I am excited to have Laury A Egan here today, sharing her thoughts about whatever she wants. 🙂
Thank you very much for featuring The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers! Here are my interview questions:
1. What was the inspiration for writing this very unusual work?
To be honest, I haven’t a clue! The best I can say is that the beginning of the first novella (there are two, both linked, with the same main character) was strongly influenced by Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, in that it starts in a slow, introspective manner. After that, the plot picks up speed and begins a series of twists and turns, employing an Orlando-esque quality and magical realism. One of my main interests was telling a story about an older woman who is dealing with some physical infirmities and looking back on her life and investigating its mysteries.
2. Can you explain what you mean by magical realism and how did you use it?
This work is about an author, Sidonie Ross, who is depicted at age 64, 70, and at earlier ages as she tries to uncover memories and to look at her life as a narrative. In the book, I’ve intertwined the real, the half-remembered, and the forgotten and blended them together using a magical style. This is a difficult book to describe or categorize, but the reader is in for a dizzying ride.
3. How does this work compare to the other thirteen novels and story collection you’ve written and published?
Fog and Other Stories contained early short fiction and allowed me to experiment and try different styles, create a wide range of characters, and find the genres in which I was comfortable. Unfortunately—or fortunately—I discovered that my tastes were eclectic, from psychological suspense to coming-of-age to comedy to literary, as in this book. Of all of my writing, The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers is my most creative and unusual. I’m really pleased to have this one published!
4. The author in this book writes from a room within her home. Do you?
Yes. Although my office is in the same quadrant of my house as Sidonie’s office, her house is based on my childhood home, which is only a few miles from my present residence. In both cases, there were woods visible through the right window, and the ocean was on the far side of the building (better to avoid distractions). I work every day, almost all day.
5. Do you have other obligations? Family or career?
Other than a prolific number of doctor’s appointments? As for job demands, I’ve retired from my career as a book designer (Princeton University Press and 20 other publishers) and as a freelance live opera/theater photographer, but I still hold fine arts photography critiques every two months. When my publishers allow, I create photographic illustrations and do the typography for covers, such as I did for this book. My life’s philosophy—which might also be that of Sidonie Ross—is best summed up by a line from Andrew Carnegie: “My heart is in my work.” Since I attended Carnegie Mellon University, I took this sentiment very seriously from an early age. My mother, who was a brilliant artist, did, too, and my father, who was a building contractor, was imaginative in his fashion. I have no family still alive, except for a few far-flung cousins, so my life is mostly free of distractions.
6. Since The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers features time regressions, what period of your life would you like to revisit?
My early forties. I had just begun my freelance design and photography business, had fallen in love with opera and was attending the Met Opera regularly, with some magical evenings spent photographing live opera productions such as Philip Glass’ premiere of The Voyage at the Met. I was meeting so many fascinating people and, at the same time, was starting my first novel, which I’ve recently unearthed and am attempting to revise (a very heavy lift). Everything was exciting; doors were opening into new worlds I had only previously glimpsed. And, yes, there was a romance!
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts, Laury. Good luck with the tour.
Book Details:
Book Title: The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers by Laury A. Egan Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 306 pages Genre: Literary, with magical realism Publisher: Spectrum Books Release Date: Dec 16, 2023 Content Rating: PG + M. Language is moderate; scenes of attempted incest and lesbian encounter.
Theo and Sprout: A Journey of Growth by Joseph Gergen
GENRE: Literary Fiction (YA)
BLURB
While Theo longs for some guidance through the perils of adolescence, the guidance he knew his family wouldn’t give him, he isn’t prepared for Sprout, his inner Divine Feminine, to present herself and offer it to him. In fact, he doesn’t appear to have a choice since Sprout, sassy and confident about her presence, won’t go away.
INTERVIEW
I love sharing author’s thoughts and am happy to welcome Joseph Gergen to fundinmental.
What was the scariest moment of your life?
When I was ten, someone in charge at our grade school thought it was a good idea to take us to a meat packing plant. I was obviously young and probably sheltered and definitely sensitive. So at the met packing plant the manager did a little talk for us in the reception area. Then they led us back into the plant. We walked through some stripped cooler door curtain and right onto the killing floor. Right in front of us was the gutter of running blood. And I recall, and it was the last thing I recall before fainting, looking to the left and see a row of headless cows bleeding out, which of course were the source of the blood-filled gutter. Not only was that scary as hell, but haunted me for years.
Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?
Though often I am good with silence and my own thoughts, there are time when I need mood and I’ll listen to Baroque classical music. Though sometimes I’ll try something like Tibetan singing bowls for the wonderful vibes they give out. But nothing with words because I will always be distracted by the words, because of course they are words.
What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
I wan to write a novel in the 3rd person. That probably sounds a little odd. But it is a big challenge in that all my books have been in the 1st person, where I feel I can be personal, almost like a diary or a memoir. It’s like being used to painting water colors and then deciding to paint in oil. Many of the base concepts are the same but there are many new things to learn and play with. I’m not sure where it will take me and I like that challenge.
What does your main character do that makes him/her special?
I think mostly it because Theo (a boy) sometimes turns into Sprout (a girl). And while Sprout has manifested herself Theo is still there in spirit as an active participant. Perhaps like a split personality that is sharing experiences where Theo and Sprout are sometimes harmonious and sometimes not. We are often left wondering who is in control, and I think that makes for good story..
Where do you get your best ideas?
A lot of ideas come from reading because that often gets you thinking. I’ve read some books on psychology in the last few years (just for fun, you know) and I often find myself thinking, that’s an interesting condition or behavioral pattern that would be fun to inject into a book as the main theme or a sub-theme. For example, I read a book on the psychology of memory and thought that would be topic to play with. Now for my latest book, “Theo and Sprout,” that came from a dream that produced intense feelings of euphoria and liberation, which turned into a major theme in the book, which also turned into excellent fodder for psychological musings.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Author of “Theo and Sprout”. Born and raised on the plains of North Dakota. Moved to Twin Cities because it’s actually warmer. Enjoy creating in whatever form it takes, including writing, painting, and furniture making. The enjoyment is in the doing. Looking to add a little magic to the world through art.
Other books include “Without a Pang” and “Methane Wars.”
