FEATURED AUTHOR: JOHN GASPARD

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eli's trip to London with his Uncle Harry quickly turns homicidal when the older magician finds himself accused of murder. A second slaying does little to take the spotlight off Harry, instead making it clear that someone is knocking off Harry's elderly peers in bizarrely effective ways. But who? The tale takes an odd twist when the prime suspect appears to be a bitter performer with a grudge . . . who committed suicide over thirty years before.

While Eli struggles to prove his uncle's innocence--and keep them both alive--he finds himself embroiled in a battle of his own: A favorite magic routine of his has been ripped off by another, hugely-popular magician.

What began as a whirlwind vacation to London with girlfriend Megan turns into a fatal and larcenous trip into the dark heart of magic within the city's oldest magic society, The Magic Circle.

Book Details:

Title: The Linking Rings

Series: Eli Marks, 4th in series

Author: John Gaspard

Genre: Mystery, amateur sleuth

Publisher: Henery Press (January 16, 2018)

Paperback: 252 pages

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT INTERVIEW WITH JOHN GASPARD

Easiest thing about being a writer: Saying you're a writer.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Actually writing.


Things you need in order to write: An outline.
Things that hamper your writing: Writing the outline.

Things you always put in your books: I like the word "snick," describing the sound of a door lock as it closes. Recently I've also tried to add in "Harry pocketed it" to each book, to trip up my audiobook narrator. (Apparently, Stephen Fry had a lot of trouble with that phrase. J.K. Rowling made a point of putting it in every one of the Harry Potter books after Fry was a bit rude to her).

Things you never put in your books: People keep begging me to not kill off Uncle Harry, so that's one thing that will never be in an Eli Marks book.

Things you love about writing: Just like filmmaking, editing is the best part of the process–once all the pieces are in place, the process of putting them together and refining them makes the arduous task of actually doing the initial writing almost bearable.
Things you hate about writing: The writing part. The coming up with ideas part is fun and–see above–the editing and shaping part is fun. But just like shooting a movie, actually writing the first draft can be a real slog. (Note: I'm writing these answers while in the midst of writing a first draft.)

Favorite books: I'm a big fan of audiobooks of all genres. Eddie Izzard's reading of his book, Believe Me, is a phenomenal listen and highly recommended.

Books you would ban: Ban is a strong word. Let's say avoid. The books I would avoid are (some, not all) audiobooks which are read by their authors. Many authors should really think twice before doing that. I know I did and have never regretted that decision--my narrator (Jim Cunningham) is fantastic!

Things you love about where you live: Spring, Summer, Fall.
Things that make you want to move: Winter.

People you consider as heroes: People who adopt dogs (and, to a lesser degree, cats.) (That is, people who adopt cats. Not cats who adopt dogs.)

People with a big L on their foreheads: People who are mean to dogs (and, okay, to cats as well).


Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate chip cookies.
Things you wish you’d never bought: Chocolate chip cookies.


Favorite music: I never get tired of the theme from Casino Royale. How can you not love that? I think I'd like it played at my funeral.
Music that make your ears bleed:  Jo Stafford's version of "Carioca." (To be honest, I really sort of like it. I'd also like that at my funeral.)

Favorite smell: Chocolate chip cookies
.
Something that makes you hold your nose: Tomato juice–I have no understanding why that is.

Biggest lie you’ve ever told: I never lie.

A lie you wish you’d told: Just did it.

The Eli Marks mystery series:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John is author of the Eli Marks mystery series from Henery Press.

In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He’s also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films.

John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.

Connect with John:
Facebook  |  Twitter  

Buy the book:
Amazon

Listen to the first chapter of The Linking Rings

FEATURED AUTHOR: JOHN GASPARD

ABOUT THE BOOK

A casual glance out his apartment window turns Magician Eli Marks’ life upside down. After spotting a dead body in the projection booth of the movie theater next door, Eli is pulled into the hunt for the killer. As he attempts to puzzle out a solution to this classic locked room mystery, he must deal with a crisis of a more personal nature: the appearance of a rival magician who threatens not only Eli’s faith in himself as a performer, but his relationship with his girlfriend.

But the killer won’t wait and starts taking homicidal steps to bring Eli’s investigation to a quick and decisive end. Things get even worse when his magician rival offers his own plausible solution to the mystery. With all the oddball suspects gathered together, Eli must unveil the secrets to this movie-geek whodunit or find himself at the wrong end of the trick.

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN GASPARD

John, by my count, this is your eighth published book. What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
When an idea hits you out of nowhere and solves all the major problems in the book. This happens somewhat less frequently than one might like.

What books do you currently have published?
The Miser's Dream is the third book in the Eli Marks series. I have another, stand-alone novel, The Ripperologists, which has a tangential relationship with The Miser's Dream. I've also written three books on low-budget filmmaking.

