Showing posts with label Author Interview. Show all posts

25 February, 2024

Debdatta Dasgupta February 25, 2024 0

Interview with Frank Spinelli, Author of Angelo Perrotta Mysteries

Frank Spinelli is an American born physician.

Writing credits include: The Advocate Guide to Gay Men’s Health and Wellness, Pee-Shy: A Memoir, Perfect Flaw: Angelo Perrotta Mysteries Book One and contributing author – Our Naked Lives and Understanding the Sexual Betrayal of Boys and Men.

Frank lives in New York with his incredibly patient husband and their two dogs.

For further information about Frank Spinelli, visit his Website | X | Goodreads

Interview with Frank Spinelli

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

I’m not sure if there was a specific moment in my life that made me think I could be a storyteller. In college I made short films. Writing stories for film was probably the first time I realized I wanted to write books.

What inspires you to write?

Since I’m a physician, I’m most inspired by the people I meet every day. Most of all, I’m inspired by science and true crime stories.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I was inspired after reading an article in the New York Times about a behavioral scientist working with veterans suffering from PTSD. His revolutionary approach got me wondering what could happen if used for nefarious purposes.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes, absolutely. I have several stories saved on my computer that haven’t seen the light of day. But they will one day.

Tell us about your writing process.

I write every day for at least an hour. For me, writing is like working out. Somedays I hate the idea, but I push myself. Other days, I can’t wait to get right back into it.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I read a lot, but I go through spurts of reading followed by periods of not reading. My favorite authors are Stephen King, Anthony Horowitz, Donna Tartt and Jennifer Egan. The writer that has influenced me the most is Patricia Highsmith. Without a doubt her stories encompass everything I strive for in my own writing. Her books are often about relationships, betrayal and murder.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

The best piece of advice I received is read while you write and read in the genre which you are writing.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write only what interests you. Several publishers suggested I write in a genre that didn’t appeal to me. I even forced myself. In the end, I hated what I wrote. So now I only write stories I would want to read.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

I enjoy taking long walks with my two dogs especially when I’m in the process of writing. It helps me think. The only problem is that I often talk to myself. Fortunately, I’m with my dogs so folks think I’m talking to them.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

Since No Angels Wept is the second book of a three-part series called Angelo Perrotta Mysteries, I’m excited to share the third installment tentatively titled, Precious Friends late next year.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

If you read any of my books, please write a review or email me. I love hearing from readers, and trust me, all writers read their reviews. In fact, I find the most critical reviews are the most important.

About the Book

In this arresting second installment of Angelo Perrotta Mysteries, Angelo agrees to appear on the widely controversial satellite radio crime show, A Thorny Mess, to recount his tragic first year in private practice. Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, he becomes entangled in a string of murders at the hands of the No Angels Wept Killer. An investigation leads him to Doctor Reverend James Jarrett, the spiritual leader of the Seven Spirits Church. A man the LA Times called "effusively charming" and a "psychiatric chameleon." When Angelo's boyfriend, Jason Murphy, joins him in LA, they decide to confront the reverend after learning his congregation is luring unhoused gay youth to their shelter under false pretenses. Then, a shocking discovery uncovers a conspiracy more depraved that either could have imagined.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon IN | Amazon US

Angelo Perrotta Mysteries are a series of three MM mystery novels. Perfect Flaw introduces Angelo Perrotta. A young physician who lands a dream job at a posh Park Avenue practice in Manhattan. There he meets Demetre Kostas and becomes entangled in a world of lies, betrayal and murder. The second novel, No Angels Wept, Angelo travels to Los Angeles to appear on a widely popular satellite radio show to recount his tragic first year in private practice only to become part of an investigation into a series of murders perpetrated against gay sex workers by the No Angels Wept Killer.

08 May, 2023

Debdatta Dasgupta May 08, 2023 0

Interview with James T. Hogg, Author of Girl With a Knife Series - #GirlWithAKnife #Historical #RevengeSaga

James T. Hogg is the pseudonym of one of the most prominent New York City real estate attorneys. As a real-life attorney he has published two non-fiction books about real estate and business, one of which was a Wall Street Journal best seller.
Girl With a Knife is his first novel, writing as James T. Hogg. The novel is based on a story he told many times to his now-grown children. The goal—then and now—was to create a story that the reader simply cannot put down, even when it is midnight and the reader has to get up to go to work the next morning. That has always been his simple goal—to write a page-turner, so that the reader can have a great time with an enjoyable read.
Hogg now lives in New Jersey and has been happily married for thirty-eight years to his soulmate wife. They are blessed to be the proud parents of two daughters. The author’s muse calls from his summer home getaway, where he goes to play loud music and write and write and write. Mr. Hogg is not a boring New York City lawyer, but actually a very interesting fellow.

James on the Web:
Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Interview with James T. Hogg

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

I started writing and telling stories when I was in high school – almost 50 years ago. My mother wouldn’t let me watch TV one night. After going ballistic at this horrible injustice, I took out a typewriter and started writing a novel. Yes, truly. It wasn’t a very well written novel.
Fast forward about 25 years and I had two daughters so I started telling them stories. All sorts of stories as they grew up. One of them turned into this 5 part novel Girl With A Knife. Of course it was nothing like that when I told them the story; instead, it kind of evolved over time.

What inspires you to write?

A great question that is hard to answer. I don’t actually enjoy the writing itself as it is almost painful to do it. But after I have written something – even a poem – I feel this tingle of pride that I created something that was (maybe) beautiful and wonderful. That may not be the best answer but it feels as true as I could make it.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I was sitting in the kitchen one day – about 20 years ago -- ranting (kind of like a jerk I admit) to my wife. I was extolling how bad a book I had read was, yet it was a best seller. My wife rolled her eyes and said something like: “I suppose you could write a best seller?” And I said, “yes – here is the story….” And then it was the strangest thing ever. It just flowed out of me. I don’t know where it came from, but there it was, at least the first part. It was how awful things happen to the girl protagonist and then the story was how she gets her revenge. My wife looked at me – shocked – and said: “Oh my God – that could be a best seller.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes a whole bunch of them. One of them is a kids book that I hope to publish someday. It is about how girls – not boys – when they turn about 11 years old their baby ears fall off and their grown up ears come in. I am sure you know all about this. Anyway, it is a cute story about this my kids loved when they were about six. I have a bunch of stuff already written and next week I go on vacation and have several books in mind to start on.

Tell us about your writing process.