Social Media:
Website: https://josephgergen.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeGergen or @joegergen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joegergen/ or @joegergen
“…the deep interplay between the two main characters adds a special intimacy to the novel.” -Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize
“a fantastic story…with many surprises and exquisite intimacy. …an excellent read for romance fans and anyone new to the genre.” -Literary Titan
A startling revelation. A secret that speaks to who we are and who we hide. A choice that forces one heartbreaking question: Can their love survive?
Quinn and Jonathan’s journey continues in Entirely, the third novel in the Transformation series. Outfitting a wedding barn and planning Becca’s reception has Quinn furiously busy and—except for a stinging writing rejection—optimistic. Jonathan watches her self-protective walls crumble as their relationship begins to bloom.
Until Octavia calls with an urgent plea.
Quinn can’t refuse Octavia’s request, while Jonathan sees red. The erotic arrangement she proposes to make it up to him yanks him straight out of his comfort zone. He rises to the challenge, though, taking them to stratospheric heights of pleasure and closeness.
When a shocking discovery forces Quinn to make an impossible choice, will their story end with a chasm of hurt and betrayal between them, or can they find their way back to each other?
Intensely intimate, sensual, and emotional, Entirely concludes the first Transformation trilogy. (No cliffhanger.)
• Friends to lovers, slow burn, second chance, fish out of water—readers will click with the themes in this edgy contemporary romance.
• Third-person, alternating points of view
• Characters over 40 and a sexy beta hero
Note: Mature themes, strong language, dungeon and super-steamy open-door bedroom (among other places) scenes. Entirely is Book 3 in the Transformation series; the novels should be read in order.
What was your favorite scene or theme in Entirely to write?
My favorite scene to write was the one in which Quinn and Jonathan are standing in her kitchen in the early hours of the morning, after Becca’s wedding reception. They listen to Becca’s voicemail and then they go to bed. Funny, sexy, intimate–and before the realization of a secret that threatens to pull them apart. Writing that scene was a pleasure.
What was the hardest part of the story to write?
Without spoilers, it was when Jonathan makes his “discovery.” I felt terrible for him because I knew he would feel so utterly betrayed–it was hard to write the scenes where he’s trying to process what happened.
Entirely completes the first trilogy of the Transformation series. What’s next?
Plans are underway for the release next year of some shorter, lighter, funnier stories, more like sexy rom-coms. And with the chemistry between Quinn and Jonathan, as well as all the twists and turns I imagine their life–and the other characters’ lives–taking, expect to see more of them soon.
What’s at the top of your TBR (to be read) pile right now?
The pile is high and always growing but since I’ve been writing a lot lately, I haven’t had as much time to read. Also, when I’m writing fiction, the stories and characters really inhabit my life (or I, theirs), and it’s hard for me to get into other stories and worlds. That said, I’m excited because next up are:
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell, a locked-room whodunit on the set of a British reality TV baking show. (Big grin)
Winter’s List by Jordyn Kross, a ménage tale about a law-school graduate who meets two sexy strangers on a flight to the Caribbean.
War’s Peace by Raisa Greywood, the first Club Apocalypse novel. I’ve been wanting to check out more of these last two authors’ work since reading their short stories at the end of 2022 in a Holiday Shorts anthology.
Last but not least, Big Swiss by Jen Beagin. Transcriptionist for a sex therapist falls for one of his clients and the two accidentally meet IRL? I’m in.
Talya Blaine writes later-in-life contemporary romance that’s emotionally intense and thought-provoking, spicy and sweet. She writes “older” characters (40+), sexy beta heroes, and explores how relationships of all types change over time. Silently (Transformation Series Book 1) is her debut romance, with Secretly (Book 2) and Entirely (Book 3) completed and releasing soon.
The room at the inn had a window that faced the Great Tree with the castle by its side. As Andrew gazed through the window at the castle, his mind wandered back to his mother, who was at home sick with the deadly fever. Although she wanted to see her lost son one more time before she passed, she insisted that Andrew not look for him, for it was much too dangerous. She made Andrew promise that he would not venture off and search for his brother. Andrew agreed not to.
Andrew was now looking for his brother, Nicholas, in defiance of his mother’s wishes. He had made up his mind that he could not live with himself if he did not try. He understood his mother’s concern, but he felt he had to do what he thought was right. He lied to his mother out of love for her and because he did not want her worrying about him on his quest. Right or wrong, it was the way he felt about it. Nicholas had been abducted by an evil Sorcerer, an evil wizard of sorts, when they were both very young. Nicholas was his older brother. Andrew had been searching for Nicholas for weeks; he was now at a small mountain village where he had hoped to find Nicholas and bring him back to his mother before she died.
With Jenny at his side, Andrew, weary from his lengthy travels, fell soundly asleep while gazing at the castle in the distance.
Synopsis (from Amazon)
Andrew and his older brother Nicholas were separated as children.
Nicholas had been snatched away by the Prince of Darkness, and Andrew had all but given up hope, but now their mother is ill, and he’s determined to reunite them before she passes – despite her objections.
With his dog Jenny by his side, Andrew sets out on an epic and perilous crusade well beyond his wildest imagination, facing evil protectors, giant wolves, dark magic, Sorcerers, Goblins, and even the Prince of Darkness himself.
Then there’s The Great Tree.
It’s enormous, with a presence that’s nearly impossible to describe…
And it’s clearly the heart of the kingdom of the wicked Sorcerer.
This is the setting for the adventure story that changed Christmas forever!
Young people and adults of all ages will enjoy this thrilling fable in the same way we’ve enjoyed other great Christmas stories of the past.
Jenny the dog is based on a very real Jenny, the author’s vision of a true warrior – who has her own inspiring story that he’s happy to share with anyone who asks.
All proceeds from the sale of The Great Tree go to The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary to rescue unadoptable dogs, cats, and horses, an approved 501 (c)(3) Animal Public Welfare Charity that greatly appreciates the ongoing support of readers like you!
Young people and adults of all ages will enjoy this thrilling fable in the same way we’ve enjoyed other great Christmas stories of the past.
Jenny the dog is based on a very real Jenny, the author’s vision of a true warrior – who has her own inspiring story that he’s happy to share with anyone who asks.
All proceeds from the sale of The Great Tree go to The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary to rescue unadoptable dogs, cats, and horses, an approved 501 (c)(3) Animal Public Welfare Charity that greatly appreciates the ongoing support of readers like you!
INTERVIEW
How did you do research for your book?
