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 romantic suspense author Kristi Loucks

Today's guest makes pastries during the day and writes romantic suspense at night. Kristi Loucks is here to tell us a bit about her debut novel, A Life Interrupted. You can learn more by visiting her other tour stops, too.

Bio:

Kristi Loucks is a Pastry Chef and Cake Designer with a degree from Le Cordon Bleu Chicago. Her writing and storytelling has always been a way to manage the day to day stresses of working in the world of restaurants and food service. Kristi started writing in High School and has continued to share her work with friends over the years. While she never planned to pursue writing professionally, a supportive friend armed with a copy of her debut novel, A Life Interrupted happened to share it with the right person. Since her debut was released in September of 2012, she has also released a novella, Delivery of Fate and is currently working on a new full length novel called The Rose Red Reaper, the first in a new series based in her home town of Chicago, IL.

Ms. Loucks currently resides in a suburb of Chicago and runs a bakery in a North Shore Suburb.

Welcome, Kristi. What inspired you to write this book?

Writing is something I've always done, but in the last few years a group of friends started what we've referred to as a writing challenge. One person gives a set of prompts and a number of chapters. A Life Interrupted started as one of these challenges. It was supposed to be ten chapters, but when I hit ten chapters it wasn't even close to finished and I was on a roll. So I kept going with it. When I was about twenty chapters in, one of my friends suggested trying to publish it and I laughed it off. So, she decided to pass it off to a friend who works as an editor. I was at work when I got a call from an assistant to that editor asking if I would send the rest of the chapters. I sent the chapters and spoke to him a few days later and the rest started to fall into place rather quickly.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am working on what I believe will be a series of 2-3 books. The first is called The Rose Red Reaper and it's set in my hometown of Chicago. This book follows a Serial Crimes Unit that is focused on a cold case from a year earlier that is very personal to one of the team members. The killer taunts them with a signature kill style and a calling card that leaves little doubt that he's claimed each one. In addition, there appears to be no obvious connection from one victim to the next making him very unpredictable. Once the victims become connected, the team will have to move quickly to keep history from repeating. I’m hoping to have the first book ready for release by December of this year.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don't know that I ever really stopped to think about it. It's something I've always done to wind down after a busy day or week; I have always found writing to be a good way to disconnect from stress. I guess, I would say around February of this year though. That is when I started to work on publishing A Life Interrupted which coincidentally went live on my birthday July 12.

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, but I do write every day. I work full time as a Cake Designer and Pastry Chef which is another creative field. I run a small bakery that handles both retail and commercial baking. Our main focuses are fresh breads and custom cakes that range from traditional to one of a kind. After a long day, you would think I would just go right to sleep, but I am a bit of an insomniac. So, most nights, I come home and write for a few hours to wind down. I do my best work in the middle of the night when the phones don't ring and there are no outside distractions.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I start a new story, I tend to write the last chapter in my head and then figure out how to get there. I'm not sure why or how that started, but it seems to work. It's kind of like buying a plane ticket I guess, obviously you know where you are going, and it helps you figure out how to pack and what you might do on that trip. I'm guessing that it's not the norm, but I've spent my entire life shying away from what most people would deem normal. I think that can be attributed to being the last of six kids, I had to find a way to create my own voice in order to be heard over my four brothers and my sister I suppose. And having a twin brother probably created that need to be different, too. As a twin everyone thinks of you as part of a matched set, so we did everything we could to prove that theory wrong. Yet, today I am really close to my brother.

