Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Alexandra Everist

I am very pleased to have been able to interview Alexandra Everist, author of several books. Her latest is A Katrina Moment which deals with New Orleans in their catastrophe following Hurricane Katrina. I want to discuss this book first, Alexandra.



Mike> Did you live in New Orleans and hence the concept for the book?


AE> I am not from New Orleans, but have volunteered for various agencies in New Orleans, most recently with Hands On New Orleans in conjunction with Americorps. My novel is fictionalized account based on information I received from other volunteers and survivors.


Mike> Interesting. Can you tell us a bit about the story?


AE> "A Katrina Moment" is a tale of prejudice and how it destroys lives, both for the victim and the people who believe in it. The title is symbolic of a moment in time when people need each other and the evil of prejudiice disappears.


Mike> That was a time of both heros and villains, to be sure. How long did it take you to write Katrina?


AE> It took about a year and a half to write. In one way, it was easier to write (than first book) since I did not need to make sure events were 100% factual. In another, since there was no need to complete it in a specific timeframe, it was harder to keep on track. I made sure to allot at least some time each day to either research or writing.


Mike> Now tell us about your first book.


AE> "No Place to Call Home" tells the story of my father's experiences during WWII, from the time he was captured by the Soviets and placed in the Soviet gulag to the end of the war when his homeland was given away and he had no place to go home. It shows how people need to work together in order to survive.


Mike> That sounds like a big job. How long did that one take to write?


AE> "No Place to Call Home" took me six years to write. It was critical to make sure any information in the book was absolutely correct. So I had to do intensive research. I was determined to make sure it would be released in my father's lifetime. That determination kept me focussed upon its completion.


Mike> Did your Father collaborate with you in the research or writing?


AE> My father and I wrote the book together. Initially, it was a story told by him. But after numerous rejections, I realized it needed to be a story about him. I could say so much more when it was in my words. I ended up getting two offers from publishing companies after I revised it.


Mike> Excellent. When writing, do you begin with the premise or begin with a lesson or moral issue to write around?


AE> Since each of my books present a moral dilemna, I begin with a situation that exposes a problem. Then I look for the symbolic value of each event in the story to blend into the message I am attempting to convey.


Mike> Wonderful. Thank you for these two stories. I appeciate your taking the time for this interview, and good luck with your books. By the way, folks can visit Alexandra's own web page at www.alexandraeverist.com

Thursday, September 4, 2008

E. W. Richardson

MR> Allow me to introduce E.W.Richardson, poet and author. His latest book of poems is Conjunctions of Invisible Breath. Let's begin by asking what the E. W. stand for.

EW> E.W. is for Ernest Wayne. I chose to use my initials for all
published venues as it fits better in print.

MR> You are a poet but you have also written, in your own words, 'everything from humor to erotica'. Where do see a 'best fit' for your future writing?

EW> Determining a “best fit” for my writing is not easy. I tend to
write on a wide range of subjects, both in poetry and fiction. Poetry
is what gives me my biggest rush, as far as writing, although I do
love spinning a good short story. In both venues, poetry and fiction,
the possibilities are endless, as far as self-expression by an
author. If there is a best fit, it would have to be theme…all of my
writing, whether poetry or fiction, from the humorous to the erotic
is about the relationship of things…that mysterious, sometimes
happy, sometimes sad, sometimes beautiful sometimes ugly interplay of
experience. It is these things, big and small, good and bad that form
the foundations of our existence.

MR> Do you use a particular technique for writing longer work, such as outlines?

EW> I have specific ways of writing, depending on whether it is
fiction or poetry. Fiction is always done with an outline, to insure
that characters are fully developed and time lines are proper. With
poetry, it depends on the type or style of verse. Free verse I just
let flow, a stream of consciousness thing. Form verse takes bit more
work and are more challenging, do the parameters of a specific form.
Whether free verse or form, nearly all of my verse is written with
music playing, specifically, blues and jazz…and when I am working
in a romantic/erotic theme, it is always blues and jazz.

MR> Are you working on something right now that you would like to tell us about?

EW> I have several irons in the fire so to speak. There is a
collection of my romantic/erotic verse that is being looked at by a
publisher at this writing. I have two other poetry collections,
collaborations, which are in the mill. Most exciting to me, is a
collection of short stories, that I hope to have complete and to a
publisher this fall. It is a sampler of the types of fiction I write
and will be titled, aptly, Mulligan Stew.

MR> With poems, do you begin with an overall idea, or work a line at a time?

