Literature & Fiction Interviews

Literature &
Fiction
Interviews
By Shelagh Watkins

MP
Mandinam Press

All rights reserved; no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.

First printing

Copyright © Mandinam Press 2009

Literature & Fiction Volume I

Published by Mandinam Press

www.mandinampress.co.ukCONTENTS
Editorial Foreword 5

Pat Bertram 7

Malcolm R. Campbell 11

Jim Cherry 15

D. K. Christi 21

Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald 27

Jim Hinckley 33

Jean Holloway 39

Rayni Joan 43

Gail Koger 47

Abe F. March 53

Gregory Mose 59

Erma Odrach 63

Donald James Parker 69

Tony Peters 75

D. T. Pollard 81

Marjorie Price 87

Maryanne Raphael 93

Dianne G. Sagan 97

Shelagh Watkins 101

FIRST PARAGRAPHS

Daughter Am I by Pat Bertram 19

Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire by Malcolm R. Campbell 19

The Last Stage by Jim Cherry 25

Ghost Orchid by D. K. Christi 25

Tulips in the Sand - A Riley Matthews Mystery by Caryn Gottlieb 31
FitzGerald

Ghosts of Northwest Arizona by Jim Hinckley 41

Black Jack by Jean Holloway 41

The Skinny by Rayni Joan 51

Just My Luck by Gail Koger 51

Journey into the Past by Abe F. March 67

Stunt Road by Gregory Mose 67

Wave of Terror by Erma Odrach 73

Homeless Like Me by Donald James Parker 73

Kids on a Case by Tony Peters 85

Obama Guilty of Being President while Black by D. T. Pollard 85

A Gift from Brittany by Marjorie Price 91

Saints of Molokai by Maryanne Raphael 108

Shelter from the Storm by Dianne G. Sagan 108

EDITORIAL FOREWORD

Throughout 2009, I interviewed an eclectic mix of authors who had recently
released a new book. The variety of genres includes mystery, romance, satire,
crime thriller, humour, autobiography and children’s fiction. The varied
backgrounds of the authors show a tremendous wealth of experience. All the
featured authors have drawn on this knowledge to write novels and works of
non-fiction to entertain, help and inform readers.
This volume of interviews provides an insight into a group of authors
from the United States, Canada and Europe, and gives a glimpse of their past
and present books. The unique collection of interviews will entertain and
inspire readers to find out more about the authors and their books.

11.30.2009 Shelagh Watkins

5

Hi Pat, where are you from and how does your
background influence your writing?

Pat: I was born in
Colorado, and I’ve
always lived there
except for a very
brief stay in
Wisconsin.
Because the
Rocky Mountains
form the back-drop
of my life, they figure prominently in all of my books.

Pat Bertram
Interviewed by Shelagh Watkins

I would like to introduce my guest, Pat Bertram, author of Daughter Am I, A
Spark of Heavenly Fire and More Deaths than One. When the traditional
publishers stopped publishing her favorite type of book – character and story
driven novels that can’t easily be slotted into a genre – she decided to write
her own.

When did you begin writing and in what genre?

Pat: I used to write many years ago. I always had words in my head, and then
one day they just disappeared. I have no idea why, really. Perhaps the shock
of discovering I had no innate talent zapped them out of my head. I started
writing again about eight years ago – by then I was used to the idea that I had
no particular talent for writing, and since I wanted to write anyway, I decided
to learn the craft. I wrote almost everyday, and I read hundreds of books
about writing, editing, publishing, and promotion. I don’t write in any set
genre – I write the books they way they need to be written, and then I
struggle to find a genre afterward. They all have a mystery and a romance at
the core, though none of them are mysteries as such, and none are romances
since there is no real romantic conflict.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish?

Pat: I had no goals when I started writing. Well, that’s not strictly true. I
wanted to make a fortune, but I discovered early on that very few writers
were ever able to quit their day jobs. Still, I enjoyed writing, mostly because it
took me away from the worries of my every day life. You know the old joke
about everywhere I went, there I was? Writing is the one thing you can do
that gives you a vacation from yourself.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

7

Literature & Fiction Interviews
Pat: Daughter Am I is a stand-alone book, though I
like the characters so much that if the novel were
ever to sell well enough to merit a sequel, I might
write one.

What’s the hook for Daughter Am I?

Pat: When twenty-five-year-old Mary Stuart learns
she inherited a farm from her recently murdered
grandparents – grandparents her father claimed had
died before she was born – she becomes obsessed
with finding out who they were and why someone
wanted them dead. Poor Mary – she starts out so young and innocent and
ends up driving through the Midwest with a carload of aged gangsters and
conmen. Add in a secret room, buried treasure and a boyfriend who is
anything but romantic, and you’ve got plenty of hooks!

Who is the most unusual/likeable character?

Pat: That is a hard question! All the octogenarian gangsters in Daughter Am I
are unusual and likeable in their own way. There’s Teach, who sells bullets he
claims came from the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. There’s Kid Rags, who
still works as a forger. There’s Happy, a trigger-happy ex-wheelman for the
mob, whose hands shake so much he can barely aim let alone shoot. That’s
only three of the octogenarians – there are seven feisty old gangsters all
together. Well, six gangsters and one ex-showgirl.

Share with us the best review that you’ve ever had.

Pat: I’ve had great reviews for all of my books, but since this interview is
mostly about Daughter Am I, I’ll share the best portion of a review I got from
Publisher’s Weekly. They said Daughter Am I is “a delightful treasure-hunting
tale of finding one’s self in a most unlikely way.”

Have you written any other books besides Daughter Am I?

Pat: Two others are published. A Spark of Heavenly
Fire is my favorite, perhaps because it’s the book
where I first learned I could write.
The story takes place during an epidemic when
8

PAT BERTRAM

people are dying in vast numbers from an unstoppable disease. Some
characters try to escape quarantined Colorado, others try to figure out who
created the bio-engineered disease, but my hero Kate Cummings struggles to
find the courage to live, to love, and to help those in need of food and
shelter. She is truly a spark of heavenly fire during the state’s dark hour of
adversity.

In More Deaths than One, Bob Stark returns home to
Denver after living for eighteen years in Southeast
Asia. While reading the current newspaper one
sleepless night, he discovers an obituary for his
mother. This comes as rather a shock, because she
died and he buried her before he left the country. My
favorite line that I’ve ever written is from that book:
And Lydia Loretta Stark was dead. Again.

What are your current projects?

Pat: My work-in-progress, which I call my work-in-pause because I haven’t
worked on it much at all this year, is a tongue-in-cheek apocalyptic allegory.
Talk about a book with no genre! Mostly what I’ve been doing is learning
how to promote. I’d like to introduce my novels to readers, but that is hard
to do if no one has ever heard of the books.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

Pat: I have a website – www. patbertram.com – where I post important
information, including the first chapters of each of my books, but the best
way to keep up with me, my books, and my events on a daily basis is by way
of Bertram’s Blog. www.ptbertram.wordpress.com
All my books are available both in print and in ebook format. You can
get them online at Second Wind Publishing, Amazon, and Smashwords.
Smashwords is great – the books are available in all ebook formats, including
Kindle, and you can download the first 30% free.

See excerpt of Daughter Am I on page 19.

9

Please tell us a little about yourself, Malcolm.

Malcolm: Shelagh, I’ve spent the bulk of
my career as a technical writer for computer
companies, most of which fell on hard
times, though I don’t think it was my fault. I’ve
also worked as a college journalism instructor,
grant writer, and corporate communications
director. Currently, I’m a contributing
writer for a north Georgia magazine called Living
Jackson. My first novel, The Sun Singer, was
published in 2004, followed by a book of
satire in 2006 called Worst of Jock Stewart.

Malcolm R. Campbell

Today’s guest, Malcolm Campbell, is the author of Worst of Jock Stewart, a
book of satirical news stories, and two novels The Sun Singer and Jock Stewart
and the Missing Sea of Fire.

When did you first begin writing and what did you write?

Malcolm: When I was in high school, I was quite certain I’d end up traveling
the world writing exciting articles about exotic places for National Geographic.
While I have written a few articles about exotic places, they were published in
the shipboard magazine of the aircraft carrier I served aboard while in the
Navy. My Indiana Jones career didn’t quite pan out. So now, I visualize
exotic places in my fiction.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand alone?

Malcolm: My latest novel is a mystery/thriller,
published by Vanilla Heart in August, with a
large dash of comedy in it called Jock Stewart and
the Missing Sea of Fire. Stewart lives in the exotic
states of inebriation and Texas where he works
as a gruff, old-style investigative reporter for a
small-town newspaper. He’s hot on the trail of
the thieves who appear to have stolen the
mayor’s race horse Sea of Fire and who might
just be the same people who killed his publisher’s
girl friend Bambi Hill. The police chief has
warned Stewart that he (Stewart) has a target on
his back. Stewart believes that as long as your
number’s not up, you’re going to be okay.

