Meet Erika Knudsen

I am pleased to welcome Erika Knudsen to the interview table. Erika is the owner of Eris Publishing and the author of two vampire novels Beyond the Threshold of Death and Resurrected. Sit with us and listen in as Erika explains what inspired her to write her novels and talks about some of the challenges of being an independent publisher.

Arwen Taylor: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Erika Knudsen: The vampire genre has always been a love of mine and the deep interest in the topic is what led me to write my first book fourteen years ago. Having always possessed a great imagination I never found it difficult to submerse myself into my characters and bring them to life. Not only does the vampire genre interest me but the theme of ghosts, witches and all things supernatural capture my intrigue as well. I find the writing process in whole a way to release my thoughts and emotions on humanity, morality and my own intrigue with the paranormal.

I am currently working on my third book, which is different from my first two books, which are the beginning of a vampire series. This new book deals with family secrets, ghosts, and witchcraft, just to give a very brief overview of topics.

Arwen Taylor: I see you have written two novels about the same Heroine Dierdra O’Dea. What inspired you to create this character?

Erika Knudsen: Well, way back when I first began Beyond the Threshold of Death I was eighteen years old and since the original premise was – how would I react if I ever became a blood sucking fiend – I loosely based Deirdra on me, on my thoughts; but early in the writing process, I was surprised how ‘Deirdra’ became her own entity. I thought about what she would do, not so much, what would I do or say.

I wanted Deirdra to be a strong yet caring character; I didn’t want her to be the stereotypical ‘siren’ vampire. I guess subconsciously I wanted to make her a valiant woman, fearless not only in mind but also physically strong and for the most part, never afraid of a man or what the world and universe will bring to her. A character, I hope, that young women could enjoy reading and embrace her strengths.

Arwen Taylor: Please tell us about your two novels and what readers can expect from reading them.

Get Beyond the Threshold of Death from Amazon.com

Erika Knudsen: In the first book, Beyond the Threshold of Death, the reader finds the main character Deirdra (modern day) in a weakened state, fearful for herself and for all vampires. She is eerily aware that an unknown being has been awakened and his fury has been released. Wishing for simpler times, she remembers clearly her youth in the country side of Ireland, 1795, and the reader is delved into when Deirdra was given immortality, how she accepts her new fate and what she learns. And as the book twists and turns throughout her immortal life, the reader is taken back to modern day, back to the beginning of the book where Deirdra is in the middle of an unearthly upheaval. Events waged a millennia beforehand have reawakened the fury of an ancient Blood God, whose objectives involve the complete obliteration of the vampire race.

Book two, Resurrected, takes place four years after the conflict with the Blood God and Deirdra, is returning to Le Maison Chantonnay. The nightmares of her past have taken their toll on her and she anxiously awaits the reunion with her immortal family, but she finds herself plagued by a mysterious being who seems set on guiding her unlife in his chosen direction. With characteristic stubbornness, Deirdra ignores this entity’s wisdom and spirals into a web of alienated self-destruction, her path leading her into the arms of the enemy she had forever sworn to despise. Broken and lost she discovers old gods born anew, wearing away at her humanity, leaving her vulnerable to the evil of her demon within.

Arwen Taylor: What kinds of things have you done to market your books?

Erika Knudsen: After a 6 year hiatus, I am returning to my writing and promotion of my books and dedicating much more time than I ever had been able to in the past. I have done many book signings throughout Alberta and have been featured local papers. I had also sat on a panel with other local authors for a Q&A in libraries. I have had book reviews done by Bite me magazine and other various Ezine’s. I am currently inquiring about getting a publicist and am both very excited and nervous. I have also set the goal of doing a cross Canada book/author tour – I’ve always wanted to do that and I am even closer to reaching my goal than I could have ever imagined in the past.

Arwen Taylor: Is Eris Publishing your company? If so, how has it been as an independent publisher?

Erika Knudsen: Yes, Eris Publishing is my company. Let’s just say that the writing of the books, working with the graphic designers and printers, getting the ISBN numbers and barcodes is much easier than the promotion part of being an independent publisher. But with that said, being independent, working with your local bookstores, they tend to be more willing to help and support you. It’s not easy, but you have total control over your projects.

Arwen Taylor: Do you recommend self-publishing to other writers and why?

Erika Knudsen: Well, I would recommend trying the traditional route first. I did, but being impatient (which isn’t a good trait) and meeting other self-published authors in the writer’s group I had attended years ago, I learned how to become an independent publisher. Seeing their success, I figured I could do that too. Having received what I call ‘positive’ rejection letters, I took the plunge and joined the likes of my self-published friends and became Eris Publishing and I do not regret it at all despite the difficulties.

Arwen Taylor: Any advice for other authors?

Erika Knudsen: Keep plugging away at that manuscript; never give up on your dream of being a published author. Everyone needs a goal to work toward and when you do achieve it, ALWAYS set another one. Remember and remind yourself that many of your favourite authors were probably not signed on right away, they too had received many rejection letters. (eg. Steven King)

And if you are pondering on becoming an independent publisher, do your research, make a marketing plan, set goals and/or objectives for your book, figure out your budget and timeline, and anticipate any challenges. It’s not easy, but it can be very rewarding too. It’s been nine years and I am still learning.

Arwen Taylor: Perserverance is the key especially in this industry where we have millions upon millions of people vying for publication. Thank you Erika for taking the time to chat with me. To learn more about Erika, her books and her publishing company visit her website: Eris Publishing. There you can order her books as well as learn more about the characters. You can also purchase her books from Amazon.com.

Stacy-Deanne: I’m a mainstream novelist. I write in different genres. I have been writing professionally for twelve years. I started when I was nineteen. I was born and reside in Houston, Texas. I used to be a model and my hobbies include landscape photography. My favorite genre to read is mystery.

Arwen Taylor: What inspired you to write Melody?

Stacy-Deanne: I always wanted to write mysteries and thrillers. The idea of a young woman in trouble came to me and from there the plot, of having a woman go up against a very dangerous man by proving he is not what he seems to be came about. So, there I began my first mystery book.

Buy Melody from Amazon.com

Arwen Taylor: What was it like when you learned that Simon and Schuster picked up “Everlasting“?

Stacy-Deanne: I was very happy. At first I couldn’t believe it. Once you work with different types of publishers you soon realize that the size doesn’t matter really. Some big publishers do not promote as well as some smaller publishers. Being with S&S was a big learning experience and I could see the pros and cons of publishing first hand. I learned a lot and it was good to work with them. I am thankful for the opportunity and even by moving on from the company, I will not forget what I learned when I was there.

Arwen Taylor: Melody has been nominated for several awards and is now being turned into a play. Is there hope for a movie in the future?

Stacy-Deanne: It’s hard to say to be honest. I have put the idea of it out there and have spoken with many film people interested in making movies from “Everlasting” and “Melody” so if it happens, it happens. I believe it might happen but it will probably be years from now. I’m not rushing it.

Arwen Taylor: Do you think the market is wide open for urban novels staring African-American and Latino-American characters?

Stacy-Deanne: The market for minority writers and readers is stronger than the other markets right now. People are loving books with minority characters because for years they didn’t have contemporary fiction that showcased black and Latino characters. It’s something that everyone appreciates and needs. Black and Latino books sell EXTREMELY well once the author has captured a faithful audience. Minority readers are very, very loyal and they tend to support minority authors. That’s a wonderful thing. I think right now that the black market especially is at an all-time high. People mention sales being down for books because of the economy but black publishers and authors are doing very well right now. Readers from all races and backgrounds are showing us a lot of love and I appreciate it. Anyway it’s not about color, it’s the book that matters. Writing is universal and a book should appeal to various people.

Arwen Taylor: Is there another novel in the works that we can expect sometime soon?

Stacy-Deanne: I am always writing something new. My agent already has three new novels she’s trying to sell. I anticipate my next release to be the first installment of a detective series starring the officers from Melody. I’m very excited about this because the officers are very popular with Melody fans.

