Feb 21

Vanessa A. Ryan Releases Her First Novel in a Brand New Series

vanessa a ryan

Vanessa A. Ryan is an actress in Southern California. She was born in California and graduated from UCLA. When not writing or acting, she enjoys painting and nature walks. Her paintings and sculptures are collected worldwide. At one point, she performed stand-up comedy, so her writing often reflects her love of humor, even for serious subjects. She lives with her cat Dezi, and among feral cats she has rescued. She is the author of A BLUE MOON, an urban fantasy, HORROR AT THE LAKE, a vampire trilogy and A PALETTE FOR MURDER, a traditional cozy mystery.

How do you come up with the titles of your books?

Sometimes the title just comes to me. Other times, I ask my family, friends, the publisher, or even strangers I meet see on the street to help me choose the best wording of a preliminary title. They’ll all have different opinions, and then the hard part is making the final decision.

What is your writing schedule?

My writing schedule is to write at least a thousand words a day, seven days a week, for the first draft. Most of that happens late at night, when the phone is least likely to ring. I may stay up until two in the morning to get in those thousand words, especially when I’ve had a busy day doing something else. I know if I don’t persevere, I won’t get that first draft written. As for revisions and rewrites, I like those the best. The hard work is already done. Cutting, revising and adding is the fun part.

Do you jump out of bed with coffee in hand or are you an afternoon writer?

I never jump out of bed for anything, unless the house is on fire––which has happened to me. I like coffee and breakfast in the morning, and reading the Los Angeles Times. Three days a week I read it online, and four days a week I get it delivered. It’s an important part of my daily routine. I never turn on the TV or radio for the news in the morning. I’m the type who wakes up slowly. I like to know what’s going on in the world, but without someone barking at me. If I can, I will write in the afternoon for a while. I might finish what I started writing in the afternoon later that night, if I didn’t get enough done.

What conditions do you like to write under?

I like overcast days. In fact, I love overcast weather. I feel more creative when the sky is gray and the atmosphere is a little foggy. Sunny days are just for enjoying the warmth of the sun, smiling a lot and not thinking much.

What do you have to avoid when writing a book?

I have to avoid too many other activities, or cut the time I devote to them. And since I’ve always got ideas in my head for new stories, I have to stop thinking of them so I can write the book I’ve already started.

Do you ever get burned out?

Sure. Writing is work. It’s putting in the time. Since December, I have been taking a break. But the holidays are over, and tomorrow, I will begin looking at the edits of the last book in my trilogy, Horror At The Lake, A Vampire Tale. However, even when I’m not writing, I’m thinking of my next book or series of books.

How do you start to write a book? What is the first step?

The first step is to decide which book floating around in my head I am going to commit to writing down. I usually know who the main character is and whether I’m going to write in the first person or in the third, but I will have to rough out the secondary characters. The next most important thing is to figure out the ending. The challenge, then, is how to get from the beginning to the end. Sometimes I write plot points on three by five cards, and sometimes I just wing it and start writing. I try to write chapters that are about ten pages long, and I read over what I wrote yesterday before I begin writing again.

Which books have most influenced your life most?

I think the books of Carlos Castaneda, Curt Vonnegut, Jerzy Kosinsky, and the mystery writers of the twentieth century, such as Agatha Christie and Ross MacDonald. Also the noir writers, such as Cornell Woolrich, Charles Willeford and Dorothy B. Hughes. But one of the most important influences in my life was meeting Ray Bradbury after a lecture he gave. I had read Death Is A Lonely Business, and although not one of his most famous books, it is set in Venice, CA, where I once lived. It inspired me to write my paranormal novel A Blue Moon, which also takes place in Venice, CA. It was thrilling to meet the writer who inspired me to write the book.

Do you see writing as a career?

I do see writing as a career. Of course, every writer hopes to have a best seller, but regardless, I will keep at it as long as I have stories I feel impelled to write.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. I’ll just write another book.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I started writing in the third grade. My teacher allotted a portion of her lessons to creative writing every week. In the sixth grade, we put on a school play, and I wrote the script.

What is your overall opinion of the publishing industry?

It’s like the film industry, though maybe without so much nepotism. While it’s easy to self-publish, it’s still tough to get into the mainstream market.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I am currently working on another traditional mystery, the second in the Lana Davis series, titled A Date For Murder. The first, A Palette For Murder, will be released this May by Five Star Publishing.

Do you ever get tired of looking at words?

I don’t know that I get tired of looking at words, but I do need to take time off. I love walking in a park near my house, watching my favorite TV shows, traveling and socializing with friends.

Who designed the covers?

The publishers of my books have designers and they create covers from settings in the books that I describe to them.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

That first draft is always the hardest part.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I have learned to be more forgiving. All my characters have flaws, some worse than others, but they have some redeeming or humanizing characteristics as well.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Talk less and listen more. I get many of my ideas for stories from what people say.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope you enjoy my books and the journeys they take you on.

The Legacy of Fear (Horror at the Lake (A Vampire Tale) Book 1)

Now Available

Susan Runcan is on a quest to clear the name of her grandfather Lindon Runcan, the famous archeologist whose career ended under a cloud of suspicion. Although Lindon claimed thieves stole precious artifacts from his last expedition in Egypt, depriving the Egyptian government and his backers of the spoils, Lindon stole them himself. After the death of her uncle, Susan is the last of the Runcans and inherits the artifacts, along with her grandfather’s stately home in Lake Masley. Susan comes to the lake hoping to discover the reason her grandfather risked his career for these artifacts. What she finds is a town filled with rumors and fear. And what she discovers will change her life forever.

cover

Available Now

Feb 14

Around The World in 80 Interviews with Author Boyd Lemon!

boyd Paris

Just got back from Paris, France
All they do is sing and dance
All they got there is romance
What a tragedy

Every boulevard has lovers
Every lover’s in a trance
The poor people of Paris

I feel sorry for the French
Every guy has got a wench
Every couple’s got a bench
Kissing shamelessly

Night and day they’re making music
While they’re making love in French
The poor people of Paris

Le Boyd Lemon. Bonjour Boyd Lemon. Nous aimons Boyd Lemon.

Boyd Lemon aime la France.

boyd and penny

How did you come up with the title of your travel book?