11

What is the hook for the book?

Jock Stewart goes out of his way to mock those in authority by pretending to
kowtow to them. He admits he does his best work by “being an asshole” and
a mix of Don Rickles and Don Quixote. He’s the man for the job when the
skirts are up and the chips are down.

How do you develop characters and setting in your books?

Malcolm: Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire arose out of the characters
and settings I created several years ago for a blog called Morning Satirical
News. I used the blog to satirize everything via fake news stories for a
newspaper called the Star-Gazer at the fictional everyman’s town of Junction
City. When I decided to put Stewart into a novel, he dragged the whole crazy
mess of people and places right along with him. I had no choice but to just
let it happen. I typed the first draft straight through to the end without
planning or worrying about anything. Needless to say, I faced a fair amount
of editing after that!

Do you have specific techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Malcolm: I put myself in the shoes of every character in the book and “see”
the world through their eyes when they are in a scene. It’s almost a free
association technique while within each character’s mindset. Words and
actions for each character simply pop into my mind when I’m thinking about
them. Sometimes I wonder who’s actually writing the novel. Is it me or am I
channeling a bunch of people who are competing for the best lines and the
best scenes? Some day this is my muse, while others claim it’s my
subconscious mind. Whatever it is, I’m not going to mess with it.

Do you have a specific writing style or preferred POV?

Malcolm: I write in third person restricted, staying within the protagonist’s
point of view throughout a book or story. In The Sun Singer, my style was
magical realism with a fair amount of interior monologue and description. In
Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire, the scenes and dialogue were much
shorter and faster with the voice-over flavor of an old noir film out of the
1940s or 1950s.
How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

12

MALCOLM R. CAMPBELL

Malcolm: My father was a journalist and journalism educator. The house
was filled with books, magazines, and writing professors. It would have been
difficult to escape this kind of influence even if I’d wanted to. The Jock
Stewart character has a lot in common with many of the older journalists
who were on my father’s staff, men who came out to the house and told
stories about moonshiner raids, tough editors and weird reporters hanging
out in the newsroom, and afterhours trips to a favorite watering hole. I was a
journalist for the Navy, but the low salaries wouldn’t put Scotch and/or food
on the table, so I ended up in corporate America rather than the newsroom. I
probably would have had fewer ulcers in the newsroom.


Malcolm: Author Nancy Whitney-Reiter wrote that the novel features
“small town hi-jinks delivered with healthy doses of sarcasm and wit. Jock
Stewart is like Guy Noir freed from the confines of public radio. A must-read
for anyone who likes their sleuths hard-boiled, their women salty, and their
plots with as many twists and turns as a plate of the Purple Platter Diner’s
spaghetti.”


Malcolm: My books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and
Vanilla Heart. Readers can learn more about my books on my website at
www.malcolmrcampbell.com and blog at http://sunsinger.blogspot.com/

See excerpt of Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire on page 19.

13

Hi Jim, please tell everyone about yourself.

Jim: I grew up in Chicago in the sixties; I remember
and absorbed it all. I remember being born and the
kaleidoscope images of childhood. My mother read
to me, acting out the characters and put the pictures
in my head. I danced on a corner and made it rain, I
discovered magic or power, it was child’s play. Art
was another early discovery when I saw a bunch of
girls crowded around a fellow classmate I looked
over to see what was going on, he was drawing
Peanuts characters. I read just about everything that came my way; a writer
has to live both in his imagination and the world of experience and I think
I’ve done both. I lived the first twenty-three years of my life in my
imagination. From the earliest years reading about pirates, baseball players,
racecar drivers, mythology and after I put the books down the adventures
continued in my head and backyard.
If you want to know more about me you can find me in
the pages of my books, in between the lines.

Jim Cherry

Jim Cherry has written three books: the semi-autobiographical novel Becoming
Angel, a collection of short stories, Stranger Souls and the Doors inspired
novel, The Last Stage.

When did you first begin writing and what did you write?

Jim: I started writing when I was thirteen. I read about Ernest Hemingway
and how a writer can be an artist and I wanted to be an artist but can’t draw.
The first thing I ever wrote was a Mad Magazine style satire, complete with
traced out drawings from Mad. My mother laughed and I took it wrong; I
had intended it to be serious fiction.

When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a
message you want readers to grasp?

Jim: The goals I started with in writing don’t seem to be the ones I’m
accomplishing. The writing process seems to have taken on a life of its own
and the books seem to create themselves as I go along. Yes, there is a
message I want readers to grasp but I don’t want to say what that is because I
don’t want to impose my bias on the reader. I want readers to be free to find
whatever message they do find. I’ve written things where I thought the
message was pretty clear but other readers saw other things in the piece and I
couldn’t discount it, because I saw that they could be right. I don’t want to
bias the reader with my interpretation which may or may not be right.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it the first in a series or stand-alone?

Jim: The Last Stage. I think too many writers take on too much with

15

writing a series of books. In the past I’ve read some series by some to the
best writers and they don’t always stand up. While I admire the imagination
and dedication writers take in creating a series, I like all my novels to stand
on their own; I don’t want to commit my readers to too much. Or maybe I
don’t want to commit myself to too much!

How do you develop characters and setting?

Jim: The characters develop organically. When I start a story I have an idea
of who the people are and what motivates them. But during the writing I
usually discover something about the characters I hadn’t known. Most of the
stories I write are set in the environment I’m familiar with, suburbs


Jim: No. When I start writing I know the beginning and the end of the story,
but as I write the middle tends to write itself and I’m usually surprised at how
things work out.

Do you have a specific writing style and preferred POV?

Jim: I usually write in the first person. I really don’t set out with the POV in
mind, I just find that first person is the best for giving the reader the sense of
immediacy and participation in the story that I’m looking for.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

Jim: I was raised in middle to upper class suburbs and still live in them, so
that’s where most of my settings occur, it really isn’t anything conscious it’s
just as the characters develop that’s their background. And my characters
aren’t the type that the more status conscious residents of the suburbs want
to see. My characters usually are struggling with the world they find
themselves in, they either don’t fit in or are having trouble trying to attain the
goals associated with those suburbs and its residents.

Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Jim: I always find the latest review of my books is the best! I try my best
to write the best I can and I think I’ve been lucky the books are what I’ve
envisioned and get good reviews. True to form here’s the latest:
16

JIM CHERRY

This book has long intrigued me as a Doors fan,
and now that I have read it, I am completely
wowed by it. What would it be like to be Jim
Morrison performing up on stage? Read this book
and find out.
It’s very well written, and includes details
about all the little things that Doors fans
appreciate. That gives the book a very real, almost
non-fiction feeling. I kept saying “yes! yes!” as I
read it, because the book totally nails a lot of the
emotion that Doors fans have for the band. The
characters are vivid, and their dialog snappy. But
most of all, the descriptions of the various
locations made the book come alive. Like the various bars where the band
plays their gigs. And the road trip they go on throughout the midwest. From
Chicago to New Orleans, I felt like I was right there as I read it. I got a kick
reading about the various girlfriends and “Doors groupies” that they met on
the road trip. Some of them were laugh out loud funny, others were sad. But
all were fascinating to read about.
The main character has a very complex character, and I was immediately
drawn in to trying to figure out what made him tick. Was he just a devoted
Morrison fan? Or did he have a self identity problem? Every scene that
unfolded had me even more engrossed in trying to figure out what he was
trying to accomplish. By the end of the story, this guy was in Los Angeles,
getting ready to perform at Whisky a Go Go, carousing with aging rock stars
and actors, interviewing agents and screenplay writers, reliving Jim
Morrison’s lifestyle, and exploring all his old haunts. I won’t give away the
ending, but it is very, very poignant and real.
By Katherine Reinhart


Jim: I actually have quite a few projects in mind. I currently write articles as
The Doors Examiner which are about the rock group The Doors. As far as
creative writing, I’m working on a novel, Ghosts, which is about the death of a
friend of mine, and the ghosts we carry around with us throughout our lives.
I also have another Rock ‘n’ Roll novel up my sleeve titled Ghost Dance (yes, I
may be in a ghost period, like Picasso’s blue period!) it’s about an American
Indian rock band that hits the big time. It’s a bit of a thriller.
17



Jim: My website: www.jymsbooks.com
www.examiner.com/x-21763-the-doors-examiner
Facebook,
Myspace: www.myspace.com/jymsbooks
Writing Under the Influence of Rock ‘n’ Roll! www.jymsbooks.com

See excerpt of The Last Stage on page 25.

