Author Interview: ‘Monster Born’ by Kris Austen Radcliffe

About the Book:

Like Frank Victorsson, some things will not stay dead.

Two hundred years ago, Victor Frankenstein reanimated a stitched-together corpse. But the man once known as Frankenstein’s Monster refused to embody his father’s malice. He escaped his origin – and stumbled into a small Minnesota town overflowing with magic.

Now, the Nordic elves of his new home call him family. The werewolves call him friend. When the town’s vampires disappear and innocents die, Frank realizes the demon responsible might be the one force capable of pulling to the surface the horrors he’d learned to suppress.

Frank must stop a rampaging evil bent on murdering the people he loves the most. But can he save his town without losing himself?

Join the man formerly known as Frankenstein’s Monster and the magical people of Alfheim, Minnesota, in a captivating fantasy that’s a must-read page-turner perfect for fans of Patricia Briggs, Anne McCraffery, and Neil Gaiman. Immerse yourself in the deeply satisfying Northern Creatures universe today!

Northern Creatures: The lovechild of American Godsand Penny Dreadful raised by its doting Midwestern aunt, Fargo.

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Author Interview:

1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?

I love spending time cozied up with blankets and my cats. They’re sweet little menaces. Oh, and writing. I’d say I mostly got into writing because I enjoy creating new worlds from nothing and like mixing science and fantasy together in new and interesting ways. 

Northern Creatures Book Nine, Witch Burned is in editing. Pre-orders will be available soon. 

2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?

I write in our living room while sitting on our couch so the cats can sleep next to me while I work. I have a wheeled desk with a keyboard tray I use. Once I have my desk in place and keyboard and lights set up, getting in and out is like crawling in and out of a cockpit.

3: Where do your ideas come from?

My parents made a pact with an elf the night I was born. I don’t have specifics beyond “that’s not for you to know,” and “Hush! Quiet. Stop asking questions.”

4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?

I usually have an ending in mind. I use them as lighthouses to keep me on track through a story. 

5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?

I write science fiction, contemporary fantasy, SF mystery (new genre for me!), and a touch of romance. As for what drew me in, I like dragons and speculation. Or maybe speculative dragons. 

6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?

Dave Bautista as Frank Victorsson and Björn Hlynur Haraldsson as Arne Odinsson. Also, Jensen Ackles as Magnus Freyrsson because I believe in my heart of hearts that all stories need least one character who could be played by Mr. Ackles. It’s only right and good. 

7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?

Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Anne McCaffrey.

8: What book/s are you reading at present?

Extremes, a Retrieval Artist book by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

9: What is your favourite book and why?

Like my children, I don’t have a favorite.

10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?

Learn your craft. Write a lot. Finish what you start. Learn the business side.

11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?

I don’t post a ton on social media, but you can sometimes find me on Tiktok, my newsletter which you can sign up for here: https://www.sixtalonsign.com/mailing-list-sign-up/

My spoutible is @KrisRadcliffe   and my Tiktok is @kris.a.radcliffe

www.krisradcliffe.com

About the Author:

Kris’s contemporary romance series, The Quidell Brothers, brings her descriptive touch to the real world. Her fantasy and futuristic romance series, Fate – Fire – Shifter – Dragon, sets it free in the fantastic. She’s traversed many storytelling worlds–dabbles in film and comic books, time as a talent agent and a textbook photo coordinator, as well as a foray into nonfiction. But she craved narrative and richly-textured worlds–and unexpected, true love.

Kris lives in Minnesota with her husband, two daughters, and the feline Warriors Three of Bjorn Stripeysides, Magnus Fluffybritches, and Astrid Monkeybutt.

