Cape Cod Has Some Great Authors--and Here's Another One: Sharon Anderson

Meet my guest Sharon Anderson. I read about Sharon in the Cape Cod Times this summer, and knew I had to meet her. She's a true Renaissance woman, as you'll see--and as a bonus she owns Little Shop of Crystals. I haven't been there yet, but plan to visit first chance I get.

Read about Sharon and her amazing life, and my interview with her.

About Sharon in her own words:

Sharon D. Anderson, Ph.D., R.M.T., my legal name, and I write non-fiction under that name. For my Fiction, I use S. D. Anderson. 

My genre is Visionary Fiction and I am a member of the Visionary Fiction Alliance. This genre was born in 2000. It is so nice to have finally found a genre where I really belong.

My newest release is a print book, based on the properties of a special crystal, Russian Lemurian Ice Quartz. I fell in love with this stone and felt so strongly about it that I created a story around it: Stones and Bones, the Crystal People Speak . Four years in process, this book evolved continuously. I am working on the sequel: Stones and Clones. Not very original, but the best that can be done at this time.

When I took a photo of the stone, I was aware of his profile, but digitally when Todd Engel dropped it on the cover, so many little beings began to show up. The Stone’s character in the book is Thor-en, an inter-stellar being who is housed in the stone as protection until such time as the human race is ready for the ancient knowledge that this colony of stones holds.

 

Purchase STONES AND BONES:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Booklocker

iTunes

Kobo 

An Interview with Sharon

Tell me three words that describe yourself starting with A, B, and C.

Audacious, Benevolent, Creative

What are your three favorite things?

Watching DVD’s, Crocheting or Knitting, working with crystals

Are you self-published or with a publishing company (if so, which one?)

I self-publish under Angelic Communications and BookLocker.com in the genre of Visionary Fiction and Non-Fiction.

What for you is the best part of writing?

For me it’s combining my Mystical life with my Creative life, and probably the most challenging.

What is the worst?

Thinking that it should/could be better and is it really what my readers want.

Is there a process you stick to, or do you just write as it hits you?

I write from an outline, but it does change as the story evolves. It always surprises me!

Music is a big influence on my writing. I have certain songs that inspire each chapter, or the whole book. What helps to inspire you?

Usually, I am inspired by something I read or a sentence in a book or an idea that my guides may suggest. I do channel, but I think most writers do. Isaac Asimov said: “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.”  

When not writing, what can you be found doing?

Reading, creating audio books, creating crystal grids, or listening to audio books on my IPhone.

Favorite item (s) of clothing in your closet?

My cashmere sweaters. I have a passion for them and hunt for them in thrift shops and at Goodwill. Several of them are vintage, even more delightful.

Favorite writer, book?

I usually say Jane Austen and I have one of her books on audio, but my real favorite authors are: Ruth Montgomery, who started me on my Mystic Life, and Betty Neels. I have 40 of her print books and probably another 10 on my Kindle. I also have a collection of books by David Hatcher Childress and books on Atlantis that fill the bookcase. (I consider those my research books.)And to round this out, some of Plato’s works. He has inspired my search into Sacred Geometry and Atlantis.

When writing, which do you prefer to write with, computer or paper and pen?

Both—I usually do my fiction on the computer screen, and outline my non-fiction with notebook and pencil (so I can erase), then transfer the notes to computer. 

Visit Sharon:

http://www.angelic-communications.com – All about my books. (17)

http://www.star-beings.com - All about where we came from and more.

http://www.littleshopofcrystals.net  - All about my little shop.

Podcast : http://sdanderson.podomatic.com/entry/2015-10-02T13_19_57-07_00

Meet Another Renaissance Man...Author & Pulp Fan Tom Johnson

I met Tom through Absolute Write, a forum for authors to meet and exchange book info, writing tips, and just about everything in the biz. I asked him to be my guest here, because I found him very well-rounded and interesting...as I find the historians I meet from the Richard III Society and Aaron Burr Association.

Meet Tom and read about his many pursuits, talents, etc..........

 

Tom was a voracious reader from childhood beginning with the Golden Age comic books to classic literature. Exciting adventure stories entertained him until he discovered science fiction and hardboiled detective mysteries. By his early twenties, he discovered The Shadow and Doc Savage pulp reprints in paperbacks, and was hooked on the fast-paced action novel of the 30s and 40s. This led to collecting and research, which eventually interested him in writing. Today, he still loves an exciting action novel over movies and television. Tom and his wife, Ginger have received numerous awards in the field for their work in keeping the old stories in the spotlight for new readers seeking escape in a thrilling adventure novel.