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

Gosh, it seemed like every week I wanted to be something different. I would say a veterinarian. I used to compete on the show jumping circuit and spent most of my time outside of school around horses, so that seemed like the best fit. That stuck with me through high school, but I had a hard time giving up the horses to go to school. Eventually, an illness and injuries made the decision for me. What I didn't realize early on was that I loved to cook. It had become something of an overlooked habit until a couple of friends went to culinary school, but eventually I made the decision to go to pastry school. Oddly, I hated cake decorating (I was TERRIBLE at it in school) and swore it was something I would never do outside of school. Two years later, my cakes were ending up in local magazines and I was no longer able to deny that I loved it.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Of course! First and foremost, thank you for taking your time to read one of my books and I hope that you enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed writing them. And thank you all for following the blogs and seeking out new and interesting authors, too. There is no better time to be a writer, because we have so many amazing avenues to gain exposure with all of the blogs that review and recommend new works. Being an avid reader myself, I've found lots of authors that were new to me through blog posts, magazines, and friends. There really is no better advertisement than word of mouth and these days there is a much broader reach with all of the digital media and social media outlets.

Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time to put together this interview and sharing it with your readers. I really appreciate it. It was actually fun to sit down and think about the choices I made that brought me to where I am now.

It's been my pleasure, Kristi. I think you're the first pastry chef I've had - and your writing isn't bakery-related! Happy touring! Readers, you can learn even more about Kristi by visiting her other tour stops.

Interview with middle-grade authors Kristin Johnson and Samuel DiMatteo

Today's fun interview is with middle-grade authors Kristin Johnson and Samuel DiMatteo to talk about their new book The High-Tech Gooseneck Putter.

Bios:
Samuel DiMatteo spent 22 years as a mechanic for Proctor & Gamble. Since retiring, he has been a watercolor instructor, prize-winning photographer, poet, model maker, and Yoga Laughter Leader. He lives in River Grove, Ill.

Kristin Johnson is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Master’s in Professional Writing program. She is an author, journalist, screenwriter, and award-winning poet/short story writer whose stage productions have been honored by the Palm Springs Desert Theatre League. She lives in Hawaii.

Welcome to Reviews and Interviews! Please tell us about your current release.
Kristin: Samuel, or “Sami,” as I know him, is an extremely dynamic man who had an unusual idea for a children’s book, and contacted the writing agency I work with seeking help on the book, to add character development and dialogue. The story just grabbed me right away. It centers around a silly, wacky family of geese living in River Village, Illinois.

Samuel: My hometown is River Grove, Illinois, and while there aren’t any wacky geese there except for me, there are many interesting people who in one way or another appear as characters in the book. The DeMani family, which I created for this book, is as real to me as my own family.

Kristin: It’s like the talking-goose talking-turtle talking-squirrel version of “Everybody Loves Raymond” --Ray Barone is a sportswriter, and our hero Sami DeMani is a gander with the dream of being a world champion professional golfer on the Waterfowl Tour. We even have a sportscaster squirrel, Harry Bradford--inspired by commentators Howard Cosell and Terry Bradshaw.

Samuel: There is a love story, there is adventure, and there is a mystery, plus the high-tech putter of the title. Sami DeMani is a smaller-than-average gander teased by the bullies in his flock on account of his size, but his enemies are secretly jealous that the crowd loves his golfing performance. His sisters and parents are singers and dancers, so he is the only one in his family that wants to be a golfer…until his nephew is born. The rest of the family is supportive but wacky—the bullies in the flock also torment them because of their oddness. Sami wants to become a golf champion more than anything else in order to help his family, and to prove himself worthy of his true love, Polly Zee, a singer who gives Sami “goose bumps”.

What inspired you to write this book?
Samuel: As I wrote in my Senior Lifestyle Expo Generation Writing Challenge essay, in the spring of 2002, a television sportscaster reported that a goose was collecting golf balls on a golf course.

I asked myself questions about this goose’s strange behavior. Why was she collecting golf balls?

My guess was she got hit in the head with a golf ball. I wondered what the members of her flock thought about her behavior. I noted that the flock wiggled, waggled, giggled, gaggled, and laughed. Does she have a family? How many in her family? What if one of these golf balls hatched?

These questions intrigued me, so I decided to write a story for a book about golf and a family of strange and silly geese. I planned to write a fable for junior golfers eight to ten. I titled the book The High-Tech Gooseneck Putter. The television report was the start of a dream, a dream that took eight years of writing to complete.

