*REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW* Dead Man's Drive by: Michael Panush + Giveaway!

Title: Dead Man's Drive (Rot Rods, #1)
Author: Michael Panush
ASIN: B00IJH8ZEO
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban-fantasy/paranormal
Length: 242 pgs
Binding: E-book, Paperback
Published: 20 February 2014; Curiosity Quills Press
Buy: Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, KOBO

Synopsis:

La Cruz looks like an average Southern California small town, but it has some dark secrets – and it has its guardians. They are the supernaturally adept drivers of Donovan Motors, including zombie greaser Roscoe. With the help of former Okie bank robber Wooster Stokes, Zoot Suiter and part time shaman Angel Rey, college girl and burgeoning sorceress Betty Bright, the drivers stand between La Cruz and chaos with only their wits and some fast hot rods to help them hold back the darkness. But an onslaught of demonic attacks heralds a new danger. Reed Strickland, a ruthless tycoon with unholy assistance, seems intent on making La Cruz his. Only Roscoe and the drivers can stop him.

But Strickland's allies stir painful memories in Roscoe - and even an undead gearhead is no match for his own past. Roscoe will need to overcome his memories, stand with his friends and keep his motor as the battle for La Cruz begins in a tale of white hot vehicular action, arcane Noir, and Hollywood horror that reveals the rotten heart of California's Golden Age.

My Rating:

Dead Man's Drive by Michael Panush is perhaps one of the most originally entertaining novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Set in La Cruz, California in the 1950's, it was a time of hot rods, zoot suits, cool music, zombies, demons, werewolves, yetis---yes, you read that right! The book definitely has a magical realism feel-- the author pays such close attention to details-- the clothing, cars, even the language of the characters read authentic. And at the heart of the story is Roscoe, a zombie driver and mechanic at Donovan Motors. But that's more of a disguise, for his real job, along with his team of eccentric misfits, is to protect and defend the town of La Cruz from evil entities and things that go bump in the night.

There is so much to love about Dead Man's Drive, but the lively, colorful characters were what drove this story. There's Angel, Roscoe's loyal Mexican best friend. Wooster, the gruff ex-bank robber who has one explosive secret. Betty Bright who serves as a kind of mother figure to the rough bunch. Let's not forget Basil Barrow, the undertaker at the local cemetery that helps the drivers at Donovan Motors dispose of bodies. With any novel, you always have your favorite character. In this case, I absolutely loved the Deadbeat, a DJ that uses his radio show as a way to inform Roscoe and the others of any suspicious occult activities.

The Deadbeat's voice oozed back across the airwaves."Evening, cool kids and ghoul kids. That was Zap Telford and the Boo Babies with a real hot number called My Phantom Girl. Now here's your La Cruz news update." He cleared his throat. "Dig it--there's a new power coming to our little town and his name is Strickland.'"

I also found Eldgridge Swann, the Negro crime lord who controlled Butcher's row, very interesting. There have been a few reviewers that complained at the author's use of the word "negro" when describing Eldgridge Swann. I find that annoying because in the 50's that is EXACTLY what they called African Americans. I'm half black and didn't find it the least bit offensive. I think people need to stop being so sensitive and focus on the literature, the setting, etc. I appreciate that Panush stayed true to the time period in which he was writing about.

Michael Panush is not only great with creating charismatic characters that seem to come off the pages, but it is quite clear he knows how to write. His use of figurative language really helped create images in my mind as I read along. Here are a few of my favorites:

"He remembered speed, the sensation of zooming down an open highway with an engine roaring and the wind battering your face like the flailing strikes of a boxer about to be defeated."

"He kept it hot, boiling enough so that the steam billowed out of the pot like an impatient ghost."

"His tie was loud, with geometric designs, and he had a fat, golden ring."

Dead Man's Drive is also filled with humor which was a pleasant surprise. It's been a long time since I've read a novel that has made me laugh out loud. There are two scenes that I thought were hilarious. The first one is when Roscoe cuts off his ear and throws it at a table full of villains, hoping it will help him "hear" their conversation:

"I thought hearing comes from those holes on the side of your head--not the ear itself." [Angel says]

"It's called magic." Roscoe wiggled the severed ear in Angel's direction. "It doesn't have to make sense."

Then he tossed the ear across the bar. It was a light, underhanded throw. The ear landed under the table where Torrance and Mr. Roach were talking. Nobody noticed. Roscoe sat back up, covered the ear remaining on his head and did his best to listen.

