Nov 12

Nick Wale Interviews Foal…

Foal, having strong feelings about keeping the focus on the messages rather than the messenger, would rather keep his privacy. Nevertheless, he will be happy to interact via email with any person interested. You can reach Foal here. Foal and the Angels is about a journey to understand the great wisdom hidden behind life. Through a series of dreams and insightful messages that provide Foal with some pretty intensive lessons, the mystery of life unravels and he shares these spiritual discoveries with other seekers. 

Thank you for joining us. Please tell us about your book. 

Well, throughout a number of years I had all these incredible dreams, and in these dreams I knew I was being given insights and intensive lessons on the meaning of life. So, “FOAL and the Angels” is a story told by a boy (Foal) through the unfolding of his dreams and the impact they have on his life. Through his dreams, and with a little help from the Angels, he starts to understand the mysteries of Life and receives answers to his ten thousand questions.

It is really a very tiny book I wrote out of a desire to share such an incredible experience and all the teachings that came along with it.   It is a short story anybody can read, from old to young, from well-educated to not so well-educated, and what`s more, coming from any religion or belief.

How long have you been writing? How long did it take to write FOAL and the Angels? And what motivated you to write it?

I started in 2010, and it took me a year and a half to put it all together. What motivated it ? You see, when you have those kinds of powerful dreams, they become more real to you than `real` life itself. I knew I had to write it down, it was impossible not to.

Is it a stand-alone novel or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, how did you decide to make it a series? How long will the series run?

The plan is to make a four-book series, because the dreams just kept coming and there were so many more stunningly beautiful dreams than I could ever put into Foal`s story. At times I would have five or six dreams per night; it was exhausting, but always exhilarating. I remember a few times I wished I could sleep twenty-four hours a day just to be able to dream! And they were too many to put them all in one tiny book.

Who are your main characters in the story and how would you describe them?

Well, the main character is FOAL, God Supreme, and many Angels. As for their descriptions…Sorry ! You`ve got to read the book !

Is there any symbolism in your book that you’d care to share with potential readers?

That each and everyone of us owns a FOAL inside. It is actually all about paying attention, listening, and honing that listening. That is, mainly, reconnecting with ourselves.

There really  is such possibility of contact with other dimensions, and I guess that, if the term doesn’t agree with you or with your religious beliefs, you don’t need to call it Angels’ school as I did. I daresay that throughout the centuries it’s been called so many different names…God, Collective Consciousness, Higher Self, or maybe just our conscience, the little voice inside, that as far as I know, everybody has, even atheists.

At the end of the day, if it happened to a person like me, not in the least special ( e.g., FOAL), it can happen to anybody. That is the message I wanted to convey.

Do any of the characters resemble you? How about friends or relatives.

Resemble???  FOAL is basically me!! But you see, it is not important `who` it was to have this experience, since, as I said, the message intrinsic in FOAL is that anybody can be Foal.

This is not the story of one small person. This can be the story of all, if we just try to listen to what we hear inside. And believe me, we ALL hear something inside…but we rarely write it down!!

What is the worst thing reviewers or critics have said about your book

So far so good …I guess I was lucky !

What is the best thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

That it is timeless….

What has been the most difficult part of your writing experience? 

I must admit it is the marketing part. Just doesn’t come easy to me, so actually  I never did it at all. That means, you, Nick, are my first !

How did you choose the story you wrote?

The story chose me. I self-published, but I remember that after I submitted it, on a telephone call, the publisher said to me: ‘It’s quite unique. How did you come up with it?`

Well, I didn’t! I didn’t come up with anything. It just happened, and I reported the story as it was, that`s all.

How did you choose the title?

The title came up after I had a dream…. Well, what  else? *laughs* It`s a book about dreams, right? And it just sounded so good!

However you created the cover, will you being do it that way in the future? Why or why not?

Oh, I love my book`s cover ! The stretching of a hand between dimensions and the receiving of the EYE only when we get to the other side was so perfect! And the little flower as a beautiful gift …It was love at first sight! It was made by one of the professional designers of my publishing company, Turning Stone Press. They actually let me choose among six covers, but I had eyes only for this particular one.

Who were the authors that influenced you? What about them and their style appeals to you?

Many years ago, when I had no idea I would start writing, I read The Alchemist, and was fascinated by the amount of great wisdom imparted in such inconspicuous and easy to understand way, so that just anybody could `get` it. I guess that stayed with me. FOAL is also a very quick and easy read, but there also is so much Wisdom inside (Angels` wisdom, not mine!)

Where do you see your writing career going? Why do you think that?

Oh, I really have no idea! I just HAD to write about this experience, or at least that`s how I felt. At first, I thought the Angels would do the PR for me….. hmmmm, great let down, you know! I guess I hoped against hope! Because in truth, I hate marketing, although I understand how it is necessary. So now it seems I finally got the message…”Angels help those who help themselves!” and just as the thought crossed my mind, I happened to find you, Nick !! Lovely, right ?

On the practical side, I have already started writing FOAL II, but it may take some more time before it gets published.

Do you use a pen name, why? 

The pen name FOAL is actually an acronym, a way to say thank you to an invisible helper and friend. Besides, just about the time I was searching for a suitable pen name, I had this beautiful dream of a young horse, a …FOAL. So that made it !

Why a pen name ? Well, for me this book was all about and had to be about the message and not the messenger. It was simply the sharing of a gift. I needed to find a good thread to stitch up the whole experience into a story without turning it into some kind of personal memoir.

The idea of writing it in the format of a story, of a fairy-tale, and of using the pseudo of FOAL finally resolved the issue.

 

Foal and the angels

 Get your copy of “Foal and the Angels” today!

Nov 11

Yveta Germano And Why Crypts Made Her A Writer…

Yveta Germano is one of the most exciting teen authors around at the moment. Her book “Bring Me Back” has been exciting young readers the world over, As a lover of history, Yveta spent her early years travelling and catching ancient crypts and medieval buildings. This encouraged her in her efforts as a writer, and soon she became inspired to chase writing as an author. She currently lives in the United States and spends much of her time running her own publishing company, writing and spending time with her children.

yveta germano 3Q) Thank you for appearing on my site for an interview, Yveta!

A) You are so welcome!

Q) How would describe your book, its genre?  Do you write in more than one genre? Do you feel this will confuse your readers?  

A) Bring Me Back is young adult fiction. Librarians would classify it under paranormal, but this classification may be a bit subjective. A gorgeous young male clone hiding in an underground maze and a teenage girl who bids her body to die so that she can cross over to find her lost childhood friend’s soul may seem paranormal to some. But who’s to say we won’t be able to clone a human being or recall the event of our own clinical death sometime in the not so distant future?

I also write children’s picture books and middle grade books. I don’t think it will confuse my readers because when I set to write a story, I become a part of it. I put my heart and soul into it, and I create a voice that is unique to each and every character.

Q) How long have you been writing? How long did it take to write your book? And what motivated you to write it?

A) I love this question. I published my first book in 2011, but I’ve been writing since I was a teenager. I always had many stories to tell but was too busy raising my daughters and working in medical research to find time to do what I always knew was my real calling.

It usually does not take me that long to write a picture or a middle grade book. Bring Me Back is different, though. It’s a high-concept trilogy that is ahead of its time. It required not only years of experience in writing but a lifetime of learning about metaphysical concepts like a human soul, dark energy, life force, DNA sequencing, etc. Years ago, I had a vision of a mysterious, impassive girl in a white gown. That was all I had when I started to write the story. No synopsis, no clear voice, I began writing until I had 400 pages. An editor told me it was the most interesting story, but it was clear I had no synopsis. I deleted the entire manuscript without backing it up on purpose! Two years later, the girl was back in my head and with her a story I could not wait to put on paper.

Q) Is it a stand-alone novel or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, how did you decide to make it a series? How long will the series run?

A) I spent almost a year writing and re-writing the entire manuscript because each time the story became bigger. That’s when I realized it was too great of a concept to fit into one book. The first book of Bring Me Back is mainly about a curious teenage girl, Ali, who’s searching for answers about her forgotten past. Her search leads to an old mansion where she finds a young male clone and an impassive girl that used to be her childhood friend. Ali’s life is turned upside down when she finds herself in the middle of the most unbelievable, fast-paced mystery in which she’ll have to bid her own body to die in order to cross over and bring the soul of her childhood friend back to reunite with the impassive body.

Crossing over, however, brings about a whole new set of problems and adventures. That’s where book number two begins…

Q) Who are your main characters in the story and how would you describe them?

Aliana, Ali as everyone calls her, is seventeen. She’s daring, stubborn, sometimes even careless. She is as normal as she can be, except she hears an eerie voice reciting a strange riddle, and she may have the power to unlock time. That’s what she heard when she was a child but never knew what it meant. She’s about to find out in book number 2, and it will blow her mind away.

