Interview with Frederick Lee Brooke

Frederick Lee Brooke is here today as part of his book tour with Orangeberry Book Tours. Frederick is the author of mystery & thriller/horror novels Doing Max Vinyl and Zombie Candy.

About Doing Max Vinyl:



Earth first. Okay, maybe second. Third? She’ll KILL you!



Max Vinyl’s type of success story can only happen in America. Rising from humble beginnings, he has reached the height of the computer recycling racket. Problem is, he’s using Lake Michigan as his own personal profit center. Even that wouldn’t have been a problem if his environmentalist girlfriend Tris hadn’t found out his dirty secret. And while Max is devastated by his love crashing down around him, he’s about to learn that the rage of a woman scorned packs far more firepower and potential for destruction than he had ever imagined.

Iraq War veteran Annie Ogden has spent three tormented months living in a cabin alone trying to re-discover her purpose in life. When two of Max’s thugs threaten Annie’s sister, she is dragged into his corrupt world in an unwitting alliance with the environmentalist, Tris. Which is really lousy news for Max. Will he hold up under the coordinated attacks of two furious women? As things spin completely out of control and complications mount, it’s all Max can do to stay one step ahead until it’s all he can do to stay alive!

A farce full of hysterics and chicanery, Frederick Lee Brooke’s first installment of the Annie Ogden mysteries is an incisive examination of corporate lunacy, greed and modern disconnection. Having received multiple four and five-star reviews on Amazon, Doing Max Vinyl: An Annie Ogden Mystery is loaded with razor-sharp dialogue, ingenious plotting and so much fun it should be illegal!

What do you do in your free time?

Read, cook, walk, hike, exercise and talk to friends.

How do you react to a bad review?

I read them carefully, and sometimes learn things and kick myself. Lots of times people don’t like a book because it’s not their cup of tea. Not the kind of book they like to read in general. Those people can get a bit vitriolic in their reviews, and those I take with a big grain of salt. I believe in honest reviews.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

There’s a little bit of me in all my characters. But only a little bit. You know, they’re mostly all bad news. Can I take the Fifth Amendment on this?

Who are your favorite authors of all time?

OK, here we go: Shakespeare, Milton, Beckett, Proust, Camus, Tolstoy, Dickens, and then in modern times I would mention Tracy Chevalier, Geraldine Brooks, Vikram Seth, Jonathan Franzen, Orhan Pamuk, Carl Hiaasen, Christine Nolfi, R.S. Guthrie, Laura Elliot and Martha Bourke. Of course, there are dozens more, but attention spans are limited.

What is your favorite quote?

Just a little something I stumbled upon from Albert Einstein: “I fear the day when technology takes over our humanity. The world will then be a generation of idiots.”

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I’m a great fan of Istanbul. But it’s not so much the place that counts, or even the scenery or the weather, but the people you’re with, right?

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?

I was definitely a Charlotte’s Web fanatic. I also loved every book Beverly Cleary ever wrote. Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret was a shocker for me. Excuse me, you wanted one title? Are you crazy?

Pet Peeves?

I don’t like the word “no,” closely followed by the word “can’t.” I don’t get along with people who use those words a lot. It’s like an allergy.

Skittles or M&Ms?

M&Ms.

Do you have any other books in the works?
A 3rd Annie Ogden book is on the way in 2013. Then I plan to plunge into the deep water of literary fiction.

About the Author:

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Frederick Lee Brooke graduated from Amherst College and studied writing at the University of Montana before moving to Europe. Having run his own company for almost twenty years (though not in computer recycling), he was inspired to write a novel that captured the way people talk to each other when workday stress is compounded by the conflicts and ethical compromises of everyday life. Brooke currently resides in Europe and visits Chicago regularly. Doing Max Vinyl is his first novel.

Connect with Frederick Lee Brooke:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Buy the book:
Amazon

Robin Sanders Guest Post

Robin L Sanders is the author of An 8-Track to 81 Chapters--Experience Limited, a young adult, fantasy novel, available on eBook at Lulu.
 

Given unlimited resources, how would you change the publishing world?

I would totally make a couple changes to the publishing world.  Many traditional publishing industries are declining while self-publishing authors and eBook industries like Amazon, Lulu and iBooks are rising in profits by the minute.

