Sitting Down With El Tio

I'm so happy to bring to you an incredible husband and wife couple - Larry Buchanan and Karen Gans.  Together they share with us a wonderful, real-life story of an incredible geologic find and how a challenge led them to spend so much of their lives in the tiny Bolivian village of San Cristobal.  That experience continues to live on in their hearts today.

So please join me in welcoming the authors of "The Gift of El Tio".

DAB:  Larry, what was it about geology that led you into the field?

LARRY:  I found a form of liberation in geology.  My memory as a kid growing up in the coalfields of western Pennsylvania is of grimy brick buildings, black snow, soot covered fields, ashes, cinders, drunkenness, ignorance, and universal povery.  I knew deep inside, somewhere there had to be a better world.  At age 11, I left an abusive family behind and moved to the Mojave Desert of California.  For the first time I saw color in my life:  blue sky, orange and red cliffs among the butte and mesas, olive-green sage poking out of the yellow sands, vast expanses where I could walk a hundred miles and never come across a fence.  I saw romance in the ruins of ghost towns and wondered over the azure-and malachite-green stained rocks around the abandoned mines, explored entire petrified forests turned to swirls of agate and chalcedony.  Even the name, Mojave, conjured up an image of mysterious peoples of long ago.  I found freedom there, a peaceful solitude broken only by the rocks, snakes, and scorpions.  I decided then at that early age to become a geologist, to make a living in such a place, to get paid to hike the hills and valleys.

DAB:  Larry, describe for us what it was like first coming across the village of San Cristobal and the incredible silver deposits out in the open for all to see.

LARRY:  When I first saw the adobe village with its grass-thatch roofs among the cobble stone streets, I was struck by the lack of people.  Other than a little girl peering at me through some cracks in a rock wall, the streets were deserted, not a soul in sight, everyone hiding from the stranger hiking along their streets.  I knew a hundred pairs of eyes were staring at me from the dark cracks in their doors and windows.  I felt this village must be the poorest I had seen, and I had seen a lot.  Then I inspected the rocks in the walls, the cobbles in the streets, the cliffs surrounding the houses.  All were laced with thin veins and masses of silver minerals:  argentite, galena, limonite, all of no particular note to the layman, but to a trained geologist, ineluctable proof of the presence of silver.  Their homes, their streets, their walls were made of silver; the village of San Cristobal lay right on top of one of the world's largest silver deposits.  I had to tell my boss but in those pre-cell phone days, I had to drive 12 hours across dry lakebeds and up and down rocky canyons to get to the first functioning phone.  My voice broke, I shook with excitement, and told him to be ready to spend tens of millions of dollars to see if I was right or not.  To his credit, he jumped at the chance.

DAB:  Karen, what was your initial reaction to this discovery?  Were you immediately aware of how this would impact the villagers or did realizations occur gradually?

KAREN:  I was appalled.  I adored - and still do - my husband, but at that time, we saw the world from very different perspectives; he, being conservative, was convinced that this mine would bring jobs and eradicate poverty; I, being the liberal, could not tolerate the loss of culture and identity that inevitably would face the people.  Locked in our polarized views as so many are today, we were each convinced our positions were correct.  Neither of us could have known the outcome of Larry's discovery in the beginning.  As a matter of fact, now, fourteen years since the town was moved, we know some outcomes, but we're aware there are even more to come.  Thus, new realizations have occurred over time and continue to occur, enabling us to re-examine our viewpoints; I, accepting the advantages of developing a mine and Larry, recognizing the value of culture.

DAB:  Where did the challenge to go live in San Cristobal originate and why?

KAREN:  The challenge to go live in San Cristobal sprang from our polarized viewpoints.  I didn't know how I could justify living with a man who supported the destruction of an indigenous village nor did I trust what the mining company would do.  I had to see for myself.  This prompted me to demand that Larry and I follow the people to see the impact of the changes.  Fortunately, my husband agreed!

LARRY:  Actually, Karen didn't leave me much choice.  Either go there and live with her, or risk losing her entirely.  I figured she would last maybe two weeks and then beg to go home.  Who would have thought that 10 years later....

DAB:  Tell us what it was like when you first arrived in country, knowing you were going to spend so much of your lives there.

KAREN:  First of all, it's important to note that Larry and I were always aware that we could escape and return to the comforts of our home in Ashland, Oregon, and we did this from time to time.  If we hadn't, I fear we might not be able to write this blog today.  San Cristobal was hidden away in a remote canyon in the high desert of Bolivia.  At 14,000 feet above sea level, I initially experienced altitude sickness - headaches, nausea, weakness.  Even though we adapted somewhat to the altitude, lack of oxygen forced us to move slowly, extreme dryness parched our lips and cracked our skin on our fingers, and "el viento" (the wind) filled our lungs with dust.  These elements either robbed us of sleep or triggered nightmares.  At the same time, the uniqueness of the village excited me and I loved each new experience; well, maybe not "loved", but welcomed the adventure.

LARRY:  To tell the truth, it was quite easy as I had to be on site anyway to do my geological studies of the property.  Thus, living in the village allowed me to work with fewer interruptions.  And having Karen there to come home to at night was just wonderful.  We were, and still are, on our honeymoon.

DAB:  Was the trek to the village difficult?

KAREN:  My first trip from the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, where we'd fly in, to San Cristobal was a challenge.  I curled up in the back seat, fighting altitude sickness, but at the same time, I didn't want to miss anything.  In 1998, what Bolivians called a road was not my idea of a road.  Our Toyota bounced across endless desert for 12 hours with nothing in sight but some distant mountains - brown, no trees, no lakes, barren like the moon - and the smell of dust filling our nostrils.  Remember, I'm from the damp, green Northwest.  Larry is the desert rat.

LARRY:  Naw, not a problem.  I am used to 12 to 15 hour rides across the desert.  'Twas a bit bumpy, though, and seeing how green Karen was in the back seat did concern me a bit.  But I figured she'd survive, somehow.

DAB:  Karen, tell us about what you first noticed when seeing San Cristobal for the first time.

KAREN:  I loved the village the moment I saw it.  The old town was nestled amidst rocky hills, the browns and yellows matching the surroundings as if they had sprung up from the earth.  The adobe houses with grass-thatched roofs lined the three streets, all meeting in a central plaza where a single pipe from a distant spring delivered the town's water through a faucet.  The quaintness charmed me.  I love children and volunteered to teach English at the little school.  The teachers and students welcomed me with curiosity and delight.

DAB:  Do you have some special memories of your years in San Cristobal you'd care to share with the audience?

LARRY:  One experience stands out strongly:  my crawling three times around the cemetery with the village chief at midnight, begging the souls and spirits to forgive us for disturbing their peace, all the while stoned on coca leaf and beer.  I didn't realize it at the time, but it was a religious experience of the first order, one that set me on a course to look deeper into the Quechua ceremonies.

