Interview with author Pankaj Giri

Author Pankaj Giri is here today and we’re talking about his new mainstream inspirational novel, The Fragile Thread of Hope.

Bio:

Pankaj Giri was born and brought up in Gangtok, Sikkim—a picturesque hill station in India. He began his writing career with a book review blog, and now, after several years of honing his writing skills, he has written a novel—The Fragile Thread of Hope, a mainstream literary fiction dealing with love, loss, and family relationships. He is currently working in the government sector in Sikkim. He likes to kill time by listening to progressive metal music and watching cricket.

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

The Fragile Thread of Hope is a gripping emotional inspirational fiction about love, loss, and finding hope in the darkest of times.

BLURB:

In the autumn of 2012, destiny wreaks havoc on two unsuspecting people—Soham and Fiona.

Although his devastating past involving his brother still haunted him, Soham had established a promising career for himself in Bangalore.

After a difficult childhood, Fiona's fortunes had finally taken a turn for the better. She had married her beloved, and her life was as perfect as she had ever imagined it to be.

But when tragedy strikes them yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart.

Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief?

Will the overwhelming pain destroy their lives?

Seasoned with the flavours of exotic Nepalese traditions and set in the picturesque Indian hill station, Gangtok, The Fragile Thread of Hope explores the themes of spirituality, faith, alcoholism, love, and guilt while navigating the complex maze of family relationships.

Inspirational and heart-wrenchingly intimate, it urges you to wonder—does hope stand a chance in this travesty called life?

What inspired you to write this book?

After my father’s sudden death, an avalanche of feelings passed through me. I realized how shocking death could be and how life can snatch people from you when you believe that they will always be with you. I realized that you shouldn’t take anyone for granted. Then, as I read other books like The Kite Runner and The Lowland, a plot began forming in my mind. I felt like weaving a story based on love, loss, and family relationships. Gradually, the characters developed in my mind, and scenes began taking shape and haunting me. After a few weeks, the characters began putting pressure on me, as if prodding me to bring them to life on the canvas of my novel. Then, as I finally obliged, The Fragile Thread of Hope was born.

Excerpt from The Fragile Thread of Hope:

In the autumn of 2012, destiny wreaks havoc on two unsuspecting people—Soham and Fiona.

Although his devastating past involving his brother still haunted him, Soham had established a promising career for himself in Bangalore.

After a difficult childhood, Fiona's fortunes had finally taken a turn for the better. She had married her beloved, and her life was as perfect as she had ever imagined it to be.

But when tragedy strikes them yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart.

Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief?

Will the overwhelming pain destroy their lives?

Seasoned with the flavours of exotic Nepalese traditions and set in the picturesque Indian hill station, Gangtok, The Fragile Thread of Hope explores the themes of spirituality, faith, alcoholism, love, and guilt while navigating the complex maze of familial relationships.

Inspirational and heart-wrenchingly intimate, it urges you to wonder—does hope stand a chance in this travesty called life?

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have not thought about it yet as I am busy promoting The Fragile Thread of Hope. Once I settle down, I will reflect on my next book.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Frankly speaking, I never even dreamt of becoming a writer. In fact, I didn’t even use to read (except for Harry Potter, which I read in my late teens). But after my father passed away four years back, some of my friends suggested me to start reading to divert my mind from the pain. I followed their suggestion, and slowly I fell in love with reading. I also began writing, starting with book reviews. Over the years, having read many books and developed my writing skills by writing several blog posts, I thought of trying my hand at writing a novel. A plot slowly developed in my mind, and soon I started writing. The rest is history.

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?

No, I work in a government job at my native place, Gangtok. It is a 10-4 job, but I write whenever I get time, at home or at the office, especially if I am in the process of writing a book. Else, I take a break and enjoy my life. I listen to progressive metal music, watch sitcoms, movies, and select tennis and cricket matches.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Contrary to traditional belief that internet distracts a writer, I need the internet to find perfect synonyms, check if a sentence is grammatically correct, and research facts necessary for my book.