From April 1982 until December 2004, Tom and his wife Ginger published ECHOES, the hobby magazine for pulp enthusiasts and fans. They met and interviewed many of the important people from the era of the pulps, including editors, artists, writers and publishers. ECHOES remained in magazine format through issue 100, then, due to health problems, it was reduced to newsletter format. Their imprint, FADING SHADOWS, also published a half dozen genre fiction titles, covering science fiction, mystery, action and adventure.

While stationed in France with the US Army in the early 60s, Tom began toying with the idea of writing fiction, and created several plots and characters, but didn’t do anything with them until he completed a tour in Vietnam in 1970. It was then he wrote the first two novels in the JUR series, based on those early plots and character, involving time travel. Receiving rejection slips, he set the two manuscripts in the drawer until 2002, when Novel Books, Inc. picked them up. With his health declining, and now closing the FADING SHADOWS imprint, he concentrated on his own writing.

 

Now retired, Tom and his wife live in Seymour, Texas, where small town living is slow and quiet. They read a lot, and Tom still writes action yarns occasionally.

Besides fiction, Tom researched the pulp magazines and wrote a number of nonfiction historical books on many of the characters that appeared in the 30s and 40s. In 2012 ALTUS PRESS published ECHOES 30, the thirtieth anniversary issue of ECHOES.

 

 

 

About ECHOES 30: Three Decades of Pulp Fandom's Greatest Magazine

 

Echoes, the longest-running pulp fanzine of all time, is back for a special 30th anniversary issue, and it's the largest single-issue pulp fanzine ever published. Enjoy over 300 pages of articles on pulps as well as a pair of classic reprints, written by a variety of pulp experts.

 

The book contains articles on and about the pulp magazines and characters appearing primarily during the 30s and 40s, with lots of cover reproductions and pictures of men and women involved in the pulp era. There is material on The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Phantom Detective, and much more. Also reprinted are two novelettes from the pulp, as well as a new story in the pulp tradition by Tom.

 

Purchase ECHOES 30 on Amazon

Visit Tom: 

Facebook

Website

Amazon Author Page

Altus Press

Night to Dawn Magazine

First Realm Publishing

 

 

 

 

My Company CostPro's October Newsletter

I'm not just an author, I own CostPro, a construction cost estimating company, with my husband Chris.
We feature Boston's Omni Parker House and its fascinating history in the October CostProGram, and read about the strange image in the mezzanine mirror that we got right after a ghost tour!

The CostProGram   CostPro, Inc. Cambridge, MA 617-576-5878 www.costpro.net www.costpro.net October 2015 Dear Diana,    In October we always enjoy the walking tours, the apple picking, the spectacular foliage--all New England has to offer. We hope you'll enjoy reading about the historic Omni Parker House, the last stop on the Haunted Boston walking tour we took the other night. Aside from its beautiful architecture, it has a few stories of its own to tell about its 160-year history. The events in Salem are a lot of fun, if you get there early enough to get a parking space and don't mind the First Night-like crowds. Hint: Drive down Washington Street; it becomes Canal Street, which always has plenty of on-street parking. Enjoy the article and a happy Halloween!            Boston's Historic Omni Parker House Hotel    The nation's oldest continuously operating hotel celebrated its 160th anniversary this year. We all know the distinctive landmark with its gold awning resembling a theater marquee. The guide on our walking tour told us a few facts I'd never known about the hotel--it's the home of the first Boston cream pie, every president from Grant to Clinton has passed through its doors to 'lobby' in the press room, imbibe in one of the bars, or stay in one of the 551 rooms. JFK made good use of the place over the last century---he announced his candidacy for Congress in 1946, held his bachelor party and proposed to Jackie in 1953. John Wilkes Booth checked in for a visit, ten days before assassinating President Lincoln. Charles Dickens stayed there in 1867-68, where he performed "A Christmas Carol", and rehearsed before a large mirror in his suite which is now on the mezzanine level...and more about that strange mirror:  THE MEZZANINE MIRROR   First Photo of Mirror--Perfectly Normal Photo of Diana Rubino & Paula Tate by Steve Page   Our October newsletter wouldn't be complete without an inexplicable tale: The guide told us that the mezzanine mirror has some strange 'properties' that can't be explained away, even though it's been sent away for testing twice...you may not see your reflection in it, another oddity is that Dickens himself might appear if you look long enough... I took a few photos, not expecting anything otherworldly to appear in my camera, and nothing did...until the photo my friend took, below. The tour company didn't have an explanation for it, either. Oh, well, it sure isn't Dickens!   Fourth Photo of Mirror--what the Dickens is that????   Next time you're at the Omni Parker House, just keep an open mind--especially around Halloween!

