Interview With Crime Author Elka Ray

Today I have another great interview, this time with crime author Elka Ray. She stops by to chat about her writing and her books, including her latest suspense novel Saigon Dark. Enjoy!

Interview With Elka Ray

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

I'm an only child and my family moved around a lot when I was a kid. I went to about a dozen different schools in Canada and the UK. Wherever we went I made new friends but then had to leave them, which was hard. What stayed constant were my books. I read and drew a lot as a child and now work as an author, editor and illustrator.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

My suspense novel Saigon Dark came out with Crimewave Press last fall. It follows a Vietnamese-American woman named Lily Vo who's living in Saigon when tragedy strikes. Traumatized and isolated, Lily makes a harrowing choice that comes back to haunt her. It's a story about family, betrayal and belonging - and how hard we'll fight for the people we love.

I think deception - especially self-deception - is like poison. In Saigon Dark, I wanted to explore a woman who's unable to tell the truth.

How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?

I studied Journalism and Asian Studies, then spent years doing media and communications work. Having lived in Southeast Asia since the mid-1990s, I focused on travel and cultural articles. I've contributed to many magazines and guidebooks. My first novel, a light romantic mystery called Hanoi Jane, was published in 2011. A short story collection, What You Don't Know: Tales of Obsession, Mystery & Murder in Southeast Asia came out in mid-2016, followed by Saigon Dark at the end of the year.

Why did you decide to write in the crime genre?

I grew up reading classics, then trashy teen novels. In my twenties I read mostly literary fiction. When I was pregnant with my third child, who's now eight, I developed an addiction to crime fiction. You always hear about pregnant women craving weird foods - pickles with ice cream or Big Macs at 4 a.m. I craved mysteries and suspense. I couldn't read enough dark tales.

The premise of Saigon Dark had come to me about a year earlier but I started to flesh out the story during that pregnancy.

After my daughter's birth my insatiable appetite for crime stories waned a little. I still read a lot of crime today but am not as obsessive as I was during those nine months.

You may be wondering how my baby turned out. Well, from an early age, she's been weirdly interested in death. When he was around two, my son used to beg me to visit construction sites. A lot of little boys love trucks and heavy machinery. My daughter, on the other hand, wanted to visit cemeteries. She'd squeal and point, "Grave! Grave!" and ask creepy questions. How did they die? How deep are they buried? How many dead people do I know?  Why? Why? I wanted to run away screaming.

It's like the chicken or the egg: Did the dark stuff I read shape her? Did she somehow influence my interests when she was in my body? Or is it just a coincidence - with no more meaning than a pregnancy craving for peanut butter?

All I know is that during that pregnancy I shifted to writing crime fiction.

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

I live near the beach in Central Vietnam and love to swim. Most days I'm either in the ocean or beach-combing. New characters and stories often materialize when I'm swimming or taking long walks. I also work out tricky plot problems while swimming.

Once an idea comes you need to get it down fairly quickly or it's gone. I feel a sense of pressure to get the first draft out - the story you write today won't be the same tomorrow.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

Writers I admire include Daphne du Maurier, George Orwell, Graham Greene, Charles Dickens, Michael Ondaatje, Rohinton Mistry, Dennis Lehane, Scott Smith, Stephen King (although I'm too chicken to read much horror), Sue Miller, Tana French, Donna Tartt, Susan Fletcher... There are many more but look these writers up.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

Read as much and as widely as possible - not just in the genre in which you plan to write. Read literary classics and recent best-sellers. Read fiction and non-fiction. Read writers of Indian descent, whose works tend to be lush and busy. Read Japanese and Scandinavian authors, whose language is often bare-bones.

When it comes time to write, read your prose out loud. If you stumble, your sentence is clunky. If you aren't familiar with George Orwell's rules for good writing, look them up.

Some useful and well-explained writing advice may be found on this blog: www.emmadarwin.typepad.com/

Do you have any amusing writing stories or anecdotes to share?

Many people don't understand that novelists make stuff up. Most plots did not really happen to us or to anyone we know. Most characters are not thinly-veiled copies of people we've met. Our job is to invent characters and stories that feel true.

After reading my short crime stories one woman I know said to me: "Wow! Where do you get these ideas? You don't even watch a lot of TV!"

I loved the assumption that writers sit around and steal their material off the tube.

You don't choose to be a storyteller: stories either come to you or they don't. What you need as an author is the patience to sit down and write and rewrite (and rewrite, repeat...) those stories until your prose is clear and precise.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?

