I have been a fan of Isaac Marion since I first picked up Warm Bodies a long long time ago. I was lucky enough to interview him (see famous author interviews) and then I won a signed copy of The Burning World! Pic below.
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"The Burning World" by Isaac Marion is the highly anticipated second installment in the Warm Bodies series, picking up where the beloved novel left off. In this review, we will explore the gripping narrative, the continued exploration of themes, and the evolution of the characters that make this book a compelling addition to the series.
A Complex and Evolving Story: "The Burning World" expands upon the post-apocalyptic world introduced in "Warm Bodies." The story follows R, a zombie with a conscience, and Julie, a human survivor, as they navigate the challenges of their unique relationship and the changing landscape around them. Marion skillfully weaves together elements of romance, adventure, and social commentary, creating a complex and thought-provoking narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.
Exploration of Humanity and Identity: One of the strengths of the Warm Bodies series is its exploration of humanity and identity in a world ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. In "The Burning World," Marion delves deeper into these themes, examining the consequences of choices made and the blurred lines between right and wrong. As R and Julie confront the moral dilemmas of their existence, readers are prompted to reflect on what it means to be human and the potential for redemption and change.
Character Development and Emotional Resonance: "The Burning World" delves into the internal struggles and personal growth of its characters. R's transformation from a detached zombie to a being driven by love and self-discovery continues to evolve, while Julie grapples with her own desires and responsibilities. Marion excels at depicting the emotional journey of his characters, making them relatable and sympathetic. The nuanced development of the protagonists adds depth and emotional resonance to the story.
Expansive World-Building: Marion's world-building in "The Burning World" is expansive and immersive. As R and Julie embark on a dangerous journey beyond the safety of their previous confines, readers are introduced to new settings, encounters, and challenges. The author's vivid descriptions bring the post-apocalyptic world to life, making it feel both hauntingly familiar and eerily different.
Thought-Provoking Sociopolitical Commentary: One of the standout aspects of "The Burning World" is the sociopolitical commentary embedded within the narrative. Marion skillfully touches upon themes of power, control, and resistance, providing a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition in times of crisis. The story raises questions about authority, the nature of governance, and the impact of systemic oppression, challenging readers to examine the world around them.
"The Burning World" by Isaac Marion is a captivating and thought-provoking continuation of the Warm Bodies series. With its complex storytelling, exploration of humanity, and well-developed characters, this book offers a compelling and emotional reading experience. Marion's rich world-building and thought-provoking sociopolitical commentary elevate the story, making it more than just a typical zombie tale. Fans of the series will find themselves fully immersed in the gripping narrative, eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Blurb:
Being alive is hard. Being human is harder. But since his recent recovery from death, R is making progress. He’s learning how to read, how to speak, maybe even how to love, and the city’s undead population is showing signs of life. R can almost imagine a future with Julie, this girl who restarted his heart—building a new world from the ashes of the old one.
And then helicopters appear on the horizon. Someone is coming to restore order. To silence all this noise. To return things to the way they were, the good old days of stability and control and the strong eating the weak. The plague is ancient and ambitious, and the Dead were never its only weapon.
How do you fight an enemy that’s in everyone? Can the world ever really change? With their home overrun by madmen, R, Julie, and their ragged group of refugees plunge into the otherworldly wastelands of America in search of answers. But there are some answers R doesn’t want to find. A past life, an old shadow, crawling up from the basement.
Interviewing Josh Malerman awakened the frightened 80's child within me. So many things that I had tucked away, never to think of again because they scared the crap out of me, Josh reminded me of during his interview. I mean, it's been nearly 30 years of me telling myself Freddy Kruger wasn't real, and I almost had myself convinced.
Let's see what Josh had to say about reading, writing and zombies!
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. Josh says: Jonathan Maberry is a no brainer. He’s an expert in the field and I’ve got a feeling he actually acts these scenarios out at home. You know how there are Civil War re-enactors? Jonathan might be like that… only with a war of the future… a zombie war. I’d also try to stick close to Brian Keene. The Rising was brutal, so he’s probably imagined scenarios equal to or worse than those that we’d encounter out there. He might be scary to team up with. Like, he might hand me a weapon and say, “Do it.” And I’d be like, “Do what?” And he’d shake his head and say, “Never mind. I’ll do it.” And what about John Russo? Fella wrote Night of the Living Dead, for crying out loud. I met him recently at a horror convention here in Michigan. Super nice guy. I think I’d like that; a kindhearted zombie aficionado on my team. That would make me feel… human.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why. Josh says: You said “first,” so that means I get to save Stephen King and then valiantly leap back into the river and save J. K. Rowling. I think we gotta go with Stephen King first. He’s older than her. And he hurt his leg or hip, you know. So yeah, save him, then dive back in. Then after I saved her I’d probably fall back exhausted and you would need to ask them this: “So you were both just saved from drowning in a river by Josh Malerman. But he got so tired from the heroic experience that he needed saving himself. Which one of you saves him?” Meredith says: Thank you for picking up on that! Most skip over the "first" part and leave one of my favorite authors to the murky waters.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? Josh says: I’ve made the mistake of beginning a few books at once. I usually like reading one whole, moving on, etc. But as it goes, I’m reading Kathe Koja’s Bad Brains. It’s mountaintop brilliant. Strange, nightmarish, very realistic in a fun way, and refreshing. Jon Skipp’s The Art of Horrible People is an incredible short story collection that sums up his enormous personality and brain. And Richard Laymon’s Blood Games is a thrill ride. And yeah, my TBR pile is frightening, too, but I’m kind of making a dent recently. Philip K. Dick’s Ubik is next.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? Josh says: A book that I’d love to read again is Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train. She pulled something off with this one akin to a magic trick. Sleight of hand.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? Josh says: I had something of a tie between John F.D. Taff’s The End in all Beginnings and Stephen Graham Jones’s After the People Lights Have Gone Off. Both of these are collections, and they inspired me to write one of my own. I can’t say enough about these two authors. If you have a single horror bone in your body, they’ll both tickle it until you’re blue. Then purple. Then dead. Then undead. Then, when you rise up out of the casket at your funeral you can say (to everybody in attendance): “Where are my books? Who has my books?”
