Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. Now translated into seventeen languages, he is the bestselling author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, and The Foreign Correspondent. Born in New York, he now lives in Paris and on Long Island. You can visit his website at www.alanfurst.net.

Interview:

 Thanks for this interview, Alan. It’s an honor having you here on Book Talk Corner. Tell us, when did you decide you wanted to become an author?

I knew I wanted to be a writer by the time I was 11-years old when I began writing murder mysteries about New York cops.

Do you have another job besides writing?

No, I am lucky to be able to write full time.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I was a crazed reader as a kid, I couldn’t stop. I was, at about the age of 11, allowed to take books from the adult section in the local public library, by a great librarian. (This was in  Manhattan)

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

I usually write about the period 1934/1942 in Europe, and this time around, I wanted to write about a French aristocrat who is the military attaché in Warsaw.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?  

I always try an outline first, but it never seems to last beyond the first 60 pages of manuscript.

Did your book require a lot of research?

Yes, my books always require a great deal of exploration.  The research for THE SPIES OF WARSAW took about 3 months.

Who is your target audience?

I would say that my target audience is an educated and somewhat sophisticated reader. I have found that the audience is about half ‘n  half women and men,. I have also noticed many more college age readers lately, which is great.

What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?  

I work from history and I’ve spent ten years living in Europe, so my writing is a combination of some experience and some research.

Agatha Christie got her best ideas while eating green apples in the bathtub. Steven Spielberg says he gets his best ideas while driving on the highway. When do you get your best ideas and why do you think this is?

I get them everywhere but at the typewriter, the subconscious works best when the surface mind is free to wander—driving, taking the dog to the beach, whatever.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?

My muse and I get along very well, I don’t placate her, she watches over my shoulder when I pay bills and she knows what that means—she’s a very smart muse.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

About fourteen months.

Describe your working environment.

I work in a studio behind my house in Sag Harbor. It is a very bare old building (1930s) – brick floor with only a radio, a lamp, a desk and my typewriter.

What type of scenes give you the most trouble to write?

Violence is hard but necessary in the type of novel that I write. I also find that erotic scenes have to be handled well…and carefully.

Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?

I find that it works best for me to edit as I go, usually finishing pages after 3 days or so.

They say authors have immensely fragile egos… How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?

I just shrug and go on; I’ve also been very fortunate with reviews.

When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?

I’m essentially (given the period that I write about) an anti-fascist, very pro-human writer, all my characters are caught up in war or in the lead-up to it.

Are you a disciplined writer?

Extremely so. I find that you have to be disciplined to make it work. 

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

An early bird, I guess, starting around 7:30 or 8:00 AM.

Do you have an agent?  How was your experience in searching for one?

Yes, I have an agent. It was difficult to find an agent before I was published, but has gotten much easier now that I have been lucky enough to see some success.

What is your opinion about critique groups? What words of advice would you offer a novice writer who is joining one? Do you think the wrong critique group can ‘crush’ a fledgling writer?

I don’t believe a writer should ever have anyone, not a single soul, read and judge work before it’s submitted to an editor.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

No. Better always to start a day with revision to get the creativity going.

Technically speaking, what do you have to struggle the most when writing? How do you tackle it?

I struggle with the late middle part of novels, say page 210/260 of a 320 page manuscript. It’s just difficult, structurally, very difficult.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

Horrific. It took me 28 months to publish my first novel. My advice, if you know what you’re doing is good enough to publish, just don’t stop trying.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

TS Eliot, “Bad writing is loose language and imprecise thought.”

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes, my website is alanfurst.net. Or just go to Alan Furst on Google.

As an author, what is your greatest reward?

When readers fall in love with your books they let you know, this is way beyond money, though money is nice too.

The Depression deepened and sadly Angus’ grandfather passed away - leaving his entire estate to his second son. Angus’ father traveled to see his brother to seek financial assistance and received nothing. He returned to Vancouver unexpectedly one evening and found his wife in bed with someone else. Thus, his father became a single parent to three children - Laura 6, Angus 3, and Marjorie and infant. The following day, Angus became very ill with appendicitis and spent seven weeks in the Vancouver General Hospital. The author vividly covers his early childhood years and living with another family - similar circumstances, a father with five children, coping with the Depression and, thereafter, addressing their dual basic family needs.

Angus’ new memoir, A Full House - But Empty, is the gripping story of young Angus’ life growing up in the Depression years based on the positive lessons he had learned from his father during their somewhat traumatic and hectic years together.

If you would like to find out more about Angus and his new book, visit here.

About his book, A Full House–But Empty:

Filled with anecdotes, lessons learned, and an inspirational message for everyone who believes that hard work breeds success, this moving autobiography shares the remarkable story of Angus Munro.

Munro is just three when he suffers from appendicitis and spends several weeks in a Vancouver hospital as his family struggles to survive the Great Depression. After finally arriving home, Munro asks his sister, “Where is Mummy?” and is promptly told his mother doesn’t live there anymore. It is this traumatic event that changes the course of Munro’s life forever. His father is suddenly a single parent while simultaneously turning into Munro’s mentor and hero. He teaches Munro the motto, “Always do the right thing,” while raising his children in an environment that is at the very least hectic, and more often completely chaotic.

Through a potpourri of chronological and heartfelt tales, Munro reveals how he learned to view incidents in life in terms of responsibility, recognition, personal conduct, and consideration of others. Despite dropping out of school at a young age, Munro perseveres, eventually attaining professional success.

Munro’s memoir is a wonderful tribute to his father’s legacy and the greatest lesson of all - whatever you do, follow through.

INTERVIEW:

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

In 2003, I retired after thirty-nine years in hospital administration in both California and Alaska. As a divorced person, I found myself, during my daily walks, reminiscing about my past –particularly my childhood years. This was a poignant, yet productive and cathartic experience. I was born in Vancouver, Canada during the Great Depression.  My father, a single parent with three small children, was faced with many challenging situations. Thus, with family encouragement, I thoughtfully decided to write my Memoirs.

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?

Continuing: Apart from those difficult struggling Depression years, I became a grade school dropout at age fourteen due to an unfortunate incident. World War II was just ending and I became a busboy at a major Vancouver hotel.  Thus, eventually my limited educational background became my focus of picking up the pieces and moving on. I believe I have a positive message to convey during my upward climb.

Did your book require a lot of research?

No. Fortunately I have been blessed with a good memory.  I simply stated my life experiences throughout the years and how I addressed both the time and circumstances of this journey.   

What will the reader learn after reading your book?

I believe most of us, from time to time, attempt to reassess whom and where we are and if we are fulfilling our desired expectations. A measurement of whatever standards or criteria we have set for ourselves.  Mine has been to obtain an upward climb and potentially considering my individual circumstances for fulfilling both personal and vocational achievements. 

Describe your working environment.

My computer is located in the corner of my small kitchen. Strangely enough, when I started writing my story, I seemed to leave my kitchen and re-enter the past unfolding the circumstances at that time.  I seemed to revisit both my home and later my individual work scene. The latter - visually revisiting the office (workplace) and those whom I worked with at that time.  It was a rewarding revisit but rather an uncanny experience.  Nevertheless, it was a very productive and cathartic journey.

What type of scenes give you the most trouble to write?