I start of course with my own knowledge; from there I am pretty impatient so I go to the internet and reliable sources. Since my books are mostly fiction I can make up anything I want, although I like to be as close to the truth as possible to make it believable which is always a goal of mine.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
Nicholas was the hardest; here is a guy we swept away by the Prince of Darkness as a kid and transformed into something he was not; but he remembers deep in his soul what he was like. The easiest was Andrew and Jenny; that was me and my girl Jenny, so very easy.
In your book you make a reference to….how did you come up with this idea? What made you write a book about…? Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
I was working on a project and as I sat in my office out the window I saw this huge tree sitting on a hill in the distance, shaped perfectly and it came to my mind immediately what a “Great Tree” and the rest just fell into place.
There are many books out there about….What makes yours different?
I could not find a book/story about how Santa Claus (St. Nick) came to be; also how did this Christmas tree celebration come to be. It may be the first book about how St. Nick and Christmas Tree celebration came to be; at least to my knowledge.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Just go for it! Don’t let any excuse stop you. Failure is not a good reason not to try; otherwise nothing would get done.
Your book is set in (name place). Have you ever been there?
The Great Tree is set somewhere between the 7 Kingdoms, Middle Earth, and the Shire. Great places that I love in lore and from great writers.
In your book you state….why is that?
Two young men together were the only powers on earth that had the power to defeat the evil before them. It is the key to the book and story, without it, the story fails.
If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
That is an easy one Andrew and Jenny; that was me and my girl Jenny, so very easy.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I am manager of The Last Road Dog Animal Rescue where we have a home for the unadoptable dogs, cats and horses that otherwise would be homeless or worse. I get to spend every day with my animal buddies which is a life all dream; while at the same time to write; nothing is better than that for me.
How long have you been writing?
The Great Tree only took 25 years to finish.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
Absolutely. Drop it for a while then just jump back into when you least expect it and boom you are at it again.
What is your next project?
“Life Beneath the Surface.” It is about a man that wakes up in the sweat lodge of an Indian medicine man, who just brought him back to life, when all else failed. He has a little memory of his past except that he remembers his wife, Aurora, was killed. It goes from there…
What genre do you write and why?
Fiction; fantasy, animals and sometimes epics, but always a good yarn!
What is the last great book you’ve read?
The bible.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
“I really like your story but really loved the pictures!”
How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
I was a young man very similar to Andrew, as his persona is that of my own at that age, at least from my perspective, in particular his love of Jenny.
If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
Andrew: Timothee Chalamet
Nicholas: Tom Holland
Aurora: Sydney Sweeney
If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
A movie score by Hans Zimmer; Lead Song by Lady Gaga; and Directed by Antoine Fuqua
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
Making it as perfect as you can; proofed to perfection and getting the pictures to match your mind’s eye and then getting people to read it!.
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
Long and winding road!
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Just go for it. You will be surprised what you have inside you, that just needs a jump start to get going, and the you will have a great fun doing it.
Which authors inspired you to write?
J. R.R. Tolkien
George R.R. Martin
Jack Kerouac
Dr. Seuss
Jack London
What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?
A deeper dive into the personalities of Andrew and Nicholas but it slowed the pace of the book too much.
On rituals:
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Nope! I work best on an empty stomach.
Where do you write?
In my office with my dogs all around me. The atmosphere is perfect.
Do you write every day?
It goes in spurts. Days at time and then a break, sometimes caused by life’s ever-changing events.
What is your writing schedule?
Late nights when it is quiet.
Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?
I like having a movie I have seen a million times but has a good soundtrack in the background.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I have because it is actually faster and you can do an outline form much faster, at least in my case that sometimes is the only way to keep up with my brain pumping out ideas quickly and rather in random order.
If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?
I am a dad to my dogs, and I find the time with them is in balance at all times.
Fun stuff:
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
431 BC – 404 BC to the Greek and Sparta era; the time of my ancestors!
Favorite travel spot?
The beach.
Favorite dessert?
Don’t like deserts; but I would like to visit the Sahara Desert.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
Boat building book for novice; Edible native plants; and The Bible.
If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
My compassion and caring for animals.
What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?
That is my life; it didn’t change much during the pandemic, because I pretty much stayed at home most of my life anyway; it is typical, not atypical.
What TV series are you currently binge watching?
Kojak – he is of Greek heritage too.
What is your theme song?
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
What is your favorite thing to do in (current season)?
Playing with my kids (dogs and cats); going on hikes with them is wonderful, even better in the snow.
What is a favorite (upcoming holiday) tradition (or memory)?
I love watching It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I first saw it when I was about 14 or 15 and I lived outside of Chicago, where I grew up. It was on the local PBS station. I started watching just when Gorge Bailey is on bridge and about to jump in to commit suicide when Clarence, his guarding angel, saves him. After the movie was over I went outside at about 1 in the morning and it was snowing big snowflakes outside and it was an absolutely beautiful night out, with the snow gently falling ever so gently. I will remember it forever.
What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?
Walking in Memphis
What is something that made you laugh recently?
When Jenny just starts to roll over on her back and scratches in the grass, always cracks me up as funny and happy because she is so happy.
What is your go-to breakfast item?
Spinach
Hard Boiled Egg
Whole Grain English Muffin
Yogurt
Non-fat Milk
What is the oldest item of clothing you own?
I have t-shirts from high school days from the 1970s.
Tell us about your longest friendship.
I have some friends that we get together every year in summer that date back to grade school days, about 60 years; Rob, Will, Jimmy, Scott, and Cookie. Rob and I are the closest. I pray for their good health and prosperity every day.
What is the strangest way you’ve become friends with someone?
I saved (adopted) a couple of dogs Pebbles and Bambam from a no kill shelter in 2004; they had been dropped off when they were just puppies on the shelter doorstep; and had been there for 5 years. Pebbles was quite famous as she one night opened the gate to the puppies’ room and they found a bag of kibble and they all feasted until morning when they were found. Pebbles and Bambam were great dogs and I loved them both. The lady that helped me adopt them; we became very good friends from then on; even today.
Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
An actress that went to my high school, before my time, but I still had quite a crush on her, even today, Ann-Margret.
AUTHOR BIO
Able Barrett is a former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Force Prosecutor who shamelessly admits he loves animals more than most people, and he’s the manager of The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary.