EW> When writing poetry, for me, it always begins with an idea, a
moment of inspiration. Once that occurs, then I decide on how to
present it. Sometimes the moment dictates the form, other times, I
choose to present it within a specific form both as a challenge and
for its effect.

MR> Which of your writings is your personal favorite, that you are most happy with?

EW> I have written really good fiction, but it is still the poetry
that is my favorite. I feel it allows me to touch a reader on a more
personal level. I do not have a favorite, individual piece of verse
though. There a pieces that I have been and still am proud of for
various reasons, but each piece is so unique, it cannot be compared
to another. However, of all my poetry, if asked which I especially
like, it would have to be those written in the tanka form.

I have had the opportunity to talk to many poets over the years, of
all levels of experience. There is one bit of advice I often give,
especially to those just beginning to find their own voice in
verse…read as much as you write and never let yourself be hindered
by popular belief. Free verse is good but so is form verse. To truly
understand where your verse is going, take time to find out where it
has been.

MR> Erny, thanks for visiting with me. I know your work can be enjoyed on authorsden.com and can be purchased on amazon.com, lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.

Agnes Hall

MR> Please let me introduce Ms. Agnes Hall. Agnes, thank you for your time today.

Tell us if you do layout or outline before attempting the content. Can you give some detail on your technique?

AH> 'The Canvas Bag' began as a very loose idea and as I went along the story expanded. Characters I hadn't thought of initially, began to appear. The other works in progress, 'The Conchy' and 'Raspberry Summer'. have started the same way. 'The Conchy' is a sequel to 'The Canvas Bag' and is an expansion of one particular character. 'Raspberry Summer' is the story of two sisters on holiday when events change what should have been a wonderful summer holiday into a nightmare.

MR> How long did it take you to complete The Canvas Bag?

AH> I began writing after I retired to live in Spain in 2000. I joined a
Creative Writing Group in 2003 and after about one year of writing
short stories, I began to write 'The Canvas Bag'. After writing off
and on for about three years, the book was eventually finished in
2006. The revision and editing then started and 'The Canvas Bag' was
eventually published in 2008.

'Raspberry Summer' was started in 2007 and 'The Conchy' at the
beginning of 2008. If I begin to struggle with one, I move to the
other. I find sometimes, that if I leave a piece of work and go back
to it with 'fresh eyes' the ideas begin to flow again.

MR> Canvas Bag is a period piece, set in 1900, so you must have had a
lot of research into that era. Can you tell us about that?

AH> The story starts around the late 1800's. I have done a lot of research, particularly as the novel spans a long period... until after the 2nd. World War. I have also had a smattering of family knowledge which helped.

MR> Did people, family and friends, know you were writing or was it
kept secret until recently?

AH> Some close friends knew that I was writing but even my husband did
not read any of it until it had been published. I think that it is
important to get the story down before exposing yourself. It depends who you can trust to give an objective opinion.

MR> What kinds of book promotion have you got planned?

AH> I have contacted newspapers/radio stations etc and will obviously
have to 'push' the book whenever I can and in whatever way I can. My
publishing company have not been particularly pro-active so far.

MR> Where can people find out more about your book?

AH> Please visit my website at www.agneshall.com

MR> Well we wish you every success with your new book, Agnes. Thanks for taking the time for this visit.

Trevor Dalton

MR> I'd like to introduce Trevor Dalton, author of two horrific novels. I use the term horrific here in a most complimentary way, since they are horror stories.

Hello Trevor, and thanks for your time today.

TD> Hello, I'm glad to meet you, Mike.

MR> You've two books, Open Trap and Possession Legacy. Where did the premise come from for these two stories?

TD> Open Tap is my take on pollution. I heard a news article a few years ago that told of tankers filling with all sorts of toxic waste and hitting the motorway systems of the world with their 'back taps' open. Letting the poison run on to the road surface. In Britain you will be delighted to know that we had a force of precisely one to combat this threat. I asked my self what would happen if a dog ingested this poison over a period of time. Open tap was the result.
'The Possession Legacy' is the first book of my vampire duet. The second part to this duet, 'A Deeper Darkness' will be in editing shortly and should be available sometime in Feb 2009

I liked the idea of a vampire romp but wanted it to be set in the present rather than the past. This presented a few problems, I needed to show the origin of the 'plague of vampirisum' that besets Sarah in book one and Lynette in book two. Having established where it came from I had to 'transport' it to the present. Of course I also needed a variety of characters for my Vampires to interact with. I had originally planned for a trio of books but I and my editor felt that two was the perfect length. Libros are planning an omnibus edition of The Possession Legacy and A Deeper Darkness in time for next Christmas. I believe the two together will provide a cohesive study of vampires. From their birth and their inheritance of Prince Llewellyn's curse through their teenage years to full adulthood. The prospect of a modern vampire amongst us today is indeed intriguing.
Meanwhile I'm fleshing out my fourth book, "The Poetry man." a story of a psychotic killer.