Sadly, writing about my beautiful and talented sister, Laura was the most difficult for me.  Unfortunately, her great potentialities were lost due to drug abuse and being involved with nefarious characters throughout her short life. 

As a writer, what scares you the most?

I have one burning question, “Is my story interesting?”

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

I am retired, thus having open affordable writing options. I am basically an early bird seeking a fresh start.  However, many segments of my chapters were completed as a night owl when I would experience a somewhat creative literary binge. 

Do you have an agent?  How was your experience in searching for one?

My book was self-published through iUniverse.  I have used some of their promotional services.  Additionally, I have worked very closely with three wonderful ladies. Tracy Roberts of Write Field Services and Shirley Roe of Allbooks Review for book reviews and other promotional services.  And ongoing with Dorothy Thompson, Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Tours.

Do you have any unusual writing quirks?

Hum, I don’t think so! I hope not!

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

Presumably, I selected the easiest category, Memoirs!  I am simply telling my story and fortunately I have been blessed with a great memory.  Throughout the entire process, my thoughts poured out in tandem, both ebulliently and effortlessly. However, my fingers were typing like mad – trying to keep up!

Who are your favorite authors?

I am an old movie buff and Bob Thomas has written several books, such as (Irving) Thalberg, Marlon (Brando), Joan Crawford, and others.  I am also a World War II buff and love Winston Churchill’s writings.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

It was wisely stated and immediately addressed. Do not disclose future similar thoughts – as an afterthought, wait until they actually occur.  (e.g.)  I mentioned seeing the Northern Lights as a child and stated that I had seen them years later in Alaska. (Do it in progression.)

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes indeed!  My web-site is www.angusrmunro.com.

As an author, what is your greatest reward?

A good review from whomever - really pleases me.  Also working with great people - such as those three ladies I previously mentioned, Tracy Roberts, Shirley Roe and Dorothy Thompson.  

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

About the author:

Elizabeth Walker is passionately dedicated to aiding in the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. The abuse that she endured as a child fuels her ambition. Elizabeth Currently resides in Colorado Learn more about her at http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/elizabeth-walker/

Thanks for this interview, Elizabeth. Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?

I am a grateful mother of four young boys. I believe in hope and miracles because I have seen both come to fruition multiple times – even in the midst of disaster, which I have also been witness to time and again. This book, The Tablet of My Heart ,is my first published book and serves a very important purpose; to aid in the treatment and prevention of child abuse, neglect and the effects thereof.

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?

When I was about 8 :0) I started writing during my father’s illness (cancer) when I was very young. Writing has always been a part of me. It’s not even really that I ever decided to be an author, I just kind of – always was.

Do you have another job besides writing?

Yes, I work a regular 40 hour work week at a roofing company (as a receptionist, not a roofer) but writing has never been a job to me – It’s been a release, a counselor, a friend, many things – but never a job.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I was. I loved poetry, poetry, poetry! A Light in the Attic, Where the Sidewalk Ends, A whole slew of them. Shel Silverstien was my favorite! He is most certainly still one of them. Including the giving tree, which I have shared with my children repeatedly and I still love to read when I am feeling sentimental. After falling in love with poems, I fell equally as deep for fantasy stories. My first fantasy favorite was one of The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first, but after that I had to read…. all seven of them. Another wonderful adventure that I have read to my children. Now, the boys and I read all sorts of fantasy titles together from Harry Potter to the Inheritance trilogy (we are just now finishing up Brisingr) and my nieces have recently gotten me into twilight, and my most recent purchase was wicked lovely. I’m hopeless when it comes to books – I really am. I even love the way they smell :0)

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

The Tablet of My Heart is a story of loss, abuse and healing that is based on a journal of poetry. It was my childhood journal. I had always planned to publish, but never my own story. When my sons and I endured a devastating loss of our own at the absence of their father, I knew that I wanted to give my kids strength, and hope that we were going to make it through. I started to share my journal with them. It evolved from there into a manuscript, and now a published book that contributes to the treatment and prevention of child abuse, through a foundation called Childhelp USA.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

Well, both :0) I had the journal which was ultimately the guideline, but the shape that the story took while I narrated the journal entries was like a flowing river; It just sort of happened – and I got to come along for the ride.

Who is your target audience?

Victims of abuse, family and friends of victims of abuse, and people who want to be aware of signs of abuse so that they can contribute to ending it. Anyone who is moved by the destruction and mistreatment of a human soul, and those who desperately need to hear that, while their victimization was out of their control, their ability to move outside of victimization and refuse to let it define them is in the very palm of their trembling hands. There are people who want to help.

What will the reader learn after reading your book?

The depth of darkness that the shadow of neglect and abuse casts on it’s victims. The joy in finding freedom from that shadow, and so, so very important, behaviors that will cause people to be aware so that they are more prepared to recognize abuse when signs are present, and more effective in throwing a wrench in this debilitating cycle.  

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

Thanks so much for having me.

My special guest today is Diane L. Wolfe, professional speaker and author of the young adult series, Circle of Friends. In this interview, Diane talks about her work, writing life and book promotion. Thanks for being here today, Diane!

About the Author:

Described as “encouragement personified”, Wolfe’s five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles. “The Circle of Friends” follows a group of sports-minded couples through relationships, college and into their early careers. Known as “Spunk On A Stick” to her fans, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars on promoting, leadership and goal setting. Wolfe’s title, “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, ties all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package! Ten years associating with a motivation training system and her experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principals. Wolfe averages over one hundred appearances each year, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, writes articles, does characterization sessions for schools, and speaks to writer’s groups. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in North Carolina. “With a positive attitude, any goal can be achieved!”

The Interview:

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

If we had a book reading challenge at school, I always won! I read everything I could get my hands on. I always enjoyed stories with animals and read a lot of nature books, too. Watership Down was probably my favorite. When I was a teen, I discovered Anne McCaffrey and fell in love with her Dragonrider series. My desire to become an author came from those very books!

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

The Circle of Friends, Book I…Lori is the first of five. I’d spent years in a motivation training program and wanted to pass along those principles of success to others. While I do have a non-fiction book on the subject, I felt it was important to show this aspect in a fiction book as well. People learn so much more from storytelling!

I did not originally intend to write a YA series, but young people carry such an energetic spark and tend to view the world with a hopeful attitude! I poured as much optimism and encouragement as possible into Lori’s story with the intension that it would inspire readers to believe in their dreams. I could also see the struggles of the other characters as well, and before I finished, I had outlines for four more books.

Book I is available retail and online –

Barnes & Noble - http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Circle-of-Friends/L-Diane-Wolfe/e/9780981621005/?itm=4

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Friends-Book-I-Lori/dp/0981621007/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233855226&sr=1-27

DancingLemurPress.com - http://www.dancinglemurpress.com/id9.html

Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?

I am definitely write-edit-write-edit! I always hand write the first draft, as it allows me to get my thoughts down on paper faster. (I’m also a slow typer!) After 10-20 pages, I enter it into the computer, editing as I go, and print out the pages. I continuously go back and edit, every now and then reprinting the pages to make them legible once more. I estimate that each page is edited around 100 times in this manner!

How do you divide your time between taking care of a home and children, and writing? Do you plan your writing sessions in advance?

