Interview With Author T. M. Lakomy

Today I have a terrific interview with author T. M. Lakomy, who chats about her book The Shadow Crucible, her writing and the metaphysical. Enjoy...

Interview with T. M. Lakomy

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

Well I’m Tamara, the author of the “Shadow Crucible”. I’m British born but I grew up in North Africa. I studied archaeology and developed an obsession with shamanism and occult practices, and spent many years delving into it. I am a Londoner and a big lover of ancient cultures, the esoteric and history.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

This is my debut novel, it is the story of a Templar and a Seer, both chased by the blind god Samael. Now Samael was created by the mother Goddess without her counterpart’s light so he was born blind and posed as God.

He kills every incarnation of the messiah as he perceives it as a threat, propping up false religions and trading in human souls, and he decided to go after Estella the main protagonist because her sight extends so far, she can see the divine game between darkness and light; the angels, demons and Lucifer who is playing on both sides.

Throughout the narrative, many of the old deities came and claim them, as they reside in the “Twilit World” away from the infernal games, slowly revealing that they were the true rulers of creation but were pushed out by the Gods we worship today, their places usurped and demonised.

Mikhail the Templar, has a love/hate relationship with Estella, and it doesn’t help that one of the demons who used to haunt her Antariel is deliberately keeping them separate out of jealousy.

The main theme is apotheosis and the threefold death which is the ancient ritual that powerful sages used to transcend death and return as a god. It is revealed that Jesus, Mithra, Lug, Horus, Merlin and Odin, all were initiated through the threefold death and returned with power, magic and immortality, therefore rendering them all equal, and equally real.

One of the characters undergoes this transformation, imposed on him by Cernunnos the Horned God and Ceridwen, all to be able to save humanity from the reign of Samael.

Of all the books you've written, do you have a favourite?

I think my current favourite book is my second one, yet unpublished. It is more real and raw in the sense that I mixed real experiences of mine in north Africa, maraboutism, witchdoctors, and religious zeal. I blended into it the effects of the second world war and eugenics, all beneath the banner of fantasy. It has a lot of elements of my life in it, some could be construed as unpleasant but then it’s a different culture and world. So it’s darker, more horror, to the bone, but its more authentic and I did bare my soul inside.

Do you have a favourite character? If so, why?

Antariel is my favourite character, he is cunning and extremely devious, but very protective of Estella. He was an angel that became a demon, and he has this duality within himself. He hates himself and others, but thinks he’s so special since he was a choir singer before God’s throne, I’ve based him loosely on some mischievous people I knew, capable of being so beautiful and kind one moment then when they turn bad, there is no depth of depravity he won’t descend to. He is also extremely courageous, standing up to Lucifer, Mikhail and basically every other Angel and deity meddling in the game.

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

I wrote it because the themes and characters were growing and germinating in my mind for years, they existed way before I put them to paper and they just needed to thrive. One day when I was at university, I saw a saying on the wall “when you cannot find the book you want to read, then write it” and at first that got under my skin, but eventually I realised that there is a lack of gothic dark fantasy novels out there with a strong occult twist that’s steeped in authentic beliefs. So I began writing; the first word I ever wrote was “carriages” and from there the story flowed.

I was always attracted to mysticism and the paranormal, perhaps because as a child I used to see things, and no I’m not crazy, so I always had the curiosity to wonder what is beyond the doors of death? Is there more?

What did you hope to accomplish by publishing your book?

I hope to get people interested in the roots of their beliefs, and to explore the pre Abrahamic religions of Europe and the rest of the world. There is much beauty and knowledge there that is forgotten or seldom explored and I believe there is much to learn from our heritage.

I would like people to question their thoughts and their thinking patterns and ask themselves what is really them?, whether they are the product of their culture and epigenetics, how much of what we are is because we are controlled by external forces?

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

I either write chapters as they come, scenes that enfold in my mind’s eye or I plan them out. But most of the time an idea and event pops into my mind and it becomes the crux of the story so I write it, even if I must write different chapters separately. My ideas come from anything; a book by Mircea Eliade on shamanism or a gothic piece of music, to folklore and myth and of course my own strange mind.

I try to write every day sometimes a lot, sometimes little, but I keep myself busy, otherwise I can get complacent, then the process becomes harder.

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

I’m odd, I love astronomy, and discovering the latest theories on parallel universes, I love botany, discovering the medicinal properties of herbs and their ancient usage, think of books on ayahuasca experiences and such.

I love exploring other cultures and their food and just being nosy about everything around me. I try to remember to be social as I am very aware that I am eccentric even though I’m just 26.

Are you working on another book?

Yes, on my third book, I think it will be slightly different in the genre, perhaps softer, and that shows the evolution of my writing. It’s still full of folkloric themes that I just can’t get enough of, it’s like dark modern fairytales, less dark than my second book but explores my eastern European roots.

