Variance Publishing - ThrillerBlog

What's My Favorite Line? The NINEVEH PROJECT

2009-11-12T09:58:00.004-05:00

Happy Thursday folks,

One more day left until the weekend and hopefully this segment will make the time go by that much quicker for you. This week's guest is Craig Alexander, author or The NINEVEH PROJECT. Let's see what Craig's take is on his book:

My favorite line comes from page 245 of The Nineveh Project. The main character, Aaron Henderson, is confronting the story's villain, Hussaam Uzeen Zaafir. Aaron has foiled Hussaam's plans but the man wants revenge. The enigmatic villain informs Aaron that he has done nothing but postpone the inevitable. The two men face each other, swords in hand and Hussaam says:

"You may have saved some people today, but your God, your Bible, say that grace requires a sacrifice of blood. Your blood will be the price of their lives."

I like this line because it shows the arrogance of Hussaam and his disdain for Aaron's new found beliefs. I also like it because, well ... I think it just sounds cool. After Hussaam spits this threat, he and Aaron engage in vicious hand-to-hand combat. I won't tell you what happens, you'll have to read it.

Have you read The NINEVEH PROJECT? Would you like to chime in on what your favorite line is? We would love to hear it. With Tom Clancy type action, this book is sure to please... if you have not read this thriller yet, look for it at Amazon (and Kindle), and bn.com, along with asking for it at your local bookstore (0-9786551-7-6).

Would you like a full description before buying it or maybe a sample to read? Go to The NINEVEH PROJECT book page for all those goodies. You can also check out the book trailer on YouTube! Lastly, be sure to visit CraigAlexanderOnline.com.

Thanks for your time, fans! Talk to you soon.

What's My Favorite Line? RED MOON

2009-11-05T10:50:00.005-05:00

Welcome back, fans, to another Thursday edition of 'Favorite Line'. This week's guest is Daniel Brenton, co-author of RED MOON. Let's let Dan do the talking...

When Stanley presented his latest idea for the Variance authors to give a little inside look at their work by asking "what is the favorite line in your novel?" ... I knew I was in trouble.

Why?

I, as Desi would tell Lucy, "got some 'splainin' to do."

Red Moon, the novel I wrote with David S. Michaels (or, more correctly, where I played co-pilot while he did a marathon multi-month session putting the manuscript together, skillfully weaving in a number of chapters toward the end from yours truly) has a lot of lines I consider really good ones. Being human and having an ego, I confess I gravitate toward the ones I wrote.

I can't tell you the first line I picked because that would ruin the ending of the book.

And I can't tell you the second, because I'd have to explain it, and the simple act of explaining that one would be a pretty big spoiler.

So here's my third favorite line, the first sentence of Chapter 52:

You are leaving the Earth.

Innocuous words in and of themselves, but in context, they bring this sequence of the narrative into sharp focus.

The story at this point has brought cosmonaut Grigor Belinsky, the only Soviet cosmonaut to attempt to reach the Moon, to the morning before his lift-off in an untried, hybrid Moon lander.

Belinsky, blackmailed into this enormously risky mission, wrestles with himself during these last few hours before the launch to do ... what he knows he has no choice but to do.

In the excerpts below, the "Mirya" I mention is Belinsky's dissident ex-wife, "SP" is Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, Chief Designer of the Soviet space program, and the R-7 is the workhorse booster of the Soviet and Russian programs, in use to this day.

You are leaving the Earth.

The words reverberated through Belinsky, a portentous, vague pronouncement that stirred him from his slumber, leaving him alone in a darkened, unfamiliar room.

Little snatches of a dream clung to the edge of memory. An Orthodox priest, a church spire that might or might not have been one of SP’s beloved R-7s. Only one image lingered with clarity -- Mirya’s lovely face, somehow austere, regarding him from a distance.

After a few moments, he remembered he was in the Hotel Cosmonaut, in a spartan but comfortable room he had used before his first flight on Soyuz 2.

An alarm clock to his right ticked out seconds. Belinsky reached out to a small lamp beside the clock on his bed table, turned it on. The clock read 3:55. They would be waking him soon to prep for the flight.

Launch day, already. Too soon. The clock beside him beat like a mechanical heart, each tick pumping out the seconds, his life bleeding relentlessly into the past.

With a surge of frustration, Belinsky slapped the alarm clock off the table, heard it shatter against a wall. He sat up and stared at the broken mechanism for a moment, dismayed at his own outburst. At least the ticking had stopped.

Those five words set the tone for the chapter, follow Belinsky through his preparation for launch, and serve as a refrain later when Belinsky is waiting for lift-off in the cabin of his space craft, struggling to face the hurricane of emotions inside him that threaten to rip him to shreds.

Belinsky strapped in, found his mind running free.

You are leaving the Earth.

He had stowed his bag of personal belongings in a locker already crammed with desiccated survival rations....

....Slowly he became aware to of the background noises -- tiny circulating fans, the creaks and pings of the Proton booster as it expanded in the summer heat, the low hum of electronics. He ran through the checklist until he and Ground Control were satisfied. The rest, for his part, was simply waiting atop 600 tons of toxic, self-igniting fuel....

....It was going to be a noisy liftoff. Compared to Soyuz 2 with its heat shield, the thin hull of Firebird wouldn’t hold out much of the engine thunder. It might leave him deaf.

Madness.

He had an impulse to tell Ground Control to call it all off. Madness . He would be lucky to survive the first thirty seconds of flight, let alone reach the Moon.

Madness.

He wrestled with it, held it down.

Writing this material was something of a challenge. To give you a quick context, originally Dave and I sketched out a screen treatment of the story which Dave attempted to shop through his contacts. The consensus was that this version, which was set entirely in 1968-69, had no relevance to today's audiences. After that, the story sat dormant for a while until Dave conceived two parallel story lines set in 2019, and picked up the ball and ran with it.

Circumstances in my life dictated that could only contribute in a passive role during most of the writing of the novel, reviewing chapters, making suggestions, doing research to flesh out the characters and make the technical details more authentic. Happily, I was finally able to directly contribute prose during the writing of the last third of the novel.

The challenge was to give Dave chapters that fit fairly closely with the style he'd already established, and (frankly) keep my material up to the level of quality of what he had already produced. I was both relieved and delighted when I emailed him this completed chapter, and he responded with, "You son of a bitch. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. You got me. You really got me."

I'm sure I can speak for Dave when I say that we both feel confident Red Moon will "get you," too.

This was a well thought out book, and Daniel shows us this. It's been played up in magazines and in the space industry (including venues like SF Writers of America, Encyclopedia Astronautica, and authors in the genre). To see what they had to say visit the RED MOON book page. While there, you can download the two chapter sample to further hook you on this 'what if' story.

You can find this on Amazon (and Kindle), BN.com, or your local retailer (ISBN: 978-0-979692-94-9). If you or someone you know is a Sci-Fi fan, or wonders what would have happened if we weren't the first to the moon, or you enjoy a knock-down, drag-out of a read, this book can't be passed up!

Parkinsons and Steve Alten

2009-11-03T13:00:00.004-05:00

Good day folks,

I know many of our fans read the Steve Alten Newsletter that comes at the beginning of each month. For those of you who don't recieve it, sign-up for it at stevealten.com. But, in the meantime, Steve just sent out a personal message to his fans that I would like to pass along for those of you who may not get his letter.

Because of the importance of the contents, this is sort of an abbreviated newsletter this month. As many of you know, two years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. I was 47 at the time, with no family history. Parkinsons is a degenerative disease that causes tremors and muscle rigidity. For me, the symptoms affect my dominant right side. My arm no longer swings freely when I walk, and doing certain activities can be challenging. Reaching into my pocket for my car keys, signing my name and the PD has robbed me of the one talent that came naturally for me -- playing the drums To combat these physical challenges I workout almost every day, plus I take a few medications that I hope can delay the progression. I have never felt sorry for myself, I consider myself a lucky person and have too much in my life to be grateful for. So I will fight this setback as best as I can, and hopefully contribute something of value that can help find a cure, if not for myself then others.
Parkinsons is a disease that can be cured. Michael J. Fox and his foundation have done an incredible job organizing researchers to focus on the medical science that makes a difference.