Book Blitz: ‘Before the Shutdown’ by Mack J. Lou

Title: Before the Shutdown

Series: Nousopolis

Author: Mack J. Lou

Genre: Science Fiction, Graphic Novel

About the Book:

It’s around mid-22nd century. Earth is utterly uninhabitable. Moreover, frequent environmental / physical anomalies occur that cause critical technological failures and destruction. The city-state Nousopolis, which must constantly sustain a vital artificially sustained urban habitat, is organized around an interconnected network of citizens and infrastructures based on an advanced ‘neural-control interface’ computing system. It allows ultra-fast remote thought-based communication among citizens and between citizens and technology. The alpha-officers of the PEXECUTIVE (government) are at the forefront of protecting the city. Although based on the world of “NOUSOPOLIS”, “Before the SHUTDOWN” tells its own independent story. It focuses on three alpha-officers of the PEXECUTIVE’s Department of Facilities, Automations, and Infrastructures. The story provides a closer look at the city’s predicament and highlights the treacherous challenges that Janet, John, and Rob must face on a daily basis. 

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Blurb

About the Author:

Mack J. Lou is a life explorer, wannabe wisdom-lover (philosopher), artist, and author. He has a science background and he’s fascinated by science and technology. He appreciates thought-provoking sci-fi works and has spent a great deal of time delving into the worlds of science fiction. He enjoys discussing the latest sci-fi films and novels. He often debates philosophical issues with friends and colleagues but, usually, loses every argument. He’s also intrigued by the world of arts. Whenever the opportunity arises and his time allows, he tries to immerse himself in a variety of creative arts. This is especially true for visual arts and graphic design.

Social Media Links:

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/20506234.Mack_J_Lou

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081668530092

Email: mac_lou@ymail.com

Author Interview: ‘The Price of Rebellion’ by Michael C. Bland

About the Book:

Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year – Indies Today (2022)

It’s 2047. Secrets have been revealed. And Washington wants revenge.

Dray Quintero learned an ugly truth: the leaders in D.C. are fake. They’ve stolen the identities of those elected to Congress and are determined to stay in power, using his own technology against him and the rest of the population.

After revealing the dangers of their mandated implants to his fellow citizens, and calling on everyone to rise up, Dray joins the already-underway rebellion. But his joining is as much to free the U.S. as it is to avenge his daughter’s death. Before he can strike, The Agency attacks with devastating consequences. Dray and the other survivors are forced to run as Agents hunt them.

Then Dray makes a discovery that could change the nation.

As he and the rebels prepare a bold offensive, his wife, Mina, broadcasts a preposterous claim. He’s forced to choose between the rebellion and a desperate hope. Between family and country.

What he does will change everything.

The Price of Rebellion is the action-packed second installment of The Price Of series from multiple-award-winning author Michael C Bland.

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Author Interview:

1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?

I’ve been obsessed with books since I was a kid. My father was a big science fiction fan, and when I found and consumed his copies of Contact, Stranger in a Strange Land, and other sci-fi novels he’d left around the house, I became hooked on the genre. Yet while I loved reading and telling stories, I went to college for something other than writing. It was after I’d graduated, and I obtained my first job, which was in the collections department for a finance company—and included repossessing cars—that made me rethink my life choices. I tried my hand at writing, and while those first attempts will never see the light of day because they were so bad, those initial stories spurred me to pursue writing. I’ve never looked back. 

2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?

No I don’t. I write every chance I get, though my actual writing usually occurs on the weekends. During the week, I think about what I plan to write that weekend, so when I’m able to actually start typing, I have a clear vision of what I want to cover. It’s not ideal, but it’s the system I’ve developed. I write at my desk, streaming Spotify to provide background music (Calm Before the Storm is my current go-to). The fewer distractions I have, the more productive I end up being when I write.

3: Where do your ideas come from?

They come from the most random places and at the oddest times. The idea for The Price of Safety came from riding the “L” in Chicago one day. Every passenger had their noses buried in their phones, and I thought, “I could strip naked and no one would notice.” Yet there are cameras in the ceiling of every cab, so someone could be watching without our knowledge. That inspired me to write a novel about constant surveillance, and how someone could protect a loved one in a world where they’re under 24-hour surveillance.  

4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?

I have to plan it out ahead of time. My first attempt at writing was a novel I made up as a went along, and it was a complete trainwreck. No one should ever read it. So I outline ahead of time. Besides, the world I created for The Price of trilogy requires a lot of planning. Every step Dray and the other characters take, and every challenge they encounter, needs to make sense. There can’t be any shortcuts, and there can’t be a breakdown in the logic of the world. So I need to map everything out ahead of time. 