I have a collection of dialogues that I intend to publish someday but that’s a project for later.

The Shadow Crucible: The Blind God by T. M. Lakomy

In a world where angels, demons, and gods fight over the possession of mortal souls, two conflicted pawns are ensnared in a cruel game. The enigmatic seer Estella finds herself thrown together with Count Mikhail, a dogmatic Templar dedicated to subjugating her kind. But when a corrupted cardinal and puppet king begin a systematic genocide of her people, the two become unlikely allies.
Taking humanity back to their primordial beliefs and fears, Estella confronts Mikhail’s faith by revealing the true horror of the lucrative trade in human souls. All organized religions are shops orchestrated to consume mankind. Every deity, religion, and spiritual guide has been corrupted, and each claims to have the monopoly on truth and salvation.
In a perilous game where the truth is distorted and meddling ancient deities converge to partake of the unseen battle, Estella unwittingly finds herself hunted by Lucifer. Traversing the edge of hell’s precipice, Estella and Mikhail are reduced to mere instruments. Their only means to overcome is through courting the Threefold Death, the ancient ritual of apotheosis—of man becoming God.

The Shadow Crucible: The Blind God is available for pre-order on Amazon

Author Bio:

T. M. Lakomy is an archaeologist, specialising in the occult practices of indigenous people. She grew up in  a marabout culture, with witchdoctors and tribal traditions, which fuelled her to delve deeper into the mystic beliefs of people.

She blended ancient gnostic beliefs into her novel, bringing back ancient deities who fight over the rulership of human souls, and the main themes are apotheosis and pulling back the veil.

Drabble Wednesday: World Travel

Today on Drabble Wednesday we travel, journey to cities past, to days dark…

Briefly, in Paris

Such sadness in her eyes, this girl standing silent among the raucous crowds spilling onto the Paris streets. The rest, well, they are here to watch and cheer the spectacle about to unfold. But she is different. Not once, in all my times presiding over these events, have I seen sorrow. At least not in an ordinary citizen.

It does her credit, but I wonder why she grieves. I hope those feelings will not lead her into my path.

I surreptitiously watch her as I do my duty.

She turns her head, averts her eyes, as the guillotine falls.

~*~

The Venice I Adore

Ah, my beauteous city, the splendour that is Venice!

How I’ve missed you, drifting your canals while the moonlight plays amongst your shadows.

Such magnificence! You are where my heart remains, the only lady I give my fealty.

For you and I share much, do we not?

Your stone and edifice stay silent, but would they reveal your mysteries, if they could? Would you whisper my secrets? Would you confess my dark deeds? Would you betray me, as I have betrayed?

Or would you stay as voiceless as your waters? The waters that swallowed the bones of those I killed.

~*~

Fair Phoenicia

From Tyre we sailed, not three days past, on a trading ship well favoured by the gods.

I looked to sell my goods in Crete, cloth of the regal purple, and more. It was to be the making of me, the first of fortunes to fill my coffers.

Until fortune turned on a storm of ferocity.

Our ship was smashed upon the rocks, casting all to tempestuous waters.

Instead of riches, I bestowed my family mourning tears. Instead of prosperity, the sea claimed the entire. I went not to adventure, but into Death’s embrace.

Farewell, my Tyre. Farewell, my Phoenicia.

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

Interview With Author D. W. Wilkin

Today, we go back in time with author D. W. Wilkin, to discuss the Regency Era, Jane Austen, his books and writing. Read on, and enjoy...

Interview with D. W. Wilkin

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

I have hit my middle years, which I think gives me some perspective as an inhabitant of earth, as well as a writer. I see through these eyes the person I was twenty and thirty years ago and know now that that person then needed to go further in their journey to be complete. I see a lot of young people who need better guidance and advice then society has provided. And I read my writing from my earlier days and, groan…

I live in Southern California and have travelled all over the world. One of my grandfathers was English so have been to England more than once. I feel that I am well read, with a personal library of over 6000 books. (But then I haven't read every book in my library yet.)

You write historic novels predominantly, quite often set in the Regency Era. What is it about that particular time period that inspires you?

Writers of Regencies make the period much more charming than it was. We hardly ever write about the dingy side of London. We spend our time in drawing rooms and at Balls, talking of the Ton, which was the 10,000 most important people of the Empire.

When watching Lord Laurence Olivier portray Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, at first, I did not like the period, but it grew on me until I began to be a historical reenactor of the time. Even teaching the dances of the time, and attending balls now where we all dress as members of the Ton and dance the night away.

Can you tell us a bit about your latest book, Beggars Can't Be Choosier?

Beggars Can't Be Choosier is the story of an English Earl, Brian Forbes Pangentier, who is Cleaned Out, has no money. His father not planning very well, and all the estates are rented to pay his debts. Katherine Chandler inherits a fortune when her father dies, a man who made it in the India Trade. She is not of society, and is snubbed by it. She decides that marrying a lord is her way to respectability. And she can afford to do so.