Damon is a fierce, unbelievably handsome eighteen-year-old male clone. He’s wildly unpredictable, inhumanely strong, and no one knows whose clone he is. Damon’s “creator” locked him in an underground crypt for most of his life before Ali helped him escape. He can help Ali search for answers, but there’s no way of knowing what he’s capable of. His body is cloned. The question is, does he have a human soul?

Nick is Ali’s best friend. He’s a seventeen-year-old heartthrob with eyes that are as blue as the summer sky. He can protect Ali from just about anything except her own, stubborn self.

Q) Is there any symbolism in your book that you’d care to share with potential readers?

A) I wouldn’t even know where to start! How about the book cover? The hourglass measures time. We can see the sand falling through the neck, we can see when it’s about to run out. Unlike the real life where we never know when our time is up… The mysterious French alchemist Fulcanelli said, “The empty hourglass is a symbol of time run out.” I have a huge, two-story high hourglass in the old mansion in my book. When all of the sand falls through its neck, the hourglass, just like the human world, will have to be turned upside down, if it is to continue. The sand is almost all gone, the time is running out.

I could go on and on about symbols in my book. I love using them, I did a lot of research and many are more real than we’d think.

Q) Do any of the characters resemble you? How about friends or relatives.

A) This is tricky. In my real life, when I was a teen myself, I’d identify with Ali. Definitely not now. I don’t think I’d have the guts to do what she did.

On the other hand, my characters are me. Writing Bring Me Back was not by choice. I was forced to do it by some inexplicable force. I’m not kidding. I was literally hearing an eerie voice telling me to sit down and write. I was not imagining a story. It was more like watching a big screen movie in front of me and writing down what I saw. I could not stop, I could not sleep, I’d wake up speaking the dialogues I wrote later in the book. The characters lived inside my head to a point my kids complained I lived in my own imaginary world.

Q) What is the worst thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

A) Nothing yet! I’m waiting for my first bad review or criticism. And when it comes, I’ll smile and say to myself, “Life is about balance. You’ll never appreciate the good if you don’t know the bad.”

Q) Have you tried submitting your book to publishers? If so, how many? Did they provide any feedback? What was that feedback? Will you be submitting it again? Would you still want to work with a traditional publisher now that you have self-published?

A) I tried agents first. The problem is I can write books but I cannot put together a concise synopsis or a great query letter. Unfortunately, agents dismiss your work based on those two or the first 10 pages of your manuscript.

I submitted a sample to a couple of publishers and actually had one interested. It boiled down to the control over the story. I could not see it as a stand-alone, watered-down version. They did not have a trilogy in their current budget. Oh, well… Like I said, it really is a great, big story that cannot fit into one book. Since it took me a lifetime of learning all the amazing concepts I want to explore in this thrilling adventure, I decided to self-publish. This story is something I have to tell in its entirety, otherwise I’d feel like I did not fulfill my life’s purpose.

Q) What has been the most difficult part of your writing experience? Dealing with publishers, agents, editors getting reviews, query letters, what?

A) All of the above. It’s all an intrinsic part of the “writing experience.” You’re not a serious author if you haven’t dealt with agents, editors, reviewers. Any experience, even the bad ones, fuels your determination and gives you a different perspective of yourself. After a while, you stop taking yourself so seriously and start really enjoying the creative part of writing.

Q) Do any of your characters have secrets you can share with our readers?

A) Don’t we all? Can you imagine a mystery/thriller character that does not have a secret? Ali has quite a few secrets, but her main one dates back to 1492 even though the book is set in the present time. How’s that for a teaser?

Q) Describe your writing process. Do you outline, create rough synopses, do you do detailed biographies of the characters before starting to write?

A) I wish I had a synopsis! That way I wouldn’t have to re-write so many times. Well, that was the case of the first book of the trilogy. By the time I re-wrote it so many times, I knew the rest of the story. So now I have a synopsis for book number two and book number three.

Since there is a lot going on in the story, I do have to keep a journal with all the important events that I have to either return to or explain later. I hate it when I read something in a book and I have no idea why it is there. I tried really hard to avoid something like that.

Q) How much research do you do before starting to write?  Where do you find most of your background materials? How do you fact check?

A) Bring Me Back is a big concept idea even though it’s a fast-paced mystery/thriller. I’d be beyond embarrassed if any of the scientific concepts and facts were incorrect. Like I said, I have a lifetime of learning and experience about much of what I’m writing about. Now it all boils down to make sure it’s written in a way teens understand and enjoy it. I have piles of research papers, magazine clips, and books. I read them all and highlight everything that’s important to my story.

Q) Can you describe where you do your writing.

A) Everywhere. I have an office at home with a big computer. That’s where I write the most. Sometimes I write on my laptop in the kitchen. I carry a paper notebook everywhere and write down ideas and dialogues when I stop at a red light or even in my yoga class. Scenes and dialogues just pop out and I’m afraid I’d forget them if I don’t write them down.

Q) If you had to do the experience of writing your work over, would you still write it? Would you change it? How?

A) Since I re-wrote it many times, I feel it’s perfect just the way it is. I’d write it the same all over again. I love the story. It’s something that must be told.

Q) So, how did you choose the title?

A) My first title was Unraveling. I liked the idea of how the story started simply and it spiraled and unraveled all the way to the end. Then I was at a SCBWI conference and an editor from one of the big six publishers announced they’ll be publishing a new YA novel called Unraveling. I was crushed and excited at the same time. Crushed that someone else took my title (LOL). Excited since I thought it was a sign…

I wrote down a whole bunch of titles and had my kids and friends vote on one. Everyone had an opinion, but I stuck with my first choice: Bring Me Back. It symbolized many things in the book. Ali bringing back the soul of her impassive friend from beyond; Damon being cloned so, in a way, brought back to life; and the final, most dramatic comeback will take place in the sequel. I won’t spoil the suspense by telling you what it is, though.

Q) How did you decide on the cover and did you design it or did you use a professional designer? However you created the cover, will you being do it that way in the future? Why or why not?

A) I designed all the covers of all my books. It’s something I really enjoy. I had some help with the cover for Bring Me Back. My friend Madeline Irene (by the way, Madeline looks exactly like my heroine Ali and she even posed in some of the photos I used for my book trailer that can be viewed on YouTube) is a talented photographer. She took a picture of the hourglass and managed to edit a drop of blood in its neck. She did it exactly how I wanted it, and it looks great. I did the rest of the cover— everything from the background to the font that looks like dripping blood. If I had to do it again, I’d use more lighting effects because the cover looks great on the computer screen and paperback, but Amazon’s miniature icon looks a little too dark.

I will certainly do my next cover. I already know what it will look like. I took a lot of photos in Italy this summer, and I will use some of the shots from the Dome in Milan. It was built by the Knights Templar so it is perfect for another one of my mysterious twists.

Q) How much literary license do you take with your stories? Do you create fictional locations? Do you use real locations, with some fictionalizing or do you stick very close to the actual setting? Why?

A) The first book is set in Boston in the present time. The sequel will take the readers to the United Kingdom where the characters search for clues and secret passageways to a world hidden from ordinary humans. This world may exist in what we call dark matter or in one of the many dimensions we know exist but cannot access at this time. So, in a way, the trilogy is set all over the universe.

I like to set the books in real places first so that the reader can relate to it. I strive to pull the reader in so that he can enjoy the journey wherever it takes him next.

Q) What types of hobbies do you have? Are you active in sports or your community? Do these activities find their way into your books?

A) My life is one crazy catch up game. I love to decompress in my fitness center during cycling, power Pilates, and yoga. I need to compensate for sitting by the computer a lot. I run my own publishing company, Midnight Hologram, LLC. It’s a lot of work on top of my writing. If I have any time left, I read, watch fun shows, and spend time with my daughters while they still want to be around me. I travel a lot. My birth family is in the Czech Republic. I have my second home there—I kind of live on both continents. I’ve traveled all over Europe, North America, and I enjoyed my trips to South America and Africa. It’s important to get to know the world we live in. It’s an experience no one can take from us.

Q) What types of books do you read (if any) for entertainment?

A) Lots of young adult literature. From The Hunger Games to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I try to be informed of what’s out there. I love to read inspirational books by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Gary Zukaw, Eckhart Tolle, and others. I also love mystery/thrillers.

Q) Tell us something about yourself that you don’t usually share with anyone but close friends.

A) I talk to myself a lot. Like every day! I imagine myself as my characters and have real dialogues. When I started writing Bring Me Back, I wanted to be alone and write so badly, I did not even want to be around my friends. I pretended to be sick, travel away from home, and anything else to be home alone free to write. When I was in the middle of the book when the story takes a very unexpected turn, my mother was visiting from the Czech Republic. I could not wait for her to fly back home. I just wanted to be alone and finish the story. Shall I feel bad about it?

 

Bring Me Back Don’t forget to get your copy of “Bring Me Back” right now!