KAREN:  A young adolescent, whom we call Soledad in The Gift of El Tio, befriended me early on.  One day while hiking the hills, Soledad suddenly dashed away, leaping across thola brush like a swift deer, and then ever so slowly returning, her hands cupped.  When she approached us, she opened her hands to reveal a baby ostrich.  Soledad's ability to live in harmony with her surroundings as well as her resourcefulness of how to survive in this barren land amazed me.  I felt safe and cared for in her presence.

Other positive memories include moments with students in the classroom.  They received every song, every picture book (there were no books in the school), every game with enthusiasm.  We danced the hokey pokey and we played bingo endlessly.  For the first time in their lives, they received letters and photos from penpals at my school in Ashland, Oregon.  I experienced such joy from my contact with these children.  And then years later, to witness them as young adults taking advantage of educational opportunities and training that the mine brought, well, I don't want to give away what happens in our story...

DAB:  What prompted you to write "The Gift of El Tio" to chronicle the experience?

KAREN:  For me, moral obligation.  I felt that if I were married to the man who found the deposit that required a village be destroyed, I needed to know the outcome for the villagers.  Larry is an exploration geologist.  His job is to discover ore and then move on to look in other places.  I demanded that he not abandon these people, and that we not only live among the people, but also document the changes.

LARRY:  We had such unique experiences, involving blind witches, zombies, shaman, animal (and human?) sacrifices, crawling around cemeteries in the middle of the night, chewing coca till green goo slobbered down our chins, rocks that came alive to kill and maim, long evenings huddled against evil spirits and sprites and walking, living devils...well, how could you not write about such experiences?

DAB:  How have your lives changed since discovering the deposit and then living among the Quechua culture?

KAREN:  I truly feel I am a different person having lived among the people of San Cristobal.  I no longer cling to my way of seeing the world.  I've not changed my liberal values, but I can listen to my conservative husband and respect his viewpoint, sometimes I even agree with him.  I no longer sit in the comforts of our coffee house, sipping my latte and expounding on the evils of mining and development in far-off places of the world.  I recognize how complicated the issues are and how individual is each situation.

LARRY:  As I wrote in the epilogue of The Gift of El Tio, "Karen and I started out at opposite poles, two points of view looking at the world from different angles, acute against obtuse.  Karen saw injustice where I saw opportunity.  She imagined a healthy, vibrant culture, and I, only dysfunction and despair.  Our images of the world were focused by prisms cut concave and convex:  hers, I thought, rose-colored; mine, she thought, as opaque as coal.  It's funny how a shared experience can prove that neither of us was right."

DAB:  What do you miss most after leaving San Cristobal?

KAREN:  I miss the friends we made and being in San Cristobal to witness the changes that continue to affect their lives.

LARRY:  Huddled by a fire while the shaman and the village chief relate stories long into the night, listening to the cold wind whistle around the cracks and the sharp corners of the rocks.  "Are there spirits out there?" they ask with their eyes, "and are they friendly or...?"

DAB:  Do you have plans to go back to Bolivia and visit San Cristobal again?

LARRY:  Are you kidding?  You bet, any time.  There is still so much to experience.

KAREN:  Yes, we will return to San Cristobal.  Our connection has lived on through a young man, Cornelio Gonzales, who came to live with us five years ago in order to learn English.  After achieving a sufficient level of English and with the help of Larry's generous boss, Cornelio studied at our local university - quite a feat for a young man who grew up without a single book - and graduated this past June.  He will attend East Anglia University in England next year where he plans to acquire a Masters in International Development and Education.  His hopes?  To improve education in developing countries.  We hope to visit him in Bolivia when he is Minister of Education!

Once again, I want to thank Larry and Karen for visiting the blog and allowing us to be a part of their lives - even if only for a moment.  As a youngster, I'd always loved geology and archaeology - dirt and dead things, I used to say.  So when the opportunity arose to interview this fascinating couple, I jumped at the chance.  I never expected the depth of the story I found in "The Gift of El Tio" and can highly recommend this touching and heartfelt encounter they shared.  I laughed at Larry's journey on his knees around the cemetery in the icy, freezing wind.  I cried along with Karen at the heartbreaking loss of the village children (even newborn twins).  Soledad was truly an inspiration!  But you'll have to read the book to find out why. :-)  Then you can also find out the gift not only that El Tio gave to the village of San Cristobal but also the gift that Larry gave back to El Tio.

The Gift of El Tio Summary:
Larry, a world-renowned geologist, discovers an enormous deposit of silver beneath a remote Quechua village in Bolivia and unwittingly fulfills a 400-year-old prophecy that promised a life of wealth for the villagers. Karen, a specialist in child development, is deeply disturbed by the prospect of displacing the people in order to open a mine. She challenges Larry to leave the comforts of home and move to the village in order to bear witness to the massive change his discovery will spark. Thus begins the couple's life-changing, ten-year journey into the Quechua community, their evolution from outsiders to trusted friends. Then part two of the ancient prophecy is disclosed to them, and they are shocked by the truth of its predictions: alienation, despair, even cannibalism.

Author Bios:
Larry Buchanan earned his PhD in Economic Geology in 1979 and taught university-level geology for several years, but his love of the field led him to gold and silver prospecting in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In 2006, he won the coveted Thayer Lindsley Award for the San Cristobal silver discovery. Dr. Buchanan has published a dozen scientific works and is a sought-after speaker at international conferences and college campuses.

Karen Gans earned her Master s degree in Early Childhood Development and has thirty-five years of experience as an educator, counselor, and consultant. She taught English in the Quechua village while the couple lived in Bolivia. Ms. Gans and her husband have four children and two grandchildren and reside in Ashland, Oregon.

You can read more about it on their website at http://thegiftofeltio.com or to follow their Tribute Books blog tour http://thegiftofeltio.blogspot.com

Price: $19.95 paperback, $5.99 ebook
Pages: 254
ISBN: 9781450739146
Publisher: Fuze Publishing
Release: December 2010

Amazon paperback buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1450739148?tag=tributebooks-20

Fuze Publishing paperback buy link:
http://fuzepublishing.com/books?fpcat=non-fiction-book

Amazon Kindle buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004CRTGCK?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com Nook buy link:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=239662.2940012708496&type=2&subid=0

Where the Characters Take Us

Things have taken a bit of a turn in writing my sequel, Piercing the Darkness.

When interviewing other authors for my site, my favorite question to ask is (I'm sure you all know the answer to this one by now) whether or not they outline their novels.  When first conducting interviews, I was constantly surprised by how many times other authors stated they didn't outline and just let the story and the characters take them hither and yon.

Over the years, in almost all of the writing 'how to' books I've read, speakers I've heard, etc., etc. there is one clear and fairly unanimous refrain - outline, outline, outline.  So call me shocked to discover that I'm not the only one or even one of the few who ignore said refrain.