As well as writing for adults I write and illustrate for small kids. My drawings are bright and cheerful. I also produce cute, colorful drawings for Vietnam-themed greeting cards and souvenirs. Proceeds go to support poor kids in Vietnam who need genital/urinary surgeries: www.stickyrice.com

My latest obsession is gardening - although no one in my family has a green thumb. I replant stuff that grows wild near the beach (aka weeds) because I figure these plants might survive despite our care.

You can find Elka Ray's latest book Saigon Dark on Amazon.

About the Author:

Elka Ray is a UK/Canadian author and illustrator based in Hoi An, Vietnam. The author of one novel, Hanoi Jane, Elka also writes and draws an expanding series of children’s books about Southeast Asia, including Vietnam A to Z, 123 Vietnam! and The Warrior Queens. For adults, Elka focuses on crime fiction and mysteries. Her short stories have appeared in Monsoon's Crime Scene Asia: Asia's Best Crime Fiction 2014  (Hong Kong); New Asian Fiction (India) 2013 and Lontar: The Journal of Southeast Asian Speculative Fiction (Singapore) 2014. Her travel writing has run in a wide range of publications, including Fodor's, Forbes, Executive Traveller and Persimmon Asian Arts. Elka holds a Canadian degree in Journalism and Asian Studies and a Canadian diploma in Creative Writing. She has a sporty husband and two kids, works as a magazine editor, and has an author’s site at www.elkaray.com. When Elka’s not writing or drawing, she’s in the ocean. 

Interview With Author Mark Wallace Maguire

Today I have the second part of a two part feature for Mark Wallace Maguire and his book Alexandria Rising with an author interview. Enjoy!

Interview with Mark Wallace Maguire

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself?

I was raised in over a dozen cities throughout the South. I now live south of Atlanta in what I like to call Red Clay Country. My novel, "Alexandria Rising" was published in October 2016. In 2015, my non-fiction book, "Letters from Red Clay Country" was published which featured a selection of my award-winning columns and essays on Southern culture. My writing has appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines and literary reviews and he has been honored by organizations such as The Associated Press and The Georgia Poetry Society.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

Here is the gist of it without giving away any spoilers: Rand O'Neal, an ambition-less newspaper reporter, is given a single task upon the death of his grandfather: Destroy a mysterious map. What should be a simple errand thrusts Rand into a journey across three countries chased by unknown pursuers into a world he never could have imagined. This book is labelled an action adventure, but contains elements of science fiction, suspense and mystery. It is also the first in a trilogy and a series of prequels. It is also linked to a multi-media website which allows readers to engage with the experience in video, images and interactive appendices.

Why did you decide to write in the action-adventure/sci fi genre?

About three years ago, I had finished a book - unpublished - which was semi-autobiographical. It was a good catharsis, but not very fun to write. I decided then if I was going to write a novel, I wanted to have fun writing it. I had a great time writing ‘Alexandria Rising’ and the readers I’ve talked to enjoyed it as well, so I think having a positive, creative outlook really came through in the words.

What did you enjoy most about writing your book?

I wrote ‘Alexandria Rising’ as an outlet and a way to channel my imagination. Along the way, I was introduced to the ideas of world creation which - while I was aware of i.e. J.R.R. Tolkien, George Lucas, etc. I had not done before to this extent. Discovering that path and challenge has been loads of fun.

What did you find most challenging about writing your book?

Choosing what to leave out can be tough. Also, sometimes boiling things down and trying to make the complicated accessible. That is a chief goal of mine. You don’t want to talk down to your readers so I usually try to disseminate complex ideas through dialogue. 

What did you hope to accomplish by publishing your book?

I hope to become a full time writer. I currently work in media and, while I enjoy my work, I would like to be able to write for a living. 

What is your greatest challenge as a writer?

Time. Finding time is always a challenge. I have a full time job and a family so I write in the margins of life so to speak.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

There are so many tremendous writers out there, but, I would really have to name J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Ludlum, Susanna Clarke, C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot and Pat Conroy as my top influences. Lewis, Tolkien, Ludlum and Clarke have outstanding imaginations and Conroy and Eliot are simply masters of description.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Any hobbies? My number one passion outside of writing is playing and composing music. I am actually working with a number of musicians now on a musical companion to my novel entitled, ‘Alexandria Rising Rhythms.’ I hope to release it by July.

Are you working on another book?