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

I wanted to grow up and design attractive scorecards for cricket matches.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like to thank my existing readers for their love and support and request prospective readers to try out my next book. I’m sure it will give you some entertainment and inspire you if you are feeling low.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Global Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon IN

Thank you for being here today.

Interview with novelist Carol DeMent

Novelist Carol DeMent joins me today to chat about her new historical mainstream work, Saving Nary.

During her virtual book tour, Carol will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit herother tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Carol DeMent worked in the field of South East Asian refugee resettlement for seven years, and completed master's level research into international refugee resettlement policy. She lived for two years in Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer and has traveled extensively in South East Asia. Her first novel, Saving Nary, was a Finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Welcome, Carol. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Saving Nary is the story of a Cambodian refugee searching for his missing daughters. It explores the complexities of wartime loyalties and impossible choices, the bewildering cultural and linguistic challenges of resettling in a new country, and the hesitant journey toward healing from war-induced trauma. Dotted throughout with wry humor, Saving Nary is a compassionate look at what it means to lose- and rediscover-a life, a home, a sense of self.

What inspired you to write this book?
My experiences volunteering to tutor SE Asian refugees in the late 70’s, and later, working in the field of refugee resettlement both provided a strong impetus to write Saving Nary. The more I learned about the Khmer Rouge and the devastating impact their reign had on Cambodia and its people, the more I felt this was a story that merited a wider telling, and I hoped that a novel could provide that vehicle. The following excerpt offers a hint of the Khmer Rouge menace:

Excerpt from Saving Nary:
“Silence that boy,” the soldier had said to his wife on that awful day.

Khieu gathered their son Bunchan into her arms, but how is one to soothe a toddler who cries from hunger when there is no food? Khath, Khieu and their three children had been walking for three days in the heat and humidity, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other refugees inching their way out of Phnom Penh by order of the Khmer Rouge. Already hunger, thirst and exhaustion had thinned their ranks: the elderly and the ill simply dropped along the sides of the road, patiently awaiting the mercy of death.

Given only minutes to prepare for their exodus, the food Khath and his family carried was gone in a day. After that, they bought, scavenged and bartered for whatever nourishment they could find along the way. Now, they stood next in line before a table of grim-faced cadres in the simple uniform of the Khmer Rouge: black cotton shirts and pants with kramas, red-checkered scarves, wound around their heads or necks. The cadres were checking identity papers and quizzing the refugees about their prior occupations.

Bunchan’s incessant crying enraged the soldier. “Silence him or I will,” he warned Khieu.

Khath saw the man’s tight lips and clenched jaw and stepped between his wife and the soldier, doing his best both to shield his family and appease the angry cadre.

“Please,” Khath said. “If you could spare just a few grains of rice. Or perhaps there is some place nearby I could buy or trade for food. I will go immediately. The child is hungry, that’s all.”

Khieu’s frantic attempts to calm Bunchan had the opposite effect. Red faced, the toddler screamed his hunger to the skies above.

The soldier flicked his eyes to one side, turning slightly. Following his gaze, Khath saw a man standing a little apart from the check-point, watching the scene impassively. As Khath waited, his heart thudding inside his chest like the heavy, dread beat of a death knell, he saw the man glance at the position of the sun and cast a look at the road behind Khath, densely packed with men, women and children yet to be processed through the checkpoint.

The man rubbed his left jawline as though he had a toothache, but perhaps it was his ear, missing its earlobe, which was causing the pain. At any rate, he frowned and seemed to come to some sort of decision, for he looked at the soldier and gave a barely perceptible nod.

At that, the soldier moved quickly, brushing past Khath and yanking Bunchan from Khieu’s arms. “You had your chance,” he said to Khieu, and began striding toward a large tree not far off the side of the road, the bawling toddler slung under his arm.

“My baby! Give me my baby!” Khieu screamed and rushed after the soldier, grabbing at Bunchan, whose angry howls had turned to terrified shrieks.

Khath’s daughters, crying, tried to run after their mother but Khath held them back. A terrible dread filled his heart as he watched the scene rapidly unfolding before him for he knew that the Khmer Rouge were ruthless when crossed.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I have two projects on-going at the moment. One is a novel about the cultural impact on a pioneer family of the influx of Chinese mine and railroad workers in the West. Set in Montana in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the story is narrated through the uncensored eyes of a young girl exposed to a new culture at a time of great turmoil in her own family.

