Author Interview: Dr. George H. Elder

     Dr. George H. Elder has a Ph.D. from Penn State in Speech Communication and a Masters Degree in nonfiction Writing from UNH. He also has a very eclectic work and personal history. He has been a college teacher, custodian, upper-level scholar, drug addict, weight lifting coach, bouncer, and much more. He has authored numerous articles in the popular press and even a scientific text book that examines the neuropsychological basis of human communication. He has also addressed subjects such as philosophy, free speech, weight training, drug use, nutrient effects, street life, and a wide range of other issues. His varied life experiences and education give him a unique and interesting perspective, and he often weaves philosophical insights and pathos into his texts. His books are action-oriented, but they do not have simplistic plots wherein good vs. evil or some other hackneyed approach is used. Instead, Elder employs plot shifts that allow the characters and readers to question the relationships we often take for granted. For example, a hero may do great wrongs while a species once perceived as malicious can be revealed to be honorable and wise. This offers refreshing and exciting perspectives for readers as they delve into Elder's texts, for one never knows what to expect.

Favorite reads?

I love the ancients, and especially Plato's dialogues. Their depth is impressive, even after 2,400 years. My favorite reads from modern popular Sci-Fi authors are Dune by Frank Herbert, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams, and I, Robot by Isaac Asimov--which is probably my favorite. Of the more obscure, I loved Escape from Hell by Niven & Pournelle. Hey, a writer sentensed to hell who finds a way out is a good plot to me--and one I may have to use one day!


Inspirations for the Book?
The Dr. Who series was right up there in terms of inspiring the series, although a more savage version of Laura Croft was also a factor. But what most inspired me was the philosophical underpinnings of how we view ourselves and our roles in the universe. I wanted to examine a character who held on to her faith and beliefs despite being a traumatized outcast.  She feels like one of the chosen, destined by God to do great things. She becomes disillusioned after discovering she is the creation of a duplicitous people, and she is soon reduced to despising herself, her history and her ideals. That journey into despair, and then back out--well, that was the real inspiration. Hey, life ain't easy.

Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little?

I never envisioned being an author when I was a child. Life was hard, and I forged a dream world to escape some unpleasant realities. I suspect it was the dreams and fantasies that drove me into writing, although I didn't start getting published until I was in my late twenties. At that time, I only wrote nonfiction, and had numerous articles published in some large magazines. I didn't start writing Sci-Fi until I was 55 of so!

Pet Peeves?
The arrogance that often goes hand-and-hand with being an academic is a loathsome thing. I hated it when I was in the academy, and still despise this kind of pretentious behavior.


Chocolate or peanut butter?
Definitely chocolate, and all kinds of it. Creamy smooth peanut butter is nice, but chocolates activate some neat neurotransmitters.

The weirdest thing you've ever done.

I was a drug addicted ne'er-do-well as a young man, and had a litany of dreary and odd experiences. One of the strangest things I did was take five hits of very powerful blotter acid (Mr. Natural) to get me out of a dangerous depression. It was an experience...

Is there a sound track to the book/favorite music?

I got stuck in the classic rock-and-roll era, and just love that stuff. I hate disco, rap, heavy metal, etc., and Classical music just doesn't do all that much for me. Just give me some Lynyrd Skynyrd, Billy Idol, or ELO when I feel a bit rowdy, or some America, Simon and Garfunkel, or Cat Stevens when I want to be mellow. But when I am writing, there can be no music.

Do you need anything to write?

Nah, when my muse is at work, I get up in the morning and pounce on that computer. For the next four to seven hours, there is no time, no nothing--just total focus. I love it! Then I tire, and need to eat--and will not return to work until the following day. When my muse isn't there, life sucks in general. In short, I need to be on the hunt. I need to research and write. That is my reason for being, and the only thing I can still do given my failing body.

How long do you write on any average day?

It varies, but I would say the average is four hours. However, I'm always getting up to scribble down notes, sometimes with ideas that will wake me from a sound sleep.

Give us the number one reason to read this book.

