Interview with Jordan Ekeroth, author of ‘The Fulton Incident’

Jordan Ekeroth is a young man with a clear voice, wisdom beyond his years, and always a story to tell. From a young age, you could find him either buried in books or bearing the adventure of his imagination into the great outdoors. He’s met some people and seen some things that have given him a radical desire to impact the world in a positive way. A person of deep faith, his dream in writing is to take people along on the adventure of a lifetime, while simultaneously creating a space for them to learn about themselves and the world around them.

His latest book is the adventure/suspense, The Fulton Incident.

You can visit Jordan Ekeroth’s website at www.jordanekeroth.com.

Would you call yourself a born writer?

I think it’s something that I was born better-equipped for than many are, but it was never a sure thing. It took a lot of determination and the decision to pursue writing over other hobbies and interests.

What was your inspiration for The Fulton Incident?

I was volunteering in Uganda and one afternoon, as I stood on the balcony of the guest house I was staying in, I wondered, what would I do if I went back into my room and discovered that my passport and my things had been stolen? My imagination started racing with intrigue and possibilities, and the plot was born.

What themes do you like to explore in your writing?

I like to bring my characters to a place where they are forced to confront something they would rather avoid. People crave comfort, and none of us like to deal with our own issues. Even people that we describe as confrontational are actually those that are far more interested in other people’s problems than their own.

How long did it take you to complete the novel?

About 10 months.

Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.

I wasn’t writing full-time while working on this project, I just found time whenever I could to continue writing and editing. I didn’t have the luxury of a typical writing day.

What did you find most challenging about writing this book?

I would have thought that sticking with it until it was done would have been the biggest problem, but it was actually resisting the impulse to call it done when it was still in an early phase of editing. I was so excited to have finished my first couple drafts, I just wanted everyone to read them!

What do you love most about being an author?

I’d be lying if I said some of the benefits weren’t egotistical. But before and after anyone ever praises the book, I just love that I was able to create something that I’m proud of.

Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?

I self published because I wanted this to be a personal project from start to finish. Amazon made it incredibly easy, and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s turned out.

Where can we find you on the web?

www.jordanekeroth.com

www.twitter.com/jordanekeroth

www.gamechurch.com

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A Conversation with Veronica Frances, author of ‘Tickling Daphne H.’

Veronica Frances is the pseudonym for a creative writer, residing in New York City. She has had a love of tickling for her entire life. She enjoys singing and writing songs. She also writes non-fiction and poetry.

Her latest book is Tickling Daphne H.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

 

Would you call yourself a born writer?

I was born a master of self-expression, so yes, I consider myself to be a born writer.

What was your inspiration for Tickling Daphne H?

One of the things that made me begin writing Tickling Daphne H. was my disbelief at the lack of tickling material out there. In movies in particular, there is so little about tickling. Tickling scenes are usually short, and tickling in the media is generally sparse. I felt the world needed a real juicy story that was based primarily on tickling.

And of course, my tickling fetish provided plenty of inspiration.

What themes do you like to explore in your writing?

I like to explore erotic themes, romantic stories and characters, and characters with lots of depth and deep-rooted emotional issues.  Of course the tickling fetish is a theme I will continue to explore, as well as other fetishes.

How long did it take you to complete the novel?

It took me about a year to complete my novel.

Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.

I am working on being more disciplined. I write the best in mid afternoon and at night.

What did you find most challenging about writing this book?

Keeping the book under 500 pages was the biggest challenge. Sometimes it is much more difficult to end a novel than it is to start one.

What do you love most about being an author?

Actually writing the novel is the best part for me. Being able to just freely express myself on the page is very liberating. Also, all of the positive feedback I get has been wonderful.

Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?

I went with a small press so that I could retain artistic control.

Where can we find you on the web?