You know it's the 50's when the boys are fighting in suits:

"You okay?" Roscoe called to him.

"Yeah." Angel glanced down at his zoot suit, now splotched with black marks from dead gore. "Ah, no," he muttered. "Got my threads dirty. Brains-- they never come out in the wash. He grabbed one of his pistols and started shooting again.

The most unique aspect of this novel is Panush's ability to weave in other historical milestones, such as Hitler and the Crusades. I'm not going to get into detail here to stay away from spoilers, but I was blown away that the author was able to add in all of these elements without making it feel too busy or confusing.

The only issue I had was with the vague zombie mythology. Roscoe is a walking dead, but nothing like what we have been taught to believe. I am absolutely okay if an author wants to switch things up and Roscoe was a breath of fresh air. But it felt like Panush didn't address the why and the how. How did he luck out and not turn into the zombies that were in Strickland/Roach's army? Is there more zombies like Roscoe out there? He can eat anything, so zombies eating raw meat is just a myth in the world of the story?  Does he smell? I just wish the author had spent a little more time on this.

Dead Man's Drive is an action packed, thrill ride that keeps you in a constant state of suspense until the very last page. With plenty of humor and a colorful cast of characters, I can totally see this book being turned into a tv series. But don't let the funny parts fool you. Roscoe is quite a complex character, plagued with amnesia and spends the majority of the story struggling to remember his past and the reason for his reanimation. If you are looking for some thrills and chills, I highly recommend this unique zombie tale!

best wishes,mia

Author Interview

1. Dead Man's Drive's has an interesting assemblage of characters, but at the heart is a zombie named Roscoe. What inspired you to write a zombie tale/character?

I've always been interested in zombies and they seem like a pretty good goon to get hurled at the hero en masse. Zombie apocalypse stories are fun and popular, but also a little played out, so I wanted to try something else. Zombie hero stories are a little less popular, but they do exist (Hessius Mann is one I became familiar with after writing Dead Man's Drive), so that seemed like a good way to go. Taking a zombie hero, making him drive hot rods and heals himself with fast food seemed much more unique, so that's the route I ended up taking. A lot of characters in my stories are sort of human, but not quite. They're isolated from the world around them and in a world as obsessed with conformity as the 1950s, that's a big deal. I wanted Roscoe to be isolated by his condition of being a zombie as well as his personality. He's a greaser, with a love of black leather jackets and rock and roll, and that alone makes sets him apart. The zombie stuff is just a bonus.


2. Your novel is set in the 1950's which seems like a daunting task alone, but then you touch upon Hitler and even The Crusades. What kind of research did you do in order to help the reader feel like they were taking a walk in history?

I didn't really need to do too much research, as I already knew a lot about that time and place from reading period fiction. I'm a huge James Ellroy fan, and reading his entire catalogue gives you a good idea about how nasty Golden Age Hollywood was. I try to work as much history into the Rot Rods series as possible (a lot more pops up in the sequels) by making characters distorted versions of historic people. For instance, the villain in Dead Man's Drive, Red Strickland is a mix of Howard Hughes (in that he has a goon doing his dirty work and is weird), and Henry Ford (in that he was best pals to the Nazis). The Nazi stuff also came together pretty easily. Nazis and the occult go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so it was just a small leap. And the Crusades came in when I was looking for an origin to La Cruz. All in all, it felt very organic and natural and I hope the reader feels that way too.


3. I originally thought that Dead Man's Drive was a stand alone novel, but I read somewhere that there was a plan for a series. True? Not true? If the rumor is true, what can we expect in book 2? Will there be a new central character or will Roscoe reprise his role?

The rumors are true! Dead Man's Drive is part one of a four part series. Books two and three are already written (and book two will be out soon) and I'm just about to start part four. They all follow Roscoe but there are major changes to the line-up of his friends. Here's the lowdown – part two is Detour to Apocalypse and is about aliens, the atomic bomb, Area 51, and Las Vegas. Part three is Southern California Gothic and is about a Black Dahlia-esque murder in Hollywood, mad science in Tijuana, and a gang war. Part four is called Ghosts of Camelot, and is about the Kennedy Administration, the Civil Rights movement, Santeria and Voodoo, and more.