The Stormriders approach, certain to leave death and destruction in their wake. Can one young man find a way to defeat them?Ten years after his father’s death, the memory of the attack still haunts 19-year-old Ary. On the eve of the draft, he faces his greatest fear: being sent to join the marines. He knows the cost of war.Ary dreams of marrying his childhood sweetheart, building a farm, and starting a family. But the Stormriders threat of war puts his loved ones and his plans in jeopardy.Wishing for peace won’t make it true.For love, for his people, and for the life he desires, Ary makes a decision that will change everything. Thus begins The Storm Below.This bundle contains the complete Storm Below Saga – that’s five audiobooks of epic fantasy! Listen to:
Above the Storm
Reavers of the Tempest
Storm of Tears
Golden Darkness Descends
Shattered Sunlight
The Storm Below is a beautifully creative fantasy epic. Action-packed, dark, and intense, this fantasy series features characters you are certain to love…and others you will love to hate.
J.M.D. Reid has been a long-time fan of Fantasy ever since he read The Hobbit way back in the fourth grade. His head has always been filled with fantastical tales, and he is eager to share the worlds dwelling in his dreams with you.
Reid is long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest in and around the City of Tacoma. The rainy, gloomy atmosphere of Western Washington, combined with the natural beauty of the evergreen forests and the looming Mount Rainier, provides the perfect climate to brew creative worlds and exciting stories!
When he’s not writing, Reid enjoys playing video games, playing D&D and listening to amazing music.
Lover of mathematics, devourer of science fiction, and connoisseur of the dad joke. When he’s not doing math for business or fun, he’s devouring science fiction and fantasy, reading up on scientific advancements, going for a jog, or, on all too rare occasions, taking a refreshing swim at the beach. At your service, you shall have an able storyteller and gifted conveyor of information. Experienced in narrating fiction, from the romantic to the post-apocalyptic, and nonfiction, from the historical to the corporate, and armed with the tools to make it all sound great, Zachary promises that, no matter the job, you’ll be read-iculously pleased!
At Audiobook Empire, audio reigns supreme, narrators are hailed as heroes, and headphones are worn with pride.
Marrying pomp and circumstance with quality you can count on, Audiobook Empire is a full-service production house that produces and promotes audiobooks with gusto.
Give your audiobook the imperial treatment by producing it with Audiobook Empire.
Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
I had been thinking about it for a while, wanting to do it, but it’s a daunting process with an epic fantasy series with books as long as this. It was always on the back burner then one day Zach contacted me. He had found my book on Amazon and was very interested in narrating it.
I listened to his samples and found he had a great voice for narrating epic fantasy.
We did some back and forth, and the first hurdle I had to cross: how were my strange fantasy names pronounced. There are some nonhuman ones that I don’t know how Zach managed to say, but he did.
After putting together the pronunciation guide, the final stage was listening to him voice my characters and making sure we were on the same page. Then it was off to the races.
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
I think writing that’s very descriptive and has lots of dialogue is probably best for audiobooks.
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
It was not even in the back of my mind. I loved audiobooks, but the idea that a self-published author could do it was never anything I imagined was an option.
How did you select your narrator?
He found me and after hearing his voice, I was thrilled to work with him.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
I gave him a pronunciation guide since there are some interesting names. And a brief character trait. He found my description of one character “is a tool” to be helpful.
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Yeah. I was really inspired by the Age of Discovery sailing ships but threw them up in the air. Especially the British Royal Navy. You see that in the red coats of the marines and the dark-blue coats of the officers.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
I work on multiple projects at once so I never feel like I work on one project too much in a day. I feel that keeps me fresh. As for enthusiasm, I love writing. It’s so much fun. The editing and marketing sucks, but the writing is a joy.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I am. It started back fifteen or more years. I delivered pizzas in my twenties. And audiobooks let me listen to a story while delivering pizzas. I used to by the CD packs and just picked up new ones from half-price books whenever I could. It’s nice to listen to a story while working on other things.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
I tend to just feel a rush of a high finishing a novel and just sort of walk around. Not much celebrating but feeling the emotional rush of this.
In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
A stand-alone novel is something I’m not sure I can write. I want to keep telling stories about my character. To tell big stories that one novel can’t contain. A stand-alone novel can be very focused on one idea while a series can let you really explore a world. I write fantasy, and while there are some good stand-alone novels, I think the medium lends itself to series to explore a created world.
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Read every day. Write every day. You have to develop your craft.
What’s next for you?
Shadow of the Dragon is an epic fantasy series I’m working on. It’s about a young girl who gets the soul of an extinct dragon put in her, a young man trying to be a hero and protect her, and a dark conspiracy that hunts her across the world.
Author J.M.D. Reid’s Top 10 Literary Inspirations
There are a number of works that have influenced me. They have left their marks on my writing and my choice of stories. How I tackle stories and what I inspire to write.
JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
Here is where it all began. My love of fantasy came from reading Lord of the Rings. I had started with the Hobbit in the fourth grade, but it wasn’t until the sixth grade when my uncle gave me a hardback box set of Lord of the Rings for Christmas. I loved it. I fell in love with fantasy.
From there, I descended into more fantasy. David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Ann McCaffery, and more.
Tolkien has so much world-building and history to his world. He speaks of such elemental issues and gives an insight into the ideas and philosophies of more ancient men. And at its core, there are some great characters that pull us along.
Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
Jordan has the biggest influence on my writing style. Back in 1993, I received Eye of the World from my mother as a Christmas gift. I read this book, and this series quickly captured my imagination. I read books 2, 3, 4, and 5. And that was when I became obsessed with it. I spent my Junior High, High School, and my twenties waiting on the next book, reading fan theories, debating the foreshadowing in his books.
The way Jordan uses foretellings and prophecy as well as how he blends our mythologies to make his own coherent world. He uses elemental symbology to tell his story that only adds to how compelling it is.
I also learned some lessons about controlling your characters and plots from the mistakes Jordan made in his later books. It is a shame he died before finishing his series.
David Eddings’ The Belgariad/The Mallorean
After Tolkien, I read Eddings. I had just moved, was in the sixth grade, and had no friends. My mom bought me a book to read. Pawn of Prophecy. She had been given it as a recommendation by the Waldonbook employee.
I fell in love with it. This is the perfect book for a boy. A coming of age story and an epic fantasy quest. What I really love is the dialogue. Eddings has great banter and back and forth between enemies and allies. I try to write dialogue like him.