TicklingDaphne.com

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An Interview with Horror Anthology Editor Jeani Rector

While most people go to Disneyland while in Southern California, Jeani Rector went to the Fangoria Weekend of Horror there instead. She grew up watching the Bob Wilkins Creature Feature on television and lived in a house that had the walls covered with framed Universal Monsters posters. It is all in good fun and actually, most people who know Jeani personally are of the opinion that she is a very normal person. She just writes abnormal stories. Doesn’t everybody?

Jeani Rector is the founder and editor of The Horror Zine and has had her stories featured in magazines such as Aphelion, Midnight Street, Strange Weird and Wonderful, Dark River Press, Macabre Cadaver, Ax Wound, Horrormasters, Morbid Outlook, Horror in Words, Black Petals, 63Channels, Death Head Grin, Hackwriters, Bewildering Stories, Ultraverse, and others.

Q: Congratulations on the release of your latest anthology, SHADOW MASTERS: AN ANTHOLOGY FROM THE HORROR ZINE. When did you start writing and what got you into horror?

A: When I was a little girl, I spent nearly every Saturday night at my best friend’s house. We would try to stay up late and watch the Bob Wilkin’s Creature Feature here in Sacramento. (I say try because we always fell asleep on the floor in front of the TV). Wilkins always showed gothic vampire films and B-grade monster mashes.

That started my love of the genre…and then came Carrie by Stephen King. Need I say more?

Q: Did you have a mentor who encouraged you?

A: It’s always a teacher, isn’t it? My fifth-grade teacher told my mother: “Encourage her writing and discourage her artwork.” Ha! That says something about my drawing ability.

Q: Did you have any struggles or difficulties when you started writing?

A: Oh god, yes. Before computers, there was the typewriter and gobs of White Out. Then technology advanced, making writing better for everyone. Embrace technology! The “good old days” are really the “difficult old days.”

Q: What was your inspiration for putting together SHADOW MASTERS?

A: My inspiration is to combine best-selling writers with the talented lesser-knowns. SHADOW MASTERS is the first time The Horror Zine has compiled original, never-before seen works from horror greats such as Bentley Little, Yvonne Navarro, Scott Nicholson, Melanie Tem, Elizabeth Massie, Earl Hamner, Simon Clark, Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Ronald Malfi, Lisa Morton, Jeff Bennington, JG Faherty and many others; this amazing collection of works also includes a Foreword from Joe R. Lansdale.

Q: Do you have any short story plotting secrets? Do you use index cards or special software?

A: I have written the “secrets” for short story writing that can be found in the June issue of The Horror Zine (under TIPS) available now at http://www.thehorrorzine.com.

Q: What do you tell your muse when she refuses to collaborate?

A: I say “I’ll be back” and file it in my “unfinished” folder. Then I work on something else. Or go out and enjoy the day. The point is, you cannot force your muse. She comes to you.

Q: Many writers experience a vague anxiety before they sit down to write. Can you relate to this?

A: Not really. Writing is like your job: you set aside a certain amount of time each day. If your muse is uncooperative, then you can always do edits on what you have previously written.

Q: How do you celebrate the completion of an anthology?

A: Splash it all over The Horror Zine, Facebook, and Shocklines!

Q: What do you love most about the writer’s life?

A: Well, you have to understand that I am also an editor. I think I like that best, because I get opportunities to work with the most talented (and nicest) people in the world.

Q:  Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?

A: The Horror Zine is always seeking fiction, poetry and art from morbidly creative people. Come visit us at http://www.thehorrorzine.com.

Purchase SHADOW MASTERS from Amazon (paperback) and on Kindle.

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5 Questions with Meradeth Houston, author of THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE

Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana. When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun! She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It’s her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!

If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

About the Book:

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.

Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.

Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place. It is geared toward an upper YA, or New Adult audience.

NOW ONLY $2.99 ON ALL SITES!

Buy Links:

MuseItUp Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=716&category_id=311&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Fate-Society-Series-ebook/dp/B00CJEUL18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367099879&sr=8-1&keywords=the+chemistry+of+fate

iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id640800133

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-chemistry-of-fate-meradeth-houston/1115195062?ean=2940016492834

INTERVIEW:

Q: Tell us why readers should buy THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE.