Nov 10

Tim Northway And The Alien Invasion

Tim Northway is one of the most exciting new writers to come out of the science-fiction genre for sometime. He’s the kinda guy who sits gazing at the skies and wonders what’s up there or looks down at the ground and wonders what’s deep underneath the Earth. Tim is one of the most creative members of the writing community. I haven’t seen an interview with Tim that really shows his personality. That’s about to change.

Let me tell you about his books before we start grilling him. Tim has written two books– his first was called “False Gods.” It was an interesting tale that really got people thinking about the way modern life has imprisoned them. In the story, a group of miners were offered good jobs to go underground and mine for the Rockwell mining company. Little did they know that they were actually to be imprisoned down there– left without light they managed to create a brand new world…

Total Amnesia tells a different story. It’s a story of alien invaders who come to Earth ready to harvest humans for their own good. A dark story that sees humanity fall to its knees as extinction beckons.

Q) Hi, Tim. It’s great to finally have you on my site!

A) Thank you, Nick. It’s great to be on your site. I have appeared in a couple of issues of “Novel Reads By Novel Ideas” but never on here.

Q) Jumping straight in with a question here… I love the cover for “Total Amnesia,” and I have to ask what made you go for such a striking image?

A) The cover shows an eye—the window to the soul, superimposed by circuitry.

The aliens have trapped “free being” in the circuitry of a “mechanical mind.”  Any “free” thought is absorbed by this circuitry and reprogrammed into acceptable thinking.

For instance, say you think the thought:  I want to want to fly across the universe—which, incidentally, is one of the simplest things a free spirit does. That thought is absorbed and runs through the circuits of your Mechanical Mind.  Each concept is represented by a word, and the words are picked up by the circuitry.  The first word of the sentence, ‘I’ ,runs through a program that converts thoughts of being a free spirit (who you really are) into an identification with a body―thus ‘I’ becomes ‘body’.  The second word: ‘Want’ runs through the circuit of hormonal feelings and physical cravings―thus want becomes a physical craving.  The concept of the new word ‘fly’ is run through another circuit complete with, birds, air flow calculations, vacuums, Peter Pan fantasy, engine propulsion, velocity, etc―depending which circuits have been activated by your education .  This circuit will totally invalidate anything to do with moving to another location as a free spirit.  The word ‘Universe’ is run through whatever  programs your education has stimulated; such as gravity, physics, quantum theories, black holes, Einstein and energy.  Now, when you think the thought I want to fly across the universe, it becomes incredibly complicated and virtually impossible, which activates another circuit that turns it all into ‘fantasy’ and invalidates the whole thing.  This is all done on an automatic, subconscious level, so you don’t even know you’re doing it!

I’m sure you can see this.

tim northwayQ) Very interesting! “Total Amnesia” tells the story of an alien invasion. This has been done to death with films like “War of the Worlds” and “V.” How does your story differ?

A) In this story, the alien invasion is not some attack on the planet.  This is simply some mundane, everyday activity, like herding cattle.  It is happening on millions of planets all over the universe.

This is a unique viewpoint because we see our lives, our loved ones, our entire society being destroyed, and they see just some work order.

This sets the reader up for the BIG PICTURE.

Q) I guess I have to ask. What is the big picture?

A) In this universe, bodies are bred to perform certain “jobs” in this universe.  For instance, some planetary system will purchase an army.  This army will be a bunch of very robust bodies bred on a planet of warriors.  They will purchase a few trillion soldiers for their war.

On another planet, the bodies will be oriented to technical knowledge and a billion or so will be sold to a “tech support” company (e.g., a universe-wide “Microsoft-style” company.)

The whole idea is to trap naively free spiritual beings into the game of this universe.  That is the BIG picture.  “Earthlings” are a very, very small part of the big picture.

Q) Please tell me if I am wrong… Do you have a grudge against humanity?

A) Not at all! I just think sometimes we forget how small we are in comparison to the universe. This story is just a story, but it has a basis in truth. If we look beyond ourselves and what we have and don’t have, we will see a much bigger picture.

Q) How was the process of writing “Total Amnesia” in comparison to “False Gods?”

A) The two are actually very similar– they are both trying to promote the way we should be looking at the bigger picture of life. In “False Gods,” the slaves escape and suddenly see that their world is a much bigger place than they once thought. The same thing happens in “Total Amnesia” only on a bigger scale.

Q) Where do you like to write?

A) I tend to write in coffee shops after my regular job. I think the steady flow of caffeine helps me to concentrate on my writing.

Q) How important is character development?

A) Very important. A character has to be believable, and that means a writer has to really put everything into his or her characters. If those characters don’t come across as characters then you have a problem.

Q) Will you be writing any more books soon?

A) More than likely! I keep having a bash at writing, and I love what I do. I just write, in many cases, to fulfill my own needs and desires. Sometimes writing is an escape. Sometimes it’s a fantasy. It’s always a joy.

total amnesia tim northway

Check out “Total Amnesia” from Tim Northway today! 

Nov 10

Denise Barry And What The Tooth Fairy Does With All Those Teeth!

Denise Barry is one of the most exciting children’s authors of the moment! Her book “What Does The Tooth Fairy Do With Our Teeth?” has been a huge hit with young readers all over the world. She also has the distinction of being one of the few independent authors with the clout to move paperbacks. This interview with Denise was originally released as part of “Novel Reads By Novel Ideas.” However, I was reading through this older issue and realized this interview was too good to just be a magazine exclusive. So it has now found itself on my website.

I also want to mention that Denise is currently running a competition that will leave you speechless. How would you like to win a free Kindle HD Fire? If the answer is yes… Enter her competition now! You won’t regret it!

What does the Tooth Fairy do with our teeth?  What a good question, and one clever kids have been asking through the ages!

Until now, there has never been an answer that comes close to revealing just how playful, creative and clumsy the Tooth Fairy can be!  Oh, and let’s not forget naughty.  Yes, the Tooth Fairy can be a little naughty sometimes, too.  Just ask the moon!

 

Take a sneaky peek inside the Tooth Fairy’s world where you will be amazed and delighted by all of the fun, creative and magical things she might do with our teeth:

 

Maybe she cooks them all up in a pot

And what rises over them when they get hot

But a big cloud of steam as high as a jet

And down falls a rain, getting Fairy all wet!

 

But be warned—you may never look at the world in the same way again.  Not the snow, the stars, or even a chocolate chip cookie!

 

*****

 

denise barryHi, Denise! Let’s talk about the Tooth Fairy. How would describe your book, its genre?  Do you write in more than one genre? 

 

My book is a children’s picture book, fiction, for ages 4-8. A fun, whimsical fantasy!

 

Yes, I do write in multiple genres.

 

What are they? Why? Do you feel it might confuse your readers?

 

Besides the children’s picture books, I write for middle grade readers, ages 8-12.  I also write inspirational stories for adults.

 

I love writing for children because I act like one.  I love fostering their imagination.  I love that children love to play and laugh and have fun—they do this most often by using their imagination, and this is also how they learn.

 

I also love writing for adults because I am one, and I know how hard life can get.  I’ll never stop learning from my experiences, so why not share these with others so that they can learn and grow from them, too?  It’s a very connecting thing, to share our pain and joy with each other.

 

Since I write for both children and adults, people may think these are very different modalities, but because I write with the intent to inspire, they’re really not.  I just use a different method to create inspiration for each.

 

How long have you been writing? How long did it take to write your book? And what motivated you to write it?

 

I’ve been writing since I was nine years old, on the same day Santa Claus brought me a shiny red typewriter (yes, I am THAT old)!  I wrote a song for my mother with it that year.

 

I didn’t pursue writing as a career until a few years ago, and when I did, I got really serious about it.  I don’t know why I waited so long because it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve met so many awesome people as a writer!

 

The book What Does the Tooth Fairy Do with Our Teeth? took me a few months to write but the editing took forever, like a year!  I would still be editing it today if I didn’t create a deadline for myself!

 

I wrote this book because when my daughter lost her first tooth and we read a book on the Tooth Fairy it made her ask, “What does the tooth fairy do with our teeth?”  I had no idea!  And I like to have ALL the answers.  Googling an answer didn’t help.  There were things like, “She crushes them to make toothpaste” and “She recycles them for babies and old people.”  How gross is that?

 

There was nothing left to do but create my own ideas of what the Tooth Fairy might do with our teeth, so I literally searched everywhere for the answers.  I looked in the sky and the ocean floor, I searched inside pots and behind closed doors, I got inside the Fairy’s head and pretended I took the teeth from bed!  It was a really fun book to write.

 

Denise Barry makes the Amazon mailing list.

Denise Barry makes the Amazon mailing list.

Is it a stand-alone novel or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, how did you decide to make it a series? How long will the series run?

 

Well, I may write a book about the “Tangle Fairy” in the near future, which will have concepts similar to What Does the Tooth Fairy Do with Our Teeth?  I will try to answer the question of why we wake up with tangles in our hair!  Wouldn’t you love to know this?  I think someone is having a little fun while we’re sleeping, don’t you?

