people there and a few years later I thought it would be a good idea to write a story about some geniuses who solve a mystery using their wits. 

What type of world is the New York City that you have created in the book? Is it similar to the NYC we know, or are there certain elements that you created? 

The New York City in the book really exists, though it may not be something most people are familiar with. The abandoned subway tunnels, for instance, go back to the Civil War, and there really are people living in some of them. They are called “mole people." (Ed note: For those interested, there's a great book from the early 90s, about the homeless that live in the abandoned subway tunnels, The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath NYC) 

What drew you to writing thrillers?  

I started out reading the classics when I was young. Later, I came to admire devices like plot twists and surprise endings. There are many more of those in thrillers than in The Brothers Karamazov, for example. I really liked The Day of the Jackal. Forsythe combined research, suspense and a beautifully elegant writing style into a blockbuster and that book really set the bar for me. 

Many of the reviews for this book focus on how frightening and dangerous the world is that Rachel dives into. And that the “monsters” are real rather than paranormal creatures make it all the more horrific. Is it difficult to write “human” monsters? How do you get into their heads?  

I can identify to some extent even with the bad guys, but at some point, I simply have to use a lot of technique. These antagonists are SO evil that it’s hard to get into their skin. I find that making them intelligent and at times reserved is more effective than making them act over the top all the time. That would get tiresome and the evil would lose its impact. 

You have a fascinating, very technical day job! Is it tough moving between engineer and writer? How do you balance the two? 

One has nothing to do with the other, it’s true. Sometimes when I’ve had a really stressful day I have to unwind before writing by listening to music or playing the violin for a while. When you’re doing one job, you really have to forget the other. Needless to say, I would rather be writing than solving IT problems. 

Now that The Schwarzschild Radius is released, what is next for you?

I’m working on my next thriller, but I find that marketing The Schwarzschild Radius takes more time than I thought it would. Marketing is not something you give much thought to when you start writing. I don’t really care for self-promotion, but it’s a reality of the writing life. My new novel is a political thriller where the main character is John McKenna, the detective in The Schwarzschild Radius. I needed someone with his background and he fit the bill perfectly, so that saved me the trouble of creating a new protagonist. 

Do you have any writing rituals?

Yes, I tend to read first. I’m usually reading four or five books at a time and I’ll read a chapter of each to get into the groove. Then I’ll read what I wrote yesterday, then I’ll start writing my day’s quota, which is 500 words during the week and 1000 to 1500 words on the weekends. It’s a tough regimen between my day job, marketing The Schwarzschild Radius and having a  life. 

Where is your favorite place to write?

I do all my writing on a home-made lapdesk in front of my fireplace. I have a really nice office which I use for my engineering work, but when I quit for the day, I don’t go back in there. 

What inspires you to write?  

I like originality. I’ll always look for an original premise and I have to be able to condense it into a great pitch under 30 words. Above all, the idea has to move me. I have to get the feeling that this story HAS to be told. Only then can I commit a couple of years of my life to writing it. 

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

It’s all over the map. Money Shot, by Crista Faust, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, The Snow Leopard by Peter Mathiessen, Hollywood by Gore Vidal and an Agatha Christie collection. 

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

Well, certainly if you’re into fiction and drama, immerse yourself in it. Find an inexpensive playhouse and see plays whenever you can. Read history, classics and the modern works. I watch a lot of foreign films on Netflix. Get a feel for what’s been done, so when you get an idea, you’ll know if it’s worthy. 

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Author Interview: H.D. Smith (Dark Awakened)

H.D. Smith had me at “demon.” 

Seriously. 

I am in the plotting phase of two new books and both are about demons. And I have a demon in the Hell’s Belle series (good old Bertrand) that is slowly becoming my favorite character to write. So, these days I am obsessed with demons.

Now, add in that H.D.’s heroine works for The Demon King, and, just like your boss, he doesn’t offer dental. Needless to day, I am in book love and thrilled that H.D. is going to hang out with us today.

(By the way, there's a Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post. Enter to win both books in the Devil's Assistant series, and a $75 Amazon gift card!)

Tell me about Dark Awakened (Book 2 in the Devil’s Assistant series).

Dark Awakened picks up right where Dark Hope left off … in the elevator with Death!

Claire has just walked away from the Devil’s protection … to live free or die … but unfortunately she can’t avoid the Bounty Hunter sent to return her to Purgatory, or her fate in being “the girl” in the prophecy.

What’s a typical work day look like for a devil’s assistant?

Claire doesn’t spend much time in the office in book 2, but in book 1 her duties included processing “early retirements” (HR inside joke for calling a human’s debt due), handling maintenance’s requests for dental (no one gets dental), and passing along bad news from senior leaders at the company (like the IRS audit the VP of Finance refuses to report).