#HolidayRecipe Exchange Starting Early--or Not!!!

Authors, readers, cooks...we're getting to that time of year when we blow our diets...and I have something to contribute to your downfall! My cookbook AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 MEALS came out last year, featuring seven fantasy cruises, with recipes from cruise menus. One of my favorites is Tiramisu which is something my heroine Vita Caputo (based on my great grandmother) of FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET (on sale soon) and BOOTLEG BROADWAY would have made.

Tiramisu 

Ingredients

3 large eggs, separated

¾ cup sugar

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

½ cup heavy cream

2 cups espresso at room temperature

2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine

6 ounces savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Instructions

Beat egg yolks and ½  cup sugar in a large bowl until thickened and pale.

Beat in mascarpone until barely combined.

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until they barely hold soft peaks.

Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar continuing to beat whites until they barely hold stiff peaks. Beat heavy cream in a separate bowl until it barely holds soft peaks.

Gently fold cream into mascarpone mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Fold in egg whites.

Stir espresso and Marsala wine together in a shallow bowl.

Dip 1 savoiardi into espresso mix and for a few seconds each side.

Place dipped savoiardi in a 2-quart glass baking dish.

Dip 8 more savoiardi  and arrange in a snug layer in bottom of dish.

Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over dipped savoiardi.

Repeat process to make a second layer of dipped savoiardi and mascarpone.

Cover and chill 6 hours.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve.

 

Meet My Guest and Fellow Solstice Author Raegyn Perry--and Read About Romance & Reincarnation in LAVENDER FIELDS

Since paranormal is one of my passions, and reincarnation fascinates me, I had to ask Raegyn to guest here. She returned the invitation with a fun blog post on Raegyn's World

  Raegyn (pronounced Reagan) is thrilled to share her debut novel, Lavender Fields, with readers. This is the first book in the Eternal Journey Series. It asks the question,

‘What if love found the right people, at the wrong time?’

With the inspiration coming from a true family story, and having found the uninhibited time to write, a story was born.

When not writing, Raegyn is perfectly content curled up with a good book, TV binge watching, or on a fun travel adventure. Also, anyone who knows her knows she loves to dance (a lot!) wherever and whenever possible!

How would she describe Lavender Fields?

It’s a paranormal romance that centers around reincarnation; so it’s basically two romances! The story is funny, sexy, dark, and raw while being twisted, mysterious, and still somehow romantic.

Raegyn believes readers can connect with her lovers, Connor and Greye, on a few levels. It has the elements of the classic love story: boy meets & gets girl, but it also tackles some real and uncomfortable issues, while introducing characters that anyone can relate to, root for, or despise altogether! Then, throw some odd clues with a helping of paranormal in, and you have a unique take on a timeless aspect of romance. The author hopes so anyway!

After Raegyn completes the Eternal Journey Series, she hopes to begin work on another series, which readers can actually catch a glimpse of first within the pages of Lavender Fields.

The beautiful Pacific Northwest state of Washington has been home since 2001. She has one grown son whom she adores. Raegyn is currently working on the second book in the series, Cypress Groves (working title), and will be investigating options to maybe get her full length stage play produced in the area.

 

Excerpt:

 

The Dream

Screams of outrage and pain crashed against the howling wind. Breaking glass followed while a crimson ooze covered the wet ground.

A lingering scent carried on the breeze was swallowed by the night. The orange glow on the horizon turned an ominous dark and the sky rumbled with agitation.

 

Each time the dream came to her, it was as vivid and profound as before. Through the fog of this dream appeared a hazy universal image. The small, obscure wooden marker at the top of the hill marked a long-forgotten resting place. 

 

Greye had dozed off on the park bench and the haunting dream had come upon her again, as it had so many times in years past. She was never able to understand the nightmare, and it unsettled her still, as an adult. Set in a faraway place and time, there was always something more just beneath the surface… hinting at an unknown that should somehow be familiar.

