Beth Winokur's Blog

H. L. Le Roy is author of the Fountain of the Earth and the award wining mystery anthology, Street Crimes (2012).  He is a wonderful author and I am so excited that he agreed to an interview.   Hope you all enjoy this short interview and his books!

Terra Vonn is fighting to survive in a destroyedworld,surrounded by unspeakable horror . . .
and things are about to get much worse.
  
About:


The first in a planned series, The Fountain of the Earth is set on the West Coast following a catastrophic solar flare that has destroyed civilization, leaving only a few people struggling to survive. After witnessing the vicious murder of her mother, Terra Vonn (15) has a singular focus—exacting revenge on the killers. But before she can complete her plans, savagery intervenes and she is cast alone into a brutal post-apocalyptic world. As she trails the men south through a land filled with cannibalistic criminals, slave traders, and lunatics, the hunter becomes the hunted. Terra quickly learns that she is neither as tough nor as brave as she thinks she is. Worse, she may be the only one who stands between what little remains of civilization and destruction. Genre: Young Adult - Dystopian – Ages 12+



The Interview

  Beth:Tell us about the goals you had initially planned for Fountain of the Earth?  Did you reach them or did they change?       H. L. Le Roy:  First, I wanted more than anything to portray a kickass heroine who didn't need to rely on a man to save her. Nor did I want my main character spending half the book tearfully trying to decide which boy she should choose. Two clichés I’ll never write about.
Beth:  Tell us a little about your writing process. Do you have a writing ritual (music, wine, coffee)? 
H. L. Le Roy: My only ritual is to sit down and grind it out. Without fail, at 20,000 words I question what I’m doing and if it’s worth a damn. Invariably it takes me a week or two to sort out where I’m going. During the summer, I write under a canopy on the deck where deer and turkeys come by, and I feed them with a little corn.
Beth:   Can you tell us about some of the plans you have for this series and especially for Terra.  (She’s been through so much I hope she gets a small vacation or at least a piece of chocolate ;) 
H. L. Le Roy: Sorry to say, no vacation or any treat whatsoever. As much as I love Terra, things get considerably worse for her and some are not going to survive.
Beth:Who are your Influences? And why?
H. L. Le Roy: I read so much, it’s hard to say. When I was younger, I devoured Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the horror writing of August Derleth and H. P. Lovecraft. Later, Hemingway, and the other classics.
Beth: Are most of your stories dystopian in nature? Or do you write in other genres. And why?
H. L. Le Roy: Only the Fountain of the Earth stories are dystopian. I also write mysteries and thrillers. Why? As far as the dystopian stories go, I think they reflect the fear I have that we’re not preparing for what could happen. I've tried to make sure everything in The Fountain of the Earth is plausible.

Beth: What are your top five books.
H. L. Le Roy: Not in any particular order, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, Music for Torching by A.M. Homes, Hunger Games, The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton, Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn. That’s six. I’m a writer, not a mathematician, Captain.

Beth: What projects are you currently working on?

H. L. Le Roy: Book two and three of The Fountain of the   Earth, and a Fountain of the Earth prequel describing the end of civilization.
    Beth: I have one silly question that I like to asks my guest it's is purely a daydream experiment If you could handpick the perfect day by taking from your favorite books what would it be(i.e. setting,character,activity…).         H. L. Le Roy: William Manchester’s biography of Winston Churchill, The Young Lion.I’d love to be a fly on the wall during the allies meeting at Yalta.
     Beth: Haha love that you took the non-fiction route with that question, that's a first!Thank you Holly for the interview and I look forward to finding out what else is in store for Terra when Book two comes out!
Readers can find H.L Le Roy here:Blog: hlleroy.blogspot.comFacebook page/s: https://www.facebook.com/holly.leroy.... author page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... @hlleroyGoogle + https://plus.google.com/1136379694833... Amazon: http://goo.gl/O0ME5n
Author of: Street Crimes (2012), featuring the first appearance of Jillian Varela, a tough, no nonsense, female private investigator. http://tinyurl.com/7qybgja

Fellow writer Michael Panush has a new book, Hellfire!
I can't wait to read it ;) 



SummaryHellfire, Texas is a strange town that needs a strange sheriff. Standing in the shadow of Silver Mesa, an otherworldly chunk of gleaming rock with strange properties, Hellfire is a magnet for trouble and danger.