I have a beach house in Cape May, NJ. Called Hogg’s House, believe it or not. I go down there to write. I get up in the morning around 6:00 AM. I turn on music crazily loud – blasting it. And then I just write and write and write till about 3:00 in the afternoon my wrists are burning and I just cannot move any more. Then I stop – workout – have a scotch and sometimes a cigar and a nice dinner. Then the next day I do it again. Once I have an outline, I can write a whole book first draft in about 2 weeks.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

Luke – a young boy who lives in the church -- is gay. He tells no one as being gay in Colonial times was an awful result. He tells swashbuckling Mertens finally – who has become like a father figure. Mertens then inspires Luke with a beautiful story about how sad he is that he humiliated his best friend long ago who told him he was gay – and wishes he could take it back. He also says that Luke’s being gay was given to him by God since he was so strong inside. Luke weeps – and embraces Mertens. Mertens then reveals to the reader that he made up the story. Later – and I know this is two scenes – Luke dies and when he dies he tells Mertens he knew he made it up all along but loved him all the more for it. When I read it I start crying.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

A interesting question and the answer is no. But my super-ego certainly lives in Mertens, who is an aging warrior intent on redeeming himself for his terrible un-God-fearing life.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

You ask good questions and this is a good one. I am not sure it is a quirk, but I find writing dialog incredibly easy. It flows out of me and when I look back to edit I rarely have to change a word. I think I just feel the characters and know what they are going to say.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I love to read. Favorites include Carlos Ruiz Zafon – Kate Quinn – Ken Follett (whom I overall emulate) – Frederick Forsyth and a whole bunch more. So far I have Ken Follett as a role model – and my writing is closest to his I would guess, although by no means am I in his league --- but I am planning to try to write something like Zafon, whose prose is simply artwork. I don’t know if I can pull that off, but I will try.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

My wife thankfully told me my first draft of my book ‘sucked.’ Her word. I looked at it and realized she was right. I threw it out and started all over.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Fiction or non-fiction? If it is fiction, I guess I would say the odds are dramatically stacked against your being successful, and therefore only do it if – like Zafon said – you can simply not imagine life without writing in it.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

Tools to make a raft to escape.
A long sharp knife.
Pennecilin.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

I do a ton of things. Golf (I am bad at it), singing lessons, piano lessons, working out a lot, stand up comedy and trying to do things I haven’t yet tried that are outside my comfort zone. Also – I guess not free time – but I love my day job as a real estate lawyer at my law firm – since I love it so much it is not really work is it?]

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

I will be launching something called The Bruce Projects, where I will bring together all of the pieces of my life including the things I noted above – my writing – my philosophy ‘stuff’ and everything I have done and will do. The theme will be The (Second) Most Interesting Man in The World. I admit this could be a flop, but I am going to take a stab at it.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

My wife and I collect pigs – I mean a lot of pigs – with pig topiaries in the front yard.
My favorite hobby is just thinking and daydreaming and coming up with things that will either be really cool or result in me making a fool of myself.
I have my head up my butt when I drive and get lost everywhere even in my home town.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

If this book is successful – and it is starting to look that way – I have a sequel that will largely focus around Nununyi, who is an American Indian woman so incredible with the bow and arrow that it is part of her. She has a small role at first that gets larger as the book develops. Many of my readers find her fascinating so I think I will build on her.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

I hope they enjoy my book. That is the only purpose of it – for the reader to just enjoy turning the pages and becoming engrossed in the plot and the characters to the point is at the end the reader is bummed out that they are finished.

An epic historical fiction novel of love and revenge, in the vein of Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, debut author James T. Hogg’s Girl with a Knife: Assault features a compelling heroine who must fight for justice and vengeance in ever dangerous 1600's Colonial New England.

Faythe Emily Wentworth was taught by her father how to fight, and never shies from a conflict, no matter the odds. In her small settlement town, she must always be on guard. She is especially wary of one of the Downing brothers who taunts her, longing to take her, threatening to do so by force...
Faythe’s little sister Chloe is different. She is sweet-tempered, always seeing the good in others, and never suspecting ill intent.
Chloe’s innocence is shattered in a vicious attack, and Faythe is determined to seek vengeance and justice for her sister, and later, her family.  Armed with a knife and a burning obsession, Faythe fights the superstitions and injustices that have led to her family’s destruction.

Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com

01 May, 2023

Debdatta Dasgupta May 01, 2023 0

Interview with Sudipta Mukherjee, #Author of The Space Between Us - #Contemporary #Fiction @AuthorSudipta

Sudipta Mukherjee is a young, female, bestselling author, out there to create her unique footprint in the literary world. She is Indian by origin, and cosmopolitan in her bearings.

Sudipta is a thinker and a writer, a fitness enthusiast, an explorer, and a deeply rooted humanitarian. She is a believer of love, and a student for life. Sudipta has published four books, so far. Three fiction and one, non-fiction.

The world needs stories, and she has a boxful!

Sudipta on the Web:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Linkedin

Interview with Sudipta Mukherjee

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

Writing, for me is a journey. I like this journey. I am traveling, without too much focus on the destination. I will reach somewhere, I know, I am confident about it. For me, the path matters more. How I am traveling is more important than when I will reach my goal. Writing is a place of affection and reflection. A place in the world where I belong. It has given me a home and I am thankful for it. I like it, this feeling of home, enjoy every moment of it. The time I write, I feel alive.
Looking back I don’t recall an exact moment when that realization dawned, that yes, I want to become a writer. But the feeling or I’d rather the awareness of the fact that I have stories within me came when I started writing my first novel, The Crossroads.

What inspires you to write?

Life. That’s my biggest inspiration. The stories that I tell are inspired from life, and people and their experiences, not to mention, circumstances. Relationship is my forte; I mean stories based on relationships. When I say relationship, I mean every kind. Man’s relationship with man or woman, man’s relationship with nature, man’s relationship with science, man’s relationship with himself, so on and so forth. It’s an inexhaustible source from where you can draw and draw without the fear of exhaustion.
Next comes reading. Reading is the creative anchor of my writing life. I read exhaustively, all kinds of book. Fiction definitely, biographies, autobiographies, religion, spiritual studies, metaphysics, at times self help books too, though I don’t find the genre too interesting. Books have told me stories of every kind. Books have taken me to places where my feet couldn’t. It has opened up different worlds in my one life. And I never regret the time I spend with books, reading hungrily, even when my eyes get tired. Books have taught me, how to write a story. Books have taught me how to live! I feel there is no better companion than a good book.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

There were two thoughts. Firstly, I always wanted to write a story about an asexual relationship between a man and a prostitute. I mean, if a man visits a prostitute, not for sex, then what is the motivation behind those visits? What catapults him at her door, every night, night after night? What is it that he sees in her? How does the prostitute treat the man? Like any of his clients? Or is there a special something she gets aware of? Why does she allow him those visits, if that does not bring any monetary gain for her? I also wanted to write a story about estranged siblings who loses track of one another in the wake of the riots of 1965. I mixed these two ideas and knitted The Space Between Us. It’s a story of loss and separation, of discovering love and life in the haul of life.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes, many of them. Not tucked away in some drawer, but in my laptop. I am working on them, one by one. I will gradually publish them.

Tell us about your writing process.