The second is a memoir from my years of serving in the Peace Corps in Thailand in the 1980s.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Though I have been “writing” since childhood, it wasn’t until a college research project on the Prohibition Movement ended up being nearly 100 pages that it occurred to me that I might be able to write a full length novel. The techniques I learned then for tracking down information and organizing it have been invaluable to me as I research my books. Joining a serious critique group, the Puget Sound Writers Guild, marked a new level of commitment for me in moving from thinking of myself as a writer to being 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 currently do not write full time, though in the past I supported myself for ten years as a grant writer. For the last twenty years, I have been a licensed practitioner of East Asian medicine, essentially acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Due to my schedule, I end up usually working on my books in the evening, but I really love to write on rainy days!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Unlike many writers, I do not write every day. Instead, I think and think and think about the story for days until the pressure to write becomes almost unbearable and I head to my computer for a cathartic, stream of consciousness splat upon the page. I literally will “write” entire dialogues and scenes in my head until it all overflows onto the paper.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
After reading “Sue Barton, Student Nurse” I couldn’t wait to grow up and be a nurse, mostly because of the memorable scene of Sue wandering lost in the steam tunnels of the hospital where she was training, and being rescued by a handsome young doctor. Then I wanted to be a dancer while in high school until it became evident that my back was as stiff as a board.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love hearing from readers about what they thought of Saving Nary, and if they gained any new insights from the book. I especially love going to book groups that have read the novel and answering their questions and participating in their discussions.

Links:

Website | Amazon book | Amazon author | Goodreads

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with author John Herrick

Author John Herrick is in the hot seat today. I’m chatting with him about his new romantic comedy novel, Beautiful Mess.

During his virtual book tour, John will be awarding a Kindle version of Beautiful Mess, plus free Kindle versions of his entire backlist to one lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

A self-described “broken Christian,” John Herrick battled depression since childhood. In that context, however, he developed intuition for themes of spiritual journey and the human heart.

Herrick graduated from the University of Missouri—Columbia. Rejected for every writing position he sought, he turned to information technology and fund development, where he cultivated analytical and project management skills that helped shape his novel-writing process. He seized unpaid opportunities writing radio commercial copy and ghostwriting for two nationally syndicated radio preachers.

The Akron Beacon Journal hailed Herrick's From the Dead as “a solid debut novel.” Published in 2010, it became an Amazon bestseller. The Landing, a semifinalist in the inaugural Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, followed. Publishers Weekly predicted “Herrick will make waves” with his novel Between These Walls.

Herrick's nonfiction book 8 Reasons Your Life Matters introduced him to new readers worldwide. The free e-book surpassed 150,000 downloads and hit #1 on Amazon's Motivational Self-Help and Christian Inspiration bestseller lists. Reader response prompted a trade paperback.

His latest novel, Beautiful Mess, folds the legend of Marilyn Monroe into an ensemble romantic-comedy.

Herrick admits his journey felt disconnected. “It was a challenge but also a growth process,” he acknowledges. “But in retrospect, I can see God's fingerprints all over it.”

Please share a little bit about your current release.
Del Corwyn hasn’t had a hit film since his Academy Award nomination 40 years ago. He’s desperate to return to the spotlight but teeters on bankruptcy. Del is a forgotten legend—until, while combing through personal memorabilia, he discovers an original screenplay written by his once-close friend, Marilyn Monroe, who named Del as its legal guardian. The news goes viral. Suddenly, Del skyrockets to the A-list and has a chance to revive his career—if he’s willing to sacrifice his friend’s memory and reputation along the way.

Beautiful Mess is a humorous coming-of-age story about a 78-year-old man who lives in his own fictional world. The novel incorporates lesser-known facts about Marilyn Monroe and imagines the further impact she might have made on pop culture if her life hadn’t reached an abrupt end.