About the Author

Twenty-Four years old, Michael Panush has distinguished himself as one of Sacramento’s most promising young writers. Michael has published numerous short stories in a variety of e-zines including: AuroraWolf, Demon Minds, Fantastic Horror, Dark Fire Fiction, Aphelion, Horrorbound, Fantasy Gazetteer, Demonic Tome, Tiny Globule, and Defenestration.

He is the author of Clark Reeper Tales, his first novel. Michael began telling stories when he was only nine years old. He won first place in the Sacramento Storyteller’s Guild “Liar’s Contest” in 2002 and was a finalist in the National Youth Storytelling Olympics in in 2003. In 2005, Michael’s short story entitled, Adventures in Algebra, won first place in the annual MISFITS Writing Contest.

In 2007, Michael was selected as a California Art’s Scholar and attended the Innerspark Summer Writing Program at the CalArts Institute. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 2008 and has recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz.

Connect With Michael

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+

Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win 1 paperback AND 1 e-book copy of Dead Man's Drive! Worldwide Giveaway! Ends 6/26. a Rafflecopter giveaway

good luck,mia

Author Q&A With Matthew Dicks & a Giveaway!

Hello, my Muses!

Instead of a book review, I wanted to treat everyone with a Q&A and a Giveaway. Awhile back I reviewed Matthew Dick's novel Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend (which you can view HERE) and was so blown away that I just had to talk to him about it. He was not only gracious enough to answer my questions, but also sent me a signed hardcover copy of his novel to give away to one lucky winner!

This Interview & Giveaway should have been posted on my blog months ago, but as some of you may know I ended up getting very sick last fall and I went on a hiatus. While it frustrates me that I didn't get this posted closer to the book's release date, I believe that sometimes things happen for a reason. Maybe this post will catch the interest of someone who hasn't heard about Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. Or maybe it will give previous readers a different way to look at the novel. Either way, I am absolutely thrilled to share this unique Q&A with everyone.

Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom so that you can enter for a chance to win an autographed hardcover copy of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks!

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

Imaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age, and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear. Max is different from other children. Some people say that he has Asperger’s Syndrome, but most just say he’s “on the spectrum.” None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can’t protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy. When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable and kidnaps Max, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save him—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max’s happiness or Budo's very existence. Narrated by Budo, a character with a unique ability to have a foot in many worlds—imaginary, real, child, and adult— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming . . . and heartbreaking conclusion.

Go HERE to read my previously published review for Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend.

About Matthew Dicks

MATTHEW DICKS is a writer and elementary school teacher. His articles have been published in the Hartford Courant and he has been a featured author at the Books on the Nightstand retreat. He is also a Moth storyteller and a two-time StorySLAM champion. Dicks is the author of three novels, Memoirs of An Imaginary Friend, Something Missing and Unexpectedly Milo. He lives in Newington, Connecticut, with his wife, Elysha, and their children, Clara and Charlie. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

Q&A With Matthew Dicks, Author of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend 

 1. How did you come up with the idea for Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend?

The idea for the book originates back in childhood. When I was about ten years old, I was speaking to my mother about a trip that we had made to Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island. I was reminding her of an afternoon spent in the Japanese Gardens, and how Johnson Johnson and I played tag on the connecting islands in the middle pond.

"Matt," she said. "You know Johnson Johnson wasn't real. Right?"

"Huh?"

"You know Johnson Johnson was your imaginary friend. Right?"

"No," I said, thinking my mother was crazy. "Johnson Johnson. The boy who lived with us for a while."

"Matt, there was no Johnson Johnson. He was imaginary."

"No. Johnson Johnson. The boy who lived with us. Like Jessica."

Jessica was a foster child who had come to live with my family for about six weeks, and she was one of several children who my parents would take in from time to time when I was young. In my mind, Johnson Johnson had been just another one of these kids. The first of them.

But it turned out that Johnson Johnson was not real. I had made him up. Even with a brother and a sister, I had somehow needed someone else to keep me company, and so I invented Johnson Johnson, who my mother had always assumed was named after Johnson & Johnson's baby powder. 

I couldn't believe it. Years later I would watch the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a story about technology that allows people to erase unwanted sections of their lives, and I instantly understood the concept and sympathized with the characters. In a single stroke, hundreds of memories of my childhood had been altered forever. The boy who I thought had accompanied me to all of my early adventures had suddenly been erased, and for weeks afterward, I would find my mind stumbling upon memories in which Johnson Johnson still existed. Memories in need of erasing.