Since my own diagnosis, I have asked myself what I can do to help. Writing books is a time-consuming labor, plus I spend time visiting schools, plus I have a family plus I need to work out or my muscles stiffen up. Oh yeah, every day I answer 100 e-mails from fans. It's a labor of love, as an author, my most valued asset is YOU, my readers. Over the last 13 years, I have worked hard to earn your trust. All of you who have ever e-mailed me know I ALWAYS RESPOND PERSONALLY. Students know I am always honored to answer their Q & A assignments for school. Thousands of teachers in the Adopt-An-Author program know I am always there to speak with their students via phone, e-mails, or personal visits. Times are tight for many of us, and so many organizations need money - I know because many of you contact me asking for donations on their behalf. I never say no. Over the years, I have also sent boxes of signed books to our soldiers overseas in appreciation for their sacrifice. But I need to do something to support the Michael J. Fox foundation, not because I have Parkinsons, but because I am convinced they are doing valuable work that can help all of us.

I thought about offering free posters to anyone making a $50 donation, I thought about sending out signed books for donations. All of these ideas cost money I do not have (my meds alone cost $500 a month). What can I do to help Michael J. Fox? I do not know any celebrities, I am not in a position to host huge functions, but I have something far more valuable, I have readers who care and know that I care about them.

ONE REQUEST - SIMPLE, PAINLESS, QUICK & A BLESSING:
I am asking each person reading this newsletter to click on this link and make a one-time donation of $10 dollars to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Please, only ten dollars. Because ten dollars from ten thousand Steve Alten readers CAN make a serious difference in the fight against a disease that affects millions of Americans including this humble author.

I've included some very cool never-before-seen MEG & LOCH images at the bottom of the linked page. Please feel free to send this message and link to other friends and readers. In return, I offer my blessings and heartfelt thanks.

Growing up in a household whose family dealt with the same problems Steve is going through hits home, so I feel it is my duty to spread this around as much as I can. Please do the same. We all know times are tough, but do what you can to give to this great cause all the help you can to one day find the cure to stop this affliction. In case you missed it and can donate $10, please do so here... that little bit can certainly go a long way. If not for Steve, for your grandfather, your aunt, your neighbor, your child. Any posts (Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, blog), would also be great if you can't donate right now. Get the word out fans - we're here to help find a cure!

What's My Favorite Line? The PRESIDENT'S HENCHMAN

2009-10-29T13:11:00.004-04:00

Welcome to week three of the 'Favorite Line' segment. This week, Joseph Flynn edifies us on his favorite line from his novel, THE PRESIDENT'S HENCHMAN.

"…if you decide to hold hearings to question whether Lindell Ricker confessed freely, whether Erna Godfrey deserves to be on death row for killing Andy Grant…well, then I'm going to dedicate my life to investigating your life."

Jim McGill to Senator Roger Michaelson, after beating him to a pulp in a one-on-one basketball game. This shows that McGill, while basically a nice guy, isn't without his ruthless side.

Jim McGill is quite the man's-man hero that appeals to the reader in all of us! That is certainly my most favorite chapter... remember boys, athletic support is man's best friend.

Joe Flynn is definitely a talented author and THE PRESIDENT'S HENCHMAN is a must read if you are looking for a fun, yet serious and exciting thrill ride. You can find it at Amazon (also available on Kindle), Barnes&Noble, Borders or from your local retailer.

Don't forget, if you buy the book before the end of the year, you are eligible to receive a pdf copy of THE NEXT PRESIDENT, another Joseph Flynn thriller, that leaves you yearning for the next chapter. To see complete rules, visit The PRESIDENT'S HENCHMAN PROMOTION page.

To see more of Joseph Flynn, visit him at his website, www.JosephFlynn.com

What's My Favorite Line? TARGETS OF DECEPTION

2009-10-22T10:56:00.003-04:00

Good day again, book lovers,

Today is the start of a new segment, What's My Favorite Line? In this segment, authors will state and explain (but not necessarily in that order) their favorite line from their Variance published novel (or novels if they have more than one). Today's premier guest is someone you've heard a lot of as of late, Jeffrey Stephens, and his raved-about novel, TARGETS OF DECEPTION.

My favorite line in TARGETS OF DECEPTION may well be its very first sentence:

“Jordan Sandor had no reason to expect this quiet autumn morning to erupt with the familiar sounds of his violent past.”

This opening sets the tone for the entire novel and all of the non-stop action to come. Sandor, a former CIA operative, is driving on a peaceful road in upstate New York when he is confronted by a deadly attack. As the stakes escalate, nothing will be as it seems for Sandor or the reader. From that initial confrontation and all of the deadly dangerous moments that follow, he is dragged deeper and more inexorably into the vortex of a catastrophic terrorist plot that he ultimately realizes only he can foil. The bucolic beginning turns, in just a few pages, to the complex and far-reaching events that define this story and lead to its surprising climax.

Endorsed by Steve Berry, Vince Flynn, Robert K. Tanenbaum, Jon Land, and Variance's own Steve Alten, with added flavor from a multitude of other authors and review sites, magazines and newspapers, TARGETS OF DECEPTION is sure to tantalize your mind to its core. Check out the two chapter sample to put the nail in your proverbial coffin.

Available at Barnes&Noble, Borders, Amazon, and your local retailer.

Another Successful Signing

2009-10-22T10:23:00.006-04:00

Good day fans,

We would like to thank the folks of NYC for coming out to play on Tuesday night to the TARGETS OF DECEPTION signing at The Public House. It was quite successful at 100+ books signed! Both Borders and Barnes and Noble are quite impressed with Jeff Stephens and the turnout he commands. More signings are lining up for the holiday season - if you would like to see him in the tri-state area (CT, NY, NJ), be sure to let us know and we will do our best to turn him loose.

Targets of Deception in the Providence Journal!

2009-10-20T13:00:00.004-04:00

Good day zealots,

Last week I was pleasantly surprised to hear that TARGETS OF DECEPTION was reviewed in the Providence Journal by fellow thriller author, Jon Land. For Jon's entire review on three different books, go here, or read the part on TARGETS itself below:

Jeffrey Stephens has a terrific voice as well. There remains no shortage of thriller writers who choose the world of terrorism as their artistic tapestry or dastardly plots to wreak more havoc on the U.S. in the post 9/11 world. But Stephens’ debut novel, Targets of Deception (Variance, $25.95, 324 pages) is fresh and exciting anyway.

Maybe that’s because the book’s hero, Jordan Sandor, left the CIA well before 9/11 and the Iraq War. But his reluctant return to confront a new al-Qaeda-spawned threat is fueled by a sense of loyalty and duty mostly missing from Nick McDonell’s more jaded heroes. Saving the world is pretty much business as usual for him as he embarks on a globe spanning, Bond-like trek to save millions of lives.

Stephens writes like a young David Morrell, but his plotting is straight from the school of Vince Flynn and Steve Berry. Targets of Deception is a smooth and seasoned effort.

For more blurbs and reviews, be sure to visit JeffreyStepehens.com. To pick up TARGETS, go to your local book retailer, or Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and Borders online.

If you haven't read anything from Jon Land, be sure to get his latest work, STRONG ENOUGH TO DIE, one of Land's many bestsellers.

Thank you to Jon Land and the Providence Journal!

Don't forget, if you are in the NYC area tonight and are interested in this book, make your way to the signing at The PUBLIC HOUSE restaurant at 140 East 41st St. where refreshments will be served and you can get your copy (or a friends... or holiday gift perhaps) of this raved about thriller!

Next Signing Announced!

2009-10-16T14:42:00.003-04:00

We want to thank everyone who attended the official launch of TARGETS OF DECEPTION by Jeffrey S. Stephens. The book signing party was held on October 6th in the author’s home town and was a huge success and tremendous fun. Hosted by the renowned Polpo Restaurant, fans, friends and celebrities alike turned out as champagne was poured while books were sold and autographed. The next stop is a gathering in New York City at The Public House restaurant on October 20th (just a few days away!), and any of you in town are invited and encouraged to attend. The details are below. Bring your friends!