Clayton Cane–a patchwork man assembled from the bodies of dead soldiers and brought to life with dark magic–may be the perfect gunslinger to wear the town sheriff's badge. After years of working as the violent bounty hunter known as El Mosaico, Cane would like nothing more than to settle down and begin a new life as Hellfire’s stalwart peacekeeper.

But, as Cane soon discovers, being a sheriff has its own challenges. He’s got to deal with caterwauling temperance marchers, an inquisitive newspaperman and Nelly Needles, his fiery, sharp-tongued new deputy. And something worse is coming to Hellfire–a foe more terrible than any outlaw or monster that Cane has battled in the past: industry, commerce and modernization.

Powerful business tycoon Gaspar Noble wants Silver Mesa–and the town of Hellfire–for himself. Cane decides to stand against him, in a battle that may be more than Hellfire–and Clayton Cane–can possibly bear.
If you scroll down you'll find a past interview with Michael as well information about other books he has available. 

Sharon Bayliss new book Destruction  (Book One of The December People Series) is set to release on 4/14/14.  I enjoyed reading The Charge and am looking forward to getting my hands on her new novel.  But today I am pleased to be participating in the cover reveal. Great cover Sharon!
 
Message from Sharon Bayliss:
 "The butterfly will show up on the cover of all four books in the series, as a symbol of redemption, hope, and re-birth. Despite the dark themes in the series, I believe that the most important themes of the series are hopeful ones, such as love, family, and triumph against adversity, which is why the butterfly is in the center.
The broken glass surrounding the butterfly rather obviously symbolizes the concept of destruction, which is also a central theme. The title Destruction refers to the fact that dark magic is inherently destructive, but also refers to how a person can be destroyed, in body or soul.

One thing I was sure of, I wanted the word, Destruction, to be in "pretty" letters. I loved the contrast of having a dark and violent word look beautiful. This also fits the theme, as I wish to show the beauty in darkness and destruction, and the good in people who are supposed to be evil."
Here is the blurb for Destruction, coming out on 4/14/14:
David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. 

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. 

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.
Links: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20951394-destruction
https://www.facebook.com/thedecemberpeopleseries

Sign up to participate in the blog tour or request an ARC: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hjzIMrYd5P3YHoD03e7YTWi-VQ1JftXe-1T628GbvUI/viewform
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Michael Panush has a new book, Dead Man's Drive!  He has stopped to talk with me about this new series.  Beth: Hi Michael ,please tell us about Dead Man's Drive.
Michael: Dead Man's Drive, the first book in the Rot Rods series, is a 1950s Urban Fantasy set in sunny Southern California. It's about Roscoe, a hot rod-riding zombie who works with a bunch of supernaturally adept drivers out of a garage called Donovan Motors and keeps the town of La Cruz safe from occult threats. This story is about a ruthless businessman, Reed Strickland, wishing to move his company in La Cruz and bring the drivers down. Strickland's got hidden motives for the expansion, and Roscoe has his own mysterious past, which will all be revealed as the battle for La Cruz begins. Dead Man's Drive has got fast cars, B-movie monsters, and a lot of action – hopefully it's got some heart too, even if Roscoe's heart isn't beating.   
Beth: That sounds like fun! I love B-movie monsters -especially the Creature From the Black Lagoon maybe he'll make an appearance :)  It seems like all three - the 1950’s, hot rods, and zombies -- go hand in hand. What made you want to write a book set in that time-period?
Michael: I love using the 1950s as a setting. We have an image of the 50s as some kind of peaceful, American Golden Age – with white picket fences, happy families, and teenage romance around jukeboxes. The reality is more complex, with this dark undercurrent running under the era. That undercurrent appears in two bits of popular culture, Horror and Noir. For Horror, you had EC Comics and Cold War paranoia fueling B-movies and for Noir, you had writers like Raymond Chandler and Jim Thompson showing the darkness inherent in the American Dream. Combining 1950s Horror and 1950s Noir seemed like a natural fit. There's lots of subcultures in the 50s as well – gearhead greasers, beatniks, minority cultures like the Mexican zoot suitors – and they also didn't fit in with 1950s Suburbia. Showing that was very important in Dead man's Drive, which is ultimately a story about conformity and those who resist it. There's something special about Post-War Southern California as well. It's a great confluence of all these crazy elements – gangsters like Jack Dragna and Mickey Cohen, Golden Age Hollywood, the LAPD, the Black Dalhia Murders, the Zoot Suit Riots, Japanese Internment, the Okie Migration from the Great Depression  -- that it seems like a kind of ultimate setting. I'm a big James Ellroy fan as well, so I'm sure that's part of it too. 