18

FIRST PARAGRAPHS

Snippets from Daughter Am I and Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire:

“Who were James Angus Stuart and Regina DeBrizzi Stuart?” Mary asked,
trying to ignore the mounted heads of murdered animals staring down at her
from the lawyer’s wood-paneled walls.
Conrad Browning took off the silver-framed eyeglasses that matched his
full head of hair and peered at her. “You don’t know who they were?”
“No. Until I got your letter, I’d never heard of them. Since they’re
Stuarts and so am I, I thought they might be distant relatives, but why would
they leave me everything they own?”
Mr. Browning cleared his throat. “It’s simple. They were your grand-
parents.”
Mary shook her head. “I don’t have any grandparents. My father’s
parents died before my birth, and my mother’s parents died shortly after.”
“Be that as it may, James Angus Stuart and Regina DeBrizzi Stuart were
your grandparents. They had one son, Peter Thackery Stuart, who married
Gwendolyn Jane Smith. They, in turn, had one daughter. Mary Louise Stuart.
You.”
“I don’t understand. My father told me they were dead.”
Copyright © 2008-2009. Pat Bertram.

County Road 3724 closely followed the lay of the land like the arm of a lover
or a python crushing its next meal.
While his ancient Kaiser Jeep CJ-5 followed the road well enough
through the scrub forests and pastureland, it lacked the feline grace of the
midnight blue Porsche that sped by on a blind curve with the top down and a
woman’s hair free of restraint.
Ten minutes later, he reached a place with a black mail box marked “G.
Starnes” perched on top of a leaning 4x4 post next to a mixed pea gravel and
mud farm road. About 100 feet off the right of way, Grayson had built a
small white-washed ranch style house with no landscaping or other
embellishments flanked by three-horse gabled barn. Two of the house’s front
windows were covered by sheets of cardboard and the barn’s Dutch paddock
doors had been left open to the elements. Two things in the resulting
pastoral were as out of place as bullshit on a Minton Bone plate, the lady and
the car. Both were parked next to the paddock at a rakish angle.
He pulled up close enough to the Porsche to see the world reflected in
more than one of its mirrors, but Lucinda didn’t flinch.
Copyright © 2009 Malcolm R. Campbell.

19

Please tell everyone a little about yourself, D. K.

D. K.: My roots are in Michigan where my family
lives and I visit each year, preferring to drive so I
can stop in the Georgia Mountains and hike a
little. I also spent significant youthful years in
California, the dream land for a mid-western
girl trying to get out of the snow and become a
“surfer girl.” Once I started traveling, I didn’t stop,
living an average of 3 years wherever I landed, job
or home. These travels included international
work in Europe and Asia and blue water sailing in
the Caribbean. Experiences in foreign cultures
and living “on the economy” provide insights that I try to share with readers.
I have had a profession as an editor and writer for state departments of
education and even a stint as a political intern in Washington, D. C. Right
now, I live in Florida where I enjoy the Gulf and the Everglades for contrast,
but miss hills.

D. K. Christi

Today’s guest is D. K. Christi, author of her latest work of fiction, Ghost
Orchid.

When did you first start writing?

D. K.: I started writing in my youth, keeping under lock and key meticulous
diaries that were as much fantasy thought as reality. I basically write essays,
commenting on life. Recently, I have turned those comments into fiction.

How does your upbringing affect your writing?

D. K.: I have a very eclectic personal history with many twists and turns,
traumas and joyful events. Therefore, I give my characters a strong dose of
emotional appeal; readers have expressed great dislike for a character or been
stunned by a stupid decision. One reader said she actually shouted out loud
while reading Arirang: The Bamboo Connection, “no, don’t be so stupid!”–
Another reader complained that a short story could not possibly be a
romance because, “He walked away at the end. How could he do that to her?
How could he just walk away?” As though I was supposed to give her some
release for her pain at his behavior.

What goals did you set yourself? Is there a message you want readers to
grasp?

D. K.: “Life is what happens when you plan for something else.”
Amazon.com actually said it best when their editor described my stories as
characters rising above adversity, overcoming life’s traumas and eking out a
new beginning. That’s the thought I wish to convey. Every challenge has a
gift; we just need the capacity to recognize when it comes. I want readers

21

to recognize their own selves in the characters, their agonies and their
ecstasies, and perhaps find comfort in the resolution of their challenges.

Is your latest book part of a series or stand alone?

D. K.: At the moment, Ghost Orchid seems to
stand alone; however, the ending begs for a
sequel. Neev is the main character whose life is
examined and changed through the magic of
the ghost orchid; yet, the ending leaves the
reader with the desire to know more about the
characters who shaped her destiny, one in
particular. She begins that story as hers ends.
One family’s loves, lies and redemption are
woven through the fabric of the Everglades as
photographers search for the perfect subject in
the perfect light and find themselves. Neev’s
search unfolds as a mystery, one coincidence at
a time, under the mystical magic of the ethereal
ghost orchid. Recently, I also have short
stories published in several anthologies: “Rose’s Question” in The World
Outside My Window; “The Ice Storm” in Romance of My Dreams, and “The View
From the Balcony” in Romance of My Dreams II.

What’s the hook for the book?

D. K.: Death is the end. Or is it? A tragic accident opens Ghost Orchid and
sets the stage to search for an answer to that age old question: Is love eternal?
A mystical and exotic ghost orchid watches from its perch high in the cypress
canopy as a mystery unfolds, one coincidence at a time.

How do you develop characters and create the settings?

D. K.: Their traits fit the circumstances in which they dwell. They are
borrowed and reworked from all the people I have know, about whom I
have read, and those I’ve imagined. Neev is the daughter I never had, molded
from the clay of men and women whose personalities left an impression.
Settings come from the places where I have lived and traveled. They

are real to me in every respect though they sometimes require adjusting with

22

D. K. CHRISTI

research to make up for imperfect memories or documentation.

Who is the most unusual or most likeable character?

D. K.: Since I have already given away my secret that I always wanted a
daughter, I vote for Neev. However, Roger has his charm and Mel has depth
worth examining and loving.


D. K.: I’ll use the word processing outline features to give me skeletons of
the manuscript and check for anomalies.


D. K.: My preferred POV is first person and in the present tense. Publishers
do not like either, especially in new authors. Therefore, I have switched to
third person, past tense. When I am famous, I will return to first person,
present tense.

Please share the best review that you’ve ever had.

D. K.: I think I hold onto the Amazon.com review because it says so much
in such a few words:

“D. K. Christi’s debut novel Arirang, a romantic adventure that
spans seven continents, conveys an underlying theme that “life
happens when you are planning something else.” In Christi’s shorter
works such as Chalk, The Magic Box, and The Valentine , exclusive
to Amazon Shorts, themes of friendship surviving tragedy, love
conquering adversity, and the triumph of the human spirit over the
hardships of life serve to uplift and inspire. Discover a new voice in
fiction and through her stories, perhaps discover something new
about yourself.”


D. K.: I am working on a short story anthology, a major work, The Virgin
Odyssey, about blue water sailors with stories in each craft that are shared in
ports along their journey, a sequel to Ghost Orchid, and a special story about
23

the Civil War inspired by my great grandfather’s escape from a prison camp.


D. K.: website: www.dkchristi.com
twitter: www.twitter.com/dkchristi
Publisher: www.lldreamspell.com
I blog at www.redroom.com and www.amazon.com
Booktour.com includes events and there’s always Google.
ebook versions of Ghost Orchid are found at Mobipocket, Fictionwise and
Kindle; print coming soon.
Arirang: The Bamboo Connection is in print and Kindle at Amazon.com
where several short stories are also found in Amazon Shorts. The anthologies
are also at Amazon.com in print and Kindle. All online bookstores carry my
books, and anthologies containing my short stories.

See excerpt of Ghost Orchid on page 25.

24

FIRST PARAGRAPHS

Snippets from The Last Stage and Ghost Orchid:

Is Everybody In? I’m dead. Not the cold corporeal type of death, but a
warm, living death, a ghost trying to regain what he has lost. A death where
everything is a faded, pale facsimile of the life I had. I went into my study
and sat at the desk, it’s an old theatrical make-up table with a gilded mirror
surrounded by those old fashioned bulbous lights, naked, astringent, that
push light into every crevice and nook, no where to hide. Every night I sit
surrounded in this room, a shrine to my “career.” The desk is stuffed with
my newspaper reviews, photographs, journals, scrapbooks and notes. The
mirror was cleaned up and glimmered, a relic of an age gone by, salvage from
my past.
I lit a candle and popped a tape into the player on the desk, I watched
the candle flicker and dance, casting shadows against the wall, hoping it
would set the mood. A voice from the speakers said, “ladies and gentle-men,
from Madison, Wisconsin, The Unknown Soldiers!” I cleared my mind and
let the music transport me back, opening the flood of memories. It was a
ceremony I’ve been practicing, a little ritual to help induce self-hypnosis. I
closed my eyes, and I could see the audience cheering, an impressionistic
flash of colorful clothes, and faces looking up at me.
Copyright © 2009 Jim Cherry.