Did you work as an assistant? Okay, what I really want to ask is, did working as an assistant spark the idea for the series? (Was your boss a devil?) 

Well … I’ve never worked for the Devil, but my last boss was known for his willingness to handle employees on a plan (read about to be fired), he had horns that someone gave him as a joke after the third firing (before my time at that job) … of course when he read an early version of book 1 he couldn’t stop hearing my voice as Claire … so of course I told him he was “The Boss” :)

Can you tell us a little bit about Claire and her powers?

Claire is twenty-one. Her life was interrupted five years ago when the Devil called in her mother’s debt, which apparently she’d inherited. At the beginning of book 1 Claire thinks she’s just an unlucky human, but after a trip to Purgatory, her powers are awakened and she starts learning who she really is. By the end of book 1 she has unbound her powers and is able to use astral projection, a bit of touch magic, a form of persuasion, and null spells (almost any spell that is directly cast on her). She can also see through most veils and with the help of an embedded translator, hear and read almost anything as English. Her powers change in book 2, she gains a few new skills and enhances her existing powers in new and exciting ways.

Death is a character in your book. Can you tell us about him? And what’s Claire’s relationship with him?

Claire gets really bad news at the end of book 1. Although Death is cursed to love another, he has the ability to make her feel loved. She has the ability to remind him of his lost love … not exactly a relationship made in Heaven, but something they both need … or so she believes, which is why she agrees to let him hide her from the Devil. Unfortunately that doesn’t work out very well for either of them. 

Now that Dark Awakened is released, what’s next for you?

I have four books planned in the Devil’s Assistant series. Originally it was going to be a trilogy, but there is a very strong “4” theme in the books, and I always wanted to write four books for this series (one for each contender). I have started reworking book 3 (major rewrites ahead after editing books 1 & 2), and I have a plan for book 4. In between all of this I’m working on a new edit of my novellas. I learned a lot editing Dark Hope and I want to show my earlier works some of that love :) While my main focus is four books for the series, that doesn’t mean I won’t revisit the world again … you never know which character may get its own book.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Not any rituals, but I absolutely CANNOT “plan” a book … it is the kiss of death if I try to outline. I usually have a game plan and I go from there … pantser here, all the way! 

Where is your favorite place to write?

My day job occasionally means my “office” is onboard a cruise ship … which isn’t as exciting as it sounds (trust me) … during my downtime (what little there is) I have been known to lounge around on deck 4 with my feet up and my laptop open writing as the ocean waves float by. Back in the real world, my favorite place to write is at my sit-stand-treadmill-desk (google it … it is the most awesome thing ever).

What inspires you to write? 

I get these crazy stories in my head and I’m compelled to archive them for future generations ;) … seriously, I just like telling complicated stories that could twist in on themselves at any moment and implode … or unwind in a way that is pure magic. 

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

I almost never have real books anymore. Most of the ones I have are from a conference last year … I’m an audiobook-a-holic … I love audiobooks. I’ve just started reading (listening to) the Imp series by Debra Dunbar. I have an absurd number of audiobooks on my “shelf” … according to audible the count is 979, 271 of which are from this year … I listen at 2x speed, always buy my credits in bulk, and absolutely love the new “professional narration” option when you purchase ebooks that have an audiobook available.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

I hear the Devil’s Assistant series by HD Smith is awesome ;)

Some other favorite audio series to consider are:

 - Jane Yellowrock series by  Faith Hunter

 - Jane Jameson series by Molly Harper

 - Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

 - Elder Races series by Thea Harrison

 - Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh

 - Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh

 - New Species series by Lauren Dohner

 - Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep 

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Author Interview: Jessica Robinson (Undead Obsessed: Finding Meaning in Zombies)

Jessica Robinson's Undead Obsessed: Finding Meaning in Zombies tackles the confluence of zombies and our fears of science. Examining zombies through the lens of popular culture, and mixed with interviews from experts in various scientific fields, Undead Obsessed attempts to crack the code of what makes our attraction and repulsion to zombies such a favorite past time. I am thrilled she took a few minutes to talk about her book and our fascination with these rotting reanimated corpses. 

You went on kind of this epic journey to research this book—visits to water treatment plants and university veterinary medicine labs to learn about pathogens. How did you decide what you wanted to include in the book?

The original inspiration for the book came from watching an episode of The Walking Dead when the living characters have to get a zombie out of a well.  It made me curious about how pathogens travel through water, hence the visits to the treatment plants.  Then, I decided I should probably know exactly how pathogens behave, so the visit to the vet lab.  The more I learned, the more questions I had, so the more places/people I had to visit.  It was a so much fun!

What zombie movie influenced you the most?