 

Greye couldn’t have known the role this recurring dream would play in her future.  

 

***

Greye looked down to begin writing again when a searing pain shot straight up her leg. She froze in shocked confusion. She grabbed her knee as her eyes blurred with tears. Then she noticed the bright green Frisbee that had smashed into her right kneecap.

 

The kids were now otherwise occupied, their voices softer and further in the distance. The man was approaching with the Lab in stride. Greye could sense he had stopped in front of her. She heard an anxious and strong, deep voice.

 

“Oh God, I’m so sorry. Are you OK? I’m so sorry.”

 

Clutching her throbbing knee with one hand, and wiping her eyes with the other, Greye looked up into his cobalt blues, which were still cringed looking at where his errant disk had landed. Managing to conceal an unexpected sigh, she replied, “I’m fine, I think. Just wasn’t expecting it.” 

 

She watched as he drew a hand through his dark, short hair. It was a nervous habit she figured. She also noticed the tousled, shiny waves that threatened to end in curls if his hair got much longer.

 

***

Connor caught an intriguing scent on the wind he thought he remembered, but couldn’t quite place. “My apologies really. I didn’t expect it to catch that much air.”

As if feeling guilty by association, the golden Lab came and rested its big head on her uninjured leg. When Connor saw the smile she gave his best friend, a warm feeling began to blossom in his chest. 

 

Scratching the dog’s ears, she offered, “It’s OK, I’ll live. May never walk right, but I’ll live.”

 

The casual smirk she quickly added had Connor feeling the stricken pallor of his face blush with heat.

 

“Well, it has to be said, there has been considerable advancement in knee replacement these days. Though I do hope it doesn’t come to that.”

 

Greye let a soft laugh escape and she countered with, “I don’t think it will. I’m tough. I’ll forego the surgery, and wear this limp with pride.” She gently massaged her red and puffy knee. 

 

This time Connor had to laugh. He really liked this pretty woman with the quick and easy comebacks. She appeared to be of mixed race, most likely black and white, with her flawless honey colored complexion. It was those expressive green eyes he found he could get easily lost in. He strongly resisted the urge to touch her soft chin length brown hair, which he noticed, was lit with auburn highlights as it fell in loose waves around a diamond shaped face. He noticed a scar than ran just under her jaw line. Her slender body looked to be in pretty good shape as well. 

 

With a cocky grin, and a small bow he said, “A battle wound then I most humbly take credit for. Then he added, “I couldn’t help but notice your perfume. It’s really … nice.”

 

“Thank you. It’s just hand lotion; honey and—”

 

“Lavender,” he finished. That’s her scent.

 

She replied, “It’s honey and lavender, yes.”

 

Purchase LAVENDER FIELDS from Solstice Publishing

 

Amazon

 

Contact Raegyn:

 

 

:   Facebook

Twitter

Website

Blog

Solstice Publishing/Summer Solstice

Email:   raegynperrywrites@gmail.com

Affiliations:     PNWA (Pacific NW Writers Association) Romance Writers of America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Debra Druzy, Author of Sweet 'n Spicy Happily Ever Afters--She Brought Her Hero Nick Knight!

Debra is a fellow TWRP (The Wild Rose Press) author and she brought her hero along for a fun interview. He has a fabulous back, as you can see on the cover! Meet Debra AND Nick.

A married stay-at-home mom, she writes romance in between running errands and doing household chores. SLEEPING WITH SANTA is her first published book, but there are plenty of unfinished stories in the closet and under the bed, which is probably bad for feng shui, but a good lesson in persistence pays off.  

Contact Debra

Website 

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

About SLEEPING WITH SANTA:

When Nick reluctantly accepts the temporary transfer to the Scenic View Fire Department he doesn’t plan on playing Santa Claus for the kiddie Christmas party. Sticking around town for the special assignment will give him a chance to get to know lonely, local sweetheart Lily and find out why she wants nothing to do with him.

Lily is a lifelong fixture in Scenic View, sick of living hand-to-mouth in a place where everyone’s nose is in her personal business. Just when she’s ready to move out of town, she meets the gorgeous newcomer, and it’s lust at first sight. The only thing is she doesn’t date firemen, which is too bad, because charming Nick seems like a real keeper.

With a little Christmas magic and help from the Santa suit, will Nick find a way into Lily’s heart and change her mind?

You’re gonna have to sleep with Santa to find out.