Although I truly hate writing query letters to established publications that vomit rejection letters by the forest load, I do admire their skill in marketing.  Traditional publications can save an author a good amount of time by doing everything else for them, such as marketing, copywriting, purchasing ISBN numbers, printing, book covers and etc., while the author’s only job is to write.  An author may lose his or her freedom when it comes to writing and the royalties wouldn’t be all that worthwhile depending on how popular the book is.

As a solution I would definitely try to make printed hard copies a bit affordable. Prints are very, very expensive and I feel that the prices can be a bit unfair at most. Another thing I would change is the cost of an illustrator for a book. I definitely believe without a doubt that many industries under pay their artist while the author receives a large subtraction from an overpriced fee in their royalty check.

The royalty fees are definitely unfair which that of course should be raised to at least a fifty percent rate for the author and not fifteen to twenty five. If they want to give an advance, then they should lower the rate but nothing lower than thirty five percent.  Another thing I would definitely change is the mandatory need of literary agents in order to be accepted in the traditional publishing industry. Literary agents require a good percentage of your income as well as a great deal of ass kissing in order to get things done but in my opinion isn’t worth it. I know that agents are here to represent you and negotiate your contract but what’s the point if they only go to the same publications?

Self-published authors may have the freedom to do whatever they please but a ton of work would be necessary in order for them to stay alive. Not only do they have to find an editor, but purchase an ISBN, copyright protection, hire a professional editor, an illustrator for book cover if necessary, printing services, an agent and etc...sounds like a lot of work. On a positive side, depending on how hard they work, the profits in royalties would increase over time.

One solution that would help is to create a small business that would benefit self-publishers to copyright, create an ISBN and copy edit their work for an affordable price that range somewhere around $400USD. I think this would attract a lot of self-publishers and maybe some traditional ones as well. Virtual book promotions like Createspace and Lulu are indeed a bit too steep but there are other affordable and professional ones that could absolutely pin point the exact market the authors brand is catered to.

In conclusion I would absolutely make some changes in the publishing world.  In my opinion I think the industry definitely needs some improvement and adjustments.

An 8-track to 81 Chapters - Experience/Limited

When a Social Studies teacher assigns a special project to six high school students, (Richard, Shelly, Nathan, Charles, Morgan and Britt) they receive a lesson that may indeed change lives of many worlds. As they work on the problems set before them they come to realize that the typical real world issues that each student had been dealing with doesn’t look all that bad. As the unlikely group of misfits explores the project, they discover strengths that they were completely unaware they had. 

For seven whole days they stay in a mysterious book unlocking puzzles, fighting demon-possessed statues, creating bonds with a memorable cast of characters and fighting a villain who controls the powers of the heavens. Mr. Hutchenson, a professor of social studies at St. Cardinals, is a man who plays a large part within this story, but just as the kids have to discover that, so does the reader. These six kids work on finding that strength by not only fighting the enemy, but the enemy within.

Buy Now @ Lulu
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Frederick Lee Brooke – Life as a Writer in the Old World

Life as a Writer in the Old World
by Frederick Lee Brooke

Some people move to California, where the weather is warm. Some people pick up stakes and move to Texas, where the jobs are. I moved to Europe to teach English. I didn’t have a grand plan. I didn’t know I was going to stay for the next 20 years.

After a few years of teaching in France, Germany and Switzerland, I was promoted to manager of a language school in Basel, Switzerland. I immersed myself in the world of small business, selling language courses, meeting with customers, hiring and training teachers.

The language training business is a very satisfying one. People come in as total beginners, and after a short time they have basic speaking skills. They can use their new language skills to order food in a restaurant, talk to a doctor or dentist, or complain about a phone bill. After a year or more, they have learned enough to get through a job interview in the foreign language, or conduct a meeting.

People often learn a language because of a relationship. So we often have the satisfaction of knowing we are helping people communicate with friends and loved ones as we teach them a language.

But after more than 20 years in the business, despite the satisfaction of knowing we were doing important work, something was missing for me. Day after day there were the same squabbles with customers or staff who didn’t like the rules. Every day there was the same pressure to improve quality while cutting costs. Every year we would add up the numbers and figure out the profit or the loss.