Beth: That's awesome.  It's great that you write what you love.  How many books have you written?
Michael: Counting Dead Man's Drive, I've written eight books. Three of them form the Stein and Candle Detective Agency series, which also mixes up Horror and Noir, two are the Jurassic Club series, which is about an island full of dinosaurs in the Twenties and Thirties, and two are the El Mosaico series, about a Frankenstein's Monster-like bounty hunter in the Old West.
Beth: Who inspired/helped you the most?
Michael: Definitely my parents. I've been writing since Freshman Year in high school and my parents have always been supportive. They've worked as editors, critics, publicists, advisers, and done tons of other things for me. Without their help, I probably wouldn't be writing. Beth: What are your five favorite books and why?

Michael: Ah, jeez, that's a tough one. I'd say that my top five (in no particular order) are the following: LA Confidential by James Ellroy for completely sucking me into a crazy mystery and capturing the nastiness of Post-War LA, Perdido Street Stationby China Mieville for showing that you can write a great, imaginative fantasy story and still be socially conscious, Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco for showing me how much you can play with history, When the Women Come Out to Dance by Elmore Leonard (a short story collection, actually) for having some amazing crime stories that also reveal some deeper, darker truths about America, and Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett for letting me see the true corruption of the past.
Beth: What a list!  What are you working on right now?
Michael: I'm getting ready for the fourth book in the Rot Rods series (books two and three are already done), and I'm working on a new series about robots, while also writing some prequels to the El Mosaico series, which are about Vikings and pirates. I'm a pretty busy writer and like bouncing between several different projects.
Beth: What were some of the obstacles you encountered while writing your book and how did you overcome them?
Michael:  Just finding time to write is a big one! Thankfully, I'm disciplined enough that I can always find time. Still, there's been a lot of times when I get home and I'm tired, and I don't want to sit down and finish a story or a summary – but I make schedules for myself and I keep my deadlines. Beth:  I hear ya! Finding time is a big obstacle for me too. Last question if you had to give a one-hour lecture to a hundred 13 year-olds….what would be the topic of your lecture? Why?

Michael: Look, you're speaking to a guy who worked as a teacher's aide in a middle school and was in charge of creating lessons for the Creative Writing class. I can handle thirteen-year-olds. A hundred of them is a little tough, though. Would I have help? Anyway, making a bunch of kids sit around for an hour while you give some speech is a recipe for failure. Keep your lessons short is my motto – like fifteen minutes at most. I'd probably have a variation of the most successful activity I did last year. The students worked in teams to create fictional characters for a fighting tournament. After they created their characters, they engaged in debates in front of the class, with everyone voting to decide the winner. Eventually, we had a champion. Thirteen-year-olds like working with their friends and they like competition, so this was great at having them think creatively, and use debate skills. I'd probably do something like that.


Interesting answer. I ask that question to everyone I interview because I like to see what words of wisdom authors and artist want to share with the impressionable. I pick thirteen because I believe that is the no-bullshit age! Thanks for stopping by Michael it was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to reading Dead Man's Drive!

Dead Man's Drive Blurb:  La Cruz looks like an average Southern California small town in the 1950s Post-War Boom, but it has some dark secrets - and its guardians. They are the supernaturally adept drivers of Donovan Motors, including former Okie bank robber Wooster Stokes, Zoot Suiter and part time shaman Angel Rey, college girl and burgeoning sorceress Betty Bright and --their latest member -- an amnesiac zombie known only as Roscoe. The drivers stand between La Cruz and chaos with only their wits and some fast hot rods to help them hold back the darkness. But an onslaught of demonic attacks heralds a new danger. Reed Strickland, a ruthless tycoon with unholy assistance, seems intent on making La Cruz his. Only Roscoe and the drivers can stop him. But Strickland's allies stir painful memories in Roscoe and even an undead gearhead is no match for his own past. Roscoe will need to overcome his memories, stand with his friends and keep his motor as the battle for La Cruz begins in a tale of white hot vehicular action, arcane Noir and Hollywood horror that reveals the rotten heart of California's Golden Age.   Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Drive-Rods-Novel-ebook/dp/B00IJH8ZEO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393269382&sr=8-2&keywords=Michael+Panush And the CQ Page: http://curiosityquills.com/published-authors/michael-panush/     