Arwen Taylor: Any advice for your fellow writers?

Stacy-Deanne: They must remember that the publishing industry is extremely slow. They have to be patient and be able to except criticism. They have to stay determined and do not fall prey to quick fixes. There isn’t an easy way to publication. I recommend all writers get agents to ensure they get the best chance possible with publishers and contracts. They need to develop a thick skin, research the business and perfect their craft. They shouldn’t jump into trying to get an agent until their work is ready.

Thank you, Stacy-Deanne, for sitting down with me at The Plot Cafe. Stacy is very active but you can catch her either at her website or her Myspace page. Her books Melody and Everlasting can be purchased at Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com

Meet Kathy-Diane Leveille!

Recently, I had the pleasure of talking to Kathy-Diane Leveille, author of the suspense novel Let the Shadows Fall Behind You. Kathy is a former CBC broadcast journalist who gave it all up to follow her dreams to be a writer. With one book under her belt, a collection of short stories titled Roads Unravelling, Kathy is gearing up to introduce another to the world this month. Pull up a chair and listen in as Kathy talks about what inspires her, facing that blank page and her new book.

Arwen Taylor: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Kathy-Diane Leveille: I’m a former broadcast journalist with CBC radio. Seventeen years ago, when I was home on maternity leave with my youngest son, I dug out an old file of story ideas and started scribbling. By the time the date arrived when I was supposed to return to work, I had already decided that I didn’t want to keep putting my dream of writing fiction on the back burner. Since then I’ve done different jobs, including being a janitor and typing medical transcription, to give me the time and energy to pursue my passion. My first book Roads Unravelling, a collection of short stories set on the Kennebecasis River where I live, was published a few years ago. Let the Shadows Fall Behind You released this spring is my first suspense novel.

Arwen Taylor: What made you decide to switch from working with CBC radio to writing fiction books?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: When I was a journalist I was always telling other people’s stories. It was an exciting job, and helped pay the bills. However, at the end of the day I had no energy reserves left to pursue my passion of fiction writing. My father passed away, and I started to take a good look at my life. I decided that I didn’t want to keep putting my dreams in the back seat. I wanted them to drive my car.

Arwen Taylor: What inspired your new suspense novel Let the Shadows Fall Behind You ?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: My novels are sparked by a question surrounding a mysterious disappearance. I actually have a blog to record them all at Unsolved Disappearances.

In the case of Let the Shadows Fall Behind You, Nikki disappears. Here is a brief description of the book:

On a grey morning in Northern Ontario in 1978, when the first fat snowflakes drifted down erasing all the familiar landmarks, Nikolai Mirsky headed out the door of the haunted cabin he shared with his lover, Brannagh Maloney. And disappeared…

Brannagh, a Natural Science Illustrator, struggled to collate the data from their bird count through the long winter. By the time the icicles began to melt, she was filled with a growing dread that the infamous wilderness preservationist wasn’t returning.

When Brannagh left New Brunswick, ten years ago, she swore it was for good. But now her best friend, Annie, won’t stop worrying about her, and won’t stop hounding her to come back for a reunion of their childhood all-girls club The Tuatha-de-Dannans. Brannagh finally relents, but she refuses to go to her childhood home and face her irascible Grandfather. Instead, she hides out at her Grandmother’s summer cottage, even though it is far too close to the woods where her mother was murdered. As Brannagh struggles to put to rest the questions surrounding Nikki’s disappearance, she finds it impossible to ignore the family secrets circling the most tragic disappearance of all. Brannagh learns that nothing magical will ever change her past, but the fierce love of friends holds the power to transform the future.

Arwen Taylor: Why do you think readers will enjoy the book?

Buy Let the Shadows Fall Behind You from Amazon.com today!

Kathy-Diane Leveille: Let the Shadows Fall Behind You has the multi-layered depth that lovers of good psychological suspense are attracted to. I tend to discover a new author with an unusual slant on the genre and compulsively read everything they’ve written. Lately, I’ve been devouring the works of Nicci French, a husband and wife British team. Maybe I’m just intrigued that this collaboration continues without self-combusting. I really like sophisticated screen thrillers too like Fatal Attraction and Wall Street, and have watched both quite a few times. I love the mechanics of an intricate plot paired with superb characterizations. I think every movie I watch and book I read informs my writing to some degree, because when the story transports me, I’m always curious as to why, and try to nail it down. That seamless pairing of plot and characterization to heighten suspense is what I’ve tried to master with Let the Shadows Fall Behind You.

At heart, this is a book about the power of friendship. When Brannagh returns home for a childhood reunion of the Tuatha-De-Danaans, despite Nikki’s vanishing, she finally confronts the shadow she’s been running away from. Nothing can change the past, but friendship holds the power to transform the future. It was important for me to write about this because it’s a lesson I’ve been processing, as is so often the case with writing. The story is a reflection of what life is teaching me. This is all very mysterious and happens subconsciously; and very comforting.

Arwen Taylor: People say that once you write one book that it is easier to write another. Have you found that to be true?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: Yes and no. I think all writers have a fear of the blank page. No matter how many books you’ve published and how many awards you’ve won, when you’re inspired by that initial idea, you really have no guarantee you’ll be able to carry it through from beginning to end. (And that if you do, it will not only work and hold together, but enthrall readers, amaze your publisher and zoom up the bestseller list.) However, learning the craft of writing a novel is a huge apprenticeship. Once you can finally juggle all those balls in the air (plot, character, setting, pacing, theme), it does get much easier to develop a strategy each time going in. I just finished my next suspense novel IN COLD STORAGE and while it’s a different creature than SHADOWS (I like challenges) I found it went much faster.

Arwen Taylor: I noticed that you do speaker phone chats for reading groups. How has it been speaking to the readers about your characters and book?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: I love talking to readers about my writing. They are the warmest group of people I know. Connecting with book lovers is where the rubber hits the road. They are insightful and honest. When they get a story, you know all the work was worthwhile. To be honest, I’m always a little embarrassed and surprised when someone stops me and talks about how they enjoyed a character or story. I have to pinch myself!

Arwen Taylor: What would you say is the most rewarding thing about writing?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: There are so many, it’s hard to chose one. I learn from my writing. It isn’t something I pursue consciously, but eventually when I look at a book I’ve written I can see that I was learning something about life from the character’s journey. I was born a writer and something deep inside me comes alive when I put pen to paper. I would wither like the proverbial plant in the desert without water if I couldn’t. Being published is the biggest thrill you can imagine. Holding that book in my hands never gets boring.

Arwen Taylor: Any advice for your fellow writers?

Kathy-Diane Leveille: Rule number one: Go to the page. Rule number two: Go back to the page. Rule number three: Go back to the page again. I think it’s important to exercise your true voice, test it, settle into its strengths and weaknesses, and learn to trust it BEFORE you attend workshops. If you attend ‘how to’ sessions too soon, the tendency is to try and act on the information with the left brain and copycat what is being taught. If, however, you already write in your true voice, you will trust your gut instinct to take the information taught and adapt any parts of it to your style to enhance it, and discard the rest. How do you know if you’re writing in your true voice? The words catch fire, the room disappears and you hum along on a magic carpet in your imagination.

Rule number two: Devote at least half as much time as you spend writing to learning the publishing business.

Arwen Taylor: Thank you, Kathy, for sitting down and chatting with us today. It is a true pleasure to speak with you today.

Kathy-Diane Leveille: Thank you so much for inviting me to be your guest and meeting all your readers. Drop by my web site and let me know what you think of Let the Shadows Fall Behind You. I always love to hear from readers.

Every Thursday I chat with some of the generous authors I’ve met on the road to publication at http://lettheshadowsfallbehindyou.blogspot.com

Let the Shadows Fall Behind You
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Kunati Inc. (April 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1601641672
ISBN-13: 978-1601641670

Find RavenTree Press books @ Amazon.com

Thanks for being here today, Dawn. Tell us, how did Raven Tree Press get started?