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? Josh says: The Casualties by Nick Holdstock. I got an early look at this one with a chance to blurb for it. It’s magnificent. I’ll say no more. Check it out.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? Josh says: You ever see “The Four of Us are Dying”? It’s a great Twilight Zone episode where this fella can change his face to look like anybody else. So… if a man just died, say, this guy can assume his identity straight off, and so on. I’d love that. I’d love to see how different my interactions with people might be if I wore different faces. And I love to see what doors I could slip through if I was the spitting image of somebody else. Man, you could go on for years like that. Think of it like a wild road trip. But instead of being away from home for a long time, you’re away from your true self.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? Josh says: I’ve got a great office. Sweet scary posters. News clippings about Bird Box, letters from Mom, photos on the wall. But, for no good reason, I always end up writing somewhere else. The front porch is great. Especially if there’s a storm. The problem with coffee houses is that usually it’s poppy modern music and it’s hard to write a gripping freaky scene when kids are singing lullabies on the radio. Meredith says: I can see how that would be a problem.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from one of your books. Josh says: I wrote a book called Pest in which a fella senses that he’s losing his zest for life, then decides it must be a “monster” that is doing this to him. So… he sets out to catch the thing. That’s one of my favorites; watching Edgar arm his apartment, essentially trying to catch depression in a bear trap. I’ve got another one called A Mix up at the Zoo where this fella Dirk works at both the slaughterhouse and the zoo in town. His job is to give tours and his mind is all muddled so one day he accidentally confuses his jobs; slaughters all the animals at the zoo. It’s a colorful scene. And the attic birth scene in Bird Box rolled out of my fingertips like sand. One of the smoothest writing experiences of my life.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? Josh says: I’ve got a novella out there called Ghastle and Yule about warring horror filmmakers who try to outshine one another (to a bad end.) Gordon Ghastle is a somewhat flashy old-school fella who is going for the Spielberg holy-cow movie making. And Allan Yule is a bearded rogue who loathes industry of any kind and makes movies that features no human beings at all. As I say on my instagram, I’m equal parts Ghastle and Yule. The guy who’s going for an undeniably shiny work of art and the guy who doesn’t care if he fails in that, as long as it’s art in the end.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. Josh says: I love horror movie soundtracks. I listen to them all the time, not just while writing. We’ll have guests and I’ll say, “Tell me, Bruce and Donna, have you ever heard… Chopping Mall?” As goes a playlist, here are five of my favorites (try them out yourself): Creepshow, Under the Skin, Vertigo, Friday the 13th, and Cat’s Eye. But really, I love a hundred of them. The horror movie soundtrack plays like a bad kid who got his hands on classical music. “What does it sound like if I do this to it?” Meredith says: I made the mistake of listening to Isaac Marion's playlist. But I said to myself, "this is Josh Malerman! I must listen to his playlist and get a taste for it." And then the soundtrack to Friday the 13th starts playing, and I'm reminded why I still have to sleep with a light on at night when I'm home alone. So I skip on over to Cat's Eye soundtrack... Let's just say my power bill significantly increased for a few weeks.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? Josh says: I’d tell them not to be afraid of writing a bad book. Start it, explode with it, throw up all over yourself, and finish it. Worry about it being “good” or “bad” some other time. Think of it this way: would you rather have a crappy rough draft that you can fix? Or have no draft at all? I’d warn a young writer about Inspiration. Inspiration is a monster. It makes you wait for him. I’m just outside! It says. I’m close! And in the meantime you wait so long you end up with nothing on the page. So let’s all forget about Inspiration and just write whether or not we feel like it. Talk about what you write, talk about it too much, talk about it all the time. Give yourself phantom deadlines; I gotta get this story done on THIS date. OR ELSE! And meet those deadlines. Interview yourself. Hold conversations with imaginary editors. Place your own invisible books on an invisible shelf. Live delusional. But write yourself into existence, book by book. And remember that all books are words, and that all words are letters first. Meredith says: nothing, I have nothing to say. That was the best advice ever.