Can you share some of your marketing strategies with us?
This is more of an anti-strategy: Just because a person is interested in the general subject matter of your book (whether it be, oh I don't know, magic or Jack the Ripper), don't assume that they are your target market. Interest in a subject doesn't (necessarily) translate into reading fiction about that subject.

That's not to say that you shouldn't market to that audience; just don't focus on them to the exclusion of a wider reading audience that may enjoy your book.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Turner Classic Movies. Are there other stations?

How often do you tweet?
I love questions that make sense today and would have been meaningless (or vaguely suggestive) just ten years ago. This question definitely qualifies.

Who would you want to narrate a film about your life?
Morgan Freeman, because then it might sound at least vaguely interesting.

If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
Not only would it be full, but it would be a large and beautiful jar (likely an antique, certainly rare), paid for with the proceeds from a series of earlier swear jars.

Excellent idea. What's your relationship with your cell phone?
Constant. And I am frequently surprised to find that one can use it to place phone calls.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
One hour less than I need.

What is your favorite movie?
I've seen Harold and Maude more times than I can count, so that might qualify.

Which actor was your favorite Batman?
Adam West and Michael Keaton, each in their own, inimitable way.

I say black and white movies, you say . . .
Sure.

If you had to choose a cliche about life, what would it be?
I'm not getting older, I'm getting better. (Although, in reality, I'm also getting older.)

Lightning round:
Cake or frosting? Yes please.
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? No contest. Bill Murray. (Has Chevy Chase ever been funny?)
Indoors or outdoors? Indoors. On the couch. With Bill Murray. Eating frosted cake. Watching Harold and Maude. On TCM.
I like how you think, John!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He’s also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films. His blog, “Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts” has been named “One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers” and “One of The 100 Best Blogs For Film and Theater Students.” He’s also written for TV and the stage. John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.

Connect with John:

Facebook  |  
Twitter  | 
Goodreads  

Featured Author: John Gaspard

About the book:

Newly-single magician Eli Marks reluctantly attends his high school reunion against his better judgment, only to become entangled in two deadly encounters with his former classmates. The first is the fatal mugging of an old crush’s husband, followed by the suspicious deaths of the victim’s business associates.

At the same time, Eli also comes to the aid of a classmate-turned-movie-star who fears that attempting The Bullet Catch in an upcoming movie may be his last performance. As the bodies begin to pile up, Eli comes to the realization that juggling these murderous situations -- while saving his own neck -- may be the greatest trick he’s ever performed.

A great book club recommendation: A murder mystery book filled with sly wit, clever magic, and a charming amateur sleuth – see which of your group figures out whodunnit first!

Praise for The Bullet Catch:

“The Bullet Catch is a wonderfully engaging, delightfully tricky bit of mystery. Fans of magic will delight in John Gaspard’s artful use of the world of magicians, onstage and offstage. It’s a great story and great fun!” – Jim Steinmeyer, Author of Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear

“Gaspard's latest Eli Marks mystery, The Bullet Catch, has as many tricks up its sleeve as its likeable magician-hero. As the body count rises, so does the reading pleasure.” – Dennis Palumbo, Author of the Daniel Rinaldi Mystery Series and Co-Writer of My Favorite Year

“The Bullet Catch is a real winner of magical proportions. Filled with snappy, delightful dialogue and plenty of sleight-of-hand humor, Gaspard's latest mystery in the Eli Marks series does not disappoint. Head to the bookstore and get yourself a copy now!” – Jessie Chandler, Author of the Award-Winning Shay O'Hanlon Series

“The author does a fantastic job juggling the separate plots and keeping readers’ minds thoroughly engaged...The relationships between Eli and his remarried ex are interesting, to say the least, and the pure entertainment of the industry will leave all readers hoping that there will be a ‘number three’ very soon.” – Suspense Magazine

“The Bullet Catch has a quick pace and dialogue that engages the reader from the first page...Gaspard has written a great character into an original storyline...I will definitely be seeing/reading more of Eli as Gaspard expands this promising mystery series.” – Examiner.com

“Readers, get ready for your mind to expand as Eli Marks returns and uses his powers of prestidigitation, intuition and deduction to solve another mystery. If David Copperfield and Sherlock Holmes had a child, it would be Eli Marks.” – Scott Wells, The Magic Word Podcast

Interview with John Gaspard

John, your main character, Eli Marks, is a magician. Why did you come up with that profession for your main character?
I realized that I had several friends who are magicians – in fact, as a non-magician, I have a surprising number of friends who are magicians. So I’m familiar with their world and the issues that crop up in their work. And I realized that magicians – with their focus on misdirection and fooling people – would be in an ideal position to see how a criminal might be using misdirection to cover their tracks.