The high-pitched, grating sound of twisting metal chased screaming birds
into the sky. A sickening rumble erupted as the car dove into the earth,
upside down, crushing the roof. The screeching tires etched black marks on
the highway for several yards, carving trenches in the shoulder as the vehicles
left the road. The bright, red sports car glanced off the white sedan, but slid
safely along the edge of the blacktop and stopped just short of the ditch. A
plume of smoke and dust almost concealed the careening vehicles.
The shocked dump truck driver, pulling a heavy load of gravel, lost
control and the truck slammed into the ditch on the other side of the narrow
two-lane highway, the impact jamming the doors shut. For a moment in time,
a deafening silence filled the air as though the crash sucked the life out of the
universe in exchange for the life of the driver who attempted the left turn
from the sanctuary road. Her car was upside down across the ditch, her
bleeding torso visible half out the window, suspended by the hanging seat
belt and the deflating airbags.
Copyright © 2009 D. K. Christi.

25

Please tell us about yourself, Caryn,.

Caryn: I reside in a small town south of Fort
Worth, Texas with my family. I enjoy spending time
outdoors and I’m actively involved with my
daughter’s school and in the local
community.
I hold a B.A. in
Criminal Justice and a
certificate in Women’s
Studies from Florida
Atlantic University in
addition to a Masters
degree in Professional Studies in Human Relations from
NY Institute of Technology. I am a former LPC
(Licensed Professional Counselor) and I’ve worked
within the criminal justice system with medium security
inmates as well as in the community sector and with
survivors of domestic violence.
Today, as a life coach and motivational speaker, I
share my story of surviving and thriving after living with
eating disorders, abusive relationships and being trapped
within the corporate world.

Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald

Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald has a passion for writing and sharing her heart
with others. After watching the manuscript from her first fiction novel, Tulips
in the Sand - A Riley Matthews Mystery sit on a shelf at home for sixteen years,
she set the goal of seeing her book published and on store shelves, reaching
people around the world.
Her intention became reality when Tulips in the Sand - A Riley Matthews
Mystery was published in July 2008 and has been intriguing fiction and
mystery lovers ever since its release.

When did you first begin writing, and in what genre?

Caryn: I have been writing since childhood and have always been primarily
drawn to writing mysteries, thrillers and fiction. My writing style varies; I am
comfortable in writing both fiction and non-fiction genres. I’ve been
published in several arenas, including psychological journals, newspapers,
blogs, compilations, fiction and self-help books. Over the past few years, I
have been focusing on writing my memoir and sharing my personal story of
triumph over tragedy, which is allowing me to step out of the fiction genre


Caryn: I started writing as an outlet for expressing my creative side. My goal
was to be published. I first achieved that goal in 1995 and have received the
honor again several times since then. I’d like my readers to grasp the
message that life is something that we create for ourselves. Enjoying what
we surround ourselves with is key. I use writing as a method of expression,
consider myself a writer and an artist and surround myself with others who
feel the same about their creations.

27

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series?

Caryn: My latest release is entitled Tulips in the
Sand: A Riley Matthews Mystery and it is the first
in a series centering about a young woman
named Riley Matthews who, as a result of life’s
challenges finds herself wrapped up in the
center of crime and mystery and of course
romance and passion. This particular novel
was written in the early 90s and having it
published was a dream come true.


Caryn: My writing style has changed over the
years, but mainly I enjoy creating characters
that are easy to relate to and that I can sink myself into, becoming the
character for the time period required to advance development. My writing
is usual set in places I have personally spent time in and enjoy reliving within
my writings.

Who is the most unusual or likeable character?

Caryn: I hope each reader will have a different feeling about this. I
personally had a lot of fun creating the character of Taylor as he was
modeled after a friend who, upon reading the book said “hey, I know this
guy!” Riley was also a lot of fun to develop for the first book. Currently, I
am working on another book in the series in which Riley has matured a bit
and is going through some things that more adults will relate to and her
changes are fun for me to develop as well.


Caryn: I have several techniques and am always open to trying new things.
For example, my habit is to write each scene longhand and then type it up
afterwards which leaves me with hundreds of these little seventy page count
notebooks full of highlight marks and corner folds marking important
information such as character descriptions. I do create an outline before I
start a book and will talk it out as I go along. I have found over the years
that my initial story is never what the end result is, because as I fall into the
28

CARYN GOTTLIEB FITZGERALD

story I see things that the characters would be doing that I may have missed
in the original outline. Being open to change and the creative process is key.
I also make sure to write something every day as that keeps me in the thick
of things as the work progresses.


Caryn: My favorite writing style is to write whatever comes to mind as I
create the scene. I like to pretend I am in the scene and imagine what the
characters are feeling and seeing as they interact. As for POV, I am grateful
to have an editor who keeps me in line because if I had my way, my readers
would be able to enter the minds of all of the characters simultaneously and
experience the scene from all vantage points. Mainly I focus on the POV of
the main character, in this case Riley, and will usually add a second POV
from another key character.

How does your environment and upbringing color your writing?

Caryn: I don’t know that my childhood upbringing colors my writing, but
my personal experiences as an adult certainly have. I was a therapist for many
years working within a men’s prison and from working with inmates who
have committed all types of unspeakable crimes, I have learned that the
human mind is capable of anything and if written well, the reader can be lead
to believe they are part of the experience, evoking all types of emotions,
including new ones they may have never experienced before.

Share the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Caryn: This is my favorite as it is part of the feedback I received from my
real-life friend who I modeled the character of Taylor:

“Cool book … cool ending! That Taylor WAS a madman!!!”


Caryn: I am always writing. Currently I am working on another book in the
Riley Matthews Mystery series, my memoir (2010) and two self-help/
non-fiction compilations.
I blog almost daily at: www.EmbracingMyJourney.com and also

29

contribute to The Washington Times Communities - Life Online Section,
where my column, “Changing Your Life, Living Your Passion” can be read
daily.


Caryn: The best place to start is at: www.CarynFitzgerald.com as that will
provide folks with information on my current projects and events. I love
connecting with my readers and encourage people to drop me a note and
introduce themselves.

See excerpt of Tulips in the Sand: A Riley Matthews Mystery on page 31.

30

FIRST PARAGRAPHS

Snippet of Tulips in the Sand: A Riley Matthews Mystery:

“Ok, here you go, Mrs. Murphy, just sign on the bottom and you’ll be all
set.”
She smiled without thinking. A big grin that must have taken the sales
girl by surprise because she asked, “Mrs. Murphy, is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes,” realizing her actions seemed odd, she added, “everything is
just perfect.”
With that, she signed the charge receipt, took her package, mumbled a
thank you and left the store. Once outside, the sun warmed her face, and her
smile returned. She remembered the simple comment the sales girl had made
which caused her to smile so happily. The simple action of calling her “Mrs.
Murphy”, that was it, just hearing those words referring to her, was enough
to cause her to be overcome with happiness and smile beyond control. As
she continued down the tree lined street, she thought back to a time many
years ago when becoming “Mrs. Murphy” seemed like a dream that would
never come true.
Copyright © 2009 Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald

31

Hi Jim, please tell us about yourself and your background.

Jim: When I first moved to the deserts
of Arizona in the summer of 1966 my
initial impression was a deeper
understanding for the place warned
about in Sunday school. To say the very
least, it was a far cry from the meadows
and forests of Michigan or the hills of
Tennessee with which I was familiar.
As the years passed, a deep love
for the empty places, the raw
landscapes, the history, and the people that called the desert southwest
home grew. Fueled by the writings of Zane Grey and other western writers
this passion soon developed into a near complete immersion in the
romanticism of the west that I now jokingly refer to as my “John Wayne”
period.
I found employment on ranches in Arizona and New Mexico and
became enamored with the rodeo life though I never mastered the craft of
either. Then I discovered mining which in turn led to adventures among
the ghost towns of the southwest.
Books about history have been an integral part of my life since
childhood. However, histories relevance to the present and future never
really manifested until I walked the streets of Tombstone, rode the rutted
tracks of the Butterfield Stage Line across the desert plains of New Mexico,
or experienced Route 66 behind the wheel of a 1950 De Soto.
Tying all of these things together were the tangible links to the past
with which I began to fill my life. The most notable of these were the
vehicles I chose, and still choose, for daily transportation – 1942 Chevrolet
pick up, 1926 Ford, 1946 GMC, 1955 Ford, 1968 Dodge – to name but a
few.

Jim Hinckley

Today’s guest, Jim Hinckley, has shared his love of old trucks and lost
highways through the publication of five books and as a contributor to Old
Cars Weekly, Classic Auto Restorer, Hemmings Classic Car, The Kingman
Daily Miner and American Road.

When did you first begin writing, and how did it hook you, Jim?

