Interview with urban fantasy writer Hugh Fritz

Today’s special author guest is Hugh Fritz and we’re chatting about his new urban fantasy, Made to Be Broken, the first book in the Mystic Rampage series.

Welcome, Hugh. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Chicago, Illinois which is why I used it for the setting. The idea for this story first came to me when I was in high school but writing has not been a consistent hobby of mine so partially completed versions of it sat in my computer for years without being opened. It was only five years ago that I decided to take this project seriously and finish Mystic Rampage, and as I did, additional ideas came to me and it grew from a single novel into a series. Expanding the cast of characters has made working on the second installment more fun, but the real joy has come from joining a group of other writers to serve as beta readers and critics. They’ve been helpful in improving the quality of my writing and providing advice related to the plot and characters to make the story more interesting. I’m proud of what I accomplished in the first book, but thanks to their help the second one is going to be an improvement and I’m excited for it to be released.

Please tell us about your current release.

The book follows three characters that have the same powers but different motivations for using them. One focuses on protecting his loved ones, one believes in destiny and waits for people in need come to him, and one runs about looking for trouble which he is ready to meet with violence. These differences lead to arguments, and gradually their squabbles turn into a battle that puts their city and everyone in it at risk.

What inspired you to write this book?

Most of my efforts have gone into short stories. I enjoy flash fiction as a writing exercise and was working on a collection of them for a while. I became tired of reaching the conclusion after one or two pages so I decided to focus on completing a full-length novel. I’m not saying the flash fictions were a waste of time. Some of them provided fuel for the Mystic Rampage storyline and allowed me to expand it into a trilogy. Inspector R.E.D. and the Old Ticker originally existed in their own universes and had completely different adventures, but I decided to put them in the epilogue of Made to Be Broken and make them main characters in the second book.

Excerpt from Made to Be Broken:

Here is a portion of Inspector R.E.D.’s introduction:

He couldn’t remember who he was, which didn’t scare him as much as not knowing what he was. He remembered feeling numb, and then seeing light, but filtered light, as if he was looking through a fog. He then smelled wet grass and felt damp dirt on his hands. The last thing he became aware of was the man standing before him with a gun. His first instinct was to run but he couldn’t control his legs. He tried to scream but his voice was dry and hoarse, as if he hadn’t used it in a while. He started recognizing shapes of objects around him, and noticed he was surrounded by tombstones. He panicked. He thrashed and pounded his fists into the dirt as he tried to swear at whatever was making this happen to him. Suddenly, whatever was controlling his body released its hold and he was free.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Other than the other two installments in this series, I have a more traditional fantasy story that takes place in an imaginary kingdom. It’s about a knight, a farmer, a scribe, and a dragon who work together to overcome curses that were put on them by a sorcerer.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t consider myself a writer because I’ve never had to rely on my work to get by. Real writers are people who need their books to sell in order to pay rent, eat, or even put gas in their car. The first time I felt proud of my creativity was when I was able to use my imaginary world as an escape from the real one. There was a time when video games and TV were my means of passing the time on slow, boring days and if they weren’t available I’d still think about games or scenes from a show. Since I started writing, my primary way of passing the time has been daydreaming about my characters and coming up with new scenarios for chapters.

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 have never been a full-time writer and have always balanced it between a job, school, or both. However, even when I’m not adding to the story I’m always looking for new material. I try to incorporate information from classes into the plot and some of the places I’ve been employed have become settings in a few chapters. The only days I have time to write are Saturdays and Sundays, but it usually goes smoothly because I always dive in with new ideas to experiment with.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I take the potential for cosplay into account when coming up with my character’s attire. I’ve even tried making costumes which I sometimes wear during promotional events. The most recent was Albuquerque Comic Con when I made my own version of Flarence’s wrist cannon by knitting an armband and stitching an old brass doorknob to it. Someday I’m going to replicate Soleil’s toxic poncho.

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

Like a lot of kids, I had my heart set on being a musician and spent most of my free time playing guitar. That dream didn’t last because no band I was a part of stayed together for very long.

Links:

Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook

Thanks for joining me today.