Katherine and Brian begin to make a home and life for themselves, but once children arrive and the title is secured, part of their agreement is that they will separate and even divorce. Allowing both to look for love in their lives. That money could often buy a title throughout the ages is a concept often used. Divorce and separations also did take place in the Regency. (Though divorce had to be handled with extra care.) I don’t want to give the ending away, but seeing as this is a Regency Romance, you would be correct in expecting love to make its way into the tale at some point.

You've also written a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice using some of the secondary characters. Was it intimidating or tricky to continue that particular story?

It was a little tricky. It had always struck me as a wonder why not more was said about the war that raged across Europe at this time. Austen had brothers who went off to serve in the Navy and became admirals as well. It took me some time to see that Jane had developed the book over the course of many years so leaving exact dates and the occurrences that were happening in the world out of her tales was easier for her.

With a man titled as Colonel and his father an Earl, it became clear in my mind that Colonel Fitzwilliam as we met him through Jane Austen’s writing must have been a man who led a regiment. His commission bought and paid for by his father. Adding to his tale, for it intrigued me (I also historically reenacted as a member of a Victorian Era regiment) was something I wanted to do. I also wanted to tell the tale of Kitty too.

The War however lasts a great deal longer than one season, and a young lady did not stay available for many seasons before being On The Shelf (too old to marry.) Using the device of letters from those home in London and England, to Colonel Fitzwilliam, away on the Peninsula fighting for England and Wellington, I thought would be a good device.

How do you research your books? What are the challenges in deciding which historic tidbits to include and what to leave out?

I have a degree in history from UCLA, so I used to start with my books on the Era. And then the internet became ever more powerful. I have a chronology of events of the Regency years at: http://www.regencyassemblypress.com/Regency_Timeline.html

But I also go to Wikipedia and then index articles there quite often for what I need. My historicals use the reality of history as a background to the tale. I have one story in first draft that is about the Peninsula War where the events make the characters secondary, so they are completely accurate and the fictitious additions are to make the tale into a story that is compelling to read.

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

I start with an idea, that I then flesh out in a note, now on my iPad. I then take the note, which has become a plot outline with beginning, middle and end and start actually putting two to four sentences of scenes for each chapter of the tale. I use a program that emulates an index card. That imports into my writing program and I can see, as I start writing each chapter, my plan for it in the upper right of the screen. I try to write up to 20 pages a day as I go at my first draft.

I think most ideas come from dreaming and sleep. I used to keep a journal by my bed and have hundreds of ideas I transposed to the computer. The best ones can be fleshed out into full novels. And as I mentioned age giving perspective both as a member of the race, and a writer, I can craft better conflict, action, dialogue now. My routine is to get on the computer in the am and check for correspondence, add to the blog, clean up things, and then start the days writing. Break for lunch, and then back to it until it is late afternoon and my mind has fogged over.

What is the greatest problem you've faced as a writer?

Getting the word out, and selling. My writing has reached a level that it has a style, and I find (like the toothpaste commercial) 4 out of 5 readers like my style when they read it. But they have to discover me and then stick with me to the last page. (In Regencies we have authors who wait till the last page for the first kiss. That is where I have generally fallen, though Beggars Can't Be Choosier is not quite one of those.)

Who has inspired you as an author?

As a writer you must read Stephen King’s On Writing. That is totally inspirational. For what I write, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Sharon Kay Penman and even Robert Jordan. And then really a great many others. Not all the writers I read are great, nor all are inspirational, but some who are either one or the other have given me examples of how to tell a better tale.

What’s next for you?

I have been developing a trilogy concept for Xchyler Publishing based on my characters, Wilkins Micawber III and Daniel Copperfield, and the adventures they would have in the Royal Dirigible Corps, fighting for the Empire in Southern Africa. I hope to have a green light and that we will see these Steampunky characters again soon.

Beggars Can't Be Choosier:

When a fortune purchases a title, love shall never flourish, for a heart that is bought, can never be won.

The Earl of Aftlake has struggled since coming into his inheritance. Terrible decisions by his father has left him with an income of only 100 pounds a year. For a Peer, living on such a sum is near impossible. Into his life comes the charming and beautiful Katherine Chandler. She has a fortune her father made in the India trade. 

Together, a title and a fortune can be a thing that can achieve great things for all of England. Together the two can start a family and restore the Aftlake fortunes. Together they form an alliance. 

But a partnership of this nature is not one of love. And terms of the partnership will allow both to one day seek a love that they both deserve for all that they do. But will Brian Forbes Pangentier find the loves he desires or the love he deserves?

And Katherine, now Countess Aftlake, will she learn to appreciate the difference between happiness and wealth? Can love and the admiration of the TON combine or are the two mutually exclusive?

