Simon John Cox - Distant Machines

Simon John Cox is with us today to promote his short story collection Distant Machines.

What is your name?
Simon Cox, but I go by Simon John Cox when writing because there's already a Simon Cox writer out there. He wrote something about the Da Vinci Code.

How old are you?
Let's say I was born in the 1970s.

Where do you currently live?
I live in Tunbridge Wells, in the UK.

Tell us a little bit about your life.
When I'm not working as a marketer or writing fiction I spend a lot of my spare time running or doing Taekwon-Do.

When did you first start writing?
I've been writing for as long as I can remember, but I think the first time I sat down and wrote fiction seriously - by which I mean writing a plan and deciding on what the ending would be before even writing a word of the narrative - I was about 24.

What was your very first story about?
I wrote a novel about a fictional Spanish island in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War (I learned Spanish at school and as a result became interested in Spanish history). The two hated Civil Guards who were posted to the island are murdered, and an investigator is sent from the mainland to find out who killed them. Most people on the island see him as the same as the Civil Guards, but he befriends a local boy and the local priest, and they help him to carry out his investigation. Eventually the people of the island try to kill him and he is saved only by the intervention of the priest, who then confesses to the murders in order to absolve the islanders and to allow the investigator to return to the mainland in safety.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?
Yes, the one about the Spanish island. Although writing it taught me a huge amount about how to write, it's not good enough.


Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?
Many of the situations, conversations, relationships, characters etc are based on experiences from my own life, or else on the lives of people that I know. It's inevitable - when we create we only have our own experiences on which to draw.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?
Thomas Pynchon, Gabriel García Márquez, Philip Roth, Charles Bukowski, Margaret Atwood, Alan Moore...a fair old mix.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?
I did a degree in chemistry, which I think was actually a great help. I've found that a logical, "scientific" approach to writing helps me to iron out the inconsistencies and to rework the unrealistic elements; it's a case of writing something and then asking yourself "why would he do that?" and "what would be the consequence of him doing that?" Constantly asking "why" and "how" and "what if", and finding the answers before continuing - it seems to me to be a pretty scientific approach.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?
I suppose it depends on the setting. Writing the novel set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War meant that I needed to do a lot of reading about the war and its aftermath, for example, but by contrast parts of the novel that I'm currently working on are set in Namibia and in a UK defence company, and I've been to Namibia and I've worked for a defence company, so far less reading was required there. My own experiences provide a huge part of the content of my writing, so that research is being done every day.

Who is your favorite literary character?
Depending on your perspective it might be stretching the boundaries of what constitutes "literature", but Rorschach in Alan Moore's Watchmen is certainly one character who I find endlessly fascinating. Violently heroic, rigidly bound by a personal moral compass and ultimately tragic. Plus that cool mask.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
There's a character called Azamat who seems to keep cropping up in various pieces of my writing. He's a demon who takes the form of a snake in my novel, he appears as a magician's demonic assistant in The Great Meliakoff, a story from my Hallowe'en short story collection Totentanz: A Macabre Triptych, and he is a jealous god in The Pélissier Scroll, a short story that recently won a competition run by the Diamond Light Source. I think I enjoy writing him because with him I can give vent to all kinds of enjoyable malevolence.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
"Princess Diana: The Cocaine Diaries". Just because then I'd know that it would sell.

Tell us about your featured book.
Distant Machines is a collection of short stories with a generally speculative theme (I hesitate to describe it as science fiction as there are no aliens or epic space battles, but the stories are all set in the future and all incorporate some kind of technology that we don't currently have). One story is about the implications of "designer" genetic modification; another is about what becomes important in a world in which the oil has run out; and another is about what might happen if euthanasia were accepted to the point that it became a consumer product.

I'd like to point out that the cover was designed by Tony Healey (http://fringescientist.com).

Why did you write that?
I love writing short stories - partly because it gives me a chance to try out different styles of writing, and partly because they act as a kind of "writing holiday" from working on the novel - and the speculative theme just fits with the way my mind works, I think. I said earlier that I have a pretty scientific approach to writing; well, if you ask "what if?", "why?" and "how?" enough times then sooner or later you're probably going to end up in unknown territory. I really enjoy writing about things that don't exist or that haven't happened yet (and in fact will probably never happen). I suppose it's a form of escapism. It's daydreaming, really.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?
I think I'd just like to thank those people who have read my work so far, to say that I hope they all enjoyed it, and to say that if they have any comments or feedback that you'd like to make on how I could improve my writing then they should feel free to get in touch - www.simonjohncox.com

What’s a negative trait about other people that you most notice, or that bothers you the most?
Hypocrisy.

Do you ever notice it in yourself?
I don't notice it, and I do try always to be consistent, but maybe I'm hypocritical nonetheless from time to time as well. I hope not.

If you were forced to give something you adore up for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The three things that I adore are writing, Taekwon-Do and my partner, and wouldn't want to give any of those up. I suppose if I absolutely had to give up one then it'd be Taekwon-Do, just because I can't imagine being without the other two.