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It’s been a while since I’ve shared books. For the last four months or so I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to read granola books.  What are granola books?  They are the books that leaving you feeling like a better human.  
In no particular order  (although it were in order East of Eden would be at the top--just saying:) 

Flannery O’Connor's complete works      

   The Essential Rumi (note I didn’t finish this book—this book is meant to be read over a lifetime)
     Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery
  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
   And East of Eden by John Steinbeck    I also read:
 The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forest. This is not necessary a Granola book but it’s definitely an apple book –naturally sweet!
Gonzo:The Life of Hunter S. Thompson -is a Double Martini book! :)

Round two and something new - Welcome Back Margo Bond Collins! Margo Bond Collins author of Waking up Dead has released a new book, Fairy, Texas, and I could be happier that she has arranged for Roger Bartlef (the primary antagonist of Fairy, Texas) to share with us his thoughts on Fairy, Texas and his role in that town.       Why do you think Margo Bond Collins chose  you to represent her?
Margo was driving across Texas and saw the cut-off sign for Fairy, Texas—it made her wonder why anyone would name a place “Fairy.”  And then she got the idea for an evil fairy—a cadaverous old man with mostly invisible bat-wings.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a high school counselor at Fairy High School. There are rumors around school that I practice black magic. The students avoid me when they can—but often, they simply can’t. I like it that way. I’m doing what’s best for Fairy.
How old are you?
Not as old as the children think I am, but older than most of my colleagues assume.
Where do you live?
Fairy, Texas. Protecting this town and my people is all that matters to me.
What’s your favorite music?
Opera. I am particularly fond of Puccini.
What’s your biggest turn on?
Making sure that I am in charge of my people so that they are well cared for.
What your favorite ice cream flavor, chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?
Darkest chocolate.
Do you feel the cover accurately represents you?
It accurately reflects Fairy, and some of my people—the younger set, in particular.
_____________________________________________
Fairy, Texas Blurb:
Fairy, Texas. A small town like any other.

Laney Harris didn't want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that "boring" would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class.

She was right. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.
_____________________________________________

Buy Fairy, Texas Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00I7BTMJ4/
_____________________________________________
About the Author


Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, several spoiled cats, and a ridiculous turtle. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters. Fairy, Texas is her second novel. Her first novel, Waking Up Dead, came out with Solstice Shadows Publishing in October 2013. Her third novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press.
_____________________________________________Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575
Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
 
Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead Be sure to add Fairy, Texas to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19502285-fairy-texas

Beth Winokur: The Willing Stone: Hello Fellow Adventure's, Today I am happy to share with the whole wide world my new series!  The Willing Stone , is the first book in The ...

Hello Fellow Adventures,

Today I am happy to share with the whole wide world my new series!  The Willing Stone, is the first book in The Adventures of Abby and Sofia series, and it's available as both a paper back and an eBook!  The Willing Stone is getting some great reviews. Please take a moment and get a copy for your favorite young reader or yourself - imagination is ageless!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQ8WS6S  

Thank you, Beth, for inviting me to your place! I certainly enjoyed meeting you at the San Bernardino Library Author event. I thought I’d talk a little about writing a series versus a standalone novel.
Thank you Madeline, I really enjoyed meeting you as well. But mostly I am intrigued by your book Counsel of Ravens!  Thanks for this insightful guest blog!

First some info about Madeline's novel Counsel of Raves


In the dark of night, murder strikes on Route 66, and once again Hubert James Champion III finds himself having to face realities he’d rather run from. Indeed, within two days, Hugh finds himself embroiled in murder on a national scale, seeking justice for petty-crimes of a local nature—and very close to home, reviving his skills as a psychologist to help people who have become friends. Indeed, his friends need him.
In addition, there are troubling mysteries of the personal kind still tucked away in the recesses of Hugh’s subconscious. He may still be “hiding out” in the desert, but East Coast ties continue to haunt and thwart his building hopes for the future.
Fortunately, he has his ravens to counsel him, and through it all—the Mojave winds continue to blow…