I am currently working on the sequel to ‘Alexandria Rising’ tentatively called, ‘Alexandria Reborn.’ I am about 48,000 words into the third draft and hope to have it on the market by fall 2017. As I write it, however, I also find myself writing bits and pieces to the prequels as I work to create a world and history around the characters and such. 

About the Author 

Mark Wallace Maguire is a writer, musician and creator who lives south Atlanta in Red Clay Country. He hails from all over the South, having lived in 15 cities across that beautiful and bizarre region. His works include the novel Alexandria Rising and a book of columns and essays on Southern Culture, “Letters from Red Clay Country”. His writing has appeared in dozens of other publications and he is currently working in media in metro Atlanta.

You can read more about his work on his website.

And Alexandria Rising can be found at Amazon

Rand O'Neal, an ambition-less newspaper reporter, is given a single task upon the death of his grandfather: Destroy a mysterious map. What should be a simple errand thrusts Rand into a journey across three countries chased by unknown pursuers into a world he never could have imagined.

Book Spotlight: All Lesser Means

Today I am spotlighting the sci-fi political thriller, All Lesser Means by JA Pipes. Enjoy!

All Lesser Means by JA Pipes

Jason Bailey needs money. Paying to overthrow the government isn’t cheap. Especially when the revolution is still 30 years away. In his first job out of college, Jason is working alone one night when he receives a message… from the future. A message that will turn his life upside down.

The future is bleak, the economy is a shambles, and millions are suffering. Jason’s compassion for people he has never met draws him into a conspiracy to bankroll a secret army that will overthrow that government. Things go much deeper than Jason anticipated and his investments soon draw the attention of the FBI.

Veteran agent and internet cop Frank McIntyre is drafted into a top secret government operation to find Jason, with orders to stop him or face the consequences. The chase is on. Jason must hide the money, and himself, in a cat and mouse game that ends in revolution.

All Lesser Means is available on Amazon

Author Bio:

JA Pipes is a self-proclaimed politics junkie, anarchist podcaster, and blogger. He has traveled the world from Uluru to Istanbul. He has dug up dinosaurs in the badlands of Montana. He served in the United States Marine Corps during Desert Storm. He holds degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Missouri. He is currently an engineer for the world’s largest aerospace company. Mr. Pipes resides in St. Louis with his wife and two children.

Website: http://japipes.com/

#‎B2BCYCON Interview With Author Adan Ramie

Yes, I have another Brain to Books Cyber Convention author feature (and haven't they been wonderful so far). Remember, this great event for authors and readers alike is coming to Goodreads this April, on the 8th, 9th and 10th. 

Be sure to check out all the details and pertinent links for the event here:

http://www.angelabchrysler.com/brain-to-books-cyber-convention-2016/

Now on with the main event, our Brain to Books author feature.

Today I have a terrific interview with suspense and horror author Adan Ramie. 

Interview With Adan Ramie

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

Anyone who knows me well can tell you this simple truth about me: I have a big mouth. I got started reading and writing early in life, and both have served as escapes – and funnels for my need to constantly communicate - for as long as I can remember.

You write in several genres. Do you have a favourite? And if so, why?

The first stories that caught my attention were horror stories, and I still write a lot of those now, but I’ve also branched out into a dozen other genres, including more speculative fiction types, dark comedy, and even romance. People have asked if I will ever narrow my focus, and I always say the same thing: I write what churns inside my head. If that ever narrows, my writing will follow suit. (But I doubt it.)

What do you enjoy most about writing in the horror genre?

Horror gives me a place to exorcise all my demons. If there is anything I’m worried about or afraid of, you can guarantee it will end up in a creepy tale in one way or another. Likewise, if I’m angry with someone or something, they’re likely to appear as an unlikable character who ends up maimed – or worse.

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

My writing process changes all the time. I wish I could say I had one perfect, tried-and-true method for getting a story out every time I put my fingers on the keys, but I’ve had no such luck. Sometimes I start from a prompt, as in the case of a lot of the short fiction I post on my website, and I kind of work my way through it with blinders on. Other times, as in the case of the book I’ll be releasing in March, I expand an idea into an outline that I use as the skeleton of the story. 

I do have a writing routine, though, that I use 4 to 5 days a week. I start with my journal, then get straight to work on whatever my current project is from there. I won’t do anything else until I’ve worked on that for at least an hour. It helps keep the long projects from getting too stagnant, and also guarantees new words every week.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?