Around my home, we call it chaotic balance! I’ve learned that balancing my time does not mean every slice of the pie is even – it just means each section receives adequate attention. I spent an enormous amount of time online and working on promotions, plus I do speaking engagements every week. I’m very involved at our church, do professional photography work, own a small business outside of all this, and take care of the husband, two cats and household. (I used to be a foster parent, too!) Needless to say, I’d really love to have 40-hour days!

I’ve never set aside time for writing, which works well with my wacky schedule. Usually it’s fifteen minutes here, thirty minutes there, just whenever I fit it into my day. I do try to write every single day, though. I think that just like everything else, if it really matters to us, we will make the time!

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

Okay, all of the other authors & writers will hate me, but… no! I never get writer’s block. I’ve always believed in an outline and I think that helps me avoid writer’s block. If I find a scene is not flowing easily, I simply skip ahead to the next scene and play connect-the-dots later. Or, since I’m continuously editing, I go back and edit the previous scene. Either trick keeps my creativity flowing and the scene that appeared daunting becomes easy.

What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?

Well, since I’ve done just about everything under the sun… I believe online promotion works the best. It gives authors the opportunity to reach so many more people! Book signings worked well in the past, but times have changed – and the economy hasn’t helped matters. In the physical, I think an author is better served visiting a school or library. I also do a lot of promoting at my seminars and speaking engagements, and those opportunities lead to a lot more than just book sales. Authors really need to network and build up a database of contacts if they want to promote successfully. The bigger the better! (My husband recently saw my massive email address book and about had heart failure…)

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes, several! www.thecircleoffriends.net is for my YA series, www.spunkonastick.net is my professional speaker site, and my blog is www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com

As far as community sites, I’m active on Facebook, Deviant Art, and Twitter – look for Spunk on a Stick!

As an author, what is your greatest reward?

The response from readers! Fans will send emails or letters claiming that what I wrote made a difference in their life. (I get a tremendous response at speaking engagements, too.) I need a word of encouragement just like anyone else! Plus, the incredible friends I’ve made along the way – no one can put a price on that. Real success is based on how many lives we touch in a positive manner – that I am making a difference is the ultimate reward!

Thanks for the great interview, Diane, and good luck with your work!

About the author: Renowned Wall Street analyst Tim Kellis takes on what could be considered society’s biggest problem today, divorce. The journey that led to him tackling such a significant issue was both personal and professional. After a successful career that eventually landed him on Wall Street Tim met what he thought was the girl of his dreams, only to see that relationship end with bitterness and anger. The journey included work with a marital therapist, and after he discovered the therapist wasn’t really helping decided to tackle the issue himself.

Ambition and a strong aptitude for math helped lead Kellis to discover how to make relationships work. His math skills led directly to an engineering degree, nine years in the telecommunications industry, an MBA in finance, and finally on to Wall Street, where he became the very first semiconductor analyst to focus on the communications market.

After publishing a 300-page initiation piece entitled Initiating Coverage of the Semiconductor Industry: Riding the Bandwidth Wave, Kellis became a leading semiconductor analyst at one of the biggest firms on Wall Street. The experience he gained as a Wall Street analyst provided an excellent backdrop for becoming an expert on relationships, and resulted in his relationship book entitled “Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage”. 

 The Interview:

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

Well my path to writing has been a long, winding journey.  I grew up in St. Louis, 2^nd oldest of 4, relatively poor.  My dad was a cab driver for 22 years, and worked as a security guard at a casino outside of St. Louis for 9 years before retiring recently.  My mom worked as a secretary during my upbringing.  My parents just celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary.   

I put myself through engineering school at University of Missouri-Columbia, worked in the communications equipment industry for 9 years before going back to graduate school.  After getting my MBA from SMU in Dallas I landed on Wall Street where I became the first semiconductor analyst who focused on the communications industry, a 10 year career I left in January 2008 to focus full time on getting my message out of helping to save our culture of marriage.   

What I enjoy most is reading, having read hundreds of non-fiction books before taking up the task of writing “Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage”.  Although my background didn’t set me up for a writing career I find writing exhilarating and cathartic.  My other joys in life are soccer and music.  I have even recently formed an alternative rock band with some friends as the lead singer.  The name of the band is Gilgamesh, so keep an eye out for use.  Again, my interest in writing is used here to write the songs for the band.  We have completed our first song and are working on more.  I have played soccer since I was 5.  The apex of my career was scoring the 3^rd goal in the semifinals of the Big 8 soccer championship in college.  We went on to win that game 3-1 and the finals.   

And I take relationships very seriously, something I hadn’t realized until the relationship I thought was going to last a lifetime fell apart.   

When did you decide you wanted to become an author? 

The funny thing about the question about me wanting to be a writer is I never imagined myself as a writer.  In fact, I didn’t really even like to read as a kid.  I didn’t fall in love with reading until I became an adult, and have been a voracious reader of all things non-fiction since then.   

I kind of slipped into a writing career by becoming a Wall Street analyst.  I fell in love with the stock market in 1986 when my first investment turned out successful, and I made around $30,000.  My success led to a second career of investing in stocks where I spent my spare time researching their fundamentals, thus leading to my job as a semiconductor analyst after getting my MBA.   

And one of the fundamental aspects of a Wall Street analyst is “publish or perish”, where you have to continually write up updates on the stocks you follow.  You also begin by publishing what is known as an initial report on your companies.  My initiation report on the communications semiconductor industry, a subsector of the semiconductor industry where I was the first on Wall Street to focus on, was 300 pages. 

So I kind of stumbled into the business of being a writer.  And then I met the girl I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with, and after that relationship fell apart decided to use my experience writing on Wall Street to write a book on relationships.   

Do you have another job besides writing? 

Actually no, promoting my book is my full time job.  I had worked on Wall Street for over 10 years, but decided I needed to change my career to focus full time on helping to save marriages.  I left my job and career in January 2008 to focus full time on my promotional activities. 

But as part of those promotional activities I have taken on a number of tasks.  First and foremost, I am developing a career as a public speaker.  At this time I have only had a few speaking engagements, but am focusing a lot of my energy on getting a public speaking career started.  I am currently organizing a Happy Relationships Speakers Series, with our first event scheduled for June or July in Ft. Lauderdale.  Our goal is to bring together around 8 published authors with a progressive approach to relationships to speak.   

I have also booked a number of speaking engagements, including a relationship cruise in August, an event for the military in September, and the upcoming Expo Of Heart conference in Ft. Lauderdale early next year.  I am getting involved in both the Florida Speakers Association and National Speakers Association, the pre-eminent organizations for public speakers.  I have also formed a MeetUp.com group on relationships and will be meeting regularly with couples in Southeast Florida, beginning in late May.   

I have also had a number of TV and radio appearances, so I am becoming a TV and radio personality.  I have been on CBS, NBC, ABC and Lifetime TV and a number of radio shows. 

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading? 

Again, I really wasn’t interested in reading as a child.  I can remember getting my Readers Circle Certificate as a child by reading comic books.  And throughout school I studied math and science, so as I grew up I never developed an interest in reading.  The only experience I can remember reading in school was a project I had in high school to read a collection of books by a single writer, and I decided to read John Steinbeck.  My interest in reading didn’t develop until I became an adult, where I developed a voracious appetite for anything non-fiction.   

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write it. 

My biggest influence, and the reason I have taken on the challenge of saving marriages, were my parents, who again just celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary.  And their influence wasn’t because of anything they ever said to me, but what they did, stayed married.  What makes this more important was they had the typical marriage of couples from their generation, full of fights, but they managed to stick it out.  They taught me that divorce was not an option, that quitting was not the path to take.   