Its a compelling and adventurous quest story about the very survival of existence--and a tale wherein one comes to care about the characters. On a deeper level, Kara's search for a reason/purpose is one we all must face sooner or later. Moreover, her need to see herself for what she is and to change accordingly is also something most of us deal with, however harsh the realizations. In short, her journey leads to same end many of us seek, a kind of shared being--call it love, if you will.

Author Info:

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   The universe’s expansion is nearing the inevitable end where everything is devoured by entropy. The key to having a future is a legendary metaphysical being known only through ancient tales. The last hope is to awaken this dormant Seeker, the missing energy source, who possesses the capacity to link the entire universe in thought and deed. The Seeker alone may be able to rekindle the sparks of a new universal cycle.

The remaining advanced species desperately want existence to continue, and send for missions to search for the Seeker. One mission unexpectedly and inexplicably materializes on a primitive world inhabited by the Labateen, a Stone-Age warrior culture. Here they encounter Kara, an outcast Labateen noble woman and fierce warrior. Kara knows details about the Seeker’s litany that go well beyond coincidence, although to Kara they are simply the ways ofGod. 

Is Kara the key to locating the long lost Seeker? And what of the races who believe existence should end in an entropic whimper and who will not sit by while others attempt to alter the end of the universe. Lofty ideals give way to brutal pragmatism as a confederation of races struggles to survive and save existence. 

Child of Destiny is Book 1 of The Genesis Continuum trilogy. Book 2, Pursing a Legend, is available now on Kindle. Book 3, Forging a Future, will be available in early 2012.

Interview & Giveaway: Dave Becker

   Dave Becker is an author and artist living in Pennsylvania, trying desperately to avoid all plagues, curses, and monsters. THE FAUSTIAN HOST is his first novel.


Favorite reads?
My reading tastes vary greatly. I jump from popular thrillers to science journals to children's books to theological/philosophical works to classics to historical nonfiction and then back again. I'm usually always reading something classic and something current.

Inspirations for the book?
THE FAUSTIAN HOST is a blend of dozens of ideas I've had over the past few years. The original catalyst was the approaching of 2012 and all the end-of-the-world craziness. I wanted to create a world that was falling apart and a group of kids that were strong enough to handle it.

Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little?

I knew I wanted to be an artist when I was little. As I grew older, I realized that writing was just another form of art. In college, I had a copywriting class that was taught by a local novelist. After reading some of my assignments, she approached me and suggested I become an author. That was the first time I seriously considered it.

What are your top Pet Peeves?
I hate a lot of things: bananas, dogs, shoes, infomercials, plastic packaging, all tobacco products, cats, turtlenecks, fingernails, vegetables, tractor trailers, Twitter, anything on my hands, unalphabetized collections of anything, Libya's flag, three-tined forks, urinal cakes, radioactive decay, and most people. I have a friend who started a Hate List for me after realizing I precede many comments with the words "I hate." Within one week, he had amassed six pages, two columns per page, front and back, very small writing. Maybe I need help.

Chocolate or Peanut Butter?
Chocolate, but if you're throwing in peanut butter, I'll not turn it down.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever done?

I ran for president on an anti-penguin platform. You can read all the insanity here: http://davebeckerdesign.com/penguin/index.htm

Is there a soundtrack to the book?

I don't always listen to music while I write, but I really, really like Disturbed, and I could imagine their music fitting nicely with the scrolling credits of THE FAUSTIAN HOST movie.

Do you need anything to write?

My laptop and three hits of acid.

How long do you write on any average day?
My "real" profession is a freelance graphic designer and marketing consultant, so some days I don't write at all. I usually can't write for more than three hours at a stretch without a break.

Give us the number one reason to read your book.

"Very strong writing and a fascinating concept that avoids all the usual contemporary paranormal tropes." That's a quote from an editor at a major publishing house (who ultimately felt that they just couldn't justify taking a risk on an unknown author).

Author Info:
Website: http://www.davebecker.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dave-Becker/162484160539398
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/davebecker

   Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who's to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.

After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

*Giveaway*

(Ends 5/12)
US Only

   One lucky winner will receive one of only ten existing promotional paperback copies of The Faustian Host!