I've always been a bit of a rebel.

Or just stubborn.  My mom would call me headstrong.  But I digress once again!

Don't get me wrong - outlines serve a purpose for some writers, but they just don't work for me.  When I write I always have a clear idea of the beginning, end, and certain segments along the way.  It's like there's A and Z with a little G, L, P, and U intermingled and all I have to do from there is connect the dots without giving too much away.  So it isn't like I write completely blind.

But at times I am blindsided by twists and turns as those connections are made. 

Take for example, a character from Running into the Darkness.  This character was supposed to be a major player throughout the series, but as the ending neared, he walked up to me (in my mind, of course), laid down his weapon and stated that it was better for him to die in order to save my protagonist.

I fought.  I resisted.  I told him he was crazy.  Either that or I was.

In the end, it worked out perfectly as he sacrificed himself to save someone else.  It covered over a multitude of sins and left him with that endearing, redemptive quality we seek in all heros.  However, it left me in a quandry.

So in Piercing the Darkness, we have the introduction of a new character who was set up to fill a minor role left open by the demise of previously said character.  The interesting thing is that this new character has quickly developed a back story that has tongues wagging.  He has intrigued me to the point that his back story plays right into a deeper role I now need him to fulfill - and once again it's completely different than intended.

And I really, really like it.

Now things are moving really fast.  The pages are slamming out faster than I can count.  The story is flowing in such a way that I hope to have the draft finished up by summer's end.  Then it will ruminate for a month while we finish up the cover art and then on to final draft.

I can hardly wait to see where the characters take me between now and then.  Someone else will have to die in the end.

Guess we'll all have to wait to see who that will be.

Mayan Sci-Fi Author - T.W. Fendley

This week I've had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow Midwesterner - T.W. Fendley, author of ZERO TIME, a fascinating sci-fi fantasy incorporating ancient Mayan culture.  As one who once desired to be an archaeologist (and who still enjoys the study of many elements of history), I was very intrigued by the premise of this book.  Plus it has an element that seems to be on so many minds since Y2K, the end of the world.  So please join me in welcoming to the blog, Ms. Fendley!

DAB:  Was there a point in your life that prompted your desire to write or have you always wanted to be an author?

TWF:  For many years, it was hard for me to decide which I liked best: art or writing. Even in college, I had a double major. As so often happens, the money ran out before I finished both degrees, but by that time I'd already decided that journalism was my calling (plus the job prospects were better). I've always earned my living by writing, mostly in corporate communications, but it wasn't until the mid-1990s that I decided to try fiction. A couple of things came together--today I'd call it synchronicity. My boss and I didn't see eye-to-eye on things, and at one point he said I "wasn't creative enough." Well, for me, insults don't get much worse, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Things improved between us after I got accepted at Clarion, one of the top workshops for science fiction and fantasy writers. About the same time, a co-worker told me she'd just found a publisher for her first romance novel. She introduced me to the Crescent City Writers, a great group of women who knew the ins and outs of publishing. They helped me take my first steps toward becoming a fiction writer.

DAB:  Where do you come up with ideas for your novels like ZERO TIME?

TWF:  Mostly I get ideas from reading about a wide variety of things: metaphysics, ancient cultures, science and astronomy. Sometimes I dream entire stories, although they often don't make sense by the time I get them written down. I like to write about the connections I see between things. A journalism instructor once dubbed me "Leap of Faith Teresa" because I intuited connections between things. Of course, you certainly check the facts if you're a journalist, but it makes for some interesting possibilities in fiction.

For ZERO TIME, the inspiration came while researching short story ideas at Clarion. I came across some information about the ancient American cultures--it was love at first sight. Although I've always been a history buff, this was new to me. I'd studied ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, but never Andean and Mesoamerican cultures. I already had this setting in mind when I ran across a description of the sex-chromosome drive (SRY) in Matt Ridley's book, GENOME. I thought, What if people had this SRY disorder that causes 97 percent of the offspring to be female? Suddenly my characters became travelers from the Pleiades whose motivation for traveling to Earth was to save their race from extinction. And it went on from there. Some of the resources I used are listed on my website: ZERO TIME: Behind the Story. 

DAB:  Do you ever have difficulty writing from the point-of-view of a member of the opposite sex?

TWF:  So far my point-of-view characters have been women, mainly because I want to portray strong female characters, not victims. When I write about male characters, usually I rely on something from my experience. I've been observing men for a lot of years <grin>, so I've heard and seen a lot. I haven't received much push-back from men who've critiqued my work, but I'm always open to constructive feedback.

DAB:  So are there particular men in your life for observation or are they just random men who cross your path?  Also, how much of "them" have you incorporated into the male characters in ZERO TIME?

TWF:  Hmmm. Not an easy question. None of the male characters are patterned on a particular person, but some of their actions are reminiscent of things that have happened. For instance, my husband is very romantic and brought me roses at the airport while we were dating (he lived in Florida and I was in New Orleans). Like Xpiyacoc, he would definitely remember promising me the starry sky and would bring me a blue rose in parting. Xpiyacoc and Xmucane are loosely based on Jamie and Claire from Diana Gabaldon's amazing OUTLANDER series, but my story quickly veers off the romantic path. That's also pretty typical of my real life. Thankfully, my relationships have vastly improved through the years.

DAB:  Who is your favorite character to write in ZERO TIME, and why?

TWF:  Usually I find Xmucane most appealing because she's a strong leader who listens to her heart. This sensitivity made it possible for her to respond appropriately when confronted with the unintended consequences of leaving her daughters and sisters. Sending her sixteen family members in small groups to places separated by 6,000 years was one of many sacrifices made to improve their expedition's chances of saving the people of Omeyocan from extinction. Xmucane's a take-charge kind of person, but it's never a matter of ego. Sadly, I guess such leaders only exist in fiction.

DAB:  What is a typical day of writing for you?

TWF:  Hmmm. I'd love to say that I'm incredibly disciplined and work on my novel every day at a certain time, no matter what. That isn't what happens. But unless I'm out of town, at the gym, at critique group or running errands, I am generally in my office. I usually have several small daily writing goals that fill the day--such as write for an hour or five hundred words (whichever comes first), edit a chapter or research a specific topic. Daily goals build toward my overall writing goals, which include finishing my next book this year, marketing the one that's published, finding an agent/publisher for my completed YA novel, and entering short story contests.

DAB:  I love it that you mention being at critique group, as I have found mine to be invaluable (we celebrate our ten year anniversary this year).  However, it seems very few writers anymore belong to an actual critique group, choosing either an online group or to go it alone.  How do you feel your group benefits your writing and overall experience as an author?