Get SLEEPING WITH SANTA for .99 October 16 – 29.

For more information and buy links, visit Debra's website

 

 

Meet the Hero From SLEEPING WITH SANTA —Nick Knight

Thank You, Diana, for having me on the blog. And Hello to your fabulous followers!

I’m Debra Druzy, author of the contemporary romance story SLEEPING WITH SANTA.

It just so happens that I ran into the hero of the story on the sidewalk outside the diner, and he has enough time to answer a few burning questions before he needs to get back to the firehouse.

So without any further delay, meet Nick Knight.

DD:     Hey, Nick, it’s me—Debbie. Do you have a minute to spare? (He’s juggling two coffees in one big hand and a paper sack gripped in the other. Knowing Nick, there’s probably a few sticky donuts inside.)

NK:     Well, look at you, out in public like a regular person. (He winks with a wicked smile that makes my stomach flip.) Shouldn’t you be home on the computer, banging out the next World’s Best Seller?

DD:     (Nick says banging and my one-track mind goes straight into the gutter. I roll my eyes and feel my cheeks burn despite the brisk autumn breeze.) I am… I mean, I was. I’m taking a break to run some errands. I gotta pick up my husband’s dry cleaning. And then get the girls from school. (I ramble, wishing I could shut up, but I’m caught in the tractor beam of his whiskey eyes, reeling me in, wrecking my train of thought.)

NK:     So, what’s up?

DD:     Just a few questions for another blog interview.

NK:     (He sighs and juts his chin toward the bench outside Bob’s barbershop, a few doors down.)  I got a feeling we oughta sit for this. Has anyone ever mentioned you got a nosy set of friends? I’m not that interesting. Really. I don’t know why they want to know so much about me.

DD:     (For a sexy beast, he seems completely unaware of his magnetism. Lucky for me, this sweet stud is roughly based on my husband so there’s no chance of Mr. Druzy getting jealous.) How do you like Scenic View so far? (I could smack myself for wasting words on such a trivial question when I should be asking steamy stuff, like what’s his favorite position in bed, or what he’s really doing when he parks his truck down by the marina at night, alone.)

NK:     At first, I couldn’t wait to get the hell back home to Star Harbor. But the more time I spend here, the more I like it. Scenic View’s a real peaceful place, and the people are nice, although the grapevine seems to travel like wildfire. The best part about being here is my ex-wife has no idea where to find me. What I do find strange is you all start decorating for Christmas so early. It’s only October and there’s a full-sized animated Santa Claus dressed up as a wizard. (He points to the plate glass window of the magic shop across the street where Santa’s dressed up for Halloween.) That’s gonna be me in a couple of months.

DD:     You’re gonna be a wizard? (I tease, knowing his fate.)

NK:     (His lips press together in a tight line, unamused.) I’m talking about Santa. Don’t play dumb. You wrote the story. You know damn well I got picked to play the fat man for the fire department’s upcoming kiddie Christmas party.

DD:     Well, you didn’t have to say yes when the chief asked.

NK:     (He glares at me from the corner of his eye.) How could I say no? The guy’s doing me a favor.

DD:     It wasn’t all my idea. My sister was the one who suggested the title of the story. I just wrote around it.

NK:     How is your sister anyway? (He perks up with a bright smile.) I have a real sweet spot for redheads.

DD:     Is that so? (I grin, knowing how the story ends.) I’ll tell her you asked about her.

NK:     I’d love to sit here all day and chat, but I gotta get back to work. The chief’s coffee is getting cold. (He gets up, and my eyes zero in on the curve of his bottom in worn, fitted jeans. Then he stalls and turns, and now I’m staring at his crotch, praying he doesn’t notice me ogling.) Wait—I didn’t answer your questions, did I? (He smirks when he realizes where my eyes are aimed.)

DD:     I, uhh… (I blink, trying to regain my focus.) Never mind. I forgot what I was going to say.

Thanks again, Diana, for hosting me on your blog today. And thank you to your followers for stopping by. If you haven’t slept with Santa yet, you can get the e-book on sale for only 99 cents, October 16 – 29.

I wish you all a Happily-Ever-After,

Deb

Get SLEEPING WITH SANTA for .99 for a limited time

TWRP Store

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All Romance Ebooks

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Meet My Guest Mit Sandru – Author, Artist, Composer--A True Renaissance Man!