What inspired you to write this book?
I’m a fan of Marilyn Monroe’s films. I can never get enough of The Seven-Year Itch! But long before I ever watched her films, I wondered what tragedy must have existed underneath her public persona. Seven years ago, I read a biography of her and learned something I never knew: a close acquaintance betrayed her trust, which forced the actress into a mental institution against her will. That ordeal frightened her because she was trapped, all alone, and couldn’t do anything to stop it.

I thought to myself, “Even though they released her, the experience must have left scars. Nobody could escape that predicament unchanged.” I sensed a story there, so I tucked the idea away. I couldn’t shake it. I sought a way to delve into that experience while respecting her memory and presenting her as a human being who had vulnerabilities like you and I. To an extent, Del Corwyn, my protagonist, embodies how Marilyn Monroe might have felt if she had lived to age 78 and faced a spotlight that might have gone dark.

Excerpt from Beautiful Mess:
            “Have you read this, Del?”

            “I have.”

            “Pretty deep shit in here. Dark shit, the kind that scares the hell out of you.” Arnie skipped to the screenplay’s midpoint and read some more. “And talk about explicit. The profanity, the sexual content, everything.”

            “She made herself vulnerable, no doubt.”

            “Damn, Del. This woman must’ve been more fucked up than we thought.”

            Del winced. “Arnie, cut it out.”

            “Sorry, I forgot you two were pals.” The agent shook his head in an absentminded manner, his mouth hanging open as he read further. “No wonder she didn’t show this to anybody else. Can you imagine how people would have reacted to this in 1962? The film would’ve been X-rated—if ratings had existed back then—and gotten banned from theaters. People would’ve protested outside. This script would’ve ruined Marilyn Monroe’s career.”

            “But today—”

            “—it’ll resurrect it.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
Arghhh! I’m swimming through that abyss where I research topics and take stabs at how the stories might play out. So far, I’ve toyed with ideas for romantic comedies, suspense and historical fiction, plus a couple of possible series characters. It drives me crazy, because it takes forever to land on my next topic. Plus, recurring depression tends to fog my mind, so that adds a layer to the battle. Once I land on the right concept, though, I know it in my gut and stick there for the next year or so, which makes it worth the wait. And one of these days, I’ll be thankful for these false starts, because now I have several book ideas partially fleshed out.

Meanwhile, I have another romantic-comedy waiting in the wings for its release date. That should be late 2018 or so. The tone is similar to Beautiful Mess, but the characters are in their 20s.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
At eight years old, I had some free time after finishing a class assignment. The kid next to me was busy drawing pictures and writing things underneath them. I asked her what she was working on, and she told me she was writing a story. It looked like fun, so I gave it a try—and fell in love with it. I’ve been a writer ever since.

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 a full-time career in addition to the books. I used to write at night, but once you’ve worked all day and taken a break to exercise and eat dinner, your body realizes it’s tired. It goes into rest mode and gets lazy, which removed some of my joy from the process. Plus, it’s easier to fudge on your bedtime, so I was getting less and less sleep, which, over time, wears you down. So I reversed the schedule. Nowadays, I arrive at Starbucks around 5:30am, do book work while watching the sunrise, and work until I need to leave for the full-time job. By transitioning immediately from books to the office, I stay in work mode, which removes my body’s chance to grow lazy. That restored my joy. It also means I get to enjoy every minute—literally every minute—of sunlight God gives me each day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I wouldn’t call it interesting, but I need to establish a routine, then repeat that routine every day until I finish the project. Otherwise, creative impulses take over and pull my brain all over the place. I’m a very methodical writer—i.e., a boring writer!—which is a byproduct of working in the IT arena for several years.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For a couple of years as a young kid, I wanted to be a pastor or teacher. But when I was ten years old, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I’ve never questioned it since then. Even my full-time job is a blend of writing, analytics and marketing. It keeps my skills sharp for the book work.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love hearing from readers and try to reply to everything I receive. So feel free to contact me on my website, or on social media. And if you’re in the mood for a blend of romance, drama and laughter, I believe you’ll enjoy Beautiful Mess!

My short story "Hit and Run" will be available as a free Kindle download today, Aug 1, as well as on Aug 2, Aug 6, and Aug 7th.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!
Thanks for letting me stop by. Thanks to your readers, too!