TWF:  One of the reasons I joined the St. Louis Writers Guild was to meet other writers. That's how I found two of the three critique buddies who reviewed the first two drafts of my novel. I met the other one at the local sci-fi/fantasy convention. Three of us have continued to meet every other week for more than five years. We've reviewed numerous books a couple of chapters at a time. I don't think I would be published without their help. There's simply no substitute for having someone you trust read your work and give constructive feedback. One of my critique buddies says you should always leave the session feeling inspired to write, and I know I always do.

DAB:  Tell us about the moment you received your first real fan correspondence.

TWF:  The closest thing I've had to fan correspondence so far was the first review I got on Library Thing from a reader who won my book in a giveaway. I'd received a couple of two-star reviews on Goodreads and was pretty discouraged. Then I saw the comments from his four-star review and knew this perfect stranger had "gotten it." I raced to tell my husband and sent off a few emails with the news. Although I try to measure success based on internal factors, sometimes the kindness of strangers makes the day a lot brighter.

DAB:  Okay, to outline or not to outline - that is the question.

TWF:  No question, no outline. At Clarion, one of my favorite authors, Tim Powers, talked about using colored index cards to plan his wonderful, complex stories. I'd love to do something like that--or at least be able to outline BEFORE I start writing a story instead of after I finish it. I keep trying from time to time, but it hasn't worked yet.

DAB:  I personally don't use an outline either.  In what ways does an outline just not work for you at present?

TWF:  Even when I have an outline, I find I don't use it. Occasionally I can pick up a plot thread or two, but that's about all. Still, it seems like such a good idea, doesn't it? What works best for me is stopping at the beginning of a new scene, with clear direction on how the action needs to continue. Then I have a starting place the next day. 

DAB:  How long did ZERO TIME take to put to bed?

TWF:  It depends on when you start counting. After I took early retirement and started writing full-time, it took a little over a year to complete the book. Of course, by then, I'd spent a decade doing research and had a pretty clear idea of who my characters were, etc.

DAB:  Care to tell us what is next on your writing horizon?

TWF:  I’m hunting an agent for my young adult contemporary fantasy, THE LABYRINTH OF TIME. Sixteen-year-old Jade Davis discovers she and the son of a Peruvian museum director are the only ones who can telepathically access messages encoded by an ancient race on engraved stones. Jade’s family vacation to Peru quickly turns into a quest to save humanity from fiery destruction. I’ve also started writing WHITE HERON, the sequel to ZERO TIME, which tells the master shaman’s story.

DAB:  Now's your chance - please give us a final plug for ZERO TIME.

TWF:  I'll just share a few words from two of my readers:

• “For those who like to stretch their imaginations—and who doesn’t?—this novel is a fascinating and compelling read."
• "Breathtaking scope, thrilling action!"

Thanks, D.A., for being a Party Host in my Virtual Book Tour Party! I hope your readers will visit the Party Page and "join the party." Here's how:

The ZERO TIME 2012 Virtual Book Tour Party is here!

To celebrate, T.W. Fendley is giving away a Maya-Aztec astrology report, a Mayan Winds CD, ZERO TIME tote bag and fun 13.0.0.0.0. buttons. Check out the prizes and other posts on the Party Page.

3 ways to enter  (multiple entries are great!)

1) Leave a comment here or on any of the other PARTY POSTS listed on the Party Page.

2) Tweet about the Virtual Party or any of the PARTY POSTS (with tag #ZEROTIME2012)

Example: Join the Virtual Party for historical #fantasy novel ZERO TIME by @twfendley for a chance to win prizes! #ZEROTIME2012 http://bit.ly/x91NgP

3) Facebook (tag @T.W. Fendley) about the Virtual Party. (NOTE: tag must have periods to work)

Example: Join the Virtual Party for historical fantasy novel ZERO TIME by @T.W. Fendley for a chance to win prizes! http://twfendley.com/?page_id=510

As Zero Time nears, only Keihla Benton can save two worlds from the powers of Darkness. But first she must unlock the secrets of Machu Picchu and her own past.

When Philadelphia science writer Keihla Benton joins an archeological team at Machu Picchu, she learns the Andean prophesies about 2012 have special meaning for her. Only she can end the cycle of Darkness that endangers Earth at the end of the Mayan calendar. As she uncovers secrets from the past, which threaten her life and those she loves, Keihla struggles to keep the powerful Great Crystal from the Lord of Darkness and his consort.

Xmucane leads an expedition to Earth to overcome a genetic flaw that threatens the people of Omeyocan with extinction, but she soon finds herself involved in a very personal battle that pits mother against daughter and sister against sister. With the help of the time-traveling Great Serpent Quetzalcoatl, she leaves the Southern Temples to arrive in present-day Machu Picchu as the expedition’s time-window closes.

Xmucane and Keihla work together as Earth and Omeyocan near alignment with the galaxy’s dark heart for the first time in 26,000 years. They must seize the last chance to restore the cycle of Light to Earth and return to the Pleiades with a cure, no matter what the cost to their hearts.

ZERO TIME is available at:

Ebook $4.99

• Amazon Kindle,
• AllRomance/OmniLit
• Fictionwise (multiformat)
• Nook

Paperback $16.95

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble,
• Main Street Books (St. Charles, Mo.)
• Garden District Book Shop (New Orleans)
• Octavia Books (New Orleans)

BIO:

T.W. Fendley writes historical fantasy and science fiction with a Mesoamerican twist for adults and young adults. Her debut historical fantasy novel, ZERO TIME, was voted Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel in the 2011 P&E Readers Poll. Her short stories took second place in the 2011 Writers' Digest Horror Competition and won the 9th NASFiC 2007 contest. Teresa belongs to the St. Louis Writer's Guild, the Missouri Writers' Guild, SCBWI and Broad Universe. www.twfendley.com

Up Next - Author D. Harlan Wilson

Up next in the interview arena, I'm pleased to introduce you to D. Harlan Wilson, author of the "scikungfi" series DR. IDENTITY and CODENAME PRAGUE.  Prof Wilson has been a joy to work with on this interview, and I've laughed out loud several times through the process due to his straight-forward and "devil-may-care" responses to questions.  His candor has been most refreshing indeed!  So welcome, Professor.

DAB:  At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to be an author?

DHW:  Not until after college.  I got a late start.  I went to Wittenberg University, a small liberal arts school in Ohio, to play basketball, and I joined a fraternity, too, so I was more interested in partying and having a good time, although I majored in English, acted in plays, and wrote bad poetry.  Not until graduate school did I start writing fiction and realize it was something I wanted to do.  I have a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University and two M.A. degrees, one in English from the University of Massachusetts-Boston and one in Science Fiction Studies from the University of Liverpool, all of which I'm very proud of, but none of which had much to do with fiction writing, focusing on the critical study of literature.  Fiction is something I started doing on the side at UMass-Boston, prompted by the one creative writing class I took there to satisfy a composition requirement.  Since then I've always done it on the side, and I still do.  At first I was enamored by the prospect of fame.  In my naivete, I assumed anybody who published books was a kind of celebrity.  And I wanted to be a celebrity - preferably a movie star, but a famous novelist would do.  This idiocy didn't last long, and soon I was writing because it merely fulfilled me as a burgeoning scholar, teacher, and artist.  I'm a far cry from a best-selling author, but I've established myself in my field, creatively, critically, and pedegogically.  Writing continues to fulfill me as a relative nonentity.