Why is Eli uniquely qualified to solve crimes?
On some levels, he isn’t qualified at all. In fact, he often gets things wrong. He is way too trusting and inclined to only see the best in people. However, as a magician, he is used to looking at the world a little differently and he understands how easy it is to fool people. He’s able to see the mechanics behind the trick and that helps him see the mechanics behind some crimes.

What are Eli Marks’s best qualities?
He has a sense of humor that often gets him out of tight situations. He is curious. He is very trusting.

What would you say his worst qualities are?
He has a sense of humor that often gets him into tight situations. He is curious. He is very trusting.

Very funny. Does Eli secretly pine for anyone, or is he currently involved?
It’s the classic story: In the first book, The Ambitious Card, Eli gets the girl. In this new book, he loses the girl – at least, for a while. And so the book looks not just at the struggle of how to get her back … but also at how hard it is to come to the realization that she might not be coming back at all.

What is a Bullet Catch?
The Bullet Catch is a classic trick in magic, in which the magician gives a loaded gun to an audience member, who then shoots it at the magician. If the trick is successful, the magician catches the bullet in his teeth. If not, well, that’s the end of the show.

The Bullet Catch is not often performed these days, because it truly is a dangerous trick. In fact over the years, more than a dozen magicians have died while performing The Bullet Catch.

Yikes! Are you a closet magician?
I am not now nor have ever been a magician.

However, my goal was to learn the title trick for each book in the series. So, for the first book (The Ambitious Card) I took lessons from an exceptionally talented local magician and got pretty good at performing that trick.

When I decided that the second book would use The Bullet Catch as its basis, I quickly abandoned the idea of learning and performing every title trick.

Very prudent of you.

In addition to talking to lots of magicians, I also attend magic conventions, read books and periodicals about magicians, and go to as many live performances and lectures as I can. It seems to have paid off, as I’ve heard back from many readers (including magicians) that they are amazed that the books are not written by a working magician.

The Bullet Catch involves the world of movie making, with which I believe you’re involved in real life. Can you tell us about that part of your life?
I’ve been producing and directing low-budget feature films since my late teens, using virtually every format out there (Super-8mm Sound, Three-Quarter Inch video, 16mm, and HD video). I’ve also written several books on how to create low-budget movies.

My most recent feature, Ghost Light, is available for viewing on Vimeo for free here. 

The current feature I’m working on, The Cookie Project, consists of seven shorts that will all tie together as a feature. You can see the shorts here.

Who would you cast as Eli Marks if you were to make a film of one of his books?
Well, I don’t work with the kinds of budgets it would take to bring any of the Eli Marks books to the screen. But if Hollywood wants to tackle it, I’ve always pictured Neil Patrick Harris. Not only does he have the chops as a magician, but he would also bring the humor, sincerity, and vulnerability that Eli needs.

Which do you like better: directing or writing?
They both have their own appeal. Writing I can do anywhere, any time. Directing takes a lot more planning and scheduling, so you can’t be particularly spontaneous. And with directing, you’re at the mercy of the elements, the budget, and the vagrancies of location and timing. Writing offers a lot more control of the finished piece.

What are you working on now?
I’m well into the third book in the Eli Marks mystery series, The Miser’s Dream, in which Eli discovers a body in the movie theater next door and is pulled into the bizarre world of high-priced movie memorabilia.

About the author:

In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He's also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films.

His blog, "Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts,” has been named "One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers" and "One of The 100 Best Blogs For Film and Theater Students.” He’s also written for TV and the stage.

John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.


Connect with John:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Featured Author: John Gaspard

John Gaspard is a filmmaker, writer, and blogger. His blog, Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts, has been named “One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers.” He has also written multiple books on the subject of filmmaking, but put all that aside for a moment. He's here today to talk about his newest book, an Eli Marks mystery titled The Ambitious Card, part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection.

About the book:

The life of a magician isn’t all kiddie shows and card tricks. Sometimes it’s murder. Especially when magician Eli Marks very publicly debunks a famed psychic, and said psychic ends up dead.  The evidence, including a bloody King of Diamonds playing card (one from Eli’s own Ambitious Card routine), directs the police right to Eli.

As more psychics are slain, and more King cards rise to the top, Eli can’t escape suspicion. Things get really complicated when romance blooms with a beautiful psychic, and Eli discovers she’s the next target for murder, and he’s scheduled to die with her. Now Eli must use every trick he knows to keep them both alive and reveal the true killer.

Interview with John Gaspard:

John, how did you come up with the title The Ambitious Card?

As soon as I decided to write a mystery about a working magician, I discovered that I had way too many cool options for the title. Magic is filled with fun words and phrases, and the tricks alone could offer a full series of titles: The Balducci Force, The Hindu Shuffle, The Linking Rings, Six Card Repeat, The Double Lift, The French Drop … just lots and lots of great titles, just waiting for stories.