To learn more about Hugh, feel free to visit his other tour stops:

November  4^th  @ The Muffin

What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Join us as we celebrate the launch of the blog tour for author Hugh Fritz’s book Made to be Broken. Read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book. 

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

November 5^th  @ Book Santa Fe with Crystal Otto

Crystal Otto shares her thoughts about the first book in the Mystic Rampage Series -  Made to be Broken by Hugh Fritz. 

http://www.booksantafe.info/booksantafeblog

November 6^th @ World of My Imagination 

Learn more about Hugh Fritz and his new book Made to be Broken as he shares a few thoughts in an interesting interview with Nicole Pyles at World of My Imagination.

https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

November 7th @ Bring on Lemons with Carmen Otto

Middle Schooler Carmen Otto raves about the first book in the Mystic Rampage Series – she encourages everyone to read Made to be Broken by Hugh Fritz! Find out more today at Bring on Lemons.

http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

November 8th  @ World of My Imagination 

Nicole Pyles reviews Made to be Broken by Hugh Fritz – find out what you’re missing and learn about the first book in the Mystic Rampage series – if you love sci-fi you’ll love this book!

https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

November 9^th @ World of My Imagination

Learn more about Hugh Fritz and his new book Made to be Broken as he shares a few thoughts in an interesting interview with Nicole Pyles at World of My Imagination.

https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

November 14^th  @ Look to the Western Sky

Visit Margo's blog today where you can catch today's author spotlight and learn more about Hugh Fritz and his fabulous book Born to be Broken. 

https://margoldill.com/

November 15th @ Anjanette Speaks

Anjanette Potter interviews Hugh Fritz as well as reviewing his book Made to be Broken – find out more about the first book of the Mystic Rampage series – now available!

https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/

November 18^th  @ Breakeven Books

Today’s Book Spotlight at Breakeven Books is Made to be Broken (first book in the Mystic Rampage Series) by Hugh Fritz – don’t miss this great opportunity to add this exciting new novel to your collection!

https://breakevenbooks.com/

November 19^th  @ To Write or Not To Write

Sreevarsha reviews Made to be Broken by Hugh Fritz and delights readers at To Write or Not To Write with her thoughts about this fast-paced novel – it’s the first book in the Mystic Rampage Series – don’t miss this!

 http://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.co.at/

November 20^th  @ A StoryBook World

Don’t miss today’s publicity post at A Storybook World as readers at Dierdra’s blog are introduced to the first book in the Mystic Rampage Series – you’ll want to run out and get your own copy of Hugh Fritz’s Made to be Broken! 

http://www.astorybookworld.com/

November 21^st  @ Lisa Haselton Reviews and Interviews

Lisa Haselton interviews Hugh Fritz about the first novel in the Mystic Rampage series, Made to be Broken. Readers will delight in learning more about this science fiction story with intriguing plot and multiple plot twists!

http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

November 22nd  @ Look to the Western Sky

Visit Margo's blog today where you can catch today's author spotlight and learn more about Hugh Fritz and his fabulous book Born to be Broken.

https://margoldill.com/

November 26^th @ Selling Books

Don’t miss today’s author interview with Hugh Fritz as Cathy Stucker finds out more about his latest release Made to be Broken – the first book in the Mystic Rampage series.

https://www.sellingbooks.com/

November 27^th @ Author Anthony Avina

Author Anthony Avina shares his thoughts after reading Made to be Broken by Hugh Fritz – don’t miss this review!

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

December 2^nd @ Bring on Lemons with Tara Forst

Wisconsinite Tara Forst shares her thoughts after reading the first book in the Mystic Rampage Series – find out more in her book review of Born to be Broken by Hugh Fritz.

http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

December 4^th @ Author Anthony Avina

Author Anthony Avina interviews Hugh Fritz about Made to be Broken  - the first book of the Mystic Rampage series.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

Interview with mystery author David Myles Robinson

Mystery author David Myles Robinson joins me today to chat about his new suspense novel, The Pinochet Plot.