The book was going to be about what I did in Paris and, to a lesser extent, what I did in Tuscany. As I was thinking about what I did and reading over my journal, which I kept daily while I lived in Europe, it occurred to me that most of what I was doing was eating, walking and writing. It hadn’t been so long since Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, “Eat, Pray, Love,” had come out, so that format was in my mind. So “Eat, Walk and Write” came to be. I liked the title, and it certainly says what the book is about.

Can you tell me about your experiences in France? What was it like to live in Paris?

I think of the movie title “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” except that the good far outweighed the bad and the ugly in this case. The good was like being in Disneyland 24/7—maybe I should say a child’s view of Disneyland. There was nothing like it in my experience. I had been to Paris twice before I lived there—once for two weeks and once for a week—but there was nothing like living there full time. Seeing the architecture, the art. It was mind blowing. Even after months of being there, it never ceased its magic in my mind. The bad and the ugly really revolved around the dealings I had with the French government in documenting my residency and obtaining the proper visa, and I was reminded almost daily about the difficulties of living day to day life in a foreign country as opposed to visiting as a tourist. My biggest problem was not speaking the language fluently. It made everyday life stressful, and the ordinary activities of life were very time consuming as a result. It took a long time and created a lot of stress to do things like renting a house or opening a bank account. Even mailing letters or receiving mail in the local post office all took a great deal of time because it was in a different language. The French bureaucracy is worse than that of the United States, in my opinion. So that was the difficulty; but all in all, the magic of Paris overcame that, and I have always been grateful that I had the experience of living in Paris and travelling within France.

How similar was Paris to your expectations?

I didn’t have a lot of expectations because I had been there before. So I thought that I knew what it was like, but I didn’t. As I have said before, living in a place and having to deal with day to day living is different from the experience of a tourist. Being able to be in a place that people all over the world dream of going and being there every day and not be rushed to see the sites because I wasn’t on vacation was wonderful. It’s a great feeling to know, for example, that if you go to visit the Louvre like I did in the summer, and there was a very long line, that I didn’t need to see it that day. I could come back in the fall oe winter when it wasn’t so crowded. To have that luxury is wonderful. I’ve already described the not so happy expectations. I did not expect the bureaucracy to be so difficult, and I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to learn the language.

How do you start to write a travel book? What is the first step?

I think the first step has to be that while you’re travelling, you need to write a journal on a daily or almost daily basis so you get the detail down. In a travel book, the detail is terribly important because usually people want to refer back to the travel book if they plan a trip to the place you wrote about. They need to know names and specific descriptions of places in order to first make a decision on whether they want to visit the site you wrote about, and if so, how to get there and what to expect. So I think it’s important to write down every day (or almost every day) what you have experienced. It also has the benefit of making your facts more accurate rather than trying to remember months later what you saw and heard.

What travel books have most influenced your life most?

I would say Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie.” That may have been the first travel book I read. At least it was the first that I remember reading. It made me fall in love with dogs for one thing and also the joys of travelling. Another book that influenced me is a much more recent one that many wouldn’t consider to be a travel book, but I think it is—Sheryl Strayed’s “Wild.” It’s about her hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Southern California up the west coast. It follows mostly the mountain ranges along the coast, so she was travelling by hiking. It’s a memoir, and the travel and the writing she did shows how travel can change one’s life and make one understand himself or herself as a person much better than being restrained by the routine of everyday life and having the time to contemplate. She, by the way, kept a journal as she travelled.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your time in Europe?

I can really only think of one thing I would change. That would be to learn the language before I went. It was a mistake on my part—especially with the French language, which is difficult for English speakers to begin with—to go without knowing the language at all.

Do you recall how your interest in travelling originated?

Yes, I do. As a child, I did virtually no travelling because my parents couldn’t afford it and didn’t seem interested anyway. The only place outside of southern California, I had been before the age of 18 was one trip to Las Vegas. The first trip that I took after entering college was to New York City. I was a member of the competitive debate team at the university I attended, and there was a tournament at Harvard University. In 1958 we took a plane to New York City, and most of the passenger planes were not yet jet. I went on a DC-6, and it took ten hours to get from Los Angeles to New York. Those planes were unbelievably loud compared to today’s jets; to me it was a real adventure, the first time I’d ever been on an airplane. We then took the train from New York City to Boston. I have been hooked on travel ever since. The idea of being 3,000 miles away from home and in a different time zone was just amazing to me, and even though the time difference doesn’t seem so amazing anymore, it is still a thrill for me to think of the people back home and what’s going on back home and how different it is where I am. It leaves me in a state of constant amazement, especially if I am far away from home.

What is your overall opinion of the airlines of today?

I would say air travel is disappointing nowadays. I can remember back during the pre-9/11 days and even before there were any metal detectors. Metal detectors were placed as the result of plane hijackings during the 80s and 90s. That was the beginning of the security passengers had to go through, and then 9/11 made it a much more difficult experience. That’s part of the disappointment, even though it’s necessary. The other part of it is what the airlines themselves have done, for the most part, airlines in the United States—United, American, Delta—have pretty much cut out serving meals with a few exceptions, and the smaller airlines have cut meals out completely. They have also packed more seats into airplanes, and it makes travelling less comfortable than it used to be. I can remember flying from the east coast back to Los Angeles and sitting on the floor of a Boeing 747. They had some space between first class and coach, and there were several of us passengers sitting on the floor playing blackjack with flight attendants. Something like that could never happen today, and the old saying about “the joy being in getting there as much as reaching the destination” is certainly not true about air travel anymore. Flying today makes one want to get on and off the plane as quickly as possible, compared to flying in the 60s and 70s, when part of the fun was the flight.

Where will you be visiting this year?

I have two trips confirmed and a third that may be put off to 2016. I am going to Nova Scotia, which I understand is a relatively unspoiled beautiful place. I’ve never been there. I’ve been to several Canadian cities, but I’ve never experienced the natural landscapes of Canada, and as best I can tell from reading and watching travelogues, Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I also understand that the trans-Canadian highway is a beautiful drive, so I plan to drive from Nova Scotia across Canada to the west coast ending in Vancouver. The second trip I plan is one that I’ve taken twice before and that is on the Caribbean in Mexico, which is another beautiful spot and very relaxing. I usually spend a couple of weeks, maybe longer this time, in a thatched hut on the beach. I always get a lot of writing done there—hopefully, I will this year too. The third possible trip is Greece and Turkey, and I may visit there in the fall, or I may put it off until next year.