Author Bio:

Mr. Wilkin, the author, is a student of the English Regency. He has written several books and we can expect more to come this year and in the future. A student of history, Mr. Wilkin graduates with a bachelors from UCLA. In later years he continued his studied after college and applied himself as a re-enactor of history. A member of several societies that pursue the study of history through reenacting, Mr. Wilkin is a well known figure in his circles covering history from the middle ages to the present.

Along the way, Mr. Wilkin became a teacher of dance from former times. Several of those dances from the periods of history that are covered and mentioned in his novels are spelled out at the Regency Assembly Press website. 

After his first novel, The End of the World, a short interview was published with Mr. Wilkin. Mr. Wilkin writes in several disciplines, but maintains that writing Regencies is his favorite. Not only does he find drafting his own quite rewarding, but the sequels to the work of Jane Austen  equally gratifying.

You can find out more about the author and his books at these websites:

http://thethingsthatcatchmyeye.wordpress.com

http://www.regencyassemblypress.com/Home.html

Also, you can find Beggars Can't Be Choosier on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Cant-Be-Choosier-Wilkin/dp/0982998910

And on Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/404439

A Trip to the Time Traveller's Reunion-Part One

A Trip to the Time Traveller's Reunion-Part One

This past weekend I took a steampunk step back in time when I attended the Time Traveller's Reunion in historic Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia.  The event was a wondrous Victorian occasion, organized by the Jules Verne Phantastical Society and the Sherbrooke Village officials. I was kindly invited to be a guest speaker in my capacity as one of the authors in the book, Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology.

The event location, Sherbrooke Village, is nestled in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, and is a museum town of living history, depicting a typical Nova Scotian village from 1860 to pre-WW1. It has, among many fascinating buildings, a working woodturner shop, blacksmith, pottery shop, and printery. And this past weekend of June 15th-16th, it hosted a barrage of ever-so elegant steampunk enthusiasts.


The weekend was a grand affair, a fashionable, mechanical (steam-powered of course) and highly Victorian
celebration, with workshops, vendors, musicians, and strange contraptions. An impressive array of costuming and other steampunk paraphernalia was on display, as well as the entertaining workshops and guests, some evening cinema on Saturday, and even Garden Party with music and cucumber sandwiches to end out Sunday. For two days, the parasols twirled, gentlemen tipped their hats, and marvellous inventors demonstrated their amazing gadgets.

I’ll be discussing everything (including my guest appearances) in more detail, in A Trip to the Time Traveller's Reunion-Part Two. So stroll back tomorrow, if you please for more delights and wonders.

Time Fall: A Chat with Tim Ashby

Today we are joined by Tim Ashby, author of TIME FALL, who stops by for a chat and a Q & A as part of his virtual book tour...

Hello! I enjoy writing and reading historical fiction; and both my books -- DEVIL'S DEN and TIME FALL --center on historical events. In my new book, TIME FALL, I gave myself the job of creating realistic characters from two different time periods who must interact with one another. This task turned out to be both challenging and fun! I had a time-traveling WWII soldier falling in love with a modern day medical student, and I had to make it all believable. Many readers have asked me questions about the process, and why I choose to write historical fiction, so I hope you’ll enjoy this Q & A.

In TIME FALL six US Army soldiers are sent, in 1945, on a mission to hit Nazi targets behind enemy lines. They parachute into a crazy electrical storm and disappear, officially Missing in Action for almost 70 years. In fact, they are pulled out of their own time and into ours. They land in deeply forested Germany, still believing it is 1945, and begin to attack.
    
I hope this work keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they are torn between rooting for these brave men, and knowing that the targets the men seek to destroy are innocent.

Q. TIME FALL is an interesting hybrid -- a novel set in the present day, but featuring soldiers who accidentally "time travel" to today while on a mission during WWII. Would you consider this work historical fiction? 
A.  All of my novels have strong historical elements, but I don’t consider TIME FALL to be historical fiction.  Only the opening scenes in the book actually take place in the past – April 1945.  The remainder of the novel happens in the present day, and there’s plenty of action packed into just the 48 hours in which those scenes are set!  My other books, such as the “Seth Armitage” series set in the 1920s, are historical mystery thrillers.  My approach as a writer is to take a factual historical mystery and build a seamless fictional plot around it.  The “time travel” plot device is TIME FALL is based on an actual incident that took place during the Vietnam War – the disappearance of a helicopter and its crew.

Q.  What prompted your interest in writing works with a strong historical fiction component?
A.  I’ve always had a keen interest in history, particularly the US Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the 1920s.  I enjoy the historical research that adds authenticity to my books.  I've actually published several non-fictional “academic” historical works, including an article about a British military campaign in the Caribbean.