 

Who are your main characters in the story and how would you describe them?

 

The Tooth Fairy is the main character, but the teeth are a close runner up.  The Tooth Fairy is clever, fun, playful, naughty and brilliantly creative.  The teeth—well, let’s just say, you will never look a tooth in the same way again.

 

Is there any symbolism in your book that you’d care to share with potential readers?

 

To me, this book is symbolic of all the beauty and fun that is surrounding us every day, just waiting for us to notice it. All the little things that we miss or take for granted, but are there anyway. All we have to do is open our eyes, throw in a little imagination, and we are seeing things we didn’t know existed, and we are happier because of it.

 

Do any of the characters resemble you? How about friends or relatives.

 

My Tooth Fairy could be any one of us, young or old.  She is the proud parent of her creations.  She is the naughty child looking for attention.  She is the master inventor when the juices start flowing.  She is the fool who made a mistake.  She lights up the room when she is happy.  She is the giver and the taker and the creation maker, as the mood demands.  She is all of it, as are we.

 

What is the worst thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

 

The worst thing I’ve heard about my book is that it could use more characters.  Great insight for future books!

 

What is the best thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

 

Wow, there have been so many great things!  My favorite is from the best-selling author and Oprah columnist, Karen Salmansohn.  In her review she wrote that my book is sure to become a favorite bedtime story, a classic, and that her son loves it!  Who could ask for more?

 

Have you tried submitting your book to publishers? If so, how many? Did they provide any feedback? What was that feedback? Will you be submitting it again? Would you still want to work with a traditional publisher now that you have self-published?

 

When I first wrote the book, I submitted it to publishers and agents. It’s funny, when I got the manuscript back, along with a rejection notice, I studied it closely to see if there were any creases in the paper showing someone had actually read it.  It looked pretty fresh still, so I just don’t know…

 

My book actually got straight in the hands of a publisher once, not an editor, THE publisher of a big publishing house.  I had a friend who kindly hooked me up.  This woman emailed me and said she loved the book, BUT they had just taken on a Tooth Fairy book that month and couldn’t take on another.  She told me I was very talented but….

 

Maybe that helped me get the courage to self-publish.  Maybe I was just really tired of waiting for someone else to give me the green light.

 

The truth is, today you have to market yourself no matter what anyway, so I felt I had nothing to lose.  I believed in my book unquestionably, so I found an amazing illustrator, had it professionally edited, and created the best book I could.

 

What has been the most difficult part of your writing experience? Dealing with publishers, agents, editors getting reviews, query letters, what?

 

The most difficult part of my writing experience has been keeping myself motivated, not giving up.  I was shocked at how much is involved in getting a book published and then getting it in front of people, and it seems like everything goes wrong, at least once.  Dealing with the “creative” people I did throughout the process was a very different experience for me.  I’m talking about the people who built my website, did my PR (before Nick), the designers at the publishing house.  I can’t tell you how many times I asked myself, “Is it worth it?”  But nothing comes easy, and if it did, would you appreciate it as much?  I learned to appreciate the learning experience.

 

Do any of your characters have secrets you can share with our readers?

 

The Tooth Fairy has a secret….but you can’t know it till the last page of the book!

 

If you were to be offered a movie deal, who would you like to see play the main characters?

 

My future book, Sweeney Mack in the Slurp and Burp Competition will be the one to get offered a movie deal.  It wants to be a movie!  And who would play Sweeney?  If only Elijah Wood were little again!

Denise Barry hits the top ten with "What Does The Tooth Fairy Do With Our Teeth?"

Denise Barry hits the top ten with “What Does The Tooth Fairy Do With Our Teeth?”

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, create rough synopses, do you do detailed biographies of the characters before starting to write?

 

I usually get an idea for a children’s book or inspirational story without trying.  The idea is the easy part.  Then, when it’s time to write, sometimes it flows and I know just where to go; other times it takes quite a bit of effort.  Either way, I don’t care.  I go with the flow.  I have fun with whatever process needs to be, and then when I’m not having fun anymore, I  have a snack or take a nap.

 

My middle grade book was intensive labor at times!  I outlined what would/could happen, I created rough synopses AND I found the need to create a detailed biography of each character.  I needed to know them inside and out if I wanted to know what they would do next and how they would act while doing it.  This is the book that taught me how hard writing can be.  But it was also one of the most rewarding!

 

How much research do you do before starting to write?  Where do you find most of your background materials? How do you fact check?

 

Even when I write fiction and I’m making something up—an event or an experience the character has—I want my story to sound believable.  I do a lot of research for my books while I’m writing them when I’m unsure of something.  I leave nothing unchecked.  Being a self-published author means there will be no one checking your work, so the responsibility is all yours.  I think it’s very important to dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s.  I Google everything!  I love technology!

 

What didn’t you mention in the synopsis that you can reveal here?

 

There is a really fun twist at the end of the book.  Something unexpected.  One kid that read it laughed so hard he almost fell off the bed!

 

If you had to do the experience of writing your work over, would you still write it? Would you change it? How?

 

I would write Tooth Fairy over and over and over.  1.  Because I love it.  It’s my baby!  2.  Because I can’t stop editing it. I always think it could sound better if this or that.

 

How did you choose the story you wrote?

 

It chose me.  My daughter wanted to know what the Tooth Fairy does with our teeth, and so did I.  As soon as I realized other people probably did, too, I knew it was the perfect book!  I never looked back, and I focused exclusively on the answers to the question.  It needed no fillers!

 

How did you choose the title?

 

The title, even though it’s very long, made sense.  There are other Tooth Fairy books out there, and I needed mine to stand out because of what it was about.  People actually Google “what does the tooth fairy do with our teeth” quite often (I looked it up), and so of course that should be the title so it can be found!

 

How did you decide on the cover and did you design it or did you use a professional designer? However you created the cover, will you being do it that way in the future? Why or why not?

 

I love the cover of my book!  I did not design it, the artist/illustrator of my book did.  His name is Andy Boerger and he is amazing!  Not only did he create the most beautiful, whimsical paintings, he had amazing ideas of how to portray each scene, and the cover was entirely his idea.  I loved it when I saw it.

 

He has agreed to illustrate my next book, Soap on a Rope, and is working on it as we speak!  I hope he will work with me on all my books in the future!

 

Can you summarize your book in 140 characters or less (Tweet size)?

 

Get a sneaky peek inside the Tooth Fairy’s world where you will be amazed and delighted by all of the fun, creative and magical things she may do with our teeth.

 

Who were the authors that influenced you? What about them and their style appeals to you?

 

I have always loved books that rhyme and the books by Julia Donaldson are my favorites, especially Room on the Broom.

 

What did you learn that surprised you while writing your book? What was the most difficult part?

 

I learned that rhyming is not easy! Rhyming so that it flows and doesn’t sound forced was a challenge!  And then trying to convey what you wanted to convey while rhyming was insane!  I learned there’s many ways to say something with the English language, thankfully.

 

What types of hobbies do you have? Are you active in sports or your community? Do these activities find their way into your books?

 

When I travel, I have this weird compulsion to touch things.  I touch everything; seashells, rocks, trees, ruins, water.  I think because I do this I notice things, like textures and patterns and (gasp) the tiny things that live inside what I’m touching.  I think because of this, I can look at something and my imagination goes wild, which is how I was able to come up with some of the concepts for what the Tooth Fairy does with our teeth.  An example of this is a pearl.  A pearl is smooth, so is our tooth…that’s all I’m saying.

 

Have you traveled at all? Been to other countries? Have you lived in other states or countries?

 

I love to travel.  I’ve been to other states and other countries, with my favorite being Spain.  Barcelona is gorgeous!

 

How has that experience helped in your writing career? How has the type of employment you’ve had helped to enhance your writing career?

 

When you are open to experiencing other cultures and sub-cultures, and really embrace each one without judgment, you open yourself to great new ideas.  Obviously this is beneficial in creating stories.  But, this has helped me in writing because I see each person as an extension of myself, and when I write I feel like I’m writing for everyone in the world.

 

What do you feel is the best personal quality you bring to your writing career?

 

Fun, open mindedness, confidence.

 

Tell us something about yourself that you don’t usually share with anyone but close friends?

 

I am really afraid of loud noises.  I have this weird, irrational fear of sound.

 

Where do you see your writing career going? Why do you think that?

 

I see myself as having a long career in writing.  It’s what I love to do.  One day, I’d like to pop a book out just because you and your kids are waiting for that next one from me.  I hope to be successful like that.

 

What happens next?  Is there another book? A new career in some other field? What are your future writing plans? Is it dependent upon this book being a success?

 

I do have another book and another, and then a lot of fun ideas after that! My next book, due out soon, is a picture book called Soap on a Rope.

 

Next is a middle grade book for ages 8-12 called Sweeney Mack in the Slurp and Burp Competition.  This will be the first in a series.