Jim: From my earliest memory writing was something I wanted do, but
oddly enough did nothing to develop that interest and passion. Then, in
1990, with gentle encouragement from my loving wife, I decided to take the
plunge and give it a try. As I know now my first success was truly a fluke.
I felt the discovery of an extremely interesting wrecking yard in southern
Arizona near the Mexican border would serve as an excellent introductory
tool. So, I picked up my favorite automotive magazine, obtained the name of
the editor from the title page, and called their office.
After a brief discussion the story was approved. No query letter! No formal
introduction! No name dropping! The photos were taken with a $25.00
Kmart camera. The story was written on a 1948 model Underwood
typewriter.
Eight weeks later I had a check for $250.00 and publication in a major
publication. I was hooked!

What goals did you want to accomplish after that, and is there a message you
want readers to grasp?

Jim: Well, with receipt of that first check my childhood dreams were
instantly renewed. Visions of acclaim and riches danced in my head.
However, most of all was the unshakeable conviction that soon I would be
quitting the day job.

33

Since that time I have written five books, have had more than one
thousand feature articles published, and have penned two weekly columns
for newspapers. I also still have a day job that pays the lion’s share of the
bills.
For aspiring writers the lessons in all of this are rather simple concepts.
Rejection and disappointment are merely dues to be paid. Thinking outside
of the box will generate reward as well as set back.
Don’t give up; if writing is something you have a passion for then do it. Let
the writing be its own reward. If you happen to make a million in the
process, great!

Briefly tell us about your latest book, Jim.

Jim: Ghost Towns of the Southwest is a book that
was more than twenty years in the making.
Between the covers are more than snapshots
and time capsules from the western frontier,
this book is a tapestry of my adventures hung
against a backdrop of Technicolor western
landscapes and centuries of history.
The towns, communities, and mining camps
profiled in this book include famous locales
such as Tombstone and Chloride. However, to
add depth and context to their story I also
included lesser known places such as Columbus
and Ruby as well as Spanish colonial outposts
like Cabezon and Native American cities like
Gran Quivira.
This book is the third in a loose series that profiles the overlooked and
forgotten destinations. My first travel related title was Backroads of Arizona.
Next came Route 66 Backroads, a travel guide to that iconic highway with a
twist. The current project in the works, Ghost Towns of Route 66, continues
these themes.

What is the hook for this book?

Jim: There are really several. First, there is the twist of presenting the ghost
towns as the vehicle for providing continuity to the history of the southwest
that spans centuries as well as cultures.
Next would be the unique and colorful characters introduced to readers.
34

JIM HINCKLEY

As an example consider Jefferson Davis Milton, a lawman whose career
included a stint with the Texas Rangers, being the only law in lawless frontier
towns and even escorting arrested Russian anarchists back to Russia during
the teens. The latter job was done after a shootout left him with the use of
only one arm!
However, the primary hook has to be the stunning western landscapes
framed by the imposing and forlorn ruins of these bygone communities as
captured by award winning photographer Kerrick James.

How do you decide what locations to include in your travel guides?

Jim: I draw from experience and my travels as well as conversations with a
wide array of individuals from Native Americans to European tourists.

If you were limited to one region or location for recommendation where
would it be and why?

Jim: That would be the area around Silver City in New Mexico. The diversity
of the landscapes in this area is enhanced by vast tracts of wilderness that
make it possible to experience the west as it was before the advent of the
modern era.
Adding flavor to this would be the truly amazing depth of history found
here as represented by sites as diverse as Billy the Kid’s mother’s gravesite,
ghost towns, cliff dwellings and the longest continuously operated mine in
the United States.
Then you have the people. There is something very invigorating in
having breakfast in a quaint café, family owned for more than a half century,
where representatives of four generations of a ranching family, outfitted with
worn jeans, equally worn boots, and spurs, share the counter with liberal
college students and professors while grandma teaches her granddaughter
how to make tortillas in the open kitchen.

How does your environment and upbringing color your writing?

Jim: My mother often quipped that it seemed I was born ninety and never
aged. Perhaps that is why I have always felt most comfortable in the
company of those who are my peers by a half century or more.
These relationships allow me the unique opportunity to add a first person
feel to events that took place long before I was born. In a similar manner my
transportation choices and wide array of adventures enhance the ability to
35

flavor my automotive and travel writings with a hand on authority.

Please share one of your favorite reviews of your work.

Jim: “I have a copy of Jim Hinckley’s new
book and want to share with all of you
some facts and my thoughts on the book.
Route 66 BACKROADS has over 200
photos, some new and a few old, all are
worth the price of the book alone. Then
add in some maps to show folks how easy it
is to get to and from these sites from Route
66. Now the instructions, information and
data that Jim has added in the text shows
the reader just how thoroughly he has done
his research. I plan on taking this book with
me when traveling the road, just in case I
find time to take some detours. For you
retailers, like Rich, that offer this book for sale, I feel it is going to make a
GREAT addition to your inventory. For you fellow roadies this is just the
kind of book you need to make you want to get back out on the road. I will
be recommending this book to everyone that travels the road or just wants to
add a wonderful book to their collection.
I have one question for Jim Hinckley, who by the way I know and he is a
good friend. WHEN IS YOUR NEXT BOOK COMING OUT?”


Jim: I am under contract for another book, Ghost Towns of Route 66, and am
deep into research. Then there is the monthly column, The Independent
Thinker that I write for Cars & Parts magazine.
On a number of levels my monthly column for Cars & Parts is one of my
most satisfying jobs. Through it I am able to share my fascination with
automotive history, give some obscure individuals that made large
contributions to the industry some overdue kudos, and delve deeper into
mysteries pertaining to the conflicted origins of inventions as well as
manufacturers.

Where can folks learn more about your books and forthcoming projects?

36

JIM HINCKLEY

Jim: I have a public profile on Google and also maintain a daily blog, Route
66 Chronicles : www.route66chronicles.blogspot.com.
In addition, I maintain a website, Route 66 Info Center, where travel tips
are shared with commentary and links, and enticing photographs from our
collection are presented: www.routeinfocenter.com. I also have an author’s
blog on Amazon.com.

See excerpt of Ghosts of Northwest Arizona on page 41.

37

Jean Holloway

39

I would like to welcome Jean Holloway, who has stopped in on her blog
tour, Banned from Vegas. Jean’s books from her Deck of Cardz series are
fictional detective stories following the career of a female lead homicide
detective, Shevaughn Robinson. Ace of Hearts and Black Jack are currently
available online and by request at your local bookstores.

Please tell us about Black Jack, Jean.

Jean: Black Jack is the sequel to my debut novel, Ace of Hearts.
Black Jack picks up four years after Shevaughn Robinson, lead homicide
detective in Portsborough, NY, solves her first major case. She is anxiously
living in the shadow of her high rate of arrests and closed cases. But it has all
come at a price?
In Black Jack, Shevaughn tries to regain balance in her personal life just as
the past comes back to haunt her. She will quickly find herself the center of
yet another unique murder that feels a little too close for comfort.

What genre is Black Jack ?

Jean: I like to make sure I’m juggling a few genres. I’d say Black Jack is an
adult romantic, psychological crime thriller.

That’s an interesting combination, Jean. I think you’ll have to explain how
you married these genres in your book.

Jean: First, I classify it as adult, because my books are for the grown and
sexy. It’s erotic, not erotica, yet definitely not for the kids.
The romantic elements involve you as you watch the growth of a loving
relationship between the couples in this book, one being and

Shevaughn Marcus, a local bookstore owner in Portsborough.
The psychological segments were a push for me. Out of nowhere, a past
character, Terri Becker, emerged and I hate to say it but she’s a few a cans
short of a six pack (if you know what I mean).
The crime is murder with the plot revolving around Shevaughn’s career
and life depending on her solving this case. She has to get him or her before
her life is tragically affected.
Lastly, it’s a thriller because you, the reader, have an opportunity to take
in the story for the viewpoint of the lead detective attempting to balance her
family obligations and her career and that of a depressed and confused
psychopath looking for love in all the wrong places.
The two very different women are brought together by an opportunist
that preys on weakness in others.

What should readers expect from Black Jack?

Jean: Expect the unexpected. Things are not what they appear to be, even I
was surprise by the direction this story took.
Readers should turn the first page with an open mind and end the last
page knowing that there is much more in store for Shevaughn Robinson.

About Black Jack

Black Jack is the sequel to Jean Holloway’s acclaimed debut novel, Ace of
Hearts. Buckle up and follow Shevaughn as she moves closer to solving the
murder of a lonely widow, unknowingly rekindling old grudges and
awakening a sinister spirit. Get ready, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Visit Deck of Cardz to learn more about Jean Holloway and her work.
There you can download Black Jack ebook; watch the book video: Black Jack
… Wanna Play, read the book synopsis; and more.

How can readers contact you?