After doing a ton of research, I landed on The Ambitious Card. It sounded like a great title and was a trick that would lend itself to leaving clues after each murder because in the trick, the same card keeps turning up again and again. I thought that would be a fun clue that is found at each murder site.

How did you create the plot for this book?

It came to me in bits and pieces, while doing the research or just walking around. In researching psychics (all the victims in the story are psychics), I came across the term Askashic Records – that sounded like a record store to me, so I made one of the characters a psychic who runs a new-agey record store. The use of helium was important for the plot, so I created a character who is a children’s magician, knowing that he would have a need for helium for his balloons.

Once you stir all the ingredients together, the story starts to form itself and tell you the direction it wants to head.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

The main character, Eli, is divorced and has moved back in with his Uncle Harry, an old magician who runs a magic store. Harry spends much of his free time hanging out at the bar next door with his performing cronies, old-time magicians and mentalists, who spend their days playing cards, reminiscing, and trading barbs. They call themselves The Minneapolis Mystics, although Eli’s aunt Alice dubbed them The Artful Codgers. They were great fun to write, because of their crusty banter and playful personalities.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Many, many favorites, but one in particular: Eli is forced to perform a magic show for children (a notoriously tough audience) at the last minute, without the proper props and no time to really prepare. Uncle Harry steps in with a solution that is both lovely and magical and really helps to give Eli a glimpse at what an amazing performer his uncle had been.

Who are your favorite authors?

In the mystery genre, my favorite would be Lawrence Block – his Burglar books were a great inspiration for The Ambitious Card. Jasper Fforde is a favorite as well. For newer writers, I like Simon Rich; older favorites are James Thurber and Robert Benchley.


You get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?

Neil Patrick Harris. I would love to see him do a movie version of the book as well. He brings just the right mix of sarcasm and sensitivity to his work – plus, he already knows how to do all the magic!

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

From Groucho Marx: “Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”

I love that one too! Okay...spill it--what are you working on now?

I’m in the thick of the second book in the Eli Marks mystery series, The Bullet Catch, which picks up a couple months after the conclusion of The Ambitious Card and puts Eli and Uncle Harry into two murder investigations – one current and one from 25 years before.

Can't wait to hear more about it. Puleease come back!

Excerpt from The Ambitious Card

Prologue

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I’m generally a positive person. But even I had to admit, this was a bad situation.

After the heavy wooden door closed behind us with an unforgiving finality, I’d come to a sudden insight—when it comes to being in the dark, there’s dark-dark and then there’s inside-a-cave dark.

We were definitely in the latter.

I’d never been in a place so dark, where the blackness of the space jostled up against us like an aggressive, surly crowd on a subway during rush hour.

My head was spinning from the lack of oxygen, and even though I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, I was starting to see spots in front of my eyes. My lungs ached with each breath I took, the carbon monoxide that filled the cave a poor substitute for the oxygen I’d foolishly taken for granted until this relatively late point in life.

We shuffled and slogged through the inky darkness. My foot slipped on a loose rock, hurdling me forward, where a stalagmite—or is it a stalactite?—connected with my forehead, breaking my fall. My head was now covered with small scrapes and contusions, and in the darkness I couldn’t tell whether it was blood or sweat running down my face. I imagine it was a pretty even mixture of both.

Oh, and did I mention the bats? Well, I don’t know how I could have forgotten them.

The flurry of winged pests had been just as surprised to en-counter us as we had been to encounter them, leaving us the warm and sticky recipients of a rich shower of bat guano. It covered our hair and shoulders, a warm stream that slithered down my spine, making me wish I could actually remove my skin and send it out for cleaning. And as luck would have it, moments after the first battalion departed to points unknown, we were hit with yet a second wave of bat pee, the furry winged bastards slicing across the tops of our heads while their piercing screeches whizzed past our ears.

Even though I had more pressing concerns at the moment, I once again rebuked myself for getting us into this situation. It could have been avoided, I really think it could have.

Things would have turned out quite differently, I’m convinced, if I’d closed my act with something other than The Ambitious Card.

Had it been the cups and balls or the linking rings or a cut and restored rope or any of a hundred other tricks, I might be sitting home in front of the television right now happily munching popcorn, instead of asphyxiating in a cave while marinating in bat pee. But, as they say, hindsight is twenty/twenty, a lesson I appear to be learning and re-learning every day—even in the deadly pitch blackness of this stupid cave.

About the author:

In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He’s also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films. His blog, “Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts” has been named “One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers” and “One of The 100 Best Blogs For Film and Theater Students.” He’s also written for TV and the stage. John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.

Connect with John:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Buy the book: 
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Henery Press

Other books by John Gaspard