A: I think you should pickup a copy of Chemistry if you happen to enjoy a star-crossed love, a little flying, magic, and thinking about the secrets we all keep. Especially if you happen to like secrets that can be deadly!

Q: What makes a good paranormal romance?

A: For me, the characters come first. Can you identify with them, and do you root for them? Of course, a story that catches hold of you and doesn’t let go is just as important!

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I honestly would love to know! I don’t have too many regular writing days, I’ll admit. Most of the time, I’m trying to eek in a few hours here and there, often in the evenings after a full day of teaching at the university.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: When someone reads my stories. Mostly when they enjoy them and have a good time getting lost in my world, but I’m pretty happy with just reading them, too!

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: The best advice would have to be that you can’t please everyone. Make as many people happy as you can, but don’t sweat it if that’s not everyone—because it never will be! I tell myself this all the time when reading reviews (though I’ll be honest that it doesn’t always work!)

Find the author on the Web:

http://www.meradethhouston.com/

http://meradethhouston.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17452243-the-chemistry-of-fate

https://twitter.com/MeradethHouston

https://www.facebook.com/MeradethHouston

 

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BLOG TOUR: Interview with Dilruba Z. Ara, author of ‘A List of Offences’

Dilruba Z. Ara was born in Bangladesh. Nurtured on Greek mythology by her father, and hearing Indian fairy  tales as bedtime stories from her mother, Dilruba had her first story published when she was eight years old. While in university at the age of twenty, she met  and married her husband, a Swedish Air Force officer, and moved to Sweden, where she obtained degrees in English, Swedish, Classical Arabic and linguistics. She now teaches Swedish and English in Sweden. An accomplished, exhibited artist, her paintings have been used as the covers for the Bangladeshi, Greek, and U.S. editions of A LIST OF OFFENCES.

Visit her website at www.dilrubazara.com.

Would you call yourself a born writer?

Yes.

What was your inspiration for A List Of Offences?

The oppression of girls in the name of family honor.

What themes do you like to explore in your writing?

Family values, human relationships.

How long did it take you to complete the novel?

Five years

Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day

I am disciplined when I embark on a project. Since I work full-time as a teacher, I only write during evenings when the house is quiet. When I write I go offline, and usually work for hours before taking a break. Once there is a flow, I stay with it.

What did you find most challenging about writing this book?

Combining the beauty of the landscape with Daria’s horrible suffering.

What do you love most about being an author?

The power to create something where I am free to give words to thoughts beyond reality.

Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self-publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?

I had sent the finished manuscript to a few literary agents in the USA. Within a few days, three of them called back. I chose the most passionate one ‒ Doris Michaels. She loved the book, and sent it out to quite a few publishers in the USA, all of whom found it very beautiful, relevant, etc., but too slow-paced. I had worked very hard with each word, so I did not want to cut it down to fit their demands. In the end, I took it to The University Press Ltd, the leading publishing house in Bangladesh, and met the publisher myself. Upon reading the letters from various US editors, he took the manuscript from me and asked me to wait, outside the closed door. After about three hours he reappeared, with a contract. That was how it started. Then it was sold to Spain and Greece. In parts of South America it even hit the top ten list, along with The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Even though only a few English copies were available, the book was reviewed in different newspapers and magazines, including The Chattahoochee Review.  A review of it can even be read on the homepage of the Law Faculty at Ecuador University. Although I have been pleased with all this attention, at the same time I have been concerned that the English version had not been available to general readers outside Bangladesh. Hence, I decided to have my rights back. My publisher is a kind man, and understood me. Now I have published it independently.

Yes, I am happy.

Where can we find you on the web?

www.dilrubazara.com

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5 Questions with Alexandra Sokoloff, author of BLOOD MOON

It’s a thrill to have here Alexandra Sokoloff as my guest today, not only because her books are awesome, but because she happens to be one of my favorite writers. Needless to say, I’ve read all of her books.