 

Any day there will be a book coming out which I am a co-author of called Watch Her Thrive: Stories of Hope, Strength and Courage.  All of the proceeds for this book will go to charity.

 

Books are going to be my career for a long time, and even though I hope this first book takes off like a rocket, it will not be dependent on what I do next.  I will put the next book out and the next because I believe in them as much as I do this one.  You know how you just know something is right for you?  I know this is what I want to do, what I should be doing!

 

What is your end goal for your writing career?

 

I’d rather not think about “the end.”  I know I’ll get there one day, but I’d rather not think about it!  All I know is that I don’t know what will happen, but I’m open for anything!

 

 What Does the tooth fairy

Pick up Denise Barry’s whimsical What Does the Tooth Fairy do With Our Teeth? today on Amazon and visit her website to explore her other books.


 

Nov 06

The Spice of Life: MJ Summers

I want to introduce a brand new writer to you today, guys. Her name is MJ Summers and she has one of the most interesting books of the year so far. “Break In Two” tells the story of thirty-one year old Claire Hatley who is running from Seattle having just discovered that her live-in boyfriend has traded her in for a twenty-two year old hostess. Devastated and alone Claire must make a fresh start. She answers an ad for a chef at a guest ranch just outside Colorado Springs and finds herself face to face with Cole Mitchell, quite possibly the sexiest man to ever ride a horse. Common sense tells them to stay away from each other, but their attraction is not to be denied. He gives her a glimpse of what love should be, but just as she starts to trust him, the past comes back to tear them apart. Join Claire and Cole as they embark on the stormy love affair of a lifetime. 

Sounds like fun! 

 

MJ, let me start by congratulating you on the release of your book “Break In Two.” What originally drew you towards writing a book?

A) I read my first erotic fiction novel in April and loved it! I read a few more and thought, ‘I bet it would be a lot of fun to think of my own fantasy world and just get lost for a while’. I have a dirty mind, an active imagination so I decided to give it a try. The characters and the story just flowed out of me as quickly as I could type.

mj summers

What makes you a great writer?

A) I don’t even really consider myself a writer yet, so I definitely wouldn’t say I’m a great one. I’m someone who wrote a book. It’s an entirely different thing. Maybe someday I’ll be a writer.

Q) As a writer what do you find inspirational? 

A) Wow. That question itself could inspire an entire novel. Like most people, I find inspiration everywhere. In writing this story specifically, it was the human struggle to find love, to learn to accept ourselves and appreciate our own beauty. I think women especially have trouble with this – I know I do – and I wanted to explore that for myself. What makes us insecure? Jealous? The answer isn’t all the more beautiful women out there. As I wrote, I think I figured it out and it surprised me. I don’t want to give the answer here because it would be a spoiler for anyone who will read the novel.

Q) I can’t wait to read the novel that I may have just inspired you to write! So how did you approach the concept of writing a book?

A) With this book, I had an idea for how to start the story and what I wanted the two main characters to be like. I knew what they had both been through before meeting each other and how things would end but the rest of the story unfolded before me like a movie, in scenes. I could see it all in my mind as I wrote.  The needs and wants of the characters created the actual plot.

Q) What is the key ingredient of a “great” book in your opinion?

A) Characters that you can relate to, care about and learn from, great dialog, a compelling story line and seeing a character transform by the events that unfold.

Q) So, what are your opinions on the independent writing world? How have you found it, so far?

A) I’ve found it exhilarating! We’re extremely fortunate to be living in an age when independent writers can find an audience. The community has been so supportive and amazing so far. The ability to connect with people around the world in an instant for feedback and support is incredible. The fact that one can make their own way and not have to fit the mould set by a corporation allows for true creativity.

Q) I have an important question here for you. Many people believe that a writer doesn’t have to promote a book. Is promotion important to you? Do you embrace the whole process?

A) Undoubtedly. How will anyone know it exists if it hasn’t been promoted? That would be like hiding a diamond in the rainforest and expecting people to find it without a map.

(The next part of the interview process is a word analysis test. I will say a few words and you will say the first things that come into your mind… This could be interesting!)

A drop of rain falls from the sky—what do you think?

Oh good! My perennials need a drink.

How does a cloudy day make you feel?

Like I want to curl up in a cozy chair and read.

What does a bar of chocolate taste like to you?

Like sex feels – delicious.

How do you define your book by genre?

Contemporary romance

How does blog touring make you feel?

Nervous and excited.

How many times have you rewritten a line to try and get the right feel for it?

Maybe twenty. The last paragraph of the book was my toughest. I wanted it to be perfect and it took a lot of rewrites, leaving it for a while, coming back the next day and rewriting again to get it.

Do you like to write with music? Does that help you concentrate?

All the time. I wouldn’t say it helps me concentrate, but I would say it helps me feel.

Do you feel the writing world is full of negativity or positivity?

I believe it’s full of positivity. People have been so encouraging. It’s a wonderful community of people who want to grow and learn as writers and it really seems like people want each other to succeed.  It’s lovely really.

Thank you for your time, MJ! This has been a truly wonderful interview and I hope we can do it again sometime. MJ will be on tour promoting her new book “Break In Two” for the next few days. You can catch her on blogs across the internet. 

Break In Two (heart cover) II copy

Don’t forget! MJ Summers sensational new sizzling new novel “Break In Two” is now available from Amazon. Get your copy today!

 

Nov 05

Thriller Nights: A Conversation With Bruce Bennett

 

Bruce BennettBruce Bennett, a writer, has just shot to the top of the Amazon listings for the first time. He is a writer with a huge hit and he doesn’t really know how it happened. As one of the newest members of the Novel Ideas family he has taken a very long journey and it didn’t take a very long time. From the dark days of writing without an audience to now compelling many readers from around the world. I caught Bruce for a conversation one afternoon and found myself drawn towards him. Let’s see what he had to say…

As we speak “Digital Air” is riding high on the Amazon listings. What is that book about?

 

Digital Air is a suspense thriller with a sci-fi twist.  Don’t let that scare you.  I modeled it after some work of authors like Clive Cussler.  I don’t like to be boxed in.  If I have a feeling about a subject, I want to write about it.  My next planned book will be historical fiction, and I would also like to write something for young adults.  More and more readers like diversity, I think.  I consider myself to be like Michael Crichton—how much different was “Eaters of the Dead” from his other books, yet it was great?

 

How long have you been writing? How long did it take to write your book? And what motivated you to write it?

 

I have been writing for a little more than two years.  It took me eighteen months to write my book.  I wanted to clear my head of ideas that haunted me at night time.  Now I sleep much better.

 

Is it a stand-alone novel or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, how did you decide to make it a series? How long will the series run?

 

Digital Air is the first of three books centering on the character R.S. Cadais.  The trilogy was recommended by my editor, Ken Stewart.

 

Who are your main characters in the story and how would you describe them?

 

I love my main character, R.S. Cadais.  He is a “modern” hero.  I did not want to rehash the same old heroes as other authors are writing about.  He is different, fun, intelligent, self-deprecating, and he gets into trouble.  He is James Bond and Bruce Lee mixed together.

 

Bruce Bennett #5

Is there any symbolism in your book that you’d care to share with potential readers?

 

I don’t like to compete with Dan Brown.

 

Do any of the characters resemble you? How about friends or relatives.

 

My characters in Digital Air are people that I would like to meet.  I think that R.S. Cadais embodies characteristics that we all would want to believe we had.  Other characters are modeled after ideals more than people.  Loyalty and honor are major character themes in my book.

 

Have you tried submitting your book to publishers? If so, how many? Did they provide any feedback? What was that feedback? Will you be submitting it again? Would you still want to work with a traditional publisher now that you have self-published?

 

Who would not want to work with a traditional publisher?  I think all Indie authors want to be discovered in the same way actors were discovered sitting at a soda fountain back in the 1930s and ’40s.  Indie publishing represents a new age in writing.  In the past, writers who did not get published stopped writing for the most part.  Today, anyone can see their name in print.  It’s good and bad at the same time.  It might be likened to a crowd of new professional golfers who are playing their first Masters, but they can’t get a tee time for all the hackers lined up to play.

 

What has been the most difficult part of your writing experience? Dealing with publishers, agents, editors, getting reviews, query letters, what?

 

Getting reviews seems to be the toughest thing.  Also, I question whether there are many honest reviews.  It seems to me that there are many trolls out lampooning Indie authors’ work.  My guess is that it is other authors trying to eliminate the competition.  I try to review all Indie work that I read, especially if someone has gone to the trouble of publishing.  However, much of what I read is not worth reviewing.  In that case, I do not review the work.  Perhaps that is what is happening to my book.  (ß Funny?)

 

Do any of your characters have secrets you can share with our readers?

 

My characters are mostly people a reader can relate with.  If they have secrets, they have not told me.

 

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, create rough synopses, do you do detailed biographies of the characters before starting to write?