MR> Do you have a particular technique of writing, such as outlines, index cards, special software?

TD> I have played with storyboards, character developments and preplanned chapters and use a variety of them to assist me in staying on line. I like to give my characters however a large degree of 'autonomy'. There is nothing better than when the characters start to think and talk for themselves. The book then starts to write itself! I do how ever believe in re-writes. My books on average have four re-writes each. I use my editor, Pat McManus to do this. She has a fine eye and the first re-write takes care of my silly errors. Then Pat flags gaps and I infill. I find that once the idea is formed I'm better off pushing through to the finish of the story and then going back than spending time honing chapters before moving on. Again if I give the character the voice he needs theres is very rarely any changes to his dialog. The rewriting is largely in the narrative and descriptive passages.

MR> Your two novels are available on Amazon. Who is your publisher and how did you link up with them?

TD> My publisher is Libros International based in Spain.

Like most I had gone through a number of rejection slips before my first acceptance. The company that offered to sign me where 'Bootleg Press' in America. Whilst I was pondering their offer Ken Douglas asked me to sign with Libros. The company was new and had a very open policy to new talent. I found I was agreeing with everything Ken said so in the end I chose Libros. I was delighted when later Ken asked me to become a director/partner and to occupy the role of author liaison.

MR> What do you read? Favorite authors?

TD> I have a very broad taste and have read everything from Gothic horror to 'chick lit'. Naturally I enjoy King, Hutchins and Koontz. I try to read all the books we publish and I'm truly amazed at the way the quality of the authors work is constantly improving. A few are now publishing their second offerings and each book excels the last. Gareth Roberts book 'That immortal Jukebox Sensation' stands out for this year from Libros.
I try to vary my reading and usually read a book within two days. Most of my fellow penmen and women are avid readers, you never can tell what tips you can pick up by reading a variety of genres.

MR> How long did it take you to complete each of your novels?

TD> Regrettably I have a full time occupation so writing is still something I have to fit in. this means that a book doesn't get the continuous time I would like to give it so currently, with rewrites and editing its taking around a year per book. If I was full time I would probably be able to produce two novels per year but I think that would be my maximum output.

MR> Trevor, thanks again for this interview.

Anthony James Barnett

Today I am priveleged to introduce Anthony, author of Without Reproach and many articles and short stories. Anthony lives in the U.K.

Anthony, could you comment on your writing process?

I always write directly on my laptop, except when jotting notes if I'm out anywhere. I produce an outline of the story, as a sort of roadmap, before even beginning to write. I then draw up a complete dossier of the central characters, including cutting pictures of suitable people from magazines and pinning them on the wall so I know what they are going to look like.

What prompted you to write your latest book, WITHOUT REPROACH?

Someone I knew, had an unexpected inheritance, and I wondered what might happen if it were taken to an extreme.

Where is your book available from?

I've seen it on online sites in numerous places over the world, including India, Japan, China, Germany, Italy, Sweden, France, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. It is available on numerous sites including, all Amazon sites, WHSmith, Buy.com and B&N.

Did you have difficulty getting published?

Not this time around. I had difficulty a number of years ago, and so went down the route of short stories to build up a portfolio. Since 1994 I've been published in magazines, international competitions, and summer specials. My stories have been broadcast on primetime radio, and recorded for audio books.

Probably because of this experience, my novel was accepted only a few weeks after it had been submitted.

Would you like to give a very brief outline?

WITHOUT REPROACH is about intrigue, deception, and self-torment, the struggle between the arrogance of man and the inner strength of woman, a story of vivid emotions and dark secrets. Jenny, from middle England, inherits a share in a Spanish hacienda, from an artist, she has never met, never heard of and is not related to. Jenny’s problems begin when she discovers a nude painting of herself in the entrance hall. Her problems are compounded when the artist’s half brother learns of her inheritance.

For more information and extracts from Without Reproach check my website. You can also find me on my blog ajbarnett-story.blogspot.com or anthonyjamesbarnett.blogspot.com or the website at anthonyjamesbarnett.blogspot.com


Thanks so much for your time today, Anthony.