Q.  Do you think writing historical fiction is more or less challenging than contemporary fiction might be, for you, and why?
A.  I think writing ANY fiction is challenging!  However, for historical fiction, the author has to ensure that EVERY detail is correct because so many readers are experts in their own right.  For example, in TIME FALL, I had to research every detail of weapons and equipment that would have been carried by US Army Rangers in combat in 1945.  I even had to get the wording on their “dog tags” right, as patterns changed during the course of the war. I also spent time learning how American soldiers spoke in the 1940s (WW II veterans alive today actually use different expressions than they did in their youth), and I learned about the culture of the 1930s and 1940s – the movies, songs, news events that soldiers in the Second World War – both American and German – would have grown up with.

Q. Your first book, DEVIL'S DEN, is set in 1920, with flashbacks to the mid-1800s. You seem to enjoy writing books involving two or more time periods. What attracted you to this interesting technique?
A.  I've always been fascinated by the relative shortness of time.  For example, the Battle of Gettysburg took place 150 years ago, but I knew an elderly relative raised by her grandfather, Captain John Ashby, who had been an officer in a Virginia regiment during Pickett’s Charge during the battle.  Her grandfather lived to a great age and told her many stories about his service in the Civil War, which she relayed to me.  Some of the scenes in DEVIL’S DEN are based on Captain Ashby's reminiscences.  My own grandfather was born during the “horse and buggy” days, yet lived long enough to watch television, drive cars, fly in jet planes, etc.

Q.  War factors prominently in both your books. Can you talk a little about that, in terms of your own experience?
A.  Throughout my life I've been both intrigued and repelled by war.  I’m very sympathetic to military veterans, and my books always have prominent characters who are veterans.  IN TIME FALL, an American Vietnam veteran and a German WW II Luftwaffe veteran – both physically and psychologically damaged by their wartime service – interact with the US Army Rangers who jumped from 1945 into the present.  I have not served in the military, although I held two Top Secret security clearances, worked in Latin America with the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), served as a “hostage” during a training exercise of the British Special Air Service (SAS) regiment, and spent my 21st birthday in the British Army’s Jungle Warfare Training School in the Maya Mountains of Belize – but those are stories for another time!

Q.  What do you find particularly gratifying about writing historical fiction?
A.  Immersing myself so deeply into the research that I literally (no pun intended) begin dreaming about the historical eras I depict in my books.  I become a virtual actor in put myself in my characters’ minds and bodies so they become real personalities on the printed (or electronic) page.

Q.  Your first novel is set in the 1920s, and the second book in the present day, but with characters for whom it is 1945. What are you working on now? If it is historical fiction, why have you decided to stick with that genre?
A.  I’m currently working on the second book in the “Seth Armitage” series of historical mystery thrillers, a novel titled IN SHADOWLAND which is set in 1925.  Seth, who has returned to the Bureau of Investigation at J. Edgar Hoover’s request, is investigating the mysterious disappearance of Quentin Roosevelt – son of President Teddy Roosevelt – a WW I pilot shot down behind German lines in 1918.  The 1920s provide a rich vein of characters and events to mine for writers.  The period is fascinating, as it was transitional in so many ways.  The era is also perennially popular – note the new film version of THE GREAT GATSBY, as well as BOARDWALK EMPIRE, DOWNTON ABBEY, etc.


Filled with historically accurate details, Time Fall is a complex tale that keeps readers riveted through every surprising twist. To read an excerpt and to enter to win a FREE copy of Time Fall, visit http://www.timefallbook.com/. To get your copy now, visit http://amzn.to/12mA0mW (print) and http://amzn.to/1aK4Xzt (digital). You can also get your copy at all major book retailers. 

TIME FALL

Author Planet Press 

June, 2013

Lt. Art Sutton’s team of six US Rangers parachute into Nazi Germany…  but they vanish in 1945.  They land, a few minutes later, in 2011. The Rangers are unaware of the passage of time all around them and the valiant, misguided soldiers begin to attack “enemy” targets.

They face the age old question - What is good? What is evil? 

About Tim Ashby:

Timothy Ashby's life has been as thrilling as one of his action/adventure novels. Visit his author blog at www.timashby.com. 

An international lawyer, businessman and writer, Tim Ashby worked in Washington DC as a counter-terrorism consultant to the U.S. State Department, and then as a senior official - the youngest political appointee of his rank - at the U.S. Commerce Department, responsible for commercial relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. He held two Top Secret security clearances and worked with a number of colorful characters, including members of the U.S. military's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He has lived in the Caribbean and Europe as well as various places in the United States. An avid historian, he published widely on military history, archaeology, business and international relations. A licensed attorney in Florida and the District of Columbia, Tim Ashby has a PhD degree from the University of Southern California, a JD from Seattle University Law School, and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh Scotland.

Book Review: Gastien (Part 1: The Cost of the Dream)

My Review of Gastien (Part 1: The Cost of the Dream) by Caddy Rowland:

Gastien (Part 1: The Cost of the Dream) by Caddy Rowland is an interesting novel, a blend of history, sex and artistic dreams. It is an illustrative glimpse into a past world decorated with steamy sex and colour.