I love reading, and I am usually reading at least one (and up to three) books at any given time. When I’m not doing that, I’m usually binge-watching true crime, classic movies, and television shows that have been off the air for a while. I also love food, so I spend a lot of time searching out new recipes and springing them on my unsuspecting family.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

The three authors who inspired me the most as a young child and teen were R.L. Stine, Stephen King, and Jane Austen. I know, that’s a kind of a weird combination, but I guess I was a pretty unusual kid. I read so fast, and so much, that I was finished with my school library long before I got out of fourth grade; to supplement my reading, I spent some time in the adult section reading everything I could get my hands on. 

My mother’s romance novels left a bad taste in my mouth, so the true romance of Jane Austen was a welcome relief. And, once I was done with everything R.L. Stine had released (Goosebumps was my favorite series), it was an easy skip ahead to Stephen King. IT scarred me for life – and turned me into a bona fide horror fanatic.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

My first novel, Maladaptation, is the first in my Deviant Behaviors series. It’s a thriller that’s been called “gritty” and “dark” by reviewers, and it focuses on the lives of three women as they are drawn together by the twisted forces around and inside them. They have all three felt the sting of abuse in ways that forged the very unique paths of their lives, but created a bond that will lead them all down the same road pursued by – or in pursuit of – a sadistic killer.

Why did you write this book? What was your inspiration?

It’s funny, but it’s hard to say what really inspired Maladaptation. It started with a poster of the folk-pop band Tegan and Sara that got me thinking about abuse, and the different ways that it can affect a person and change their life for better or for worse. From there, it progressed into a storyline that I ultimately had to turn on its head. That first draft (and its six follow-up drafts) only gave about 25% to the story that was published; the remaining 75% was based on feedback from beta readers who saw through the mess and helped me bring out the story that really needed to be told.

What’s your next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?

Right now, I’m finishing up the sequel to Maladaptation, Cluster B. It follows two characters from Maladaptation after the final showdown as they try to rebuild their lives and move on from the traumas they endured. One fun thing that I’m doing as I gear up for the release of Cluster B is offering a short story that forms the link between Maladaptation and Cluster B. It’s one of the prizes I’ll be giving away to ten of my newsletter subscribers before Cluster B is released in March.

Adan Ramie is the genre-stomping author of hundreds of published stories and even more that have yet to be released. She lives with her amazing, supportive, crazy family in a small town in Texas that is not unlike Andy Griffith's Mayberry. You can find her online at AdanRamie.com, where she posts fiction, book reviews, and anything else that strikes her fancy.

Her book, Maladaptation, can be found on Amazon

I'd like to thank Adan Ramie for stopping by today, and be sure to check out her virtual booth at the convention this April.

#‎B2BCYCON Book Spotlight on The Dead Game

Today I have another Brain to Books Cyber Convention author feature. Remember, this great event for authors and readers alike is coming to Goodreads this April, on the 8th, 9th and 10th.

Be sure to check out all the details and pertinent links for the event here:

http://www.angelabchrysler.com/brain-to-books-cyber-convention-2016/

Now on with the main event, our Brain to Books author feature.

Today I have a great book spotlight for The Dead Game by paranormal suspense author Susanne Leist.

The Dead Game by Susanne Leist

In a remote town called Oasis, beneath its blue, green waters and peaceful setting, lies an evil waiting for its next victim. Bodies turn up on the white-sanded beaches. Tourists disappear, never to be heard from again. The young residents are invited to a party at the deserted End House. And that's when the fun & games begin. They must embark on a long and arduous journey to uncover the one controlling the game and everyone in town. It is a fun roller-coaster ride for the lovers of all genres.

The Dead Game is available on:

Amazon Kindle 

Nook

Excerpt from The Dead Game

Louise became distracted by a cold wetness. The dampness was coming from her feet: her feet were wet. She looked down. She was horrified to find herself standing in a basement filled with water—water that reached above her ankles and covered most of her leg. She couldn’t understand it; the water had definitely not been there a second ago. A pool of water couldn’t appear on a whim from out of nowhere.

Not waiting for the others, Edward charged ahead into the water. He stopped in the middle where the water reached up to his knees and looked up in horror, his whole body tensing.
Louise also gazed upward but couldn’t see anything. In the darkness above, she couldn’t even see a ceiling in the open, endless space. Then she heard a shrill clanging noise originating from somewhere above them, echoing throughout the basement. She couldn’t figure out what or who was making the awful noise; it sounded like a large machine was about to fall on them.

Instead, frighteningly huge metal cages—suspended by thick metal chains—came crashing down from above. Sharp metal spokes extended from their bottom corners, to better catch any unsuspecting intruders with their ultra-sharp claws. The cages seemed to be targeting Edward, swaying dangerously close to him. He had to dodge their sharp rods, which were trying to trap him and crush him to death. He dove into the water, eluding them—one after another.