Having said that, the original book was supposed to be a standalone story. I hadn’t planned on writing a trilogy, but the end of the first book was the logical next step, which led to the trilogy. In mapping out The Price of Rebellion and now the third book, I’ve created a complete, multi-part story with an arc that I may have subconsciously planned in the beginning but was still a surprise to discover. I’m proud of how the trilogy ends. I hope it surprises readers as I bring the overarching story to its conclusion, though there will be sacrifices along the way. 

5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?

My books are science fiction thrillers. I’ve loved science fiction ever since I read my dad’s copies of sci-fi books as a kid, and then Star Wars came along. While I like other genres as well, sci-fi won my heart. 

I write stories that are fast-paced, as I want to surprise and entertain readers. I know I’m competing for their attention, so I try to grab their attention and keep it throughout the story. That’s where the “thriller” part comes in.

6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?

That’s a tough question, as I have my own image of what Dray Quintero, his daughters Raven and Talia, his wife Mina, and the rebels Jex, Garly, and others look like. If I was in charge of casting, I would choose either Oscar Isaac (he’d need to bulk up) or Michael Pena as Dray, Kristina Pimenova as Raven, Alexa Swinton as Talia, Golshifteh Farahani as Mina, and Asher Angel as Jex. They’re the closest to who I think the characters look like. However, it would come down to who could best bring the characters to life.

7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?

I don’t read as much as I used to, because most of my free time is taken with my own writing. However, I’ve read a ton, and I have books stacked up to read when I finish my trilogy. I really enjoy Pierce Brown, Terry Goodkind (his earlier stuff), Blake Crouch, and Daniel Suarez.

8: What book/s are you reading at present?

I just finished Fledgling by Olivia Wilde. A friend recommended it, and I really enjoyed it. The story is a fresh take on the vampire genre. It wasn’t what I normally would have read, but I’m glad I did.

9: What is your favourite book and why?

There are so many amazing choices out there. If someone tied me up, dangled me off the side of the cliff, and forced me to choose just one book, I’d have to go with The Stand by Stephen King. I know, it’s not related to my genre, and the ending could have been a little stronger, but the story is truly epic in scale, the characters are well developed, and the battle of good versus evil has stayed with me since I first read it thirty-plus years ago.

10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?

Get a beta reader, preferably a fellow writer. This person needs to be 100% blunt and honest about what works in your story and what doesn’t. You then need to listen to what they tell you. They may not always be right, but their suggested edits (which may include cutting entire characters, subplots, etc) will make you relook at your book in ways you hadn’t before. If you don’t take their suggestion with something, make sure you are rejecting their edit for a very good reason. 

Writing involves constant improvement and updating. Make sure you have someone who makes your writing better.

11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?

You can reach me via the usuals:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcblandwriter

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mcbland107

Twitter: @mcblandwriter

You can also find out more about me and my work, as well as sign up for my newsletter, at www.mcbland.com.

About the Author:

Michael is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He writes the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.

Michael is the newest member of a class of fresh perspective writers getting their first major exposure to a national audience. One of his short stories, “Elizabeth”, won Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest 2015 Popular Fiction Awards contest. Three of the short stories he edited have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Another story he edited was adapted into an award-winning film.

Michael currently lives in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area with his wife Janelle and their dogs Nobu and Pico.

His novel, The Price of Safety, is the first in The Price of trilogy. The sequel, The Price of Rebellion, will be released in May 2023.

Book Blitz: ‘Nathaniel Saint And The Elements’ by E.O. Daniel

Title: Nathaniel Saint and The Elements

Author: E.O. Daniel

Genre: Science Fiction

About the Book:

All he wanted to do was drink fine wine, wear fancy suits and drive fancy cars. You know, life’s basic necessities. But all it took was one evening for Nathaniel Saint to realize that his life would never be that simple. It’s the year 2183, Earth is gone and Terra-6 is humanity’s new home. But the federation isn’t telling the people everything. It’s only a matter of time before Nathan himself is dragged into the spiralling chaos of violence, crime, blackmail and deception. With forces both seen and unseen vying for control of the Element; a mysteriously powerful material responsible for planet Earth’s destruction. Nathan has to play the game with the hand he’s been dealt. There will be incomplete questions, and answers he can’t trust. It’s both a maze and a race. The stakes are his own life and that of anyone he might care about. Fast paced and unrelenting, as history stands dangerously close to repeating itself. It’s a new age, a new world but people are still the same.