DAB:  I see you've written quite a bit - is there a favorite work of yours?

DHW:  Every new book I write and publish is my favorite book.  Then, in a matter of months, sometimes weeks, days once, I come to hate it, or at least conjure a healthy skepticism about it.  In recent years, I'm better able to tolerate my work.  Since about 2009 and the publication of a short novel, PECKINPAH:  AN ULTRAVIOLENT ROMANCE, as well as a book of literary criticism and theory, TECHNOLOGIZED DESIRE:  SELFHOOD & THE BODY IN POSTCAPITALIST SCIENCE FICTION.  Prior to 2009 I was still searching for my voice and what I wanted to be as an author.  I'm still searching.  Just not as much.  I'm unhappy with some aspects of my recent work, but not as unhappy as I am with older material.  That's normal, I guess.  Cliched even.  In a decade I'll hate everything from this period.

DAB:  Have you ever had characters you found difficult to write?

DHW:  Not really.  Every character I write - i.e., every round character, and they're difficult to come by in my corpus - is a version of me.  For better and for worse (emphasis on the latter), my personality is multifaceted, almost schizophrenic, but not clinically.  So there's a lot to draw on.  And my ego is such that I take great pleasure in writing about the vicissitudes of Me.  More difficult is finding the time to write.  I write every day, but usually for only 15-30 minute intervals, whenever I can squeeze it in.  I romanticize a life where, four or five days a week, I would have 2-3 hours to sit down and bang it out.  But then I probably wouldn't write at all.

DAB:  Do you have a character with whom you closely identify?

DHW:  The protagonists/antagonists in my first published novel, and the first novel in my "scikungfi" trilogy, DR. IDENTITY, or FAREWELL TO PLAQUEDEMIA:  the human Dr. 'Blah and the android Dr. Identity.  They are polar opposites - one a meek English professor, one a homicidal maniac - but both cut from the same stock, literally and figuratively.  It's all imaginary, of course.  But most of my "personality" unfolds on my mindscreen.  What emerges in the real world tends to be less than interesting.  According to my definition of interesting, anyway.

DAB:  Tell us about a typical day in your writing world.

DHW:  I'm an English professor and father of two small girls, and my wife is an English professor, so things can get hectic hectic, raising the girls, taking them to and from school, doing our teaching and writing, working out, etc.  Ideally I like to write in the mornings with coffee, but there's endless paper grading to do on non-teaching days; I spend most of my time reading student papers, and I write my fiction and criticism in the interstices, which are few and far between.  But the writing gets done.  My life would be much easier if I stopped writing altogether.  I'm going up for full professor this year, the highest academic rank in the United States, and at the university where I teach, technically I'm not obligated to produce any more scholarship, if I don't want to.  My writing has never been a means to financial ends, and it's rarely manifested as such, but that's never been why I've done it.  As much as I hate to admit it and sound affected, I need to write, and that's why I do it, if only for the intellectual and artistic challenge.  Blech!

DAB:  There's the eternal debate whether to outline or not.  What is your preference?

DHW:  Outlines are good, generally speaking.  For novels.  I always make them.  And I always deviate from them.  Massively.  But my outlines are loose, threadbare in some cases, and they invariably develop in tandem with the narrative.  For novels, my outlines essentially devolve into "notes" that I keep at the end of chapters, which are never written in chronological order.  For stories, these days, I just erupt (or cough) onto the page.

DAB:  How long on average does it take for you to write a novel from start to final edit? 

DHW:  Whether it's novels or fiction collections, anywhere from six to nine months.  I suspect that's average, but it's tough to say.  I know writers who compose novels in days, others in years.  It's really a matter of what authors want to do and what they have the capacity to do given time, intellect, imaginative prowess, command of language, etc.  I put care into every paragraph that I write and spend time thinking about its global implications on the narrative.  I like to think it shows, but most readers aren't interested in literary aesthetics.  That's fine.  I do it for me.  As many a reviewer has pointed out, I'm not writing for a wide audience.  Not that I'm oblivious to a readership.  I simply apply a heavy intellectual onus on readers and expect a lot from them.  Not a popular thing these days - has it ever been? - but I perceive my writing as art, with high and low arcs, and I'm not interested in readers who want cookie-cutter dynamics.  They have a billion other books to choose from.

DAB:  Usually authors are also avid readers.  What are you currently reading?

DHW:  I read more literary and cultural theory than fiction.  Lately I'm on a Lacan kick and I'm reading and rereading his seminars and books about his work on psychoanalysis.  Basically Lacan reinvents Freud through the sieve of structuralist principles.  His theories on language as the architect of identity, the psyche, culture, etc. has informed my fiction and criticism for years and I want to finally master it, which is the say, to become more fluid in it (the moment one becomes a "master" is the moment it escapes into the void).

I always have a novel or two going, though.  I just finished Daniel H. Wilson's ROBOPOCALYPSE, which I'm reviewing for the British science fiction journal Foundation.  The D. in my penname, also my real name, is for David, but a number of readers have mistaken me for Daniel H. Wilson, even contacted me about the novel, thinking the name is a permutation.  So I figured I might as well read it.  It didn't resonate with me at first.  Seemed like the same old shit.  But it grew on me and I've come to respect what Wilson's done, despite the fact that Spielberg bought the rights long before its publication and will surely turn it into some gloopy family-oriented blockbuster.  I lean heavily toward literary fiction, and as a science fiction author, Wilson's more of a Crichton than, say, a Gibson.  Still, ROBOPOCALYPSE is pretty good.  Wilson has a Ph.D. in robotics and weaves his expertise into the novel in interesting ways while telling the story through a sprawling pastiche of media and perspectives.  Tough to do well.  And unaffectedly. 

DAB:  Do you have any pointers for the authors in our audience?

DHW:  I have given many pointers in the past, but as I get older, I think they're more or less useless.  Writing is so subjective.  As is reading.  Most books are shit.  But most people like shit.  And there's all kinds of different shit.  So giving advice, essentially, amounts to:  Do this shit and (eventually, maybe) you will produce this shit, and people will consume the shit, and you, too, can make a living as a writer, living in your mother's basement, pulling in anywhere from $5,000-$30,000 per year (the average salary for a professional writer is close to $5,000).  But this doesn't account for my shit.  My shit is elitist, literary, anaphylactic, would-be high modernist (but in no way affected and prissy MFA-caliber) shit, and shit like that doesn't make you rich, it's "artistic" shit, and why would I give neophyte writers pointers on becoming a shitty artist like me?