This is actually a really hard question to answer because every movie influenced me in a different way.  Although, without Night of the Living Dead, my obsession would have never started.

How did you connect our fear of zombies to fear of science? How are they connected?

Well, it took some thought and looking at a multitude of films.  I think the puzzle pieces really fell into place while watching World War Z and how science played a role in that, then going back and looking at the other films.

Science or scientists are in practically all zombie films in one form or another—and it’s usually not a very flattering role.  They are usually portrayed as mad scientists, and like zombies, they are focused on achieving their goals (whatever those might be) without regard for human lives or morals.

These weird pandemics are kind of in the zeitgeist, between the recent ebola scare to the enterovirus outbreak. Do you see similarities in the way the public reacted to these scares, and the way you envision a reaction to a zombie outbreak?

Absolutely.  The fear of an epidemic usually comes way before the facts.  We convince ourselves that the illness will be the downfall of society and instantly start pointing fingers at people to blame, and those people are generally scientists.  Instead of preparing for the worst, we just blame it on others.  Much like the zombie apocalypse in these films, it catches us unprepared and unaware, so most of us are killed or turned into the undead.  By working together, that’s when things can truly get accomplished.

I generally poo poo the idea of zombies becoming a real thing, but then spot a news story about some weird disease, either unexplained or caused by some chemical compound (bath salts!) that does something shockingly awful, and rethink my “rational” thought. Do you think zombie-ism is possible in our future? 

I think it depends on how you define “zombie.”  If you look at it from a traditional sense—a corpse that is reanimated—then no.  But if you look at it as someone who becomes mindless and is driven by impulse and base desires, then yes.  As you mentioned, we’ve already seen this type of behavior.

Over the past few years, the popularity of zombies has just exploded in pop culture. What do you think is the reason for this sudden fascination?

I’ve been trying to figure this out, and I’m not really sure.  Monsters go through cycles.  A few years ago, it was vampires.  Before that, werewolves.  At the moment, zombie are the monsters du jour.

Your zombies are usually found in your YA fiction. What made you decide to write a non-fiction piece? Was the process different for you? Would you do another non fiction piece?

I’ve always wanted to write nonfiction about zombies, but I never knew what I wanted to write.  When inspiration hit, I had to get it down on paper.  Undead Obsessed is actually my second nonfiction book dealing with horror films.  My first one was Life Lessons from Slasher Films.  I would absolutely do another nonfiction book.  I’m just waiting for inspiration to hit.

The process was much different because I was looking at it from a different perspective.  For my YA books, I look at ways in which people can survive the undead.  In this book, I look at ways in which the undead can be created and how science plays a role in that creation.

Now that Undead Obsessed is released, what’s next for you?

I have another YA book coming out in January.  It is the sequel to The Appeal of Evil, and it is called Dealing with Devils.  Currently, I’m working on the third book in this series.  No title yet.  I have a middle grade book coming out in April/May called The Ifs Return.  It is the sequel to The Ifs.  After that, I plan on doing another YA zombie book.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Not really.  I just squeeze it in when I can.

Where is your favorite place to write?

At home.

What inspires you to write? 

The voices in my head won’t shut up until I get their story down on paper.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Crap!  I can only think of two!

1.  Alien: Sea of Sorrows

2.  The History of Wyoming

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

Whatever interests them and makes them happy.  

Author Interview: AJ Aalto (Touched, The Baranuik Files)

I recently bought a copy of Touched, which is the first book in her Marnie Baranuik Files series. (How cool is that cover, by the way?) Immediately, I was sucked into Marnie's world, and having a blast with all the characters. So I jumped at the chance to interview AJ Aalto to talk about the series. And she loves goofballs!  

Tell me about Touched. What inspired you to tell Marnie’s story?

I had been working on an epic fantasy novel that was breaking my brain and needed a break. My good friend who was acting as a beta reader suggested I try something lighter, something just for fun. I started Touched as a joke, actually, making up a silly main character who was an amalgamation of several of my goofiest friends and myself, asking myself how they (and I) would face serious monster problems. That's how Marnie was born. I fell in love soon after. I abandoned the epic fantasy and focused on having fun with Marnie.

I am only part way through the book, and I love it so far. She is such a bad ass, take no shit character, and her side kick revenant is just wonderfully drawn, and they have such a tight relationship! Correct me if I am wrong, but in the Touched world, psychics like Marnie are paired off with vampires in a very interesting way. Can you explain that a bit more?  

Usually the revenant chooses a mundane mortal companion to guard him during his daylight sleeping hours, when he is most vulnerable. He will share his particular psychic Talents with this DaySitter. They will live together, and he will feed from her, and they will share a unique metaphysical Bond. In Marnie's case, Harry was an inheritance from her grandmother, Vi. Harry and Marnie both had the option to opt out of this, and it was merely a suggestion in Vi's will, but they both accepted and went forward together. Before Bonding with Harry, Marnie was not psychic at all. She gained her Talents from the Bond with Harry and from continued cohabitation. 