Did you ever get homesick?

Yes, but not for a long time, and I don’t want to say any more about that because I don’t want to give away the ending of the book for those who haven’t read it yet.

What was the hardest part of leaving Europe?

The realization that at my age I probably would not have the opportunity again to live in Europe. I certainly expect to travel in Europe, but I doubt that I would have the opportunity again to live there. I would love to live in Italy or England, but I don’t expect to have the opportunity to do that for a variety of reasons, and that made it difficult to leave France, even though it felt good to be home again. It’s always good to be home again. I know some people think that because they’re happy to be home they shouldn’t travel anymore, but I don’t look at it that way. I’m always happy to leave on a trip and always happy to get home again. It’s a win-win situation, as they say.

Did you learn anything from your travels?

Yes, and I think that the most important thing I’ve learned from my travels is that, as my mother used to say, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Although that sounds rather cruel—what it means to me is that there’s more than one way to live your life, and travelling really taught me that because people in different parts of the world live very differently, there is no one way that is right, or good, or bad, or wrong. It’s just different. People in different cultures see the world differently, and every culture has good and bad if you want to make a judgment about it. I think travel has made me a more tolerant and accepting person—more tolerant and accepting of people who are different to me—and I think that’s a very valuable lesson. If more people learned that lesson, we’d have a much better world.

Do you have any advice for other travelers? What should they expect from Europe?

My number one piece of advice is to expect when you travel: at your destination—especially if it’s outside of your home country—things will be different. Rather than think that things are the right way or best way at home and the way things are done where you have travelled are worse or better than home, think of them as being different. That goes a long way toward keeping you from being upset at those differences. As far as what should people expect from Europe—again, if you’re an American, people live differently in Europe. Although there are many prosperous and not so prosperous people, many of the luxuries we enjoy in America are not available in Europe. You won’t find clothes driers in Europe, for example—except for very wealthy people. Most people hang their washing on clothes lines to dry them. That’s a small difference, but multiply that by a thousand and you will appreciate the differences you will experience in Europe. I look at that as one of the joys of travel. To see a different way of life from the one we experience on a day-to-day basis.

Did you find language to be a barrier?

I have found that if you are a tourist in a country where the language is different from your native language, it is not a great barrier, especially if your native language is English. Nowadays, there are enough people who speak at least some English in the areas tourists frequent. The opposite is true of those who want to live in another country and will have to deal on a day-to-day basis with shopping, banks, landlords and utility companies. So my answer to this question is different depending on whether you will be a tourist or living in the foreign country. Unless you’re wealthy, the probabilities are that you are not going to be living in the tourist area. The probability is that the area you will live in will not have many English speakers. So life will be difficult if you don’t speak their language.

After a lifetime in southern California and three years in Boston, the author at age 69 retired from the practice of law and moved to Paris to eat, walk and write. He describes in vivid detail the challenges of learning French; dealing with the French bureaucracies, public and private; facing the charm and smugness of the Parisians; as well as the joys of experiencing the cuisine, neighborhoods, art and history of the world’s most beautiful, vibrant city. After nearly a year he travels to rural northern Tuscany and revels in its scenic beautify, food and serenity until a shocking experience send him home to California.

Join Boyd on his journey in his book

“Eat, Walk, Write: An American Senior’s Year of Adventure in Paris and Tuscany.

boyd lemon eat

Feb 13

Along The Navajo Trail with Rick Jantz

cowboy

Rick Jantz just scored a huge Western hit with his first novel “Colson’s Law.” This interview delves into the part of his brain that can’t get enough of the Old West. Enjoy, saddle up, and ride into the big, blue yonder with Rick Jantz.

1. Can you describe your new book “Call of Country” for our readers?

Matt Kemp is a footloose gunfighter when he arrives at the lawless gold-mining town of Bannack, Montana. With no direction in his life, he has arrived with a young partner to make his fortune. They soon find out that the days of scooping gold off the bottom of creeks has past, and they must now get jobs like everyone else.

When Kemp’s young partner is killed, he vows to seek revenge on the road gang that has terrorized the country by robbing and killing anything that moves on the roads out of Bannack. But Kemp is soon up against the powerful local mine owners as well, and now must walk a fine line between the groups or blow them all to hell to exact his revenge.

A U.S. Marshal has also arrived in Bannack in an attempt to arrest the outlaws and anyone else who thinks they are above the law. Seeing the potential in Kemp, he attempts to recruit the gunslinger into the United States Marshal Service and, rather than kill everyone, try to arrest them and let justice have its day. When that doesn’t work, Kemp sets out to destroy both groups even at the risk of losing his badge.

2. You are known for your big country hit “Colson’s Law.” Is “Call of Country” a book that would interest the readers of Western literature?

The story takes place in a real ghost town in Montana. I’ve used some of the original buildings and landscape, which I know will give it that feel of authenticity. Some of the events that are included actually occurred but, of course, were re-written to fit the story.

This is the first book in a series about a U.S. Marshal that is part detective and part undercover cop. On top of those, he is known in the Old West as a gunfighter, possibly one of the fastest.

3. What motivates the protagonist in your story? What is he trying to prove?

Initially, Matt Kemp is looking for his “gold,” his place in the world and the chance to make good money (and don’t we all). That’s why he agreed to go to a gold-mining town to find his fortune. But Kemp also has a strong sense of right and wrong, and when people are wronged by those with money and power, Kemp will fight back, with guns or fists.

He realizes that becoming a lawman allows him to use the skills and abilities that he has to bring order and justice to a lawless land.

4. How would you define the term “Western” and what does it mean to you?

Western means a genre in fiction writing. When you think of that you imagine gunfighters, Indians, and cattle drives. But it also means survival in a new and wild land. Oftentimes, this land has no law and what little there is struggles to keep up to the men and women who choose to rule with power and force.

Western also implies, of course, life in the Old West. And when you think about that you think about mountains, gold strikes, freezing Prairies, unseen country. There is so much richness and opportunity to explore what settling this land really took and the sacrifices people made in harsh conditions.