Of course I'm jaded.  Jadedness is the end-product of any writing career, whether it's "successful" or "unsuccessful."  But I make a comfortable living as an English professor and I can say these things.  I suppose I'm not as jaded as I think, sometimes.  Sometimes, in fact - I'm happy.

DAB:  I hear you have something new you're working on for release later this year.  Care to tell us a bit about it?

DHW:  Later this year, a limited hardcover edition of the third and final installment in my scikungfi trilogy, THE KYOTO MAN, will be published by Raw Dog Screaming Press, who published the first two installments and several of my other books.  Then, in 2013, the paperback will follow in the wake of the regular hardcover edition.  I'm really thankful for RDSP.  They're a small press and have published some of the best fiction I've read.  Typically this isn't the case.  Most small presses aren't very sharp and publish authors who can't get an agent and/or can't get published by bigger, more lucrative presses.  But there are a few small presses like RDSP who take on writing that bigger publishers don't like because it's too innovative, artsy, experimental, iconoclastic, avant-garde, etc. - in other words, not fit for (du)m(b)ass consumption.  I consider RDSP as the Grove Press of its time.  Over the years they have published one after another badass, award-winning author.  I'm thrilled that they let me play in their sandbox.

As for THE KYOTO MAN, it's about a guy who transforms into the city of Kyoto over 10,000 times, terminally rupturing the fabric of society, the ecology, and the spacetime continuum.  Strange as it sounds, my agent originally cut a deal with a NYC publishing house to put it out, but I wanted to do it with RDSP, so I never signed a contract, even though I knew my agent, who will remain nameless, would "let me go."  Like always, though, he came crawling back.  They always crawl back...

And on that happy note, I just wanted to thank you again, Professor Wilson, for stopping by to visit my humble blog.  The interview process has been a distinct pleasure, and I hope our audience finds the frankness of your words as humorous and fun as I have.  I can think of several off the top of my head who will probably feel the same.  My abs thank you!

So for now, be sure and pick up a copy of DR. IDENTITY and CODENAME PRAGUE to read before the release of THE KYOTO MAN.  I look forward to reading these myself.  You can also find links below to purchase D. Harlan Wilson's works or contact him for further information.  Enjoy!

For a professor at Corndog University its quite acceptable to purchase a robotic doppleganger and have it teach your classes for you.  But how does it reflect on your teaching skills when your doppleganger murders the whole class?

Follow the Dystopian Duo (Dr. Blah Blah Blah and his robot Dr. Identity) on a killing spree of epic proportions through the irreal postapocalyptic city of Bliptown where time ticks sideways, artificial Bug-Eyed Monsters punish citizens for consumer-capitalist lethargy, and ultraviolence is as essential as a daily multivitamin. 


Since he assassinated the Nowhere Man, Vincent Prague hasn't been the same, haunted by the ontological impossibility of the kill.  His celebrity status has skyrocketed, however, and everybody wants a piece of him.  The MAP (Ministry of Applied Pressure) promotes him to Anvil-in-Chief, the catbird's seat of special agents.  Under the so-stupid-it's-a-genius alias of "Vincent Codename Prague," he works a case that leads him to the Former Czech Republik's Prague, a dark cirque du city where androids run wild, femme fatales chronically manhandle him, and a mad chef named Doktor Teufelsdrockh has created a Hitler/Keats/Daikaiju hybrid that would make Frankenstein's monster sing like a Von Trapp... In an overtechnologized world of constant reckoning, all Vincent has are his wits, his weapons, and a briefcase full of replaceable extremities to crack a mysterious code that, he soon discovers, resides within himself.

D. Harlan Wilson is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, literary critic, editor, and English prof.  To purchase his books, visit him online at http://www.dharlanwilson.com/ and http://dharlanwilson.blogspot.com/.

Publisher http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/ 

Interview Bandwagon - Gary L. Cummings

We are on the interview bandwagon of late!  Next up we have Gary L.Cummings joining us, author of his first novel, BREAKING IN.  I've had the luxury of reading this humor-fest detective novel and have to say that I love the bumbling nature of the protagonist, Kyle.  Therefore, I'm so pleased to have Gary with us today - welcome!

DAB:  So Gary, where do you come up with ideas for your novels?

GLC:  BREAKING IN is the first novel I've written. I'd had some success with other forms of writing, but I approached writing a novel tentatively.  Could I construct a story with an interesting plot, compelling characters, and good dialogue, which together could hold a reader's interest?  I wasn't sure, but I was sure I wanted to be a novelist.  So I wrote.

Film Noir and the first person narrative of private eyes had always fascinated me.  I didn't want to have to travel to the East or West Coast to research traditional "noir" settings or study the 1940's or 50's in order to glean a sense of that time period (although I love history), so I set my novel in present day Wichita, Kansas, where I live. About one page into my homage to Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe, I realized my protagonist was neither hard-boiled nor jaded.  He looked for the humor in difficult situations and wasn't afraid to wise crack when confronted by a bad guy.  His personality drove me toward most of the ideas I came up for in BREAKING IN.

DAB:  Do you come up with a character template, backgrounds, likes and dislikes, and all that, or do you let the characters come to you while writing?

GLC:  Many people use a character template, and I can see advantages in it.  However, I like to drop my protagonist into the situation where I want him to find himself and then imagine the people he'd meet.  When the scene is over, after he has conversed, or at least interacted with someone, I construct a plausible history of the new characters. That is, if the scene works and the character is interesting.  If the scene doesn't work, I kill the new character, making him or her suffer a slow, painful death as a warning to other characters in my mind to be INTERESTING or be DEAD.

DAB:  What author has been your biggest influence?

GLC:  Over the years, I've read and enjoyed these authors:  James Mitchener, Joseph Wambaugh, Arthur Hailey, Dean Koontz, Jack Higgins, Nora Lofts, and Clive Cussler, among others. If Ihad to fall under the influence of someone, these writers would be a good group to start with.

DAB:  From BREAKING IN, I've heard through the grapevine about something known as a "Kyleism". Can you give our audience a little description?

GLC:  A "Kyleism" is an observation on an absurd or difficult situation in which Kyle finds himself.  One that comes to mind is in a scene where he has been punched in the face and is holding a block of blue ice against his cheek to control the swelling.  A policeman enters the room, recognizes Kyle as a fugutive from the law, draws his gun and demands that Kyle raise his hands. Kyle puts both hands over his head, still holding the ice.  "He's got something in his hand," the officer shouts.  "Drop it, or I'll shoot."  Kyle internalizes, Don't shoot, I'm packing ice, not heat.  Kyle has these thoughts as a way of keeping calm in a tense situation. If I may finish the scene I've started, Kyle drops the ice and it falls hard on the toe of the pretty EMS attendant who Kyle's been trying to woo.

DAB:  Do you identify with any of your characters in BREAKING IN?