What is the hardest thing about growing up?
The gradual horrifying realisation that adults don't have any kind of plan and they've just been winging it.

What is something you absolutely must have in your kitchen?
At least one very good knife.

What is pain to you?
Accidentally cutting your finger with a very good knife.

What is your dream house?
I'd like a little isolated cottage out in a fishing village somewhere, with a study that had a large bay window looking out over the sea so that I could set up my desk in front of it and watch the fishing boats go out and come back in again.

Where would you want this house located in our wide world?
Somewhere tranquil, by the sea, but not too far from a decent-sized town. Whenever I've visited Devon and Cornwall I've daydreamed about living there.

You’ve been forced under various circumstances to choose a personal motto. What is it?
For New Year's Eve the year before last a friend asked a group of us to provide three goals that we'd try to achieve within the year, so instead of choosing "own a Ferrari" or "get a promotion" or "uppercut a horse" or whatever I decided to pick three things that would help me out and were definitely achievable, so I went for "be braver", "be more disciplined" and "be more determined". I think I've stuck to them pretty well, so maybe I could use them in my motto as a way of reminding me: Be brave, be disciplined, be determined. But in Latin, obviously: Beum bravum, beum disciplinedum, beum determinedum. NB I don't know Latin.

Have you ever received a present you really hated? If so, what was it?
Not really...I think at worst I've been ambivalent. I think the fact that someone has bothered to get you something is a positive thing.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? Would you have it again?
Jellyfish, in a Chinese restaurant. It felt like eating slightly gelatinous shredded cabbage, and it didn't really taste of anything much. I only ate it the first time because my friend ordered it; I don't think I'd order it again myself.

Our thanks to Simon for being with us. His work can be found below, merely a click away.

Sheila Horgan - Consequences

It is our pleasure to have Sheila Horgan with us today, promoting her book Consequences.

Where do you currently live?

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tell us a little bit about your life.

I was blessed to raise one son that came through me and several other children that came to me. I am now the proud grandmother of three, two little boys and a new little girl I've not had the pleasure of meeting in person. (That will happen this summer when I go to California to celebrate my father's 90th birthday.)

When did you first start writing?

I did a lot of technical writing in the 80s. Then I stayed home with a house full of kids and stuck with school notes and homework.

What was your very first story about?

I wrote a nice little story about my mother when I was in kindergarten. I made sure to point out that my father was the best person in the whole world and my mother made a really good ham sandwich.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?

No. After having a house full of teens, not much scares me.

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?

I think most fiction has a bit of the writer in it.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?

My tastes are pretty simple. I enjoy books that make me laugh (early Evanovich), books that make me think (The Education of Oversoul Seven) and any long series that can keep me interested.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?

I went to Catholic school with all of the stereotypical adventures, but my real education came from my parents. They gave me the skills to enjoy life.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?

I tend to research as I go. I have never tracked how much time I actually spend doing research.

Who is your favorite literary character?

Auntie Mame.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?

I am torn between Cara O'Flynn (The Tea Series) and Nora McCarthy (Consequences).

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?

Blessed to be an Ordinary Woman.

Tell us about your featured book. 

"Consequences" is written through the eyes of Nora McCarthy. She is dealing with the ramifications of choices she made early in life and consequences of actions she didn't always have control over. We follow her through finding out that a child she loves may be in trouble with the law, or worse, and that although she has spent her entire adult life in the service of others, she has no one to turn to.

Why did you write that?

It is a story that is lived in silence all over this country. It needed to be told.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?

I've been told that Consequences is a drama-dy. That parts of it will make the reader cry while other parts will have them laughing-out-loud. That is what I hoped for when putting pen to paper.

Where is the one place you’ve traveled where you’ve felt most like you fit in?

New Mexico.

What activity or hobby, besides writing, do you find most enjoyable?

Reading.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

Jacks. My mother was the neighborhood champion. She could do her nine-sies and leave the one jack in the middle. We played with golf balls and heavy metal jacks.

What is your most valued personal possession in life? Who gave it to you?

My mother's Kaiser membership card. I helped my father care for her when she was terminally ill. We went to the doctor a lot. Hour after hour of talking and learning about a wonderful woman and her interesting life. The card reminds me of a time I shared with my mother that no one else experienced. I cherish it.

If you lost the ability to see every color but one, which one would it be?

Blue. The color of healing.

How do you treat people you’re not fond of?

With dignity and respect. How you treat others is more about who you are as a person than who they are.

What is hiding in your closet as we speak?

Pants that will never again stretch across this butt of mine.

What do you see as your greatest achievement?

My kids.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best gift you can give to a child is to allow them to see your eyes light up when they enter a room and to allow them to (accidentally) overhear you brag about them.

Our thanks to Sheila for taking the time to be with us. Check out her book below.

Eric J. Gates - Full Disclosure

 We are pleased to feature Eric J. Gates today. He will be talking about his new book, coming out in May, titled Full Disclosure.

How old are you?
Older than yesterday; younger than tomorrow.