Alexandra is the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker, Anthony, and Black Quill award-nominated author of multiple supernatural thrillers, and the Top Ten Amazon bestselling Huntress/FBI thriller series (Huntress Moon, Blood  Moon), which has also been nominated for a Thriller Award for Best E Book Original Novel.

The New York Times Book Review has called her a “daughter of Mary Shelley,” and her books “some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.”

As a screenwriter, Alexandra she has sold original horror and thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios. She has also written two non-fiction writing workbooks: SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS (highly recommended, by the way!) and WRITING LOVE, based on her internationally acclaimed workshops and blog, and has served on the Board of Directors of the WGA, west and the Board of the Mystery Writers of America.  

Find the author: her website, blog, on Facebook , Twitter andPinterest.

Q: Hi there, Alexandra. Thanks for stopping by The Dark Phantom. Tell us why readers should buy BLOOD MOON.

A: If you’re at all interested in unusual psychological crime thrillers, this one will probably grab you. The main character is an FBI agent who is on the trail of what looks like a female serial killer, which Agent Roarke knows very well doesn’t occur in real life.  So there’s a real psychological mystery about who this female killer is and why she does what she does. Readers find their expectations challenged and their sympathies conflicted, just as Roarke does.

Q: What makes a good thriller?

A: I think different people are looking for different things in thrillers. There’s such a wide variety of experiences and sensations available from different books in the genre. Personally I am bored senseless by car chases and gun battles and international intrigue. What I love in a thriller is nail-biting suspense and psychological game playing and sexual tension and mystery and moral dilemmas and twists. So that’s the kind of thing I write, of course!

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I start by seven or eight a.m. and write for seven or eight hours a day, much more if I’m on an intense deadline. Some of those hours are business, of course. But I’m a full-time writer, I treat it like a job because it IS my job.  One thing that is not like a regular job is that I change clothes a lot during the day.  Some days I am quite dressed up. I need to entertain myself some way other than eating!

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: Without question, having readers read my books and experience the world and the characters just as if they’re caught up in a film. And then being able to dialogue with them about the story and characters and their experience of the story. It’s such an intimate relationship. Incomparable.

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: For aspiring authors, “Find a small room in a big city and sit down at your desk in front of the window. When you stand up ten years later, you will be a writer.” That’s from Saroyan.

And for authors in general, “E-publish.”  It’s more complicated than that, of course, but you asked for the best advice!

——————————————————————–

Book II of the Huntress/FBI Thrillers

Twenty-five years have passed since a savage killer terrorized California, massacring three ordinary families before disappearing without a trace.

The haunted child who was the only surviving victim of his rampage is now wanted by the FBI for brutal crimes of her own, and Special Agent Matthew Roarke is on an interstate manhunt for her, despite his conflicted sympathies for her history and motives.

But when his search for her unearths evidence of new family slayings, the dangerous woman Roarke seeks – and wants – may be his only hope of preventing another bloodbath.

Purchase BLOOD MOON

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon DE

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PUYB Blog Tour: Interview with Morrie Richfield, author of ‘Revelation: The Return of Mr. Breeze’

Morrie Richfield lives in Pennsylvania with his two sons, his dogs and his cat. He is working on his next novel, and he still dreams that someday the world will be a better place for all of us to live.

His latest book is the inspirational fantasy novel, Revelation: The Return of Mr. Breeze.

Visit his website at www.mrbreezethenovel.com.

Would you call yourself a born writer?

No, I’d call myself a born storyteller who happens to write.

What was your inspiration for Revelation?

To Change the World!

What themes do you like to explore in your writing?

Whatever comes out of my head, but usually ways to try and make the world a better place.

How long did it take you to complete the novel?

This one 6 months

Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.

Wake up at 4am write for two hours workout then get ready to go to work.

What did you find most challenging about writing this book?

Nothing it came easily.

What do you love most about being an author?

Touching people’s minds and hearts with what I write.

Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?

I am self published and it was an easy path.

Where can we find you on the web?

www.mrbreezethenovel.com

About the Book:

Mr. Breeze is back; so is Michael Ryan and Rover, the magical dog.