Welcome, David. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I graduated from Blair HS in Pasadena, CA, in 1968 and moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State College. Interesting times. I lived for a time on the corner of Haight St. and Broderick and hitchhiked through the Haight every morning to get to school. In 1969 I moved back to Pasadena to work as a staff journalist for a minority newspaper while attending Cal State LA. My family had moved to Honolulu in 1968 and so, in 1970, I enrolled in the University of Hawaii. I spent the summer of 1970 in Europe with my San Francisco friends and then re-enrolled at SF State. Too much moving around, however, almost got me drafted. I got my Selective Service letter and had to go for my physical and written test in Berkeley. Thankfully, President Nixon stopped the draft three numbers before I was called. 

I graduated from San Francisco State University in 1972 and was accepted at the University of San Francisco School of Law. It was there I met my wife, Marcia Waldorf. In 1975 we moved to Honolulu. Marcia took a job as a Public Defender and I opened my own office. Over the course of the next 38 years I had my own firm with a couple different partners. I did a little of everything early on, but eventually specialized in personal injury and workers’ compensation law.

In 2010 I retired and wrote my first novel, Unplayable Lie. Two legal thrillers followed: Tropical Lies and Tropical Judgments. The Pinochet Plot is my fourth novel.

After dividing our time between Honolulu and our second home in Taos, NM, for several years, we decided we would see what it was like to be full time mainlanders again. We love it. I ski, golf, hike, and travel when I’m not writing.

Please tell us about your current release.

The Pinochet Plot: High-powered San Francisco attorney Will Muñoz is just about to start a sabbatical from his practice of law when he learns his mother has committed suicide. The letter she sent him on the eve of her death changes Will’s life forever.

When he was eleven years old, Will discovered the murdered body of his father, the famed Chilean novelist Ricardo Muñoz. The police write it off as a burglary gone bad, but unbeknownst to Will at the time, his mother was convinced that the brutal, CIA-backed Chilean Dictator, Augusto Pinochet, had Ricardo murdered in an attempt to stop the publication of Ricardo’s last book, The Daughters of Pinochet. In her letter, his mother explains her suspicions and, in what sounds to Will like a fit of delusional madness, goes on to say she believes Will’s stepfather, Chuck Evans, may have been involved in the murder. 

As Will sets out to learn more about his father’s murder and his mother’s mental state, he becomes immersed in stranger-than-fiction leads involving the CIA’s role in Chile, assassins for hire, illegal CIA-funded drug experimentation, and chilling political intrigue.

What inspired you to write this book?

The political discourse in our country had been getting so bad it reminded me that there are many countries where political dissent is not allowed, and, in extreme cases, dissidents are arrested and/or assassinated. While America has its own history of oppression and genocide, I had hoped we had grown out of those times. Instead, we are falling victim to tribalism and intractable opinions, which should be danger signals to the well-being of our democracy. So, I decided to write a novel that, while hopefully entertaining to read, toyed with the idea that Pinochet’s solution to dealing with political opponents could happen here.

What exciting story are you working on next?

In Saigon’s Son, seventy-year old Hank Reagan had just lost his long-time wife, Becka. It had been Becka’s idea to buy into a posh retirement community, but now Hank was depressed, thinking thoughts of mortality. He’d play golf with his one friend, Norm Rothstein, and smoke Becka’s leftover medical marijuana and felt as if he was wasting what was left of his life. Then, one evening a beautiful Vietnamese woman appears at the front desk and asks for Hank. It takes him a few moments to realize it is Mai, his lover from the days he was stationed in Saigon as a CIA agent. As the war was lost and the Americans were forced to evacuate, he left Mai with a bag of money and promises he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep. He never saw her again until this night. Hank never knew Mai was pregnant and had made her way to America. Now, she has come to ask Hank to help her find their son who disappeared on the day of his graduation from high school.