5. What draws you to writing Westerns?

I like the independence and “living by the seat of your pants” that I think many people of the time had to do. Plus, I like the stories, whether they are true or not, of fast and hard men who are good with a gun and can survive off the land. The independent man that makes his own tracks in the country is something that I think still applies today, although our conditions are not so harsh.

6. Which writers have influenced you the most?

I’m a big fan of Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey for Westerns. Of late, I’ve really come to enjoy William W. Johnstone. For other authors, it’s James Clavell, Robert Ludlum, and Anne Rice.

7. What is your favorite Western, either novel or movie? Why?

The Sacketts by Louis L’Amour; preferably the book. He has a number of Sackett stories and they’re always entertaining and describe strong men in a strong country. They always struggle in the stories, but ultimately their strength and courage helps them to defeat their opponents.

8. If you could go back in time and meet one famous person in the Old West, who would it be and why?

I’ve always been intrigued with “Wild” Bill Hickok. He looks like he’s full of trouble, as a unique way of thinking and viewing the world, and seems to be very capable at facing whatever comes his way. That being said, I think he was flamboyant and interested more in himself. But there is still something that draws me to him.

9. What are you plans for the future? Are working on the sequel yet?

“Call of Country” tells the story of how Matt Kemp became a U.S. Marshal. There will be future books that place him in difficult and interesting situations that challenge his skills as a gunfighter and detective. I am working on the next book which has the working title “A Witness To Murder.” In this story, I’m introducing a protagonist who is evil; he’s big, powerful, and totally uncaring about other people. I want to create a strong character that you want to hate from the moment you meet him. Plus, I’m introducing an interesting character that will set Kemp’s hair on edge. That will be fun.

There’s also going to be an earlier version of the Witness Protection Program that Kemp introduces into the story. I’m really excited about this one.

10. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’m hopeful that readers find a series about the early U.S. Marshals to be interesting. In researching this topic, I became aware of the rich history of this arm of law and everything that they had accomplished.

They were almost a “jack of all trades” when it came to lawmen. Independent and daring, they had to make their arrests, organize courts and witnesses, and even conduct a census if necessary.

I think they’re an interesting group and hopefully, even though my stories will be fictional, I can still infuse some early facts about the U.S. Marshal Service.

Join Rick in the Old West Today with

“Call of Country”

CallOfCountry_KINDLE

Feb 09

The World of Horror with Author G. Michael Vasey

G. Michael Vasey is one of those unique writers you come across on a hot summer day. I have marvelled at this interview, and I’ve wondered what I can really say about it. I like this writer—a lot—and I can’t wait for you to like him, too! His book The Last Observer is a bit of everything, and that is the best way to describe this interview. It’s a bit of everything!

G. Michael Vasey is currently touring radio stations. Catch his breathtaking interview with “The X Zone” today.
gary vasey
Who do you have in mind when you write?

Me. I write about my interests and things that I am passionate about. I trust that the end product is something of interest to others and that I have something unique to offer – my perspective and one that is entertaining and different.

How do you find “inspiration” and where does it live?

Inspiration often comes to me in a semi-meditative state. So listening to music of the right type can start the juices flowing, or sometimes I listen to meditation music on Youtube as I write. It seems to relax me and open a channel to the creative part of me. Other books can also give inspiration too, so when I am reading something it will trigger a series of questions or thoughts and an inner dialogue. I don’t find finding inspiration difficult to be honest. If you look around and pay attention to what is around you, how can you not be inspired? For example, until recently, I lived in Prague. Most people tramp to work, head down, worrying about the day ahead or wishing themselves miles away. As I walked through Prague to work, I looked up – at the glorious architecture and beauty, history and sheer wow of the city I lived in…. that inspires me.

Have you always aspired to be a writer?

No, but writing has always been a key part of what I do for a living, and I have always enjoyed writing. Being an author sort of sprung up on me when I realized what a body of work I had had published as articles, newsletters, book chapters and so on. Once I got comfortable with the idea, I thought – why not give it a proper go?

Tell me about how you became a writer. What was the first step for you?

Having to write so as a part of my job. I must have written well over 500 articles in newsletters and magazines professionally along with 100 white papers and reams of blog articles. So, it is something I do continually. The step you ask about is probably when I first sat down with the objective of writing a book, and I did that because I was told to in meditation…

Do you have a distinctive “voice” as a writer?

I don’t know to be honest, but in poetry I do try to play with words in certain evocative ways.

Do you think anyone can learn to be an effective writer, or is it an unnamed spiritual gift?

I think anyone who really wants to write can learn, but very few writers are true masters. That is a gift that you are born with.

Is there a book you’ve written that you’re most proud of?

No, as I tend to keep looking forward as opposed to backwards. That’s not to say there isn’t a book I am fond of. My novel, The Last Observer, though certainly not perfect, is my favourite book to date; and my last book of poetry – Moon Whispers – I think is my strongest effort yet. I pick the novel because it has the potential to appeal to a broader group of readers, I think.

On average, how long does it take for you to write your ideas down before you start writing a book?

I don’t follow this approach usually. I plan it in my head and then, after it’s going, I start to write down subplots and themes I wish to develop. In the end though, the books have a surprising talent for writing themselves and surprising even me. I suppose it’s because I write in a meditative state usually and it’s as if it’s not me doing the writing anyway.

What would you say is the “defining” factor in your writing? What makes it yours?

Ah, good question! I think it’s my passion for trying to understand the nature of reality and my practise of magic. You see, I think magic (or if you prefer, metaphysics) has already described the Universe, and science is gradually catching up. What fascinates me is how we create our own reality or our own perspective on reality and how imagination and will can make magic. This provides for a never-ending smorgasbord of ideas, plots, endings and concepts to play with.

How do you guard your time to do what’s most important?

I am a multi-tasker and am always engaged in fifteen things at once. I move my focus from one thing to another and that constant variety keeps me engaged and busy.

What are some of the more common distractions you struggle with, and what ways have you found to overcome them?

There are times when I simply do not want to write. So I don’t.

What kind of review do you take to heart?

Oh, I hate bad reviews and take them ever so personally. It seems to me that there are a few people out there that simply get a kick out of writing deeply negative reviews – like trolls on a discussion board. I can’t help being hurt by deeply negative criticism. On the other hand, we only get better through criticism. It is how that criticism is delivered that makes the difference between something we gain from or something we are hurt by.