R. Scott Bakker’s The Prince of Nothing/The Aspect-Emperor
I have never read anything like R. Scott Bakker’s Second Apocalypse metaseries which consists of The Prince of Nothing and The Aspect-Emperor series. It is a grimdark fantasy that has worked philosophy into the world-building and the magic system.
The way he weaves his philosophy into all his characters to tell his story is brilliant. It’s not for the faint of heart. This series does not shy from the darkness that lurks in all of us. His characters are flawed and real in ways that few fantasy series are. The influences of Tolkein are all over the series, but Bakker has made it his own
I try to write characters half as complex as his.
Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen
Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen might have the most extensive world-building of any series. As an archeologist, he understands how civilizations pile on and on each other and use it to make every bit of his world is steeped in history.
On top of that, he has great humor and a sarcastic take on the world. He has created a world that exists beyond the pages. There are things going on that have nothing to do with the grander threat of the Crippled God that threatens the world.
I want to build worlds as big as this and to feel like they breathe beyond the bounds of the story.
Frank Herbert’s Dune
Dune is a book that has stayed with me. I’ve read the others in the series, and while good, they are not as great as the beginning. Great villains and heroes and some wonderful world-building. But what I love is his names. He just gives some piece of tech a name and rarely gives more description than that. But the name is all you need to understand it.
I love that sparseness of his.
Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive
I like Brandon Sanderson a lot, but his magic systems are what I find amazing. Not just how they work, but how they fit into the world. How it affects it. How it is integrated into the way civilization works. It has rules, and he finds clever ways to bend those rules or to use them in ways you didn’t think.
Walter M. Miller, Jr’s The Canticle of Leibowitz
A haunting book about preserving knowledge. About how the importance of knowledge must be maintained or we are truly lost as a species. I find this theme to be powerful. To be something worth fighting for.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Books
A weird choice, I’m sure, but I rather like the technical details of his book. How he explains complicated ideas to make the readers understand them. He weaves these technological ideas through his story to drive the plot.
Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers
I saw the movie of Starship Troopers when I was a junior in high school in theaters. My friends and I all loved it. So I was thrilled to find out there was a book. I read it. Loved it. Now Starship Troopers is the Bug Movie since it is only Starship Troopers in name only.
I enjoyed the military aspects. Adapting it to the sci-fi technology. It the sort of influence that Golden Darkness Descends has in its military aspects.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Join Us for This Tour from February 1to February 21!
Book Details:
Book Title: L’Origine: The secret life of the world’s most erotic masterpieceby Lilianne Milgrom Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 255 pages Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Girl Friday Books – a new imprint from Girl Friday Productions Release Date:2020 first edition. October 2021 re-released by Girl Friday Books Content Rating: R. My book does not have bad language and only one descriptive sex scene, but the protagonist is a painting whose explicit depiction of a woman’s lower torso and genitals has made it a controversial work of art for over a century and a half.
Book Description:
The riveting odyssey of one of the world’s most scandalous works of art.
In 1866, maverick French artist Gustave Courbet painted one of the most iconic images in the history of art: a sexually explicit portrait of a woman’s exposed genitals. Audaciously titled L’Origine du monde (The Origin of the World), the scandalous painting was kept hidden for a century and a half. Today, it hangs in the world-renowned Orsay Museum in Paris, viewed by millions of visitors a year.
As the first artist authorized by the Orsay Museum to re-create Courbet’s The Origin of the World, author Lilianne Milgrom was thrust into the painting’s intimate orbit, spending six weeks replicating every fold, crevice, and pubic hair. The experience inspired her to share her story and the painting’s titillating, clandestine history. L’Origine is a tale of survival, replete with French revolutionaries, Turkish pashas and nefarious Nazi captains. Hold onto your berets for a riveting ride through history.
Welcome Lilianne Milgrom. It is so nice to have you on fundinmental, sharing your thoughts. So, without further adieu…take it away:
How long
have you been writing?
Aside from my work as a
professional studio artist, I have been a regular contributor to numerous arts
publications over the years. I love reading and I love writing. I think that
penning my debut novel L’Origine was a natural progression, especially
since the book marries my three passions – art, literature and history.
How did
you come up with this idea?
This could well be a
chicken-or-the-egg type of question, but in this case, it is definitely the
chicken. I did not start writing L’Origine because I had an idea to
write about the remarkable adventures of a 19th century painting. It
was the painting that found me! I stumbled on Gustave Courbet’s
irreverent and shocking painting at the Orsay Museum during an artist’s
residency in Paris a decade ago. As I learned more and more about it, I became
obsessed with exposing its remarkable story of survival against the odds to
readers outside of the confines of the art world. Art history is not some dry
subject you have to take in college–it’s vibrant, exciting and often
scandalous!
Which
was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The book spans a century and a
half, and introduces the reader to multiple eccentric characters through whose
hands the painting passed. The ‘easiest’ character was Gustave Courbet himself
because he was a prolific letter writer and I could visualize the way he spoke,
the way the thought. The hardest characters to write about were those
collectors whom history largely overlooked and about whom so little is known.
On the other hand, this allowed me to exercise more artistic license and rely
more on my imagination to flesh them out.
If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who
would you be?
Oh, that’s easy to answer because
I make a significant appearance both in the prologue and towards the end of the
novel. I play myself as the artist authorized by the Orsay Museum to copy Courbet’s
masterpiece. My intimate encounter with Gustave Courbet’s painting L’Origine
du monde (The Origin of the World) plays a significant role in the novel.
What is
your next project?
Receiving six literary honors for
my debut novel gave me the validation and the motivation to embark on a second
novel whose working title is The Boudoir Princess. It is another historical
fiction largely taking place in Paris towards the end of the 19th
and early 20th century. The protagonist is a woman by the name of
Marguerite Alibert whose checkered past leads her to commit murder. I want to
encourage the reader to decide whether Mme Alibert was a victim of circumstance
or a scheming murderess….
What
advice would you give budding writers?
Stay the course. Writing is hard work
and when you finish your manuscript, that’s when the really hard work
begins! Don’t give up.
Name a
quirky thing you like to do.
To let off steam, I belly dance–something
I picked up while living in the Middle East!