Hank and his buddy, Norm, set off on a road trip to track down his son’s high school friends and solve the mystery of why he disappeared.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I worked as a staff journalist for a minority newspaper in Pasadena in 1969, while still in college. I also did some free-lance writing for magazines around that time. I wrote short stories and attempted some novels while still in college, but when I became a lawyer in 1972 I didn’t write anything other than legalese for many years. About twenty years ago I wrote and completed a novel, but it was awful. The writing was stilted from years of writing legal briefs and memoranda of law. When I retired, I began writing Unplayable Lie, my first published novel, a golf-related suspense novel. It was truly a work of passion and when it was published and garnered good reviews, I began to cautiously think of myself as a writer. Now, with Pinochet, I will have four published novels and two more coming out within this next year, so I think I can legitimately call 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 am fortunate enough not to need the income from my writing to live. So, I don’t have the strict regimen of writing which many writers advocate. That said, when I’m into a book and it’s going well, I can sit and write most of the day and happily avoid distractions. When I’m not into something, or need to take a break from writing, I love to golf, ski, and travel.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

As I do in real life, I swear a lot in my writing. It just feels more real to me.

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

 A lawyer – although I’d always loved writing and at one point I asked my creative writing teacher at San Francisco State College whether he thought I should try to become a writer or should go ahead with my plans to be a lawyer. He smiled and made a gesture with the palms of his hands up, like a scale. “Starving artist” or “a rich lawyer.” I think you can guess how he tilted the “scales.” Needless to say I sold out and went on to law school.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you. If you buy the book, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Thanks for being a guest, David!

Interview with writer Leona Stucky about her memoir

Writer Leona Stucky joins me today to chat about her memoir, The Fog of Faith: Surviving My Impotent God.

Bio:

The religious narratives of Leona’s faith could not reconcile the violence that intruded upon her Mennonite farm story. She yielded to answers more in sync with the harsh realities she faced. That was the beginning of a search that lasted throughout her studies and professional career.

Dr. Stucky first received a degree in psychology and philosophy from Boston College, graduating summa cum laude, before plunging into seminary, first at Andover Newton Theological School and then at Eden Theological Seminary. She earned a doctorate from Southern Methodist University with honors, and a Diplomate certificate from the American Association of Pastoral Counselors—their highest credential—for teaching, supervising, and conducting therapy services. She currently has standing as a Unitarian Universalist community minister.

These professional explorations might have quieted her mind, but the areas where integration seemed impossible became mental sand kernels that disrupted many intellectual resting places. Being fiercely honest in confronting contradictions, she honed her wisdom, gained unusual insights, and enjoyed a professional and personal journey that could only be shared by telling the whole story. After numerous failed attempts, Dr. Stucky finally completed her memoir, The Fog of Faith: Surviving My Impotent God.

The provocative title aptly indicates the unflinching moral dilemmas she reveals. The gripping story reads like a real-life thriller that readers can’t put down. Still, each step grounds itself in nuanced networks of passion, relational complexities, cultural and religious dilemmas, circumscribed choices bound by woman’s poverty, persistent violence, and an untamable resilient desire to redeem herself with or without God.

Dr. Stucky’s memoir has gained recognition as a well written, riveting story and also as an important work of art. MS Magazine named it on their best summer reads recommendation. Readers typically say they could not put it down. They report being deeply stirred by the content.

An expert and author on domestic violence intervention, Michael Paymar says, “The voice of this woman’s spirit and courage rings clearly as she faces the personal challenges of her faith—when the adversity in life tests the veracity of her beliefs against the reality of terror. This is an important, insightful book that I highly recommend.”

 “Your book has been the most impactful book I’ve ever read. It has kept me in it for days during and after I read it.” Barbara, a Mennonite from Kansas

While authoring this book represents the pinnacle of Dr. Stucky’s career, she still maintains a limited psychotherapy practice, often teaches and speaks, and writes an interactive blog. She can be reached at Leona@TheFogofFaith.com or her website www.TheFogofFaith.com.

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

This is a coming of age story but with unusual wisdom that offers depth and universality. It has been well received and highly praised by reviewers and recommended by Ms. Magazine. I feel most fortunate to have had a successful launch that put me in first place with one Amazon category. Here is a description of the current release.

After the trauma of a savage attack, a farm girl recovers physically, but her identity, faith, and relationships are shattered.