Where do you currently live?
Sunny Spain

Tell us a little bit about your life.
I was born and grew up in the Wirral, Cheshire, UK, shortly after the demise of the local dinosaur population. I have an IQ somewhat above average and found myself writing Operating Systems for large mainframe computers at 19 years old. Eventually I ended up specialising in Information Technology Security and Cyberwarfare. I’ve had wide contact with various Intelligence Agencies as a result of the latter. Almost been killed three times, had hidden microphones placed in my room, been followed, threatened and attacked, etc.; all the good things that go with the job.

My work had me moving outside the UK over thirty years ago. I’ve travelled too much, mainly on business (when the crew of an airline address you by name, without having to look at the passenger list, because they’ve seen you that often – that’s too much!). I speak a few languages, although lack of practice is their worst enemy. I’m totally fluent in Spanish, which I’ve been speaking since I was 11; that’s really why I moved from the UK – no one understood what I was saying!

I have been an active martial artist for all my life. I’ve studied over 26 martial arts, several self-defence systems and hold black belts in 14 different ones. I prefer traditional warring arts, not the competition-oriented sort. My martial skills have helped me stay alive, on more than one occasion.

When did you first start writing?
I started writing as a teenager. Really haven’t stopped since then, but certainly slowed down a little due to work commitments. I have also written a large number of articles and papers about my IT work, which have been published in more than half a dozen countries. I have a huge stack of notebooks with ideas for novels, so I won’t be running out of material for the next 150 years or so.

What was your very first story about?
I started writing short stories, mainly spy tales and sci-fi. My first novel was a spy story.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?
My first novel. It lives in solitary confinement, never to see the light of day, in a box of typewriter paper.

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?
Yes - Next question. In all my novels I draw upon personal experience to a greater or lesser degree – names are changed to protect the innocent, and the covert, of course.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?
I was reading at age 4, so my influences have been many. I read all the classic adventure tales I could find (everything from Jane Austen through Robert Louis Stevenson, Shakespeare, Bernard Shaw, Fennimore-Cooper, Jack London, Ian Fleming, John Gardner, to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells) in my teen years. One that perhaps stands out, for the mastery with which he wrapped up incisive social critiques in intriguing tales, is Charles Dickens. More recently I recognise influences from earlier Gerald Seymour, Stephen Leather, and Nelson DeMille. I particularly admire the humour of the latter and the way he weaves it into great thrillers.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?
My education was strange. Due to my Dad’s job, we had to move every couple of years. That meant new schools, friends, etc. This brought about huge challenges (like having to learn 3 years of French in six months, whilst studying fourth year French). Some IQ tests I was given brought me to the attention of the IT community and I ended up abandoning my studies to become a Geologist, to work with computers in the early ‘70s (that’s pre-PCs, Internet, mobile ‘phones – remember what I said about dinosaurs?)

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?
It varies. It took me three years to research ‘2012’ – I had to touch upon Egyptology, Quantum Mechanics, Geomorphology, wave dynamics amongst other subjects. Most of that appears only superficially in the novel, though. With ‘Full Disclosure’ it was easier as it’s a subject I’ve always had an interest in; I spent a little more than 12 months picking peoples’ brains for that one. The next novel ‘The Cull’, was researched in six months – does this mean I’m getting better at it?

Who is your favorite literary character?
I don’t have a clear favourite. I like the Alex Cross character from Patterson’s novels, and John Corey from Nelson DeMille’s thrillers. Gerald Seymour has a gift of crafting memorable personas which I admire, although of late, I feel this has been getting in the way of telling the tale itself.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Whoever I’m writing about at the time. With ‘2012’ it was burnt-out John Grey; in ‘Full Disclosure’ it was psychopathic assassin Anson Moore; and now it’s Enrique Casanova, the ‘vampire’ from ‘The Cull’. I try to ‘live’ with my protagonists, to see how they react to stuff outside the scope of the novel, as this gives me a greater feeling for how to write about them.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
‘Tip of the Iceberg’ without a doubt. It’s never going to happen though.

Tell us about your featured book.
‘Full Disclosure’ is a topical thriller about secrets, the people who keep them, and those who are not in-the-know. The tale kicks off with an attempt on the life of the US President, a means to stop him learning a great secret. This fails and drives him into taking extreme measures, not only to reveal the secret publically, but to eliminate those who have kept it for over sixty years.

The subject matter, outside the scope of the novel, is very real – it’s an unbelievably complex issue with far reaching consequences. Although some superb non-fiction analyses have been written about the issue, this is the first time it has been dramatized in a novel.

Why did you write that?
I believe that often ‘political’ decisions, especially important ones, are made based upon the flimsiest of, often out-dated, reasoning, which does not reflect current paradigms. The trap of non-evolved thinking conditions more than we would like to believe. Additionally Mankind has always been obsessed with secrets; knowing more than your neighbour. Whilst some secrets are inevitable and necessary, others have long passed their due date.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?
After they have read ‘Full Disclosure’, been entertained by my take on the matter, I’d like them to spend a little time reading about the real Disclosure issues. When the book is launched in May, I’ll put up some links on my web where readers can start their search.