How do you decide what your next book will be about?

Well, I decide probably in a moment of massive interest in something or an idea, but then I end up writing something else entirely! For example, on my bio it says I am writing a book about the Fool in magic. It’s a great idea, and I have written a few pages, but I keep finding other things to write about, and I make no progress at all on that idea. I keep it in the bio to remind me that I must/should/will write that book.

Was there a link between your childhood and your vocation as a writer?

Yes – imagination. I had and still do have a very well-developed imagination to the point I can really be where I imagine I am. It is this imagination that runs riot and is the creative seed within me.

As a writer, however, you have the opportunity to self-reflect, to revisit experiences. How does that feel?

Sometimes good but not always….often, the worst of life’s experiences are actually the best – at least for writing.

What motivates you to tackle the issues others may avoid, such as nature and spirituality?

I have been interested in such things since I was knee high to a grasshopper as I wrote in my first book – Inner Journeys. Back when I was 12, I was attending meetings of the church for psychical research and reading Blavatsky… So, I am well-grounded in this stuff and a practising magician to boot. As a result, I guess I see the world a bit differently and want to share the idea that the world looks like you want it to.

When you start a new book, do you know how a book will end as you’re writing it? Or does its direction unfold during the writing, research and/or creative process?

The Last Observer wrote itself, I swear. The ending surprised me and still does.

How do you see your role in impacting and influencing society?

I only hope that I can make people think a bit, wake up and look around and see that not everything is how they were taught. If they do that, then I have already succeeded.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to do?

Writing is so integral to everything I do, and it’s not possible to answer this question.

What are the things a writer “must not” do?

You know, I don’t like rules. Why should a writer not do anything? I do feel sometimes that we are constrained by success, but real art is breaking all the rules and having the product mean something. This is why I love poetry – there are NO rules. I hear some people criticising Indie writers as if the only people who should write are Shakespeare and his ilk; but this is literary snobbishness, isn’t it? Everyone should be able to write if they so choose, and if they break rules of grammar but people love their stuff, then great….

What are some pieces of advice that you would give someone on writing well?

I would never tell someone how to write – I think people should write as they wish, and some will deem it to be good and some bad.

Young writers often make foolish mistakes. What is a mistake to avoid?

Answering a bad review… don’t do it. Ever. I did and I learned.

What obstacles and opportunities do you see for writers in the years ahead?

The whole industry is in flux with eBooks, Amazon and so on. Trying to keep up with how to market what you write, how to make money, how to find an audience, whether to self-publish or not? It’s knowing how things will fall out that could present either an obstacle or opportunity.

Could you talk about one work of creative art that has powerfully impacted you as a person?

Yes – a CD by Blackfield called Blackfield II. The music on that CD inspires me to write, and it feeds my creative juices. Every single poem in Moon Whispers was written listening to that CD. In fact, music often is the work of creative art that sends me….

What relationship do you see between imagination and creativity, and the real world?

Imagination and creativity are intertwined like lovers – one needs the other, and together they make beautiful music.

For a writer, it is easy to become an elitist. Have you ever (or do you still) struggle with pride as an author?

Not really – I do what I do and lots of people do the same so there is nothing special about me. But let’s see how I behave if I ever have a real best seller, shall we?

With all your success, how do you stay humble?

Age. I am that sort of age where nothing much impresses me anymore, least of all myself.

Have you ever considered writing fiction full time?

I would love to… will you get me a contract?

my haunted life 3

Scare Yourself To Sleep With “My Haunted Life 3“

Feb 09

Award Winning Free Download & Artwork

Quick post just to tell you that the award winning book Lawrence Pinkley’s Casebook Vol 1 & 2 is currently FREE to download on kindle from Amazon until Friday 13 Feb.

“The light hearted, but charming antics of teenage detective Lawrence Pinkley will strike a chord with anyone, young or old…”

“It would be a CRIME not to download it!”

Download Now Button

Fancy winning a set of limited edition artwork from the Pinkley books that are signed by author Tim Flanagan and illustrator Dylan Gibson?

Pinkley Five PrintsEveryone that writes a review for the free book and emails the link to their review to me before the end of February will be put into a draw to win a set of limited edition prints.

Six sets are available – 3 signed and 3 unsigned.

Jan 30

Vietnam Pilot Steve Taylor Goes ‘Wheels Up’ in This New Interview

steve taylor photo

Steve Taylor was raised on a farm in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. He is a 1960 graduate of The Citadel with a degree in civil engineering, and he served six years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force with service in Vietnam. Following a long flying career, he retired as an international airline captain. Taylor has been a solo ocean sailor and holds a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license. He has owned and operated a commercial construction company and is a Coastal Master Naturalist. In addition to flying over most of the world, Taylor has lived in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, and Okinawa. He has five grown children. With his wife, Nancy, he currently splits his time between Atlanta and Charleston.

What inspired you to write your first book?

This book evolved out of the insistence of pilot friends to put my stories down on paper so they would not be lost. At first I wrote just to preserve the information, but once the tales were written, I was encouraged by these same people to have them published.

How did you come up with the title?

My publisher and I went through a series of brainstorms to find the right combination. We wanted a short catchy title along with a subtitle that described the book content. We then tested several combinations with different groups and settled on: WHEELS UP: Sky Jinks in the Jet Age.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Of course since it’s been printed I have thought of several things that I could have added or done slightly differently, but other than an error on page 77, I am pleased with the results. Incidentally, I have corrected the error in the e-book.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I have a technical bent both in education and aptitude and never considered myself a wordsmith. I have been an avid reader, and at times, wrote long letters, but other than that most of my life I have avoided verbal gymnastics. I only started writing late in life when I had something I wanted to preserve on paper.

What was the first book you read?

I first developed a strong interest in reading, believe it or not, from Compton’s Encyclopedia. It spoke to me about foreign lands, strange animals and inventions that changed the world. The first novel that left a strong impression was Robinson Crusoe.

Can you share a story from your latest book with us?

From the first paragraph in WHEELS UP:

Delta was taxiing out for take off. United had just landed and was on her way in. As they passed on the taxiway, Delta captain McSwine shot the United captain the bird and, at the same time, picked up the phone and addressed the passengers. “Ladies and Gentlemen, off to your left you will see the friendly skies of United.” They all looked in time to see the United airplane slowly taxi by while it’s captain, in plain view, returned Captain McSwine’s insult.