I came across Mit's blog in some roundabout way--through a writer's forum, or another blog, I can't even remember where, but you know how one link leads to another--when I read his blog, I said, wow, I have to meet this guy! His life reads like a novel--and a page-turner at that. He's my guest, so enjoy meeting Mit and reading about his well-rounded life and many talents.

In His Own Words:

Now let’s be honest, am I capable to be a writer, a painter, and music composer? Well, yes. And you can see all my three abilities in the Book Trailer for “Arboregal-The Lorn Tree” if you click here

I write under three book genres and therefore three pen names:

Mit Sandru for Sci-fi, Paranormal Thriller, Vampire

D.G. Sandru for YA/Children Fantasy, Adventure and Survival

Dumitru Sandru for non-fiction

Where are you from? I was born in the last millennium in the western part of Transylvania, Romania. I’m not over the hill yet, but I do qualify for social security. I immigrated to United States when I was 18 years old, seeking glory, money, and fame. I’m still working hard to achieve them, and I still enjoy the process.

Why do you write? I have a very creative mind, and ideas come to me in abundance. In other words I’m a dreamer, day or night. Yes, some of my story ideas came from night dreams, like “Folding Reality.” Writing is one of the simplest ways to bring to life the stories that come to mind, and vicariously live in those stories. So far I’ve published 11 books, click here to see all my books.

When did you write your first book? How long did it take you to write it? I wrote my first book in 2001 and finished it in 2009, while I was working full time as a project manager in IT. Besides writing I painted many of the sceneries in the story. Click here and here to see the paintings. The first book was “Arboregal - The Lorn Tree” a YA Fantasy. It was published in 2011.

How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story? How do you go on from there? Maybe you can give us an example with one of your books. For my first book “Arboregal - The Lorn Tree” the world was first, a world where all living things dwell in giant, mile-high trees. For “Vampire-Vlad V” the characters Dracula’s nephew –Vlad the Fifth– and Cat Sanders came first. Most of the time the character(s) tell me the story. In “Vampire” I didn’t know the ending and the plot until I was three chapters from the end.

Where do you get your ideas? Do you jot them down in a notebook, in case you forgot? I have more ideas than time to write them into books and they come from many stimuli, a name, a book, a movie, a picture, even one of my sketches. They all prompt me to say “what if?” I have a note pad, and I use a small digital recorder, but nowadays I am home most of the time and I write the ideas in certain files on my computer. It’s safer that way. To generate ideas simply ask, “What if?”

Which of your books feature your family/friends, etc? What characters are modeled after them? Why? In “Arboregal - The Lorn Tree” the four heroes are my two daughters Melissa and Michelle and my best friend’s two sons. I even wrote about myself in “Escape from Communism” which is a true story. In “Vampires of Transylvania” four minor characters were based on my aunts and uncles. They didn’t play the roles of the vampires. However, I don’t rely much on people I know, and most of the characters are strangers, and then they become my friends. I’m not sure if they love me or are afraid not to ‘kill’ them. My editor asked me not to kill one of the characters; she liked him a lot and he was not a vampire. He lived. For now.

Which of your heroes/heroines is most similar to you? Why? There will be a book that will be based on me. It will be extreme science-fiction. And it will be based on me, because unlike having a character that I have to create and expose him/her to the world I created, in this case I will expose myself to the new worlds. It is not vanity; it is like existing in another world, a virtual world like no other world.

Who is your strongest/sexiest/most lovable/hottest hero/heroine? Why? So far Cat Sanders in Vlad V series is my best heroine. I’m writing about her in the first person and at least one reader thought I was a woman writer. I took that as a compliment. The character starts as an innocent young woman and her transformation, while being exposed to blue-blood vampires, until she herself becomes a vampire. The series are Vampire, R.I.P., Vampire Slayers, Vampires of Transylvania, and The Queen of Vampires.

Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters are moving it in another direction? What did you do in such a situation? It happens all the time, and I’m surprised where the characters take me, and the stories they spin. Some of the subplots are theirs. Occasionally, when I find that they ramble too much I know they derailed my story and throw them a curve, and see what they’ll do next. It always surprises me.

What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? When I was 18 years old I ran away from home and escaped from communist Romania, a country at the time that resembled a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Barbed wire fences, patrols with guns and dogs surrounded the country to prevent its people from escaping literally from Hell. I managed to escape without being shot, blown up, or caught and imprisoned, and I came to the Promised Land. I wrote about that story in “Escape from Communism.”