TARGETS OF DECEPTION has already been well received by reviewers around the country, and has been endorsed by such national bestselling authors as Steve Berry, Vince Flynn, Robert K. Tanenbaum, Jon Land and Variance’s own Steve Alten, among many others. A fast-paced espionage thriller, TARGETS OF DECPETION is as current as today’s headlines and—as some claim the fictional characters Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne are based on real people—questions have been raised about who the inspiration might have been for the main character in TARGETS, Jordan Sandor. So far the author is not saying, but Sandor has all the earmarks of a true covert operative, with all the assets and foibles of a modern American hero surviving in an increasingly dangerous world.

Pick up a copy of TARGETS OF DECEPTION soon, you will not be able to put it down. If you cannot join us for one of our signing parties, check out the reviews and the video trailer at www.jeffreystephens.com.

Welcome, David Sakmyster!

2009-10-09T12:23:00.007-04:00

Please give a warm welcome to David Sakmyster. He has brought with him The MORPHEUS INITIATIVE, a mind-blowing thriller... literally. Here is the description,

Driven by visions of his dead father, Professor Caleb Swann reluctantly joins the Morpheus Initiative, a team of remote-viewing archaeologists determined to locate the remains of the seventh Wonder of the Ancient World—the Pharos Lighthouse—beneath which the legendary treasure of Alexander the Great is rumored to be hidden.

Swann’s quest spans two thousand years of visionary history that connects the ashes of Herculaneum and the lost Library of Alexandria with a secret government program and ancient society called The Keepers.

To discover a threshold guarded by deadly traps and forgotten prophecies is one thing, but facing the truth about himself is something else altogether.

I cant wait to see more on this thriller of the psyche.

David Sakmyster is the award-winning author of over two dozen short stories and two novels, including The MORPHEUS INITIATIVE. In 2009 Dragon Moon Press published his epic historical fantasy tale, SILVER AND GOLD. It's great to have you on board, Dave!

For more on the book, including seeing some past praise for his other works, be sure to visit the book page. You can also find Dave at his website, Sakmyster.com, and on Facebook.

Bouchercon 2009

2009-10-09T09:31:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday!

Next Thursday the 'paper carpet' will be rolled out for the the annual Buchercon event where Variance Publishing will be represented by owner, Tim Schulte, and editor, Shane Thomson. If you are there and happen to meet them, be sure to give a healthy hello and introduce yourself.

What is Bouchercon? It is an event where mystery genre writers, publishers, and the like meet to discuss topics and trends in the mystery world, along with a bit of schmoozing. This year the conference will meet in Indianapolis, Indiana from October 15-18, where bestselling author Michael Connelly will be the guest of honor. 100+ other authors will be attending as well. If you are interested, you still have time to sign up at the Bouchercon website (where you can also find more information on the event).

Book Signings

2009-10-05T11:08:00.005-04:00

Good day everyone!

I hope you had a great and fruitful weekend. I wanted to make you aware of a few signings going on over the next few weeks. If you want to find out what the buzz is about on Targets of Deception, go to see Jeffrey Stephens tomorrow night at Ron Rosa's Polpo Restaurant. It's from 6-9pm where refreshments will be served, in Greenwich, CT. The holidays are quickly approaching... what better gift to give than a great book that has been signed by an up-and-coming author?

Also, scheduled for the 20th there will be a signing in NYC. More details to come! Citizens of New York, find out what Jeff has in store for you in his novel... once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down.

Have a great week.

Welcome, October!

2009-10-01T13:53:00.005-04:00

Happy October 1, fans!

With September ending yesterday, start October with a bang by acquiring our newest release, TARGETS OF DECEPTION, available at your local bookstore and all of your standard online distributors.

A former CIA operative, Jordan Sandor gives Jason Bourne a run for his money in this action-packed, globe-trotting thriller. Don't let this break-out novel slip from your grasp, Jeffrey Stephens has created a story that one won't soon forget. Laced with national and international terrorism, you will be left wondering where fact ends and where fiction begins.

Have you read TARGETS OF DECEPTION? We would love to hear from you. If not... don't wait, download it now to your Kindle!

MEG: Hell's Aquarium - A call out to fans

2009-09-29T13:21:00.004-04:00

Good day Variance and MEG fans!

Now that summer has officially ended, for a week or so actually, I'd like to see your reviews. Did you like it? Did you love it? We'd love to see what MEG fans all around thought about this chomp-fest. Just leave it in the comment section for all to see. Do you have pictures of yourself reading it on the beach? Be sure to link those up as well! Many people are looking for reviews on MEG, let them find yours here and chose to pick up MEG due in part to your comments.

Have you not read MEG: HA yet? Well, what are you waiting for! It can be found at all the normal online retailers as well as your local bookstore. You can also help out by spreading around the book trailer (which can be found at YouTube and Metacafe). Favorite it, embed it, link to it - help it continue to spread like a virulent disease!

I hope all you MEG fans unite and post your reviews! We look forward to reading them.

Author on Author - Craig Alexander on Daniel Brenton

2009-09-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

Here it is fans, the last week of Author on Author. I know, a round of awwws followed by boos and hisses. Don't worry, another fun author-involved project will be coming your way soon, but let's not detract from our project at hand where Craig Alexander pokes and prods into Daniel Brenton's thoughts, life, and career.

Craig Alexander: Some of my favorite novels, like Red Moon, are collaborations. I've always wanted to know how that works. Can you give us any insight into the collaboration process?

Daniel Brenton: Craig, thank you for the kind words regarding Red Moon. I don't think my experience is representative of all collaborations, of course, but I can certainly share it.

There was a long process with Red Moon. The first spark was in fact was a short story I wrote in junior high (and long since lost ... probably for the best). In the early 1990s the memory of this story sparked in Dave the idea of a writing a screenplay, in part motivated by the success by the then-recent film Apollo 13. For those not familiar with Red Moon, a portion of the novel is set in 1968-1969 on the Russian side of the Moon race, and follows the story of Grigor Belinsky, the only Soviet cosmonaut to (secretly) make it to the Moon.

Dave and I wrote a screen treatment which, unfortunately, went nowhere. The best input he received on it was that, with the '60s and the Cold War so far behind us, no one would care about Belinsky and his journey.

Dave didn't want to give up on the story, and he revisited the idea after about a year with the intent of making it a novel, and devised two storylines set in 2019, involving a "return to the Moon" mission and the international intrigue behind it

So, to answer your question, mostly due to my circumstances I took a back seat to the effort. I did actually write about 20,000 words to the novel, of about 12,000 actually wound up in it, smoothed over a little to better fit with Dave's style. (If you've read the story, my chapters follow Belinsky through his lift-off, his flight to the Moon, and his long vigil there.) Beyond this, I helped develop the character of Mirya, Belinksy's dissident wife, focusing on her religious and "mystical" side: I hit upon the idea of her experiencing an apparition of (what is now) the Russian Orthodox Saint, Xenia of St. Petersburg, an event that colors much of the 1960s narrative.

From my experience, our collaboration -- which I certainly consider successful -- was based on an agreement on who has final say on the vision of the book. Dave did, and I accepted that, partly because he had in fact picked up the ball and run with it, and partly because I trusted his instincts. I have a hard time picturing an effort to write a novel using a different paradigm.

CA: What's next? Can we expect any more great reads from you in the future?

DB: In terms of collaborations, I'm sure if Red Moon becomes wildly successful, there would be the follow-up stories. Dave originally saw this as a trilogy, and I cooked up the premise for a companion novel featuring a number of the same characters and situations. I do have to say that Dave appears to be caught up in the movie industry to some extent, providing filmmakers working on anything related to the subject of ancient Rome a ready crew of extras with authentic regalia and weaponry.

On my own ... I've found myself becoming something of a "go to" person on the subject of gratitude (which has become quite popular in Personal Development circles) that my fiction writing unfortunately is lost in the steam sitting on a back burner somewhere.