Set in 19^th century France, book tells the beginning of Gastien’s story, a French peasant who wants to be an artist. It details his abusive childhood, his escape to Paris, new friendships and sexual relationships, and the suffering he endures to fulfill his aspirations.

The novel’s strength is in its main character, a well-written and relatable persona. You do feel for his trials and get a good sense of his personality when reading, as well as engage with his life. Plus, the author did an excellent job with the details of an artist’s existence in the time period and the details of painting and technique; I found them realistic. There are some nice historic particulars, too, and the sex scenes are vividly portrayed.

However, the novel does have its problems. I found the prose did get repetitive at times, the plot to be stretched a bit thin, and the story lagged in the middle of the book. Some of the characterization (other than Gastien) is a bit one-dimensional, especially with secondary characters and I found much of the dialogue peppered with too many modern phrases such as “okay” and “gig”. These words detracted from the historic feel of the book for me and I felt the characters’ speech was at odds with the setting. The author also had the occasional tendency for explanative narrative regarding Gastien’s state of mind which I found unnecessary and distracting.

Overall though, I did enjoy the book, so I give it a mild recommendation, though readers should be warned this novel is quite explicit in the portrayal of sex and abuse.


Gastien (Part 1: The Cost of the Dream) is available at Amazon

 

The Next Big Thing

A few weeks ago I was kindly asked my friend and fellow writer, the talented Pat Bertram to participate in The Next Big Thing. For those of you not in the know, basically “The Next Big Thing” is a blog chain where a writer like me answers ten questions about a Work-in- Progress and then tags five more writer/bloggers to carry on the chain with their own Q and A post. You can check out Pat’s Next Big Thing post here: http://ptbertram.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/the-next-big-thing/

Now on to the main show, what you’ve all been waiting for, my...Next Big Thing

This is a cover mock-up I created.

What is your working title of your book?

The Duke’s Assassin

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It came from a short story I wrote for a steampunk horror themed anthology. I was looking for an idea for the story and I read an article about Canadian Steampunk, so being from Canada I thought it would be a cool idea to use the city of Halifax (from my home province of Nova Scotia) as a setting. As I was developing the alternate history/horror setting, I realised how much more there was to tell about this world I created and the characters. So I decided to write The Duke’s Assassin, which in turn became the first in a series of novels I plan to write.

What genre does your book fall under?

It’s part horror and part steampunk, so Steampunk Horror fits, I think.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I could see Hugh Jackman as my main vampire, Gideon (although I can see him in anything, so I might be biased), Kenneth Branagh as Samuel Cunard, Colin Farrell as the vampire Silas, Natalie Dormer (of The Tudors and Game of Thrones fame) as Nora, Canadian actor, Callum Keith Rennie as Rufus, Richard Armitage as my main villain, Richard and Alan Rickman as the Duke of Kent.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

An alternate Victorian world, where vampires, scientists and machines face down anarchists for the fate of the city of Halifax and British North America. 

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Well, I’m hoping to get it published with a Canadian publishing company, but if that doesn’t happen I will self-publish.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’m still polishing up the first draft, as there’s still some historical research to muddle through and a few details to iron out, but it’s coming along quickly.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I never like comparing my writing to anything, but I suppose in the book there’s a bit of flavour of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore, and Dracula by Bram Stoker.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I’ve been looking for the right idea to set a book in a Canadian locale and the idea of re-writing history and using my home province as a background was quite the inspiration.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think the main character of Gideon, who’s a vampire, will appeal to readers. He’s not a villain, but neither is he a hero. He does his job protecting the Royal Maritime Commissioner, Samuel Cunard, and the city of Halifax from the threat of the anarchists, but he has no problem killing anyone on the opposing side of his world. He is quite amoral in a charming way. Also, the world itself, with its altered history, steam-powered machines and complicated politics should hold some fascination for readers.

And so ends my post.  Here are the five valiant bloggers who will carry on with the Next Big Thing chain next week:

Nick Paschall: The Nickronomicon

(The Next Big Thing Post)

Sarah Baethge: My Writings 
(The Next Big Thing Post)

N. L. Armitage: The Twisted World of Gravitation

Sue Merrell: Laughing for a Living
(The Next Big Thing Post)

Angela Yuriko Smith: Dandilyon Fluff

A Haunting, Fascinating Love Story: A Review of You, Fascinating You.

My Book Review of You, Fascinating You by Germaine Shames:

You, Fascinating You by Germaine Shames is a graceful, haunting book that brings its small part of history to life vividly. As a reader you find yourself immersed in a world full of happiness, sadness and looming terror perfectly realised on the page.

The book is a fictionalized account of the lives of Hungarian ballerina Margit Wolf and Italian composer Pasquale Frustaci aka “the Italian Cole Porter”. You, Fascinating You breathes soul into their life story, amidst the European setting before, during and after WWII.