I mentioned this to a fellow teacher a couple years ago, and she said it would make the basis for an excellent book. I thought she was crazy, but my agent and wife agreed, so I began writing. I promised to give the book an honest effort for the duration of the summer, but if August was ending and I was not happy with the result, I would shift gears.

It took me one day to realize I had a good story in the works.  I have learned to always listen to my wife and agent.
    

2. When creating the world and mythology of Imaginary Friends, were you aware of the similarities between "ghosts" and imaginary friends? If so, what was your thought process in keeping a clear distinction between the two?

Budo addresses this issue at one point in the book. Ghosts, he explains, were once alive. Imaginary friends were never alive. This also means that ghosts would presumably have a firmer grasp on the real world, having occupied it in a traditional way at one point. Imaginary friends are more prone to confusion and misunderstanding.


3. So there is a little controversy over Imaginary Friend  having difficulty finding a specific audience. To clarify, do you consider the book to be a Young Adult novel, an Adult novel? Neither or both?

I wrote the novel for adults, and while I think of adults as my primary audience, I can certainly see this book crossing over into the YA market as well.


4. Some people have picked up your book because they think the main focus of the novel is about a child that has a form of Autism or Asperger's but in fact, Max's diagnosis is never specifically stated. Can you talk a little bit about that and what you hope readers will get from Imaginary Friend?

My first and foremost goal with any book that I write is to offer readers a good story that will keep them turning the pages and entertained throughout. Any themes that derive from the work come later and often by accident.

That said, I've always been interested in the idea that we encourage children to be themselves and reject peer pressure, but when these children choose to be different and eventually grow into adults who do not conform to our mainstream idea of a normal adult, we punish them for it. Being yourself takes a great deal of courage. In Max's case, he has no choice. Being himself, as different as that may be, is all that he knows how to do, and to go out into the world each day, so different than everyone around him, is an act of courage that we often fail to recognize. Budo calls Max the bravest boy in the world, and I am inclined to agree with him. 


5.  I am aware that Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was published overseas first, in countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. What kind of reception has Imaginary Friend received in other countries? How about so far here in the United States?

The reception abroad was been amazing. I hear from readers overseas every day about the book, and so far their reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. People identify with many aspects of the book. Some recall imaginary friends from their childhood. others see aspects of their own children in Max. Many have fallen head over heels in love with Budo and his allegiance to Max.


6. Let's talk about the cover art for Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. I noticed my ARC copy (which just so happens to be my favorite) is different from the cover on amazon.com which I am assuming is the final artwork the publishing company went with. I know many times authors do not have a whole lot of control over the art department. Can you explain the process through your own experience? Also, which cover do you like the most?

St. Martin's Press actually involved me a great deal in the choice of covers, and I couldn't be more grateful. As with most books, there were several options in play at one point, and each one of them was sent my way for feedback and suggestions. Also, because the book is being published in 14 different countries, I have also had a chance to see many of the covers from those those markets as well, so I've been lucky to see several visual interpretations of the book. Ultimately we decided on the cover that we thought would appeal to the greatest number of readers, and it was one of my favorites as well.


7. I pointed out in my review some parallels I noticed between your theme of childhood vs. growing up and the theories Romantic poet William Wordsworth had about childhood. In a nutshell, he believed that children are the closest to God and heaven because their imaginations and spirit haven't been tainted by the responsibilities and sometimes ugly process of "growing up." Are you familiar with Wordsworth and his ideas about childhood? Do you agree or disagree with him? 

Oddly enough, I recall this discussion from my college days, and though I can't remember how I felt about it then, I'm not inclined to agree with Wordsworth today. I have always viewed children as less experienced adults, deserving of all the respect and accountability of an adult. I suspect that this attitude comes from my years of teaching, but I also look back on my own childhood and am able to see a clear line between eight year old version of myself and today's version. There is no magical transformation that takes place between childhood and adulthood. Me is me is me, all the way through.


8. My absolute favorite character is Oswald! And in my review I mentioned how Oswald reminds me of the "mean/misunderstood" ghost in the movie "GHOST" starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. Were you aware of this? And do you have a favorite character in your book?

I know the character you refer to from GHOST, but I had not thought about him at all while writing the book. It's an interesting parallel, though.