I would like to eventually pen a novel that has spiritual significance to the reader, a'la L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, or Bach's Illusions. If the story demands a serious dose of action and suspense, Variance would be the first place I'd take it.

CA: Okay, this is a toughy. A large portion of your website is dedicated to the search for gratitude. Every time you open a paper or turn on the TV these days it's bad news. Do you have any advice on how to stay positive and have a spirit of gratitude in these tough times?

DB: Craig, you're too kind feeding me this question.

I could get on a soapbox about this, but I'll reign myself in ... a little. Maintaining an "attitude of gratitude" has four gifts for us: 1.) it makes our lives work better; 2.) it is a spiritual path all by itself, 3.) it is a power for change, and 4.) for those who spend any time thinking about the Law of Attraction, the common wisdom is that you have to be grateful for what you have before you can get anything better.

The first step in having a spirit of gratitude is to understand without reservation that it's worth doing. There are three ways this happens: you're raised with it by loving parents (or parent, or guardian) who sees the importance of it, you get a niggling hint of it and use something like a gratitude journal to help train yourself to "keep it close," or you do it the way I did it -- you have significant emotional experiences that spell it out for you in really big letters.

I was involved in a motor vehicle accident many years ago where a fatality was involved, and I was pretty shaken up, but I walked away with only a couple of cuts on my right hand. Reflecting on the event over a period of a few years I realized the improbabilities that lead up to me being virtually unscathed by that accident, rather than being a second victim of it. It left a permanent impression on me, and it has shaped my spiritual life as well.

I think most of us who have managed to live more than a few years into adulthood have had some experience that forces us to get in touch with who we really are and gives us the chance to remember what's really important.

All of us in America had a significant emotional experience less than a decade ago -- 9/11. This also played into my recognition of the power of gratitude, though I am saddened that many of us were strictly focused on identifying and eradicating an enemy, and failed to find gratitude in their personal situations in the aftermath of that dark day.

CA: Now for something really important. I have to admit I am sort of a UFO buff. (Yes, I watch UFO Hunters) Do you have any inside information on UFO phonomenon? Are people filming and seeing experimental military aircraft, meteorological events, or are we not alone?

DB: Straight out:

Do I have inside information on the Unidentified Flying Object question? No.

Is this phenomena military craft, meteorological events, or little gray men from Zeta Reticuli? The two former, I'd have to say yes, this is part of it. The latter ... is going to take some explaining.

Are we being visited by people from other planets? I don't think it's impossible, and there is a phenomenon that is unexplained, but seriously doubt that's what we're seeing.

Craig, I suspect you picked up on the fact that I used to blog quite a bit about the UFO question, and it is in fact a life-long interest. The problem with the subject (and there is a problem) is that there's such a small "signal to noise" ratio that it is very difficult to get to the core of it. A huge part of the noise is the UFO audience/community itself. Instead of eating up the Variance blog with my thoughts on that little problem, let me point you to this article on my own blog, "Thankful to be in a Better Internet World."

The most intelligent thinking on the subject I've run across come comes from computer scientist Jacques Vallee, a life-long researcher of the subject. His premise, if I may do it the injustice of capturing it in a few words, is that the phenomenon is part of an intelligent control system that is shaping the human species at the mythological level over a period of millennia.

If you are seriously interested in his take on the subject, I highly recommend his non-fiction "Contact Trilogy," Dimensions, Confrontations, and Revelations.

Another answer to the puzzle which I think has a great deal of merit is the study done by near death experience researcher Dr. Kenneth Ring, documented in his book The Omega Project: Near-Death Experiences, UFO Encounters, and Mind at Large. In this book he points out the similarities between near death experiences and UFO abduction events, and the significance of the commonalities.

Dr. Ring, in fact, states that people do have very real abduction experiences, but that these little gray men are archetypes, straight from the collective unconscious.

(Huh?)

The answer?

We're probably seeing a lot of things we're calling UFOs that are really Identifiable Flying Objects. Some things are unexplained, and it's clear to me that there are folks who don't want to understand them, and folks in our intelligence communities who want us to believe things that probably have no basis in fact.

What I feel the preponderance of the actual phenomenon is, is a manifestation of consciousness -- of which we are a part. If you really look at the events -- especially the contact events -- you'll see that they are riddled with nonsensical elements. What I believe is that there is a consciousness, possibly even an aspect of our own consciousness, "clothing itself" in the metaphors of our times and interacting with us. I also believe that these events are best understood at the symbolic level, specifically for the experiencer, and generally for us as a species.

And until I get something better, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Wow, who thought that this would have been such a memorable final Author on Author? Though I'm not surprised by these two great writers. Great job by both of you! Dan, if you write it, we will read it =)>, I look forward to the day it happens.

Beyond this, I would like to thank all of the authors who provided the time and material to make this sub-blog as informative and enjoyable as it was. Fans, if you missed any of the sessions, be sure to look back and check them out! They were all amazingly insightful in their own ways. Some had great writing advice, others humor, while others could be considered borderline life coaches. Lastly, thank you (or #gratitude in today's case) to all the fans out there who read and enjoyed this active look into our authors daily perception of each other, along with providing comments. It would all be for not without you.

Author on Author - Kristina Schram on Craig Alexander

2009-09-17T12:25:00.005-04:00

Good Thursday fans,

Another Thursday means another Author on Author session where this week Kristina Schram gets the low-down on Craig Alexander.

Kristina Schram: How much do you relate to your main character, Aaron Henderson, in The Nineveh Project? In a related question, how much does your daily life and your personal experiences influence your writing?

Craig Alexander: As you know first novels are usually the most personal. So, I relate heavily to Aaron Henderson. Basically he is a much better and braver version of me with a lot more hair... Craig 2.0. In my youth I struggled with my faith and belief in human nature, just as he did. Also, by some strange coincidence, we are the same rank in our respective martial arts.

As you can see from the answer above, I draw heavily from my daily life and personal experiences in my writing. I believe that utilizing your own personal experience and worldview adds depth to your characters and stories. I write Christian Fiction, but to be honest I don't read much of it any more. So much of the genre is too syrupy and preachy. I don't think people want a sermon when they read a novel. I think they want to have fun. So that's what I tried to do, write something entertaining with a positive message.

KS: I see that you play basketball. What position? Are you any good? Could I take you in a game of one on one (I’m 5’5”, and you can’t use your karate skills to defeat me)?

CA: Kristina, I played competitive basketball for a very long time. I was a forward in high school and college. I like to believe I'm pretty good. As a matter of fact, the older I get, the better I used to be. I'm 6'3" and can still get over the rim at age 41. But, I think the spunk factor would definitely be in your favor. So, I wouldn't bet against you.

KS: If you could ask Tolkien a question, what would you ask him? How about C.S. Lewis?

CA: What did you think of the movies? No really, that's a tough one. If I could ask him just one question, I guess it would be: Where did you get your inspiration for The Hobbit, the novel that started it all? (Although fantasy creatures and books abound today, in Tolkien's time no one had written stories like his)

For CS Lewis I would ask: Your contemporaries and even your friend and mentor JRR Tolkien criticized The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and tried to dissuade you from publishing it. What made you believe so strongly in the story? (Thanks for not listening to them by the way)

If I was allowed a follow-up question: Did you in your wildest imagination ever think that your books would have such profound and long lasting influence and success?

KS: What do you have in the works for future books/projects?

CA: My latest novel, The Assassin's Case, just came out. I have a children's book coming out in the fall that I both wrote and illustrated called, Where are you God? This story is based on a something my little girl said after Sunday school when she was five. She asked me if I knew that God was a tiny little man about two inches tall living in her heart. Then tears came to her eyes and she asked me if it would hurt if He tried to get out. I mean, how sweet is that? I just had to write about it. Right now I am deciding what to write next. I have two partially written manuscripts and several ideas. Mr. Spielberg, which idea would you be interested in?

KS: What advice would you give future writers of the world?