GLC:  I try to understand my characters. Kyle is opposite of me in many ways. He's very tall, I'm not.  He's quite outgoing while I'm less so. He's unhappily divorced compare to me being happily married.  I think some of the same thoughts he might, but think and say things completely opposite of Kyle in other situations. You have to be into all of your character's heads, at least the major characters, to give them life-like qualities that keep the reader's interest. Having never killed anyone, other than a few boring characters in my mind, I'm forced to think about the motives and thoughts of such people who do kill.  I don't identify with them, but I understand them.

DAB:  There's a question I like to ask in almost every interview - do you write via an outline or no outline?

GLC:  I use a rough outline, but I like to let the characters have a free run without the outline.  One process I've adhered to in writing is creating a balance between the Editor and the Muse in my head.  My Editor likes outlines, my Muse doesn't.  My Editor tends to say, "Don't play with guns," while my Muse says, "Take plenty of ammunition because you're going to need it."  When there's trouble, my Editor says, "Get out of danger, then call 911," while my Muse says, "Shoot at the first sign of trouble."  My Editor says, "SVO:  subject, verb, and object."  My Muse says, "Just get the words out as long as they're descriptive, or funny or shocking."

My rough outline keeps the characters within my approved geographical boundaries.  It limits my protagonist to solving the problems I've laid out for him to encounter. As long as these restrictions are adhered to, I seriously consider all action and dialogue my characters suggest to me.  My second and third drafts are the courts of last resort for both Editor and Muse.

DAB:  Have there ever been times when you've struggled to write a character of the opposite sex, and are there ladies in your life that make it easier?

GLC:  I belong to a small critique group made up of men and women of differing interests and backgrounds.  Having another few pair of eyes examine your work is helpful in many ways. I trust and rely on these friends for their input.  Since my protagonist is male and I tell the story in first person past, female characters in my novel are revealed through his perspective.  One of the more interesting traits of my protagonist is his tone deafness to women since his divorce.  When there is a situation where he must "read" a woman's motive, he misreads it nearly every time.  Of course, this still wouldn't let me off the hook as a writer if I assigned reactions or feelings totally incompatible to what a woman would have.  In those situations, I would be open to help from my wife and women in my critique group.

DAB:  Do you write every day and have specific rituals to assist in getting the juices flowing?

GLC:  Since I finished BREAKING IN I have taken a break (no pun or shameless promotion intended) to write a humorous short story and some poetry.  The characters in my novel have been calling out to me of late, and I plan on beginning the sequel within a few days.

I edit the previous day's work early in the morning.  After this, if the weather is hospitable, I go for a run and then eat breakfast. I own a home and there is always some yard work needing done, and I usually do it after breakfast.  During my cool-down after running and also while mowing the lawn, I'm surprised how many times I come up with different directions my novel can go or little bits of dialogue.  Word games on the computer are next and maybe a taped episode of Jeopardy with my wife before I start writing for the day.  I have no set word count or time limit when I begin writing.  Some days are productive and some are less so, and having a goal to reach just doesn't work with my personality.

DAB:  Are there some writing tips you care to share with our audience?

GLC:  I use writing prompts to get my brain fired up before beginning a writing session.  Sometimes I chose a subject, other times I just go with the stream-of-thought.  The idea is to write for fifteen minutes, typing as fast as my fingers can go, with anything that pops into my head until the time is up.  Most times what I've written isn't worth saving.  These writing prompts usually end up having a humorous bent and once in a while provide a line or thought I'm able to use in my novel.

A second tip I'd like to share is one I'd read that Kurt Vonnegut passed along.  He urged writers to have every character in every scene you write want something different than the others, even if it's only a glass of water.  Think of the last time someone related what they thought was an interesting story to two or more acquaintances in your presence.  I bet one person in the group was in a hurry to get back to work or go home, another person might not be on the best of terms with the storyteller and wished the blowhard would hurry up and finish his boring story.  Maybe you were looking around to see if the boss was taking note of your little group wasting time.  Vonnegut's point was that everyone wants something a little different than everyone else, even if they're on the same team or in the same family or belong to the same political party. Conveying those differences help define life-like characters and make writing realistic.

I have a third tip to pass along, if I may.  As I near the end of my writing session, I leave one or two ideas unwritten, so I have a good starting point for the next day.  This eliminates the blank page/blinking cursor syndrome that can happen when first sitting down to write on a new day. Be sure to make notes on those ideas before ending the session so as to have the full sense of how they fit into the story when beginning anew the next day.

DAB:  Thanks again, Gary, for stopping by my blog.  As your finale, please share a plug for BREAKING IN.

GLC:  As private detective, Kyle Roach, flees the scene of a house explosion, his tattered shirt resembling Miss Kentucky's sash, he suspects his beautiful client has been less than truthful. During the next four days, Kyle will use a licorice rope to drive off a would-be assassin, crash his beloved pickup into a motel room and steal four vehicles.  His unorthodox tactics prompt his rich, spoiled client, Stella, to fire him.  In turn, Kyle kidnaps her "for her own good."  And this is Kyle's first case.

It's not as if Kyle's life needs turmoil. His week ended with the employer at his day job announcing Kyle's pension had become a victim of cost cutting.  He struggles daily with the loneliness of being divorced.  The memory of his late father's suicide lingers, and he wrestles with his own fleeting suicidal thoughts.  Kyle fights on, surrounding himself with friends and immersing himself in sports, alcohol and a study of great thinkers from the past.

Stella and Kyle settle into an uneasy alliance as they hurtle across the Midwest, running from hired killers as well as the police.  The clash of wealthy versus middle class, East Coast versus Middle America and cool sex appeal versus wanton wanting punctuate their flight.  Stella's demands and arrogance drive Kyle to the point of abandoning her, but his conscience demands that he fulfill his obligation to protect his high maintenance client.  But Stella's evasiveness about why people are trying to kill her hinder Kyle's protective efforts.

"Is your husband trying to kill you?" he asks.
"No," she says.  "Maybe."

The true reason behind the threats is bizarre, yet deadly, none-the-less.

Thanks again, Gary, for visiting the blog!  As one who has read this novel, if you want a good belly-laugh that will tone and tighten your abs better than any machine or trainer, pick up a copy of BREAKING IN today at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-In-ebook/dp/B00748NT1S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1331657675&sr=1-1

You can also connect with Gary at Gary@GaryLCummings.com.  As always, happy reading!

Welcome Heidi Ruby Miller!

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Heidi Ruby Miller, author of the science fiction romance thriller AMBASADORA.  She's presently on her blog tour and here to discuss her newest novel, GREENSHIFT.  Heidi's also got a great giveaway offer so stay tuned to find out the details.

DAB:   Welcome, Heidi!  So tell us a bit about GREENSHIFT.