Meet the Author:
Paris-born Lilianne Milgrom is an internationally acclaimed artist and award-winning author residing in Washington DC. In 2011, she became the first authorized copyist of Gustave Courbet’s controversial painting L’Origine du Monde, which hangs in the Orsay Museum in Paris. Milgrom spent a decade researching and writing L’Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece. Her debut novel has been awarded six literary honors including the Publisher’s Weekly 2021 US Selfies Book Award for Best Adult Fiction.
I am happy to have Lou Kemp here on fundinmental, sharing his thoughts. Take it away Lou.
Are my characters extensions of me?
Yes, to an extent.
The immortal magician, Jonas Celwyn, is world-weary. For hundreds of years, he has been traveling
from bloody wars to royal courts full of intrigue, on to famines and then to wild
forests with fantastic animals and birds.
What he sees becomes part of his repertoire of magic. For years he has wandered alone except for
occasional acquaintances who do not try to kill him or trick him. He gives an example in book 1, Music Shall Untune
the Sky, when he describes the mental state of the poet John Dryden,
someone he socialized with. Celwyn
spends most his time keeping Dryden from killing himself. His other activities
took second place to help Dryden.
When Celwyn meets Professor Xiau Kang, the fussy automat,
they are on the ship the Zelda. He
is supposed to deliver him to Talos, but he and Kang become friends, and it is
Talos who dies. Celwyn has a history of helping
those he meets, and when provoked, killing those he believes deserve to
die. Kang is worried that those
tendencies, because they are done with fanfare and as “artful” as the magician
is fond of saying, the result gives them more notoriety than they need. To keep Kang from nagging him, Celwyn tries
to be less noteworthy. As the first few
books of the series evolve, Celwyn does also to a point. But he can’t control everything that occurs,
and he reacts to.
A strict sense of morality, of backing up those he cares about are the traits of Celwyn that are easy to identify with. He has flaws, and usually doesn’t care about them unless Kang nags him. When an event destroys Kang’s world in book 4, Celwyn feels it as keenly as the automat.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lou. It was wonderful having you visit.
The Raven and the Pig by Lou Kemp
GENRE: Magical realism
BLURB
Synopsis
of The Raven and the Pig Book 2
As the music dies, the magician Celwyn
is mortally wounded. His darker, immortal brother Pelaez brings
him back, barely, with his magic. The party of protagonists travel
on the Nautilus to the Cape Verde
Islands and the healer of immortals.
During the journey, Professor Kang and Bartholomew can not
tell if Pelaez will keep his brother alive. Captain Nemo is ready to
evict Pelaez forcibly, and keeping Celwyn alive
is the only thing that restrains him.
After Celwyn is saved, the healer requests payment
for his services. This sends the adventurers
to the catacombs in Capuchin where their experience is one they will
not forget. Before it is over, several of the protagonists question
why it seems everyone from warlocks and vampires to witches,
seem to be congregating in their world. Before it is over, some of them become
surprising allies, and a few of their allies turn against them.
In part II, work on the new flying machine begins
in earnest bringing attention from the Mafioso and a
cherub-like warlock called Duncan. After a final battle with
Duncan, the flying machine is destroyed and everyone at
their compound is murdered by one of their own.
EXCERPT
Prelude
The rolling hills near Odessa, north of Constantinople 1867
With each step he took, Professor Xiau Kang sensed the
intensity, and importance of what he would find. Above all, he felt the weight of his
sadness. He had done his best to ignore
that there was no guarantee Captain Nemo had located Thales, if Nemo failed to
find him, Jonas Celwyn would be dead within a matter of days, perhaps
hours.
A long time ago, on the Zelda, the magician had doubted a
mechanical man could feel. Kang paused,
swaying on his feet as he fought to regain his control; at this moment, the
automat knew real despair, a wrenching grief that they would lose Jonas. He swallowed hard and walked faster, climbing
to the top of the berm.
There she was! The
long black submarine lay still in the water.
A single sailor stood on patrol, and another perched in the cage on top
with a spyglass.
Kang called, “I’ll get Mr. Celwyn. Please let the Captain know we’re here.”
Conductor Smith joined him as they ran back to the
coach. The others had seen them and
began unloading the magician onto the stretcher that Kang had fashioned for
this moment. He skidded to a stop and
grabbed Celwyn’s hand.
“The Nautilus is here. It isn’t far.”
In the distance, a low hum reached them; the sound sputtered
and grew stronger.
The magician’s eyes opened slowly, like a thread from his
memory raised his lids, impelling him to look.
Everyone, including Jonas, gazed upward, as if they had already known
what was to come.
The noise grew louder, and then a bright yellow flying
machine crested the low hills and headed toward the estuary.
“Yes!” Kang shouted, raising his fist in triumph.
The plane swerved to the north, banked, and then flew toward
them again in a wide arc.
“Oh, my God, it’s Bartholomew,” Elizabeth exclaimed.
Bartholomew wore a broad smile and his scarf fluttered in
the breeze as he sailed over them. He
waved. As he banked again, the engine
revved and he turned, descending for another pass. Celwyn raised himself onto an elbow to wave
back.
“Hurry,” Kang said.
“Bartholomew is going to land. We
have to get Jonas onto the ship.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Early
work was horror and suspense, later work morphed into a combination of magical
realism, mystery and adventure painted with a horrific element as needed.
I’m
one of those writers who doesn’t plan ahead, no outlines, no clue, and I
sometimes write myself into a corner. Atmospheric music in the background
helps. Black by Pearl Jam especially.
More
information is available at LouKemp.com. I’d love to hear from you and what you
think of Celwyn, Bartholomew, and Professor Xiau Kang.
Milestones:
2009
The anthology story Sherlock’s Opera appeared in Seattle Noir, edited by Curt
Colbert, Akashic Books. Available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble online.
Booklist published a favorable review of my contribution to the anthology.
2010
My story, In Memory of the Sibylline, was accepted into the best-selling MWA
anthology Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris. The immortal
magician Celwyn makes his first appearance in print.
2018
The story, The Violins Played before Junstan is published in the MWA anthology
Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. The Celwyn series begins.
Present
The full length prequel, The Violins Played before Junstan, to the Celwyn book
series is published on Kindle. The companion book, Farm Hall is also published
where Pelaez, another immortal magician and Celwyn’s brother, makes his first
appearance. The remaining books in the series: Music Shall Untune the Sky, The
Raven and the Pig, The Pirate Danced and the Automat Died, will be available
beginning in August 2021.