CA: Don't worry about the success (or failure) of your writing. If you love to write. Write. The rest will come. Every writer had to start somewhere. Consider finishing a book success enough. I know I did. It's a tough task and not everyone can do it. But, once you get something on paper, get an unbiased opinion, learn everything you can about the craft of writing and the industry. If you read my first draft of The Nineveh Project, and you can't so don't ask, it was awful. Even so, my mother thought it was the greatest thing she had ever read. That's why you need an unbiased opinion!

Another superb set of q&a's! Fun, yet digging questions with great honest answers. We are coming down to the wire though folks, only one week left. Is there something you would like to see our authors take part in? We want to satisfy our fans "need to be in the know" about their favorite author so send us your ideas.

Thanks for tuning in, see you next week!

Author on Author - Jeremy Robinson on Kristina Schram

2009-09-14T10:01:00.003-04:00

Good Monday AoA followers!

I hope you had a great weekend, personally I had a great one as I was on vacation since last Wednesday with the 'fam' - hence the reason you are getting this now. Seeing how I've already made this far enough behind schedule, let's cut to the good stuff.

Jeremy Robinson: How cool is Jeremy Robinson?

Kristina Schram: He is so cool that even polar bears worry about getting frostbite when he’s around.

JR: For those who don’t know, Kristina and I were neighbors for a spell so we know each other pretty well. But in all the years we’ve known each other I don’t think I ever heard how you came up with the concept for The Chronicles of Anaedor. So spill the beans!

KS: I started to wonder why we have stories about mythical creatures when we don’t really seem to have proof of their existence. Are they out there living amongst us, but our limited human vision can’t detect them? Or can we actually see them; they’re simply hiding from us. If so, where? I’ve asked myself: Did they ever exist? Do they exist now? Nobody really knows the answers to these questions so I thought I’d make up my own story about what happened to all those ‘mythical’ creatures. I also watch Destination Truth so I can find out the real answers.

JR: Much of the Anaedor story takes place in subterranean cave systems. Why did you choose a subterranean world? Have you done any caving yourself?

KS: What better place to hide out? Plus, I really like dark spaces where no one can see me…so I can jump out and scare them. And yes, I have done some limited caving. When I was a little kid, my parents took us to Crystal Cave in South Dakota. My dad freaked me out because he carried me on his shoulders down these really steep steps. Talk about vertigo. Still, I never forgot that amazing cave and hope to see it again someday. Whenever I have a chance, I visit other caves. Last summer we saw Howe Cavern in upstate New York. There are some small caves here in New Hampshire, as well. (I believe Rhode Island is the only state in our country without any known caves.) My personal favorite cave in New Hampshire is Lost River Gorge in North Woodstock. There is one awesome spot where you have to pull yourself through the height-challenged space while lying on your belly. To your right is a rushing stream that looks like it could overflow at any second. As you inch along, you pray fervently that there will be no flash floods. I hope to visit the place again this fall. I would live there if I could. Do you think anyone would notice? Currently I’m on a personal mission to visit caves wherever I go, and get the t-shirt as proof. So far, I have one t-shirt (I just started the mission).

JR: I have put some of myself (personality quirks, hobbies, interests) into many of my main characters. Did you do this at all with Lavida Mors?

KS: I actually tried to make Lavida different from myself in as many ways as I could. I am an overachieving perfectionist. She bites her nails and does average in school (when she tries). I am 5’5”. She’s not even 5’. She has a pet raccoon. I’m allergic to my cats. She does magic; I do laundry. She grew up as an only child – I have four siblings. But…I did give her a couple of my quirks. She loves chocolate and I, too, am obsessed with the dark stuff. She’s kind of sarcastic. I’m kind of sarcastic. We both are rather pale and we love to read. Maybe there’s a correlation there. I guess it’s hard not to put some of yourself in your characters, but I try not to do too much so I don’t end up with a mini-me. I leave that to the scientists.

JR: You have three sons. Did any of them help come up with story ideas, monster descriptions or creature names?

KS: My oldest mainly helps point out inconsistencies in my story line. It’s rather annoying but I try to keep an open mind about his suggestions – after I ground him. My middle child is a budding artist so I have him draw pictures of some of my scenes. I like seeing his perspective. My youngest is always coming up with the most interesting ideas. One day he told me he knew there were fairies in our woods because he could smell them. When I asked him what they smelled like, he answered, “strawberries and lemonade.”

JR: And a sixth one, in case you didn’t want to answer that first one. What’s coming up next for Kristina Schram, aside from global dominance in the young adult genre?

KS: I am continuing to write books in the young adult fantasy genre. Right now I’m working on a trilogy that stars three brothers. The first book is finished and I’m sending it out. I plan to start book two as soon as my outdoor work slows down. I’ve also written a children’s book (middle reader) and a gothic fantasy book, as well, for older readers (teen to adult). My proof readers are currently going over those two books and I can’t wait to send them out!

Also, I want global dominance in everything, not just the young adult genre. I do so like power. I’m also thinking about getting chickens. They’re the most natural bug control you can have for your garden/flowers/fruit trees, and I’ve heard they provide eggs, as well. What will those darn chickens think of next?!

Global domination, huh? Well, just remember this little guy when you get there =)>. If you have any further questions for Kristina Schram, whether on her yearning for chickens, on The Chronicles of Anaedor, or anything else, feel free to leave your comments and questions here and she will be sure to get back to you. And be sure to get the full effect of Anaedor, bring it with you when you go spelunking =)>.

Have a great week everyone!

AJ Tata and Jeff Stephens Updates

2009-09-08T09:07:00.003-04:00

Good day, thriller fans!

Today is a great day to be back from Labor Day as we have a fan page, a review, and an updated website to talk about.

Let's start off with AJ Tata, author of SUDDEN THREAT and ROGUE THREAT. He has recently created a Facebook profile for his fans! Be sure to friend him and show your support. To compound this, he recently had his book reviewed in Hooters Magazine and got a 5 out of 5 Hooties rating. If you don't get Hooters Mag, here is the review:

It’s a rocket launch from page one, as Tata’s characters grip readers by the throat and don’t let go until the bittersweet ending. Sudden Threat has a terrifyingly plausible and tightly written plot, characters that strike a realistic chord and a message that should have all Americans looking over their shoulder. Tata is in a class by himself in the genre of military thrillers.

It’s 2001 and CIA paramilitary operative Matt Garrett is yanked from an assignment that would have decimated the upper echelon of al Qaeda leadership, to find himself sifting through the wreckage of a destroyed C-130 in the Philippine jungle. Stumbling upon a weapons factory in Mindanao, guarded by Japanese soldiers, he’s questioning why he’s been given this particular assignment. At the same time, Matt’s brother, U.S. Army Captain Zachary Garrett, is guarding an old U.S. Navy base near Manila. While this battle rages in the jungle, another battle, with more ramifications, is rolling through the nation’s capital as a group calling themselves “the Rolling Stones” rallies around its cause—keeping the country in the fight against Islamic extremism.

If you haven't read this military thriller, what are you waiting for? Being a (ret.) Brigadier General, he certainly knows his stuff - real 'boots on the ground' action. Hard covers are still left, but the mass market will be out at the end of September, followed up by his award-winning Rogue Threat on October 19!

Last but not least, due out in 3 weeks (September 29), Jeffrey Stephens, author of TARGETS OF DECEPTION, is amping up for his release. In turn, he has put up some new updates for your viewing pleasure. Visit him at his website to check out all of the new content for his fans.

Thanks for reading, enjoy the new goodness!

Author on Author - Steven Savile on Jeremy Robinson

2009-09-03T11:45:00.004-04:00

Thursday's back, Zealots, and here we are finding ourselves reading this weeks edition of Author on Author, where Steven Savile investigates the life and times of Jeremy Robinson. I'm expecting a great interview ahead of us, so let's begin...

Steven Savile: Stylistically, I'd say you're writing is intensely visual, almost like reading a movie if you know what I mean, just how conscious of this are you when you sit down to write, and do you have any tricks or tips for new writers in terms of setting the scene and making their own work capture that same feel?