My mom actually had my career mapped out when I was a kid to be a priest, something I took very seriously.  I was an altar boy (no, I do not have any stories) and studied the bible intently.  Although I haven’t read the bible since I was a kid I have used a lot of what I learned in my book.  And then I discovered girls.   

My taking on the marriage issue is a combination of both my professional and personal paths.  Personally speaking, I’ve learned from the pain of what I’ve been through in past relationships, particularly the one that led to writing the book, what causes relationships to turn negative.  After a successful career, and at the height of the market in 2000, I met the girl whom I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with.  We fell in love, got engaged, fought and tried to get help from a marital therapist.  When I realized the therapist wasn’t really helping I decided to tackle the issue myself. 

 And I have had a very successful career.  Although I grew up relatively poor, the son of a cab driver and a secretary, I put myself through engineering school, spent nine years in the communications equipment industry, got my MBA and landed on Wall Street, becoming the first semiconductor analyst to focus on the communications market.   

Engineers have real difficulty dealing with illogical situations.  So when I met the woman I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with and that relationship didn’t work out, my only real response was to try to figure out why.  My engineering undergraduate degree is important for two reasons.  The first is engineers do not understand things that are illogical, and going from planning on spending the rest of your life with someone to breaking up just didn’t make sense.  And the second reason is engineers are taught problem solving, a big tool I used in writing the book.   

The funny thing about this question is I was able to solve the problem not by having a successful relationship but by having an unsuccessful relationship.  Plus I have come to realize that professional martial therapists are not really that interested in solving the problem.  That would be bad for their business. 

 Included in the 100 books that went into the research for writing this one, were nearly 2 dozen relationship books.  My joke on this issue is all of the books I read were non-fiction books, with the lone exception of the relationship books.  My first title concept was “Men Are From Earth, Women Are From Earth” to demonstrate just this point.  Last time I checked we were all from the same planet.   

Every time I bring this issue up a critic points out that the book is just a metaphor to explain that men and women are simply different, so let me clarify before anyone asks.  Yes biologically speaking we are different.  One of the biggest objectives of my book is to refute Freud’s biology theory that we are born with our brains and, well there is really nothing you can do about mental problems, a major stumbling block to solving our marriage problem.  This is actually the first relationship book written from a mental perspective, something I find humorous considering psyche is defined as “the mental or psychological structure of a person”.   

But the most significant point on the metaphor with John Gray’s Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, is the concept of the book is supposed to promote couples to appreciate their differences.  Now this may make sense intellectually but it is very challenging to apply practically. 

 One of the biggest lessons we learned with our racial struggles was a concept referred to as “separate but equal”, a term coined by the Supreme Court in the late 19^th century to continue to justify the separation of the races.  And we saw the results of that concept.  If you promote in any way the notion that you can keep 2 separate and that this will somehow make you equal then you cannot find balance in your relationship.   

Equality is only possible when you bring those differences together in harmony, through what Dr. Martin Luther King referred to as “civil disobedience”.  Manage conflicts by disagreeing, just be civil about it. 

If you would like to read the result of all of this effort please visit the following link for a review of the book that was just posted last week: 

http://www.bookreviewers.org/equality.htm  

Did your book require a lot of research? 

This is probably one of the most researched books ever written.  The extensive research that went into writing this book included reading over 100 books over a 10 month period, at 2 ½ books a week.  I then spent 9 months writing.  The subject matter of the 100 books was sociology, religion, capitalism, philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, relationship books and spirituality. 

And the other element that went into the research was my own personal experience.  I’ve often wondered why people think that marital therapists are experts at relationship because most of us now have experiences in relationships. 

The most important backdrop to my background, though, is the fact that my parents are still married.  This is important because of my resolve that divorce is not an option to me.  My parents taught me that you stick it out when you have difficulty in your marriage, and boy did they have a lot of problems in theirs.  I’ve included an autobiographical section in the middle of the book to put a personal touch on it.   

What was your goal when writing this book? 

My goal with writing this book is to solve the marriage problem.  I do not believe there is a book yet written that covers the expansive understanding required to fully solve this cultural phenomenon that has only been part of society of the last two generations.  

Who is your target audience? 

Obviously my primary market is anyone who is married and who is having troubles in their relationship.  But because divorce is so rampant and so many are now afraid that relationships don’t last forever my books is also targeted to anyone in a relationship.  I actually believe my best target market is engaged couples and newlyweds because the objective is to understand how to manage your relationship before it gets out of control, a concept known as marriage education.  Even people who are divorced will learn from reading the book what was the causes behind their divorce.  

What will the reader learn after reading your book? 

The first section of the book will teach the reader how to develop the positive relationship. Included will be how to handle conflicts and the appropriate mental approach between a man and a woman.  Most importantly, the reader will learn mentally what causes relationships to break down.  Much of the book is devoted to the mental dialogue between couples who are in a negative relationship.  Then the book delves into how to resolve those issues, how to deal with the insecurities which are the root causes of troubles in relationships.  The book ends by answering the question of why couples are supposed to develop relationships that lasts a lifetime. 

Describe your working environment.

I work at home.  The 12-15 hours a day are mostly spent behind the computer.  Yes my work is done in solitude but because of the mental activity I am never alone with myself.  The days seem to speed by. 

Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?

The 9 months spent writing the book was accomplished by writing non-stop, from beginning to end.  Only after I finished writing did I first fine tune the order of the content, and did the editing.  I have actually edited the book 9 times. 

They say authors have immensely fragile egos… How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?

The funny thing about this question is one of the main objective of the books is to teach the reader the notion of a balanced ego.  And I have had to develop a balanced ego myself in order to understand that notion, which basically means that I have developed a pretty mature understanding of who I am.  I have also worked in the past in sales, so I have already lived the life of “no”, so I basically take criticism in stride.  I am my biggest critic so it is hard for anyone else to say something about me that I haven’t already dealt with.   

As a writer, what scares you the most?

Failure!!!

Do you have an agent?  How was your experience in searching for one? 

As I mentioned, I figured after I finished writing my book getting it published would be easy.  I actually spent about 6 months trying to go the traditional route of getting an agent to represent me in getting a publisher to publish the book.  In the end, I was only able to get one agent to even look at my manuscript.  He read the first few pages, said the average reader only reads one book a year, there was too much information in my book, and it wouldn’t sell.  I then realized I would have to self-publish.  

What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?

As I was writing my book “Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage” I never even contemplated what would be required to get my book into the hands of readers.  I figured if I wrote a book that solved the marriage problem then my readers would hear about my message, and because of the magnitude of the marriage problem, would find their way to my book. 

Boy was I wrong!!! 

I actually wrote my book in 2002-2003.  I figured after it was written I would get a hold of an agent or publisher, tell them I finally solved the marriage problem, and that would basically be it.  I spent over a year trying that route, and my only success was getting one agent to actually look at my manuscript.  He read the first few pages, said there was too much information, that the average reader reads one book a year, and that he couldn’t get it published.   

And then I needed to start making money.  So I changed directions, began to look at getting back on Wall Street, and landed a job in Boca Raton, FL, again as a semiconductor analyst.   