After looking at the cover, I had to have This Morbid Life by Loren Rhoads. I didn’t care what it was about. How about you? Have you ever grabbed a book because of its cover, without checking out anything else about it?
I am sooo excited to have Loren Rhoads visiting today. She is going to share some of her thoughts and an excerpt….are you tempted yet?
1. What’s the most
inspiring part of where you live?
I feel blessed to live in the most diverse neighborhood in
San Francisco. It’s really great to get my coffee at the Filipino-Hawaiian
cafe, pick up a pork bun across the street, and stop off for a Salvadoran
pastry on the way home.
2. Where did the
idea for This Morbid Life come from?
The incredible artist Lynne Hansen was doing a challenge
last October where she created a new book cover every day. One day she made
this beautiful collage of an autopsied body with wildflowers and butterflies
inside its rib cage. I immediately fell in love with the artwork. I knew I had
to put together a book that would do the cover art justice.
3. How long did it
take you to write the book?
Almost everything was already written, but it took a while
to gather up all the essays, polish them up, and put everything together. I
started in January and the book came out in August.
4. Which “character”
has etched its way into your heart and why?
A lot of the essays are about my friend Jeff, so I dedicated
the book to him. We met the summer after I graduated, when I sublet a room in
the house where he lived. We eventually lived together again when my husband
and I moved into a lovely old Victorian in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood
and couldn’t afford the rent without a roommate. Jeff and I have known each
other for more than 30 years now. I remember when he came out, when he tested
positive for HIV, when his first husband died at home of AIDS. I was highly
entertained when his second husband got to This Morbid Life before Jeff had a
chance to read it. Jeff called to ask if there was anything too scandalous in
the book that he should worry about. I had to laugh at that.
5. What are you
working on now?
This Morbid Life is the first in a series called No Rest for the Morbid. The second book, Jet Lag & Other Blessings, will be a collection of my morbid travel essays: drinking all the absinthe I could find in Prague, encountering a rattlesnake in the Mojave, chasing alligators in the Louisiana bayou, flying over an active volcano in a helicopter, trying out Japanese love hotels, and basically stalking my morbid curiosity around the globe. That book will have a Lynne Hansen collage for its cover, too.
So many interesting essays. You kept me entertained, at times smiling and maybe even eliciting chuckle or two. I love the cover and find it as fascinating as the stories inside. No Rest For The Mordid sounds just as fascinating. Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts.
#1, Loren Rhoads was born in my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Gotta support another Michigander. #2, I couldn’t resist that cover.
Right out of the gate, I felt a kinship to Loren Rhoads. I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, and this was like going home. I went to Mott Community College. I know Dort Highway very well, because I worked at the AC Plant, after being laid off from the Chevrolet Plant downtown Flint. I do love a walk down memory lane.
Loren Rhoads found inspiration from her personal experiences…you never know where it will come from. We need to be open to all our experiences.
HOLD ON TIGHT!f These essays are dark and gritty, filled with truth. Loren lays herself bare. This Morbid Life is an apt title for the book and is not for the feint of heart. She lets it all hang out and I loved every minute of it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of This Morbid Life by Loren Rhoads.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
What others have called an obsession with death is really a desperate romance with life. Guided by curiosity, compassion, and a truly strange sense of humor, this particular morbid life is detailed through a death-positive collection of 45 confessional essays. Along the way, author Loren Rhoads takes prom pictures in a cemetery, spends a couple of days in a cadaver lab, eats bugs, survives the AIDS epidemic, chases ghosts, and publishes a little magazine called Morbid Curiosity.
Originally written for zines from Cyber-Psychos AOD to Zine World and online magazines from Gothic.Net to Scoutie Girl, these emotionally charged essays showcase the morbid curiosity and dark humor that transformed Rhoads into a leading voice of the curious and creepy.
EXCERPT
Burning Desire (an excerpt from the cremation essay)
At the
back of the warehouse stood the cremator itself. The Neptune Society used
British equipment, which was acclaimed as top of the line. A computer
controlled the temperature and length of burning time. The cremator had four doors,
two above and two below, so that bodies could be cremated simultaneously and
their ashes commingled. Before anyone could ask, Steve assured us that
California state law prohibited cremation of more than one body at a time, so
that ashes couldn’t get mixed by accident.
The
“ovens” themselves were built of fire-resistant brick. A metal rack slid out,
onto which the body was placed. Before the operator inserted a body, the
cremator would be preheated to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. As we toured the
building, the ambient temperature rapidly became torrid. The ovens were
warming. Apparently, at 1800 degrees, the inside of the oven glows red-hot.
Natural
gas was used for the heating process. A human body provides its own fuel and
will burn on its own at a high-enough temperature, so the cremator was
preheated, the body placed inside, and the gas switched off to prevent
overheating. Toward the end of the cremation, the gas was turned on again until
the bones became calcined and brittle.
Someone
asked Steve how they knew when a body was done. He recommended sticking it with
a fork. Sobering up, he added that, on average, it took between one and two
hours for a cremation at the Neptune Society, with an additional half hour for
the oven to cool down enough to remove the cremains. All bodies burned
differently, due to their levels of fat or moisture. Both cancer and AIDS
deplete the body’s fat reserves, so victims of those diseases had less fuel
value. Those bodies required more gas and a higher heat and might take longer
to reduce to ash.
The
different compositions of people also produced a variety of colors as the body
burned. Sometimes the flames turned green or blue, but generally they were
orange or red.
When the
cremation was complete, human remains were white and very brittle. Any other
discoloration implied that the cremation was unfinished. The bones might have
shrunk or twisted, but they were still quite recognizable. The cremains were
scooped out of the retort with a tool like a hoe. They were placed in a machine
with a drum like a clothes dryer that used heavy iron balls to pulverize the
remaining bones. The process was complete when the remains fit through a sieve.
I asked
if I could see real human ashes. With a shrug, Steve found a beige cardboard
box that was maybe five inches on a side. Inside a plastic wrapper, the
cremains looked like Quaker Oats and weighed as much as an old-fashioned
solid-body telephone. No one else in the tour group was interested in holding
the box. In fact, they all took a step back when I held the box out to them.
Continued in This Morbid Life
ABOUT LOREN RHOADS
Loren Rhoads is author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
Tell us something
really interesting that’s happened to you!
I used to play tenor drum in a bagpipe and drum band, and we
performed on the Minnesota state capital’s steps during a memorial the Saturday
after 9/11. Besides having my kids, I have never done anything more meaningful.