There is no hard and fast writing process that I follow. But yes, when I start writing a story, I don’t stop in the middle. I finish it in a go, and then I stop. Give myself a break of a couple of weeks. After that I sit down to read my first draft and edit. It is not a rule, but I try to stick to this process. This has worked for me. When I start a story, I write a certain number of words every day, religiously.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

The characters that I create have different life stories, and have different life experiences. I create those stories with my imagination. They are not my life story. While the characters are born out of me, but chances are rare that they would inherit my quirks. My quirks are born and bred in me because of my life experiences, that are unique to me. My characters don’t share my life experiences.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I write the story that comes to me first. I don’t engineer a story. I believe in creating a story organically, one word at a time, one page at a time. If you call that a quirk, that’s it.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I read, and as I said before, and I read exhaustively. I read every kind of books. I don’t have a favorite author. I like good stories written by anybody. Each writer has a unique style of writing. Each has his or her own style of storytelling. I am more interested in the story and the way it has been told, and not particularly who told it. Simple as that. Some very popular writers at times write crap, although you will notice ‘bestseller’ tag attached to them. Likewise, some extremely beautiful stories remain in the shadows, not known by millions.
A good story tells me how story could be wonderfully told, apart from telling me the story itself. And a bad story teaches me what not to do. I have a writing style that is unique. All authors have. Actually, it is the writing style that differentiates one author from the other. I try not to copy writing style, because if I do, then I lose my uniqueness. My writing becomes an adapted version of the writer I copied from. This idea is something, I am not too comfortable with. I like to tell my story in my own way. And I assure you, you won’t be disappointed if you read one.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

Write the story that comes to you first. Don’t engineer a story. Or write it in the reverse order. That was said by my mentor, Mr. Randhir Khare.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

If you want to write a story, write it by all means. But write for the joy of writing, for the pleasure of creation. Don’t focus too much on publication. Because, publication is a different ball game altogether.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

Why on a deserted island? I would like to carry those three things anywhere I go. Books. Laptop. Coffee. If I have these three, I don’t think I need anything else. Not even a partner.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

I don’t have a lot of free time to spend. Time, I feel, is the most precious resource, given that once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. The clock doesn’t back trace. I wish it could, but it doesn’t, unfortunately. Not for me, not for you. Not for anybody. Hence, we should use time wisely. Do things that give us happiness; do things that give our lives a meaning, a purpose.
If you are asking me about my hobbies, yes, there are a few things I practice, apart from reading. Like painting, traveling, at times cooking. I enjoy the moments when I cook. For me its an art, to be able to cook a dish nicely. I like to feed others. And I do experiment with different cuisines. Traveling is another thing I crave. I travel a lot, and mostly for pleasure. Traveling fascinates me like nothing else. It brings out the child inside me.
No, I don’t have any particular place to unwind. I do the ‘unwinding thing’ mostly while I meditate, siting in my home. But every day, well almost every day I go out in the nature and walk. It’s a way of life I have adapted myself to.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

The list is actually too long to share. I love to travel, and would love to see all the myriad spectacles of the world, both natural and manmade. I post my travel highlights on Insta. If you follow me there, you would know what a musafir I am.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

The Convict. Monochrome. The Road Not Taken. One Summer Home. Actually, there are many more.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Buy my book! Read my stories. And if possible, drop a review on Amazon. That would mean a lot.
Because, dear readers, you are the reason I am.

Vibrant and intense, The Space Between Us unfolds the turbulent story of a family, separated in the wake of the riots of 1965.Opening in a lesser-known village of East Pakistan, it snakes its way through the dark and infamous alleyways of Calcutta to the dazzling world of Bengali cinema. Extreme religious turbulence, fractures the once rich Dutta family, intosplinters, resulting in heart wrenching separations. Two siblings are individually thrown into unstoppable journeys that are unique and solitary. The space between them remains as destiny takes each on their individual paths to a defining conclusion. Spanning generations, this sweeping novel deftly weaves love and social and historical circumstance into an unforgettable tapestry that spans the limits of love and empathy and the varied hues of human relationships. What is it that shapes individual destiny? Can fate be scripted anew? And by whom? At what? The Space Between Us is a poignant story of enduring emotional power that attempts to reconcile the notion of individual destiny against the canvas of life.

Book Links:
Amazon.in | Amazon.com

03 March, 2023

Debdatta Dasgupta March 03, 2023 1

#Interview with Fiona Lucas, Author of Never Forget You - @fionalucasbooks #Contemporary #Romance

Fiona Lucas is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction. The Last Goodbye is her first novel written under the pen name of Fiona Lucas, but she’s been writing heartwarming love stories and feel-good women’s fiction as Fiona Harper for more than a decade.

During that time she has published 27 books and has won numerous awards, including a Romantic Novel Award, and chalked up a no.1 Kindle bestseller.

Find Fiona on TikTok, where she talks about her books, her writing process and gives writing and publishing tips.

Interview with Author Fiona Lucas

The burning question that many aspiring authors would like to ask you is - how did you get started on this journey?

This is a bit of a long story! Back in 2004, I got an idea for a love story and I was desperate for something creative to do while looking after my two small children. Writing was something I’d loved at school and seemed like the perfect fit – most of it happened in my head and I didn’t need any special equipment or need to leave the house and hire babysitters – so I decided to give it a go. I quickly became addicted!

This was back in the days before Facebook or Twitter, but I found an online message board with other aspiring romance writers and learned about the Romantic Novelists’ Association in the UK, which had a scheme for new writers, where you could send your manuscript in and a published author would critique it for you. By that point, I’d ditched novel attempt number 1 and was ready to get some feedback on novel attempt number 2 so I decided to join up. I submitted my manuscript, terrified of what I would hear back – I hadn’t shown my writing to anyone up until that point. I just hoped that the verdict would be that my book didn’t totally stink and I that I shouldn’t give up and try knitting instead!

To cut a long story short, the authors who read my manuscript really liked it and the New Writers’ Scheme organiser sent it straight to her editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon. I was gobsmacked. I’d given myself a deadline of 5 years to get published and it all seemed to be moving much faster than I’d anticipated! A few weeks later, the editor phoned me an offered me a one-book deal. I was so shocked that I didn’t even scream with joy or cry on the phone, I must have been the most unexciting author ever to break the news to! So that was how my journey began. I’m still with Harlequin, although now they’ve been bought out by Harper Collins and I write for one of their commercial fiction imprints, HQ.

2) At this point of your career, what is the one advice you would give your younger self who was working on the first draft of her debut novel?

When it comes to writing, I’d say, “Don’t freak out when you get stuck or you think everything you’re writing is awful. It happens with every book. It happens with every writer. Just calm down and keeping going. You can fix it later.” When it comes to the publishing industry, I’d say, “Don’t expect your career to have a steady upward trajectory – it’s going to be a rollercoaster. There are going to be highs and there are going to be horrible lows. You’re going to have to be determined and just keep going if you want a long lasting career.”

3) You have over a decade of writing experience under the name of Fiona Harper. Why did you decide to debut under Fiona Lucas after all this time?

It’s actually a really boring answer to do with sales and distribution. While I had some phenomenal sales with some of my Fiona Harper books, there were a couple that didn’t sell as well as the others. I don’t know what it was, whether it was the cover, the title, or it just didn’t hit what readers were looking for at that time. But it meant that when the next book came out, retailers looked at the sales numbers of the couple of previous books and decided not to stock it, even if they loved the story and packaging! It's not unusual for authors to try a new pen name if this happens. We were very open about my writing history, but retailers (especially when it comes to the big supermarkets, where most books are sold in the UK) see you as a new entity - a new product, if you like – with a new name. And it worked. My Fiona Lucas books have been stocked by retailers who wouldn’t stock my last few Fiona Harper books. But I also felt it worked creatively, as my Fiona Lucas books have been more emotional and dealt with darker subjects than most of my Fiona Harper novels.

4) Your profile on Instagram says ‘I write emotional, heartbreaking love stories’. Is that something you set out to do in the first place or is it something you discovered that you do best once you set upon your storytelling journey?

I definitely set out to write love stories, but I was probably drawn more to writing lighter, funnier stories when I first started. However, now when I look back at my very first attempt at writing a book, I can see it had both humour AND big emotion, which eventually became more obvious to me as my style developed. Strangely, it was both there in the beginning but has also been an evolution.