 

With Digital Air, I saw this nebulous story in my head.  I started writing without any outline or character synopses and let it develop on paper.  That led to many re-writes and also creating character synopses after the fact.   When it was edited, the rougher areas were identified and corrected.  Overall, I would not recommend this method to writers.  It was like trying to untangle a mess of knotted gold chains.

 

How much research do you do before starting to write?  Where do you find most of your background materials? How do you fact check?

 

I do a considerable amount of research before I start.  In Digital Air, I opened by writing about a place I have not been.  I thoroughly researched, then drew a picture of the setting so I would remember what it looked like.  The Internet opens a world of knowledge that authors never had in the past.  What might Jules Verne have written if he had the Internet?

 

What didn’t you mention in the synopsis that you can reveal here?

 

Digital Air has an interesting science fiction twist.  Some readers might find they have been blindsided, but I feel most will enjoy the surprise.

 

If you had to do the experience of writing your work over, would you still write it? Would you change it? How?

 

With Digital Air, I think that I wrote most of what I had to say.  If I were a highly financed professional writer, I would do more research before writing and perhaps try to visit all of the places I write about.  For the most part, I am happy with what I have written.

 

How did you choose the story you wrote?

 

I wanted to write a fun thriller with different characters and new ideas.  When people tell you to “sleep on it,” that always helped me.  When I was stuck, sometimes I saw the next chapters clearly in my sleep.

 

How did you choose the title?

 

Dan Brown lent me “Digital” and I added “Air” to lend a hint to the plot of the book.

 

How did you decide on the cover and did you design it or did you use a professional designer?

 

I’d like to have an accomplished designer do my cover.  In this case, I had used someone for my previous book and did not especially like the results.  I decided to take a very interesting and enigmatic picture and turn it into the cover.

 

Can you summarize your book for us, please?

 

An FBI agent tries to solve a series of crimes that have no apparent logical explanation.  When people at the highest levels of our government call him in, he realizes that he might have stepped in a quagmire of international conspiracy.  Soon he realizes that he no longer knows who to trust.  With no other course of action, he decides to go out on his own to solve the mystery.  He teams up with a couple of unlikely partners and takes the reader on a fun and challenging ride.

 

Who were the authors that influenced you? What about them and their style appeals to you?

 

Michael Crichton.  I love the believable way he presents a fantastic story.  He uses detail, but doesn’t overwhelm the reader with boring facts.  “The Great Train Robbery” is one of my favorite reads.  I love books by Clive Cussler, Stephen King, James Lee Burke, amongst others.  I love King’s use of time to create suspense.  I found that to be very difficult, but tried to incorporate it in my story.

 

What did you learn that surprised you while writing your book? What was the most difficult part?

 

Writing the book was like pitching a nine inning baseball game.  The middle innings were the toughest.  It was difficult to keep up the energy that far from the beginning with no end in sight.

 

How much literary license do you take with your stories? Do you create fictional locations? Do you use real locations, with some fictionalizing or do you stick very close to the actual setting? Why?

 

I use both fictional and actual settings in my book.  The sense of realism is better when actual locations are used—especially those locales that may be local to readers.  So, when writing about New York City, I use locations with which readers might be familiar.  When I am using exotic locations, I take more liberties.

 

What types of hobbies do you have? Are you active in sports or your community? Do these activities find their way into your books?

 

I have always enjoyed participating in sports.  I use athletics in my books and also describe martial arts maneuvers as close as possible to the real thing.  This latter is more acquired by attending three years of TKA training with my son.

 

What do you feel is the best personal quality you bring to your writing career?

 

I like to think that my sense of humor adds an edge to my stories that make them fun.

 

Who are your top five favorite authors? And which book of theirs is your favorite?

 

Stephen King, Wolves of the Calla;  Michael Crichton, Eaters of the Dead;  Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom; Cliff Roberts, Conch Republic; James Lee Burke, Heaven’s Prisoners.

 

Tell us something about yourself that you don’t usually share with anyone but close friends?

 

I play the violin.

 

Where do you see your writing career going? Why do you think that?

 

I see myself continuing to write many more novels.  I love to sit down and work with the ideas that I have outlined and create new books.  Eventually, I would like to also write music.  The reason is that the process is enjoyable for me.  I would like to write more books that express my inner feelings on many topics.  Reading and writing gives me great joy.

 

Do you have a special theme, or design that you intend to continue throughout your career as your signature item?

 

I hope I don’t get mired down with one particular theme or character.  Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes because he wanted to write something else.  His readers nearly revolted and he brought Holmes back and continued the volumes for the rest of his life.  I don’t want this to happen to me—I want to write on different topics and explore new interests.

 

What happens next?  Is there another book? What are your future writing plans?

 

Yes, I have a book planned for the Christmas season and a second that I have finished but is being re-written by a fellow author.  When my books are done, I want them to be genuine, priceless.  When someone gives me the honor of reading something I have written, I want them to be able to say that it was the best use of their time ever.

 

What is your end goal for your writing career?

 

I want to write till my thoughts no longer come.  I have no delusions of grandeur.  If one person perceived value from reading one of my books, that’s good enough for me.

 

Do you use a pen name?

 

My pen says “Crystal Ball Contracting” on it.

 

Thank you for your time, Bruce.

 

You are welcome! Enjoy!

 

digital air

 Get your copy of “Digital Air” today!

Oct 27

Cliff Roberts! Reformed Politician… Literary Powerhouse!

Cliff Roberts is a guy who has done a lot in his life. Interviewers normally ask him about his political career, his many jobs, seek small business advice or ask him what he had for lunch. I normally delve into the life of writers I work with… sure, that’s the territory. This interview will touch upon his career, but let’s get to the MEAT. What does Cliff write and why does he write it? He has written several books. “Reprisal” was his first mega hit and we’ve seen several since then. We will cover many of them in this interview and you will enjoy the writing side of Cliff Roberts!

Cliff

Q) Hi, Cliff, I am going to jump right in and ask if you are still looking for a major publishing contract?

A) Well, I’ve been self-published since 2013. I hired a PR instead of a publisher. My first book was “Reprisal: The Eagle Rises.” I was offered a publishing contract, but the more I look at contracts, the more I’m thinking it’s not worth the hassle and the cut in pay per book. I sold several thousand copies of “Reprisal” over the first month of its release. Why do I need a publisher?

Q) How long did you spend trying to land a major contract? You started writing after school, correct? I will also throw in another sub-question to spice things up: Do you believe self-publishing is the way forward for writers? Are the big publishing houses on the wane?

A) After high school, while in college, I tried a few dozen times to be published the traditional way with no success, so I put writing on the back burner to get on with life– a job and family. As far as self-publishing, I believe it is the wave of the future. Too many publishers believe they are doing you a favor by agreeing to publish your work. It’s your work that makes them money; they should be thanking the writer for letting them publish it. By self-publishing, you avoid other people trying to change your dream. They correct grammar or structure, but they can also get into the story and sometimes want to see you write something other than what they claimed they liked in the first place. I think self-publishing is going to be the only way to publish sooner than later.

Q) Let me pose this question to you: If self-publishing had been around when you left high school, would you have gone that route?

A) Like most would-be writers, I probably would have thought I had to have a publisher. But I probably would have found my way to self-publishing soon enough. I’m pretty independent.

Q) But your writing has improved since then, right? You have become a better writer with the passing of time?

A) You bet! I’ve improved over the last few years considerably. As with anything in life, if you keep practicing, you will get better. You may not always become proficient, but you will improve. I believe that I’m on my way to becoming good enough to be considered a writer by the public and other writers. I’ve read some books recently by authors who have managed to get signed with a traditional publisher, and I already write better than they do. So I‘m very hopeful to break into the bookstores soon.

Cliff Roberts STILL number oneQ) You are considered to be one of the bestselling contemporary Indie authors. That is quite the achievement! What is the key ingredient to being a writer in your opinion? What does it take?

A) Perseverance. You’ve got to believe you can do it and keep doing it even if no one buys a single book. The best way to get better at writing is to write more and keep on writing.

Q) Do you think many writers give up too easily when they don’t see their book reach the bestsellers lists?

A) I don’t know why some writers write just one book and stop. Maybe that’s all they set out to do. I have the goal of writing bestsellers and being a household name. I’m not the typical writer; I’m not college educated; I’m self taught. Some people have said it shows, yet they loved the story. I will probably never be the technically perfect writer, and I really don’t care. I write to entertain and to make the reader think about the world around them. How have I taught myself to write? By reading thousands of books–all kinds of books– but I like mysteries and action books best.

Q) All of your other books are radically different to your “Reprisal” series. Where do you get such a widespread injection of inspiration?

A) I just thought them all up one day. I started with a guy who was out to kill his mean neighbor. It kept growing until it became the gang who attacked him first and the neighbor could have helped him but didn’t and that’s why he’s out to kill her. Then I found I was writing about a terrorist attack. I wrote the first “Reprisal.” It sold. I often think about what people do and then think about why would they do that. A lot of my stories wrote themselves once I figure out why someone might take a particular course of action. Sometimes, I think the stories are writing themselves, and I’m just along as the reader. I figure if it entertains me, it will entertain others.