I always wanted to write fiction, and I started writing my first book, Doing Max Vinyl, in 2008, while still working full time running my language school. I wrote mostly on weekends and during vacations, while the family was out skiing. It took two and a half years to write, and I discovered that I was happiest when I was working on my manuscript.

After spending almost a year trying to get an agent interested in Doing Max Vinyl, I discovered the new world of publishing independently on Amazon and Smashwords. It was a great feeling to have finished Doing Max Vinyl. As soon as my first book was available I started writing the sequel, Zombie Candy. In Zombie Candy there is a long sequence that takes place in Tuscany, a part of Italy where I love spending time. Now I’m working on the third book in the series.

I’ve been able to quit my job running the language school in order to devote most of my time to writing. Of course, there has been some belt tightening in our family with this decision. But I think life is too short to stay in the rat race permanently. Instead of adding up the numbers at the end of every week, month and year, now I get to play with language and concoct stories out of my imagination.

It doesn’t matter where you live, as a writer. What matters is where you go in your mind, when you are reading or writing. Now, all the borders and boundaries come down when I start my work every day.

Believe me, I am aware of how lucky I am.

From the author:

I write books because I love playing with language, on the one hand, and creating characters and seeing what crazy things they will do if you set them free. I've spent more than 20 years living in different European countries such as France, Germany and Switzerland. I speak French, German and Italian, and I've been learning Turkish for the last five years just for fun.

My books are mysteries, for lack of a better word. Doing Max Vinyl is about a computer recycling con man, while Zombie Candy is about a serial adulterer who happens to love zombie movies. In both books, Annie Ogden, a recently returned Iraq War vet who is having trouble adjusting to civilian life, gets personally involved in taking down these world-class jerks. I like a book with a good dose of humor, and the humor can come from the absurd situations people find themselves in. The world we live in is an absurd place, and you can either laugh or cry about it.

When I'm not writing I'm usually reading. I like to write book reviews. Of course I love it when people review my books, too. I like to cook and sometimes post recipes on my blog. Zombie Candy contains most of the recipes in the book in an annex at the end. I also like to hike and travel and learn about other cultures.

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Buy Now @Amazon

Genre – Mystery & Thriller / Horror

Rating – PG13

Book Blast -- Frederick Lee Brooke

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Mystery & Thriller / Horror

Rating – PG13

About Doing Max Vinyl:

Earth first. Okay, maybe second. Third? She’ll KILL you!

Max Vinyl’s type of success story can only happen in America. Rising from humble beginnings, he has reached the height of the computer recycling racket. Problem is, he’s using Lake Michigan as his own personal profit center. Even that wouldn’t have been a problem if his environmentalist girlfriend Tris hadn’t found out his dirty secret. And while Max is devastated by his love crashing down around him, he’s about to learn that the rage of a woman scorned packs far more firepower and potential for destruction than he had ever imagined.

Iraq War veteran Annie Ogden has spent three tormented months living in a cabin alone trying to re-discover her purpose in life. When two of Max’s thugs threaten Annie’s sister, she is dragged into his corrupt world in an unwitting alliance with the environmentalist, Tris. Which is really lousy news for Max. Will he hold up under the coordinated attacks of two furious women? As things spin completely out of control and complications mount, it’s all Max can do to stay one step ahead until it’s all he can do to stay alive!

A farce full of hysterics and chicanery, Frederick Lee Brooke’s first installment of the Annie Ogden mysteries is an incisive examination of corporate lunacy, greed and modern disconnection. Having received multiple four and five-star reviews on Amazon, Doing Max Vinyl: An Annie Ogden Mystery is loaded with razor-sharp dialogue, ingenious plotting and so much fun it should be illegal!

What reviewers are saying:

“I have read a great many Indie books recently and every once in a while you find a true gem. DOING MAX VINYL is one of those gems.”

“Read this book–you won’t be disappointed. BTW, I may just add Annie Ogden to my five-top-people-to-have-lunch-with list!”

“I particularly enjoyed two of the male characters, Ike and Tranny, a couple of ex-cons that work for Max Vinyl. The way that they fought like an old married couple as they dealt with the plot’s unexpected twists had me in stitches throughout the book.” 