Visit Jean Holloway online at www.deckofcardz.com

See excerpt of Black Jack on page 41.

41

Snippet from Ghosts of Northwest Arizona

Your base camp for the exploration of ghost towns in northwest Arizona is
Kingman, a historic community with a long and colorful history. Access to all
towns and town sites in this portion of the state are easy day trips from
Kingman, although a few trips will require the use of a high-profile or four
wheel-drive vehicle.
These towns include a frontier-era mining community preserved in a
circa 1930 state of arrested decay, a mining town saved from abandon-ment
with the resurgent interest in Route 66, and another mining community
almost erased from the map with the modern bane of many old towns –
open pit mining. Other gems include two former county seats and a railroad
town that also has ties to legendary Route 66.
Copyright © 2009 Jim Hinckley.

Snippet from Black Jack:

Helene put the menu down, took off her glasses and pinched the top of her
nose, massaging the corners of her eyes. Concentrating on the menu’s small
print made them so tired. She looked up, blinked hard and, in doing so,
brought his handsome face back into focus. Maybe I should have left that second
glass of champagne alone. However, it’s not every day a lady got to share a bottle
of Krug Grand Cuvée’77 in Napier’s, the most exclusive French restaurant in
the Portsborough area.
Tonight’s definitely a cause for celebration. She still couldn’t believe she’d been
dating this young man for the past three months. Young man, humph, never
thought I’d be referring to a man in his fifties as young, although it’s all quite relative, isn’t
it? Although proud of her sixty-eight years on earth, right now she wished
she could turn back the hands of time.
The last few months were like a romantic dream.
What about the money?
The thought flickered like the restaurant sconces’ candlelight against the
wall. Damn, why did her mind always go back to that? It spoiled one of life’s
best moments by nagging at her.
About a month ago, he’d asked her for a considerable loan, one hundred
and ten thousand dollars to be exact. Although it took over half of the
remainder of her fortune and her mind told her it really wasn’t the smart
thing to do, her body quickly overruled the objection. She knew, in time, it
would be well worth it.
Copyright © 2009 Jean Holloway

42

Tell us about yourself, Rayni, and your “confession.”

Rayni: I grew up as Roberta Joan
Weintraub in Newburgh, New York,
during the 1940s and 50s. During a critical
period in the early 1970s, I was part of the
Liberation News Service collective,
where, for $35 and ten free meals per week,
I researched and wrote news and
feature articles.
It was during this period that
my feature article, Women,
Fat of the Land, appeared widely throughout the U.S. It was
June, 1970, and I became the first public confessor to the
then unheard of habit of binging and purging, later diagnosed
in the 1980s as bulimia. Although the word and the fact of
“bulimia” were largely unknown at the time, my story
containing my confession was published on the front pages
of dozens of alternative weekly newspapers, where it struck a
chord with more than a million women readers – a chord
that resonates to this day.

43

Rayni Joan

I would like to welcome Rayni Joan, author of The Skinny: Adventures of
America’s First Bulimic. For twenty-five years – from pre-adolescence way into
her mid-to-late thirties – Rayni walked around hiding what she thought was a
shameful secret: she made herself throw up. For almost the whole time, she
thought she was the only one in the whole world!

When did you begin writing?

Rayni: I wrote my first story, about a lonely elephant baby, when I was five.
Not a slender gazelle. Not a purring kitten or a dog with a wagging tail. A
lonely elephant baby! A smart prognosticator probably could have predicted
my whole life based on that!

Please describe some of your journey that ended with the writing of The
Skinny.

Rayni: As someone who “tumbled up” with little real guidance, and
consequently struggled with low self-esteem and an eating disorder, when I
had kids, I didn’t want to make the same mistakes my parents made. (I didn’t.
I made different mistakes!) At the age of sixteen, one of my sons handed me
several thousand dollars and informed me he’d been playing blackjack at a
casino. (He lied about his age.) Despite my pleading, he continued to play. I
joined Gam-Anon, a 12-Step Program for family members of gamblers and
had no luck getting him to attend Gamblers Anonymous. I spoke openly to
my group about my history of bulimia, and when someone asked me whether
I’d be willing to tell my own story to a large group assembly, I agreed – and
my son agreed to attend.
In my presentation, I talked about my childhood, about the way no- one
in my family had paid attention to my throwing up, and how I wished they
had stopped me. I talked about the way my therapist, whom

RAYNI JOAN

I had trusted, had abused me. I told the group of about two hundred that the
saddest thing in my life was my inability to communicate to my son the long-
term harm and pain an addiction can cause. By the time I finished, after long
applause, and after acknowledging those crowding around me to express
their gratitude, finally, I returned to my seat. My then seventeen-year-old was
in tears. He hugged me and thanked me. He said he’d had no idea what I’d
been trying to tell him. The following week he wrote an article for his high
school paper about his gambling addiction and his intention to end it
immediately. By then, he was the school bookie, and he formally quit. He was
already in therapy and continued for many years – and is now a wonderful,
loving, thoughtful and supportive young husband and father.
Because sharing my truth helped a few people I touched, including my
son, I had the incentive to write my slightly fictionalized story in the hope of
reaching and inspiring large numbers of people to have the courage to heal.

Why did you fictionalize your story instead of just writing a memoir?

Rayni: Two reasons: First, I’m not a celebrity so I didn’t think anyone would
care about Rayni Joan’s story. Second, James Frey’s hoax memoir made me
super sensitive to inaccuracies in my story caused by my own imagination. So
I decided to write a story parallel to mine but with some changes I wouldn’t
have to explain to anyone.

Have the reactions from readers of The Skinny been what you anticipated? If
not, how are they different?

Rayni: There seems to be no middle ground to the
reactions to The Skinny, and that surprises me.
People seem either to hate it or adore it. A
(former) close friend of mine told me she would
never read a book that had child abuse in it, and
that surprised and also hurt me even though I have
to respect her truth. Wouldn’t most people want to
read their friend’s secret story? I would! Some
readers think it’s weird the way Rowie talks to
angels and “guides.” Others tell me the same thing
is cool. I thought more people would object to the
liberal use of cursing, particularly the f-word. I
haven’t heard that criticism. But I’m pleased that just about all readers agree
that the book is well-written. I hadn’t anticipated that. Also, I’m surprised
45

that some men like the book a lot. I thought it would be only a “woman’s
book.” It seems to contain some universal truth that strikes a chord with
anyone who struggled to figure out what the hell their life was all about
because they sure didn’t learn it from their parents.

What’s your favorite moment in The Skinny?

Rayni: I enjoy the special connection between Rowie and her piano teacher,
the first real teacher in her life. Jimmy Wilson teaches Rowie far more about
life than anyone else ever did. Insecure and fearful of failure, Rowie learns
from Jimmy to welcome mistakes as guides that help us to learn. He truly
inspires her. It’s a warm, healthy relationship.

Are you now finished with Rowena, or do you have plans for writing another
story about her? What can you tell us about her next story?

Rayni: I’m definitely not through with her. There’s a whole new trajectory I
see for her – some of my personal “paths not taken” which she’s eager to
embark on. Also, like me – and characteristic of people who were abused
kids – she has the tough job of dissolving the false self she created as a
childhood defense and reinventing herself from scratch – without the eating
disorder. That will include her development as an artist and spiritual being –
and, of course, falling in love.

What do you say when people call The Skinny another example of chick lit?

Rayni: I say: “If, by chick-lit, you mean a story with no designer clothing,
shoes, or accessories, but with a strong, smart woman protagonist both
women and men can relate to, then, OK, enjoy!”

Where can people find out more about you, Rayni?

Rayni: www.raynijoan.com
www.facebook.com/rayni www.myspace.com/raynij
Follow me on Twitter: @Raynwoman
See excerpt of The Skinny on page 51.

46

Gail, please tell us a little about yourself.

Gail: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for thirty-one
years and to keep insanity at bay, I took
up writing. Not to worry. The insanity
isn’t catching – much. Other than the
addiction to chocolate and the
twitch in my left eye, I’m good. I’ve had
my weird but true stories published in
newspapers and magazines. My first
book was The Ghost Wore Polyester, a
murder mystery/comedy set in Sedona,
Arizona. Just My Luck, my second
book is #1 on the Goodreads’ list for best rated new Sci-Fi Futuristic
Romance novels. I’m currently working on The Warlord’s Comeuppance a
prequel to Just My Luck. I’m also working with producer, Bonnie Forbes of
Fortress Features on several TV series. I recently did an hour long unscripted
radio interview with Cat Johnson on What’s Hot in Romance.

47

Gail Koger

Today’s guest, romance author Gail Koger, has a quirky sense of humor,
which she uses in her fast-paced novels that are full of adventure.

When did the writing bug bite and in what genre?