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About the Author:

Crazy how things start. E.O. Daniel is a 21-year-old writer and aspiring Sci-Fi and Fantasy author. With a passion for all things science and technology, he has been crafting stories about futuristic worlds, advanced civilizations, and mind-bending technologies since he was a child.

During his time in college, he honed his craft by writing short stories and submitting them to various literary magazines and competitions.

When he’s not writing, Daniel enjoys reading, playing video games, and exploring the outdoors. He is currently working on his debut series of sci-fi short stories The Saint Series of which the story: Nathaniel Saint And The Elements is his first.

Daniel is excited to share his vision of the future with readers and hopes to inspire others to think critically about the role of technology in society.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074116673560

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OyedejiEsuola

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/penonfire

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/pen_on_fire3000

Author Interview: ‘Pulstar I: The Swan Barely Remembers’ by Giancarlo Roversi

About the Book:

Three strangers who share a forgotten past confront a vengeance they incited when their bodies weren’t human.

In Astralvia, a nation on the brink, astronomer Jeral Murh’s life is in limbo.

She’s woken from a coma with fresh memories and is certain of two things:

1.- Her past actions are already haunting her present.

2.- She is not entirely human.

She must abscond from Astralvia before an ancient enemy wreaks revenge.

Everything is against her. She must find Aris Castilho, her former ally, and make him remember what they once meant to each other. She can’t leave without him.

Will she find Aris and convince him of their common past?

Will they reach Esther, their third ally?

Time is short … the ultimate reckoning is coming … and it’s unthinkable, indescribable—the worst thing that can happen to any human being.

Get ready to reflect on your place in the cosmos, your raison d’être, and what being human actually means. Riddled with mystery, suspense, and a hint of romance, Pulstar I: The Swan Barely Remembers is the first installment in the Pulstar trilogy. Books 2 and 3 will also be published this year.

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Author Interview:

1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?

I’m a musician and a computer engineer. Since I was a child, I loved art. I dreamed of being a singer and an actor. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but when I was ten years old, I suffered an accident on a small train—I was unable to walk for a year and almost lost a foot. During those months when I couldn’t even get up, I wolfed down dozens of books by Agatha Christie and other authors. I also wrote my first short story. It was in the horror genre, and I always pictured the main character running away from a horde of zombie with the first part of the song “Magnetic Fields I” by Jean Michel Jarré playing as a background music.

2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?

Early morning was my best time to write the Pulstar trilogy and its three prequels. I could do this because since 2012 I practically abandoned the real world and devoted every day to writing, and then translating. Since the pandemic, I’ve been rewriting, proofreading, editing, translating, composing music, and anything related to the publication of Pulstar I. And I do this from morning to late at night, every day but Saturdays.

Oh, and regarding the place, in 2015 and 2016 I used to write in the living room of an almost empty apartment with an incredible sight of Caracas, my hometown.

3: Where do your ideas come from?

During my teenage years, at my sister’s birthdays, a party guest talked about an intrinsic and mysterious subject. That’s where the idea for Pulstar came from. I felt I had to write about it somehow, heavily influenced by Blade Runner and my favorite books. I published the novels Astralvia I and II in Spanish in early 2000. Then I stopped writing and focused fully on my band Fractaler until 2012.

The social, economic, and political disaster in my country, Venezuela, influenced Pulstar and one of its prequels heavily.

When I was drafting Pulstar III, I was so daunted that I got blocked. Then I heard an incredible story and started writing about it. I dropped it in the middle when I was no longer afraid of Pulstar III.

I have several projects in mind; only one is science fiction. One of them is about a drummer girl who wants to make it; I’m a wanna-be drummer—what can I say?