The publisher knew a group of talented writers and artists in the Midwest. That pool of regional talent helped launch the initial list. With the success of the books the talent pool spread through the US and now we proudly work with talent around the world.

Who is your primary audience?

Our picture books are focused on children grades preschool ­ third grade. Because our book are co-released as bilingual books in English and Spanish the word count is traditionally low and the artwork must tell sub-stories for us.

What genres do you publish and for what age group?

We are a juvenile fiction publisher exclusively. We have one series that blends fiction (postcards written by a child) with non-fictions (facts and photos about specific locations in the United States).

Is there a big market for bilingual books?

Children’s books in general is a huge market and highly competitive. We needed something to differentiate ourselves and there were no high quality bilingual books in the market. We focused on keeping production quality high, artwork beautiful and excellent translations. These books can then be used in schools for language learning in either language, in a bilingual home where the parent may speak one language and the child is learning a second in school, and by children and families that are curious about a second language. They can use a picture book in the learning as the illustrations help to cue the words in many cases. We end every book with a keyword vocabulary list to aid in learning. These books help make language learning fun.

Are your books available in Spanish-speaking countries outside the US?

That has been a challenge for us. We have translators that blend those types of Spanish most often used in the United States and try to blend the translation to suit this blend. Spanish in Spain and sometimes the Spanish in Latin America do not match the translation in our books. We do offer our books for rights purchase so that the publishers in those countries can retranslate for their market and then reprint the books for their needs. That is true for not only Spanish speaking countries, but any company that may want a dual language presentation.

What do you look for in a picture book manuscript?

We look for a story that is easily illustratable. We look for family oriented, universal storylines. We do not need culturally specific or multicultural stories as we believe a good story is a good story in any language. In the editing process we lower the word count and choose words that can be translated.

Do you accept unagented submissions?

Yes, but we always ask an writer or agent to view our website before any submission. We want them to become familiar with our books and guidelines. It will save everyone time and resources.

Are you looking for English/Spanish translators at this time?

We are not looking for translators.

Sometimes the tone of a book is lost in a translation. What do you look for in a translator?

Tone is so important. In a children¹s book specifically we want the children to be educated and entertained. We need translators that have had experience translated creative writing and specifically juvenile fiction. Those that portray the voice of the characters in our books is critical to us. We also want that sensitivity to blend discussed earlier and that is tricky sometimes.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?

Please visit our website. We want writers, readers and translators to know who we are and what we produce. If you have children, share one of our books with them and see them light up seeing a second language in the book. It is so interesting that children love to experience the new language when adults are sometimes hesitant.

Thanks for the interview, Dawn!

Arwen Taylor: Tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into writing fiction novels.

Scott Michael Kessman: I was writing short stories since I was a child in grade school. I always possessed a very creative imagination, and I was also a voracious reader. I often checked out 20 books from the library at a time. As I grew older, my career path took me into the realm of graphic design, as art was also always a hobby. But I never stopped writing, and eventually amassed a small amount of short stories, which I happily shared with family and friends. The majority of these stories belonged to the horror genre, which made it particularly difficult to get them published.

However, one of these stories, entitled “The Woods”, was more akin to a dreamlike childhood fantasy. It was only four pages long and written over ten years ago, but it became the basis and the first chapter of my first published novel, “The Tales of Tanglewood: The Lon Dubh Whistle.”

Buy Tales of Tanglewood at Amazon.com

Arwen Taylor: Describe the Tales of Tanglewood. How does it differ from other fantasy novels?

Scott Michael Kessman: It’s very hard today not to find similarities from one fantasy novel to another, and then there are some die-hard fantasy fans who think everyone who writes high fantasy is ripping off Tolkien, and everyone who writes young adult fantasy is ripping off Rowling. I might get yelled at for this, but I’ve actually read neither of those authors. I’ve seen the movies, but never read the books.

Regardless of that, there is no doubt that some readers will compare certain elements of The Tales of Tanglewood to other books currently on the market. But the ultimate reason my novel differs from other fantasy novels is that when writing the Tales of Tanglewood, I had no set course in mind. I made it up as it went along, and let the story tell itself. I remained true to the characters and to the heart of the story, focusing more on substance and the feelings the story can evoke, than on marketability.

The Tales of Tanglewood does not subscribe to any particular clichés typically found in both young adult fantasy or the high fantasy genres. That may ultimately hurt from a marketing standpoint, but if you can appreciate a good story, then I’m sure you will appreciate The Tales of Tanglewood. Quite simply, it isn’t just for young adults, it is also for adults who are young at heart.

Arwen Taylor: What was your inspiration for Colin?

Scott Michael Kessman: When I first wrote “The Woods”, the character’s name was Steven, and the influences of Irish folklore were not immediately discernible. Over ten years later, I found myself sitting on a bridge in a small woodland park near my home. I’d become more of a fan of Irish folklore and Celtic mythology, and it was a particularly sunny, peaceful day. If you were a child, it would be the kind of day in which you would imagine the woods held more than just squirrels, birds and rabbits.

I was reminded of my own childhood, and I thought to myself, this is an experience worth remembering. When we are young, the world is a magical place, and one needs only to step outside to find evidence of elves, sprites, brownies or fairies. As we grow older, we accumulate problems, stress and responsibilities and we tend to stop believing in magic. But it still exists, if only we know where to look. Through Colin, we can experience that magic again, remembering and feeling our childhood once more.

Arwen Taylor: Tanglewood is described as the woods within the woods essentially a hidden world. Do you think there really are magical worlds hiding in plain sight so to speak?

Scott Michael Kessman: In Ireland, it is said that a ring of trees is a Faerie Fort; a place where the fae reside. (Also referred to as the fey, as in my book – essentially any type of folkloric fairy creature). While vacationing in Ireland with my wife, we came upon what appeared to be a faerie fort while wandering about the country. Entrance into the faerie fort was barred by very thick and very high undergrowth, but as I was passing by, I spied a small break in the undergrowth, and peered through it.

They say Ireland is very green, which of course it is. But when I peered into this faerie fort, I beheld a vibrancy that was magical indeed. A vast carpet of clover and moss covered the floor within the fort, and vines curled their thin tendrils high into the trees. Pushing the remainder of my body through the opening in the undergrowth, there was no doubting a heavy presence of something uncanny (magical, you might say) within the confines of the faerie fort. There was a change in the air, and the silence was at once peaceful yet strange.

It’s hard sometimes to believe that magic such as that may exist when surrounded by steel and glass and concrete and noise. But if you ever have a chance to stand within a faerie fort as I did and feel what I felt, you will think differently.

Arwen Taylor: I noticed that you have done some public readings of The Tales of Tanglewood. Tell us a little bit about your experience with that.

Scott Michael Kessman: My first reading was surprisingly populated, but I found myself somewhat flustered. I jumped from one subject to another, despite the carefully detailed notes I had written. Thankfully, that embarrassing performance was only a one-time occurrence. I’ve done much better since then, reading and speaking with confidence, and the audience has been very receptive.

A lot of the areas detailed in The Tales of Tanglewood are based on areas in some local parks. When I tell the audience this and describe the areas, I find them nodding and smiling. Many of them visited these parks in the past (some still do), and I think it lends another level of enchantment to the story.

Arwen Taylor: Do you and your wife collaborate on books or does she strictly serve as a source of inspiration to you?

Scott Michael Kessman: She is definitely a source of inspiration, as she is originally from Dublin, Ireland. While she may not contribute to any of the actual writing, she does contribute a fair amount of ideas that for the most part are incorporated into the books. The first book probably would not be as successful as it is without her contributions. Likewise, I have already rewritten a much stronger prologue and first chapter for the second book based upon her review and suggestions. She’s has a very creative imagination, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one day there’s a story or two out there with her name on it.

Arwen Taylor: Any advice you would like to pass on to your fellow writers?

Scott Michael Kessman: Always carry something to write on and a pen. You never know when a great idea or just a particularly good piece of writing will pop into your mind, begging to be written. Just as my 4-page story became The Tales of Tanglewood, even a few sentences can one day evolve into a much larger story.