Gail: It bit in 1985. I was recuperating from surgery and started jotting down
story ideas from several bizarre dreams I kept having. Weird creatures, hunky
alien beings that came to life in my head, and ta-da my first science fiction
novel was born. Unfortunately, it will never see the light of day. Yeah, it was
that bad. But I discovered I love to write and have a talent for writing humor,
hot sex scenes and balls-to-the-wall action.

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is it part of a series or stand-alone?

Gail: Kaylee Jones is a trouble magnet. Chaos
and disaster are her faithful companions. A
powerful psychic, it’s her job to protect Earth
from alien predators who consider our world
an all-you-can-eat banquet. Unfortunately, her
success at killing these alien freaks puts her on
their most wanted list and lands her in a prison
cell. Her roommate? A very hungry vampire.
Okay, he’s really a Coletti Warlord who
decides to make her his mate. Doesn’t matter
that she’s not willing and this mate thing
means he owns her mind, body and soul.
She’ll admit the sex is hot and the bossy jerk
has agreed to save our world from annihilation. But, the bad news is,
Warlords aren’t benevolent do-gooder types and there is a price for his help.
Our women. And the

48

GAIL KOGER

really bad news is, her Warlord’s low-down conniving brother has joined
forces with our alien freaks and now we have to stop them from destroying
both our worlds!
Just My Luck is the first book in the series about the Coletti Warlords.
The Warlord’s Comeuppance is the prequel.


Gail: What would you do to save the Earth from annihilation?

How do you develop characters and setting in your books?

Gail: People ask me this all the time. Okay, here’s the thing. I’m slightly nuts
and have a really bizarre imagination. Try working 9-1-1 for thirty-one years
and see how sane you are. The stories and critters come to me in dreams.
Yeah, you heard me. Dreams. Once I start writing my characters kind of take
over and off we go.

Who is your favorite character?

Gail: Tihar is one of my favorites. He’s an Askole warrior and Rambo has
nothing on this guy. Tihar’s a cross between Lord Voldemort and a Gorgon
with black armored plated skin and rather awesome fangs and claws. In
combat mode he resembles the Tasmanian Devil, a twirling tornado of death.
Once you win his loyalty, you have a friend for life and an extremely deadly
one at that.


Gail: I write my stories in first person. I think it brings my characters to life
and puts you in the driver’s seat.


Gail: Chris from Night Owl Romance gave Just My Luck four out of five
stars. Here’s his review:

Kaylee is a walking shit magnet; her words, not mine. If there is trouble or
danger, she’s usually sitting in the front row. But Kaylee is a warrior, a

49

powerful psychic, and a “siren” for her world. Call her an advance warning
system if you will. And her alarms are going off like crazy. Earth has come to
the attention of off-planet predators who think we are mighty tasty, and they
are ringing the dinner bell. Earth is fighting with all its’ might and it’s about
to have company in that fight, whether they want it or not.
Trapped and chained by his enemy, Talree is a Coletti Warlord who is on
the verge of going feral. Think vampire on steroids with an insatiable appetite
for whatever is in front of him. His race is also bent on destroying the
predators currently chowing down on Earth. When his mind connects with
Kaylee’s and he sees his salvation, he vows he will connect with her and she
will be his mate in all ways. Whether she wants to or not. And his kind will
join in the fight with earth, but for a price.
This was a freaky fantastic read. Tons of detail about what threatens
Earth, in gory detail, and how seeing things can alter a persons perceptions.
Kaylee and Talree got along like a chalkboard and fingernails at first, but with
a lot of sex, arguing and humor, managed to find their way to one another. I
thoroughly enjoyed the entire story and sincerely hope there is more to come
since all things weren’t resolved.


Gail: I’m working on The Warlord’s Comeuppance. A fast, fun science/fiction
romance of how the ultimate big, bad scary Warlord pursues Detja, the best
thief in the galaxy. Here’s a little preview:

Stealing from a warlord and giving him the one finger salute as I made my
getaway was not the brightest thing I’d ever done. Okay, it was an incredibly
stupid stunt. Did I mention that this particular Coletti warlord is the most
feared in the entire galaxy? That Zarek’s the ultimate predator and even the
other warlords are scared spit less of him? That he never ever stops until he
either captures or kills his quarry? Yeah, I have the big, bad after me and all
because of one little finger. Okay and a Ditrim crystal the size of my fist. Am
I worried? Of course, only an idiot doesn’t fear a really angry Coletti warlord.
But, I am very good at what I do. Bad news is, so is Zarek.
My name is Detja. The Enforcers call me the Ghost. As a master thief I
must be a combination of magician and chameleon. The illusion of magic
deflects attention away from the act and when things go to hell, like they
sometimes do; the ability to blend into any situation or culture is a must. My
looks are my biggest illusion. I’m a Farin, the fragile flowers of the universe.
No one in a million years would ever expect me to be an extraordinary thief
50

GAIL KOGER

or powerful psychic. Everyone takes one look at my delicate frame and exotic
features and dismisses me as harmless. Really big mistake on their part. I’ll
admit that most Farin females are timid creatures devoted to domestic duties
and incapable of doing harm to anyone. Me? I’m an anomaly, a genetic
throwback to a time long, long ago when Farin females were warriors.


Gail: I have an author’s page on www.goodreads.com or my website
www.gailkoger.com.

See excerpt of Just My Luck on page 51.

51

Snippet from The Skinny:

Grandma and Grandpa had been married for fifty years and they still hugged
regularly like sweethearts. We’d had a big party at a restaurant in the Bronx,
and I didn’t dare complain about the uncomfortable green taffeta dress that
rustled weirdly when I moved and made me look like I weighed about a
thousand pounds. Daddy asked me to dance and pulled and pushed me
around as he crushed me to his body. I knew my face was bright red. My
body stiffened like stale bread. I didn’t mean to but kept stepping on his toes,
and I even slipped a small fart out and pretended it wasn’t mine. He told me
to relax and poked me a little in the small of my back but that only made me
stiffer. Relief flooded me when the music ended. I raced to find Ralphie,
whose white shirt was half hanging out of his navy blue pants. We danced a
box step, counting as we trod, leaving proper space between us, not like
Daddy. Afterwards, we ran around the restaurant threatening other cousins
with ice cubes. Our cousin Mitchell wanted us to try bootleg cigarettes and
Scotch in the alley but we turned him down. I didn’t want Daddy to murder
me.
Copyright © 2009 Rayni Joan.

Snippet from Just My Luck:

I’m what you’d call a trouble magnet. Which can be a good thing or a
bad thing in my line of work. I opted for being a cop. So, finding bad guys is
good, but they never want to go to jail, which is bad. Since I’m kinda pint-
sized, the only thing keeping me from being shot, stabbed or otherwise
mangled on a daily basis is my spidey sense. It’s like an internal radar that
warns me of approaching danger.
I’m also telepathic. Relax. I can’t read your thoughts. The only minds I
can read are other psychics. Basically my family. And believe me, with my
family, that can be a real pain-in-the-butt. They’re always ragging on me
about something. When I was a teenager, it made dating hell. Dad would pop
in with a “Kaylee Lynn Jones what the hell is that punk’s hand doing on your
breast?” Or Mom would break into a make out session with, “Kaylee,
sweetie, a lady doesn’t allow a guy to stick his tongue down her throat on the
first date.” You get the picture. Add my brothers into the mix and I had
24/7 surveillance. And they wonder why I’m twenty-five and still a virgin.
Go figure.
Copyright © 2009 Gail Koger

52

Welcome, Abe, please tell everyone about yourself.

Abe: I’m a retired international business
consultant, entrepreneur and author living near
Landau, Germany with my wife Gisela. For
relaxation, I enjoy hiking in the nearby
mountains exploring ancient castle ruins,
walking through the local vineyards and
singing in regional choirs. My career has taken
me from my birthplace in the USA to Canada,
Europe and the Middle East.
I grew up in York County, Pennsylvania and served in the
USAF from 1957-61. My business career got underway with the
computing sciences division of IBM’s service bureau. I later joined
an international cosmetic company, which took me throughout the
USA and into Canada, Greece and Germany.
With international experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, I
started my own importing business headquartered in Beirut,
Lebanon, for the distribution of cosmetics and toiletries to the
Middle East markets. I also functioned as a locator of goods and
services sought by Mid-Eastern clients before the civil war in
Lebanon destroyed my successful business enterprise. I returned to
the United States to start over, and was soon working on an
international level again. My subsequent work involved Swan
Technologies, Inc., a personal computer manufacturer. I established
a subsidiary for Swan in West Germany serving as Managing
Director. I returned to the US to work in procurement with Stork
NV, a Dutch company, supporting a fleet of 1200 Fokker Aircraft,
until my retirement.

53

Abe F. March

Today’s guest, Abe March, has an interesting and varied background that led
to the writing of his first book, To Beirut and Back.