The author has done a magnificent job recreating the era for her book, with not only place and facts, but with mood, language and emotion. From the first page you feel as if you are there, in Hungary, in Italy, peering into the lives of these people. I was captivated by the story, how the two main characters interacted, the choices they made and how their lives and their futures were swept into and changed by events beyond their control. It’s a book overflowing with love, sorrow, loss and perseverance.

I much as I enjoyed it however, once or twice the author’s choices in book structure bothered me. She rightly focused on certain events and years and skipped over some others, which gave the book an interesting surreal touch, especially near the end. But I found, where in most instances that added to the pleasure in reading, on a couple of occasions it fell flat for me. Overall though, I highly recommend, You, Fascinating You.

You, Fascinating You is available on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/You-Fascinating-ebook/dp/B007NL12WY/

Interview with Philip Sharp, Author of Not in the Wind, Earthquake, or Fire

Today brings another interview, this time with writer and retired soldier Philip Sharp, who chats about his writing and his book, a non-fiction account of his tour of duty in Iraq.

Interview with Philip Sharp

Why don’t you begin by telling my readers a bit about yourself?

I was born in Elkins, WV and moved around quite a bit between there and Florida while growing up. I graduated from Apopka High School in 1990 and immediately left for the Army. In the Army I served as an Infantry soldier for 20 years where I graduated from Ranger School, completed 22 parachute jumps, and served as a Drill Sergeant. I have been to a variety of locations to include South Korea and Panama and deployed to Iraq on three separate occasions. Recently, I retired in July of this year from active duty service. Currently I am creating an all-natural farm and serving in church ministries.

Your book, Not in the Wind, Earthquake, or Fire, is historical non-fiction, an account of your second tour in Iraq from 2006 to 2007. Can you tell us how you came to write it?

Most of it was written while I was there and did not realize it at the time. I kept a journal while I was deployed throughout most of it. About a year after I returned I began to write a book to give an account from a combat soldier’s view, one that seemed to be missing at the time. At first I wrote from memory and by talking with others, but always went back to the journal to guide me. I then decided to put the journal in the book and write around it.

You served for 20 years in the US Army Infantry. Other than providing the subject matter for your book, how do you think those experiences influenced you as a writer and in the creation of your book?

Good question. I wanted this book to be from the view of an Infantry soldier. Experiencing these events as one, I believe, gives a far different outlook than you would otherwise see. The influence of my service certainly affected what and how I wrote.

What would you like people to experience from reading your book?

I would like for readers to feel, not just see, a glimpse of what combat soldiers endured in their daily lives in Iraq. It provides the experience from the best source, a first-hand account from someone on the ground. Readers will see triumphs and victories, sorrows and defeats, and an in-depth look at holding on to hope when none is easily given. Readers will get an honest and non-glossed version of the war, a recounting of its costs, and an appeal to see God in our circumstances. 

In the process of writing your book, were there any surprises, revelations or things you didn’t expect?

Oh yes! First off, it took longer than I expected. It was half written in the first place, because of the journal. It took three long years though. As I would read through my journal again it was like reliving the deployment all over again. At times I had to force my way through it. Also getting the book published was an education in itself. I paid my fair share of the fool’s tax in the process. 

You’ve also published articles and war game simulations for Strategy & Tactics magazine as well as written a column for Modern War magazine. Did you find the change from writing short articles to a book length manuscript difficult?

Writing a lengthy book is certainly more of a challenge. It is even more challenging when you are emotionally attached to the subject matter. There is certainly more editing involved and constant revisions. Formatting issues, in itself, are enough to dishearten the faint of heart. 

Now that you have written a book of non-fiction, would you ever consider writing a novel? Possibly a military thriller?

It is a possibility indeed. I have no inspirations as of yet, but could certainly use my experiences to come up with a tangible and realistic type thriller in the future.

What are some of the things you like to do when not writing?

I love tending to my plants, animals, and doing work around my place.

What are your future writing plans? Will there be more books from you?

Presently, I still write for Modern War magazine. There will probably be more books in the future, though they all may not be military in nature. I would like to write one on the basics of managing a small farm based on more natural principles. There is also desire in me to write on tactics and the training of Infantry soldiers in hopes that others will learn from our experiences, both positive and negative, and ensure our soldiers and leaders are prepared for future conflicts.

About the Author:

Philip Sharp has served for 20 years in the US Army Infantry during which he graduated from Ranger School, completed 22 parachute jumps, and served as a Drill Sergeant. He has worked in a variety of locations to include South Korea and the jungles of Panama. He deployed to Iraq three separate times from 2003 until 2010. He has published articles and war game simulations in Strategy & Tactics magazine and currently is a contributing columnist for Modern War magazine. Philip is retired from active duty service and now lives in West Virginia with his wife Heather and four children were they are creating an all-natural farm and serving in church ministries.