I agree Scott. Inspiration surrounds us and all we have to do is open our eyes to see it. Thank you Scott for taking the time to sit down and chat with me. I’ve put Tales of Tanglewood on my to read list and hopefully will have a chance to do a review on it in the near future.

To learn more about Scott, or the book, head on over to his website: Tales of Tanglewood. There you can find information about the characters, the woods and the story. As a treat, Scott also offers the first three chapters of Tanglewood for free. You can buy Tales of Tanglewood from Borders, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

Get Elle Newmark's novel from Amazon.com

Tyler: Welcome, Elle. I’m glad you could join me today. First of all, I understand “Bones of The Dead” is a novel with a bit of a mystery, set in fifteenth century Venice. How did you become interested in fifteenth century Venice, and what made you decide to make it the setting for your novel?

Elle: The Renaissance is an incredibly rich period for a writer to tap. Man waking up from a long intellectual nap-art, science, humanism all exploding at the same time-and most of it happening in Italy, my ancestral home. How could I resist?

Of course, Venice is utterly unique. A city of palaces built on water is an outrageous idea, and yet there it is. It’s fabulous-the pageantry, the architecture, the history-fabulous! I lived in Europe for seven years and I’ve traveled on almost every continent, but I’ve never seen any place quite like Venice.

To quote my narrator: “Venice has always been a perfect setting for secrets, seduction and the melancholy thoughts of a poet. Tainted by iniquity, Venice invites moral surrender, not with a playful wink, but with the understanding that she is, and always has been, sluttish under her regal disguise.” That’s perfect for “Bones of The Dead.”

Tyler: The main character, Luciano, is apprenticed to the doge’s chef, and together they become involved in a dangerous adventure. How would you describe their relationship?

Elle: In a rather Dickensian move, the chef plucks orphaned Luciano off a squalid street and takes him into the palace kitchen. Luciano is grateful, even though the chef has ulterior motives; he has a long-standing wish for a son and he needs an heir to a secret legacy. The chef is an enigmatic character whose real mission is slowly revealed.

But the chef and Luciano come to love each other as father and son. The chef becomes Luciano’s mentor, his protector, and his teacher-his father in the truest sense.

Tyler: In your book you use food as metaphor to advance the plot. You say, “Intrigue escalates and schemes thicken like stew while the enigmatic chef uses metaphorical soufflés and mysterious sauces to guide Luciano through a dangerous but delicious maze.” Why did you choose to use food as a metaphor?

Elle: My father is a master chef, so I suppose food-as-metaphor was inevitable. I grew up in an Italian family, and food played a central role, not only on special occasions but every day. My first job, at the age of ten, was stuffing homemade ravioli on a long, pasta-covered table in our basement. Of course, I learned to cook, and I’ve often thought the preparation of food is loaded with metaphorical possibilities. Also, I just like the notion of a culinary historical.

We talk that way all the time, don’t we? “Variety is the spice of life,” “You are what you eat,” “Dry as toast,” “The salt of the earth,” “Peaches and cream complexion,” “He stewed in his own juices.” Food engages all our senses. Everyone loves the satisfying crunch of peanuts, the narcotic aroma of fresh bread, the sight of ripe cherries, the sound of sizzling bacon. Food overwhelms the senses. One wonders whether we consume food or it consumes us.

As for metaphors, could there be a more perfect metaphor for the impermanence of life than a soufflé? Well, maybe a rose, but that’s a cliché. The soufflé blooms, it’s magnificent, and then it’s gone. Either you were present to appreciate it or you missed it. The chef’s spiritual message is “Be here now.” I’m Buddhist, so I guess when a Buddhist writer grows up with a chef you’re going to get soufflés instead of roses.

Tyler: I understand the plot revolves around Luciano learning that powerful men are plotting to unearth an ancient book rumored to contain heresies, love potions, alchemy, and even the secret of immortality. Where did you get the idea for this book?

Elle: Books were tremendously important during the Renaissance-the printing press was new and it was the dawn of humanism. Until then, the power structure in Europe maintained iron-fisted control of the people by limiting the flow of knowledge. When books presented crazy new ideas (like the earth revolving around the sun) there was trouble. Books were always monitored for seditious content.

However, there’s no squelching human ingenuity. People find inventive ways to protect their ideas, like the scrolls stuffed into jars and hidden in caves near the Dead Sea. The chef hid his subversive ideas in plain sight-he encoded them in recipes. One way or another, the written word is preserved to illuminate the past and show the way forward.

In “Bones of The Dead,” is about a book that holds forbidden secrets. Human nature being what it is, everyone thinks the book has what he wants most. Luciano wants a love potion, the old doge doesn’t want to die, one person wants gold, and another wants power. No one knows exactly what’s in this book, but they all know what they want it to be.

Tyler: Immortality and alchemy have frequently appeared as dreams or goals in fiction. What do you find fascinating about them?

Elle: I find them interesting for the same reason everyone else does. Immortality fascinates because no one wants to die. We try to fool ourselves into thinking we don’t age-we dye the gray out of our hair and we spend billions on wrinkle creams, diet plans, and cosmetic surgery because we idolize youthful beauty. Getting old isn’t cool because it smacks of death.

In spite of all that, we do die, but we achieve immortality by what we leave behind. Whether we intend it or not, we all leave something, even if it’s only a mote of DNA. Most of us make an effort to leave something more meaningful-art, skills, ideas, values. I believe we achieve immortality by passing these things along to the next generation. That’s why I dedicated this novel to teachers.

Oh, and alchemy, yes, that’s an old favorite because it speaks to something embedded deep in the human psyche. Alchemy is about greed and a wish to believe in magic. If people didn’t fantasize about getting rich quick, the lottery would go broke. Last time I checked it was doing astonishingly well.

Tyler: Why did you choose “Bones of The Dead” for the title?

Elle: The title works on several levels. First there is a scene in which the doge and the pope’s astrologer eat Italian cookies called bones of the dead. As the characters munch through the bones of the dead, they talk about the illusion of defeating death, and this introduces the theme of immortality.

Second, all the churches in Europe have catacombs and bones of saints preserved as relics. The chef points out that they are only bones, only symbols of the real legacies-lives lived with courage and wisdom, the things he wants to teach Luciano.

Third, as the chef tells Luciano, “Civilizations are built on the bones of the dead.” Teachers of every description pass knowledge from one generation to the next, and thus humanity advances. That’s why I chose the quote from Sir Isaac Newton for my epigraph: “If I have seen farther than other men, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”

Tyler: I understand the book has some political intrigue involving the Church. The novel sounds like it has a conspiracy theory feel to it. Do you feel the issues in it speak to the world’s current state of affairs?

Elle: Any novel worth its fictional salt speaks to the world in its current state, that is, to some universal theme. In medieval times, the Church wielded political influence and popes conspired with heads of state. During the Renaissance, free thinkers challenged that power structure. These days, it might not be the pope, but we all know that far-reaching deals are made behind the scenes. Politics are politics, then and now.

“Bones of The Dead” carries the message that we don’t have to be personally defeated by shrouded power struggles at the top. We can choose to live with decency and purpose, no matter what plots are hatching behind closed doors.

But if, by conspiracy theory, you’re referring to the passages about the Gnostic gospels and Jesus, well, there’s nothing in my novel that hasn’t been suggested before. It’s not new; it’s just controversial.

Tyler: Which writers or books would you say have influenced you in your writing?

Elle: Oh, there are so many. Early influences were the two Johns-Steinbeck and Updike. Steinbeck for his humanity, and Updike for lives imagined down to the last quirky detail. I also love the magical realists-Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabelle Allende in particular-for the way they bend reality and take me along for the ride. Ian McEwan stuns me with his ability to portray the dark side of human nature with insight and compassion. Ann Patchett has a lovely gentle touch; Rohintin Mistry offers us a moving and unflinching look at India; Toni Morrison colors outside the lines, but brilliantly; Tim O’Brien depicts war with an admirable willingness to mine his own pain; Sebastian Faulks draws me into foreign landscapes of time and mind; Kasuo Isaguro is a genius…

Honestly, there are so many fine writers out there I could go on forever. I wish everyone would just go to a library, go to a bookstore, and try new authors. Experiment.