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Interview & Giveaway: Chrisopher Geoffrey McPherson

A big welcome to author Christopher Geoffrey Mcpherson!


   I've spent a lot of my life writing -- daily newspapers, magazines, radio, a couple plays and a little television. "News on the Home Front" is my first novel. Since it came out, I have had another novel published -- "The Life Line" about a big earthquake that levels San Francisco.

Favorite reads?
I read an awful lot of biographies and histories and very little fiction. I guess real-life stories are so much more interesting to me than anything a writer can make up. As far as fiction goes, I'm a big fan of Ayn Rand's novels -- especially "Atlas Shrugged."


Inspirations for the book?
Aside from the fact that I have always had a soft spot for America between the wars (roughly 1918 through 1945) I have long been a fan of the "women's pictures" that Hollywood studios produced in the 1930s and 1940s -- like "Mildred Pierce" (with Joan Crawford), "Rebecca" (Joan Fontaine) and "The Great Lie" (Bette Davis). I thought it would be an interesting challenge to write a novel as if it had been one of those great melodramas.


Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little?
I always knew I would be a writer, that's for sure. I was noodling around with words as far back as I can remember, creating animal stories and various adventures. I was very sick as a child so I had lots of time to myself to engage my imagination. It was probably one of the best things that could have ever happened to me.


Pet Peeves?
I try very hard to be tolerant of others and not judge them because they do something that I might find annoying. I always try to err on the side of assuming they are not annoying me on purpose. That said, I think my big pet peeve is when people act like they are proud of being uneducated. Knowledge is the most important commodity a person can have, and turning their backs on that is probably the biggest mistake people can make in their lives.


Chocolate or Peanut Butter?
Hard to chose, but I'm afraid chocolate wins. (I guess I just lost the peanut butter audience.)


What's the weirdest thing you've ever done?
It's hard to pick just one, but a few years ago a local college was having a screening of the great Hollywood classic "Sunset Boulevard" about an aging movie queen and the screenwriter who becomes her gigolo. The movie begins with the screenwriter being found dead, face down in a swimming pool. So, I made up this model of a backyard complete with swimming pool and water and put a Ken doll in it face down. I put it outside the box office and cordoned off the area with real police "crime scene" tape. I thought it was the coolest thing.


Is there a soundtrack to the book?
Love big band, swing and jazz. As my book takes place in the 1940s, it would have to have a big band soundtrack.


Do you need anything to write?
I prefer quiet. The writing and editing processes are very involved for me. My mind is constantly working out character traits and plot points. If I have quiet, then I can rock. (And chocolate helps.)


How long do you write on any average day?
It varies a lot. I don't believe in forcing myself to write: if it comes, it comes; if not, I walk away. I have had writing marathons where the story just keeps coming and I type until my fingers get cramped. Usually, it's a couple hours a day.


Give us the number one reason to read your book.
I joke that the best thing about my novel is that there are no vampires or zombies in it. (No offense.) Vampires and zombies are all well and good, but we live in a world of people -- not vampires (probably). My story is about two young women who have been friends all their lives. They are trying really hard to cope with all the hardships and tragedy that war brings and it tests their friendship. In fact, their friendship actually comes apart in my novel, but (spoiler alert!) they do came back together and their friendship is even stronger. Anyone who has had a best friend will understand what they go through. Of course, a lot more happens in the story -- a lot of twists and turns that the reader won't expect.

Set against a worldwide canvas that includes New York, Paris and Germany "News on the Home Front" tells the story of two women who have been friends since their childhood in West Lake, Maryland. The world war has torn apart their lives leaving each trying to find a way to put it back together. It's been a difficult few years with rationing and shortages starting to take their toll. Carole's boyfriend, Philip, is off to fly for the Army; and Irene has taken a job at the nearby aircraft factory. Carole promised Philip that she would wait for his return from the war -- but circumstances begin to conspire against her. She's waited her whole life for him, but can she make it until the end of the war?