My motivations for writing the book were to entertain kids, to leave a legacy, and to face a challenge.

Kristin: I loved the idea of the story the minute the agency I work with, The Happy Guy Marketing, sent me Sami’s information. I just fell in love with golfing geese, because I grew up around Canada geese and around golfers.

Samuel: We have a great writing partnership. In football parlance, when I throw her the ball (an idea), she makes positive yardages.

Kristin: Maybe we should do a football story too!

What exciting story are you working on next?
Kristin: I typically have several projects going at once, but Sami and I are plotting the sequel to The High-Tech Gooseneck Putter. The working title is Polly and the Pirates, and it answers the question, “Where was Sami’s love when she was presumed dead?”

Samuel: There are two stories in Polly and the Pirates. One is Polly's adventures, and the other is Sami and the DeMani family.

Kristin: Sami and the DeMani family have their own adventures brewing…

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Samuel: I am a poet and I write silly songs like “Santa’s Going High-Tech”. I decided writing a story for a book would be an extreme challenge for me. I failed English 101 in college. During the next eight years events delayed or moved the writing forward. There were periods of writers block, and the lack of finances that delayed progress. Joining Mather Lifeways helped speed up the writing.

The staff and members graciously provided computer help. I met my illustrator and friend James Borgett at Mather. I needed help with the writing so I hired a co-writer, Kristin Johnson, a real blessing.

Kristin: And Sami is a blessing as well!

Samuel: The published book is my dream that has come true!

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?
Samuel: I’m retired from Procter & Gamble, and now I’m a full-time artist, poet, and photographer, but I show my artwork at places such as Mather Lifeways and in Chicago. I volunteer as a Laughter Yoga Leader. I write poetry and silly songs for children and, of course, stories about Sami.

Kristin: I would like to be a Laughter Yoga leader one day, but I’m thrilled beyond belief to be writing full time from Hawaii, my home, or wherever my travels take me.

Many of my clients like Sami live in different US time zones, with the bulk of them concentrated in the Eastern Standard Time zone. I also have several clients in Europe and the Middle East. Unfortunately, none in Asia where one of our key characters, Yori Turtle, is from. I modeled his personality on some of my friends who live in Asia.

In any case, many of my clients are several hours ahead so I am typically up and writing, or communicating with clients, by 7 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time. My workday varies (with walks on the beach, etc.—great for thinking about stories) but I usually fit in six to eight hours of writing, research, Skype/phone calls, and messaging back and forth. Situations are always changing, opportunities opening up—my research on a different project took me to Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Central Java in Indonesia. I wrote a travel blog about my experiences, which helped increase my writing output.

My time zone will change yet again when I go where the wild goose goes...

Samuel (singing): “I Must Go Where the Wild Goose Goes…” I pictured the book as a movie and thought of opening it with that very song by Frankie Laine.

Kristin: ...in Canada! Where I’ll be spending several months….when you are snowed in, that’s great incentive to write…although looking at the beach is also inspiring.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Sami: Again, my silly songs!

Kristin: Writing ideas on paper on the beach or in a Japanese garden. Creating iTunes playlists when I’m working on a project, or watching reality TV (like “Mob Wives”) to get ideas for character conflict. Naturally, I did not draw on reality TV to write The High-Tech Gooseneck Putter.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Kristin: A ballerina or a marine biologist in addition to being a writer. I’ve written since childhood.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Kristin: I received a lovely Christmas present in December 2010. Some of Sami’s family was taking a cruise to Hawaii, and the ship docked in my hometown, so Sami was eager for me to meet them.

Samuel: They are very creative people and they wanted to meet Kristin.

Kristin: I still have the Christmas crafts they brought me! That’s what I love about writing and collaborating—experiencing people I never would have met otherwise. Lisa, thanks for having us as guests on your blog today.

Sami (singing): Goose bumps, goose bumps, Lisa’s blog gives me goose bumps….

Thank you two for making an appearance on my blog. This has been a fun interview, and my first with songs, I think! Happy Writing!