Josh Malerman is an American author and the lead singer for the rock band The High Strung.[1][2] Malerman currently lives in Ferndale, Michigan.[3]
Malerman first began writing while in the fifth grade, where he began writing about a space-traveling dog.[4] Since then he has written several unpublished novels and his debut novelBird Box was published in the United Kingdom and United States in 2014 to much critical acclaim.[5][6][7]
1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them. Nicole Says: a. Edgar Allan Poe, for what are probably obvious reasons. I have yet to find another author whose works can scare me more.
b. Charles Baudelaire, because he was a great admirer of Poe and his work reflects it, and because it would give me a chance to practice my French.
c. Jane Austen, because if I’m going to hang around with any other author I can imagine, it’s going to be her. Her witty remarks about the Halloween costumes we’d see would be sure to keep me amused.
2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it? Nicole Says: I’d love to be a Jedi, and a Tolkien elf would be fun too. Hermione Granger is also high on my list, but I think if I could do any costume, it would be Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games. I mean, have you seen the costumes Elizabeth Banks wears in the movies? The outrageous clothes, the impossible shoes, the colorful hair, the theatrical makeup, the enormous false eyelashes! To me, that is the epitome of Halloween dress-up fun.
3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why. Nicole Says: The pennies. My kids have these awesome dinosaur banks that you “feed” coins to, and then you watch them slip down this twisty tube into the dino’s transparent belly. When I was a kid, I would have played with a bank like that for hours.
4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read? Nicole Says: It’s basically a tie here. Poe’s works really freak me out, with The Masque of the Red Death topping my list. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft is a real mind trip too. However, I also think Stephen King’s The Shining is one of the scariest things you can possibly read. I’ve never seen the movie, but reading that book made me want to sleep with the light on forever.
5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why? Nicole Says: Uh oh. I’m about to expose myself here! The truth is, supernatural creatures aren’t so much my thing. I’m more of a magic loving, sci-fi kind of woman, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be a shapeshifter. It’s fascinating to think of the insights I’d gain by being able to take on lots of different appearances. Since I majored in French and am passionate about learning about other languages and cultures, I’m always interested in learning about customs that are different from my own.
6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have. Nicole Says: I have lots of Poe, which I’m sure comes as no surprise by now! He’s been one of my favorites since I was in high school. I also find a lot of science fiction scary, particularly when it comes to the dystopian and post-apocalyptic stuff. Justin Cronin’s The Passage gives me serious shivers, as does The Hunger Games because, really, who wants to live in worlds like those?
7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood? Nicole Says: I like psychological horror, those scenes that you read and you want to drop the book because you’re just so disturbed by the idea of a person acting that way or having those thoughts—Gone Girl was so masterful at this. Writing those kind of passages can be a weird experience because it’s fun to imagine how readers might react, but it’s also uncomfortable to get into the mindset of a character who has truly depraved thoughts. I’ve had several writing sessions like that while working on my new Astoran Asunder series. To get myself in the right frame of mind, I spend a lot of time watching shows or movies or reading books with psychologically complex characters.
8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph Nicole Says: Oh, definitely B. No offense to Stephen King, who I’m sure is a wonderful person, but his books are so twisted that I wouldn’t go anywhere near his house!
9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars Nicole Says: C, all the way. I am all about buying the best possible candy and handing it out in large quantities. Plus, you know, it means anything left over is hanging around in my house, so…
10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them? Nicole Says: I would definitely try my hardest to talk them down. Writing is really tough. You pour your heart and soul into your work, devote tons of your time and attention to it, and if it doesn’t take off the way you’d hoped, it can be devastating. Still, I think a passionate need to tell a story is what drives most authors. We are the victims of our own creations. I can’t imagine ever giving up writing, because my characters aren’t going to leave me alone until I let them out of my head. Plus, the wonderful thing about writing in this day and age is that, while all the choice can be a little overwhelming at times, readers have more options than ever before. I love the idea that there’s a book for everyone out there, which means that even those books that don’t hit the tops of the charts have passionate fans, people who might not otherwise have had a satisfying reading experience if they hadn’t found that book. The wonder of this era is that genres that were once considered niche and that weren’t given much priority now offer a wide array of books to readers.
Born and raised in Michigan, Nicole lives there still with her husband and two wonderful children. When she's not writing, Nicole enjoys reading, gaming, traveling, and cooking.
Nicole rarely meets a genre she doesn't like, and as a result has written contemporary romcoms, fantasy fiction, fairy tale retellings, and dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. She's the author of the Fairytale Collection books, the YA/NA crossover Contributor trilogy, and the Astoran Asunder series.
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1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them. R. E. Carr says: Well, I’d have to start with George R.R. Martin because I want to be really nice to him before trying to outrun him in the zombie apocalypse. It’s only fair. Then I would have to select Rick Gualtieri, because Halloween with two comedic vampire writers with a love for practical jokes is too good an offer to pass up. I predict that we would have an awesome time glitter bombing every sexy vampire costume we pass and playing with our kaiju toys while hopped up on sugar. Lastly, I would grab fellow Kindle Press author T.J. Zalecki because I think she looks taller than me and it’s a lot easier to paint if you have someone who can reach the high places without a ladder. Also while she’s not looking Rick and I can have our vampires bite her sirens and we will have a full-on mermaid apocalypse! Meredith Says: I can't wait to read about the vampire mermaid apocalypse!I love the cover art ;)
2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it? R. E. Carr says: I, um, may have an adult-sized Belle costume stashed away for purely innocent reasons… I mean, she’s a smart, bookish Disney heroine with brown eyes and brown hair who gets to take home a ferocious Beast… yeah, I’m going to quit while I’m behind.