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Interview with thriller author Michael Frase

My special author guest today is Michael Frase (aka: H. Michael Frase). He’s chatting with me about his new mainstream thriller, Fatal Gift.

Bio:

Michael Frase has served as a technical advisor to numerous government and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, CIA, NSA, DOJ, Secret Service, US Marshal Service, and the California Department of Justice. A former sergeant in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, this bestselling author’s work has been translated into numerous foreign languages.

Michael has been a featured guest on NBC’s The Today Show as well as a regular guest on the nationally syndicated PBS show, A Word on Words with John Seigenthaler. He was also on the advisory board of the NCIC/2000 (National Crime Information Center).

In addition to Fatal Gift, Michael has three new thrillers completed. All slated for release in the coming months. He is currently working on his fifth novel, based on a true story.

He lives in Tennessee with his wife, Anita.

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

Imagine that you are the witness to a sadistic killing, that only the victim is aware of your hidden presence at the scene, and that you are too paralyzed with fear to answer her silent plea for help.

That is Kasey Riteman’s dilemma.

Kasey has just quit her job to escape the sexual advances of her hateful boss. Hoping to vent her anger, she drives aimlessly into the nighttime countryside, fed up with the downward spiral her life has taken since her parents’ deaths.

Her old car quits running, stranding her on an abandoned rural road. Hearing distant voices, she inadvertently stumbles upon a completely unexpected scene and becomes the undetected witness to the savage assassination of a local celebrity. She immediately realizes that if she tells the authorities what she knows, her life as the lone eyewitness will be measured in mere hours. Yet, having done nothing before, she knows she must now, somehow, seek justice for the murdered woman.

Suddenly, a solution presents itself, an ingenious scheme so perfect it promises to make the killer pay while offering complete protection for Kasey. At first everything goes well, but an explosion of media attention turns Kasey into a most unlikely celebrity while simultaneously implicating the state’s most powerful politician in a career-ending scandal.

More dangerously, Kasey is unaware that the men to whom she has gone for help are the very men responsible for the woman’s assassination.

What inspired you to write this book?

The story is actually a compilation of two cases I studied while working as a consultant for the California Department of Justice while helping to develop their “Serious Habitual Offender Profile” system. I found the real life inspiration for my protagonist, Kasey Riteman, within those cases and thought her an intriguing and spunky character worthy of her own story. I have the sequel to “Fatal Gift,” titled “An Evil Wind,” complete and scheduled for publication later this year.

For those many fans who have fallen in love with Kasey, I believe this will be a most satisfying “next chapter” in her story.

Excerpt from Fatal Gift:

From the scene when Kasey witnesses the assassination:

__________________________

He’s coming, Kasey… RUN! RUN, DAMN YOU!

Instead, she buried her face in the grass and waited for the end to come, her body refusing to move.

Without willing it, Kasey was filled with a sensation she had gone her entire life without having felt; a feeling only those in similar circum­stances ever knew. She wanted to live!

She knew she had faced the possibility of death before—the flash of unexpected headlights around a corner when she had made a risky pass on a two-lane highway, or in that instant when the decision was made to go for the light instead of stopping—but these were milliseconds of possible tragedy, diluted in their intensity by the focused necessity to accelerate or steer or hit the brakes. All had passed in a flash with little reality attached and rarely more than an acrid aftertaste.

There was nothing hypotheti­cal about this moment, or this hellish butcher. The end of her life, her hopes, her very existence was at hand and still his steps grew closer.

The desire to live was far more than simply not dying, far more than seeing another sunrise or laughing with friends. It was a fundamental need to continue existing, to have the time she had been promised—every single, insignificant, wasted-in-front-of-the-boob-tube, too-much-damn-tequila minute of it.

She was sure the thumping of her heart was as loud to him as his boots crashing against the earth were to her.

Five feet now.

Oh, sweet Jesus, holy Jesus, her mind screamed. Please let me live!

What exciting story are you working on next?