 The Series Versus a Standalone Novel
Many mystery authors write series, but for me, it’s been standalones until my latest. So, I’m talking about one little sequel, and that may seem like not such a big deal, but for me, it was huge. I didn’t realize how huge until about the middle of writing Counsel of Ravens. I’ve mentioned on blogs before how certain locations seem to reach out, grab me, tell me there’s a story there. And from that initial spark, my mind moves on to characters, plot, etc. Intertwined in that process—I think—is also a liking for dropping in on characters, not only at a particular spot, but in a particular point in their lives. Then drop out. Move on. Leaving all the “what if” possibilities in the rest of their lives unanswered and left to the reader’s imagination.
Well, writing a sequel with Hugh et al., I’d have to deal with what came next, tie up some lose ends, even kick-start the next chapter of his life. At first, and for quite awhile in the writing of Counsel of Ravens, I didn’t want to do that. Doesn’t make much sense, but it’s true.
It was hard making what I’m calling “second-wave” decisions for Hugh. And with that kind of mindset and difficulty, how could I possibly ever write a series, which was one of my initial goals way-back-when. And now, even with Counsel of Ravens published, I’m still not sure I can actually write a continuing series. Though, somewhere during the storytelling part of my latest I began to enjoy developing Hugh’s future, and his friend’s futures—including his ravens—who moved in this story from being reticent, to butting-in. And I did very much enjoy tying up the loose ends with a secondary, but one of my favorite characters in Reticence of Ravens—Marsha Portson.
Which leads me to the “winding-road-of-writing.” My love of P.D. James’s style, her books, her protagonist, her approach to writing—led me to start off using M.M., wanting to emulate my rock-star author andbecause I planned on writing a series with a male protagonist—again, just like P.D.
Things have changed for my characters in several ways (indeed, two of my books have female protagonists)—and for me. My writing-career-plans seem to have their own plan—taking me on a winding road somewhere…
A very wise author once told me, “Enjoy the process,” and I say, “Hear! Hear! I sure better.” So here I am back on the winding road, and what seems to be next for me is writing a thriller sort of/mystery sort of/mainstream fiction sort of/ novel called Rhodes. It’s a standalone—BUT, I’ve given it a secondary title—The Mojavestone, just in case! (I’m rereading (audio) The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins—wonder if that has something to do with my title?)
Beth, thanks so much for inviting me—loved being here!
Your welcome please come back any time!!  Thank you for your guest post and for sharing your wonderful stories! I look forward to reading Counsel of Ravens and the Rhodes!
About Madeline Gornell
Madeline (M.M.) Gornell has five published mystery novels—including PSWA awarding winners Uncle Si’s Secret and Lies of Convenience (also a Hollywood Book Festival honorable Mention), Death of a Perfect Man , and Reticence of Ravens (a finalist for the Eric Hoffer 2011 fiction Prize, the da Vinci Eye for cover art, and the Montaigne Medal for most thought provoking book). Her latest is Counsel of Ravens, her first sequel and a continuation of Hubert Champion’s Mojave saga. She continues to be inspired by historic Route 66, and expects to release in 2014 Rhodes .
Madeline is a lifetime lover of mysteries, and besides reading and writing, she is also a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing. She lives with her husband and assorted canines in the Mojave High Desert near the internationally revered Route.
 
Contact and Buy Info
Madeline’s books http://tinyurl.com/namho8g are available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords, in paper and e-book formats. You can visit her online at her website http://www.mmgornell.com, or her BLOG http://www.mmgornell.wordpress.com  or email her directly at [email protected]
 

BlurbWhen Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, when she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex, she went to Alabama. Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up dead in Alabama?











ExcerptWhen I died, I expected to go to heaven.
Okay. Maybe hell. It’s not like I was perfect or anything. But I was sort of hoping for heaven.
Instead, I went to Alabama.
Yeah. I know. It’s weird.
I died in Dallas, my hometown. I was killed, actually. Murdered. I’ll spare you the gruesome details. I don’t like to remember them myself. Some jerk with a knife--and probably a Bad-Mommy complex. Believe me, if I knew where he was, I’d go haunt his ass.
At any rate, by the time death came, I was ready for it--ready to stop hurting, ready to let go. I didn’t even fight it.
And then I woke up dead in Alabama. Talk about pissed off.
You know, even reincarnation would have been fine with me--I could have started over, clean slate and all that. Human, cow, bug. Whatever. But no. I ended up haunting someplace I’d never even been.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to work, right? Ghosts are supposed to be the tortured spirits of those who cannot let go of their earthly existence. If they could be convinced to follow the light, they’d leave behind said earthly existence and quit scaring the bejesus out of the poor folks who run across them. That’s what all those “ghost hunter” shows on television tell us.
Let me tell you something. The living don’t know jack about the dead.
Not this dead chick, anyway.