3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husband’s dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why. R. E. Carr says: I’ll go for the teeth, after all I never know when I’ll get around to starting that cloning facility I always dreamed of and every bit of DNA helps.
4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read? R. E. Carr says: My first experience with a horror novel was actually a Dean Koontz novel. I saw Phantoms at the supermarket checkout like as a little girl and told my mom “ooh, pretty, I want that!” and she being my mom of course didn’t read the back, she just say the butterfly on the cover and put it in the cart. Yeah, I was a little surprised (at age eight) what I got myself into this time. I became terrified of any and all oil slicks on the pavement until I was about twenty and became completely obsessed with all missing cultures throughout history. When I went to Chichin Itza this year I may have even done one pass looking around corners for any mysterious holes.
5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why? R. E. Carr says: I am the fierce and mighty were— Who am I kidding? Everyone knows I turn into big fluffy bear and hibernate and am only moderately savage while waking up. Also, I’m slightly obsessed with honey.
6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have. R. E. Carr says: The scariest book I have on my shelves has to be the Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook. I mean, imagine 208 complete pages with no bacon and they expect you to cook these recipes and SURVIVE!!!
7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood? R. E. Carr says: I like to drink between 40 and 60 ounces of tea and then write late at night (because I won’t be sleeping anyway). My apartment is old and creaky and creepy and there are all sorts of weird reflections so it’s very easy to get in the mood. Also, the sheer amount of stimulants in the system guarantee that at least my heart will be racing.
9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars R. E. Carr says: Oh, the neighborhood kids are totally getting hooked up with British and Japanese candies. Every child should be shown the wonder of Crunchie Bars, Cadbury Flake, Meltykisses and green tea flavored Kit Kats.
10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them? R. E. Carr says: I will give them the very same advice that was given to me when I tried to give up a few years back:
“Go ahead, give up, be a quitty quiterton who quits. It’s not like it was dream or you really wanted to do this, right? I’m sure you’ll love sharing the story with your grandkids how you had a talent and then threw it away because it got tough at some point.”
Yeah, I tend to respond to sarcastic motivation, but it’s true. If you start getting angry over quitting something, then you probably can take that rage and channel it back into your work.
R. E. Carr likes to split her time between the alien (well, resident alien) she married, her two adorable offspring and the vast army of characters who constantly argue in her brain. She uses her past life as a video game reviewer to remind herself just how awesome it is to be writing novels now.
Rachel writes because she knows so many people and places that never quite made it into this version of the universe. It's her duty to let them out. Writing also gives her mind a certain peace and calm rarely felt in this multi-tasking, wired world.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. Ernie says: First, Chuck Wendig. I only know of him through his Twitter feed, but he seems perfectly badass enough (can I say ‘badass’ on your blog?) to be like Ash from Army of Darkness. I can see him cocking a shotgun and saying, “Come get some.” Second, after reading The Martian, I’d have to go with Andy Weir, because he’s brilliant enough to rig whatever we’d need to stay alive. And maybe build a spaceship too so we could get away from the zombies. Third…while I don’t think he’s written any fiction, I’d have David Sedaris along. Why? Because laughter would be necessary in a post-apocalyptic zombie world.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why. Ernie says: Hah! Well, at least you didn’t ask me to pick only one. Supposing they can both be saved, I’d go with J. K. Rowling first, because anyone wealthier than the Queen of England likely has monetary access to excellent hitmen. I wouldn’t want her angry with me for not picking her first.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? Ernie says: I just finished reading The Martian again for the second time, in preparation for the movie release. Prior to that, I absolutely devoured Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. Brilliant, melancholy, and full of gorgeous writing that made me jealous of her talent.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? Ernie says: Tomcat in Love, by Tim O’Brien. I’ve been recommending that book for years. Some of the things O’Brien does with language in that story are astounding.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? Ernie says: It’s for sure a tossup between The Martian and Eleanor by Jason Gurley. The interesting thing is, both were originally indie-published works, and both went on to get picked up by Crown Publishing, a division of Random House. A refined version of Eleanor is due out in January 2016. Take note: I’m positive that Gurley will be one of our future literary giants.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? Ernie says: This has been the year of little reading, for a variety of reasons, so my choices are limited. But, I’d have to go with Station Eleven. I didn’t want it to end. Ever.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? Ernie says: Telekinesis. Mostly I’d just like to be able to flick a finger and pick up all of the toddler toys, fling the laundry on hangers and in drawers, put the dishes away, and pour a glass of wine without having to get up from the couch. Forget fighting evil villains. I just want the chores to be done.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? Ernie says: I’m such a creature of habit that I have to be tucked away in my little office, sitting at my cluttered desk. Trying to write anywhere else throws off the balance.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from one of your books. Ernie says: The climax/ending to Sara’s Game. My former agents felt the original ending could be quite a bit stronger and asked me to revamp it. I waffled with ideas for two or three days until the perfect resolution hit me. I’m convinced it contributed to the success that title has seen, and likely allowed me to keep doing this as a career.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? Ernie says: Wow. Um. All of them? Not counting the kidnappers and killers? The closest would probably be Chris (a.k.a. “Brick”) in Going Shogun. The witty everyman.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. Ernie says: I can’t actually write to music. At least not music with words. I’ve learned to manage most aspects of my ADD, but being able to write while someone else says words isn’t one of them. So, for me, it’s the soothing sounds of rain, ocean waves, or waterfalls in a jungle, with binaural beats in the background that are supposed to enhance creativity or concentration.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? Ernie says: Use your adverbs sparingly, he said, conspiratorially.