What is your favorite season of the year, and what makes it so?
I hate the cold - lots of bad memories associated with it. So it’s got to be any time except Winter (in the northern hemisphere).

When you think of the word “Writer” what comes to mind?
A strange figure, living adventures in his head, trying to bring others into them through words on a page. A stubborn, quasi-human creature who doesn’t look at things (including you) as ‘normal’ folk would – an obsessive observer!

If you could pick one thing about yourself that would be passed onto your (imaginary/actual) child, what would it be?
My curiosity about all things – ‘don’t go to bed each day without learning something new’ has been a motto for many, many years.

How about one thing about yourself that you absolutely wouldn’t want passed on?
My obstinacy.

If you had to live in another time period, which one would you choose?
Two hundred years from now! I’d be an explorer, with somewhere to go (more travel!). If it had to be from the past, maybe the Old West in the mid to late 1800’s.

Name one movie that always has a huge effect on you. Why do you think that is?
I’m a great fan of the movies. The film that always makes me react the same way, no matter how many times I’ve seen it is “Young Frankenstein” – it’s hilarious, and bring about loads of pleasant memories.

What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try, but never have?
Space flight.

What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day to yourself?
Read or watch a movie. If I take a long walk, I inevitably start working on a novel mentally as I go, so that’s not really a day off.

When were you most scared in your life, and why?
It’s a toss-up between something that happened and something that almost did. The latter is the moment I learnt that an aircraft I was supposed to be on had crashed, killing all on board, and the former is a walk I had to do in the African savannah, surrounded, literally, by a pride of over 20 lions - those fifty yards seemed to take forever. In both cases, my life was in the hands of others, nothing I could do would have changed the outcome.

What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
A happy smile.

First thing you’d do if you were handed a million dollars?
Find five people who needed a helping hand, and make their dreams come true.

You’ve been given the opportunity to give a televised speech which will be broadcast on all networks, what do you speak about?
The need to recover our humanity and start caring for each other again.

What was/is your favorite thing about your childhood home?
Which home? There were so many. Maybe, being allowed to steal my Dad’s typewriter (an old Underwood sit-up-and-beg job) and write tales of adventure and mayhem.

What do you most want out of your life? Your ultimate ambition, as it were.
To find peace, with myself above all.

What inspires you?
Curiosity, pushing back the veil, and the love of a beautiful woman.

Our special thanks to Eric for taking the time to be with us. Check out the book trailer below, and visit his website for more information about this exciting upcoming release: ericjgates.com

Martin Pond - Dark Steps

Today we have Martin Pond with us to talk about his book Dark Steps.

Where do you currently live?
Not far from the city of Norwich, England.

Tell us a little bit about your life.
By day I work in IT, and have done for nearly 20 years. Outside of work I spend most of my time with my partner and our toddler. Beyond that, I try to fit in some writing time!

When did you first start writing?
I wrote a lot as a child and in my student days, but then career pressures put paid to that. I starting writing again in 2007, and have really enjoyed getting back into the swing of it.

What was your very first story about?
The first story I wrote after resuming writing, The Inheritance, concerns a man who, on his death-bed, confesses his murderous past to his son. Not a comedy!

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?
I'm usually a bit afraid to let anyone read anything I write, and the closer the person is to me the more afraid I get. What if it's not any good?

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?
Not precisely, though sometimes personal experience inspires an idea. For example, being a new father and listening to a baby monitor every night gave me the idea for Dream Feed, a story in my collection Dark Steps.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?
The writer I have read more than any other is Stephen King, and I think that probably shows in my writing. I'm also a big fan of Nick Hornby, and admire his skill with conversational narrative. Similarly, I can only aspire to Cormac McCarhty's concision. David Morrell's collection Black Eveninginspired me to create my own book - I had an "I wish I'd written that" moment, and from there the idea of publishing what I had written grew.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?
I am postgradute educated but not in creative writing or an arts subject. I have done a diploma in creative writing with the highly regarded University of East Anglia, and that made me re-evaluate every aspect of my writing process. The most productive side-effect of the diploma is that my course-mates and I continue to meet as a critique group, some years after the course ended. That, and the trusted, honest feedback it brings, are invaluable.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?
It varies tremendously, based on the story. For example, The Inheritance required some knowledge of police procedure and medical practice. Another, Egg, required me to know a little about poisons. Others, where the subject matter is entirely within the realms of your own experience, require no research at all - life has already done that for me.

Who is your favorite literary character?
A tough question, and the answer varies depending on my mood. Right now, I'm going to say Rob in High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby. I identify with him more than perhaps any other, his compulsive list-making, his record-collecting, the over-analysis of his relationships. Now if I could just run my own record store...

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Peter Potter, the narrator and anti-hero of my work-in-progress novel Drawn To The Deep End. Being a much longer piece than anything I've written before, I've really had the time to get under his skin.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
Given my surname, I might take the opportunity to strain a Bob Dylan pun and call it "Pond on Pond".