MR. BREEZE fans can rejoice. REVELATION, Morrie Richfield’s much-anticipated sequel to his novel MR. BREEZE, has arrived. Readers new to the strange but inspiring tale of a super being and his attempt to set mankind on a straight and moral path for its very survival can immerse themselves in what critics and readers alike are calling an “inspirational fantasy” with important lessons for all of us.

In MR. BREEZE, published in 2011, Richfield introduced readers to Zackary, aka Zack, aka Mr. Breeze, an ancient being who claimed to be mankind’s creator and who still exerts a powerful force on the human race and its very existence. Zack appeared on earth as a powerful man who did miraculous deeds. He chose journalist Michael Ryan to tell his story in a book that, he hoped, would show mankind how to stop its self-destructive ways and bring paradise on earth. With man’s fate hanging in the balance, Zack disappeared, leaving humans to their fate and Michael wondering what his role really is.

REVELATION moves the action two years into the future. The situation looks bleak. Mankind has slipped back into its old, destructive ways and Michael has become a dissolute recluse. There are people who view Michael as a savior and others who see him as a threat to be eliminated.

Along this strange trip, Michael meets new friends and reunites with old companions, the most significant of which is Rover, an abused dog whom Zack endowed with superpowers. Rover becomes Zack’s messenger to Michael, as Michael tries to get Zack’s original message out to the world:  If mankind doesn’t straighten out, he will destroy the human race.

Richfield plays down the description of REVELATION as an “inspirational fantasy.” He calls it a “self-help book, a textbook, a reality series on paper. It is what we see when we look in the mirror.”

If MR. BREEZE focused on Zack and his message, REVELATION focuses on Michael, following his struggle to understand his role in Zack’s master plan and to find his soul, Richfield says. “Michael’s final revelation is that we just don’t learn. Without the threat of destruction, we go back to our old ways. Our time is almost up and we need to do something. We need to show Mr. Breeze the human race deserves a chance to continue to exist.”

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Book Excerpt:

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Yes, it is me, Michael Ryan. I’m sure you remember me. After all, for a short time, I was about the most famous man in the world. For those of you who have forgotten, let me fill you in on what has happened in the two years since I last saw Zackary Breeze and Rover.

Of course you must remember Zack Breeze and Rover. Zack as he called himself is this time is our maker. He cured our diseases told us our religions are nothing but of our own making and turned a normal German Sheppard dog whose name is Rover into the second most powerful being on the planet. Let’s not forget that he used me to write his story and threatened our immediate destruction should I refuse.

I wrote the book that Zack asked me to write. It sold more copies than any book in history, and you all read it. I was oh so pleased with myself. I was rich, famous, and revered. You could not open a newspaper or magazine without seeing my name in it somewhere. It was my fifteen minutes of fame, so to speak.

For a time, there seemed to be hope in the world. The wars and fighting stopped—it was as if no one knew if the next shot fired would be the one that would bring the human race to an end. People seemed to like that I was somehow partly responsible for all of these remarkable things that had happened. I was admired by many, but what I did not know at the time was that I was hated by an equal number.

It seemed that once people heard Zack’s words, most of them stopped going to churches, synagogues, mosques, or any public place of worship. They prayed on their front yards and in alleys and at any time they felt the need. Only now, they prayed to Zack, and a somewhat zealous few even prayed to me.

For those fanatics, you see, I was the messenger of God. Through me, they thought they could find salvation, and, boy, did they try. They camped out on my street, in my yard, and even in my neighbors’ yards. They also built structures to honor me out of stuff from my trash and the trash of everyone else on the street. As you can probably imagine, my neighbors were not pleased, and neither was I. I was like a movie star; I couldn’t go out in public without paparazzi on my tail and people asking me to touch them. My fifteen minutes of fame had turned into twenty-four hours a day of hell.

Then the reaction from the religious community came. They finally realized that without worshippers and money, they would not survive. For them, Zack meant the end of their existence, and I became their target for retaliation.