*Giveaway*
(Ends 3/7)

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Book Review: Moment of Kairos by N. J. Burns

   Because my review earlier this week was for April Fool's day--as hopefully you guessed?--I figured I owed you guys a review as soon as possible.
Cover Blurb:

Four worlds. Four ages. Four struggles through deserts, demons, criminal underworlds and overwhelming odds. Elian searches for answers to the mysterious blackouts, led forward by his only clue: an encoded diary. Ben stalks the streets at night in search of horrific creatures not of this world. Alexander hunts down criminals, always intent on doing the right thing whatever the cost. And Prometheus tries to save his village without dying in the process.

Separate but intertwined, they press on, linked somehow to the mysterious John, who watches and waits - for it seems each of the four is part of something much greater than they could ever have imagined.

   Since it danced through several worlds, there were four sets of characters to keep track of in total, and I found this a bit confusing at first. But soon I fell into the swing of things and found it kept me from getting tired of any one character. Most of the supporting characters blurred together, but the main characters were satisfactorily individual. And though sometimes dry, they were each unique to their circumstances.

Characters: 3.5 Stars

   I really enjoyed the dystopian thread of the plot and found myself sometimes skipping ahead to read those sections. It was unnatural and unnerving if slightly unrealistic. I also enjoyed Prometheus's point of view. Ben's and Alexander's tales were somewhat stereotypical and didn't snag my interest. But the thing that cinched it and kept me reading until the very end was the mysterious John's point of view. He tracked all the characters through their lives and seemed to know everything. The book ended in a cliff-hanger, and I expect things will really pick up in the sequel, Arcanus: The Hidden City.

Plot: 4 Stars

   I didn't enjoy the style so much. The wording was sometimes awkward and there was a lot of unnecessary explanation. Many sentences were in the passive voice when they could have been active. However, I did appreciate that, while information was withheld to keep interest in the story, it wasn't a disappointment when revealed. (Unfortunately I've been burned several times in this regard, and from a few of my favorite authors, too)

Style: 3 Stars

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Source: From Author From Review

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Dystopian/Adventure

YA Fiction

Book Review: Kenmore Freezer

   This user and care guide is the perfect way to discover the most you can get out of your Kenmore freezer.

Cover Blurb:

This Owner's Guide provides specific operating instructions for your model. Use your freezer only as instructed in this guide. These instructions are not meant to cover every possible condition and situation that may occur. Common sense and caution must be practiced when installing, operating, and maintaining any appliance.

   I must say I was a little apprehensive when I first decided to start reading this manual, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

   The Kenmore freezer featured strongly throughout as a  cold, but preserving character. Later on the plug, (Kenmore's best friend) lent strength to the freezer and was able to keep the manual moving.

Characters: 4.6 Stars

    I was a bit disappointed with the plot, though. There wasn't much in the way of action. But it was very heavy in the descriptive area, and I found it somewhat dull. However, I'm hoping the story will pick up more in the next installment: The Kenmore Dishwasher.

Plot: 2.9 Stars

    The style throughout this manual was very straightforward, sometimes to the point of bluntness. I mentioned the descriptions earlier, and I believe this direct approach was necessary in adding depth to the manual.

Style: 4.8 Stars

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Downstairs

Genre: Umm . . Not sure on this one

Nonfiction

600 Follower Giveaway!!!!

  After hovering around the 590's for a few months, we've finally hit 600 followers! Thank you thank you thank you! And you know what this means? . . .A giveaway you say? . . How did you guess? The title gave it away? Hmpf. For all you knew I could have been lying. This could have been  a gerbil-toenail-clipping-party.
   Lucky for you, though, it isn't a gerbil-toenail-clipping-party (nasty things those). To express by gratitude, it is. In fact. A giveaway. Yay!

*Giveaway*

Ends May 19

2 Winners will get to choose a book up to $10 from the Book Depository. (Make sure it ships to your country!)

Because this is a thank you to my followers, following will be the only requirement for entry.

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Giveaway: Become by Ali Cross

*Giveaway*

Ends 4/8
Become by Ali Cross

   Ali is generously giving away two ebook Copies of her book, Become! See my review here.

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared. 
   When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

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Website http://www.alicross.com
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