Tyler: What about writing historical fiction intrigues you, and do you find anything specifically difficult or frustrating about it?

Elle: I love everything about historical fiction-reading it, writing it, and researching it. What broader canvas could I ask for than the history of mankind? And what richer palette could I use than the tapestry of human experience? The historical writer draws on vast resources of human behavior, but with the benefit of hindsight.

Tyler: Would you tell us a little bit about the next two novels you have coming out?

Elle: “The Cloud Forest” tells a story of indigenous people in an Amazonian rainforest and their struggle to escape the intrusion of the 20th century. Researching that book took more than a year, as well as an unforgettable trek through a rainforest.

“The Devil’s Wind” is set in India, 1948, the year of Partition and Gandhi. That one is about the power of forgiveness, and researching it took me to India. Elephants are surprisingly easy to ride.

Tyler: Obviously you love to travel. What is it about traveling that inspires your writing?

Elle: A sense of displacement kicks my creativity into high gear. In familiar surroundings it’s easy to get into a routine and walk around half awake. But when you travel, everything is new, you don’t know what’s around the next corner and you’re awake to every moment. I’m addicted to that feeling of discovery.

To experience the world and its people is a great and humbling adventure. To write about it is a way of understanding and sharing.

Tyler: Where do you plan to travel next, and will you be researching another book?

Elle: I’d love to go back to Africa just to see more of it and, who knows, a book could come out of that. But right now I’m thinking my next book might take place in cyberspace.

I’m fascinated by the meeting-of-the-minds happening on the Internet. These days, many of us live a good chunk of our lives virtually and, as a result, our internal worlds are becoming significantly larger. We interact with people we would never otherwise encounter in our daily lives. This is unprecedented, and I’m interested in how it’s changing us.

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Elle. Before we go, would you tell our readers where they find out more about “Bones of The Dead” and where to buy a copy?

Elle: With pleasure: You can visit my website at www.ellenewmark.com, or order “Bones of The Dead” from Amazon.

Meet Judy Azar LeBlanc!

Arwen Taylor: So how did you go from a degree in Industrial Psychology to being a writer?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: Thank you for having me Arwen. It is a pleasure to share my thoughts and experiences with your readers.

How did I go from a degree in Industrial Psychology to being a writer? That is a good question. I can’t honestly say that I started out with “wanting to write books.” Between college and my professional career, I had to write what everyone else wanted me to write about and in their distinct formats. I grew to dislike writing so much that after I retired from the work force; I donated my “red-pens” to my co-workers and said “I won’t be needing these anymore because I am never going to write again.”

Then, my husband and I moved to Baja, Mexico and after spending several years “unwinding”, the urge to write came back to me, but this time I was thrilled about it because that meant that I could write about anything that I wanted to write about ~ and do it “my way”. Fortunately, I started by writing the English section for the state published newspaper as well as articles for the Federal Government’s monthly tourist magazine. It was through these avenues that my inspiration for writing books was born.

Arwen Taylor: How has your degree in Industrial Psychology influenced your writing?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: How does one’s writing get influenced by Industrial Psychology? I can’t honestly say that Industrial Psychology per se influenced my writing at all. What did and does influence my writing is the education of psychology in general which does influence the way my mind formulates ideas. For example, in the story of Many Faces to Many Places, there is a section about a villain king who uses psychological tricks to control Many Faces. This, of course, does not come from an Industrial point of view, but does have everything to do with the basic background of psychology in general.

Arwen Taylor: Please tell us about Many Faces to Many Places.

Purchase Many Faces to Many Places from Amazon.com

Judy Azar LeBlanc: Thank you for asking Arwen. The story unfolds as a three-part journey that I believe draws a realistic picture of our own walk through life. The underlying message of Many Faces to Many Places is learning that loving yourself and others is the most important thing that we can do while we are still alive. Many Faces to Many Places illustrates that although life does have its trials and tribulations, there is always something good that comes out of them, and that is what we need to focus on. Part one reflects upon the “up” stages of life where possibilities and potential are endless; part two reflects upon the “down” stages where the power of choice is explored; and, part three represents a time of “reflection,” where wisdom and understanding are realized. The story is written allegorically and is animated in style simply because it is meant to attract all age groups and is specifically based on universal truths.

Arwen Taylor: When we as authors write, we really are experiencing our characters’ journeys first hand and often discover some of life’s little secrets in their struggles. What have you learned either about yourself or about the world from writing Many Faces to Many Places?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: Arwen, I think the biggest lesson that I learned by writing Many Faces to Many Places is that we truly are all connected to each other. I learned that we indeed do all have the same struggles and questions about ourselves and about life. I believe with all of my heart that loving yourself and others is by far the most important thing that we can do with our life while we are still alive. There is a quote in my book that goes like this …” one should never ask ‘Who will love me?’ but rather, ‘Whom can I love?’ You are filled to capacity with an unconditional, powerful love that needs to be shared, and there is no greater love than that which you receive when you touch the heart of another.

I have also discovered that many people want answers to timeless questions like “what is the meaning of life?” “Why am I here? What is love? What is happiness? To only mention a few. And if most come to the same conclusions, then the answers that apply to us must be universal.

Arwen Taylor: Many Faces to Many Places has won several awards including the Indie Excellence Book Award and the National Best Book and Audio Awards. What has it been like receiving such recognition of your work?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: Arwen, I wish I could say what it is like, but I’m not sure how I feel about it. I kind of remember being shocked and awed each time that I was notified … I guess all I can say is that I am deeply grateful that the story of Many Faces to Many Faces is appreciated.

Arwen Taylor: Your article ‘How to Turn Your Book Signing into a Sell Out‘ gives authors some great tips on having a successful book signing. What is it like being able to connect with readers one on one?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: You know something Arwen; this article was actually born out of my desire to help first time authors. When I was at a book festival in Arizona, I was walking around the booths and meeting several authors when I noticed that several of them had never been given any kind of successful tips on how to present, display or sell their books at signings. This is where I came up with the idea for this article, and I am thrilled that it helps others.

What is it like to connect with readers one on one? It is the most fulfilling feeling that I think an author can have. When a reader comes up to you and says “I love your book” … that comment right there makes all of the work we have to go through worth every minute of it.

Arwen Taylor: Any words of advice you would like to pass on to your fellow authors?

Judy Azar LeBlanc: Oh boy … I have been advised of so many things that may or may not be pertinent to what I honestly feel. I’ve been told to write to “the audience” … write “what is significant for today” … write this way … that way … and each time I was told these things, I flashed back on my old college and career days. I think what I would like to say to all my fellow authors is “do it your way” … write from your heart and never give up. One of my all time heroes is Richard Bach because his book “Jonathon Livingston Seagull” got rejected over 275 times … he never gave up either.

Arwen Taylor: Now that’s dedication. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Never give up, never surrender’ from the movie Galaxy Quest. That’s the kind of mindset you have to have if you want to get your books into this competitive market.

You can learn more about Judy by visiting her website at Many Faces to Many Places. Visit Amazon, Borders or Barnes and Noble to pick up your copy of her award winning book by the same name.

Simon Barrett: Stolen Boy is powerful stuff. How did you get interested in it?

Michael Mehas: One day in April of 2003, while I was tending to my dying dog, Sadie, I got a call from an old buddy, Nick Cassavetes, who said he wanted to make a film about Jesse James Hollywood, the youngest man ever on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Since I lived so close to Santa Barbara, where the crime took place, I had read all these articles about this amazing crime involving all these young kids. Kids accused of committing crimes against kids. It was an unbelievable story. One I wanted to know more about.