Tell us about your featured book.
Dark Steps is a collection of eight short stories, each one with a twist in the tale. I try to avoid genre pigeon-holing, and I certainly wouldn't call them horror stories per sé, but I hope that they are at least unsettling, tales of the unexpected. There is darkness all around us, and I've tried to write about that, in the hope of creating something that lingers in the memory long after the reader has put the book down.

Why did you write that?
Having written a lot of short fiction over a three year period, I took the opportunity to collect the best examples together, to see what the rest of the world things about them. I also hope to build a readership in preparation for the aforementioned novel, which I plan to publish later this year.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?
I think you'll like Dark Steps, I really do. Try it. As the advert says, what's the worst that can happen...?

What is hiding in your closet as we speak?
The last 30,000 words of my work-in-progress novel!

If you could learn one new thing instantly, what would it be?
To play like a concert pianist.

Our thanks to Martin for taking the time to be with us. His stories can be found below.

Paul Dennett - The Goalkeeper Part 1

Paul Dennett joins us today to share his book The Goalkeeper Part 1.

Where do you currently live?
Sydney, Australia

Tell us a little bit about your life.
I've worked in a normal job for a great company for eleven years. Recently they were kind enough to let me go part-time to have a shot at being an entrepreneur and I've just released my first book for sale on Kindle. My actual real dream is to become a sporting superstar but too much partying during my twenties - and a lack of any sporting talent - has prevented this from happening!

When did you first start writing?
When I was six.

What was your very first story about?
It was a recount of a day spent racing my plastic dinosaurs down a slippery dip. It was not picked up for publication.

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?
No - I have experienced the opposite of it though - my book deals with a successful sportsman.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?
Douglas Adams and Irvine Welsh. Also, although he doesn't write novels, Bill Bryson.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?
A science degree. It taught me how to be succinct.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?
Quite a lot. Because my work is aimed at improving people's vocabularies while being entertained, I spend a lot of time choosing which difficult words to weave in and making sure the meaning of the words is abundantly clear from context.

Who is your favorite literary character?
Bruce Robertson, from Irvine Welsh's novel, Filth. He is the most horrible, despicable, repugnant character imagineable. I'm not sure it is a good thing that I like him so much!

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Forbes Zanchester. After realising his dreams of becoming a successful soccer player are finished, he takes up goalkeeping and discovers he has prodigious talent.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
'I'm amazed this has been published', the Paul Dennett story.

Tell us about your featured book.
The Goalkeeper Part 1 is a fun journey as Forbes discovers his stunning goalkeeping talent and starts to amaze people. But its main point is that every chapter the reader learns ten difficult words without really having to try.

Why did you write that?
Everyone says that the best way to learn new words is to be a voracious reader - you gradually encounter them and your subconscious works out what they mean. I thought, why not condense the process? Write a normal novel, but strategically add in lots of difficult words and make it as uncontrived and free flowing as possible. It's meant to be like a vitamin shot of words.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?
There are not actually all that many words separating an OK vocab from a great one. My hope is that my readers enjoy the story for its own sake, and marvel at how their subconscious just picks up the new words. And obviously if you have a big vocab it benefits you in so many ways.

Where is the one place you’ve traveled where you’ve felt most like you fit in?
London. It is 12,000 miles from Sydney, yet I instantly felt at home.

What activity or hobby, besides writing, do you find most enjoyable?
Bowling in cricket. It's a bit like pitching in baseball. When you deliver a ball that sends the stumps flying in all directions it is a stunning feeling.

What was your favorite childhood toy?
Big Ted, a small yellow teddy bear. If I was asked a question and didn't know the answer I would apparently proclaim, 'Big Ted doesn't know that.' Psychiatrists would probably have a field day with that.

What is your most valued personal possession in life? Who gave it to you?
My big television. I gave it to me.

If you lost the ability to see every color but one, which one would it be?
Green

How do you treat people you’re not fond of?
Politely.

What is hiding in your closet as we speak?
25 t shirts that I had printed with a catchy slogan on them that I've been too lazy and timid to try to sell.

What do you see as your greatest achievement?
Actually deciding to have a go at writing.

What, to you, is absolutely wrong?
1. Violence. 2. Illogical thinking - it amazes me how many people deny the moon landing yet believe in ghosts.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Whenever you use 'should' in a sentence, replace it with 'must'. For example, 'I should join a gym'. I almost never follow this advice though.

If you had to explain the concept of “love” to someone who’s never heard of it before, how would you?
Love is when you have feelings for someone else that are similar but stronger to the feelings you have for yourself.

What about “hate?”
Hate is an intense hostility. It is occasionally justified (for example I'd hate a person who deliberately burned down my house), but usually an indication of a lack of intelligence.

You’ve decided to buy an exotic pet, what do you go for?
A chimp. I'm fascinated by their intelligence.

What do you classify as an “Adventure?”
Doing something you've never done before that scares you - preferably in a good way.

If you could learn one new thing instantly, what would it be?
How to play tennis three times better than Federer. More realistically, how to speak French.

Finish this sentence. “I sometimes find it hard to…”

I sometimes find it hard to consistently back winners at the races.