Jeremy Robinson: I was an artist and illustrator before I became a writer and am, for that reason, an intensely visual person. When I write, I am seeing the action and characters in my mind and essentially describing what I see. Writing a book, for me, is like going to a movie. The challenge is to include smell, touch, sound, taste and characters thoughts and feelings. My first novels are primarily visual, but the newer ones focus on all the sense (though visual will always be top sense).

SS: I think everyone's heard of the notion that you have to 'kill your babies' in terms of fiction, but having read Antarktos Rising recently I'm curious as to how literally you take that. There's a lot of mayhem in the average Robinson novel. Ever find it hard to kill/maim/hurt one of your characters? Ever change your mind?

JR: I think I’m a little fiendish when it comes to this. I actually love to maim and kill characters, even main characters, because it keeps readers wondering who’s next. The TV series, LOST, does a great job of this. Many beloved characters have been killed off. I did this in Antarktos Rising and I hear about it a lot. But the decision was actually simple. I thought, “Huh, I have too many main characters now.” And then bam, one of them is snatched up and killed. As this wasn’t a planned killing, it came as a surprise to me and as a result to many readers. It makes for great suspense. And if I don’t kill a character, I make sure they’ve got some physical and emotional scars by the story’s end.

SS: In terms of writing and outlining, I am a fairly loose outliner, I like an idea of where I am going and let the inspiration of the day join the gaps, what's your roadmap when you set out on a new novel? The Great White Page or An A to Z or somewhere in between?

JR: I’m somewhere in between. Publishers like getting the chapter by chapter outline of a story that has yet to be written, but even then, it’s a loose guideline. I typically have a climax and major plot points in mind when I start, but research and new ideas often take the story in directions I hadn’t planned on. When I write, I outline chapters in small chunks in a notebook. I write a quick, “where we’ve been,” summary of the previous chapters and then maybe 4 – 5 chapters out under “where we’re going”. This gives me freedom to change things around, but also keeps me on track.

SS: How, if at all, does your own faith effect your fiction?

JR: My faith is sometimes a source of inspiration. Specifically Biblical creatures. I’ve found that many people find these topics to be taboo for fiction and as a result the fantastic creatures described in the Bible are untouched by modern, mainstream fiction. But all religions and myths are fair game. I’ve used Greek, Roman, Native American, Sumerian, Norse, Hindu, etc myths and beliefs as the context for modern adventures. Of my six novels, three have Biblical connections. The others don’t.

SS: AR's cover states soon to be an anime movie, anything you can share with us?

JR: Hear those crickets? That’s what I’ve been hearing too. Nothing new to report despite my best efforts. To my knowledge it’s still scheduled for a spring 2010 release, but this is the movie business and I’ll believe it when I see it.

SS: If you could invite 5 people living or dead around to dinner, who would you invite and why?

JR: Jesus. Judas. Hitler. Eve. And Cain. I’d ask them all the same question. “Why?”

SS: What does the future hold for Jeremy Robinson?

JR: I have two more books in the Chess Team series coming out from Thomas Dunne Books. The first is INSTINCT, due out in April of 2010 (the mass market edition of PULSE comes out in March 2010). Then the third Chess Team book (untitled) comes out in 2011. I have a second series on submission with Thomas Dunne, which would take us to 2014 AND I have just finished two top secret books that I don’t want to announce in detail at this point—not until they have a publishing home. But they’re books I wrote and illustrated...and they’re funny as hell. I’m hoping they’ll both be released in the next year.

A second series? Two top secret books?! I can't wait to get my hands on those. If you have any questions for Jeremy, maybe something he didn't touch on enough, or something new even, be sure to leave them here for him to answer. Have you read any of his books and want to leave a review? Please do so - we'd love to see it.

Thanks for another great interview guys! See you all next week.

Submissions Open!

2009-09-01T09:06:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Just an fyi to all you authors and writers out there, our submissions have reopened, please see our guidelines posted on our Submissions page for full details though. They are open from September 1st to September 30th, 2009 at 5pm EST.

Best of luck!

Author on Author - AJ Tata on Steven Savile

2009-08-27T11:12:00.005-04:00

Tidings fans!

Another week has past to bring us to today's Author on Author where AJ Tata asks Steven Savile some very thought provoking questions. Enjoy the following session:

AJ Tata: You are an international bestselling author having sold 250,000 copies with books printed in 14 different languages. To what do you attribute your broad appeal to such a variety of people?

Steven Savile: I don't know about you, but when I write I make a series of conscious choices that are outside of the writing, and one of them is made purely with the understanding that reading is a voluntary habit and is financed by residual income - the same income that pays for nights at the cinema, an evening at the sports bar, a packet of cigarettes, etc
- so every word I write is competing with these vices. What the upshot of this means is that I damned well better be entertaining at the very least. It isn't my job to educate or elucidate, at least not, say, with Silver (though there are some serious political undertones as well as social ones), it's to give you a damned good ride, a few laughs, a few thrills, and basically leave you feeling that you're glad you spent the bucks on the book as opposed to the jumbo pack of Harry Potter inspired burgers from BK or what have you. My hope is that the readers come away entertained. Most do, I think. I hope.

AJT: Stephen King in Danse Macabre asserts that we all have a sieve in our mind that collects some things and lets others through. Each individual is programmed differently, he argues, and so some of us enjoy thrillers and others enjoy horror, and so on. Your ‘sieve’ seems to be good at collecting it all. How do you so credibly write across such a broad spectrum of topics from vampires to westerns to thrillers? What do you enjoy writing the most? What do you enjoy reading the most (other than the Threat Series)?

SS: The thing is no one told me I couldn't. Does that make sense? I've always believed I am a writer and that my talent allows me to write, it doesn't dictate that I can only write horror, or fantasy or thrillers, it means that the words exist to tell the stories. Why are all the stories so varied? I've said it a lot in interviews, but I write little pieces of me, essentially, and that means I am driven to write things that feed my soul. Things that are FUN. Primeval, for instance, was fun. It may not be great literature but when you get fan mail from 12 year old kids saying they've read the book 9 times and love it you know you've done something right. I am like a magpie with ADD, I guess. I get attracted by shiny ideas and go oooh look, that's cool... and find myself running off to write about golems in a Victorian London that never was or spinning a Judeo-Christian thriller like Silver. The mechanism to setting the words down is the same.

As to what I enjoy the most, the pat answer would be whatever I am writing at the time, but there is a truth to it. I mean when I finished 6 fantasy novels a few years back I said that was it, no more, now I am writing a new novel for Guild Wars 2, the multiplayer online game... why? Because it is fun. Check out the trailer for it and tell me it doesn't look cool.

As to reading, now that you've recused yourself I'm left with a rather eclectic mix of stuff from Lee Child and Preston Child at one end through to Douglas Coupland and Jay McInerney at the other with Raymond Fiest and Jonathan Carroll somewhere in the middle. Or, in other words my reading is as screwed up as my writing.

AJT: You are a teacher, editor, and author, among many other talents to include burglar alarm salesman. It would seem to me that being an author and an editor are completely at odds with each other, not to mention the teaching aspect. How do you reconcile the creativity of writing with the discipline of editing?

SS: Hah! I wouldn't call the burglar alarm thing a talent, as it lasted less than 12 hrs! The teaching was a great job for a while but I wasn't a natural teacher so I grew tired really quickly. I think you need a special personality to keep giving so selflessly of yourself to an unruly bunch of teens ready to take over the world. However the editing and the writing, well I don't see them as mutually exclusive - indeed the editorial side of the job has helped me develop a strong story sense that I can apply to my own writing and help identify weaknesses. Plus it does mean I tend to turn in fairly clean manuscripts so my editors love me. Again, I think it is just a case of no one telling me I couldn't do it, and writing is such a lonely job at times there is something very fulfilling about working with other people. That's why I love collaborating as well.

AJT: You are an accomplished Television writer. How does writing for TV differ from writing successful novels?