Then all was quiet. The empty cages that had missed Edward were lying harmlessly in the pool of black water. Everyone stood stunned and motionless. Edward stood panting on the far side of the water with his legs still submerged.

The bleak silence was broken by Tom’s hysterical cry, “Watch out, Edward!” He jumped into the black water. Loud swooshing noises screeched from above...slowly building in tempo. Circular saws were descending to sweep the water between the submerged cages, searching for heads to slice off. Their sharp edges glinted in the dim light of the basement.

In his desperation to reach his beloved Edward, Tom tripped and fell face first into the water. A saw was rotating toward his slumped over body. Louise stood frozen in place. There was no way she could help him in time. She was even too far away to see if he was still breathing. The saws were methodically sweeping the basement floor, lined up in rows with only about a foot of space between them. 

Author Bio:

Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities' markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she's continued to read,write and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She lives on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.

Website: https://susanneleist.wordpress.com/

I'd like to thank Susanne Leist for sharing her book with us, and be sure to check out her virtual booth at the convention this April.

Book Spotlight: A Game of Greed and Deception

Today I have a book spotlight, featuring the thriller A Game of Greed and Deception by author John Mathews. Enjoy.

A Game of Greed and Deception by John Mathews

She is young and beautiful, and recently married to a very wealthy middle-aged man who considers her to be the ultimate woman for him and holds her out as a model for his beloved 10-year-old daughter. They travel to a mountain hideaway to celebrate their first year together as a family when things begin to unravel. Her husband goes missing after a treacherous car accident, and the wife and daughter seem trapped and isolated, and stalked from both inside and outside the cabin. What ensues is the story of a woman driven by her soulless greed and self entitlement, and a man who is wronged and apparently out to get revenge. This deadly game of cat and mouse will keep you on the edge of your seat. The macabre scenes include deadly traps and medieval torture devices, hidden doors, secret rooms, and an underground labyrinth of torture chambers. Add in the legend of a hoard of pure gold bars, and it becomes clear that someone has a much bigger plan in mind and will let nothing get in their way. But who? This is the story of a plot so devious that it is set up to fool the State police investigation. But can it fool you? Keep guessing until the final scene as to what is really going on and let your intuition guide you.


A Game of Greed and Deception is available at Amazon

Author Bio:

About John Mathews:

I'm a tenured University Professor living in Rome, Italy. As I move toward retirement after a long and somewhat stressful career, I feel the desire to break out of the mold and delve into fiction which focuses on the dark side of human nature, both that which is unfeeling and indifferent to the fate of others and that which derives pleasure and a feeling of power from pain inflicted on them. Why do people read thriller stories and horror stories? Maybe because these stories allow them to entertain the unimaginable in a realm where there are no holds barred and no room for remorse. I offer up what I hope is a tasty tidbit replete with secret panels, hidden doors, torture chambers, flawed characters, riddles needing to be solved, and buried treasure.

Amazon Author Profile

Interview with Frank Fiore

 Today we have a fascinating interview with the intriguing writer Frank Fiore...

An Interview With Frank Fiore

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

Though most of my life I’ve been an entrepreneur, I’ve always enjoyed being a teacher. In fact I hold a Masters Degree in Education. This ability to help people learn translates into the kind of books I write. My non-fiction books are all about learning how to market on the Internet, how to start and online business and how to shop online. I’ve sold over 50,000 copies of those types of books. 

You’ve written a thriller series, Chronicles of Jeremy Nash.  Can you tell us about it?

Jeremy Nash is a noted debunker and skeptic of conspiracy theories, urban legends and myths is drawn into pursuing them.  Each Nash chronicle in the series is a thriller that sends Nash on an investigation of these myths and legends. Though he doesn’t believe in any of them, he is forced into pursuing them by threats to the lives of his family members or himself or threats to his reputation. The Chronicles is three book series that is available on the Nook, Kindle and Apple platforms. I am currently running a promotion for the books. Two of them are selling for only .99 cents and SEED, the second book is being offered as a serial of 15 parts that can be downloaded from Smashwords for free. 

Like myself, readers love challenges and my stories seek to challenge their minds. The kind of stories that reflect the personal challenges that they face in their day-to-day lives.  My stories, in many ways, reflect the challenges I had in my life. The back-story, so to speak, of the novel. I hope my fiction through the characters and what they face in my stories, can open the door a little wider and cast light on how we deal with the world and face it’s challenges.