Our thanks to Paul for stopping by to answer our questions. Find his book below with your eyes, then let your clicking finger guide you.

Frank Zubek - Guarding Andrew Gates

Frank Zubek joins us today to talk about his short story collection Guarding Andrew Gates.

How old are you?
55. Earned every day of it.

Where do you currently live?
Northeast Ohio.

Tell us a little bit about your life.
Lived in Ohio most of my life. Joined the Army in 75 and got out in 78 (have regretted it ever since) and then spent most of my working life in warehouses or retail. Still hoping to be able to hit it big creatively and quit the daily grind. The odds are against it but it has happened to others.

When did you first start writing?
Way back in the early seventies. I would write out stories in longhand in notebooks.

What was your very first story about?
I wrote a fan fiction story based on the characters from MASH. In the story I had a load of bullets get mis-delivered to the 4077th. Hawkeye signs for them and then has to figure out how to get rid of them. It’s called The Lives We Save. It can be seen both on a MASH fan page called Best Care Anywhere in addition to my short story collection, Guarding Andrew Gates. It’s my first published piece online. I think it was ‘96.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?
Not yet. (grins)

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?
Actually there is. I wrote a piece, which got published on Every Day Fiction, called Just A Theory.

Its about a man named Nelson, who performs a month long experiment where he figures that if he does one small bad thing per day- he might extend his life at the back end. He figures this since many people he knows who don’t follow all of society’s rules seem to be healthier and live longer, while many of the people he knows who were good and decent all their life and died young. The twist of the story is that with just a few days left in this month long experiment, he gets caught by his neighbor and has to confess what he is doing. And yes, I have found myself doing little bad things once in a while with the same thought as Nelson- Hoping to live a bit longer on the back end. What the hell, you know? Couldn’t hurt.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?
Stephen King. His work ethic is stunning. Plus many of the classic writers just because they lived in an age without typewriters and it all had be written in longhand. Must have been a pain to struggle through re-writes without the magic of a computer!

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?
High school and then the usual hard knocks of life itself. She is the best teacher out there as well the most unforgiving.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?
Not much, but when I do it’s always several different sources off the internet. I don’t JUST rely on Wikipedia, great place that it is anyway.

Who is your favorite literary character?
James Bond, but probably for the wrong reasons. I admire that the character, as originally written by Ian Fleming, has managed to remain a strong and interesting and financially successful character after all these years despite the fact that a handful of different writers from different backgrounds have taken the reigns in the past couple of decades.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Nick Crowell. A Cleveland Detective who gets shot in the gut while chasing a suspect through a cemetery. After he recovers, he finds that people with strange, Twilight Zone type problems come to him for help even though there is very little he can do for them. This frustrates him. He was first seen in the now defunct Demon Minds e-magazine in 2007 and then I published his short stories in a self published e-book called Empath. It sold about 100 copies. But I felt it could do better so I took it off market and plan a novel in October called A Strange Life. A short story that features him, called, A Lack Of Combustion, can be found in my collection, Guarding Andrew Gates. The plot is about him taking a case about spontaneous human combustion.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
Oh, I have no idea. I still have more life to experience (hopefully). Besides I doubt it would have that big of an audience.

Tell us about your featured book.
Guarding Andrew Gates is a collection of a number of short stories that I wrote in the past ten years. A few of them have been published too. They are mostly adult literary fiction. Each story went out at least three times and most of them got rejected for one reason opr another. Which is fine I mean, that’s the business. Hanging in there and improving you craft until you do get good enough to be published, which I have.
Gates is composed of 15 short stories about common people handling everyday problems. (Except the Crowell story- that has a touch of the paranormal.)

Why did you write that?
At the time (ten years ago) I had read that many writers get their start this way. Writing a few dozen short stories and then publishing them to get reader interest. Besides, I have always enjoyed reading other collections and I wanted to try my hand at it. And short stories are not the same as full- length novels. You have a very limited amount of pages in which to flesh out several characters and then get them into trouble and then wrap everything up in a nice yellow ribbon at the ending.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?
No. I just hope they enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

What is your favorite season of the year, and what makes it so?
Fall. I guess since I myself am experiencing the Fall of my own life with just thirty years left.

When you think of the word “Writer” what comes to mind?
A creator. A story-teller. Someone who can do things few others can. And of course, the ideal wish is to be able to do it full time and make a living from it.

If you could pick one thing about yourself that would be passed onto your (imaginary/actual) child, what would it be?
Remembering that you should leave a good legacy. If more people would think about what it is people will say about them after they are gone, maybe there would be less trouble in the world. As it is everyone seems to be only interested in the here and now (specifically, THEIR here and now) and how much can I grab for myself?

How about one thing about yourself that you absolutely wouldn’t want passed on?
My cynicism. But then the world hasn’t proven that I should give it up quite yet.

If you had to live in another time period, which one would you choose?
The fifties. We lost all of that sweet innocence in ’63.