This is the true story of Leona Stucky’s childhood on a Kansas farm, surrounded by a loving family and the simple tenets of her Mennonite community. Violence enters her world in the guise of a young man who seems normal to everyone else but whom Leona knows to be deranged in his obsession of her.

His unrelenting abuses take root, and Leona must deal with them utterly alone. Her pacifist father cannot avenge or protect her, nor can a callous justice system. Even God is impotent.

Leona is cast into a bewildering life of disgrace and poverty—with a baby, a violent husband, and battered faith. Through a series of page-turning events, she hacks through the bones of her naïveté to confront harsh realities and to probe the veracity of religious claims.

The Fog of Faith is a suspenseful and morally unflinching drama of shame and survival, as well as useable and unusual wisdom.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve been inspired to write this book since I was about 30 years old – a little over 30 years ago. I tried numerous ways and failed each time. I then avoided trying for a number of years but finally couldn’t get the task to move from my number one bucket list position. So, 12 years ago I took another shot at it and finally I have actually written it. My friends heard about it for so long that they used to roll their eyes and laugh with me, but they knew I’d stick with it and I did.

Excerpt from The Fog of Faith: Surviving My Impotent God:

“I should have asked them what they thought about their dads. They went to World War II, didn’t they? They killed people, not cows, pigs, or chickens. None of these students approved of the Vietnam War. They had no desire to kill or be killed in Southeast Asia. Still, they didn’t put their wartime dads on the same level as brutish farmers. I didn’t ask why, because I didn’t think of it until several hours later. But given time to ponder, anyone who ruminates would know we all have blood on our hands.”

“I uttered variations frequently—in the red barn while sorting calves, on the swather while cutting hay, or lying in bed before sleep. I wanted to feel blessed and cared for again.

When I was not begging, I was furious with God. While my life depended on Him, I apprehended the ways that God was not dependable. What could be so great about faith if you had to ignore the evidence that God wasn’t doing His job? Why couldn’t God solve problems for people rather than put them in terrible binds? He knew already whether they were good.

            Is forgiveness that hard for God? Couldn’t He just understand that the people He created were screwed up? He should help us more or forgive us more—one or the other.”

“I wanted to believe these women, but I was worried that the theory could be ripped apart. In spite of my stunts to prove I was equal to my male cousins, I’d known from childhood that I was not as important. Ubiquitous men around the world appeared on TV, making key decisions for our or other nations, reporting the news, playing the leads in sitcoms. The Boston Metropolitan Art Museum was full of their beautiful works. I didn’t see more than one or two works by women. The faculties at college were mostly men. The books I read for my classes were written by men. All the businesses I knew were run by men. The history books I read were all about men. And, of course, our imaginary God was masculine, and at least 95 percent of the stories in the Bible were about men. All the ministers, elders, and deacons were men. The teachers of adult Sunday school were men. Even the choir leader was a man, if a man was available to do it.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m creating an interactive blog next to answer questions that people have about The Fog of Faith, and after that?... We’ll see.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Maybe about 5 years ago when I finally realized with complete certainty that I would not give up on writing my memoir. I was a lifetime into trying to tell that story and had been actively writing for seven years at that point. However, I still think of myself as a psychotherapist more than as a writer – it’s still new to me.

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’m a psychotherapist in my day job, though I slowed my private practice as I finished my memoir. I now spend more time learning my new role as a promoter and I’m teaching, speaking and leading workshops for therapists.

I don’t know how I found time to write, because I didn’t have it. Basically I had to keep my nose to the grindstone. Friends had to be patient because I often turned down their offers.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m an introvert and as such I have to dredge things up from deep inside before I can put them on the page. They come up loaded with emotion so I often cry or laugh when I write, or feel an interminable morass when groups of stories congeal together.

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

Age 4, I wanted to be a missionary. By 10 or so I wanted to be a circus trapeze artist. By 17 I wanted to be anything other than what I was.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

This memoir is a page-turner – almost like a thriller you can’t put down – except it is true. It is deeply honest and revealing and it took all the courage I could muster to write it. While it is tempting to race right through it, you’ll find more contentment if you slow down and let the layers of meaning soak into you.

Links:

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn

Thank you for being here today, Leona.