USA Today bestselling author Ernie Lindsey grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia, working on the family farm and reading, and has spent his life telling stories to anyone that will listen. He is the author of thirteen mystery, thriller, and suspense books, along with numerous short stories. When he's not writing or reading the works of other thriller writers, you can find him chasing a toddler, feeding a toddler, or cleaning up after a toddler. He remembers non-toddler things, but they're flimsy, gauzy mysteries.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
Head over to ErnieLindsey.com for more information, or join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ErnieLindseyFiction
Let's see what Vincent had to say about reading, writing and All Hallows' Eve!
1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them. VRA says:
a. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
b. Dracula – Bram Stoker
c. Exorcist – William Blatty
2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it? VRA says: Well I’d say I don’t really need one. I’m pretty scary. But I would love to choose the Hulk. He’s a massive beast who nobody messes with when he’s angry.
3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you. What do you choose and why. VRA says: 5 pennies. I can still buy gum with it.
4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read? VRA says: The Exorcist
5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you? VRA says: I’ll take Angel of Light for $500 Meredith.
6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have. VRA says: Exorcist – William Blatty
7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood? VRA says: For me the characters become real. So, it’s not a mood it’s a forced motive. As I am searching the plotlines and moving the characters through them, the potential for physical, emotional and spiritual dilemmas are always present.
8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a. trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b. run screaming
c. call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph VRA says: I’m all in on calling mom to get the autograph.
9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a. an assortment of mini candybars
b. an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c. full size Hershey bars VRA says: Definitely C, but I don’t know if there would be any left to hand out!
10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them? VRA says: Take a chill pill. Order up a Gran Marnier on the rocks and have a very long discussion.
33 Degrees was selected as a Kindle Scout winner for publication. Thank you to all my fans who voted and helped get 33 noticed!
Vincent Robert Annunziato is a native Long Islander who currently resides with his wife and family in Virginia. He graduated Sachem High School and received a B.S. Degree from Hofstra University in Television Science. Vincent spent several years in Hollywood working for various production companies. He eventually wound up landing a job with the government, marrying a wonderful woman and raising three beautiful children. After thinking the dream of becoming a writer had passed him by, Vincent wrote his first novel on an Amazon Kindle HD tablet while commuting to work 2 hours each way.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. M. Lauryl Lewis says: Hands down, it'd be these three kick-butt women: Shana Festa, Rhiannon Frater, and Bijou Hunter! Shana because she has a wickedly awesome sense of humor and the ability to be creative when it comes to getting out of sticky (bloody) situations. Rhiannon, honestly, because she is one of my all-time favorite zompoc authors. She was a major inspiration for me to become an author. Bijou writes dark romance. She's also one of the strongest women and mothers I know. She has helped me through some tough times in my personal life, has always been "real" with me, and her writing is awesome.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why. M. Lauryl Lewis says: Hmm. I'm going to take the graceful way out in this and say Stephen King, because he was closer to the edge of the river. :-) On a more serious note, I see "celebrities" as "just people." Yes, both are extremely accomplished authors who have given us so much in the way of dreaming and entertainment. That being said, I honestly would have to chose based on who I could get to first since I see us all as equals.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? M. Lauryl Lewis says: I actually just began the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? M. Lauryl Lewis says: Neanderthal by John Darnton. I have a paperback copy that I first read when I was well, younger. I re-read it every few years. I highly recommend it.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? M. Lauryl Lewis says: Oh - without a doubt TIME of DEATH: Induction, by Shana Festa. She's a newer zompoc author and she is hot in the genre! I admit, once I was finished with book one I stalked her down and begged for an ARC to read & review for the sequel.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? M. Lauryl Lewis says: I've had a hard time finding a good book so far this year. I've started so many and given up. My head hasn't been in a very good place with personal issues going on (one of my little boys is fighting cancer). Of all the attempts I've made to get lost in a great book, the one I found myself craving more of is The Complex by J. Rudolph.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? M. Lauryl Lewis says: My super power is the ability to take a nap whenever given the chance! It's one of my favorite activities and I strive to be super at it. My love of naps began when I worked night shift as an RN for years. I would come home to my family, which includes a husband, three little boys, dogs, and cats. It's forced me to become super at looking awake and not always being. Most of my writing happens late at night when the kids are in bed and the husband is at work. I nap when I can to make up for the long hours of being a mother and an author.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? M. Lauryl Lewis says: I have an easy chair and ottoman in our living room. Most of my writing takes place there. I also keep a TV-tray (those folding tables we used as children to eat frozen dinners for TV night) that I take with me as a portable office. I spend a lot of hours with my son at the local children's hospital, so the TV tray has become a 2nd favorite. I attempted to hang a hammock in the back yard for summer writing, but my four dogs decided it was fun to try to drool me to death and my English Mastiff tries to lay on me.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book GRACE LOST. M. Lauryl Lewis says: Grace Lost follows a small group of survivors as they try to survive during the zombie apocalypse. One of my favorite scenes is a really emotionally draining one. A pregnant character goes into early labor and delivers a living (but tiny) baby. Both mother and baby die. Twice.