4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?

Yes, I almost always have a written layout in paper. With the Pulstar trilogy, I also had the whole ending of the last book in my head, and that was a significant driving force to finish writing these three books, translating them, and composing the music for each of them.

5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?

The Pulstar trilogy is science fiction, alternate reality, and dystopia with a touch of romance. Nerve is science fiction with thriller, mystery, and a tinge of horror, perhaps.

Then we have Marlenh, an erotic thriller thirty years before the events of Pulstar I and Nerve, and The Daughter of the Spike, a political thriller three years before Nerve.

All the stories take place in this fictional country called Astralvia, and so it will be for future projects.

Science fiction gives you thousands of possibilities. It’s thought-provoking and presents a range of philosophical issues I love. But what I like most about science fiction—hard-but-not-that-hard—is that it allows me to talk about one of my favorite subjects: the cosmos.

6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?

Oh, we storytellers enjoy these questions. Well, I could ramble on for hours… No, seriously, I’ve been working on this project for so many years that the dream cast has changed so many times. I always envisioned the villain as a mix of Jeremy Irons and Ed Harris. Now, if Viggo Mortensen would play this role, it would be a dream come true for me. Jeral Murh… Wow… At some point, I imagined Milla Jovovich playing her. In fact, in the first drafts of the Astralvia books—the seeds of Pulstar I and Nerve—I imagined Jeral as Jovovich in The Fifth Element. Then it was Samara Weaving, especially because of her prominent incisor teeth. However, there’s an actress I didn’t know, and when I spotted her in a horror movie—I’m a horror movie fan—I said: this could be Jeral. Then I saw her in the first season of The White Lotus, and I was convinced … That’s Jeral! Maybe shorter and not so stunning. Her name is Alexandra Daddario. And I could go on … It’s too tempting!

7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?

I read quite a lot, but not as much as I’d like to, for two reasons: lack of time and because I’m a slow reader—something I should improve at some point. My favorite authors are George Orwell, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Dan Simmons, Anne Rice, Gillian Flynn, Cormac McCarthy, Oriana Fallaci. Phew, this list could also continue for hours.

8: What book/s are you reading at present?

I’m not reading any books at present, unfortunately. Time is draining me, mainly because I’m producing the music for the Pulstar trilogy and Nerve, editing Marlenh—another Pulstar prequel—Pulstar II, and Pulstar III, plus the promotion, the website … So, I’m just reading articles and watching tutorials related to music production and marketing.

9: What is your favourite book and why?

Yes, yes, of course! I have three, in the same position. Isaac Asimov’s The End of Eternity, George Orwell’s 1984, and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. All three inspired my obsession with Pulstarverse. I read The End of Eternity as a kid and decided I’d write a science fiction story that handled the romance, twists, and ending in such a way. 1984, there must be thousands of experts on this masterpiece. It changed the way I looked at the world, society, politics, the Status Quo. Carl Sagan’s Cosmos is difficult to explain briefly. I’m an agnostic and I love astronomy, and Sagan is one of my favorite people in history.

10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?

Wow, this is a tough one.

They have to love writing, otherwise, there’s no point. It’s hours of solitude and requires an extreme sacrifice on a social, economic, and emotional level that perhaps only other writers or people connected to the literary scene would be able to fully understand. However, if the uneasiness and the inner burning are there and never go away, we have no choice but toss it out, hoping our message connects with other people.

11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?

My website: giancarloroversi.com

About the Author:

Venezuela-born Giancarlo Roversi isn’t only a writer. He’s also a computer engineer and a musician who shared stages with artists such as REM, Oasis, Travis, Duran Duran, and Maroon Five.

When his band Fractaler broke up in 2011, he devoted the next ten years to cue the Pulstar Trilogy and three prequels in that universe.

He surrendered his personal life and wrote these manuscripts in his native language, Spanish, and then he translated them into English. He also composed a soundtrack for each book; they’re currently in production.

When he’s not living and breathing in his Pulstarverse, he loves family time, cooking, astronomy, animals, and having philosophical discussions—especially about the meaning of life—with anyone who cares to join him.