“The devil comes to us in many forms” became their rallying cry, and as for me, I became the devil’s minion. I guess I couldn’t blame them for trying to bring their followers back, but I was astounded by how many people believed them. They quickly forgot what they had seen and what Zack had done. They even managed to convince the majority of the world that Zack cured all of their diseases just so he could fool them into thinking he was our maker.

Let’s also not forget how the pharmaceutical companies chimed in. After all, no more diseases meant no one needed medication, so no more business. They jumped right on that bandwagon and within a few months had almost everyone believing their miraculous cures were temporary. So back on the drugs they went, and back came the profits.

I suppose I should have expected there would be some reaction; after all, I always believed religion was nothing more than a very profitable business whose main currency was either hope or fear. If they could not get your money by making you believe in one, they would threaten you with the other. Just like any other business, they needed their customers to survive.

Suddenly, my home, my yard, and my street became the focal point for the battle between those who thought Zack was our savior and those who thought he was the devil. It was not a pretty sight. At first, there were just signs and lots of chanting, but then came the physical confrontations followed by the police in riot gear. I was a prisoner in my own house—that is, until someone decided to throw a Molotov cocktail through one of my windows and burn my house down.

Watch the Trailer!

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5 Questions with R. Barri Flowers, author of BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN: A Veronica Vasquez Thriller

R. Barri Flowers is an award winning criminologist and internationally bestselling author of more than sixty books–including thriller and suspense fiction, relationship fiction, young adult mysteries, true crime, and criminology titles.

Bestselling mystery and thriller fiction, including SEDUCED TO KILL IN KAUAI, MURDER IN MAUI, MURDER IN HONOLULU, KILLER IN THE WOODS, DARK STREETS OF WHITECHAPEL, STATE’S EVIDENCE, PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE, and JUSTICE SERVED.

Other novels by the author include the bestselling relationship novel, FOREVER SWEETHEARTS, and young adult novels, COUNT DRACULA’S TEENAGE DAUGHTER, GHOST GIRL IN SHADOW BAY, and DANGER IN TIME.

Flowers has also written a number of bestselling true crime books, including THE SEX SLAVE MURDERS, THE PICKAXE KILLERS, SERIAL KILLER COUPLES and MASS MURDER IN THE SKY. He was editor as well of the bestselling anthology, MASTERS OF TRUE CRIME.

The author has been interviewed on the Biography Channel and Investigation Discovery.

Official Website: http://www.rbarriflowers.com/

Q: Tell us why readers should buy BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN: A Veronica Vasquez Thriller.

A: BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN is a crime thriller written by an award winning criminologist and bestselling author of such true crime books as THE SEX SLAVE MURDERS and thriller fiction, including MURDER IN MAUI and DARK STREETS OF WHITECHAPEL.

This book is about an FBI profiler and criminal psychologist who returns to her hometown of Portland, Oregon, to assist the police in tracking down a serial killer, who murders beautiful women in pairs.

As someone who has written extensively about real life serial killers, BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN brings verisimilitude to the perpetrator and his psyche as he pushes the boundaries in handpicking his victims.

For readers who love thriller fiction where the villain is a frightening serial killer who matches wits with the beautiful protagonist and homicide detectives on the case—or are fans of TV series such as Criminal Minds, Dexter, and Hannibal-- this is a novel you are sure to enjoy.

Q: What makes a good thriller novel?

A: A good thriller novel is one in which there is a constant sense of danger and a suspenseful whodunit, with three dimensional characters who bring you along for the ride as they converge for a heart pounding conclusion.

Within this regard, the thriller should also convey a strong plot with smart twists and turns and deft pacing that will allow the story to play itself out while keeping the reader thoroughly engaged.

Some great thrillers that come to mind include Robert Ludlum’s The Aquitaine Progression and John Grisham’s The Pelican Brief. I believe that BEFORE HE STRIKES AGAIN also fits in this category.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: A regular writing day for me involves getting up at 6 a.m. and heading to my computer at 7 a.m. (after an hour of working out and having breakfast)—where I spend the next five hours writing and rewriting my latest book.