Why on earth would that be my favorite scene? I know, it sounds horrible. The scene, though, well...I put so much of my own emotions into that scene. It was difficult to write. It's difficult to read. Many readers say it's a tear-jerker.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? M. Lauryl Lewis says: Ha ha - love this question! There is so much of myself in my protagonist, Zoe. The funny thing about that is that so many reviews have mentioned how much they HATE Zoe! She is 20 years old, naive, very inexperienced in life, a bit clueless, and very whiny. I strive to make all of my characters realistic. Unlike my super power of napping, none of my characters have super power abilities. They are not expert weapon-wielders. They make some bad decisions. They are very intentionally flawed. I do this in order to make the story realistic. So, yes, Zoe has a lot of me within her. I make her react how I imagine I would if the living dead were trying to eat me. She cries. She vomits. She asks a lot of questions. She allows the bigger, stronger men in the story protect her.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. M. Lauryl Lewis says:
What Does the Fox Say
Hallelujah
Last Kiss
Home
Dollhouse
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? M. Lauryl Lewis says: If you want to write, do it!
M. Lauryl was born in Portland, Oregon, but grew up near Seattle, Washington. She lives near the Cascade Foothills with her husband and their three young sons, their dogs, and cats. She recently retired after an eighteen year career as a registered nurse in order to write full time while being at home with her children.
She has learned recently, after almost losing one of her children, to enjoy each and every day for what it is, savoring the good along with the bad. She can be found camping, fishing, reading, writing, or enjoying simple pleasures like cooking dinner or staring at the Cascade mountain range from her front porch. Her favorite places to vacation are polar opposites, Alaska and Hawaii. She is a huge lover of Mike 'N Ikes and hot-tubbing!
Ever since young childhood, she has enjoyed the horror genre. The scarier the better!
She loves to connect with readers! Reach her at:
www.facebook.com/mlauryllewis
@mlauryllewis
http://www.zombieauthor.com
1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them. Pete says: Just 3? Okay, that’s a bit tough to narrow it down, but I accept your challenge, and I’m not going to cheese out by stating the obvious (Stephen King). Hopefully I won’t hurt any feelings.
Cody Goodfellow – I met him for about 15 minutes at NecronomiCon in Providence a few weeks ago. His novels Radiant Dawn and Ravenous Dusk have been favorites of mine since I first read them. We exchanged books and he signed a few that I already owned. In the time we chatted, I immediately knew that I wanted to hang with him someday. I can’t even begin to describe him accurately enough to evoke the vibe he exudes. Cody is a whirlwind of hilarious stories, cosmic philosophy and stream-of-consciousness tangential thoughts that all connect in rollercoaster of topics. Read his books and you will begin to understand a small bit of the genius that resides in the skull beneath his mad scientist hair.
James Newman, author of Midnight Rain, Animosity, Ugly as Sin and numerous others. – Many people call him “the nicest guy in horror” and for good reason. I first corresponded with James about five years ago as a fanboy/aspiring writer via Facebook, and he was amazingly helpful. I sincerely doubt The Specimen would ever have been completed if not for his encouragement. Later on, I helped coordinate Widowmakers, a gigantic benefit anthology to help him during a health crisis. He’s invited along because I want to finally meet him in person, and he seems like the exact type of guy I’d want to share a few beers with.
Sarah Pinborough – another great author who I only know through Facebook. She is astonishingly prolific and her latest novel, The Death House, is both heartbreaking and horrific. From what I’ve gleaned of her life over the past few years via Facebook, Sarah enjoys tipping back a few with her fellow writers in the genre, and she would add a needed calming influence to the festivities… or perhaps she would just add to the mayhem. Either way, it wouldn’t surprise me if she ended up as the last one standing at the end of our bar crawl.
2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it Pete says: Though I’ve been told that I bear a remarkable resemblance to Buzz Lightyear, I would want to go all out and transform myself Faceoff-style into Brundlefly from David Cronenberg’s stupendous version of The Fly or perhaps a resident of Innsmoth who is undergoing an evolution into a minion of Dagon.
Creature horror has always been my favorite subgenre, from Kafka’s The Metamorphosis to one of my favorites from the 90s, Brian Hodges’ Nightlife. Its influence can be found in all my fiction. Another favorite genre of mine is science fiction. Jack L. Chalker, in my mind a sci-fi giant, explored change in race, gender, psyche and sexuality in his writing. He passed away back in 2005, and I was genuinely depressed for days. When I learned that Chalker had requested that some of his ashes be spread on the grave of H.P. Lovecraft, I decided to finally remedy the fact that I had yet to read any of his work (sacrilege, I know).