But my book project kept drawing me back, like some huge magnet trying to point me in the right direction.  After about 3 years working again I decided it was time to get back to my book project.  I left my Wall Street job in January of 2008, flush with enough funds to keep me going until book sales took off, to focus full time on promoting my book.  The first thing I did was to self-publish my first batch of books. 

And my challenges had only just begun.  I have actually spent the last year focused full time, spending 12-15 hours a day, promoting my book.  I believe I have figured out almost everything that doesn’t work but continue to trudge along hoping to find my formula for success.   

Over the last year I have worked with 2 PR firms which landed me a total of 4 TV appearances and 2 public appearances, and that’s it.  In fact, in my first public appearance I spoke for 2 hours and 15 minutes, going through all 166 PowerPoint slides that basically summed up the content of my book, to two people, yes two people.  I was promised around 50, but only two showed up.  Neither PR firm was able to get me in any print media or radio interviews.   

On my own I was able to obtain my first national TV appearance, on Lifetime’s The Balancing Act, and 4 radio interviews.  During that same time I had a 13 week radio show, radio ads, TV ads, newspaper ads, extensive Internet SEO work, a marketing partnership with numerous Internet websites, began building my social networks, worked with my first couple and had my first print appearance in The Palm Beach Post.  I had even tried for about 6 months to get into the concert promotion business, hoping to use concerts as a medium for promoting my Happy Relationships brand.   

Since January of this year I have picked up the pressure on myself by an order of magnitude to increase my focus.   Today I spend most of my time working on the Internet.  I have built my Facebook page up to almost 2,000 people, my LinkedIn page to over 2,000 people, not to mention the myriad of other social web sites I am on.   

And I really picked up my focus on building up my blog, posting between 2-3 articles a week.  I spend a lot of time promoting my blog, posting my blog comments on as many web sites as I can find.  I am also in the middle of a 2 month blog tour on relationships, sponsored by Dorothy Thompson at PumpUpYourBookPromotions.com.   

And I am in the process of revamping my main web site at HappyRelationships.com to organize it into a social site dedicated to those who want to figure out how to create the relationship they always imagined.  

Most importantly I have realized the significance of getting in front of people.  I am in the process of organizing a Happy Relationships Speaker Series with my friends at Conscious Living Partnership, an organization whose mission is to help others understand the need to comprehend their own lives.  I am also going to organize mini workshops where I get to interact with small groups of people interested in figuring out their relationships.  I even have my book in Rachael Ray’s hands through a friend of mine who knows her husband.   

I have appeared 4 times, out of a total of 13 scheduled appearances, on a radio show in San Antonio, TX called Marriage 101, am talking to a friend about 3 appearances on her radio show, had initial discussions with a few other friends about other radio appearances, and have had initial discussion with a few folks about putting together a TV show.   

Where I thought the path to success was imminent I now realize that no path to success is without the trials and tribulations, and focus, needed to get my message in front of people. 

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Stay focused. 

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

My blog address is www.HappyMarriages.com where I post on a regular basis, and my home web site is www.HappyRelationships.com where you can read more about me and my project, and pick up a copy of the book. 

Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Over the last year with all of the work I have put into this I have had many advisors constantly advise me to simplify what I am talking about.  After all we are now a sound bite society.  My constant response has been that there are no “7 steps to a happy marriage” despite all of the books written with basically that concept.  I have, though, developed a concept for a book “10 steps to spirituality” which I will write when I get a chance.  This is one of two books concepts I currently have, with another two concepts to follow. 

As an author, what is your greatest reward? 

To me success is measured in book sales.  I know I have connected with a reader when they realize they are interested in picking up my book and reading it. 

Anything else you’d like to say about yourself or your work? 

I wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to read my interview.  As part of my blog tour the you can pick up a copy of your book for 20% off at the following link:

https://www.HappyRelationships.com/buy.aspx

by Rachel Allen Dillon

Windward Press, Finney Co.

ISBN: 9780893170677

Hardcover, $15.50, 64 pages

Through Endangered Eyes is a stunning collection of poems, artwork and zoological facts that will make a valuable addition to any home, library or classroom shelf. The work is so beautiful, it can also make a wonderful coffee table book.

What I like most about it, though, is that it teaches children about endangered species while encouraging responsibility toward nature and our world. It’s never too early to begin teaching children about the beauty of animals and the combination of simple poems, brief yet targeted facts, and lovely artwork will delight both young and adult minds alike.

In the book, the author presents endangered species such as the green sea turtle, the African elephant, Grevy’s zebra, Bengal tiger, corroboree frog, Karner blue butterfly, Chinese butterfly, and the Mexican spotted owl, among others. In each entry, she includes a short poem and description, along with its status as an endangered species, and resource links to find out more about it.

Here’s an example:

Species: MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL

I hide myself
in tall old trees;
when I have space
I feel at ease.

Mexican spotted owls have homes spread out over a great deal of land. This owl is among the largest owls in North America. It averages about 16 to 19 inches tall with a wing span of approximately 42 to 45 inches. The females are larger than the males.

This secretive species likes forested mountains and out-of-the-way canyons with old trees that create high, hidden spaces, which are good for nesting. They nest in stick nests built by other birds, hollow spaces in old trees, caves and on cliff ledges.

Where they live:  The Mexican Spotted Owl can be found in forested mountains and canyons from S. Utah and Colorado to the mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, W. Texas and even into Mexico.

Status: Threatened

Resources:
US Fish & Wildlife - http://www.fws.gov
www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
www.biologicaldiversity.org

But not only this. The end of the book is an amalgam of resources for teachers and lists a series of classroom activities, including things children can do to help endangered species. What better way to extend the ‘awareness’ experience?

The artwork is gorgeous. Done in acrylics, Dillon’s work was inspired by three things: mosaics, pointillism, and Aboriginal Acrylic Dot painting. This isn’t just a simple children’s book, but a beautiful art book to proudly display in a living room. Highly recommended!

About the author:

Rachel Dillon was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Art, emphasizing in Graphic Design. Outside of art, she holds a special interest in evolution and extinction and took several classes in paleontology, and geology. Her passion for animals grew as she learned more about endangered species.

A note from the author:

“Learning about animals and our planet is a fundamental part of a child’s education. This book is focused only on endangered or threatened species.

“In each poem, I touch on qualities and uniqueness of each animal. As story tellers, they will introduce themselves to you, the reader, and invite you to meet them and learn more. Poetry is a beautiful way to open up dialogue and prompt questions. It also makes learning fun as an inquisitive mind seeks to understand. When knowledge is earned, it remains in the mind and heart for a longer period of time.

“In the back of the book, there is factual information specific to each species. This guide will help you decipher facts hidden in the poems. When the wonderful ?why? question is asked, you will have the answer.

“I believe all creatures in the Animal Kingdom serve a purpose and play a role that keeps the planet balanced. Although, extinction is a natural process, the current rate of species going extinct is unnatural. Our children need to understand the importance each species plays to the survival of all things. They will inherit an earth that needs habitat rebuilding and scientific intervention to maintain biodiversity. Your job not only is to make your own changes to help the planet, but more importantly, to guide your children and cherish their natural desire to make the world a better place.”

Purchase this book on Amazon.

Visit Rachel Allen Dillon’s Website.

Visit the Through Endangered Eyes blog.