Q) The more you tell me about “Reprisal: The Eagle Rises,” the more I see it as a movie. I can see it running in my head as we speak. Do you write with a movie adaptation in your mind?

A) I consider every book I write as a movie. I think it has to do with the fact that we are so focused on TV and movies for entertainment. It’s really ‘lazy people’ entertainment. Reading requires effort; with TV and movies you can just lie in the couch. Don’t get me wrong. I’d jump at a chance to make movies out of any of my stories. I try to think of the scenes and how they’ll look in a movie as I write.

Q) Do you draw inspiration from a lot of people you’ve known? For example, can you point to characters and say “this is so-and-so”?

A) No, not too many. Of course, there are some; every author writes about what they know and the people they’ve known. I get a lot of character ideas from reading. I don’t plagiarize, but I’ll make sure my characters have traits that I admire in others and sometime wish I had.

Cliff Roberts wago wheel

Q) So, now tell me– If you were a reader and you were looking at the books of Cliff Roberts, which would you choose to read and why?

A) I’d probably read the Reprisal Series first because they are action-adventure– my first love. I have only two published, with one about ready and two more at first draft stage. They are action packed with plenty of intrigue. Then I’d have a hard time picking between Fatal Mistake and my other books. I love them all.

Q) Interesting choices. Now, I’ve left Fatal Mistake till last. Can you tell me a bit about this one?

A) Fatal Mistake is about Tyler Stone who chooses murder over divorcing his two-timing, money grubbing wife. He plans the perfect murder down to the smallest detail only to find himself staggering through an astonishing array of challenges, all in the effort to avoid making that Fatal Mistake that would reveal his involvement to the authorities.  It only takes one Fatal Mistake to get caught, and every murderer makes at least one. Tyler Stone made several, but the biggest one was having committed the crime in the first place.

Q) Fatal Mistake sounds like a great read to me! How did you find the writing process for this one?

A) It was interesting because I tend to let the story lead me. I start out with an idea as I said earlier, then I just follow where the ideas lead as I write.

Q) Well, Cliff, this has been one helluva interview. Thank you for your time!

A) Not a problem, Nick!

This could well be the first interview Cliff has done that has actually focused on his prolific career as a writer. A historic first? Perhaps, but it felt good to get the word out about a writer who deserves respect.

Oct 25

Movies, Movies, Movies, Airwolf and more Movies with Alex Cord

Alex Cord grenade 4

Alex Cord is a name that has been around the movie industry for some time. From “Synanon” to “Airwolf.” This is a special interview and one that I think the majority of you will find refreshing. Alex is an author– an excellent author who has just finished a screenplay for his book “A Feather in the Rain.” He is also a man who loves learning about social media and has been growing a huge following on Facebook lately.

For Alex it’s a thrill to meet with fans on a daily basis. It’s almost like a large family on his page and I think many are surprised at how interested he is in the every day happenings of his fans.

Q) Great to meet you, Alex. Let me start by asking when you first decided that acting was for you?

A) Good morning, Nick. Being an actor never entered my mind until I was in college studying English literature and discovered that all the pretty girls were in the dramatic arts department. I began to take some of their classes. Voice and diction, history of the theatre, Shakespeare. I was challenged by the Bard and became a serious student because of a great teacher. I had to get up and read aloud to the class. I was extremely shy, fearful, and reluctant at first, but encouraged by Professor Fanny Bradshaw’s praise and genuine belief in my ability, I slowly became more confident and soon found that I could enjoy performing. That wonderful silver-haired lady changed my life. I soon became passionately interested in the artistry of the printed word and the power of it well spoken. A girl friend aspiring actress was going to be in a university production on stage and suggested that I audition for a part. I did and was cast as an old farmer. I did enjoy that applause at the end.

Q) During those early days, you obviously discovered the power of the Bard… How did you get from student of the Bard to professional actor, working at the Stratford, Connecticut Shakespearian Festival?

A) The American Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, Connecticut was holding auditions for their second season. No less than Katherine Hepburn and Robert Ryan appeared in the first season. Again, my girlfriend auditioned and was accepted in a student program with great teachers and parts in the plays. She suggested I try out for the same. With the help of Fanny Bradshaw, I did, and was accepted. A glorious summer followed with parts in Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. At the end of the summer, I had been asked to join a group of hugely talented actors to perform for the winter in repertory at a prestigious theatre in St. Louis, MO.

Q) And then, you took a leap of faith and ended up working in London– how did that happen?

That led to off-broadway theatre and eventually to a starring role in a play on the London stage in England. A dream had come true. Blessed with astounding reviews at the time of the Annual London Critics Awards, I was nominated for the Best Actor Award along with Christopher Plummer in Becket and Albert Finney in Luther. Mr. Plummer won.

Q) You were of course, part of a cutting edge period of Television acting. How did it feel to be working with such actors as George C. Scott? In fact, let me add to that– was George C. Scott considered a great actor, even in his early years?

A) Back in the states, I worked on all the great TV shows. Naked City, U.S. Steel Hour, East Side West Side, with the amazing George C. Scott. He was an absolute joy to work with. Generous beyond, giving me every advantage with the camera. The show was all about my character of a paraplegic. At the end of a very dramatic scene between George and me, the entire crew stood and applauded. An extremely fine memory. We became lifelong friends. Once after a long time not seeing each other we were at the same event. He spotted me first, called my name, and charged at me like a grizzly, flung his arms around me and lifted me off the ground. Another extremely fine memory. From his first appearances off-Broadway, he was considered a “great actor.” Because he was.

Q) I guess the early TV work was a huge learning curve. Would you agree with that?

A) I would. The work in early TV was a great training ground for learning about the camera and the difference between film and stage acting. And of course getting the opportunity to work with legends of the theatre. Burgess Meredith, Luther Adler, Jacob Adler, John Emery, Morris Cornovsky, Dame Judith Anderson, Burt Lahr, Nancy Marchand, Geraldine Fitzgerald.

Alex Cord firesQ) So, from stage, to TV… How did you break into the movie world? You went from TV/ stage actor to playing the brother of Kirk Douglas.

A) Back in those days they would fly a New York actor out to Hollywood to do a TV show that was made there. The epitome of a gentleman was a gifted director named Richard Quine who had seen me in a TV show and asked for me to do a screen test for a leading role in his new movie, Synanon. I got the part, a great role of a hardcore drug addict who falls in love with the exquisite Stella Stevens. Edmund O,Brian and Eartha Kitt were also in it. Then came, The Brotherhood, with one of the great men of all time, Kirk Douglas. An excellent film directed by the prolific Martin Ritt. A very well written story about the power of the Mafia. I played Kirk’s brother, a super good role and one of the best experiences with another man who became a life-long friend.

Q) Then, came the film that my mother would always call “the Alex Cord” movie. The first picture that would see you become a movie star… How did you catch the starring role in “Stagecoach” and, how did you approach trying to fill the boots of the “Duke?”

A) Stagecoach. What a daunting offer that was. To be forced into attempting to fill the monumental boots of the Duke. Of course I tried to not think about that and approach it as I would any other role. Everyone was very supportive. Ann-Margaret, my dear friend Stephanie Powers, we had done several TV shows together, Slim Pickens was an old cowboy friend.

Q) That was the movie that saw you working with “El Bing” in perhaps his last great role. What was it like working with such a huge motion picture star?

A) The legend himself, Bing. He was a consummate pro. Knew exactly what he was doing and did it so well. I don’t know how much practice he had in life at being drunk but he sure pulled it off on screen. When we finished filming and had gone our separate ways, he had seen a screening of the finished product and took the time to write me the most complimentary letter about my work and how much he enjoyed me and felt that I should be proud. I’m not much for saving things like that but my mother insisted that I have it framed. She was a huge fan of Bing. I arranged for her to have dinner with Bing and me and Stephanie. Bing could not have been more kind, gracious and attentive. A great memory for Mom and another one for me.

Q) Did you ever meet Elvis Presley?

A) Did I meet Elvis Presley? Yes. He was shooting a picture on an MGM lot and I was working there too. I was making a cop picture with the bond girl Shirley Eaton. He had seen “Synanon” and one of his guys came to ask if I wanted to have lunch with Elvis. I had lunch with Elvis Presley.

Q) You are also quite the jazz fan correct?

A) Yes! John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie. I have a Dizzy Gillespie story for another time. I met him in London. I also spent time with Miles Davis. I remember one great time with Miles on a beach.

Q) Let me ask you, you are considered to be one of the top horsemen in Hollywood, and at the same time an award-winning stage actor. How do you compare working with on westerns to working on stage? Which do you prefer?

There is no way to compare working on stage in the theatre with filming a western. They are two totally different worlds. My life as a serious, professional horseman has never done me any good on stage that I know of. It has however done me a lot of good when making westerns.