Name one movie that always has a huge effect on you. Why do you think that is?
Rocky. Sylvester Stallone wrote that film on his own. And despite the odds, he had the guts to say that he wanted to star in it too. He was willing to walk away from it (and hundreds of thousands of dollars) if they hired anyone else to star in it. Both the film and the making of that film are classic stories. It’s one of those lightning in a bottle moments in film history. And then of course he was able to put a very nice, touching cap to that whole franchise with the final film, Rocky Balboa. It’s a long-term masterpiece.

What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day to yourself?
Check out a movie at the theater and then have a quiet dinner or sit down in the park and read a new book by a favorite author.

When were you most scared in your life, and why?
My car stalled out in a thunderstorm once. Dead center of the middle of the highway with traffic zipping past me at 50 mph (possibly faster!). I was afraid to leave the car for fear of getting hit. Anyway once I got rear- ended I got out and made it to the berm and then ran to call police. After all was said and done and the other guy’s car got towed, I got back into the car, tried to start it, and the stupid thing cranked right up. I hate cars!

What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
My wife.

First thing you’d do if you were handed a million dollars?
Pay the bills. Quit the job. And go on a long, long world cruise. And upon returning I would keep writing.

You’ve been given the opportunity to give a televised speech which will be broadcast on all networks, what do you speak about?
Peace. It’ll probably be a short speech with the lowest Nielsen ratings ever. (grin)

What do you most want out of your life? Your ultimate ambition, as it were.
To live another thirty years at least. I’ll handle the rest of the details. I just want the chance at the time.

What inspires you?
A new book by an author I never heard of. Or a really good independent movie with a really good screenplay. I like going online in those cases to look up interviews given by authors or screenwriters or movie directors. It’s kind of a hobby to get into their heads and see what they were thinking at that period of their life when they were creating that particular creative piece of work. It gives me the juice to think up new ideas of my own.

More about Frank can be found on his blog: whatbrickwall.blogspot.com/

His book is listed below, only a click away.

Sadie S. Forsythe - The Weeping Empress

We are very pleased to have Sadie S. Forsythe with us today. She is promoting her book The Weeping Empress.

Where do you currently live?

Manchester, England, though I grew up in and out of the South-Eastern United States.

Tell us a little bit about your life.

By my life I assume you mean my upbringing and such. I had a somewhat unconventional childhood. We moved around a lot, so I was lucky enough to see a lot of American culture. There is a surprising amount of regional variation. I have often drawn on this wealth of experience in my writing. It also means that I am quite used to being the outsider of a group. As a result I tend to think little of the cultural distance between others and myself. This has come in useful as an adult. After university I spent seven years working in child abuse investigations. This is a job that would have been extremely difficult if I wasn’t able to clearly distinguish between practices that are simply foreign to myself and those that are patently abusive. The years I spent working with the families involved with the welfare system definitely affects my writing. It provides a well of hopeless, despair I would never have been able to reproduce without it. Though this is not to suggest that I saw no successes or heart-warming moments too.

When did you first start writing?

This is actually hard for me to answer. I’ve always been a reader, and I tell myself stories almost constantly. But it wasn’t until relatively recently that I started consistently writing them down. The problem is that I’ve felt like a writer for a lot longer than I have actually been writing.

What was your very first story about?

The first story I actually wrote down was when I was in my early teens. It was during one of the family’s frequent moves. I was stuck in the back seat for days as we drove from Tennessee to Washington State, and I hand wrote about 90 pages. I vaguely remember it to have been about a concubine who became a warrior. I guess I had already developed my penchant for strong female leads.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?

I’m afraid to let people read everything I write. I am chronically insecure about it, but I just force myself to take a deep breath and move forward.

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?

Since I write fantasy that would be a little difficult. However, I think some of my personal worldviews slip into my stories from time to time.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?

There are far too many to list, but I’ll try. I have to start with Anne McCaffrey simply because she was the first author to really grab me by the lapel and refuse to let go. It has probably been twenty years since I read my first Pern book, and I can still recite The Watchwher song. I admire Isaac Asimov for the way he could write stories almost fifty years apart with the same narrative voice. Frank Herbert’s ability to create an atmosphere that just absorbs the reader is definitely inspiration worthy. Lastly, all of the Bronte sisters deserve an honorable mention simply for being who and what they were, when they were.

What education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?

A fair amount is the short answer to this. I started college at seventeen, got a Bsc in Anthropology with minors in Comparative Religion and Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones, though any Archaeologist worth his salt will tell you Jones is a tomb raider, not an Archaeologist. I then moved across the pond to the UK and completed an MA in International Criminology. After a number of years as a professional I returned to university for an Msc in Social Change. I’m not done yet. One day I will be Dr. Forsythe. I may be 90 by then, but I am nothing if not persistent. My education absolutely comes through in my writing. It affects my choice of language, the way I, and by extension my characters, approach a problem, and complexity of issues I address.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?

I don’t do a lot of up front research for a story, or at least not for the stories I have written so far. However, I tend to do a lot of spot research to verify things as I go.

Who is your favorite literary character?