Balthazar identifies himself as a French born Congolese because he is more connected with the Congo and France than Denmark. He speaks French, English, Lingala, Norwegian, Danish, partially German, Dutch and Afrikaans. Balthazar learns Chinese and Japanese in his spare time, he writes poems, paints and goes out and enjoys himself.

You can visit his website at www.ganymedeweb.com. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:  It is a book of poetry and in the book; I focus on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, other types of abuse, torture, dictatorship, relationship problems etc. When I wrote this book, I was also inspired by the news I watch on CNN and other media. I have learned lots of things from CNN and I am so grateful to them for  so many things. The goal of this book is to share my approach with my readers about the problems we face in this world and also to hear from them.  

Change for our societies

Whether we like it or not these problems are real and I believe that everyone of us can make a change in our societies. Time after time, our leaders promise that those who stand behind war crimes will face justice, but when they are warned about the problems, they do not listen. I do wander if the national interests come above reaching out to people who are in pain and those who have been victims of torture and oppression.

Abuse

In the book, I also talk about child abuse because I was a victim of many types of abuse, when I was a young kid and I have not still overcome that pain. I have gone through reaction and insults and I thought religion was the answer to overcome such a horrible experience, but I was wrong. I was raised a Christian and I was a Christian myself and did what Christians do, but I realized that the bible is self contradicted and phony. And I realized that there was never a god who could save me. I can save myself and be a fighter for my life. The message, which I want to send to my readers, is that abusers are cowards and their goal is to find someone whom they can isolate and blame for their problems. To be honest with my readers, my abusive past is the root of my atheism and my hostility toward religion. I was also a victim of psychological abuse and the only I deal with it is by being a hard working person. 

Freedom and justice  

I focus on the fight for freedom, justice and peace and hope for our countries, especially in the situation where we are dealing with the financial crisis because hope is the engine of optimism. Freedom is important because in our Western societies, we enjoy so much freedom and we still need to support those who do have freedom because if we don’t help those who don’t have any freedom, then we’re giving dictators wings to fly. When they fly, they oppress their people and find ways to corrupt some multinational companies so that things can go their way. In order to fight religious fundamentalism, we have do discover why people become religious fanatics and we have to fight for separation between politics and religion. When you mix politics and religion, there are more problems. I have written poems about people like Mandela, Martin Luther King, Kevin Rudd and Miriam Makeba because they are icons of justice.   

Poetry  

I express myself through poetry because poetry goes beyond logic and I express my emotions about these circumstances. I have published my book at I – Proclaim publishing house, which is an imprint of Dorrance Publishing Company, America’s Leading Author Services Company Since 1920. The publishing house is situated in Pittsburgh PA.  

INTERVIEW: 

Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself? I am a French-born Danish young man, but I am originally from the Republic of theCongo. I was born in Oullins, which is a suburb ofLyon, inFrance. My parents were diplomats inSouth Africa for the Congolese embassy from 1995 -1998. In 1997, there was a civil war in the Republic of theCongo and the current president, Dennis Sassous Nguesso came to power by making a state coup. He planned to plot former diplomats who were working under the former elected president, Prof. Pascal Lissouba, my dad included and the former South African government could not guarantee our safety, that is why the United Nations sent us in
Denmark. I was a student at theUniversity ofSouthern Denmark, where I studied in the area of Humanities. Today, I am a multimedia designer student at the NordicMultimedia Academy, also known as NoMA. I am known as either Rodrigue or Balthazar.  

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?  There was a time in my life, when I never saw myself as an author. I just wrote poems for fun or sometimes, I was doing it to get awards from the International Library of Poetry, also known as poetry.com and that was my goal for success. I never imagined myself writing a book because I underestimated it as a something which could a profession. To me, If I wanted to write books, they had to be about Information Technology and other things about the computer world.  I showed my poems to one of my acquaintances, and he recommended that I write a book, but I was very skeptical because my dream is to be a web designer and I was always afraid that my book would not be appreciated  by readers. I was afraid to make a foul out of myself to many readers. I decided to give it a try and there were times when I saw myself writing books. I see lots of things on the news, on the internet both good and bad, and I decided to talk share my thoughts and approach with my readers. I thought, ok may be my book can make a difference, you may never know.  

Do you have another job besides writing? Yes, I am a translator, a temporary worker and a multimedia designer  student.  

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading? When I was a kid, I did not read many books, but I was a fan of Peter Pan. When I was a child, I read books about politics, history, biology etc. and I learned lots of things from my parents.  Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.  get inspired by people like Christiane Amanpour, Martin Luther King, Kevin Rudd, Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, Lumumba, Patt Condell, Mark Steyn etc. because they are great fighters for freedom, free speech, justice and they bring so much hope, even when things seem to be tough. Christiane Amanpour from CNN does a great job talking about the hardest subjetc of all, genocide. And  I have learned so much from her, her team and the rest of CNN anchors as well. It is said that people perish because of the lack of knowledge. I decided to get inspiration from the following  documents: Scream Bloody Murder and God’s Warriors because I want to share my approach and thoughts about why there are genocides and what impact does religion have when it comes to such evil acts. I heard about my country of origin, the Republic of the Congo go through civil wars because of political instability, just like in most of Africa. That is why I decided to write a book where I express myself through poetry. I am forever grateful to Christiane Amanpour because her documentaries have opened my eyes, even if I am chocked, you ask yourself why in the world as humans could choose to do such evil acts. And why don’t we learn from it?

Did your book require a lot of research? Yes I had to make a lot of research about war crimes, genocides, xenophobia and I did also watch new on CNN and other internatinal  news networks. I had to do it because I wanted to increase my knowledge so that I could go deeper with the book.

What was your goal when writing this book? My goal for this book is to focus on things we deal with in our respective societies, both good and bad. I am also going to write about certain events of the past because history is not just about the past. It also affects us now, in one way or the other: Abuse, climate change, bullying, discrimination, corruption, oppression, dictatorship, wars, poverty and other problems. In order for me to deal with such issues, I have chosen to express myself through poetry. Poetry is a powerful weapon because it helps us to deal with difficult issues in the way that goes beyond logic. In this book, I externalize my thoughts about things that matter in our world yesterday and today.

Who is your target audience? My audience is readers who are interested in poetry and the events that take place in the world.  

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one? I would recommend I-Proclaim and I encourage them to keek seeking for publishers who accept them and value their talents as authors. They must believe that they have something to offer to their readers. 

Who are your favorite authors? My favorite authors are: Dr. Frank Lawlis:  He brings answers about ADD problems. Dr. Phil McGraw: The world’s best psychologist who helps people get excited about life. Ayaan Hirsi Ali: A brave woman who stands up to Islamic fundies and fights for freedom. Mark Steyn: Mark Steyn does the same things as Ayaan Hirsi. AliPat Condell: Very funny, cool and serious about the big problem Europe is facing today. Richard Dawkins: A great Atheist and he is my inspiration. Christopher Hitchens: A great Atheist and very provoking. Stephen Ross Meier: I good friend and an wonderful novelist.  

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received? I have to check my  spelling errors all the time. Otherwise, I will be seen as an incompetent writer.  

Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects? Yes my second book of poetry has been published. The title of my second book is The Struggle of Power and the Fight for Survival . The book is about man’s desire for power and survival when he goes through different situations. In the book, I focus on general things, but talk mostly about free speech under attack, religious fanaticism, terrorism, financial crisis, greed, Darfur, discrimination etc. In the book, I criticize religion and to be specific to my readers, I criticize the desire of religion to gain power over people’s lives and Islam is also criticized. Let me make a point to my readers that criticizing Islam is not racist because in the West, free speech is one of the key values.
Europe is facing a huge problem because its free speech is under attack. I talk about the integration of immigrants in societies that welcome them and I also talk about the hope that I have for mankind and legacy. This year, I will write a couple of non-fiction books.  

As an author, what is your greatest reward? I have never have any rewards as an author, but I have won several awards from the ILP (Internatinal Library of Poetry).  Anything else you’d like to say about yourself or your work? My identity is connected withFrance because it is my native country. It is also connected with the Republic of theCongo because it is my country of origin and that’s where I have my roots and ancestors. I am a hard working person and I take what I do seriously. I am working hard to make sure that this is all about you and I want to make sure that as a writer, I meet your expectations. I do my best to learn from my mistakes and make sure that I widen my wisdom so that I can grow and become a better author.  

Thanks for the interview!

THE DEPTH OF MY SOUL VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 began on April 1 and will end on April 30. You can visit Balthazar’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in April to find out more about this talented author!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available, so be sure to leave a comment!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J.W. Nicklaus resides in a place not entirely fit for human habitation about five months of the year. No pets to speak of, only the apparitions from which all romantics suffer.

An Arizona native, he’s been from one coast to the other, and a few places in between. College brought an AA in Journalism with a minor in Photography, and a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications. His work experience has run the gamut from Creative Director for a small advertising firm in Tucson to a litigation support bureau in Phoenix (and assuredly some awkward stuff in the mix).

Snow has been featured prominently in his stories, perhaps because of the seasonless cli-mate he lives in. Nature was meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not hidden from the senses. So to that end, he hopes someday to live amongst those who are able to live through four true seasons, and not just blast furnace and warm.

He enjoys the occasional Arizona Diamondbacks game with his son, as well as watching him grow up. The experience of being a single dad has taught him far more about himself than he ever thought possible.

Within the expanse of every waking moment, he hopes his guardian angel keeps its arms open wide and heart ever watchful, for there but for one true Hope goes She.

For more about J.W. visit www.avomnia.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A collection of short stories, each a splinter’s reflection of the human condition, firmly centered upon our oft tenuous, sometimes tensile bond with Hope, and careening flirtation with Love.

Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope.

INTERVIEW:

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

One would presume that a writer would be able to breeze through a question like this, yet I’ve always avoided the pin pricks of self-aggrandizement; that is to say, I’m not very good at writing about myself!

I’m an Arizona native, which apparently makes me something of a rarity if I’m to believe what everyone says. I think there are more of us than actually accounted for-we prefer our anonymity. I have a son who shares my simple joy of baseball. Being a dad has been-and continues to be-an amazing experience.

I own up to many of the attributes circumscribed to Virgo’s; I’m as simple as my daily routine and as complex as any other hopeless romantic. I’m not fond of Arizona summers, and conversely love the pristine beauty of snow.

Do you have another job besides writing?

Writing is something I do for me, as I suspect many other writers do. The payoff is less fiscal than it is emotional. To actually pay the bills I work full-time for a litigation service bureau. Once in a while I get asked what it’s like and I can only reply with “if sanity and logic are elements crucial to your personal work ethic then this sort of career is to be avoided like the plague.” I can assure you, though, that it’s never boring.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I read all the time as a child! I used to sign up for Read-a-thons and paid frequent visits to the public library. I read almost exclusively fiction although there would be occasions when I’d lose myself in some encyclopedia entries.

Reading for enjoyment took a back seat once school got serious, but I always found time to squeeze in a good book while riding the bus to campus or between classes.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between is a collection of short stories told from various facets of our human need and desire for the slightest shard of Hope. Stories about love lost, love remembered, love taught, and even some of the deeper threads which sometimes unexpectedly tug at our hearts.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the warm reception I received during initial reviews I’d collected during the final edit phase of the manuscript. Phrases like “elegiac and thoughtful” and “poignant insight” were used. Any writer loves to see those kinds of descriptives used about their labors, and I was no different.

The stories were, in some cases, inspired by actual events (Blind, In the Name Of Love), one sprang from the kernel of an idea I received from viewing a painting in the Phoenix Art Museum (Requiem For Linny), and still others were inspired by dreams or even old songs.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

Stream-of-consciousness is a perfect description. Any ‘outline’ was always stashed away in my head, which I rationalized gave me a little more flexibility. That sounds good until you get to the real story, which is that a short story has an immediacy to it that almost circumvents the need for an outline. You deal with your characters and story line now, not three chapters later.

I tend to write off the top of my head first, simply get it ‘down’. Then I revisit it later to polish and revise. In some instances I have written and edited while writing, sometimes revising things several times. Then I let it sit for a while-overnight, a couple days, etc.-and return to it with fresh eyes. One thing I would recommend to anybody that writes: Always read your work aloud to yourself, or someone else if you can. You’d be surprised what things just sound wrong or don’t work when spoken. Hearing your words is revealing in a way that reading isn’t.

What type of writer are you-the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?

I’m of the mind that writers of any stripe are of the ‘experience’ mold. At some level we all call upon even the smallest of details to apply to our stories. Sure, I daydream and extrapolate “what if” scenarios to extend a storyline, but along the way I have to be in touch with some part of my character’s feelings to make them believable and real to the reader. It’s one thing to describe a rose’s beauty based upon its color or size, but describe its heady, sweet, pungent scent and the silken thickness of the petals and you allow the reader to see the flower from a whole different dynamic.

So, I’m more of an experience kinda guy.

As a writer, what scares you the most?

Imperfection. Now, having written that, I firmly believe there is no such thing as perfection-that’s a state where something ceases to exist. If it’s perfect then what need have we of it?

So my definition of “imperfection” is more fittingly ascribed to the notion of missing a small detail, misspellings, mechanical mistakes. I’m perhaps equally fearful of not being accepted by others who have more experience or whose styles are different than my own. May seem like a silly fear, but there you have it.

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

Something about the night has always aligned with me. I’m not sure why but perhaps I’m better able to let my thoughts go towards the end of the day and focus more on writing than the other worries of the day.

What is your opinion about critique groups? What words of advice would you offer a novice writer who is joining one? Do you think the wrong critique group can ‘crush’ a fledgling writer?

Critique groups can be wonderfully helpful so long as the criticism remains positive and constructive. A lot of that hinges upon egos. I belong to a group and their feedback has made me much more aware of things I’ve often left unconsidered and caused me to take a more stringent look at my own work.

If you’re going to join one I’d advise sitting back for at least two or three meetings-watch and listen, get a feel for what the group is like. Then, and only if you’re ready, bring something of your own to have critiqued. Be absolutely prepared for nobody to declare how brilliant or wonderful your work is. That’s the whole point. If you can take the critique as a starting point for improvement, as opposed to feeling like it’s an attack on your style, then you’re in the right frame of mind to join the fray.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

My blog address is avomnia.wordpress.com, and my web site is www.avomnia.com.

As an author, what is your greatest reward?

To receive feedback from a reader that simply states how much they enjoyed something I’ve written. Then I know I’ve made some small contribution in a positive way.