What is the big deal about flying for you?

Almost all pilots that have reached the pinnacle of aviation have one thing in common. They think it is a big deal.
Once again a quote from my book: “…there is a surge of adrenaline as you push the throttles forward and feel the power of the giant engines. As you accelerate through 150 mph you gently pull half a million pounds of precision machinery and passengers off the ground, and, as always, you are slightly awed that it flies.”

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I have several favorites: Winston Churchill, Jack Higgins, Mark Twain, Victor Hugo, and my son Brad Taylor. What they all have in common is accuracy of detail.

Who designed that striking cover?

The cover is my design although a graphic artist improved the technical quality. The picture is from my retirement flight with Delta Air Lines. Pulling into the gate I saw my retirement crowd waiting in the terminal and waving. I realized due to the windshield glare they could not see me waving back so I climbed the back of my seat and popped the overhead escape hatch. A friend inside the terminal took the picture.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was solving how to put down on paper the picture I wanted to present and retain the humor in an audible story.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Yes, I learned that I had a reason to shy away from writing all my life. It’s hard work.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Writing is a form of communication. When you write you should have something you want to communicate to your readers. A fascinating story communicated well makes you a good writer.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope most of you enjoy my stories. In fact, I hope all of you enjoy my stories, but whatever you think, it was fun for me to go through the learning process of writing this book. So much so that I have another book ready for publication at this time.

Wheels Up: Sky Jinks in the Jet Age

wheels up cover

“…Readers have a front-row seat during harrowing landings in Vietnam, close calls flying for Delta, and other misadventures…(Taylor holds a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license and, alone and becalmed at sea, gives his inner poet free rein.)…Readers will overlook the frat-boy quality of the early high jinks….They will come to like Capt. Taylor very much, which is more than half the charm of a good memoir and a sign of a good memoirist….A good read, of special interest to those who love flying.” –Kirkus Reviews

Get your copy today!

Jan 17

The Ultimate Interview, The Ultimate Guest & His Book: An Interview with Blackbird Pilot Terry Pappas

A Note About This Interview

Terry Pappas is one of the most interesting individuals to talk to. When this interview was first discussed, I knew that Terry had a huge reputation as a pilot and belonged to a select group of pilots who had flown the Blackbird. I knew he had written a great book about that plane, and I knew he had a style of talking that could hold one in the palm of his hand. I just wondered if that style could be transferred to the ink, or type, of an interview. This interview proves that it can be. You can hear Terry live on his upcoming appearance on the Carry on Harry talk show– and after you’ve read this interview, I believe you will certainly want to, and you will also realize that whether written or spoken, Terry has a style all of his own.

About Terry Pappas

Terry spent 41 years flying aircraft, primarily for the USAF and NASA. His career started during the Vietnam era, conducting officer training while in college at the University of Florida, being commissioned there and attending AF pilot training at Reese AFB in Lubbock, Texas in 1971. After earning his wings, he became an instructor pilot in the T-38A, training USAF and foreign national pilots in that high performance aircraft.

He went on to fly numerous aircraft, in and out of the Air Force, to include the B-52G, while stationed at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, ’81-’85. From there, he was selected to fly the mach 3 plus, SR-71, stationed at Beale AFB, California from ’85-’90. When the Blackbird ended its operational service of over two decades in 1990, he transferred to Edwards AFB, near Los Angeles, and served as an instructor pilot and flight examiner in the T-38A for the Air Force Flight Test Center, until he retired from the United States Air Force in 1994.

Terry flew Learjets with camera systems onboard, filming aerial scenes for the movie industry for a couple years. Then he accepted a position as a demonstration pilot for an aircraft manufacturer. There, he demonstrated new business jets to chief pilots and company presidents around the world. He flew for a privately held business in Las Vegas, Nevada for two years before accepting a position as an Aerospace Engineer and Research Pilot with NASA in 1998. There his duties included: T-38 Project Pilot, IP for astronauts in T-38, Gulfstream I, II and III executive transport, Super Guppy transport for outsize cargo, and DC-9 for micro-gravity research flights. He also managed a number of training functions for Aircraft Operations Division. He has over 10,000 flying hours, most of which are hour-long flights, with numerous instrument approaches and landings.

Terry retired from NASA in Oct 2011. He spends most of his time now pursuing writing and speaking projects. Terry’s hobbies include golf and photography. He lives in Houston, Texas.

About the SR-71

Astronaut Walt Cunningham talks about this book: “Higher, farther, faster – what every real aviator aspires to. The SR-71 was the epitome of this dream for three decades. The only way to beat the SR-71 was to rocket into space, and every astronaut in the office with me in the 1960s would have loved to have flown the Blackbird. In many ways, it placed greater demand on piloting proficiency than any spacecraft. Terry’s book answers all those questions you ever had about the wonderful challenge of controlling an airplane, flying at 80,000 feet and more than three times the speed of sound for hours at a time.” -Walt Cunningham, Apollo 7

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When it comes to writing a book about your own past—what do you really want to tell the reader? Are you looking to entertain or educate?

I wrote my book to educate readers about the SR-71. I’ve been told that many readers found it entertaining as well.

What did you learn from writing your book?

I learned a lot from M/Gen Pat Halloran’s ‘Foreword’ that he wrote for this book. Since General Halloran was among the initial cadre of U-2 and SR-71 pilots, he has a very unusual perspective on U.S.’s earliest high altitude manned reconnaissance aircraft. I didn’t realize that the early U-2 aircraft didn’t even have an ejection seat!

Do you think people can identify with you?

I think many readers can identify with a number of experiences that I touch on in the book. Many military personnel have been assigned overseas and have risked their lives on a regular basis in order to accomplish their missions. This often evolves into a ‘work hard and play hard’ mentality. You never know when it’ll be your last day on earth, so you tend to make the most of it. We partied hard when we were overseas flying combat missions.

Can you tell us your favorite memory from your flying career?