Besides the sequel to Fatal Gift, mentioned above, I have completed two additional thrillers: Dream Stalker, about a woman who dies and is revived, only to have her life turned inside out by the experience; and Eighteen Hours to Live, about a man who meets a mysterious woman on a flight to California, the woman he has dreamed of his entire life, only to have her die essentially at his feet eighteen hours later.

My fifth novel, Thief of Dreams, is based on a true story. It is about a young FBI agent in search of his mother, an enigmatic woman who disappeared the day he was born, never to be seen or heard from again. As his quest unfolds, he finds more questions than answers, and the answers he does unearth are not the ones he was hoping to find.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was in the sixth grade, my English teacher told me I had a “gift” that needed to be pursued. He may have told every student the same thing, much as a mother tells every one of her children that he or she is her favorite, but his words stuck with me and directed my course of study through high school and college. I have never regretted that decision and am grateful every day for his kind and supportive words.

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 do write full-time, typically around eight hours a day. Even if I don’t keep everything I write every day, I ply my trade as tenaciously as any other artisan or craftsman in any field of endeavor. The best way to overcome writer’s block is to write. I have never heard of a furniture maker having “carpentry block.” They just go to work every day and cut wood. Some days they make an exquisite chair, some days only firewood, but they cut wood every day. I find the same discipline works well for writing.

It’s not always Faulkner, but it does keep the “writing muscle” from growing weak.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I have had three of my stories “delivered” to me on three successive Aprils, always on the first, second, and third of that month. I awoke on each following morning with not only the story line complete, but also the character nuances and much of the dialog and atmospheric details.

Don’t ask me why or how this happened, but it did. I choose not to look a gift horse in the mouth and just accept that it was a most fortunate trio of dream sequences.

As for writing itself, I always dictate my work using a top-notch voice dictation program. I find that when I free myself from the tedium of the keyboard, I can just “tell the story” as it comes to mind, often with my eyes closed as I “walk” through scene after scene. It’s incredibly liberating and there are never any typos (which is a good thing since I’m mildly dyslexic and have been known to type illegibly).

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

Either a photographer or a writer (I met Ansel Adams in Acadia National Park when I was a young boy and he rocked my world). Fortunately, one or both careers has managed to feed me for my entire work life while never having to “punch a clock.”

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Just that I write for people who like to read, not for my self-edification or ego. I enjoy telling big stories with visceral characters and will continue to write as long as the good Lord gives me the ability to do so.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Thanks for being here today, Michael!

Interview with suspense novelist George A Bernstein

Today’s guest is suspense novelist George A Bernstein. He’s chatting a bit about his novel, Trapped, and letting us in a bit on some other fun stuff.

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

I’m what I consider a youthful seventy-six-year-old, with a B.A. from Northwestern University, now living in south Florida, and the retired president of a publicly-held Chicago company. My main interest is as a serious novelist. I’ve attended numerous writers’ conferences and seminars, including that of famous fiction agent, Donald Maass, and I also worked with independent editor, Dave King, all with the goal of improving his craft.

I’m also considered a “World-Class” fly-fisherman, and have held a dozen various IGFA World records. In my life before writing, I operated Outdoor Safaris, a worldwide fishing & hunting tour operator, working with airlines and travel agencies promoting premier sporting trips. I’ve also published the definitive book on fly-fishing for pike & musky, Toothy Critters Love Flies. All my efforts now, however, are with my suspense novels, of which I’ve written four.

Please tell us about your current release.

My first novel, Trapped, is published by TAG Publishers, after being a finalist in their Next Great American Novel contest. Dee Burks and her staff really love the story, and her revision suggestions help me make Trapped the best it can be. Trapped was also a finalist at the 2012 Florida Writers Association RPLA fiction contest in 2012. Trapped has received nearly 30 reviews on Amazon, virtually all 5-Star, with the most common comment, “I couldn’t put it down.”

Here’s an abbreviated “pitch” from the back cover copy:

A tragic surgical accident, resulting from an auto crash, leaves beautiful, vibrant Jackee Maren in “Locked-in Syndrome,” completely paralyzed, able to move only her eyes. Jackee’s physical therapist, Kevin, seems more invested in her well-being than her husband, Phil, and teaches her to communicate by blinking her eyes.