I believe that, in their hearts, everyone wants to experience what it would be like to transform into something else, whether it be simply walking in someone else’s shoes for a day, or mutating into a superhero after a chance encounter with a secret government project, or sprouting hair and fangs when the moon becomes full.
I know I want to.
3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husband’s dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why. Pete says: I would probably choose her husband’s old dentures. Recently, I read a short story by Joe R. Lansdale titled “Chompers”. A set of false teeth played a major part in the story and it has stuck in my head in the month or so since. Maybe I could get him to sign them if we ever meet.
4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read? Pete says: As you can imagine, since I write horror and constantly think about it, very few books reach the level of creeping me out. More often, a specific scene in a book will spook me. One scene that has stuck with me for over 30 years is Gage running down the hill in Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. As a parent, that will never fail to fill me with dread. Song of Kali by Dan Simmons and Survivor by J.F. Gonzalez also rank up there, but out of all the stories I’ve read, a short story by Chuck Palahniuk called “Guts” is absolutely the most frightening tale I’ve ever had the fortune to read. It literally makes me clench my buttcheeks every time I think about it.
5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin, you sack of bones) What are you and why? Pete says: I’m a big fan of lycanthropes – and I’m talking about the real deal here, sprouting fangs and hair, cartilage popping, bones cracking, skin ripping and splitting as the body stretches and twists – so I would most likely be a werewolf or maybe a werebear (one of my idea nuggets for a novel involves Viking werebears in Montana battling with an extreme right wing separatist militia). None of that romantic lycan crap from Twilight or the werewolf porn of the day. I would be something that needed to eat raw meat.
6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have. Pete says: I’m sure you get this answer a lot, but I truly can’t name just one, so I’ll just have to give you a list (in no particular order) of the ones that I always recommend whenever I’m asked that question:
· Floating Dragon by Peter Straub – one of my standbys when I need a book to kick start me out of a reading funk. It’s the perfect alignment of supernatural horror and scientific horror.
· The Trickster by Muriel Gray – Why has she only written three novels? And none since 2000? Read her novels and you will agree that it is a tragedy that she hasn’t put out more.
· The Necroscope series by Brian Lumley – Vile and monstrous vampires from another dimension like you have never read before. I never get tired of this series.
· Tie - Swan Song by Robert McCammon or The Stand by Stephen King. If you’re a fan of apocalyptic fiction and you haven’t read these two mammoth novels, you should have your library card torn in half.
· Tie – Midnight Rain by James Newman and Boy’s Life by McCammon (again). The same thing goes for fans of the coming of age sub-genre of horror if they have not read these two books.
7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood? Pete says: I’m an extremely slow writer, mainly because I can be easily distracted. In order to prepare myself, I wear headphones to drown out the sounds of the television, and occasionally, my children and wife screaming at each other. I don’t listen to music, however. The soundtrack to my writing is generally composed of various YouTube video with the sounds of rain on a loop. If I want something especially foreboding, I have a favorite recording of a thunderstorm in a cathedral. The echoes and rumble of the thunder perfectly sets the tone.
8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph Pete says: Definitely C. If I had to list someone as my idol, he is that person. When I first published The Specimen, I naively sent a signed copy to his business office in Bangor, hoping it would be passed along to him. In retrospect, I highly doubt that I was the first person to think of doing this, and it probably was donated to the local library.
9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars Pete says: I’m not the biggest fan of full-size Hershey bars, but it would definitely be something in that vein. My personal favorites are Payday bars and the dark chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Yes, Pete likes peanut butter. I make no secret of that.
10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them? Pete says: Frankly, I would tell them that they were probably making the right choice. If writing stresses them out and puts them under a lot of pressure, then it probably wasn’t the right career for them in the first place. I write because I enjoy it… because it provides me an outlet to release my stress. If I ever lose the feeling I get when I’m putting my words down in a file, I would quit. It’s probably not the most popular thing to say, but people should do what they do because they feel fulfilled in some way from their activities, not for any other reason. I’ve enjoyed the journey so much that I recently started my own small press, Bloodshot Books, and we plan to put out a couple of novels and anthologies each year. Money is certainly nice, even if it is only to supplement the author’s main income, but it is definitely not the main reason to write. I teach full time. I write because I need to.
Pete Kahle has been dreaming about writing novels since his teens, but after flirting with the idea in college, he spent 25 years working in a variety of careers before he finally stopped talking about it and started writing.
He has lived in New York, Arizona and Spain, but now he resides in Massachusetts with his beautiful wife Noemi, his two amazing children Zoe and Eli, one dog, two hamsters, two guinea pigs and two frogs.
Pete is a voracious reader of horror, thrillers and science fiction novels and he writes in the same vein. He is also an insane fan of the New York Jets, despite living deep in the heart of enemy territory near Gillette Stadium.