5) Both ’The Last Goodbye’ & ’Never Forget You’ have blurbs, if you do not mind my saying so, that tell a cliched outline. Yet the books are so much more. Do you want to lure readers in with familiarity? Do you worry that some readers might read the blurb and say ‘oh! I know this story already’?

I have to admit that because I’m traditionally published, it’s often not me who gets to write the blurbs! I have done a couple of times but usually my editor writes them and then I get to say what I think. It’s so tough with blurbs, because you have to say enough to intrigue readers but not so much that you give the story away!

6) In ’The Last Goodbye’ more than the central love story, what drew me in was the way you portrayed how different people experience and react to loss. What were you hoping to deliver with the book?

I really wanted to explore if it’s possible to move on after tragic loss. How do you find hope again when everything you hoped for has been shattered? I wanted to make Anna’s journey one of almost “waking up” after being in a fog of loss and grief and learning to embrace life with all its ups and downs again rather than hide away from it, trying to live in the past.

7) The book could have ended up being a very heavy read, but while it did make me tear up & even cry at places, there was this underlying sense of hope throughout. How did you balance it out without making it obvious?

It’s a tricky tightrope to walk! I think adding moments of warmth and humour in definitely helps, but also making sure the ends of each storylines held some hope for all the characters.

8) In 'Never Forget You’, did you plan out the amnesia theme from the beginning or did you let the characters tell you?

The amnesia element was there in the very first spark of the idea for that book! I was having a restless night a couple of years ago, and a couple of days earlier, I’d read a story about a man who had suddenly lost his memory – I mean, he woke up one morning and didn’t recognise his wife! And while I was tossing and turning, I must have been thinking about that story, because I ended up wondering, “What if you weren’t in your own bed when you woke up and discovered you’d lost your memory? What if you were far away from home and you had now idea where home was and how you’d got there?

9) As a writer, what is the most important thing for you? What do you want the readers to remember your books for? And as a reader, what’s the one thing you want to take away from books? Does the reader in you make it harder or easier to be a writer?

I think, first and foremost, I want readers to simply enjoy the book, enjoy the adventure that the story takes them on. If certain themes, ideas and emotions that resonated with me when I wrote the book also resonate with them, then I’m really pleased that we’ve made that connection together. I know not every book is every reader’s cup of tea, but I’d like to think my stories give people a sense of hope.

I’m really not sure if being a reader makes writing harder or easier – both I think! I do try and remember what makes me love a book or what irritates me when I write my own, but it can be hard to step back and get the perspective to see if I’m delivering what I plan to. I can never read my finished books the way a reader does, because I’m always aware of all the different versions and changes that happened along the way, and I know all the secrets and plot twists before I start the first page!

10) Please tell us what more we can expect from you in the next couple of years?

I’m currently working on my next book for Harper Collins, which will be out in November 2024 – long wait, I know! My working title is Always You, but that may change! I’m also planning to independently publish some of my backlist under my former pen name of Fiona Harper – shorter, lighter romances and rom coms. But that’s a whole new arena for me, so I’ve got a steep learning curve ahead of me!

Good Luck Fiona!

Check out these Books:

What if you met the right person at the wrong time?

When Lili meets Ben by chance one hot summer’s day, it feels like fate. But life is about to take them in different directions, and so they agree to meet next July, in the beautiful hidden garden where they first laid eyes on each other. But one of them never shows up…

Five years later, Ben still wonders how he got things so wrong – he let the love of his life slip between his fingers. And then a stranger, Alice, arrives in his tiny Scottish hometown. Alice has no memory of how she got there: she can’t remember anything before that morning. The only clue to her past is the silver bee necklace she wears – the very same one Ben bought for Lili that magical summer’s day…

As Ben, Lili and Alice’s stories converge, so begins a beautiful and deeply emotional story of love, forgiveness and second chances.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon India | Amazon US

How can you move on if you can’t let go?

Spencer was the love of Anna’s life: her husband, her best friend, her rock. She thought their love would last forever.

But three years ago, Spencer was tragically killed in an accident and Anna’s world was shattered. How can she ever move on, when she’s lost her soulmate?

On New Year’s Eve Anna calls Spencer’s phone number, just to hear his old voicemail greeting. But to her shock, someone answers…

Brody has inherited Spencer’s old number and is the first person who truly understands what Anna’s going through. As her and Brody’s phone calls become lengthier and more frequent, they begin opening up to each other—and slowly rediscover how to smile, how to laugh, even how to hope.

But Brody hasn’t been entirely honest with Anna. Will his secret threaten everything, just as it seems she might find the courage to love again?

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon India | Amazon US

23 February, 2023

Debdatta Dasgupta February 23, 2023 0

#Interview with Homa Pourasgari, Author of The American Outsider - #WomensFiction #AnimalWelfare @HomaPourasgari

When a California veterinarian, a Japanese-American tour-guide and the son of a well-known Tokyoite businessman get together to help save the Taiji dolphins, trouble brews in a society where conformity is favored over individuality. Tessa Walker sticks out in Japan’s homogeneous society. Akira Nakano has to tread lightly if she wants to keep her job as a tour guide. And Toshiro Yokoyama needs to find a way to distance himself from his family in order to find himself. As the three join a demonstration to protest the slaughter of dolphins, the wealthy owner of global aquariums is alarmed and is determined to stop them. But Tessa and Akira are resolved to push forward and help protect these cetaceans from brutal slaughter, and Toshiro is determined to help them in order to escape his humdrum life.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon.in * Amazon.com

Interview with Homa Pourasgari

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

I always loved to tell a story, but I wanted to be an author in my twenties.

What inspires you to write?

I’m inspired by the truth. When I see a miscarriage of justice and coverup, I find myself wanting to write about it and exposing the perpetrators.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Long ago, I was on twitter and everyone was talking about The Cove documentary and the abuse of dolphins. And then a few years ago, I was reading a newspaper article about the dolphins and how they are still mistreated. So, I decided to write a story about it and show people that animals do not like to live in captivity.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes, but I got rid of many of them when I moved into my new place several years ago. I think for me, the best time to write is when the idea is fresh in my head. If I put a story away for too long, there is less of a chance for me to go back and look at it or want to write about it.

Tell us about your writing process.

I read a lot, keep up with current events, socialize and do things. Then ideas start to come into my head and I write them down. Sometimes, I write several pages about something that interests me and if I find myself thinking about that idea often, I keep adding to it until a story starts to develop. After I have about 50 pages or so, I start to do a rough draft of an outline. I don’t worry about the ending and I let the characters tell me how the story should end.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

My favorite scene is the scuba diving scene because the protagonist has to face her fear and come to terms with it in order to accomplish her goal. Also, there is something satisfying about what she does.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

All of my characters have different aspects of my quirks. For example, Tessa has a tendency to react emotionally and I am like that sometimes. Or Akira is into new age things and meditation and I am into that as well. Or Toshiro does things without thinking. I do that sometimes and it gets me into trouble.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I write out of order, and I put it all together later. Also, I am spontaneous. When I was writing my second book, The Dawn of Saudi, I was halfway through it and my cousin, Sahar, asked me to name one of my characters after her. I said sure; why not? Once I did that, my story took a whole new turn, and it ended completely different than what I expected.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I don’t think one particular writer has influenced my writing style. I think reading books by various authors has helped shape my writing. I like many authors such as Thrity Umrigar, Lisa See, Henry James, Edith Wharton, John Grisham, Harper Lee, and many others.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

Things feel overwhelming before you start. But once you start, you will realize that it is not as bad as you thought it would be.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Don’t wait for a perfect time to write. Just do it. The first draft is usually terrible, anyway. If you cannot afford to hire an editor and a proofreader, give your work to beta readers and make friends with English teachers because you will need to have your work edited by a professional.