My favorite memory from my flying career surrounds the extremely long (11.2 hours) and challenging mission that John Manzi and I flew in the Blackbird in August of 1987. It required five aerial refuelings, each of which was stretched to 500 miles in length, so we wouldn’t need a sixth refueling. Our target area was the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war. We launched out of our Forward Operating Location at Kadena Air Base at Okinawa, Japan. The weather was the most difficult I’ve ever faced during my Air Force career. It required me to stay in close formation with the tanker aircraft for extended periods of time. Of the five hours that we spent in the air refueling tracks, I had to maintain the ‘close contact’ position (12 feet from the tanker) for a total of three and a half hours. In my book, I go into detail about the challenges and close calls that this mission entailed. These challenges include operational as well as physiological issues.

If you had one passion—what is that passion and how did you discover it?

I played sports continuously since I was a young boy. I sometimes played two sports at once, going from track practice to baseball practice daily for weeks. The only sport I didn’t find the time for was golf, until eight years ago. Now, I play golf daily. And I practice daily too. I think you could say that I’m passionate about golf.

When did you realize that you were a storyteller, and how long after that did you pick up a pen?

As the Blackbird program was winding down in 1990, I was approached by two photographer/writers who asked me to write a chapter for their new book about the SR-71. I decided to give it a try. I discovered two things. One, I didn’t know how to write. Two, I loved it. I could sit for 10 hours at my computer writing. I’d never been able to sit still for anything lasting that long. So, I began the never-ending process to educate myself about the writing craft, and I later attended a weekly workshop for advanced writers in Los Angeles for two years.

Why would the average aviation fan enjoy your book?

Though my book deals with the fastest aircraft ever built, and the details of what it was like to fly it, I also cover many day-to-day activities that surrounded our lives, particularly when we were overseas in Great Britain and Okinawa, Japan, as well as our activities while back at Beale AFB in northern California when we were home in between operational deployments overseas.

Are there more books in the wings? 

I have assembled some ideas concerning a techno-thriller fiction book, based on my military aviation experience.

Where can we find out more about you? Where can we buy your books?

You can learn more about me by visiting my website and by checking out my book, “SR-71, The Blackbird, Q&A” on Amazon. It’s available in paperback and as an eBook there. I currently autograph every one of the paperback books.

Thank you for your time, Terry.

Thank you.

You can get your copy of “SR-71, The Blackbird, Q&A” by clicking here. I sincerely hope you enjoyed the interview. All profit from this book will go to charity.

sr terry

Jan 14

Press Release, Awards, Project X

A Newswire Press Release has been issued today confirming the release of the next eagerly anticipated full length illustrated Lawrence Pinkley mystery. I can confirm that it will be called The Mystery of Van Gogh’s Missing Heart and will be out at the end of February 2015. Take a look at the press release here.

Lawrence Pinkley’s Casebooks Vol 1 & 2 is available on Kindle at just 99c throughout January and has also been shortlisted for the Coffee Readers Book Award.

Read More

Jan 09

Steve Taylor Flying, Writing And His Book “Wheels Up: Sky Jinks in the Jet Age”

steve taylor photo

 

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

I have always been a storyteller, but I soon learned that there was a difference between telling and writing. My challenge was to achieve the same humor and entertainment from reading my work as listening to me.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

It was a thrill to capture the true essence of the tale on paper for all eternity.

Are there vocabulary words or concepts in your book that may be new to readers? Define some of those.

The book is loosely connected with flying airplanes. My previous editor smoothed many aviation terms that the general public would not understand. This can also be said about sailing, and military terms. An example of this was in my description of the braid on a senior officers hat. I referred to it as scrambled eggs and insisted that this was a common understanding. My editor did not buy it and had to qualify the scrambled eggs. So yes, there are some references here that may be new to some readers.

Are there misconceptions that people have about your book? 

I had a book giveaway on good reads. The first two reviews were five stars and then a woman from Hawaii wrote in that she thought I was mean. I was shocked–me! Fun-loving, full of energy, perhaps a little immature at times, but not mean. She said she always had misgivings about those who played practical jokes.
Two stars.

What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject, that isn’t so?

There are some people that still think flying is dangerous. It actually is safer on an airplane than not on an airplane. It is common to hear, “have a safe flight.” How many people say have a safe car ride or safe layover, but they are more dangerous.

What inspires you?

Every since I was a boy I needed a project. Building and inventing, making a knife, learning to fly, designing a house, creating a company, single-handed sailing, writing a book; I am not happy unless I have a project.

How did you get to be where you are in your life today?

Counting my military service, I have had 35 years of professional flying. I have owned and operated and commercial construction company. I have been a farmer, and I have been a single-handed oceangoing sailor with a US Coast Guard captains license. But my most significant endeavor was raising four teenage children as a single parent for seven years. Today, I am healthy, still busy and do pretty much whatever l like. Compared, to many, it’s a nice place to be. To be honest, a great deal of my present situation is pure luck. I have always pushed close to the edge and was never afraid of risk. Having said that, I do have a circuit breaker that stops me from going over the edge.

Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?

My background is in engineering. Most of my life I considered myself strong in this area and weak in verbal aptitude. I have been an avid reader all my life, however, I felt unqualified when I began this book. I went back and reread James Harriot (all creatures great and small) because I felt his style was similar to what I was trying to do. The other authors that I remember fondly: Victor Hugo, Mark Twain and Winston Churchhill. I am currently reading a Jack Higgins book. I also enjoy reading books by Brad Taylor, my son. What all of these authors have in common is accuracy. I am a stickler for accuracy.

What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive?

Probably the most useful is my wife. She is a verbal person and has guided me constantly. I read a couple of books about writing. I found them boring and uninspiring. I actually learned more by doing then by instruction.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?

At my age, with reduced stamina and energy, anything I do would falls into the category of part time–sometimes naps are more important.

How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

My book is printed in both hardcover and trade paperback. In October it will come out as an e-book. All forms have their place. Airline pilots now have an e-reader with them all the time, so the e-book was necessary.

What do you think is the future of reading and writing?

Reading and writing will be with us forever. Although technology and gadgets of the modern day are useful, they will never replace reading and writing. Reading stretches the mind, it is soothing and by far more satisfying than other forms of media. An experiment to prove this point would be how well you sleep after reading as compared to watching TV.

What process did you go through to get your book published?

I did not go through the painful process of looking for an agent. I formed a relationship with a small local publisher that had a good reputation. Unfortunately this publisher fell into some misfortune and I was forced to leave.