 
Interview with Margo Bond Collins Q:Welcome Margo, first I'd like thank you for stopping by, it's nice to meet you. Please tell us about yourself. A: In my other life, I’m a college professor; I teach English courses online. I live in Texas with my husband and our daughter and a number of thoroughly silly animals. Waking Up Dead is my first published novel. My second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press. I got the offers to publish the two novels in the same month. That was officially the best month of my life!

Q: Congratulations! That definitely qualifies as a good month.  Tell us about Waking Up Dead.

A: In Waking Up Dead, when Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?

Q: Sounds like a fun read! What inspired you to write Waking up Dead?

A: I wrote Waking Up Dead when I lived in Alabama for a few years. I remember driving to work one morning and seeing just a wisp of fog move across the statue in the middle of the town square. The statue was of some Civil War figure, and thought that it looked oddly ghostly. In between teaching classes that day, I started writing Callie’s story.

Q:I agree creepy statues can be very inspirational! So on to the fun questions, If you could meet three authors, which authors would you choose?

A: I’m worried I would go all star-struck and not be able to say anything coherent! But assuming I could keep my wits about me, I would like to meet (in no particular order): Neil Gaiman, because he’s so bloody brilliant; Charles Stross, whose sense of the absurd always delights me; and Anne Aguirre, because she’s so beautifully outspoken about what it means to be a woman who writes science fiction.

Q: Gaiman is one of my favorites too!  He doesn't know it yet, but he plans on taking me to dinner and telling me bedtime stories ;) but that is not what we are here to talk about is it. So, what are you currently working on?

A: Piles of projects! I’m currently doing a round of edits to Legally Undead, the first of the Vampirarchy urban fantasy series coming out from World Weaver Press in 2014. I’m working on the sequels to Waking Up Dead and Legally Undead. I’m working on a contemporary romance novel. I’m editing a number of academic projects, too—mostly collections of essays about science fiction and fantasy televisions series like Farscape, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural.

Q:Whew, more power to you! A busy writer is a happy writer. What was the most challenging part about writing Waking up Dead?

A: Making sure the mystery made sense! About halfway through I figured out that I was going to need to solve the mystery before the characters did! So at that point I decided where I was headed, generally—but the characters took me where I needed to go.


Q: When did you know you wanted to become an author?
A:  I’ve always known, for as long as I can remember. The first story I remember actually writing down was basically fan-fiction of The Wizard of Oz. I wrote it in long-hand in a yellow legal pad. I’ve been writing ever since.

Q:Fun stuff. I did a similar thing with Pippy Longstalking when I was a kid. I wanted my own adventure with her, so I wrote myself into the story...two redheads can get into a lot of trouble -- I had some great adventures with Pip.  You mentioned earlier that you were a fast writer -  you said it took you six weeks from start to finish to write Waking Up Dead, I'm interested in what your editing process is like?

A: I edit on the sentence level as I go, changing things around as necessary. But I also tend to write in scenes, and if a scene isn’t working, I will simply put a reminder in brackets—something like this: [FIX THIS SCENE].  Then I move on. So the first editing step is always to do a search for those brackets and do my best to address the issues. Once I’ve done that, I do a read-through for plot coherence. Then I do a final read-through for any other issues.  And then I quit for a while so I can get some distance before I come back to it for a final proofreading session.

Q: Thank you so much for visiting and writing interesting stories. I have one more question for you, and by your level of busyness, I can tell that this will be easy for you to answer -What can we expect from you in 2014?

A: Always keep writing! I have three works in progress that I plan to complete. And I also have two others that I want to get to. So I guess that means my goal is to finish five novels. (I’m suddenly realizing that I might be insane . . . )

 
Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, several spoiled cats, and a ridiculous turtle. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters. Waking Up Dead is her first published novel. Her second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy, forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press._____________________________________________
Buy Waking Up Dead on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Dead-ebook/dp/B00FOXWLM8/

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