Interview with debut sci-fi novelist Claudine Kapel

Today’s guest is novelist Claudine Kapel who is touring her debut novel A Darker Rain with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Claudine will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

A Darker Rain is Claudine Kapel’s first novel. She lives in Toronto and enjoys books, music, and travel. When not working as a consultant, she can be found writing, reading, or contemplating what else may be out there.

The second book in the Ryan Cole series is planned for release in late 2014.

Claudine loves to hear from readers. You can reach her at www.claudinekapel.com.

Welcome, Claudine. Please tell us about your current release.

A Darker Rain is the first book in the Ryan Cole science fiction adventure series. The series follows Cole and his team of investigators as they tackle unconventional security threats, including those posed by beings and technology from other worlds.

In the first book, Cole and his team are on a mission to recover five alien artifacts known as guardian stones. Cole’s search leads him to assist a group of ranchers who are being threatened by a mysterious red-eyed leopard. The creature exerts strange powers over the humans it encounters, leading Cole to suspect alien influences are at play. Cole and his team must confront dangerous adversaries – on two legs and four – as his quest to recover the guardian stones and his efforts to protect the ranchers intersect.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m a fan of both action-adventure novels and science fiction. I like a good quest. And I enjoy exploring what might be possible. I wanted to write a book that captured these elements. Although A Darker Rain isn’t traditional science fiction in that it is set on a modern-day Earth, it features alien artifacts as well as beings from other worlds. The characters must confront dangerous adversaries – both alien and otherwise – as well as solve some interlocking mysteries to achieve their objectives.

Excerpt:

Beecham exhaled sharply. “Antoine Drake and Cassandra Chase are ruthless. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. If they’re acquiring both alien weapons and alien allies, that could give them a major military advantage. Who knows how powerful these weapons are or what they can do? We don’t even know how they work.”

“So what did your people learn about the weapons before they were stolen?” asked Cole. “Did Ivan Johnson shed any light on how the sonic rifle works before he was killed?”

Beecham rubbed his eyes wearily. “He didn’t give us a hell of a lot. We tested the alloy the rifles were made of and confirmed there’s no match for such a substance anywhere on Earth. But beyond that, we didn’t learn much.

“We ran a whole battery of tests to see if we could uncover the mechanics of the weapon. But nothing. No one has been able to figure out how the rifles operate. As you can see in the photo—not to mention in the files your buddy Ashcroft downloaded—there’s no visible trigger.”

Beecham looked at Cole, his face etched with deep concern. “We need to get these weapons back. And we need to stop Drake.”

Cole looked at Beecham with a frown. He had heard that refrain before, and it had been a prelude to disaster.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m currently working on the next book in the Ryan Cole series, which is slated for release in late 2014.

In the second book, Cole and his team are on the hunt for a spaceship that has crashed in the Mojave Desert, while someone from Cole’s past engages him in a dangerous investigation that puts him in the crosshairs of his greatest adversary.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

As a child, I wrote short stories and poetry, so for as far back as I can remember, I’ve always considered myself a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I don’t write full-time – at least not fiction. By day, I’m a human resources and communications consultant and I also write a weekly blog for a Canadian human resources newspaper. So I do a lot of writing professionally.

That generally leaves evenings and weekends for fiction writing. Since I have my own business, there’s some flexibility in my work schedule, which also helps.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m always on the lookout for songs that inspire a book scene or that reflect what’s happening in a scene or chapter. I compile these songs in playlists, which I also listen to when I write. So my books come with their own soundtracks, which could be helpful if they’re ever turned into a movie or television show.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a child, I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Later, I aspired to be a journalist as I thought that would enable me to hone my writing skills while learning more about the world. My first job after graduating from university was on a daily newspaper.

I continued to dabble with fiction writing until I started my own business. At the same time, I made a commitment to get more serious about publishing a novel. That led to my writing A Darker Rain.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I think it’s important for people to follow their dreams and creative passions. It’s a vital part of personal self-expression. And one never knows where the journey might lead!

The book is available for purchase on:

Amazon-US | Amazon-CA | Apple iBookstore/iTunes-US |

Apple iBookstore/iTunes-CA | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books

Thank you, Claudine!

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