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?

Tessa – Katie Holmes
Toshiro – Tomohisa Yamashita
Akira – Tao Tsuchiya
Souji – Yamoto Yuma

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

There is a room in my house that I call my sanctuary. That’s where I meditate or take naps to rest my eyes. After I’m well rested, I talk on the phone with a friend or I meet up with them. If they’re busy, I go out on my own. Sometimes I go for a long walk or curl up with a good book.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

I like to spend the night at a glass Igloo and watch the northern lights.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

- When I was learning how to ride a bike, I fell into a swimming pool with my bike.
- I love making my hot fudge sundae with Nutella.
- When I was child, I used to grab the microphone at weddings and start singing.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

I have two revised editions of my books coming out in February and March. And I’m working on a new book.

About the Author:

Homa Pourasgari spent hours in her father’s home office, writing, reading and letting her imagination carry her to unseen worlds. She moved to Los Angeles, California, at a young age. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in business, she went to Paris for a year to study literature at the Sorbonne. Before becoming a full-time writer, she ran her own boutique, worked at a bank and a CPA firm, was a personal trainer and even taught spinning and cardio kickboxing. When she is not writing, she is stumbling, miming and pointing to find her way in a foreign country. Her latest novel, The American Outsider, is based on her travels in Japan.

Homa on the Web:
Website * Facebook * Twitter

02 January, 2023

Debdatta Dasgupta January 02, 2023 0

#Interview with August Hill, Author of Division X - @RyanHillAuthor #Paranormal #Thriller Suspense

“Who doesn’t like a good story? Whether it be a movie, show, game, book, or a chat with friends, storytelling is an essential part of entertainment. I always wanted to be a storyteller, to entertain, and writing just always felt right to me. It also happens to be cheap.” – August Hill

After receiving an education at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, August Hill started writing Division X, a supernatural horror filled with dark humor, adventure, and sinister creatures that leap off the pages.

His love for all things spooky and scary was unleashed when he discovered Jurassic Park at four years old and the R. L. Stine Goosebumps collection in elementary school. He holds a huge appreciation for 80’s horror and is partial to fun, dark, and witty ensemble casting with younger heroes. Some of his favorite influences include The Lost Boys, Aliens, Gremlins, and An American Werewolf in London to name a few.

Hill’s knack for writing fiction emerged at an early age when he wrote stories for his own enjoyment. He is a collector of horror films and is a board game enthusiast. When not writing, he can be found walking trails with his dog, enjoying movie nights with friends, spending time playing video games, and camping in Maine.

Connect with August Hill:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Interview with August Hill

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

When I was in sixth grade. I wrote a short story for a school assignment. I made it way too long, but I had a blast writing it, and I knew then that was what I wanted to do when I grew up.

What inspires you to write?

My need to tell stories. I have so many swimming around in my head. I just need to write them out. I’ve given them each so much thought, too. I’m sure people will like them.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I’ve always loved monster shows like X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episodic feel and monster of the week format was to die for. I was watching She-Wolf of London in college, a so-bad-it’s-good show, and the idea just hit me. I wanted to incorporate the themes from She-Wolf into a more serious show like X-Files but have the humor of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I went about drafting and created a pilot episode script. I was very proud of it. However, I started googling what it takes to get a pilot off the ground and quickly gave up on turning my idea into a show. I re-wrote the script into the first section of my book and continued from there.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes. I have many little shorts I’ve written through the years. One I gave away to a friend. Most I threw away. I’ve only kept pieces of some.

Tell us about your writing process.

I draft and plan everything ahead before I start writing. I want to make sure any endings or character arcs are set in stone before I start writing them. It helps me cut down on the fluff. I listen to music the whole time, too.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

My favorite scene in the book is when my main character turns into a werewolf beneath a one-road western town and tears through the population while they’re all gathered under there watching a fight to the death between two prisoners they have in captivity. This is my favorite scene because it’s so bloody, violent, and high-energy. I love chaos, organized chaos, and drafting this scene was like a dream. Writing it was making that dream come true.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

All of them have a piece of me in them. Literally every single one. If you mashed together all the characters into one, you’d get me.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I don’t really think I have one, unless you count me writing with my face practically pressed against the screen. I have cataracts, so seeing the screen can be difficult sometimes. My solution is to write with my eyeballs pressed against the computer.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I do read, but not as often as I used to. My favorite authors are R.L. Stine and Michael Crichton. Neither influenced my style, but I value their creativity above all others. The adventures they write are next to none.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

I’ve been asked this before, and I’ll say the same thing I said then. I’ve never received any “best advice.” Not that I can remember anyway. I do remember the worst advice I’ve ever received. It was from a professor of mine in college. He said something along the lines of, “Why write something you already know the ending to?” His point was that writing should be an adventure for the author as much as the reader. Writing should be a discovery, or something like that. I think that’s terrible advice. He isn’t wrong about what he’s saying but knowing how a story will end can be a huge advantage for mapping out the storyline.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write what you want to read. It doesn’t matter how niche it is. If you’re writing from a place of passion, that’ll show through, and you’ll leave your mark.

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?

I honestly would love if my book was portrayed by a bunch of new faces. I’m tired of seeing the same actors in everything. There are so many talented people in this world who are being tossed aside because of “star power,” and all that crap.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

Water, food, and a fueled Jetpack. But if escape and survival is out of the question, I’d have Ken Follet’s World Without End because I’ve been meaning to read that, a magical jukebox that works without being plugged in, and a pair of sunglasses.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

I play video games, hang out with friends, and watch movies in my spare time. My favorite place to go and unwind is my friend’s cabin in the woods. Though, we don’t always have that available to us, so I’d have to say my basement. It’s where the T.V. is.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

I really want to publish at least ten books. One a year for the next decade. If I can do that, I’ll have accomplished a major goal. They’re all drafted, so I just need to put the time into writing them.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

I hate snakes, I love dogs, and horror is my favorite genre of entertainment.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

If I stick to my bucket list goal, lots and lots of books. More horror, adventure, and even fantasy.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Sure. My website is augusthillauthor.com. You can check out what I look like there, and you can read about some of my favorite movies, books, and video games. You can also learn more about my book, Division X. Thanks so much for your time.

The monster killing business isn’t all it's cracked up to be.

We all have a monster within… understatement of the year. For 24-year-old Randi Matheson, she quite literally does. On every full moon, it rears its hairy head. She wasn’t always like this. Ever since her attack, the animal comes out to play. And on one full moon, the beast inside tries to eat her younger brother.
Division X, a paramilitary group hellbent on the eradication of monsters, intervenes and saves Randi’s brother from being devoured. They take Randi far away and imprison her in a place no monster can escape. Held captive, Randi is given an ultimatum. Work for Division X as a new weapon in the fight against evil or be dissected. Without a real choice, she chooses the former and experiences the dark underbelly of reality as she faces off against vampires, demons, and redneck serial killers. Promised a cure to her condition along the way, Randi does her best to stay alive.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon.in * Amazon.com

25 November, 2022

Debdatta Dasgupta November 25, 2022 0

#Interview with Manoj Kumar Sharma, Author of Me No Pause, Me Play - #ContemporaryFiction #Giveaway @ManojSharmma

MIRRRO fame self-styled author Manoj Kumar Sharma has brought his next Novel from a different genre altogether ‘Woman Fiction’.