Q) Where did your love of horses come from?

A) My parents put me on a pony when I was two years old. I still have the photo of me grinning from ear to ear Alex Cord Jan Michael Vincent redwolfwhile another kid in the background is screaming to get off. I was born with an inexplicable love for horses that has only grown enormously throughout my life. I was gratefully gifted with a desire to know all that I could about them, a sense of how they think and feel. I have studied with some of the best trainers and teachers in the world in all disciplines and have found that the best teacher of all is the horse. If you are willing to listen. The secret to becoming one with a horse is love. Respect. Earning his trust. Communicating in a way that he understands what you want. A horse can feel a fly on him. You’ve seen them quiver their skin to make the fly leave. If they can feel a fly, how heavy handed does one need to be if the horse understands what it is you want? There is a potent, influential energy that comes from within the horse and those who fall under its spell are the slaves of a grand passion.

Catch Alex on his Facebook page to interact with him– but, right now you need to hear about the brand new Alex Cord novel. “Days of Harbinger”

“Can one man change the way the entire world thinks? Johnny Grant is a world famous movie star with a passionate social conscience and a gift of clairvoyance. Intensely discontent with man’s inhumanity to man, contemptuously critical of corruption in government, greed, selfishness, he’s convinced the human race is headed for self-destruction. Depressed by an insistent awareness of his impotence to affect the changes he feels would improve life for all of us, he hungers for power. Ultimate power. Filming in Australia, he inexplicably vanishes without a trace. Instant news Worldwide. A turbulent, national manhunt ensues. Three days later he returns with an unbelievable explanation. Realizing the fantastic nature of his story, and lacking evidence, he refuses to be put in the position of convincing anyone. Is what he says true or not? Midst a media frenzy, his fame and influence explode in controversy. Will it bring him the power he craves?”

 

Oct 25

#Competition! Your Chance To Win A Brand New #KindleFireHD!

Would you like to win a brand new KINDLE FIRE HD just in time for the holidays??

Join the Tooth Fairy here at White Buffalo Books as we celebrate the success of the newly released children’s picture book ‘What Does the Tooth Fairy Do with Our Teeth?’ by Denise Barry.  It is climbing up the bestsellers list, and we want to celebrate its way to the top!!  We are giving away BIG prizes to see that happen:

You can win one of TWO Kindle Fire HD’s (each worth $199), or one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or one of several boxes of chocolates from one of New York’s finest chocolate shops!

Sound good?  Here’s how to enter:

1.  Purchase a copy of  the highly acclaimed book ‘What Does the Tooth Fairy Do with Our Teeth?’

2.  Email the receipt from your purchase to us here at White Buffalo Books: whitebuffalobooks@denisebarry.net OR email us a picture of you or your child holding the book.

3.  That’s it, you are automatically entered.

Winners will be picked randomly by White Buffalo Books representative Nick Wale, of Novel Ideas.

*Contest starts October 31 at 12pm and ends December 15 at 12pm, 2013.  So get your copy soon!

PS.  Each book on the receipt counts as one entry.  If you have two or more books on a receipt you are entered two or more times.

Questions?  Email us or leave a comment here.  Want to learn more about the book and check out all the lovely reviews it’s received?  Learn about the book here.

We wish you Fairy Good Luck!!

**Winners will be announced via email on December 16th, 2013.  Updates will be posted on all Denise’s social media pages, so be sure to “like” them!

***If you do not wish to have your picture posted on Denise Barry’s website or any of her social media sites, no worries.  Just let us know!

Oct 20

Author Tom Ufert on the Cutting Edge

Sometimes you need to interview an author with something special. As a guy who cut his teeth on interviews, I am always looking for a new way to get a certain somebody to spill their beans. This is Tom Ufert as you have never seen him before. Naked? Almost. Tom was wearing clothes when he sat for this interview– but he really placed himself on show. So… what are we waiting for? Let’s see how Tom Ufert handles cutting edge. Tom at Desk

Q) What makes “Adversity Builds Character” such a special read?

Adversity Builds Character is a special read for its bold, frank, and honest self-reflection of the numerous adversities I’ve faced.  Yet, in the end, I overcame them through the support of a core group of caring individuals and an unshakable faith in God.  That combination gave me a hopeful/positive attitude to NEVER SURRENDER because I saw first-hand from my mom’s struggles how despair whittles away at one’s core self-confidence.  ABC  tells that story, and its sequel, Crossroads To Character, expected to be released in 2014, brings my tale full circle and how it can truly inspire others to lift themselves up.

Q) What makes you the perfect inspirational writer?

After twenty-one years of coping with not just one life altering disability but three that all hit me in the same year, combined with alcohol/drug/sex addictions that I mistakenly used as crutches to deal with my adversities, my impression is that I just may have some inspirational hope to convey.   Any one of these challenges is enough to rattle your mind, much less rock your psychological foundations.  Coping with each, overcoming them all, and maintaining a strong positive mental attitude is no less than miraculous.  Therefore, just maybe, others might garner a glimmer of hope and an enriched perspective to handle their own adversities.

Q) What is inspirational to you?

There are many things that I find inspirational, each one specific to particular moments or experiences in time.  Music, art, quotations, true life stories, etc…have all inspired me at different times.  Therefore, with today’s technological multi-media world, I find using audio/visual/graphic combinations the most potent means of sharing my inspiration to others.   On a personal note, my mom and godmother/grandmother were both the direct inspiration for my writing.  Public figures like Churchill, Ghandi, Golda Meir, Anwar Sadat, Dr. King, Nelson Mandela, former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer all have been political inspirations, and recently, 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai’s voice gives me hope.

Q) A drop of rain falls from the sky—what do you think?

First off, it is one of God’s cleansing tears.   Secondly, it is a further example of life’s miracles on this planet when one considers literally the millions of planetary bodies throughout the universe where water cannot possibly exist.  Yet again, how awesome and miraculous it is to have a SINGLE drop of rain fall through the myriad atmospheric obstacles and bless my day by being detected by me, and me alone.  It’s one of those daily miracles that we are so often too damn busy to notice that reinforces my faith in something greater than myself…coincidences like that can’t be cosmic chances, but maybe are God’s subtle way of touching our lives for the better.

Q) How does a cloudy day make you feel?

Granted, there are times when cloudy days make me feel “blah” and even contribute to an encroaching air of depression.  However, following literally weeks of smouldering heat and dry humid air here in Texas, they are welcomed old friends bearing blessings of comfort and soothing cures for the wretched torments of my body and soul.

Q) What does a bar of chocolate taste like to you?

Most times it tastes like a piece of gut wrenching freeze dried coffee which I cannot stand.  However, white chocolate resurrects cherished childhood memories of joyous Christmas holidays and fond remembrances of my now deceased beloved godmother/grandmother’s homemade Divinity candies.

(“The next part of this is word evaluation- I will say a word and you will say the first thing that comes to mind.” Tom readied himself and nodded- we began.)

Deer – hunter

Jazz – New Orleans

Pig – the book Animal Farm

Memory – the song from Cats

Pat Benatar – the song I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL

Frank – my deceased “adopted” grandfather Frank Bolte and the wonderful times we spent in Perry Square, Erie, Pennsylvania when he played bass trombone for the Stilkowski Concert Band.

John Kerry – dedicated outspoken public servant since his famous speech as a returning Vietnam vet, failed presidential campaign, U.S.Senator, and Secretary of State.

Dreams  – visions of how we wished the world , our lives and people around us would be.

Love – a trembling heart, raspy breath, and churning stomach that all occur when you are in the presence or a cherished memory of someone who changed your life forever.

( “Now we are going to just do a few follow up questions,” I say with a smile. Tom just smiles and readies himself for the next phrase of our interrogation.)

Q) What makes a man happy?

Success, security, stability, family, and tranquility.

Q) What makes a woman happy?

Enduring love, laughter, tears, home, subtle touches, smiles, mementos.

Q) What is character? Those singular qualities that are regularly practiced when no one else is around to notice, but pervade your everyday life in words, acts and deeds.

Q) What makes you Tom Ufert?

A singular notion, that though I am but a small cosmic speck in the grandeur of creation, my life makes a difference, and without me the lives of others would be less colourful and God’s majestic tapestry would be incomplete.  I have a part to play in humanity’s drama, and it is my choice to make it a Greek Tragedy or a historical Academy Award winning lifetime achievement to be pleasurably watched for generations to come.

Q) How does it feel to be alive?

Speaking as a person who has been directly affected by death and the victim a self-inflicted near death experience, I can honestly say, “Life on earth is hell to live through, but it certainly is worth the trip when pondering the alternatives.  I am not proud of everything I’ve ever done, that’s for sure.   But everything that has happened has to me has made me the man I am today and of that I am uniquely proud.”  IT’S GREAT TO BE ALIVE AND I HOPE AND PRAY MY LIFE HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE.

 

Get your copy of “Adversity Builds Character” by Tom Ufert!