Where and when do you write? Tell us about your favorite work place and time. Any special reason? I prefer to write in my quiet office. I don’t listen to music, because it distracts me. I don’t have scheduled hours to write, but I write almost every day. Once I start a new story, I cannot stop until it’s finished. In a way I’m the first fan of my book, I have to find out how it ends.

Did you encounter any obstacles in writing? What are they? How did you overcome them? I don’t suffer from writer’s block, although one time I got stuck at the chapter about Auschwitz when I was writing “Folding Reality.” The solution was to start writing something else and that’s how I wrote the first book in the Vlad V series “Vampire.” If you have writer’s block just keep writing, even if it’s nonsense. Eventually you’ll get out of it. My biggest problem is that I cannot spend even more time writing.

Is there a process you stick to, or do you just write as it hits you? Common wisdom among writers is that you are either a planner or a pantser. The planner makes an outline, does the research, defines the characters, the settings, the conflicts and so on until the story is complete in a form of an outline. Then he/she writes the story. The pantser has an idea, or a character, or an imaginary world, and he/she begin writing, literally by the seat of his/her pants and discover where the story goes. Of the two methods the planner is more efficient, but the pantser is more creative. A pantser uses the right (creative) brain most of the time, and if you don’t intervene you’ll be amazed what appears on the screen. The planner uses the left (rational) brain during the planning stage. I’m more of a pantser writer.

What do you think about editing? Thou shalt not publish an unedited book. Editing is a must. I don’t publish any of my books without being thoroughly edited.

What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write? Fantasy and Science-Fiction are my first preferences. And if you push at the margins of Fantasy you get into Paranormal, as it is in “The Pregnant Pope” a paranormal mystery-thriller. I like these genres because I can use my imagination to create things that don’t exist in our world. It is a form of escapism.

What is your advice to aspiring writers? Write, write and write. And read or listen to books that are similar to what you’d like to write. By the way, there is a formula for success:

Results = Talent x Skill x Hard Work x Motivation

If any of those variables Talent, Skill, Hard Work, and Motivation is zero the results will be zero. I believe that everyone has some talent. Hard Work gives you the Skill and the writing output. Motivation is the ultimate maker or breaker of anyone who wants to achieve anything, including writing.

Any new projects, work in progress? My current project is “Arboregal -The Cascade Tree” the sequel to “Arboregal - The Lorn Tree.” Many readers have been waiting patiently for four years to see what will happen to Melissa, Michelle, Nathan and Perry in the strange world of Arboregal. And after that I have four new books lined up to write next year.

Can you tell us about your road to publication? Before my first book was published I got 99 rejections from Publishers and 100 rejections or no responses from Agents. But in the end I found this small publisher, Chivileri Publishing, which published my first book and all the others afterwards. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am the owner and CEO of Chivileri Publishing. In other words I am and Indie Author and Publisher. Some people may think that you are not validated unless a New York Publisher publishes you. You can take that route and wait forever. You may have written the best book the world has ever seen, but if a publisher thinks that your book will not sell, your book will die. So much for validation. In the end you have two choices, never be published or become and Indie Author. See Createspace and Kindle for that option. By the way you get 70% royalties from Amazon on eBooks.

E-books, print, or both?  Any preferences?  Why? Actually both are fine to read. E-Books are easier to publish, and you can be pricing the eBooks competitively. Most of my books are published in both formats.

How much time do you spend promoting your books? Not as much as I should. When you’re an Indie Author and Publisher you wear two hats, the creative and the business. The old saying - if you create a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door - is not true if the world doesn’t know about you. Discoverability is a big issue for a new writer. You’ll have to burn the midnight oil and then some.

Tell us more about your latest release.

As I’m writing this I just published my eleventh book “Gold Rush Mystery.” America is back on the Moon. This time, we intend to stay and establish a self-sustaining permanent base for tourism and mining. Our first lunar base is named Gold Rush. Establishing permanent life on our closest, lifeless neighbor is a challenge. But the challenge turns into a mystery when life finds us first.

Gold Rush Mystery is a sci-fi book that is part of the Terraspantion Series. Although this is book 1 in the series, I wrote book 2 “Time Hole” first. Both books are hard science fiction with a dose of intrigue to spice things up.

 

CONTACT MIT:

Amazon Author Page and Books

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E-mail Mit: mit@sandru.com