Delighted by the Best Seller status of MIRRRO in specific multiple timelines, Awards from renowned Literature Houses, moral boosting reviews by book lovers, and, guiding critics, the Author do feel more responsibility for continual inclusive excellences to next levels.

Feel blessed as ‘MIRRRO’ been adjudged for prestigious Awards from renowned Literary Houses…..

1. Best Debut Author Award 2020 from ‘ICMDR’

2. Best Debut Novel Award 2020 among Top 100 Debut Novels from ‘CRITICSPACE’.

3. Best Fiction (Thriller) Award 2020 from ‘The Indian Awaz Foundation’

4. Best Thriller Book of the Year 2020 by ‘Literary Mirror’

5. Best Fiction Book of the Year 2020 by ‘AIY AGHAAZ’

6. Best Writer Award 2020 by ‘Yashassvi Awards’

The Story “Me No Pause Me Play” born out of day-to-day life in our society, where every now and then our Women are made to feel the pinch of Nature’s Laws and of Society’s hypocritical Patriarchy and Misogyny.

We talk a lot and even do a lot for Gender equality, Woman Liberation, Woman Empowerment…but, the practical realities are far far away from the truth and still painful.

Author is right now working on the sequel of MIRRRO and parallely working on few more Books of varied genres on various known issues of our day-to-day lives…but, in ways beyond innovativeness…

As an overview the Author believes that Writing is a Soulful Act, blessed by Maa Sarasvatiji & Muse... not by the Author.

Author on the Web:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Interview with Manoj Kumar Sharma

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

It was the aspiration, naturally incepted in early childhood while schooling, when I used to read a lot.

As a natural inclination towards study materials, particularly books. The touch, its aroma, which kept me hooked with books most of the times in my daily routines. And slowly slowly started reading books from various genres, being made available from whatever sources including school library and professional libraries in the market.

While reading children comics, magazines, religious & spiritual books, News Papers, our ancient Literature and mythology books, Novels (Various Indian and international Authors) and then participating & winning in Literature Competitions (Essay, Poetry, Story, etc)…….initiated craving to write own Books of stories, poetry, Novel etc.

But nothing materialized till the preponed retirement.

What inspires you to write?

The world around us is the great inspiration to me to write.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Again few real life observations around me since many many years, inculcated the idea to develop into this story.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes, there are few stories, which are still in drawers… waiting for alighting.

Tell us about your writing process.

Not well defined like a professional writer or author. When Time and Nature supports, writing happens, else spending time in blank.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

Author is mother of book, who is in natural love with its each and every cell. So, to me each pixel of the book is favorite.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

Secrets can’t be shared.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Yet to happen, actually till date nothing like that happened.

Do you read? Who are your favorite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

Yes I do read a lot, that also repetitively the same book sometimes.

There are lot of very good authors, it will be injustice to take names of few and leaving others.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

The best advice to me seemed as to focus at the size of the book.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write, write and write till its published…

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?

Better to keep secret as of now!!!

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

A bag having -

Hanuman Chalisa and Bhagvad Geeta

Cooking pot with spoon

Bed sheet

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

Sleeping in free time.

There are lot of places in the list, but, rarely getting chance to leisure.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

The third book is in the process of publishing, expected to get published in 4-5 months from now.

Then first draft of 6-7 books from different genres are there waiting for publishing….

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Like TV reality show Competitors, I would like to share my request to the book lovers to buy and read my book as much as possible to boost my morale for more and more writing……

About the Book:

This story revolves around Woman and Womanhood through lenses of Social Kaleidoscope.

The essence of this story is overcoming the intricacy and complicacy of Womanhood through innovative measures with calculated risks.
Though since ages wise men never ever denied the unique importance of Women in their lives, but, at the same time couldn’t restrain from autocratic patriarchy and disguised misogyny.
Even Nature’s unworded Laws cruelly dumped Women after manipulating them to the fullest.
How long Woman will have to continue bearing the ongoing sufferings?
Nobody knows, even Woman herself…
But, there are exceptions as well sometimes…
One key protagonist takes the Woman sufferings as challenge, and, not only resolves the physical health and mental agony, but, unexpectedly raises the bar to the next level of inspirational excellences…

After all its own belief system, which can create anything anywhere anytime…

Let incommunicado with our Ethos & Egos…

Let the status quo of our Women should not PAUSE…

Let our Women PLAY ever and ever and ever and ever… for ever…

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon.in * Amazon.com

Giveaway:

1 Paperback Copy of Me No Pause, Me Play by Manoj Kumar Sharma (for Indian Residents)

1 Kindle Copy of Me No Pause, Me Play by Manoj Kumar Sharma (for International Residents)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

17 November, 2022

Debdatta Dasgupta November 17, 2022 0

#Interview with J.Lawrence Matthews, Author of The Case of the Disappearing Beaune - #ShortReads #Mystery #Thriller

J. Lawrence Matthews has contributed fiction to the New York Times and NPR and is the author of three non-fiction books as Jeff Matthews. “One Must Tell the Bees” is his first novel. Written at a time when American history is being scrutinized and recast in the light of 21st Century mores, this fast-paced account of Sherlock Holmes’s visit to America during the final year of the Civil War illuminates the profound impact of Abraham Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation on slavery, the war and America itself. Matthews is now researching the sequel, which takes place a bit further afield—in Florence, Mecca and Tibet.

Interview with J.Lawrence Matthews

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

High School, probably. I remember watching my father laugh reading a James Thurber story one day—and being fascinated with the idea that a written story could elicit that kind of reaction. I wanted to do it, too.

What inspires you to write?

First, it’s the ideas that come from years of study and thought about a subject that fascinates me—e.g., the importance of Abraham Lincoln. Second, it’s the scenes that begin to pop into my head (e.g., Sherlock Holmes meeting Abraham Lincoln for the first time) as I think about how to impart those ideas to readers. That’s how my first novel, One Must Tell the Bees, came about.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I was asked to write a story for a Christmas anthology of Sherlock Holmes stories, and without giving away the twist in the plot, I thought it would be fun to show the great detective being ‘pranked’ in a kind, sweet way.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes. Three books, in fact. They were my early attempts at writing thrillers, and they all failed because the central character was such a dull version of myself that I eventually got bored with the story! When I began using Sherlock Holmes as my protagonist, the stories were no longer boring.

Tell us about your writing process.

I write every morning, before I can make excuses about why I can’t write anything that day. Then I take a break, get exercise, clear my head, and write in the afternoon. Long drives and bike rides are for figuring out problems. And I never outline. I like to write the scenes bubbling in my head, then put the story together.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune is a very short book involving a bottle of wine from the Beaune region of France that gets drained of its wine and filled with sand while Sherlock Holmes is asleep. This leads Holmes and Watson on an adventure through London to solve the mystery of the disappearing wine. My favorite scene takes place when they are dashing to the train station in a carriage and Holmes realizes there must be something in the wine bottle besides the sand, so he decides then and there to shake all the sand out into poor Watson’s cap. It’s an impulsive move on Holmes’s part, entirely in character with his single-minded pursuit of the solution to the mystery, and I love that scene because it’s deeply true to both men’s characters.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

I wouldn’t dream of giving Sherlock Holmes any of my quirks—he has enough of his own!