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

 My guest today is J.A. Hunsinger, author of the historical fiction book, Axe of Iron. To promote the release of his book, Hunsinger is touring the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: J. A. Hunsinger lives in Colorado, USA, with his wife Phyllis. The first novel of his character-driven, historical fiction series,  Axe of Iron: The Settlers, represents his first serious effort to craft the story of a lifelong interest in the Viking Age—especially as it pertains to Norse exploration west of Iceland—and extensive research and archaeological site visitations as an amateur historian. He has tied the discovery of many of the Norse artifacts found on this continent to places and events portrayed in his novels. Much of his adult life has been associated with commercial aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. As an Engineering Technical Writer for Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems Group, Phoenix, AZ, he authored two comprehensive pilots’ manuals on aircraft computer guidance systems and several supplemental aircraft radar manuals. His manuals were published and distributed worldwide to airline operators by Honeywell Engineering, Phoenix, AZ. He also published an article, Flight Into Danger, in Flying Magazine, (August 2002). Historical Novel Society, American Institute of Archaeology, Canadian Archaeology Association, and IBPA-Independent Book Publishers Association, are among the fraternal and trade organizations in which he holds membership.  You can visit his website at http://www.vinlandpublishing.com and his blog at http://www.vinlandpublishing.blogspot.com.                                  

ABOUT THE BOOK: The first novel of a continuing character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland.  Eirik the Red established Eiriksfjord in 986 and later Lysufjord, 400-miles to the north. Just 22-years later, new settlers from the homelands found all the best land already occupied, the fragile Arctic environment strained by too many people and animals on too little arable land. Under the capable leadership of Halfdan Ingolfsson and his lieutenant, Gudbjartur Einarsson, 315 men, women, and children set sail from Greenland in the spring of 1008, bound for the unexplored continent across the western ocean. Standing in their way are uncounted numbers of indigenous people, the pre-historical ancestors of the Cree (Naskapi), Ojibwa (Anishinabeg), and Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Indians. From the outset, these native people strenuously resist the incursion of these tall, pale-skinned invaders. Two calamitous events occur that pave the way for the hostile beginnings of an assimilation process to occur between these disparate peoples. The way is rocky and fraught with danger at every turn, but the acceptance and friendship that develops between the Northmen and the Naskapi over an affair of honor, the eventual acceptance of a young boy of the Northmen by his Haudenosaunee captors, and a scenario that seems ordained by the will of the gods, makes it all begin to fall into place, as it must for the Northmen to survive. See the saga unfold, in this first book of the Axe of Iron series, through the eyes of the characters as each day brings a continuation of the toil, love, hardship, and danger that they come to expect in this unforgiving new land. INTERVIEW: 

What prompted you to write a book about the Greenland Norse people? I have had a lifelong interest in the medieval Norse people. That interest is focused on the five hundred year history of the Norse Greenland settlements. The mystery surrounding the abandonment of the two known settlements on Greenland and the disappearance of every single person living therein has captured my imagination. Years of research has led me to believe that they did not disappear, rather they assimilated with the natives of North America. My series of books tell a plausible tale in support of that contention. No other author has ever treated the subject the way I have. 

Tell us what the book is about.  AXE OF IRON: THE SETTLERS is a tale about a medieval people whose lives are surprisingly like ours. They have the same basic desires for happiness, love, food, and shelter that has dominated the thoughts of generations of cultures the world over.  Eirik the Red established Eiriksfjord in 986 and later Lysufjord, four hundred miles to the north. Just 22-years later, new settlers from the homelands found all the best land already occupied, the fragile Arctic environment strained by too many people and animals on too little arable land. Axe of Iron: The Settlers is the first novel of a continuing character-driven story of a company of men, women, and children whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later to be referred to as Vinland.  Under the capable leadership of Halfdan Ingolfsson and his lieutenant, Gudbjartur Einarsson, 315 adventuresome souls set sail from Greenland in the spring of 1008, bound for the unexplored continent across the western ocean. Standing in their way are uncounted numbers of indigenous people, the pre-historical ancestors of the Cree (Naskapi), Ojibwa (Anishinabeg), and Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Indians. From the outset, these native people strenuously resist the incursion of these tall, pale-skinned invaders. Two calamitous events occur that pave the way for the hostile beginnings of an assimilation process to occur between these disparate peoples. The way is rocky and fraught with danger at every turn, but the acceptance and friendship that develops between the Northmen and the Naskapi over an affair of honor, the eventual acceptance of a young boy of the Northmen by his Haudenosaunee captors, and a scenario that seems ordained by the will of the gods, makes it all begin to fall into place, as it must for the Northmen to survive. See the saga unfold, in this first book of the Axe of Iron series, through the eyes of the characters as each day brings a continuation of the toil, love, hardship, and danger that they come to expect in this unforgiving new land. 

Who is your target audience? My target audience would be those readers of Scandinavian descent living in the northern third of the U. S. and all of Canada, as well as others interested in an action-packed series of books telling a plausible story about the possibility of Viking settlers assimilating with certain tribes of pre-historical Indians. I want to tell the story of a people, in a fictional sense, through their eyes, to give their individual lives, their very existence, a meaning in a manner that no novelist has ever undertaken.  

How did you come up with the title? Axe of Iron is the series title. Each book includes both the series title and subtitle, e.g. Axe of Iron: The Settlers, Axe of Iron: Confrontation, Axe of Iron: Assimilation, etc. 

Is the axe a special symbol? Yes, my registered trademark is a medieval Norse battleaxe.  This weapon is symbolic of the Viking Age and is recognized worldwide. 

Did the book require a lot of research?  Definitely! Research is extensive and ongoing. I have amassed an extensive library of books and university research papers on the Viking culture. I also have a library of DVD course material on the subject. My books would not have been possible, given the authenticity depicted therein, without the data available on the internet. With the exception of university papers, the data are free for the most part. My wife and I have also traveled extensively in Scandinavia, visiting Viking sites and museums. Summertime travel will continue as we visit the areas of Greenland, Canada, and the U.S. where my tales take place.  Tell us a surprising or odd fact about the Norse people, something not everybody may know. There are those of us who contend that the settlers of Norse Greenland assimilated with the pre-historical natives of North America. My novels are dedicated, in part, to them, the four thousand settlers who disappeared. I believe that they did not disappear; rather they assimilated over the course of the five hundred year history of the Norse Greenland settlements. I show this assimilation process, in my five book Axe of Iron series, through the eyes of my characters, from both a Norse and pre-historical native perspective. You will note that I do not refer to them as Indians, for the time that I depict is five hundred years before
Columbus erroneously called the natives of the islands of Hispaniola, Indians. 

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about Axe of Iron: The Settlers? Yes, I have both. Website: http://www.vinlandpublishing.com/ Blog: http://www.vinlandpublishing.blogspot.com/ 

What’s next in the series? Axe of Iron: Confrontation, the next book in the continuing series will publish in June 2009. Other installments in the five or six book series will follow every ten months until the tale is told. 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?  Yes, readers may find the following links to be helpful should this interview have sparked their interest: E-mail: jahunsinger@vinlandpublishing.com Website: http://www.vinlandpublishing.com/ Book Order Link (Distr): http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02175.htm Book Order Link (Website): http://www.vinlandpublishing.com/index.php?page_id=278. From the website, there are options for both print and e-Books from several different vendors, including Amazon, B & N, etc.