THE SPECIMEN is his first novel, but it certainly will not be his last. He is currently working on BLOOD MOTHER, a stand-alone vampiric novel - without vampires - due out in the spring of 2015. On the horizon is THE ABOMINATION, Book 2 in the Riders Saga, and most likely a 3rd book in the series with the tentative title of THE HORSEMEN.
Pete most recently organized and edited WIDOWMAKERS, an anthology of dark fiction and poetry to help fellow author James Newman in a time of need.
Now that the dark closet in his subconscious has been opened, the monsters are clamoring to come out for a visit.
Let's see what Yvonne had to say about reading, writing and zombies!
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. Yvonne says: Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess, (http://thebloggess.com/) because she’s incredibly funny and humor helps in a tense survival situation.
Jim Cobb, the author of a number of prepper books (http://survivalweekly.com/books-by-jim-cobb), because he would be prepared.
Any of the writers from The Walking Dead. They’ve clearly given the zombie apocalypse a lot of thought.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why. Yvonne says: JK Rowling first. Then she could create a spell like Accio King Personus and summon King out of the water. Everyone wins.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? Yvonne says: I currently have a pile of 39 books! I’m reading Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? Yvonne says: Collected Lyrics of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Beautiful poetry!
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? Yvonne says: What to Do Before Your Book Launch by MJ Rose and Randy Susan Meyers (since Pandemic was published that year)
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? Yvonne says: How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish Without a Trace by Frank Ahearn. It’s research for another novel I’m working on. I swear.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? Yvonne says: Organization. Although it can be a form of procrastination, I’m very skilled at it.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? Yvonne says: Anywhere I can keep an eye on my dogs. ------> Meredith says: I love them! They're so fluffy!!
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book PANDEMIC. Yvonne says: SPOILER ALERT. Here’s a teaser from one of my favorite scenes from Pandemic.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? Yvonne says: In Pandemic, Lilianna’s mom is a horrible cook and some of that’s based on my own experience in the kitchen.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. Yvonne says: I have to write in silence! But my five songs for Pandemic would be:
“Breathe” by Ryan Star
“Bent” by Matchbox Twenty
“Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw
“Everything Has Changed” by Taylor Swift with Ed Sheeran
“Who Knew” by P!nk
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? Yvonne says: Find a great critique group. Solid advice can transform a story.
Yvonne Ventresca is the author of PANDEMIC (Sky Pony Press, 2014), winner of the 2015 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Atlantic region). PANDEMIC is a young adult novel about an emotionally traumatized teenager struggling to survive a deadly bird flu outbreak. School Library Journal called PANDEMIC "an engrossing apocalyptic story” and Kirkus Reviews said “this realistic page-turner will keep most readers enthralled.” Yvonne’s other writing credits include a short story in the YA dystopian anthology PREP FOR DOOM (2015), two nonfiction books for teens, AVRIL LAVIGNE (a biography of the singer) and PUBLISHING (about careers in the field), and various articles for teens and adults.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. Angela says: Wow, that’s a hard one. I’d have to say Joss Whedon, JK Rowling and Lee Child because they’ve created such smart, brave, kick-ass, and clever characters and we’d need all of that to survive.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why. Angela says: Sorry, Stephen! But it would be JK. I’m a huge fan and still hold out hope she will revisit Harry’s world one day and gives us a new book, featuring another character.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? Angela says: I just finished Aliette de Bodard’s HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, which was awesome! And I’m about to start reading Deanna Raybourn’s A COURIOUS BEGINNING.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? Angela says: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. I can read the part when Lucy goes into the wardrobe and comes out in snowy Narnia over and over again.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? Angela says: It would be a tie between Ben Aaronovitch’s fourth Peter Grant novel, BROKEN HOMES and THE CUCKOO’S CALLING by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? Angela says: Hands down THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN by Paula Hawkins. It’s one of those slow burner novels. Before you know it, it grabs you by the throat and drags you in.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? Angela says: One of my favorite anime’s series is called READ OR DIE! It’s about female agents for a special division of the British Library who can magically control and manipulate paper. That would be my superpower.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? Angela says: I have a corner in my bedroom set up for writing. But I can write anyplace I have access to a computer.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book KNIGHT’S FALL. Angela says: It would probably be the opening scene describing my main Character Xavier Knight’s fall from heaven and what happens to him after he lands in a back alley in New Orleans.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? Angela says: There’s a one eyed, redheaded, mini skirt wearing, compulsive gambling librarian in KNIGHT’S FALL but I’m not going to say which of her traits she got from me.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. Angela says:
1. A Flat by Black Violin
2. Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake
3. The Show by Doug E. Fresh
4. Rock The Casbah by The Clash
5. Firestarter by The Prodigy
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? Angela says: Write the kinds of books you would enjoy reading yourself.
Angela Henry was once told that her past life careers included spy, researcher, and investigator. She stuck with what she knew because today she's a mystery writing library reference specialist, who loves to people watch and eavesdrop on conversations. She's the author of five mysteries featuring equally nosy amateur sleuth Kendra Clayton, as well as the thriller The Paris Secret. When she's not working, writing, or practicing her stealth, she loves to travel, is connoisseur of B horror movies, and an admitted anime addict. She lives in Ohio and is currently hard at work trying to meet her next deadline.