On a lighter note, during college I worked in a 50s-meets-the-80s restaurant
where I roller skated and danced on tables (but not both at the same
time).
What are some of your
pet peeves?
A few of my pet peeves: 1) grammatical and spelling errors on
signs. 2) multiple opened containers of the same thing in the fridge or
cupboard.
Who is your hero and
why?
My dad. I didn’t get to grow up near him because my parents
divorced when I was young, and we were 2000 miles apart. As an adult, I learned
how much he cares for his family, my grandmother and grandfather, especially.
He is the best storyteller, too. In fact, one of Dan’s stories in Skyclyffe is based on one of my
dad’s.
When did you first
consider yourself a writer?
Not until Skyclyffe
was nearly complete, and only after I forced myself to tell someone outside of
my family.
Which of your novels
can you imagine made into a movie? / If your book was made into a film, who
would you like to play the lead?
I suspect all authors nowadays write with soundtracks and
leading actors in the back of their brains. How can you not hear music
crescendoing in the background as your main characters run away from or toward
danger? Not to mention a moody tune to break people’s hearts along with the
protagonist’s. Music lives within us, gives us cues that I admit words can’t
always get across, and goosebumps or tears when we’re lucky.
While writing Skyclyffe,
I bounced between 90s alternative and soaring orchestral soundtracks, real John
Williams kind of stuff. Ultimately, I faced facts. As much as I’d love to hear
grunge kings and queens featured in a Skyclyffe movie,
it didn’t fit with thirteen-year-old Rex finding himself abducted by and then
living in a flying city. Besides, I’d kill for a theme song as iconic as the
ones for Harry Potter or Indiana Jones.
In regards to who’d play leading roles, I chose photos to
represent most of the characters during the writing phase to help me round them
out, but I’m not going to tell you who are pictured in those images.
As long as Skyclyffe is
just a novel, I want any kid to be able to imagine themselves as Rex or Amelia
or any other character they connect with. That is why the Rex on the cover is
shown from behind and almost silhouetted. Although a few suggested that I
describe what Rex looks like in the story, I resisted as much as possible, and
all that I defined is that he has dark, wavy hair. I treated all of the
characters this way except for when something was important to the character,
like Tulla’s red hair, or something caught Rex’s eye.
Okay, I’ll give you one. If Skyclyffe were ever made into movie, Uncle Dan, a.k.a. Old
Fart, has to be played by Bruce Willis.
What literary
pilgrimages have you gone on?
None—but once during a family trip we slept in a covered
wagon on land Laura Ingalls Wilder lived on as a kid.
As a writer, what
would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
When my son was young, he had this soft, round toy, each
quadrant a different animal’s face and matching sounds to boot. We called it
Piggy Cat Cow Dog. I imagine my spirit animal would have to be something like
that, but an amalgamation of dog, elephant, and turtle. A dogphantle?
Eleturtdog? That is awful. Let’s just go with dog. Besides, I do have a German
Shepherd puppy avatar/logo in use just about everywhere.
What inspired you to
write this book?
A lone, puffy cloud zigzagging in the sky. I joked to myself,
“Who’s in that cloud?” and then a little voice in my head said, “Could be anyone.”
What can we expect
from you in the future?
The next book in the Skyclyffe series.
Where did you come up
with the names in the story?
The characters who grew up on the Earth’s surface have
average names, except Rex’s. You learn about how his name came to be in chapter
two.
Since the characters on Skyclyffe were born on the ship or alighted in 1936 (apart
from a few we can’t talk about here), their names tend to be more typical of
that era. I scrolled through Most Popular Baby Names lists by year.
Advice they would give
new authors?
Write because you want to, and let the book be what it wants
to be.
Describe your writing
style.
Positively a Plotter with a capital P, but I’m not afraid to allow new ideas in.
Do you try more to be
original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Be original. I kind of like that when I was querying and
agents asked for comps, I couldn’t find another book to compare mine to. Harder
to sell in this publishing market, but I’d rather be a Hunger Games, Harry Potter, or Twilight than one of the scores of
books that came after.
Skyclyffe
by Z. Moss
Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction
Rex Bright enjoys drawing in notebooks and dreaming. He’s thirteen, and his life is ordinary. Until he sees a face in a cloud which changes everything. Rex glimpses the girl from an airplane window while travelling to his aunt and uncle’s farm for the summer. Her features are so perfect, Rex can’t believe she’s only vapor. But Cloud Girl is real. A week later, Skyclyffe, a mysterious airship cloaked in a cumulus, abducts Rex and his family. The captors expect the Brights to live in their flying city forever. And, although he’s kidnapped, Rex loves the craft filled with robots, scientific discoveries, and silvery-white beings. Before long, Rex will be forced to decide whether to escape, or if Skyclyffe and its secret wonders are worth never stepping foot on Earth again.
**On sale for only .99 cents for a limited time! **
Z. Moss lives in Stillwater, Minnesota and is currently working on the sequel to Skyclyffe. Two dogs, three cats, and two turtles run the household, including the real-life Radar.
J.M.D. Reid has been a long-time fan of Fantasy ever since he read The Hobbit way back in the fourth grade. His head has always been filled with fantastical tales, and he is eager to share the worlds dwelling in his dreams with you.
Reid is long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest in and around the City of Tacoma. The rainy, gloomy atmosphere of Western Washington, combined with the natural beauty of the evergreen forests and the looming Mount Rainier, provides the perfect climate to brew creative worlds and exciting stories!
When he’s not writing, Reid enjoys playing video games, playing D&D and listening to amazing music.
Lover of mathematics, devourer of science fiction, and connoisseur of the dad joke. When he’s not doing math for business or fun, he’s devouring science fiction and fantasy, reading up on scientific advancements, going for a jog, or, on all too rare occasions, taking a refreshing swim at the beach. At your service, you shall have an able storyteller and gifted conveyor of information. Experienced in narrating fiction, from the romantic to the post-apocalyptic, and nonfiction, from the historical to the corporate, and armed with the tools to make it all sound great, Zachary promises that, no matter the job, you’ll be read-iculously pleased!
At Audiobook Empire, audio reigns supreme, narrators are hailed as heroes, and headphones are worn with pride.
Marrying pomp and circumstance with quality you can count on, Audiobook Empire is a full-service production house that produces and promotes audiobooks with gusto.
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