SS: Well, you've got very little control of what goes on in terms of character - there's a basic rule that says you can do anything to an established character during the course of your work so long as by the end of it they're returned back to the exact same state you found them in. Of course, you've also got fans who know Stargate inside out, and considerably better than you do, so you know you've got to be on top of your game not to disappoint, whereas with something like Silver I'm playing in my own world, by my rules and can do anything I want to the characters - and heck to the world itself...

AJT: We all hear about the formulas for writing, such as introduction, conflict and resolution, for example. Being such a prolific writer, how do you avoid the trap of following the same formula each time?

SS: Good question, and I can only hope that I do avoid the trap. My starting point with any story is always the characters. I want to know the people, what drives them, what they fear... Tim Powers says find out the one thing your character fears more than anything and then make it happen to them. I agree. Fear drives people consistently and opens up lots of opportunities for story. I don't tend to work from a template, though I can tell when I am approaching the ends of acts - I write classic three act stories, no matter how complicated, so that much I stick with. I am comfortable with the framework.

AJT: You chose writing and quality of life over a business career full of honors and promotions. As you have churned away and done what so many of us would like to do, has the journey been what you expected? What has been your biggest surprise?

SS: Absolutely not. It's been challenging. I've given up a lot, hurt a lot of people and lived far too closely to the breadline for far too long, but I am stubborn, and because I still feel like a fraud and am sure someone is going to find me out, I still don't believe I am a success.
Heck, the first review I ever had said 'Steve Savile takes the prize for plodding pointlessness' and this was on Amazon, back when the 'net was young. The result was it was syndicated on about 300 sites and if you put my name into google (or yahoo and dogpile as it was back then) you got a screen full of Steve Savile takes the prize for plodding pointlessness... it kept me pretty humble. I'm constantly surprised when I get fan mail or someone says how much they enjoyed my book, because often all I can see in it are the flaws in retrospect - I am a much better craftsman now than I was 6 years ago, but I had a blazing enthusiasm then, so hopefully the enthusiasm covers up the flaws.

Biggest surprise, not to be self serving, was recently when I won the International Media Writers Award for Best YA novel, when I was sure Dr Who was going to win. I sat in my lounge holding the cell phone reading the message from Keith De Candido over and over again, and had to text him back to say 'You are kidding me right? This is an elaborate hoax you guys have cooked up...'

If you have any questions or comments for this session, please don't hesitate to jot them down! I'm sure Steve would be more than happy to answer anything he can. Great session guys. I look forward to all of your comments.

Welcome to the Newest Family Member

2009-08-25T11:50:00.004-04:00

Good day Zealots!

Please give a warm welcome to Payne Harrison! Payne is the New York Times bestselling author of STORMING INTREPID, THUNDER OF EREBUS, BLACK CIPHER, FORBIDDEN SUMMIT, and now, EUROSTORM. His work has been called “expertly written and well researched” by The New York Times, and a “masterpiece” by Publisher’s Weekly, while THUNDER OF EREBUS was a main selection of The Military Book Club.

STORMING INTREPID was a New York Times Bestseller and a Cold War classic that helped define the techno-thriller genre.

Now with EUROSTORM he weaves his narrative magic yet again. Of course, you can find the rest of the description at the EUROSTORM book page (which you should be sure to check out as we will be updating the pages as we get new info like reading samples and cover art), along with the rest of his info at the Payne Harrison author page. Look forward to seeing this on the bookshelves for beach season 2010!

AJ Tata on Afghan Elections

2009-08-21T12:33:00.002-04:00

Hey folks,

Whether we are directly involved or not (I'm guessing most of us are), this is an important topic in today's current situation. It could be your brother, your aunt, your cousin, a friend, but someone you know is probably over in Afghanistan fighting not only for our freedom, but for the freedom of the Afghan people from the grasp of terrorists like the Taliban.

This was recorded Wednesday night, so this is now old news, but show your support for the cause by watching the vid and passing it along.

Thanks again to all the troops, and General AJ Tata for doing what you do. If you haven't yet, be sure to pick up SUDDEN THREAT, as all proceeds go to the USO Metro-DC fund for our Wounded Warriors.

Author On Author - Michael Cornelius on AJ Tata

2009-08-20T09:21:00.004-04:00

Good day Zealots!

Are you an aspiring writer? Have a military background? Maybe both? Well, this interview is for you. Michael G. Cornelius asks General AJ Tata some great questions that may get your authoring juices flowing.

Michael G. Cornelius: From an author whose Variance book did not have him labeled the “next Tom Clancy” – or the next anything, for that matter - what’s the comparison and the attention like? Does it make you nervous about your work holding up to scrutiny, or are you excited about the potential of reaching so many more readers?

AJ Tata: It is high praise to be compared to the master of the military techno-thriller, so I welcome the comparisons. If we want to be in the big leagues we have to strive for the highest standards. I like to point out that while Tom Clancy writes from a technology and research foundation, I write from a very boots on the ground position. I try to capture the emotions of combat in my writing as much as I attempt to parlay interesting technology into the plot. But I think readers are increasingly more interested in well developed characters and less interested in, say, the spin rate of the round exiting an M4 muzzle. I’m excited about the comparisons and the expanded reach that they may provide.

MGC: Terrorism and extreme fundamentalism are obviously very high on many people’s lists of real, palpable things they are afraid of – studies have shown that in this decade people have consistently ranked terrorism as a very, very real concern, right up there with environmental disaster and public speaking. Why do we read so voraciously about those things we fear? Is it that we hope to find solutions to our fears in fiction, to work them out; is it that we feel comforted by fictional heroes saving the day? Or is it something else altogether?

AJT: I can remember watching “Black Hawk Down” with a friend who is a mortgage broker and has never been in the military. During one of the combat scenes, he said, “Man, I wish I could do that.” I quickly told him, “I’m not sure you do.” It occurred to me though that many people read thrillers because they want to live vicariously through the heroes of the book. Perhaps some identify with well crafted villains. There is a bit of Walter Mitty in all of us, I think, seeking recognition, slaying dragons, and so on. Nietzsche called it the “Beast with Red Cheeks.” So, I think that readers immerse themselves in Matt Garrett’s world, for example, and become the hero. They are right there with him climbing a Philippine jungle mountain in Sudden Threat, or free-falling into a Canadian fishing lake in Rogue Threat.

MGC: I teach writing, and my students often complain that writing action sequences are especially difficult for them. I often tell them the old chestnut about pacing – shorter sentences increases the rhythm of the reader – but I’m hoping you might have some more advice for them. What makes your action sequences so successful, and how can the novice writer learn from you?

AJT: For me, writing an action sequence is all about what’s happening in the hero’s mind. Having been in combat, I can tell you that the mind is indeed the best weapon. In most firefights, I never fired a weapon. As a leader, I gave direction, devised quick plans, and coordinated the entire unit’s efforts. I approach my action scenes from very much the same perspective. Less is generally more. Slow needs to be fast and fast needs to be slow. There’s an old saying in the Army that, “Slow is smooth; smooth is fast.” It relates to a four man team, called a stack, that is about to enter a building and clear a room. Instead of stumbling quickly into the room, we train the men to walk with a purpose, each taking their position in the room, avoiding the fatal funnel of enemy fire, and focusing on their lanes. I approach action scenes the same way. Instead of writing blunt, ham-handed scenes, I try to create a rhythm of events, giving the reader an inside view of the protagonist’s/antagonist’s thoughts, as well as what he or she is doing.

MGC: There is a rich tradition of military and retired military personnel as authors – dating back to ancient times, really, and continuing through to the modern day. What is it about military life that lends itself so readily to writing?

AJT: A good military mind must be both right and left brained, I believe. The balance between creativity and organization provides the necessary ingredients to be a successful author. It takes creativity, obviously, to write fiction, and the writing process requires discipline as well. That combination, coupled with the fact that many in the military have experienced very unique life events such as combat, peacekeeping, and high level diplomatic negotiations, makes for a deep reservoir of ideas.