Get your copy of Stolen Boy by Michael Mehas

For anyone who doesn’t know what it’s like to work on a Cassavetes film, it’s one of those rare opportunities in life that you just don’t want to turn down. Making a Cassavetes movie is not so much about fame or fortune as it is about experiencing a piece of life. And that was one piece of life that I just didn’t want to miss. So about a week later, after Sadie had moved on, I asked Nick where I could sign up. He set up a meeting with the Santa Barbara District Attorney, and the rest is just sort of history, as they say. The whole thing took on this life of its own — taking all these unbelievably crazy turns before becoming the movie (Alpha Dog), my book, and then the craziness of my legal involvement with the death penalty case.

Simon Barrett: It certainly is unusual for a ‘casual’ outside observer to become part of a trial, yet you have been subpoenaed twice to appear in court. What are your thoughts?

Michael Mehas: Actually, I’ve been subpoenaed three times in Jesse Hollywood’s case. So far, I’ve testified twice and suffered the misfortune of having the court order me to turn over all the notes and tapes from my interviews. Early on in the process, I twice faced the very real prospect of going to jail for not complying with the subpoenas, which at first I had seriously considered doing.

In the beginning, after Hollywood got captured in Brazil — after one of the greatest global manhunts in history — my life got turned totally upside down. I met with Hollywood’s famed trial attorney, James Blatt, several times, and he asked me to testify in the case. He wanted me to help him save his client’s life.

While Hollywood had been on the lam, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney, and other law enforcement agencies, had totally demonized him through the media. They had basically tried and convicted him in absentia. As a result, the public sentiment was seriously against Hollywood. People wanted to see him die a violent death for a crime he hadn’t even yet appeared in court for. The prosecutor wanted to put him to death. The victim’s family sought a ten-eyes-for-two kind of justice. I truly believed Mr. Blatt’s client stood very little chance of getting a fair trial. I think, at the time, any jury would have handed down a swift conviction followed by an even swifter justice — that being the death sentence.

I’m a criminal defense attorney by heart and by trade. I’m also a humanist. And I sincerely believe that all living things have this inherent right to life. It’s not our job to make the ultimate decision about each other. I’m not a fan of government-sanctioned murder. So I wanted to do whatever I could to help save Mr. Blatt’s client.

Besides, I knew Jesse Hollywood’s family. Jesse had a little brother that he was very protective of. He had parents who loved their son. They didn’t want him to die. And neither did I. But the problem with Mr. Blatt’s request was that if I ended up testifying, my testimony could be used as the cornerstone for criminal prosecution against Ron Zonen, the prosecutor on the case — and also his office — for potential illegal misconduct in their dealings with me. I got a lot of information from the prosecutor. A lot of it — he probably shouldn’t have given to me. It wasn’t until the California Attorney General decided not to prosecute him or his office that I finally agreed to testify. And then when I did, the court ordered me to turn over my notes. If I didn’t comply, I’d go to jail. So, ultimately, I complied. I wasn’t really that interested in staying at the Gray Bar Hotel. I had a life to live. I had a book to finish. So I turned the notes and tapes over. But I wasn’t really happy about the way the situation had materialized at all.

Simon Barrett: Maybe I have it wrong, but when I compare your writings about the fictional Mickey with those of Jesse James Hollywood I see a divergence. Mickey is the devil incarnate, yet I get a real sense that your feelings for Jesse are something else. Am I right?

Michael Mehas: The real Jesse James Hollywood is far from the devil incarnate. He’s actually a very smart kid. When you think about it, he was very successful at what he did. But Jesse wasn’t evil. He was an arrogant hothead, maybe. And he was scared, definitely. He was living in some pretty rough company at the time. But through all this, Jesse James Hollywood—in spite of the reputation his name assumes — is a human being. And at the time he did whatever it was that he really did do, he was just a kid. He was a twenty-year-old kid trying to play the big man’s game, and it got away from him. But he, just like his co-defendants, doesn’t deserve to die as a result of it. If he does get the death penalty, and if we, as the state of California, agree to put him to death, what does that make us? People who kill to avenge a killing? Is that really what being a member of the human race is all about? Taking justice into our own hands? I know that’s not what I’m about. I believe in life, and I try not to put my energies toward creating death. So I will do whatever I can to help someone who’s in serious trouble. To help raise the consciousness of anyone who cares. To try to change the world around us by dedicating our collective-consciousness to life-enhancing measures, not death.

Simon Barrett: Are you still involved with the case? You clearly have formed a bond with Jesse’s father.

Michael Mehas: These are two very different issues. First of all, yes, I am still involved in the case in that I suspect the prosecutor and defense attorney are not finished with my services yet. The new prosecutor on the case has tried to subpoena me. From what I understand, he’s a really nice guy. But he wants to get more information from me, and I think that’s totally uncool. What could I possibly know or have at this point that he could possibly need? He’s trying to kill Jesse Hollywood. And I’m not going to help him do it, even if it does put me at risk of going to jail. It’s that simple. That’s why I sent my lawyer into court this past June, and the mouthpieces argued about the subpoena. The judge, in his wisdom, told the prosecutor and my attorney that he wouldn’t decide the issue of the validity of the subpoena until the case came back down from the California Supreme Court.

The Supremes are set to decide a very important issue in this case. As I understand it, they are dealing with how prosecutors should or should not be able to cozy up to the media while trying high-profile cases. It’s similar to the whole debacle with the Duke lacrosse team. The District Attorney on that case basically tried and convicted those poor kids through the media before they ever had a chance to defend themselves. The same thing happened here. The prosecutor wants Jesse James Hollywood on death row. I’m going to do what I can to help make sure that doesn’t happen. We have to change things around here. I believe that if we put our energies into life-enhancing measures we will all benefit as a whole. We are all related, you know. We all benefit when the rest of us do well. We need to stop killing our brothers. And it’s certainly not the job of our government to do that for us.

As far as Jesse’s father, Jack, is concerned. I could totally empathize with the guy. Here’s a man who felt terrible about his involvement in raising his son. His son was looking to be put to death, and this guy somehow felt responsible for that. Jack told me a story about the time law enforcement agencies raided his house and served a search warrant on him not long after Jesse disappeared. One of the law officers, a supervisor from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, told Jack that he hoped to be the one to find Jesse, because he wanted to be the one to shoot and kill him. Can you imagine someone telling you that about your kid? Jack was devastated. He didn’t want his son to be murdered by a member of the Sheriff’s department. At the time, I think all he really wanted was to be able to hold his son in his arms and know that he was going to be all right.

Simon Barrett: Usually the sequence of events is book first, movie later. In this case you reversed the order. Looking at both works, which is your favorite, and what are your thoughts about this sequence?

Michael Mehas: I loved the movie. I thought Nick (Cassavetes) did an exceptional job with it. It was raw. Some of the performances were raw. It was a truly unusual blend of pure, hot-looking energy that told a very compelling story, an important story, one that needed to be told. The book tells roughly the same story, but in a completely different way. And I’ll tell you why.

Back in October of 2003, Nick had a reading of the project that influenced me tremendously when it came to which version of the story to tell through the book. There was so much to this story. So much information. There were so many people involved. It was difficult to decide exactly which storylines to follow. When we started out on the project, we wanted to tell as truthful a version of the story as we possibly could. That’s why Nick hired me. He knew I’d figure out a way to get the information that we needed. So Cassavetes had this reading with many of Hollywood’s top young talent. Great young actors and actresses. This was back with the first draft of Nick’s screenplay, when Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey McGuire were set to produce it. Tobey read Hollywood’s part while Leo read the part of his chief antagonist, the victim’s brother. As the reading progressed deep into the screenplay, you could feel the excitement building. The room filled with tension. And as we neared the climax, you could literally feel the anxiety intensify within the actors. It was like — No way, this isn’t going to happen. They’re really not going to do this. There’s no way these guys are going to hurt this kid. And then, all of a sudden, the room went dead silent. This huge collective gasp escaped. It was like a huge ball had burst. Everybody fell back, totally deflated. They couldn’t believe it could happen like that. It was like — There’s no way these guys, who had spent all this time partying with this kid, would… And then suddenly they commit the worst act you could possibly imagine. The actors were devastated. And I knew that’s how my story had to end.