What makes your book stand out from the crowd?

My book is about true stories that have been told for years because of their entertainment value. They show a unique inside view of the airline crew-member.

How do you find or make time to write?

Like I said earlier, at this time of my life I do pretty much what I want. This writing became a project and so I focused on it.

Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two?

I am not sure about this logic or intuition thing, but I do believe that writing should either convey a thought or an emotion, or it should not be done. I have little understanding about writing for the sake of writing. My process is to have a story that I wish to put on paper in such a way as to entertain to the same degree as telling the story.

What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?

I have created a website, Facebook, and a blog. I have had a book giveaway on Goodreads. I sent ARCs to independent bookstores and I have written many places for reviews. All of this has taken so much time that I have not finished editing my new book. I do not believe that I am good at this marketing and at times I find it frustrating. I had difficulty with Amazon’s vendor website and still cannot navigate through the Goodreads website. I am not very good about keeping up my Facebook or blog.

What projects are you working on at the present?

My new book is finished but needs some more editing. It too is a book of true stories albeit different stories from a different time. These are stories about growing up as a sometimes troubled and hyperactive kid, but the jokes are still there.

What do your plans for future projects include?

I have a certain expertise in construction, flying, sailing and as a South Carolina Lowcountry naturalist. Believing it is best to write about what you know, I have a fiction story in mind that uses my knowledge in these areas.
The story involves a struggling commercial contractor that is conflicted because of the ample opportunity for dishonesty in the business. A twin-engine Beach crashes on a small Hummock out in the vast expanse of Saltwater marsh. It contains a dead gangster, $12 million in cash, and 20 pounds of cocaine. It remains undiscovered until our contractor, who is also a Marsh Hen hunter, stumbles across it on a seven foot new moon tide. The saga eventually involves killer drug dealers, the IRS, The FBI, and the contractors wife and children.

“Wheels Up: Sky Jinks in the Jet Age” is available now from Amazon

wheels up cover

Dec 20

The Children’s Author Explains All…. Meet Dennis Gager!

Dennis Gager has arrived and is one of the leading Children’s authors of the moment. His first book, “Billy Rabbit’s Halloween Adventure,” hit the bestseller listings and the newest book,”Billy Rabbit Saves Christmas,” looks likely to do the same. Enjoy the interview– then enjoy the books with your kids! It’s Christmas… A time for sharing!

Who do you have in mind when you write?

My characters. I like to imagine them in their settings and what they would be doing. It helps me to get my creative flow going when I write.

Have you always aspired to be a writer?

Yes, I have; but I thought it was just a dream for a long time until my wife kicked me in the butt, so to speak, to get my work out there.

Tell me about how you became a writer—what was the first step for you?

Tough one! Well, I guess it all happened when I used to write short stories for my nephew. I started to actually enjoy writing and creating fantasy worlds and having fun with it. Seeing the smile it brought to my nephew really made my day, so I guess that was my first step.

Do you think anyone can learn to be an effective writer or is it an unnamed spiritual gift?

I believe everyone has the ability to become a writer if they just take time to see the world around them, not as we’re told it’s like, but look at it through the eyes of a child. See it all new, and take time to enjoy the little things. If you can do that, I believe anyone can write.

Was there a point at which you felt this would be a career?

Not until my publisher told me they loved my book and wanted to make a series. Now I believe I can make a career out of it.

Is there a book you’re most proud of?

Actually, I’m very proud of my second book. It has been nominated for two awards, and kids have responded very well to it.

Writing is so internal, in the head, how did you release the pressure before you began writing?

To be honest, I find writing very relaxing. I feel no pressure. I enjoy writing and love to see the final product when I’m done.

On average, how long does it take for you to write your ideas down before you start writing a book?

Not long at all. Actually, I write an outline first. I map out what my story is about, which characters I want in it, and then once I have that done, I sit down and go to work.

What would you say is the “defining” factor in your writing? What makes it yours?

Having fun and enjoying the characters I’m writing about.

How do you guard your time to do what’s most important?

I spend my time with my family and dedicate myself to my writing in my free time. I have an even balance. Both are very important to me.

What are some of the more common distractions you struggle with, and what ways have you found to overcome them?

Life gets in the way at times, but I never give up. I find ways around distractions and keep on plugging.

What kind of review do you take to heart?

Ones that involve children’s opinions about my book.

How do you decide what your next book will be about?

I actually just go with the flow. Whatever catches my eye, I go with it, and that’s my next project.

Was there a link between your childhood and your vocation as a writer?

My father always pushed me to try hard, never give up and don’t take no for a answer. That’s the way I live my life, and I think that helps me to be a writer today.

When you start a new book, do you know how a book will end as you’re writing it? Or does its direction unfold during the writing, research and/or creative process?

When I start writing a story, I have a ending in mind; but sometimes while I’m writing it, I may decide to go in another direction. It really depends on me and how the story unfolding as I’m envisioning it in my mind as I write it.

How do your books speak to people, both inside and outside the reading world?

People tell me they find them cute, they like how I write, and like the lessons their kids get out of them.

How do you see your role in impacting and influencing society?

I hope my writings can help parents and kids to bond together and do more together as a family.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to do?

I actually work as a producer for my wife’s radio network, and I enjoy that very much. If I wasn’t a writer, I would do that full time. I really enjoy working with people and enjoy all the challenges that comes with being a producer.

What are some pieces of advice that you would give someone on writing well?

Young writers often make foolish mistakes. What is a mistake to avoid? There’s never any mistakes. Just write from the heart, and if it fails, don’t give up. Try again.

Could you talk about one work of creative art that has powerfully impacted you as a person?

The Hobbit is one of my most favorite books. I love how the author draws you into the fantasy world and opens your eyes, and you just walk away with such insight into that amazing world.

What relationship do you see between imagination and creativity, and the real world?

I draw my ideas from the real world then use my imagination to turn them into something more. I put it all together and write my story.

For a writer, it is easy to become an elitist. Have you ever, or do you still, struggle with pride as an author?

No, I enjoy writing, and I don’t let it go to my head. I enjoy what I do, and I keep my pride in check. Plus, I have my wife who will keep me in line.

Get Your Copy of Dennis Gager’s Big Hit

“Billy Rabbit Saves Christmas“

billy rabbit