MGC: On the same thread, it is no surprise that the experiences of those authors with a military background really seem to inform their works – often, in rather violent ways. Sometimes, though, (if I may be irreverent for a moment,) I long for the military version of chick-lit, something light and fluffy without a hint of napalm in the air. Any recommendations for us along those lines, or maybe you’re cooking up something yourself that focuses more on mess-tent terror rather than the extremist kind?

AJT: Hidden Threat, book #3 in the Threat Series, is all about Colonel Zachary Garrett’s estranged daughter. The book rotates between Afghanistan, where Zachary is reported Killed in Action, and the southern USA, where his estranged daughter is approached by a casualty notification team to tell her she is the recipient of $500,000 in life insurance money… with one catch. She has to visit a psychiatrist for five visits. During those visits with Zachary’s former lover, Riley Dwyer, Amanda Garrett begins to unravel the mystery of her estrangement from her father. Meanwhile, Matt flies to Afghanistan to recover Zach’s remains. He leads one last ass-kicking raid in to Pakistan to seek revenge, and they find a clue that Zachary may still be alive. Military chick lit at its best.

Great discussion guys! Military chick-lit... is that a new genre? I'm all for it! And the action and character questions were excellent. I hope that helps all you aspiring authors - military based or not - proceed with much haste in creating a better book.

Author On Author - Paul Byers on Michael Cornelius

2009-08-13T12:53:00.003-04:00

Welcome back Author on Author fans! This week's edition has Paul Byers digging deep into life a la Michael G. Cornelius. How deep? Read on,

Paul Byers: You have quite the range of books from parodies to murders mysteries. Does one style help balance out the other in writing or just help keep you sane or drive you nuts going back and forth?

Michael Cornelius: Well the parody book is actually a parody of mysteries, and I try to be occasionally humorous in my long-form work, so perhaps there’s a continuum of expression there. I do find that “mysteries”—whether actual mysteries, or an individual struggling to uncover their own motivation for what they do—is at the heart of a lot of what I write. Writing itself is an act of uncovering larger truths, whether it’s literary criticism or horror fiction (and unsurprisingly a lot of my critical work lately has been about – you guessed it – the mystery genre!) Still, it’s nice to be able to flex differing muscles in the writer’s playbook – if I had to write the same thing, the same style, all the time, it would get a trifle dull for me.

PB: I see you currently chair the English department at Wilson College in Pennsylvania. Do you think a position like that helps or hinders your writing ability?

MC: For me, it helps. My students really inspire me. For most of them, they are just beginning their journeys as writers, and their zeal and sense of discovery inspire me. I never feel more energized to write then after a semester’s worth of teaching creative writing! Plus, I’m one of those people who likes to be juggling a few different balls in the air. If I was forced to live as a full-time writer, well, I’d sit at home and watch re-runs of Law and Order and Bones all day – not the best use of one’s time, that’s for sure!

PB: Religion and politics are two very sensitive subjects to write about. In ASCENSION, you have several different major religions thrown together, do you talk about their similarities or the differences between them in setting up your story?

MC: Religion really comes into play in a lot of what I write, which continually surprises me. It certainly seems to be a topic in the back of my mind, and I find religious history and archaeology a fascinating topic (perhaps attending a Catholic college helped there!) I thought a plotline about all the religious leaders in a small community being brutally murdered might stir up some controversy, which I didn’t want at all, but, for good or for ill, no one seemed to notice it. My first novel, Creating Man, has a strong religious component in it as well—God is actually a character, though only in a framing device—and I remember on the same day receiving letters from an atheist group and a Christian group, both pleased with the book. I think a lot of people are as fascinated by religion and politics as I am, and they don’t mind an honest exploration of the subject. For me, it is key never to be exploitative – I know, the murder of religious people seems just that, but the truth of it, the book assails against such violence (at least that’s the hope!)

PB: ASCENSION looks large in its scope from the locations to the storyline itself. What personal aspects do you bring to the story? Travel, detective work? Personal convictions?

MC: There is a particular scene in the book – where a Methodist minister is killed in her own backyard – that I wrote one late Sunday. I finished the piece around ten o’clock, and then had to take out the garbage for pick-up the next day. Unfortunately, I had created the setting of the minister’s house from where I was living at the time – consequently, it terrified the heck out of me to take out the trash, wondering if the creatures I had just written about were still out there! So there is always something of the personal in anything I write. One can watch the news and see all types of horrors in this world, but a strange sound from your own backyard is what really makes you take notice. For me, nothing is scarier than the neighbors.

PB: Being the college professor in English, do you make you students read your books as a class assignment and then make them do a book report on it? Great marketing tool!

MC: I actually have had students read THE ASCENSION, since I teach a class here in Horror Literature and Film. I don’t force them to write on it, though they can if they like. I remember as an undergraduate reading a book from one of my faculty, and it was such a unique and enriching experience. I always try to bring writers to campus to meet and talk with my students, so sharing my own experiences as a writer helps, too.

Great job gents! Mike, I think you are right when it comes to religion... it's a fact of life after all. It is all knowing how deep to dive. Fans, if you have any questions for Michael, don't hesitate to take a stab (horror writter, stab... the puns won't end folks, get used to it) =)>. I look forward to everyone's comments!

Author On Author - Joseph Flynn on Paul Byers

2009-08-06T11:09:00.003-04:00

Happy Thursday fans!

In this weeks edition, Joseph Flynn gets the down and dirty on Paul Byers. Without further ado:

Joseph Flynn: Having written a novel, Catalyst, set in Europe during World War II, that period must be of great interest to you. Do you remember what first hooked you about that time?

Paul Byers: Several factors got me hooked. I enjoy listening to my Dads WWII stories as a kid (he was in the Navy) and I’ve always enjoyed flying and WWII was the last, great war. Not that war is great, but back then, there were no blurry lines, no politics, no hidden agendas. You knew who the bad guys were, you knew why you were fighting and you knew what would happen if you lost.

JF: Writing what is by contemporary standards a period piece, how did you research the idioms of the time to make your story's dialogue ring true?

PB: For the dialog, I’ve read quite a bit and seen a lot of WWII movies so I was familiar with the jargon of my story time. I also called my Dad up several times to ask him if a phrase or certain words were used back then in the day.

JF: What percentage of your research is primary source, i.e. speaking to people who were there, and what percentage is secondary source, i.e. textual?

PB: Most of my "factual" research was done off the web but the "flavor" was through talking with different people. I worked for the Navy Exchange for a while, for those not familiar, it’s basically a giant Target store for military people only to shop. I talked with lots of vets, picking up little tidbits here and there. Again, my Dad was a great source as well as talking to a few historians and a former POW of Stalag 3.

JF: Working in an area—WWII—that's been visited so many times, what did you do to make your novel stand out?

PB: I tried to make Catalyst stand out in several ways. First, I tried to make the characters as believable as possible. The main character, Griff Avery, is not the young, swashbuckling Hollywood hero type (although he could be for the movie, fingers crossed). He’s in his mid-forties, hasn’t had a stellar career and has trouble with relationships. I also wanted to bring out little tidbits of facts that I thought would be interesting. For example, without giving anything away, when you get to the "money part" that really was the way the OSS did it. Also one of my supporting characters is a Tuskegee Airman and the little story about how they came to be with Eleanor Roosevelt was also true. Plus, Andy Wenner, did a fantastic job of designing my cover!

JF: What characteristics do you share with your book's hero; and who inspired your book's villain?

PB: I kind of identify myself with Avery a little, just an ordinary guy doing the best he can. My alter ego goes with Colonel Adams, experienced and calm in the face of danger and a little with Lieutenant Stevens with the wonder of youth and the excitement of it all. As for the bad guy? I wanted him to have a civil brutality about him, I want the reader to hate him, not only for his actions but for the nonchalant way he does it.

Another interview well done. If you are a World War 2 buff, there is no reason for you not to pick up this period thriller. Be sure to ask for it at your local bookstore - don't forget to leave a review at Amazon.com, BN.com, and/or on this blog. We'd love to hear what you have to say! I know Paul would love to answer any questions you have for him related to him or his book, do it up fans. =)>

Thanks for reading.