What sparked the idea to pair revenants with human caretakers?  

I always wondered why Dracula and other vampires didn't have an army of bodyguards. Sure, they're immortal, but they have so many vulnerabilities. Even being monsters, they have the ability to sway human minds, and they have an obscene amount of money, it only made sense they'd have protectors. That thought lead to: what if it was just one person, but they had some extra superpowers? Maybe borrowed psychic powers? And that lead to: what if this main character was a bodyguard of sorts, but she kinda sucked at it in funny ways? I mean, who says the vampire/revenant would always pick a successful bodyguard? Maybe they'd choose badly based on some personal quirk. Harry chose Marnie because she made him laugh. That's not the best reason to basically hire someone who will be caring for your life, but Harry was bored by four hundred years of people who were good at things, was surprised by her unusual ways. He also saw an opportunity to take a hot mess and reshape her into someone more manageable. Much to my delight, Harry hasn't had much success with that though bless his heart, he keeps trying. 

When we first meet Marnie, we learn that her first job with the FBI turned out to be a total fail. I love that we were dropped into the world with this situation already done and over. But, I have to ask, have you considered doing prequel?

I have considered it, and may. I'm still toying with it. I'd like to see early Batten. He's really mellowing in the later books (I'm currently writing the fourth in the series) as he gets more familiar with Harry and Marnie and the realities of immortals who live within the law, but I'd prefer to see him at Full Jerk strength, the way we meet him in Touched. I've always had an inexplicable urge to boff jerks. 

Touched is the first in a series, can you tell us about the others?

In Death Rejoices, Marnie starts working full-time with the FBI's Preternatural Crimes Unit and deals with the early days of a possible zombie plague, and an assistant who may or may not be trying to steal her job. You can perhaps imagine how our accident-prone, goofball heroine might deal with that. In Dirt Nap, Marnie must deal with a stone boggle in a pit mine. In Cold Company, a much darker short story, Marnie pops home to Canada to help trace a missing person. In Last Impressions, Marnie returns home again, this time to explore whether or not the Welland Canal is haunted by a killer ghost, and what's happening at an underwater graveyard. The fun part about Last Impressions is that the underwater graveyard I wrote about actually exists about five minutes from my house. I was able to tromp around that area and the local "haunted" Blue Ghost Tunnel for research. Readers can Google the area and learn about the true stories that inspired this book.

What are you working on now? And when can we expect to see it?

I've retired from my day job and am writing full time now, currently working on the fourth full-length novel in the series, called Wrath & Bones. I have no estimate for the deadline yet. I figure I'll be looking at a spring release.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Every night, I get my desk ready for the morning's work, set out my tea supplies and do a quick read to set up what I might need to start with. I set my alarm for 4 AM, and get up early every morning (unless I'm sick). I write until the kids are up for school, and return to writing by 9. I write again until late afternoon. Evenings are for exploring what I've done and deciding what I might need my editor's advice about; he's good to brainstorm with. Some Sunday mornings, I print out a few chapters and take my red or pink pen and go to a local breakfast place to eat eggs and drink tea and do edits on paper. I almost always do my own edits on paper. I do ten or fifteen editing passes before I give it to my editor for him to do his first pass. I may have to do two or three rewrites after he's done his work, so I face more 4 AM work mornings when I get his notes. After release day, it starts all over again with the next book.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My office used to be our dining room. It's been invaded by bookshelves, cork boards, and my desk. I'm most productive there.

What inspires you to write?

The short answer would be: human goofiness. I love all the different, hilarious ways that normal, non-heroic people mishandle difficulties. I'm not interested in writing about people who are awesome at everything they do, or flawlessly beautiful, or always have the right answer. I find that boring and I couldn't face writing that sort of character unless they were truly secondary...or the bad guy. I love regular people who screw things up and then make good. I love the final victory of a lovable doofus. 

What five books are on your bookshelf right now?

I have over four thousand paperbacks on my bookshelves. They groan. They whimper. I have a couple dozen beside my bed right now, too. The one I'm currently making my way through again is Stephen King's The Stand. I hadn't read it in about five years and was in the mood to revisit the characters. I'm also reading the Winter King by Bernard Cornwell. It's excellent.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

If you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, you must. It's awesome. (Warning: graphic near the end.) I loved reading the Janet Evanovich books; she just cracks me up. Exactly the kind of goofy characters I was talking about. I enjoyed the Belgariad series by David Eddings and am still working through the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher. I would highly recommend anything by Martin Amis.