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I almost never write at home. I prefer to write in a busy coffee shop, as I am doing right now. I can get work done in a crowd because I don’t waste time in front of other people. At home, I can find a lot of things to do to waste time...

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I’m more of a re-reader. If I find a great book, I stick with it because I want to understand how the author did it. James Joyce’s Dubliners is the best short story collection I know—Counterparts may be the best story of all—and I both read it and listen to an audiobook version every year. Even if I’m writing Sherlock Holmes, I’m trying to write with an economy and tone that brings the characters to life like Joyce does. Barbara Tuchman’s Guns of August remains my favourite book of history, because her voice is so distinctive and the history is character-driven, not just names/dates/battles. I also re-read Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby every summer because the tone is so distinctive: if you lift any line from any page in that book, you know exactly what book you’re reading—the narrator is unmistakable. Hemingway’s Sun Also Rises and several of his short stories, especially Snows of Kilimanjaro, knock me out with the economical writing style and, again, tone. More recently, Danny Gardner’s books about Elliott Caprice (A Negro and an Ofay and Ace Boon Coon) give us a great new voice in detective noir literature—I find old classics like Raymond Chandler unsatisfyingly wooden. And, of course, many of the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are as good as any high-brow literature I know. Doyle writes like he sat down by the fireplace, lit a pipe and began telling a ripping good yarn. That’s what I’m trying to do every day.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

“Who, what, where, when, why and how?” is what I learned in the only journalism class I ever took, and it’s stuck with me always: that’s what the reader wants to know and it sits in the back of my mind every time I write a scene.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write every day, even if it’s just one sentence. Don’t pressure yourself to write 1,000 words or 2,000 words or 500 words. Just write one sentence a day, and it will get you into the groove of writing every day. When you get into that habit, you’ll find that your mind will always be working on the book—solving problems for you while you go about your daily life—and that’s when you really make progress as a writer.

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?

I don’t watch a lot of movies so I’m a lousy judge of this. But if One Must Tell the Bees and The Disappearing Beaune are made into movies I look forward to seeing what a creative team does with them. I love working with Robert Hunt, who illustrates my books, because I never try to tell him what to do, I just sit back and wait to see what he comes up with. He’s a genius, and it’s fun to watch.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

Writing is my hobby, and when I have free time, I write. To unwind, it’s England every time.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

Be a best-selling author, for one.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

I think Alex Turner is this generation’s John Lennon; I’m prone to optimism; and I view this life as just the start.

What do you have in store next for your readers?

Sherlock Holmes meets the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet, in 1890. It happened!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Yes. I’d like to say, “Thank you.” One Must Tell the Bees is a long book at 550 pages, but it has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with well over 300 reviews. That wouldn’t happen without a great many committed readers. The Case of the Disappearing Beaune is my gift to those readers—it’s a short, sweet holiday story—while I continue working on the sequel to Bees. I hope they enjoy it!

Christmas morning, 1901: Sherlock Holmes discovers that the wine in a bottle of French Beaune (intended as a gift for Dr. Watson) has been switched with sand, and he suspects it means threat to the newly crowned King of England. Or does it? With Dr. Watson's help, he soon finds out...

Goodreads * Amazon IN * Amazon US

09 September, 2022

Debdatta Dasgupta September 09, 2022 1

#Interview with Cendrine Marrouat & David Ellis, Authors of A Particle of You: Love Poetry - #Poetry #Love @TooFullToWrite @haiku_shack

About the Authors

Cendrine Marrouat is a poet, photographer, author, and creator of literary forms. She has released more than 40 books, including Tree Reflections (2022), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Songs in Our Paths: Haiku & Photography (2020-2021), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018).
Cendrine's work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, Vardhaku, and Reminigram.

Website * Twitter

David Ellis is a poet, multi-genre writer/author and co-creator of literary forms, with a fondness for found poetry.
He has released several poetry collections including Life, Sex & Death (which won an Inspirational Poetry Award), Soul Music the Colour of Magic, Lemons, Vinegar & Unvarnished Truths, See A Dream Within (based on the entire collected poetic works of Edgar Allan Poe), along with a Fifty Shades of Grey parody 50 Shapes of Cakes.
Think of him like a thriller novel - fast paced, relentless and impossible to put down!

Website * Twitter

Interview with Cendrine Marrouat & David Ellis

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

Cendrine Marrouat: I started writing poetry on a whim in 2005. I do not recall going through a time when I wanted to become a writer or storyteller. Things happened naturally.
David Ellis: When I was a teenager, I handcrafted my own “Choose Your Own Adventure” book and I have always had a passion for language and literature. I wrote alternative song lyrics for popular songs in my twenties but it was only really later in life when I discovered my connection with poetry and telling stories through this medium. This made me realise all along I had wanted to be a writer and needed the right outlets to coax it out.

What inspires you to write?

Cendrine Marrouat: Life and the world around me.
David Ellis: I am inspired by pop culture a lot, along with life experiences. I would also say ever since I discovered found poetry/blackout poetry a few years ago, every single piece of written material becomes a potential catalyst for creative projects as well!

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Cendrine Marrouat: David and I chat together almost every day. When conversations aren’t focused on Auroras & Blossoms (our platform dedicated to inspiration and upliftment in the arts), we usually talk about future book projects.
A few months ago, David stated that he wanted to gather some of his love poems into a collection. I had similar plans myself, so we figured it would be a great idea to do it together.
David and I have very different styles, but they mesh in incredible ways and always make our co-authored books a joy to release. “A Particle of You: Love Poetry” is no exception. I love this book!
David Ellis: Cendrine & I both write a lot of inspirational poetry, it is one of the single most important things that connects us as writers. We both truly appreciate and respect how collaboration can generate thrilling, compelling projects.
I have always had a romantic soul and this type of writing is something that I have been compelled to compose a lot of recently, especially because of keen encouragement through a group I participate in called The Nu Romantics. This collection we compiled together seemed like an excellent opportunity for us to explore love from our own unique perspectives.

Tell us about your writing process.

Cendrine Marrouat: Most writers follow a specific writing process. I used to be that way too. But since I started creating my own poetry forms, that process has been all over the place. Now, it is a by-project affair.
David Ellis: My process has become very efficient over the years. So long as I have a specific theme and a form to work with, I can usually motivate myself enough to get on with the writing, especially if there is a project to compose for, although I will also write to accumulate pieces over time, with an end goal of putting those pieces into collections.
If I am not particularly in the mood for writing, I can get there through enhancing my mood, usually through listening to music, perhaps enjoying a sweet treat with a cup of tea or watching a clip of something funny to give myself the motivationally boosting buzz to get into the creative zone.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