Dean Davies, Author of The Anvil

The Plot Café was fortunate enough to score an interview with Dean Davies, author of action/adventure novel The Anvil. Dean has been working hard on a sequel to his debut novel but was kind enough to take a few minutes away from the keyboard to sit down and have a colorful and insightful chat with us.

Plot Café: What got you into writing?

Dean Davies: I honestly don’t know. I’ve have always wanted to tell stories. I wrote my first short story when I was in the second grade. I wrote it in my mother’s lined linen writing tablet. Later, I graduated to the red Big Chief tablets. The first story was about a Princess who needed to be saved from a snake. Freudians would go ballistic on that one—especially from a second-grader.

When I got good and fed up with the academy and teaching the great stories of the world, I quit to write one. Those who can, do; those who teach can do, too. Writing is the hardest work you’ll ever do without lifting something heavy.

Plot Café: Tell us about your novel, The Anvil and the main character Jake Two Feathers. Where did you come up with the ideas for them?

Dean Davies: My novel, The Anvil, and its main character, Jake Two Feathers, were gifts of the Muse. I was casting about for real, workable concepts for novels. Once I had the concept, the character appropriate for the concept came. I suppose it could just as easily work the other way, too. The point is this: once I had committed myself to writing, no matter how vague I was about doing it, the ideas came. I think commitment is one of the necessary requirements for creation. Once you become honestly and truly committed the universe- the Muse- responds.

I was once asked if I used life experience in my writing. Duh. Jake is a Lakota Indian and a retired Special Forces officer. He wants to settle somewhere after years of war, sculpt, and get the stink of war out of his soul. I have Indian blood, and military experience, and have, in my old age, rediscovered, or discovered anew, an exquisite Native American spirituality which is a constant source of strength and inspiration. These elements come out in the novel, and make it unique in thriller fiction.

How many novels do you read where the hero goes into a sweat lodge, not only for guidance with difficult problems, but for strength and inspiration? I hasten to add that whatever happens in the novel is believable, and based on phenomena I personally have experienced. It’s not magic. It happens. Most non-Indians never get a chance to experience it, and most Indians won’t talk openly about their spiritual experiences.

The Anvil is available at Amazon.com

I have friends who read the novel chapter by chapter as it was written. I was often asked, “Where did you come up with that? The answer is, “It came to me as I was writing.” This revelation is important; ideas don’t come through the pure stream of thinking. They seem to happen when the pencil is poised above the blank page, or in the middle of a paragraph.

Plot Café: Did your novel end up being something different than you envisioned?

Dean Davies: Not really, no. Once I had the concept, I wrote the beginning and then I wrote the end. I always knew where I was going. What did happen, though, as I was filling in the middle, was a rather complicated plot, or complicated sub-plots that grew out of various characters around Jake. Once I planted Jake in the garden, along with various other characters, they took root and sprouted their own stories, peripheral to, and somehow involved with Jake or his world.

Plot Café: How has it been working with your publisher, Eloquent Books?

Dean Davies: I have only good things to say about Eloquent Books. They sell “publishing,” and books. So if you want to get a book published, try their joint venture program. Once I had the manuscript finished, I quickly tired of snooty agents (it took one agent exactly fifteen seconds to e-mail me back, saying “Not interested”), and the glacially slow response from larger publishers who said “We think you should take up writing as a vocation, but…. yada, yada, yada.”

Eloquent Books is not self-publishing. They don’t publish crap that won’t sell. But for a small fee (and it is small, considering what you get), they will quickly and expertly produce a beautifully finished book, get it listed on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bowkers , and others, wholesale it though Ingram, provide you with a publisher’s website, and help you market the book, which is the hard part. They will help you arrange book signings, supply ideas for marketing on the internet. My average royalty on what I market and sell is about a buck and a half.

So, am I glad I have the publisher I have? You bet. If I had waited and not invested in myself, the manuscript would still be lying on the coffee table collecting dust.

Plot Café: What things have you done to promote The Anvil?

Dean Davies: The single question I get asked the most, about either The Anvil, or my book of poetry, also published by Eloquent, We Had Our Best Discussions in the Bathtub, is “Where can I get it?” So the fact that my publisher has already arranged for the book to be listed at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc., is a tremendously valuable marketing asset.

While the books may not be on the store’s shelves, they are easily available on the internet. Further, the publisher establishes a “publisher’s website” where the books are available. In my case, these are Eloquent Books-The Anvil and Eloquent Books-We Had Our Best Discussion in the Bathtub. Mine are fairly plain, but for a small fee, the publisher will not only spiff them up but also provide a blog.
In addition, I have two other websites: The Anvil Site and Dean Davies. I am in the process of phasing one of these out. Both sites have links to my blog, which I consider an important element in marketing. You can stay in touch with your readers, let them get to know you a little, and update them on what’s developing.

I also use social networking sites to “expose” myself, and what I am doing to others. It’s a great way to meet people, and market your work, if it’s appropriate. Eons.com, for example, is a site for boomers that is literally crawling with writers. There is a book group, and some very ambitious people there organize week end-chats. I salute them.

Further, I use Google Alerts to notify me of useful sites where I might be able to promote my book. (That’s how I found The Plot Cafe.) Just Google “Google Alerts,” and type in keywords. In my case, they were “action/adventure novels,” “action novels,”—you get the idea. Google alerts you every day to sites where the words are mentioned. Then you do the legwork, or fingerwork, as it were, and go to it. Market aggressively. You won’t sell fifty books at a whack this way, but you will sell books. I didn’t write a novel or a book of poetry to impress the girls or to give to my mother. I want to sell a million copies. I’ve got a long way to go, but I AM working on it. Key word: “working.”

Book signings: I have arranged book signings all over my state. You have to be careful here. Marketing and selling your book is a business. You have to watch expenses. Big chains are the most difficult to work with because of corporate policy. Smaller bookstores are easier to work with, and may let you take your own books into the store, but many want a discount. You have to work with each situation differently. Don’t forget to factor in as a cost the room at the sleazy motel, McMystery burgers, and medicine for despair and disappointment (booze). Nobody said being Hemingway was easy.

Plot Café: What is, or has become, your most useful writing habit.

Dean Davies: Sit down and write every day. Doesn’t matter if you don’t feel like it. Get up, sit in the chair, and write. There are no holidays. I’m always writing in my head. Every person, every emotion, every situation, is food to slake the hunger of writing. Pay attention. Live. Write—every day.

Plot Café: Any advice to fellow writers?

Dean Davies: Make a commitment to writing. Don’t ask how you’re going to make a living, arrange your schedule around the kids, whether you should write in the morning or afternoon. Make the commitment, the rest will come. Have some faith in yourself and in your work. Do it. Write. Now.

Plot Café: What a great way to end the interview than with some sound advice. Thank you, Dean, for stopping by and talking with us today. To learn more about Dean Davies please stop by his blog located at The Anvil Site-Blog. You can purchase your very own copy of the Anvil from Amazon or direct from the publisher.

Plot Café: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Dianne Acroft, Author of Hitler and Mars Bars

Dianne Ascroft: I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Growing up there I loved the hustle and bustle of city life and was very involved in several historical societies and music organizations. I earned a B.A. in History at the University of Windsor, Canada in 1984. When I turned 30 I decided to try something different as well as explore my roots. So, later that year, I moved to Britain; I’ve lived in Scotland and Northern Ireland since moving here in 1990.

Since I left Toronto I’ve been downsizing steadily. I moved from Toronto, a city with a population of 3 million people to Belfast, a city of half a million to a small town in Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 18,000. Now I live in the country, on a small farm in Northern Ireland, with my husband and several pets. The farm is wonderful. I have a view of fields and rolling hills from my front window and keep pets that wouldn’t be allowed in a city garden.