After a noontime lunch and chores, I am back at it by 1 p.m., where I go at it on computer till 5 p.m. (sometimes 6 p.m., if really on a roll), typing away in faithfully sticking to the plot in my head.

I call it quits for the night after that and am back in the grind the next day.

This is a routine I follow seven days a week. I am the type of writer who is not easily distracted by other things—understanding that I get out as much as I put in as an author.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A:  What is most rewarding to me as an author is being able to successfully write in multiple genres (thriller, true crime, young adult mysteries, and criminology). As such, I have fans in these different genes, giving me a good reason to try and keep up with them in bringing out fresh material they can take pleasure in reading.

Aside from that, I enjoy the camaraderie with other authors, having found some great friends over the years to seek advice and words of wisdom from while returning in kind.

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: That’s a great question. Hmm… I’d have to say that the best writing advice I’ve ever received and have passed along to other authors came from a bestselling crime writer who told me when I first got started: “The thing that separates serious writers from those who aren’t in it for the long haul is the ability to shake off rejections and look at as constructive criticism rather than personal attacks—making yourself a better writer in the process with each rejection letter.”

Definitely words to live by for any writer willing to work at it to hone your craft till you get where you’re going in finding success in the business.

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Book Description:

From R. Barri Flowers, award winning crime writer and international bestselling author of Dark Streets of Whitechapel and Killer in The Woods, comes a gripping new psychological thriller, Before He Kills Again: A Veronica Vasquez Thriller.

FBI psychologist and criminal profiler Veronica Vasquez returns to her hometown of Portland, Oregon to assist police in apprehending a ruthless serial killer dubbed “The Rose Killer,” who kills beautiful women in pairs, leaving a rose on top of each corpse.

Heading the investigation is homicide Detective Sergeant Bryan Waldicott. Veronica must win him over, along with the entire task force, and prove herself worthy of the job. Since losing her husband three years ago, Veronica had been focused on her work to escape the pain of loneliness and separation. A romance with Waldicott, who has issues of his own, complicates things for them both as they try to stop a serial murderer before he kills again.

When she begins to suspect that the new husband of her estranged sister Alexandra could be the killer, Veronica pursues that delicate angle and, in the process, becomes a target herself.

Before He Kills Again is tense thriller that will keep readers on edge till the very end.

 Purchase:

Amazon Trade Paperback / Kindle /Kindle UK / Kindle CA / Barnes and Noble Nook eBook / Smashwords / Kobo

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5 Questions with Rudy A. Mazzocchi, author of the medical thriller, EQUITY OF FEAR

Rudy is best known as a medical device and biotechnology entrepreneur, inventor, and angel investor, with a history of starting new technology ventures throughout the U.S. and Europe. He’s been privileged to have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in healthcare and work with some of the most brilliant researchers, scientists and physicians in the industry.

Authoring more than 50 patents, he has helped pioneer new companies involved in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, ophthalmology and even embryonic stem-cell development. Through these efforts, he has become the recipient of many technology and business awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Healthcare and the Businessman of the Year Award.

Combining these experiences and opportunities, with thousands of hours of travel and long evenings in hotel rooms, he found the initiative to start writing a collection of medical thrillers based on true events, known as The EQUITY Series. The first book of which is entitled “EQUITY of EVIL” (released March 5, 2012), and the second entitled “EQUITY of FEAR” (released March 25, 2013).

Find the author on the web:                                                               

Website: www.rudymazzocchi.com
Blog: http://rudymazzocchi.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RudyMazzocchi
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MazzocchiAuthor

Q: Tell us why readers should buy EQUITY of FEAR.

A:  EQUITY of FEAR is the second novel in The EQUITY Series, following the award-winning thriller, EQUITY of EVIL. These bold, controversial thrillers combine both business and medical science based on true events and/or current technologies under development.  They not only inform the reader about life-changing innovations that could positively effect  each one of us, but also reveal the dark and often frightening aspects of these technologies that can be manipulated to control our minds and souls. Society needs to prepare for how to best deal with such new innovations.