When did you first begin to write, and in what genre?

Abe: It started after I left Beirut in 1976 and began to type up my
experiences (yes, we used typewriters back then) from notes into a manu-
script, which would become To Beirut and Back about 30 years later. Although
an autobiography, I’ve been told it reads like a novel.

Is there a message in your writing?

Abe: Yes, there was a message, especially
with my first novel. I wanted to share my
personal experience in dealing with various
cultures and sensitive political issues. The
events that caused my change in attitude
toward the participants in the Middle East
struggle was not unique; however,
intimidation and threats of retaliation cause
many to remain quiet. Telling the truth is
not always easy or popular, but often
necessary to effect change. The same is true
with my second novel. As we have learned,
for every action there is a reaction. Events
that one may justify as necessary will have a
reaction. That reaction can be in some form
of retaliation – acts of revenge – and when it
happens, oddly enough, many are surprised.

ABE F. MARCH

Briefly tell us about your latest book. Is this also based on real life?

Abe: My latest book, Journey Into the Past,
with contributing author, Lynn Jett, is in
part a time-travel romance story with the
setting among the ancient castles in the
Pfalz (Palatinate) region of Germany.

Synopsis: Heather Wilson, a successful
architect, needed time off from work and a
chance to recover from a relationship gone
sour. The poster of a twelfth century castle
helped her decide to make a trip to
Germany and visit this castle. On the
drawbridge to the castle, she meets Hans
Hess, a retired American businessman who
lives nearby. As they discuss the castle, their
hands touch an ancient stone and they are briefly catapulted back in time. As
Heather explores the castle, she finds a note but can’t translate it and asks
Hans for assistance. The translation provides a clue that leads them to other
nearby castles in search of additional clues to solve a mystery. Heather is not
aware that Hans is married and that his wife is in a comatose state and
therefore cannot understand his resistance to falling in love. As they discover
more about the characters in the twelfth century romance, they learn more
about their own feelings and they succumb to its passion. When Hans’s wife
recovers from her illness, it creates a heart-rending dilemma. Heather returns
to her world without informing Hans that she is pregnant. Years later, an
aged Hans learns about his daughter when she leads a group of students to
explore the castle and Hans is requested to act as tour guide.


Abe: There’s nothing that would constitute a clever hook, but simply:

“When the paths of a vacationing American architect and a retired German
businessman cross, the soul-mates embark on a journey through time; a
journey triggered by a series of mysterious, hidden love notes written
centuries before.”

55


Abe: The setting is always based on places I’ve been. In the case of non-
fiction, the characters are real; however, in some instances, names are altered.
For fiction, I try to use a facsimile and/or current events with a scenario of
probability. With romance, it is a combination of true life and fantasy.

Who is the most unusual character?

Abe: In the book, They Plotted Revenge Against America, the most unusual
character would be David Levy. David is an American-born Jew who
emigrates to Israel and becomes a member of the Mossad (secret service).
For personal reasons, he turns into a double agent and works against his
adopted country in training a team of young men and women who desire
revenge against America.

Do you adopt any techniques to help you maintain the course of the plot?

Abe: The course of the plot is natural progression. Trying to keep the reader
wondering what happens next often requires some change in sequence, as
with flashbacks.

Do you have your own way of writing or has anyone influenced your style of
writing?

Abe: I do not try to copy anyone’s style. I write the way I talk. In dialogue, I
use colloquial expressions and the manner of speaking that fits each
character. Reading books of various genres has an influence. I don’t think it
is something conscious; however, the manner of writing that catches my
attention and keeps me reading is something that comes through naturally in
my own writing.

How does your environment or upbringing affect your writing?

Abe: My upbringing and environment has an enormous influence on my
writing. I’ve been poor and I’ve been rich. The perpetual struggle to succeed,
dealing with people of varied cultures, provided me with a broad range of
experience. Understanding the needs and feeling of the poor, furnished me
with useful insights. By contrast, the lifestyle and outlook of the rich, or
people of nobility, enables me to understand a mentality that is often in
conflict with the poorer class. To win and then lose everything is another
56

ABE F. MARCH

experience that affects how one deals with problems. It certainly can alter
one’s outlook on life.

Please share with us the best review (or a portion) that you’ve ever had.

Abe: The best review was from Malcolm Campbell, author of The Sun Singer
and reviewer for PODRAM. The review was unsolicited. He bought my
book and wrote the following review:

“Terrorism, by definition, operates outside
the traditional rules of war. It’s hard to
combat because attacks are no longer
limited to people wearing military uniforms
at well-formed battle lines: they can happen
anywhere, at any time, and they may well
target people who don’t have any direct
knowledge of the peoples and issues
involved.
This is the arena of Abe F. March’s
chilling novel They Plotted Revenge Against
America. The novel is chilling, not because
it’s filled with larger than life James Bond
daring-do in faraway trouble spots. Quite
the contrary: this novel takes place on
American soil as survivors of the American
attack on Baghdad blend in to mainstream America to personally extract
revenge against everyday citizens.
They Plotted Revenge Against America is a plausible, sobering, intricate and
effectively plotted story about a group of well-trained, well-coordinated
teams who slip into the U.S. with forged papers and then painstakingly work
through a plan that will infect food and water supplies with a deadly virus.
These team members are not the gun-wielding, grenade-throwing stereo-
typical terrorists we see in most TV shows and movies. They are everyday
people who have suffered personal loss and who want to fight back. Once
their mission is complete, they plan--if possible--to go back to their normal
lives. As the mission unfolds, they alternate between excitement and doubt
while trying to avoid detection, and in the process, they discover while
blending into community life, that Americans are not the monsters they
expected.
Since the overall mission leader is a double agent working for Israel’s
57

Mossad, group members must not only avoid Homeland Security and other
U.S. law enforcement agencies, but the highly effective Israel intelligence
agency as well. This subplot is a nice touch in a book that suggests we’re
more vulnerable than we suspect.”


Abe: I have two projects: (1) the first one is to revise and expand my first
novel, To Beirut and Back, since there was no editing by the publisher. I also
want to add some pictures and maps of the region described in the book. (2)
The second project is writing about my childhood. I may decide to
fictionalize it so as to avoid potential problems with some of the characters
or their relatives. As we age, much of our early life is now history to the
younger generation. The advances in technology within the past 50 years are
dramatic. Riding in a horse-drawn carriage, walking long distances to a one-
room school, writing with a typewriter, strict and often harsh discipline, etc.,
much that seems antiquated today. Life was simpler but not without
problems.


Abe: The best source to learn about my books are on my website:
www.abemarch.com and on Amazon.

See excerpt of Journey into the Past on page 67.

58

Please tell us a little about yourself, Gregory.

Gregory: I grew up in a suburb of Los
Angeles wanting two things from life: to
write books, and to explore. For a while the
latter seemed to preclude the former. I went off
to Harvard to study literature – to study it,
mind you, not to actually produce any. Upon
graduation I was offered the chance to
work as a teacher’s assistant at a high school in
Athens, so I spent a year of my life
learning Modern Greek, appreciating
ouzo and of course starting and abandoning a
novel. I returned to the US to study law and then
moved on to work for the United Nations in Guinea, a beautiful country in
West Africa that, like most African countries, only makes the news when
something bad happens there. From there I joined my then fiancée in
London, where I found work as a corporate lawyer. In London I managed to
finish my first novel, which promptly went into a drawer, and to produce a
draft of Stunt Road. In 2005 we left London for very rural France with our
three-year-old son, determined to escape the rat race. We’re still here, and
with a little life experience behind me I have come to see writing and
exploring as pretty much the same thing.

59


Gregory Mose

Today’s guest, Gregory Mose, is a much traveled author. His first novel,
Stunt Road, is a satire on corporate greed; a book that will make you think and
ponder life’s deeper issues.

When did you begin writing and in what genre?

Gregory: My first completed work was a gripping yet emotionally satisfying
tale of Flipper the Flying Squirrel, when I was seven. Shunned by big
corporate publishing, I moved on as an adult to strive to produce literary
fiction, although I still don’t quite know what that means.


Gregory: I aim for writing that is thought-provoking, morally and
emotionally challenging, and funny. I like to explore ideas, but to do so in an
entertaining way. If I can provoke people to question the world around them
without being pedantic, then I feel I’ve done my job. Message? If there’s a
message in my writing, it’s simple to question your own motivations, to stop
being complacent.

Do you have a specific writing style and preferred POV?

Gregory: My signature style, if I have one, is the use of humor to highlight
moral ambiguity. And generally to avoid trying to puff out my writing with
arcane vocabulary that sends even my most educated readers scrambling for
their dictionaries. If we need literature to “save” words like “noetic” or
“crescive,” Mr. Roth, then quite frankly they are already lost. And good
riddance. As for point of view, I’m drawn to first person narratives, but
60

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