Asking me to choose a favorite character is cruel, because I love so many of them, including Oswald. If I were forced to choose, it would probably be Budo, which is a boring answer, I know, but also an honest one. Of all the characters in the book, I know Budo the best, and I admire his allegiance to Max despite the dangers that it may bring.


9. I noticed you are a teacher. When do you find the time to write and are you open with your students about your writing career? What do they think?

I don't sleep very much, and I tend to write within the cracks of life. Ten minutes here. Thirty minutes there. Writers who are too precious with the time and location and beverage required in order to write tend not to write. If you want to write, you always find time.

As for my students, I share a great deal with them about the writing process and my ongoing career. I try to treat them as honest-to-goodness authors, with all the benefits and expectations that come with the job. I want to give them a glimpse into the business of books in hopes that they may be inspired to continue writing beyond the classroom. And they are fascinated by the process. They can't get enough of it, always demanding that I share recent news or tell them a story about something that has taken place as a result of my career.


10. So what are you working on now? 

My new book is the story of a woman who is bullied in high school and suffers one especially traumatic event which she believes changed the course of her life forever. Twenty years later, through a confluence of events, she decides that it is time to return to her hometown and confront the bully who treated her so badly in high school and finally have her comeuppance. It's a story about finding the perfect comeback a little too late, and it's also a book about how often we mistake a person's life as perfection when there is often a much more complicated story underneath.  

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GIVEAWAY

 

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Author Q & A with JC Andrijeski & a Giveaway!

Happy Friday my Muses!

Boy do I have a treat for everyone! This post will not only include my first Author Q & A with author JC Andrijeski, who's book Rook: Allie's War #1 I reviewed a couple of weeks ago (you can check out my review for Rook HERE), but also my first Giveaway! Thanks to JC, you will have the chance to win Rook: Allie's War, the first book in her highly talked about, genre bending The Bridge series. I will be posting the rules to the Giveaway at the end of this Q & A.

Before moving on to the good stuff, here is a little background info on JC and her book, Rook: Allie's War #1.

ABOUT JC ANDRIJESKI

JC Andrijeski is a bestselling author who has published novels, novellas, serials, graphic novels and short stories, as well as nonfiction essays and articles. Her short fiction runs from humorous to apocalyptic, and her nonfiction articles cover subjects from graffiti art, meditation, psychology, journalism, politics and history. Her short works have been published in numerous anthologies, online literary, art and fiction magazines as well as print venues such as NY Press newspaper and holistic health magazines. JC currently lives and writes full time in India, at the foot of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh, a location she drew on a fair bit in writing the Allie's War books. Please visit JC Andrijeski's website at: jcandrijeski.com or her blog at jcandrijeski.blogspot.com.



Rook: Allie's War, Book 1

Synopsis: “You are the Bridge…”

Twenty-eight-year-old San Francisco native, Allie Taylor, knew she had issues…but she at least thought she was human. In her version of modern day Earth, a second race of human-like beings called seers were discovered in Asia in the early 1900s. Since then, they have fought in two world wars and live alongside humans as second-class citizens. So when Allie meets her first, real, flesh-and-blood seer, she's not exactly thrilled when he tells her that she's a seer like him. Not only that, but according to him, all the other seers believe she's going to end the world.

Worse, no matter what she does, everything that happens after that only seems to prove him right.

Author Q & A With JC Adrijeski

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was one of those weirdos that was pretty much born this way, I’m afraid. I was pretty much telling stories to whoever would listen from day one, and once I figured out how to write them down, I was doing that. I used to have these really old cassette tapes of stories I would record when I figured out how to use my parents’ tape recorder. Some of them were pretty bizarre, and surprisingly involved, considering how young I was.

2. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

Well, I’m a morning writer. When I had a day job, that meant getting up a few hours before work, and writing until it was time to leave the house. I also write at night…where I tend to not write as much is those 2pm – 7pm hours for some reason. Now that I’m working full time as a writer, my normal schedule is to get up, write, then go shopping or meet friends in the afternoon (or sometimes go work on more “publishing” type things), then come home, eat dinner, and then usually write for a few more hours before bed, along with all the internet stuff and blogging and so forth.


3. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know if this is true of all writers, but I liken writing to meditation in a way. I go into a real “no-brain” space when I’m writing, especially a first draft. I’ve done a lot of meditation and that’s the closest space I can compare it to. If I get jerked out of that, by an error or a phone call or a knock on my door or whatever, it’s almost jarring. So if I get stuck on writing, I’m more likely to go meditate for a bit or go for a walk than I am to, say, do something mental like writing exercises, etc. I actually find most writing exercises pretty boring, unless I can somehow tie them directly to a story or characters I care about.

4. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Kind of what I said above…I honestly have no idea most of the time…a lot of it comes to me sort of subconsciously. In terms of inspirations of various kinds, or starting points, I’ve gotten a fair bit off reading nonfiction actually, and even some from dreams. The Allie’s War series actually started with a character I started playing around with in my head (what eventually became Revik), and the thought that I’d like to try writing a romance. But usually I start with one or two elements and then just start writing…the result at times surprises me. That being said, for novels, I usually have a pretty clear image or concept of the ending before I start. I find it a lot easier to write a novel if I know where I’m going…but again, most of that comes to me sort of in the form of images and whatnot, it’s not exactly the same as a conscious “mental” space. It’s closer to daydreaming.


5. Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Ha, funny you should ask, given where I’m living now! But moving to India was only partly about research, a lot of it was just for a personal adventure of sorts. I’ve done some traveling to check out locations though, definitely, like I said above. I scoped out Stanley Park in Vancouver for example, to find Allie and Revik a good hiding place in Rook. I also took my first cruise ever from Vancouver to Alaska on that same trip, partly just to go, but partly because I wanted to place them on a ship and I figured I’d better experience one for myself. I still haven’t made it to China, which I’d like to do for this series too. I’ve also written about places I know, like San Francisco and New York, which are both places I’ve lived, etc. I love that part of writing though, it’s a lot of fun.

6. What does your family think of your writing and name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members?

You know, it’s funny, I was really reluctant to give them any of my books at first, especially the Allie’s War books, since there’s a fair bit of sex in them (especially after book 1). My sister surprised the heck out of me, first of all by reading them, and second of all by really liking them. I just had no idea that anyone in my family would respond that way. And my sister is one of those people who’s incapable of pretending to like something she doesn’t like (which is actually something I love about her, but can be aggravating, lol). I mean, she would be polite and all, but I would know immediately if she hated it…she just has no poker face whatsoever. Now my mom’s read a lot of my stuff too, and she seems to really like it as well. I thought maybe she was humoring me at first, but she’s said a number of things in the past six months or so that made me think she was being sincere. I mean, I’m close to my family, but I guess I always figured that was a part of me they didn’t really “get,” so that really surprised the heck out of me.

My writing friends, definitely. I think it’s critical for writers to surround themselves with like-minded souls, as we’re an odd breed, writers. But I am also incredibly lucky to have a fantastic network of non-writing friends as well.


7. How did you come up with the title?

With Rook? It’s funny, I had it in my head to do one-word titles for these books. It was pretty clear it would be a series from the get-go, as the arc in my head was long and complicated, pretty much from the get-go, lol. The Allie’s War part of it I actually worked out with an editor I was pitching the series to. He wanted her name in the series title somewhere, thinking it would pull people more into the character and the story, so we threw ideas around and came up with that one. The house ended up passing on it for a number of reasons (difficult genre fit being the main one, as far as I can tell), but I ended up keeping that idea for the title.

8. Who designed the cover art?

Actually I did, which is always a little embarrassing to admit. That’s kind of a long story, too. I actually hired someone initially, an artist friend of mine, and she did a fantastic job on the artwork, really beautiful stuff. But unfortunately, it was simply too abstract in terms of marketing these books. No one could tell what the books were about, so it definitely impacted sales. After testing those for about 4-5 months, I decided to try my hand at it, incorporating more people in the covers and branding it more specifically as urban fantasy/ paranormal romance. So far, those covers seem to be doing okay with readers…at least as far as I’ve been told.

9. What was the hardest part of writing Rook: Allie’s War?

Well, the first book was a real bear. I didn’t have a lot of experience writing novels back then, so I ended up writing four or five different versions all the way to the end. The characters evolved over that time, and the world did too (it was originally more of a portal fantasy, where Allie fell into this other world filled with both seers and humans). When I set things on Earth and made it an alternate history, a LOT of things suddenly clicked. It made sense from that point that Revik’s war experience would be the world wars of earth, and that the caste system set up would have more of an Earth-like slant. The books after that first book were a cakewalk compared to that one, lol…but each has had its own challenges, of course. I think those first three or four novels that most writers write aren't ever really meant to be publicly consumed. I just happened to do those with the same characters and story.