Although writing isn’t my primary occupation, I love it and spend as much time as possible indulging my passion. I’ve been freelance writing since 2002. Most of my writing focuses on history, arts/music and human interest stories. My articles have been printed in Canadian and Irish newspapers and magazines including the Toronto Star, Mississauga News, Derry Journal, Banbridge Leader and Ireland’s Own magazine. Hitler and Mars Bars is my first novel.

Curiosity about the past has inspired my love of history and genealogy as well as spurring me to write historical fiction. Music is also an important part of my life. I especially enjoy folk, Celtic, Americana and bluegrass. I play the bagpipes and am learning to play guitar. Quilting, hiking and travelling number among my hobbies.

Plot Café: Hitler and Mars Bars sounds like a very intriguing story. Where did you come up with the idea for it? Additionally, how did you come up with its title?

Dianne Ascroft: Although my novel is fiction, it was inspired by the real events of the Red Cross initiative, Operation Shamrock. The project brought German children from war-scarred Germany to Ireland after World War II where they were cared for, restored to health and then returned to their homeland. Several years ago I met a man who, as a child, had been brought to Ireland as part of the initiative and he told me his story. It was the first time I had heard of Operation Shamrock and his experiences piqued my interest. I wanted to find out more and I read any material I could find on the subject. I also watched an Irish television documentary about the German children’s experiences. There is very little written about the project so I searched for people who might remember it. I contacted people in communities that had hosted the children. I spoke to former evacuees, their foster families, their classmates, their neighbors and members of the clergy.

Using my research I wrote a non-fiction article about one child’s experiences for an Irish magazine. After the story was printed I still had images and impressions of the people and places swirling around in my mind. I couldn’t forget their stories. Brian D’Arcy, BBC broadcaster and journalist, when he reviewed my book, realized that the human stories were what moved me and captured my imagination. He wrote, in his review, that the book was ‘beautifully written with a strong human story running through it.’ Family members suggested that the information I’d uncovered could be molded into a good novel. Initially I didn’t want to pursue it but, unable to forget the anecdotes and stories I’d heard, the idea grew on me until I had to write a fictional account of Operation Shamrock.

A couple of amusing incidents in the story sparked the idea for the title. So I linked words that represented each incident together to form the title. In the first incident, naively and cheekily, my main character, Erich, threatens to send Hitler (unaware even who the dictator was) to exact revenge against a police officer who chastises him for his poor school attendance record.

In the second incident, Erich is caught stealthily eating a Mars Bar during class. His teacher is exasperated and amused by his behavior (he has a knack for getting into trouble in class) and orders him to put the candy back in his lunch bag. With great reluctance, and the eyes of the whole class on him, he puts the chocolate bar away. Both incidents illustrate Erich’s irrepressible, indomitable spirit. I wanted to highlight that aspect of his character in the title.

Hitler and Mars Bars, Available at Amazon.com

Plot Café: Tell us a little bit more about Erich, the main character of your story.

Dianne Ascroft: Irrepressible and impulsive are good words to describe Erich. He gets into mischief but he doesn’t mean any harm. Denis the Menace and Erich would be best friends if they ever met. Readers have told me they like Erich because he isn’t romanticized; he behaves like a real child.

He’s a fighter in the courageous, rather than brawling, sense of the word. Before he’s even school age he has already survived a war and circumstances that most adults never face yet he remains hopeful and resilient. He’s not easily cowed and doesn’t give up even in the times when life just seems to get worse.

Erich is fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Because he feels so deeply, he is also easily hurt by any perceived betrayals. He finds it hard to forgive and can hate as intensely as he loves. Impassivity is not part of his character.

Erich will awaken the reader’s parental instincts to love and discipline him in equal measures.

Plot Café: Now you are doing what’s called a Virtual Book Tour. Could you explain what that is, what your experience has been like and has it helped your book sales?

Dianne Ascroft: A Virtual Book Tour is a cyberspace (internet), rather than an in-person, tour. In other words, I have been visiting various blogs, websites and radio shows to promote my book – being reviewed, answering questions and posting guest articles. Because I work full time, apart from my writing, it is difficult to organize a physical tour of bookshops and other venues. But I can reach lots of people online and over the airwaves.

I have been enjoying my Virtual Book Tour. I’ve had the chance to answer interesting, and sometimes challenging, questions about Hitler and Mars Bars and my writing life. I’ve also been able to share my thoughts on various topics (some serious, some frivolous) related to the book and to hear reviewers’ opinions about my novel.

Hitler and Mars Bars has been on the market for just over 6 months. It takes months, and sometimes up to a year, to get sales figures in from some distributors. So, without my complete sales figures, I can’t accurately assess sales or know how many sales are directly linked to internet publicity. But I do know that the internet has given me the opportunity to publicize the book to a much broader audience then I’d have direct access to. In that respect, the Virtual Book Tour has been worthwhile. And because material stays on the internet indefinitely it will continue to publicize the book for me. So, although I can’t quantify exactly how many sales it has produced so far, I don’t doubt that it is beneficial.

Plot Café: What books influenced you the most in your life?

Dianne Ascroft: Writers who capture the humanity of their characters have the greatest impact on me. Maeve Binchy, Adriana Trigiani, Jodi Picoult and Diana Gabaldon are contemporary writers who create believable characters that I would like to meet in real life. The townspeople of Big Stone Gap in Trigiani’s books as well as Claire and Jamie in Gabaldon’s Outlander series are people I feel I know. S.E. Hinton made Ponyboy and Johnny step off the page in The Outsiders. I enjoy reading their stories because they bring their characters to life and they have inspired me to aim for this in my own writing. Hopefully I have learned from reading the work of these writers and the ‘strong human element’ that Brian D’Arcy referred to, in his review of my book, is evident in my writing too.

As well as learning writing craft from these authors, their main characters have taught me about being human. Trigiani’s Ave Maria, S. E. Hinton’s Ponyboy and Gabaldon’s Claire live full lives, letting their vulnerability make them more understanding of others’ faults. Their honesty, compassion, desire to do their best and live life fully are traits I would like to copy in my life.

Plot Café: Any additional projects on the horizon?

Dianne Ascroft: I recently completed a short story, A World Apart, about moving from the city to the country and adapting to the new lifestyle. Although it’s fiction, it draws on my own experiences of moving from Toronto, a metropolis of 3 million people, to a small farm in Northern Ireland. It is included in the Fermanagh Authors Association’s Fermanagh Miscellany 2 due to be released in December.

I’ve been busy promoting Hitler and Mars Bars since it was released in March. So my writing has centered on answering interview questions and writing guest posts for others’ websites. I haven’t had a chance to write any new material. But I have some ideas in my head for a sequel to the book. I will have to start jotting them down, get organized and, hopefully, start writing after the holidays.

Plot Café: Any advice you would like to pass on to your fellow writers?

Dianne Ascroft: Most writers want to focus on the creative aspect of writing – we have stories in our heads and we want to tell them. That’s why we write. But it’s also important to learn as much as you can about marketing before your book is published. Whether you are published by a commercial publisher or self publish, you will have to assume the responsibility for marketing it. It is disheartening to put a great effort into writing a novel that is never read. Knowing how to market a book is essential if you want your book to be bought and read.

Plot Café: That is great advice. Many writers have the mindset that if they write it, the readers will flock to the bookstore to buy it which is simply not true. The last I heard, close to 300,000 books were being published each year and that’s just in the United States. Globally that number is well over a million a year. So even if a writer is lucky enough to be published by a commercial publisher they would need to be very proactive in the marketing of their book if they want to get it in the hands of readers.

Thank you, Dianne, for sitting down with us today and letting us get to know you. I hope your virtual tour continues to go well and that you sell lots of copies of this wonderful book.

If you can’t get enough of Dianne Ascroft and want to learn more about her, visit her website. You can also pick up a copy of Hitler and Mars Bars while you are there or direct from Trafford Publishing or at Amazon.com.