I don’t know that I have a favorite literary character, but I have a favorite character type. It’s the extremely strong male who hides his strength behind the façade of a bumbling idiot. Though not one of my favorites, Clark Kent/Superman would be an example everyone could recognize.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?

This is hard to answer. It’s kind of like being asked to choose between your best friends. It is probably Senka from The Weeping Empress, but it’s hard to consider Senka on his own because he and Muhjah are so intertwined. I love the way he is so comfortable in his own skin. He’s damaged and he knows it, but it doesn’t hold him back. He depends of Muhjah to provide him with what he lacks and that is enough.

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?
Barefoot in the City - I generally consider myself an earthy, natural kind of gal, but reality seems to be determined keeps me among the metros. I sneak out to slip my naked toes in the grass, have been known to dance in the rain and under the full moon.

Tell us about your featured book.

The Weeping Empress is my first novel. I’m really excited about it. It’s an epic fantasy about a modern woman who becomes the subject of scrutiny when she is named fulfiller of an arcane prophecy in a previously unknown land. Scared and uncertain of her immediate future she joins forces with two local troublemakers. Together they try to change their fates.

While it should appeal to adult lovers of fantasy and fiction, it will be especially appealing to those who appreciate Japanese manga or anime. Such readers will feel right at home in the atmosphere of Dashkalil.

Why did you write that?

The initial seed came from an off-hand comment about the often encountered plotline in which some pure, good-hearted young girl is magically whisked to a far away land to save the world (usually with her untainted love). I commented that these girls never seem to mind. They leave home, family, and friends behind without a second thought, adjusting easily to their new surroundings. I wondered aloud how a real woman, one with something to loose, would deal with the situation. “I might just go mad.” I said. And so a story was born. I had to walk a delicate line to avoid creating just one more of the very plotlines I was wishing to parody, but I think I accomplished it.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?

In my spare time I study Japanese, and the Japanese have a charming habit of asking, “Please take care of me” when they meet new people. I am humbled by the reception The Weeping Empress has thus far received, and would ask that the readers continue to treat it (and me) with such kindness.

What’s a negative trait about other people that you most notice, or that bothers you the most?

I dislike it when people feel the need to one-up all the time. If you won $10, he won $12. If you ran 5 miles, she ran 6 – that kind of thing.

Do you ever notice it in yourself?

I don’t think I do this. I am conscious that sometimes in an attempt to relate to people I try to share similar stories to theirs, and if I do this too much it could come across as one-upmanship. But as I am aware of it, I generally manage to keep myself within acceptable limits.

Do you own any kind of art collection?

I don’t, thought I do own a number of signed Audrey Kawasaki prints. I would happily collect her art if only I could afford it.

What is the hardest thing about growing up?

Loosing the excuse to do ridiculous things. The young can dress up in costume, or stay up all night, or sing at the top of their voice at the bus stop without being thought loony. Such behavior is overlooked with an amused, though admittedly condescending “oh, they’re just young.”

Was it worth it?

Absolutely, I don’t know about others, but when I was young I didn’t have the confidence to do such things. I was shy and awkward. As an adult I may have to moderate my behavior, but I am much more comfortable with who and what I am.

What is something you absolutely must have in your kitchen?

Good coffee. I don’t care if I have to make it in a pan and drink it out of a bowl as long as it is good, smooth coffee.

What is pain to you?

A sign that something in wrong – I don’t like pain or anything, but I also don’t consider it a wholly bad thing.

What is your dream house?

My father was a builder, who spent most of his free time remodeling whatever house we lived in. I was extremely lucky to live in some practical pieces of art. He had a very Frank Lloyd Wright like style. My dream home would be one built by him, on a couple of acres, near running water and a small forest…with fast internet.

Where would you want this house located in our wide world?

Middle Tennessee - I want to travel and see the world, but when it is time to settle down I want to be close to family.

You’ve been forced under various circumstances to choose a personal motto. What is it?

There is pleasure sure in being mad which none but madmen know. John Dryden said it first, but I think it is fabulous.

Have you ever received a present you really hated? If so, what was it?

Years ago there was a large teddy-bear shaped candle that was being passed around the family as a Christmas present. Whoever got it the first time, and I don’t even know who it was, hated it and so did everyone else. It became a joke, so getting the bear for the year became a laugh.

What’s the first thing you would do if you could become invisible?

Freak out, I rather like my corporeal form.

Do you ever have recurring dreams? What is your most common one about?

I used to. They were really frightening, often about questions of what constitutes true evil. I was too young to be facing such questions though, so they just scared me.

What is the kindest thing that anyone has ever done for you?

I don’t know what the kindest thing might have been, but the most recent thing to give my heart a little flutter was an airmailed box of pastry. I wasn’t able to make it home for the holidays this year. Every Christmas my Aunty makes fabulous Viennese Almond Pinks. They are one of my all time favorite things. She wrapped, boxed and paid the exorbitant price to express a small box of pinks to me as a surprise. I wanted to cry I was so happy.

Our special thanks to Sadie for taking the time to answer our questions. Her book can be found in eBook and paperback format. Start with the link below.