10. Did you learn anything from writing Rook: Allie’s War and what was it?

I learned a ton, actually…how to write a novel, for one, or how it works for me, anyway. I also learned I really enjoy martial arts, as a part of researching Revik’s character. I learned a fair bit about World War I and II that I hadn’t known prior to that, too…and a lot about guns, lol. I’ve done a lot of research on more obscure topics too, such as the layout of electrical substations, the house of the Vice President, different areas in London, etc.


11. What is/are your current project(s) and can you share a little of your current work with us?

Allie’s War, Book Five is my current project (tentatively titled Knight). I’m about 2/3rds of the way through the rough draft, give or take.

I’ll try my best without spoilers…Allie and Revik are in New York, and the story starts with them robbing a bank. I won’t say why, but it was fun to write. They’re also dealing with biological weapons, more strange revelations about characters and the Chinese seers after them along with the mysterious Shadow character introduced in Book Four. It’s been tough to write because a lot of threads from previous books are really coming together.


12. What books have most influenced your life?

That’s always a tough one for me, frankly…I’ve read a ton of books I’ve loved and liked and that I’ve found inspiring in various ways. It’s really hard to say which have influenced me more than others. I loved Watership Down as a kid…it was definitely a novel that influenced me a lot in my formative years as a writer. The complex world building still blows my mind, and the archetypal nature of the story makes it really timeless. I was also influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien, and even Rosemary Rogers to a degree, which are still some of the very few romance novels I’ve ever read. I love Cormac McCarthy, Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Joan Vinge and the Bronte sisters. I’m kind of all over the map in my reading tastes, honestly.

13. Are you reading any books now? If so, which one(s)?

I have to say, it’s getting harder and harder to find reading time, lol, but I’m pretty much always working on something. I recently finished The Apocalypse Gene by Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark, which is post-apocalyptic YA science fiction. Before that, I read Gamers by Thomas Carpenter, which is also YA science fiction. I’m about to start Two Graves by D.A. Graystone.

14. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Thomas Carpenter, whose book I mentioned above, is really good. I also like Zoe Saadia’s historical fiction. Michael Angel is also a really talented writer and so is Pavarti K. Tyler. SM Johnson is also fantastic. I also like Brenda Wallace, Coral Russell and Jonathan Gould.

15. Do you have any advice for other writers?

It’s cliché, but just write. Write enough that you learn to trust your voice. Also, write for yourself as much as humanly possible…don’t listen to those critical voices in your head, they will never make you a better writer. The only other thing I’d say right now, given all the hype around indies, is to always put your writing before marketing, no matter what anyone tells you. Without good craft, you have no career. Without product, you have no career. You can only play the Amazon lists game for so long if your craft and product aren’t there.

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GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY

Okay, my Muses! It's Giveaway time! The lucky winner(s) will receive Rook: Allie's War, Book 1 in ebook format! (available formats are: PDF, mobi kindle, epub).

The Giveaway is open worldwide!

Please read the following rules/instructions carefully. All responses must be left in MY comment section of this post. So even though I may be sending you over to JC's blog or Facebook page, I still need you to leave the following information in the comment section of this post. Before checking out the rules, here is some links you may need:

JC Andrijeski's Blog
JC Andrijeski's Twitter
JC Andrijeski's Facebook

My Blog (Duh! :)
My Twitter
My Facebook

RULES/INSTRUCTIONS

1.. Must be a follower of BOTH my blog and JC Andrijeski's blog by joining through GFC (must leave GFC name/username in the comment section of this post so I can check you joined)

2. Must join/add/follow JC Andrijeski on her Facebook Page (bonus if you follow me as well but not necessary, and you must leave your Facebook name and/or link to your Facebook in the comment section of this post as well)

3. Must follow BOTH JC and me on Twitter (bonus points if you tweet about this giveaway. Leave your twitter handle/username in the comment section of this post.)

4. Must answer this question: What part of the Author Q & A did you find interesting?

5. Lastly, leave your name, email address, and what format you prefer the ebook in the comment section of this post.



Giveaway ends Friday, March 23 and the winner(s) will be chosen and contacted by Saturday, March 24th.

For any comments, questions, or concerns about this giveaway or Author Q & A, feel free to email me: famulan23@gmail.com


Good Luck!