Cendrine Marrouat: My favorite poem is “Moments”. It was inspired by two things: my maternal grandparents who loved each other deeply and my own experience. I have been in a wonderful relationship for more than two decades…
Every time I read David’s poetry, I feel the shadow of Emily Dickinson nearby. He knows how to play with words and rhythm. “We Are Bound by Invisible Threads” is my favorite piece of his in the book!
David Ellis: My own personal favourite of the collection that I have written is “Changed Into Wine”. I was combining feelings of how romantic love can spill over into everything, how it is so frothy, fizzy and uplifting in its nature.
There is so much to savour within Cendrine’s luscious words in this collection, it is very difficult for me to pick my absolute favourite but I will go with “A Poetic Moment”. To me, great poetry is about indulging in the flow of a piece and how it builds to something climatic at the end. This charming piece connects to our innermost senses, building bridges softly, assuredly and fleshing out an experience of tenderness between lovers that is both life-affirming and intensely intimate.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Cendrine Marrouat: For a very long time, I could not start writing without a title. It also took me an inordinate amount of time to pen anything. Now that I have fully embraced my perfectionism, I let it take me wherever it wants. The results are always fascinating.
David Ellis: For me, I cannot write unless I have access to the internet or other reference books, as I often want to look up the meanings of words, phrases or idioms. I enjoy subverting cliches and playing with humour (mostly parody), although a lot of my writing is quite serious these days.
I think one of the most interesting writing quirks that I have is that I can have eureka moments when thinking about something else. I will let my subconscious work on a particular problem, where I usually have deliberately put myself in a difficult situation where I am writing with limited words or limited access to specific words. I will then walk away when stuck, do something else and be able to see the answer in whatever else I am doing or everything will suddenly make sense, forcing me to race back to my writing. Kind of like in the TV show ‘House’, when Hugh Laurie has a moment of inspired enlightenment while right in the middle of something else.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

Cendrine Marrouat: You cannot call yourself a writer if you don’t read. ;-)
I have several favorite authors, including Kahlil Gibran, Alphonse de Lamartine, and Emily Dickinson. While Dickinson is a more recent discovery, Gibran and Lamartine have been part of my life for decades.
At the beginning of my writing career, I tried to emulate their styles. It was, of course, a complete failure. But the experiment allowed me to understand my own style and gain a healthy self-confidence in my abilities. It also taught me the value of challenging myself in every area of my artistic career.
Gibran and Lamartine have influenced me so much that I have dedicated one of my most recent collections of haiku to them. Link: https://creativeramblings.com/after-fires-day.
David Ellis: I most definitely read lots of different things. I would recommend people read as much as they possibly can. I would heartily recommend audiobooks as a means to get stories into you, especially be it either listening on a long commute to/from work or when relaxing to give your eyes a welcome rest.
My favourite authors of all time are Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It is their fantasy worlds, along with them making the writing process seem so effortless that I never fail to marvel at how they are exquisite masters of their craft.
I like reading a lot of fiction and non-fiction books/articles. I actually enjoy reading about subjects that I know little about, as it helps to broaden my mindset, when it comes to considering different/unusual subject matter for creative projects. I would say that the writing of comedians has had a significant effect on my writing style (whether comedy or drama, I will write to make an impact with the least amount of words possible). I am very heavily influenced in my poetry by the romantic poets/the Romanticism movement of the 1800’s too.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

Cendrine Marrouat: Show, don’t tell. Let actions, sensory details, and emotions reveal themselves instead of describing them for the reader.
David Ellis: The best advice I have ever had is to not keep waiting for motivation to fall into your lap but to generate it yourself, visualise the end product and know you can get there by giving yourself simple goals, tasks and structure to make it happen. Focus on getting a stanza done for a poem, a paragraph for a short story, a chapter for a book/novella then build from that crucial foundation. Your piece will never get done if it all stays up in your head, set it free!

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Cendrine Marrouat: The same as above. Be a minimalist. Anything that doesn’t serve / further your story should be avoided at all costs.
David Ellis: Look to join a local Writers Circle/writing group. Talk things through with fellow writers face to face or online. Set up friendly goals or encouragement to get yourselves writing regularly. Start a blog, publish often, keep honing and evolving your writing style. Be fearless and only take advice that you feel will improve the flow of your work and will not hinder it or rob it of its innocence/uniqueness.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

Cendrine Marrouat: My camera, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, and my iPod. I can’t live without music. I’m sure that I would be able to find pieces of wood to write fleeting poems in the sand. lol
David Ellis: A scrabble set, a cocktail maker and a pool table.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

Cendrine Marrouat: Being an artist overlaps everything. So I spend my free time feeding my mind with ideas and concepts that I can reuse in my work.
David Ellis: I enjoy reading books, watching films (action, romance and comedy are big favourites), listening to music and fantasising about becoming a musician one day.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

Cendrine Marrouat: I would love to go back to Syria. I was there in 2009 and it is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited.
David Ellis: I wish to visit all countries in Europe. I have become more and more keen to travel as I have gotten older. I particularly want to visit a lot of locations within Italy, Germany, Greece, France and Spain (mostly hot countries!) but if I can get to every country in Europe before I meet my maker, that would be my ultimate goal. I hope to go on international cruises to speed the process up!

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

Cendrine Marrouat: I am a Gemini, cats seem obsessed with me, and my name was supposed to be Cendrillon (“Cinderella” in English).
Thankfully, in the 1970s, parents did not have the same freedom as today when it comes to choosing names. So, mine settled for Cendrine, which is an alternative spelling of Sandrine. The meaning behind my name is linked to “cendres” (“ashes” in English), which speaks to the resilient person that I am.
David Ellis: I’ve always wanted to learn kung-fu but mostly enjoy watching it, since I have hurt myself when I have tried to learn it with instructors - I think I need better instructors! I go completely bananas over cute animals, especially cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas, so many - I am extremely fond of giraffes and elephants too. I am completely obsessed with ice-cream, tea and cake!

What do you have in store next for your readers?

Cendrine Marrouat: Right now, David and I have been very busy promoting several projects, including this book and the third volume of our annual PoArtMo Anthology (https://abpositiveart.com/poartmo-anthology-3/).
When the promotional campaign is over, I plan on starting to work on a new multimedia collection that will feature my photography, fractals, AI-generated art, and poems in the forms that I created and co-created with David.
David Ellis: Cendrine & I always have plenty of other projects that are at various stages of completion. I have plenty of written poetry that needs to be turned into published collections and have so many ideas for other found poetry collections for years to come! Our readers are never going to be short of material from us :)

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

David Ellis: Please do not be afraid of reading poetry, it is fulfilling, rewarding and stimulating. In these crazy times that we live in, it can be so good to read something that is short, accessible and will speak directly to your innermost thoughts, dreams, desires and experiences.
Try to read in genres that you would not normally choose, sample them all and you will be surprised at what you really enjoy reading, if you remain open to the hidden wonders of the world around you.
If you do have a favourite genre and don’t want to read anything else then be sure to read as much as you can. Support your favourite authors and keep giving them encouragement. We want to hear from you and we want to keep on making your lives more enriched for years to come!

About the Book:

- Title: A Particle of You: Love Poetry
- Release Date: September 29, 2022
- Formats Available: Softcover, eBook, PDF

In this new collection from well-established authors Cendrine Marrouat and David Ellis, enjoy a series of love poems delicately crafted to stimulate emotional and endearing aspects of our deep connections with each other.
Cendrine and David have selected poems for this volume that perfectly capture feelings and nuances relating to romantic notions. They explore how love can fundamentally shape and change you, how it can feed your innermost muses/desires and ultimately how it can define you as a person, if you fully embrace it with every fibre of your being.

Love need not be scary or complicated. This collection shows us that even the simplest of intimate gestures can mean more to us when speaking from the heart and soul.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon.com * Amazon.in * eBooks