You’ve written numerous successful non-fiction books.  Why did you decide to write fiction?

I’m turning my talents to writing fiction to both entertain and to teach.  That kind of writing is called geek fiction. Geek fiction breaks the boundaries of formulaic writing. It introduces intellectual acumen and provides a thoughtful, entertaining diversion for the reader. While the genre niches I write in can be varied – thrillers, action/adventures/ speculative history, short stories, and mainstream fiction - my books challenge readers and surprises them with well-paced, well researched and compelling stories.

My readers have higher-than-average IQs or advanced educations, and are looking for intellectual challenges and extraordinary entertainment that is well-crafted fiction transcending traditional genre boundaries, providing both literary character development and an interesting plot.

Was it difficult to transition from writing non-fiction to writing a fiction series?

In a way, my non-fiction taught me how to create a logical progression of ideas.  In the case of fiction, it helped me create an entertaining and logical plot. But though I can write interesting characters and unpredictable plots, I need to have a story polisher ‘beef up’ my prose. I use one for every one of my stories.

Early in your career you founded, wrote and edited the New Times newspaper.  What was that experience like?

It was my very first foray in to the entrepreneurial world. I knew nothing about the newspaper business – less about journalism. But several college dropouts and myself came up with an idea for an alternative newspaper in a very traditional community. It hit and nerve and took off.  Though I left the paper early to pursue other opportunities, it is now a multistate operation and part of the establishment now.

You’ve worked as a researcher, designed and taught courses and seminars on the future of society, technology and business, and served on several vital committees.  How much has this social and educational work influenced your writing?

Much. I have always been interested in all the disciplines and have read extensively on many subjects. This knowledge acquired over the years acts as source material for my novels like CYBERKILL, the Chronicles of Jeremy Nash.

Can you tell us about a few of your other books?

My first novel is CyberKill. It’s a techno-thriller that answers the question “How far will an artificial intelligence go for revenge?” It’s garnered 5 star ratings on Amazon.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

Don’t write for money or fame. Write because you enjoy telling a story. If that story is good enough, the money and fame will come. 

What’s your next book or project?

I’ve just finished a novel called Murran. Murran is the story of a young African-American boy named Trey coming of age in the 1980s, and his rite of passage to adulthood. Trey is a member of a ‘crew’ in Brooklyn and is enticed into helping a violent street gang. He is eventually framed for murder and flees with his high school teacher to the teacher’s Maasai village in Kenya. Trey goes through the Maasai warrior’s rite of passage, becomes a young shaman, and returns to America to confront and defeat the gang leader that framed him.

How can people find out more about your book? 

Go to my author site at www.frankfiore.com and my blog at http://frankfiore.wordpress.com/ 

Fantastic Fantasy: A Review of "On Dark Shores: The Lady"

My Book Review of On Dark Shores: The Lady by JA Clement:

On Dark Shores: The Lady by JA Clement is an enthralling page-turner and I adored the book. The marvellous story sucked me in from page one and the way the author weaves her narrative elements together, I believe she may be the literary child of Charles Dickens and Ursula K. le Guin.

In the town of Scarlock, a series of events are unfolding on a course to collide with unforeseen consequences. The thief Nereia and her sister Mary, the moneylender Copeland and his enforcer Blakey, the fence Mickel seem to be headed toward the mysterious forces surrounding the Mother of the Shantari.

Sometimes you find a book that is such a delight to read, you don’t want to pry your eyes away from the page; On Dark Shores: The Lady is such a book. You fall in this world of fantasy from the first word, swept along by a wave of mystery, struggle, fear and appealingly genuine characters. The author serves you a world you can almost smell and taste and hear, where people act from hidden motives, spite, desperation, honour, duty and even cruelty. There is an entrancing spell woven from every fibre, with characters scheming revenge or thievery, manipulating for their own ends, fighting to escape and survive. But still, a certain thread of hope or fate winds a subtle touch through the book to elevate any grim or bleak ambience, giving the plot a radiating spark.

The only bad thing about this novel is that it ended too soon, but as it is the first in a series I can look forward to more. The end left tantalising questions still pending and I’m salivating to read the next instalment. Lucky for me, there was a sneak peek at the next part tucked away at the end of the book.

On Dark Shores: The Lady is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a while, and I recommend you beg, borrow or buy this book. You won’t be disappointed.


 
On Dark Shores: The Lady is also available on Smashwords