            Soon she discovers she can sense others thoughts, but hides this talent from everyone but her young sons, not knowing whom she can trust. Then she discovers both her car and surgical accidents were not accidents, and vows to expose the person who wants her dead before they get a second chance.

Exercising her new psychic ability, Jackee finally learns who masterminded the accidents but feels helpless to stop them from trying to kill her again.

She doggedly embarks on a psychic plan to not only ensure her boys have a safe future, but to exact retribution on her would-be murderer. Jackee vows not to rest until this villain understands what it is to be TRAPPED! But she must hurry. Her psychic manipulations of the players in her “skit” of revenge are sapping her meager reserves, leaving her with only months to live.

What inspired you to write this book?

In 1990, when I was able to “semi-retire” at a pretty young age, my wife said, “You need something to keep busy, and you don’t want to play golf every day. You always loved to write. Why don’t you write a novel?”

So my wife and I began brainstorming for a subject, and Dolores thought of a neighbor, when we lived in north suburban Chicago, who became comatose after an anesthetic accident during plastic surgery. I took her condition, but imagined that, while trapped in a dead shell of a body, her mind was still active, and I gave her the ability to use her eyes. And Trapped became the obvious title. I only learned many years later that “Locked-in Syndrome” is a real condition.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on the final edits of my second novel, A 3^rd Time to Die, which could probably be called a Romantic Suspense. It will be published sometime in 2013. The novel deals with past lives.

Here’s a short pitch:

Two souls struggle to fulfill their destiny together. Twice, just as they discover the magic of their love, first, during a fox hunt in 17th Century southern England, and then again in 19th Century Philadelphia, their lives are snuffed out by brutal murder. Reborn for the third time, in the 21st Century, their love of jumping horses brings them together again…and their ancient killer may be still stalking them!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

There’s a difference between when I STARTED writing, and when I considered myself a REAL writer. I loved writing and imagining stories, even as early as my pre-teens. My compositions in various English classes were usually the ones read to the class. And after I wrote Trapped, some people thought I was pretty talented. But it’s taken a lot of work to polish my craft and learn what makes really GOOD writing. It’s only now that I’m getting all these 5-Star reviews, and comments from professional reviewers on how “strong” my writing is, that I really consider myself a writer. I finally feel truly validated.

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?

Writing my novels…and dealing with their promotion…is my main focus right now, but I do “wear many hats.” I like to write in the morning, after breakfast, and usually spend several hours at the computer…whether creating new prose, editing, or revising. Then some time is spent in the afternoons or early evenings on Promotional work: writing on my blogs, responding to other blogs, seeking interviews and appearances, etc. Publishers do little of this for you, and it’s time consuming, if you want to succeed.

When I need a break, I may go into my woodworking shop and build some cabinets or furniture. Or I may sit down and tie some flies for an upcoming fishing trip. I usually go to northern USA or Canada every summer to fly-fish for pike and/or smallmouth bass.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I find myself fully immersed in my characters. I actually feel what they “feel,” and I can get very emotional when traumatic or happy things occur in their lives. Even though they are created from my imagination, they become very real to me, and I can find myself laughing or crying with them. I guess that’s how I can make them so real.

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

I had conflicting desires: to become an engineer and work with my father in our manufacturing business…or become a professional fisherman or guide. The latter seemed pretty unrealistic, but who knew then that one could eventually win as much as $150,000 in a single BassMaster tournament!

So I went into Dad’s business, decided I’d rather hire an engineer than be one, and concentrated on business management instead. Whatever I do, I do it with total commitment.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

To become a really good writer takes more than natural talent. With the advent of e-books…that anyone can publish…there’s a lot of poorly written stuff out there. One need to put in the time and effort to learn what makes fine writing. I did that by attending writers conference classes and writing seminars. Ted Williams (my hero, whom I had a chance to fish with once), probably the World’s greatest hitter in baseball, was graced with exceptional natural talent and suburb eyesight. Yet no one worked harder on his hitting, studying the mechanics of a great swing, and putting in the time every day. Few others had that dedication. Becoming the best writer YOU can be takes no less effort.

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Thanks, George!