HRM:  GREENSHIFT is an upcoming novel set in the Ambasadora-verse one month before AMBASADORA begins.  It's a stand-alone novel that doesn't follow the arc in the main series.  Your typical virgin scientist/ex-military man/space hydroponics/human trafficking story.

David Anlow, a fleet captain forced into early retirement and jaded by an ex-lover, now spends his lonely days shuttling around a group of scientists for hire.

Boston Maribu, Mari to her friends, is one of his passengers, a young botanist who is as beautiful as she is naive and innocent.

When Mari asks David to teach her about more than just piloting the BARD, nights on their ship heat up and their feelings for each other mature into a relationship neither expects.  But a suspicious new client shows up with wicked plans for Mari, and the soldier inside David comes alive, ready to fight for the young woman who stole his heart.

DAB:  What prompted the novel's premise?

HRM:  I always wanted to tell David and Mari's love story, so I had this idea about a novella that could be a bit more sensual in nature and focus just on their storyline instead of the multiple plots and epic arc that run through AMBASADORA and will continue on in the second book, FRAGGER.  I found out from several readers that they also wanted to see more Mari and David, so I decided to make the novella a full-fledged novel.

DAB:  Which character in GREENSHIFT do you most identify with, if any, and why?

HRM:  I'm a little bit of both David and Mari, though I bring something of myself to every character I write - there's no way to avoid my personal schema when I write.  I'm like David in the respect that I'm always trying to be the responsible one, but am willing to break the rules for someone I care about.  I'm like Mari because I love sweets and use my brain more than my muscle.

DAB:  Were there any characters you found difficult to write?

HRM:  No, I knew what their roles had to be from the start, so I was prepared even when writing the abusive scenes.  Now, on the flipside of that, I was surprised how much I enjoyed writing from Mari's Point of View (POV).  She is nothing like Sara from AMBASADORA, but she fit in well with David's and Sean's POVs.

DAB:  How long did it take to craft this novel?

HRM:  Roughly four months.

DAB:  There's always debate over whether or not to outline when starting to write a novel.  What typically works best for you?

HRM:  I outline down to individual scenes.  It's the only way I can keep so many characters and plotlines in check.  When I begin a project, it's common for me to write an 80-page outline, which is basically a skeleton first draft.

DAB:  Do you ever write to music or do you prefer silence?

HRM:  Spotify is my new writing buddy.  I've always liked listening to music, especially as I associate certain songs with some of my characters and scenes.  And with Spotify I can put songs on repeat for as many times as I want, which helps me get into the writing zone immediately.  It's like a trigger for me to jump into my story - I can't help but to think about it when I hear particular songs.

DAB:  What other writing pointers do you have for our audience?

HRM:  This goes back to the outlining.  I believe outlining is why I never get writer's block.  As soon as I come up against a challenge in my plot, I start listing questions for myself to answer.  The answers shape (outline) the scene so I can keep moving forward.

DAB:  What's next on your writing horizon?

HRM:  I'm revising a short story for a Philip Jose Farmer anthology and working on two more books in the Ambasadora-verse.  STARRIE is another stand-alone, well sort of.  It picks up where GREENSHIFT leaves off and we follow David's brother Ben and his love interest Naela.  FRAGGER is the second book in the main arc - it's another epic, multiple POVs, intertwining plots type of read.  More of a thriller style like AMBASADORA has.  And, speaking of thrillers, I'm revising a thriller titled ATOMIC ZION, which I wrote just out of graduate school.  It still has Science Fiction Romance (SFR) elements, but takes place in modern times here on Earth.  I will probably always include SFR in my writing.

DAB:  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Please give us the final plug for GREENSHIFT.

HRM:  Here's one of the more light-hearted excerpts from GREENSHIFT.  It's how David thinks of Mari:

When David started on this path of regret at having given up his fleet commission, he just remembered the placid, stony look on Lyra's face when she put a gun to his head and challenged his control of the Argo Protector.  It had been the single most heart-breaking moment of his life.

"Don't you think so?" Mari asked.

David hadn't been paying attention.  Taking a fifty/fifty chance, he said, "Yes."

Apparently it was his lucky night because she seemed pleased with his response. 

Once again she brought him back to the present and grounded him.  She would never know how grateful he was for those times when just the cadence of her voice coaxed him out of that dark place in his head.  Just like her beautiful, shining eyes, Mari had become his light.

"Do you remember how you started ordering everyone around your first day on the Bard?" she asked.

"And how they all just snickered and walked away?  Yeah, I do."  David could laugh about it now, but at the time he'd been pissed.

"Except for me," Mari said. 

"Except for you," David agreed.  "You were always there to help, even when I didn't need it."  He smiled to let her know he was joking.

"If you're talking about that time I accidentally sent all your clothes to the cleaners and you had to borrow Geir's stuff for two days...."

"That's exactly what I was thinking about."

"At least you didn't have to wear any of Sean's clothes.  Besides, you looked good in those tight t-shirts," she said.

The blush that crept into her cheeks made David want to touch her, to see if her skin felt as flushed as it looked.

She got a little shy then and worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

I can do that for you.  He was mesmerized by that plump, wet lip.

She stared at him like she knew his thoughts.  The blush grew a little deeper.  This time she lowered her eyes and moved the food around on her plate with her fork, but she couldn't hide her smile.

She did this often, being bold and forward as though coming on to him, then pulling back demurely at the last second.  It drove him crazy...in an absolutely wonderful way.

FIND HEIDI'S BOOKS ONLINE:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Heidi-Ruby-Miller/e/B002BM1M48
Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/heidirubymiller

FIND HEIDI ONLINE:
Blog - http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com/
Twitter - http://twitter.com/heidirubymiller
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/heidirubymillerauthor
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/81266.Heidi_Ruby_Miller

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
To be in the drawing to win your choice of an e-bundle of AMBASADORA/GREENSHIFT or just GREENSHIFT, please leave a comment letting us know what you're reading now or have read recently and if you'd like the single book or the bundle, along with your email address disguised something like this - heidirubymiller AT gmail.  The contest ends on Thursday, March 1, 2012.  Winner will be notified on Friday, March 2, 2012.

There you have it, folks!  Thanks again to Heidi Ruby Miller for stopping by on her whirlwind blog tour to discuss what sounds like a fascinating novel.  I can hardly wait to read ATOMIC ZION after revision.  Please feel free to visit us again on your next published novel.  You'll always have a home here.  Happy reading.

Interview at Heidi Ruby Miller's Blog

Dear readers!  If you've nothing else to do on this bright and beautiful Saturday afternoon, run on over to Heidi Ruby Miller's blog at http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com/2012/01/heidis-pick-six-d-bale.html and check out the interview she did for Running into the Darkness.

And FINALLY, I also figured out how to add my book here onto my blog as a direct link with the book cover image.  The gadget only allowed one URL link, so I chose Amazon, but remember it is available at Smashwords and any eReader site as well.

Happy reading!