You can find out more about Philip and his book here:

http://www.windearthquakefire.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/windearthquakefire

A Dramatic Historical: A Review of Casting Stones

My Book Review of Casting Stones by G. M. Barlean:

I enjoyed reading Casting Stones by G. M. Barlean, very much.  It is a taut historical drama, with the emotion played just right and never overwrought.

The book tells the story of James Raven and his family, the tragedy involving his first marriage and the nightmare existence that becomes his second marriage.  It takes the reader on a tense ride through his turmoil to the stunning conclusion.

I love good historical fiction and Casting Stones fits the bill.  It’s not one of the sweeping epics or historic mysteries I usually read, but it takes a solid story, and marries it with strong, believable characters.  Mix in the author’s excellent writing style and you have a winner.

I really liked the fact that author manages not to pull punches when it comes to misfortune while still maintaining a credibility of plot.   Nothing goes too far over the top, and the motives and rationales of the characters are realistic.  And that is where the heart of the book lies, with the characters.  You feel for James Raven and his son, and grow to loathe those responsible for their pain.

It was a treat to read Casting Stones and I recommend it.


Casting Stones is available at Amazon in:

Paperback

Kindle

Love and Circuses: A Review of The Midget's House

My Book Review of The Midget's House by Anita Bartholomew:

I loved this book. Now I might have been a bit pre-disposed to enjoy it considering it’s full of things that interest me: ghosts, history and circus performers, but there is enough charm and grace in the book to entrance any reader.

The book essentially tells the story of two women, Marisa, who is starting her life over after loss, and the ghostly Lucinda, whose truth has been lost in time. Their stories interweave in a fascinating tale of mystery, ghosts, romance, and circus history until they collide in a tense conclusion.

The perspective of this novel is told from two points-of views, Marisa’s and Lucinda’s, and shifts the reader back and forth from the modern day to the early 20th century. Now this change could have easily become disjointed, but the author makes the transition seamless, and as a reader I flowed through the story effortlessly. Both Marisa and Lucinda are compelling characters -never seeming helpless or weak, even when they faced adversity- and you are naturally pulled into their captivating parallel stories.

The book is also rich in alluring backdrops of setting and description. Both worlds come to life exquisitely as the book takes you on a charismatic journey through modern Florida and the bygone era of the heydays of carnivals and circuses. This lovely detailing keeps the book’s pace flowing perfectly until the end.

The Midget’s House is an easy and enthusiastic recommend

The Pages of War and Love: A Review of The Art of War: a Novel

My Book Review of The Art of War: a Novel by Angela Panayotopulos:

The Art of War: a Novel by Angela Panayotopulos is an extraordinarily compelling novel, written with an almost surreal style. It is a panoramic mosaic of vignettes erupting in shades of love, war and family

The novel is set on the small Greek island of Mythaki, over a period of years before and during WWII. We see events unfold mostly through the eyes of a brother and sister, Kalli and Gabe, first their idyllic simple island life and then the bitter and tragic transformations wrought by the war.

The author paints her canvas of words vividly, her backdrop of war palpable and stark. But it is her characters, the atmosphere and the small details that breathe a subtle and pulsating life into the book. It is a poignant, warm, amusing and sometimes brutal portrait of a piece of history frozen in time. I also like the unusual feel of the book, that the structure and ambience gives a slightly unreal touch to the story. I think it adds to both the portrayal of Greek island culture and the hollow reality of a warzone. By the end of the book I felt as if I knew both the island of Mythaki and its people personally.

I did notice that the author left a few characters dangling in oblivion, but in a way it also reflected the unpredictability of warfare, so I didn’t find it distracted excessively from the storyline. Overall I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it.

A Step Back Into History: A Review of Wave of Terror

My Book Review of Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrach (translated by Erma Odrach):

Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrach (translated by Erma Odrach) is a quiet, vivid book that creeps up on you with a subtle, powerful voice. It is a small glimpse into a harsh past, but still shows the very human spirit that endures.

The novel tells the story of Ivan Kulik, a school master in the Pinsk Marshes, Belarus at the time of the Soviet takeover of that area. It chronicles his experiences and those of his friends and neighbours as the Soviet machine slowly invades and insidiously reorders their lives.

Wave of Terror is a literary novel, not my usual choice in a book, but I liked reading the rich story set against the backdrop of Soviet expansion. The characters are old-world, often quirky or outspoken and are the different voices for the underlying political narrative. The plotline is woven with the changing, brutal politics of the day, but the author and translator never overwhelm the human aspect. The characters lives continue, even when their neighbours disappear or are killed.

The book has an almost surreal aspect to it, which I think lends to the flavour of the reading experience and truly immerses the reader in the time period of the novel. And the ending is perfect, leaving you wondering and yet still having hope for Ivan.

A fabulous book that is a must read.




Also available at Amazon.ca