Q: What makes a good medical thriller?

A:  I believe that the readers of medical thrillers are sophisticated readers who are looking for  more than the conventional storyline found in mystery or suspense novels. Medical thrillers  are designed to incorporate medical science and technologies that could impact everyone,  unlike the mystery novel where the reader is an observer, along for the ride. A good medical thriller triggers the reader to think “this could happen to me”!

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I usually write when I find the opportunity, which is most likely on a long trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific flight, or during long evenings in my hotel room. I tend to start writing “scenes” according to the story that’s running non-stop in my head, and then stop when I need to dedicate the appropriate time to researching a topic, place, or clinical application.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: It’s a rewarding platform for me to talk about the new innovations that I see around the world without divulging specific confidential information. It also allows me to openly explore the “why-nots” and “what-ifs” that often creep into my mind. It is then most rewarding when others find the results of such efforts informative and entertaining!

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A:  I seem to get more advice regarding publishing and promoting, than I do writing, but the best advice I’ve ever received was to “write what you know”. This seems intuitive for non-fiction, but I found it to hold true for fiction writing as well. When you call on life      experiences and knowledge, it’s much easier to craft those challenging scenes and to instil more realism.

About the book

Researchers and scientists in the U.S., Russia and Japan compete in a new technological race to control memories, fear, and pain in the minds of the world’s populace. At first the race is rooted in purely scientific ambitions, such as that of space travel or in the era of industrial revolution, but it evolves into something much more sinister.

Here is yet another dark world where scientists experiment on orphaned children rather than rhesus monkeys, where torture and pain become just another set of data points and lives are discarded for the sake of owning the ability to control how man perceives and processes fear.

AMAZON / B&N / OmniLit

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5 Questions with The Dark Phantom: Featuring Patrick C. Greene, author of PROGENY

Some dark serendipity plopped a young Patrick Greene in front of a series of ever stranger films-and experiences-in his formative years, leading to a unique viewpoint. His odd interests have led to pursuits in film acting, paranormal investigation, martial arts, quantum physics, bizarre folklore and eastern philosophy. These elements flavor his screenplays and fiction works, often leading to strange and unexpected detours designed to keep viewers and readers on their toes.

Literary influences range from Poe to Clive Barker to John Keel to a certain best selling Bangorian. Suspense, irony, and outrageously surreal circumstances test the characters who populate his work, taking them and the reader on a grandly bizarre journey into the furthest realms of darkness. The uneasy notion that reality itself is not only relative but indeed elastic- is the hallmark of Greene’s writing.

Website: http://www.PatrickCGreene.com

Q: Welcome to The Dark Phantom, Patrick. In a nutshell, tell us why readers should buy PROGENY.

A: Because my Netflix bill is due. Plus, it has re-readability. PROGENY is written as more than just a horror thriller. It’s very much a coming-of-age story for not just the two boys in the story, but also for their fathers. Most of the characters have hard lessons to learn. And the book’s monsters are just the ones to teach them. …The survivors, that is.

Q: What makes a good horror adventure?

A: For me, aside from the obvious thrills, a story like this should present relatable characters who get a chance to grow through the horror they experience–not just be traumatized by it. Though that is surely going to happen as well.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I get up late, go to the gym, then set up my computer and work through the night, taking breaks every hour or so to think through the plot and see if some backtracking or some strange twist is in order. Usually it is.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A:  The accolades showered upon me by the loving masses. Also, it’s a great form of therapy. I have a vivid imagination anyway so it’s good to find people who enjoy what I come up with; it means I’m maybe not so crazy after all. Or else, they are too. Whichever, it’s all good.

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: My dad told me that if you don’t give an outlet to your creative impulses they will destroy you. So if doing it because you love it isn’t good enough, there’s always that, I guess.

Purchase PROGENY on AMAZON.

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