“Like Hiassen, who writes from an abiding affection for South Florida, Brooke’s satire of reckless polluting is rooted in a love and knowledge of Chicago and Lake Michigan.” 

“Annie Ogden, a war veteran home after 3 tours of duty in Iraq, is trying to find her place in life. A self-sufficient, strong willed woman, she takes matters into her own hands to see justice achieved. The topic of returning veterans and their struggle to fit back into society is handled in a genuine, unique and passionate way.”

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Mystery & Thriller / Horror

Rating – PG13

About Zombie Candy:

From her gorgeous husband to her acclaimed cooking classes, Candace Roach’s life looks nearly perfect from the outside. Well, appearances can be deceiving. Her husband, Larry, has three unruly addictions that drive her to the brink–zombie movies, cilantro, and having sex with other women. Luckily, her best friend Annie Ogden is back from Iraq and armed with a private investigator’s license and a fierce determination to see Candace happy again.

Together, the women uncover the ridiculous extent of Larry’s infidelity. He needs to be punished,that much is clear. But how can they hit him where it counts? Oh, if only she could find a way to tap into those three little addictions–what a lesson that would be. Italy is calling, as are the zombies in the night, as suburban housewife Candace Roach transforms herself into the ultimate fidelity vigilante, complete with a badass motorcycle, a very small pistol, and the nom de guerre ”Zombie Candy.”

What readers are saying…

Fasten your seat belts for the wild ride provided by this graphic and gritty work full of twists, turns, surprises and gourmet recipes to boot.

I laughed until my sides hurt…. Brooke does a fantastic job of paying homage to the zombie movies we love in this hilarious parody. Annie Ogden fans will not be disappointed.

Zombie Candy is a tasty morsel of revenge, regret, renewal, friendship and love with a zombie invasion that’s as good and fun as a box of Good n Plenty.

Overall ZOMBIE CANDY is an extraordinarily fun ride, but not your cliché roller coaster. No, this ones builds to a crescendo, again walking the reader (and the victim) through the labyrinth of one of the best revenge stories I’ve read in a long while.

Brooke keeps us guessing the whole time, and then leaves you with your mouth hanging open at the end: Did I just read that?!

“The First Wives Club” with zombies and cooking. But without cilantro.

I looked my husband as I was reading the story and said, ‘Some of you men are dogs.’

Everyone should purchase this book, especially if you have a friend who has dealt with a lying, cheating spouse and needs a good laugh and a little vengeful inspiration.

If you’ve ever been in a relationship with a cheater, I think you’ll get a kick out of reading one woman’s story of how she got even.

From the awkward moments of infidelities exposed at dinner parties, botched sexual encounters of an obvious sex addict, to the gruesome “zombie” attacks that will shock and amuse, this book kept me reading well past my bedtime.

This book has all the ingredients of a perfect noir comedy – well formed characters, international locations, a fast moving plot with no brakes, and of course Zombies. Revenge is a dish best served cold – and as a betrayed wife, master chef and cookery instructor, Candace cooks up the perfect recipe for the ultimate gazpacho.

About the author:

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Frederick Lee Brooke graduated from Amherst College and studied writing at the University of Montana before moving to Europe. Having run his own company for almost twenty years (though not in computer recycling), he was inspired to write a novel that captured the way people talk to each other when workday stress is compounded by the conflicts and ethical compromises of everyday life. Brooke currently resides in Europe and visits Chicago regularly.

From the author:

My books are mysteries, for lack of a better word. Doing Max Vinyl is about a computer recycling con man, while Zombie Candy is about a serial adulterer who happens to love zombie movies. In both books, Annie Ogden, a recently returned Iraq War vet who is having trouble adjusting to civilian life, gets personally involved in taking down these world-class jerks. I like a book with a good dose of humor, and the humor can come from the absurd situations people find themselves in. The world we live in is an absurd place, and you can either laugh or cry about it.

When I’m not writing I’m usually reading. I like to write book reviews. Of course I love it when people review my books, too. I like to cook and sometimes post recipes on my blog. Zombie Candy contains most of the recipes in the book in an annex at the end. I also like to hike and travel and learn about other cultures.

Connect with Frederick Lee Brooke:

Website
Facebook
Twitter

 

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