Featured Author: Welcome Cole

Virtualbookworm.com brings Welcome Cole here to promote his fantasy/adventure novel, The Pleasure of Memory, Volume One of the Blood Caeyl Memories. Today Cole has a guest post and an excerpt from the book.

About the book: 



Beam is a smuggler, a murderer, and a rogue, who lives by the age-old rules of "Finders, keepers" and "To thy own self be true". Abandoned by his family and raised in a run-down priory by an old monk, he is consumed by his anger. He measures the worth of the world's citizens less by the character of their hearts than the gold he can pick from their pockets.

However, when he receives a mysterious message from his long dead mother, his carefully constructed rules of priority and self-interest are changed forever. Wrapped within that message is an ancient map that leads him far south to the reservations of the Vaemyn, a race of savages forcefully sequestered from the world by the civilized Allied Nations. Once there, he searches through a burial ground the size of a small city where he finds an ancient artifact called the Blood Caeyl, a rare red crystal carved in the image of a sensuous eye that he believes will make him rich beyond his dreams.

In his flight, he crosses paths with Chance Gnoman, a powerful Water Caeyl Mage. When Chance recognizes the Blood Caeyl, he explains the importance of the artifact in the war that is about to ensue. The artifact begins to change Beam, awakening the memories of a thousand lifetimes, and with those memories, the powers of a god.

Guest Post by Welcome Cole

The Evolution of the Blood Caeyl Memories:

The Pleasure of Memory was born from a dare. Or perhaps challenge is the better description. Years back, I was discussing the art of writing with a dear friend, a fellow devotee and author of fantastic fiction. We were discussing the evolution of The Story. The conversation was something akin to a literary version of the creation versus evolution debate. Did the best stories evolve through careful structuring of the plot and characters prior to the actual writing, similar to God’s Seven Day Plan? Or did they grow organically from the kernel of a planted idea, flowing initially as a kind of free association that gradually evolves into a life form?

I clearly favored the latter.

To prove his point, my friend then initiated the challenge. He provided me with an opening sentence, and double dog dared me to grow it into a story. The opening line he graciously delivered to me was “It’s a good day to be you,” written as a quote. Looking at that seed, I was pretty certain it wasn’t an acorn that could grow a mighty oak. I figured I’d be fortunate if it grew a milkweed.

After several fruitless months of writing, wadding, trashing, writing, wadding, and trashing, I decided to take a more scholarly tack. I cheated. I took a concept I’d been playing in my head for about a year, but hadn’t yet started on, and I placed the dare sentence at the beginning of it. Now, in all fairness to myself, I have to say that I still wrote this story organically from a simple premise and without benefit of a storyboard, but while starting from a different seed. However, in using his second dare seed, the concept of my original premise was dramatically changed. You might say this story arose from genetically modified stock.

Three books later, the project has evolved into a complex story of good versus evil, of a man forced outside the comfort zone of his own greed and self-importance, of the allies he unwittingly finds among his enemies, of his metamorphosis into the human and, ultimately, god he was destined to be.

Excerpt from The Pleasure of Memory

Beam landed on his hands and knees in the wet, muddy grass.

It was dark. Shadowy figures encircled him, but he couldn’t make out the details through the pouring rain and cloak of night. He tried to stand up, but the pressure of a sharp point in the back of his neck convinced him to stay where he was.

He grudgingly settled back on his knees and gave a silent curse. He didn’t need to see anything. He knew exactly where he was. The bastards finally had him.

He squinted up through the hammering rain. A clap of thunder rocked the night, followed by a several brief pulses of light. He couldn’t make out their faces, but the shimmer of their mail against the distant lightning was unmistakable.

He dropped forward and slapped the wet grass. “Stinking savages!” he cursed into the rain.
“Stand up, skeechka!” someone called over the crackling roar of the downpour. The voice was female. This warrior was a Vaemyd, a female Vaemyn, though there was nothing feminine in her tenor.

Beam spit some water back into the grass and again squinted up into the rain, aiming in the direction of the voice. “I’m comfortable right here, thanks,” he called back, though he could barely see her.

“I told you to stand up!” she yelled, “I’m not inclined to tell you twice!”

The sword point twisted viciously against his neck. Beam disappointed himself by wincing. He was confident it’d drawn blood. His mind drifted back to his own sword nestled snugly in its scabbard on the stone floor of the tunnel five minutes below him.

Another peal of thunder rocked the night. A lingering flash of lightning briefly unveiled the silhouette of the Vaemyd standing directly above him, illuminating her long enough to reveal her sleeveless armor and her bare, muscular arms glistening against the rain. He tried to look off to the sides, to evaluate the odds, but the sword in his neck convincingly dissuaded him. Still, he was certain there were at least three others.

He again slapped the wet grass. “Bad bloody luck!” he cursed.

“Nay, you’re wrong there,” she called through the rain, “Luck isn’t even in the equation.”

“Get that damned blade out of my neck. I'm unarmed.”

An explosion rocked the night. Beam flinched. It was too loud to be thunder. Despite the sword pinned to his neck, he managed a peek back behind him. The savages had opened the other half of the lid to the tunnel. The open round hatch gaped up into the dark rain like a radiant, mocking laugh.

A second sword found his right flank, and a third dug into his left. The blade on the right twisted a little harder than it needed to.

“Easy!” he yelled up at the offending savage, “Do that again, and I’ll slap you back into diapers!”

Something struck the back of the head. He collapsed into the grass. He wasn’t sure if he was hearing another peal of thunder or just the ringing in his ears. Before he could recover, the warriors dragged him up to his feet. His skull was throbbing. His legs felt weak as wind.

The Vaemyd pressed in close. “You’re damned mouthy for a man with three blades against his flesh,” she said into his face, “You’re either fearless or stupid. Which is it?”

She was nearly his height and as solid as an oak. Another rip of lightning threw her wet face into light. Her features were chiseled and commanding, betraying neither compassion nor humor. She wore her pale hair bound back in the severe Vaemysh tradition, laced up so tight even the rain seemed unable to penetrate it. Water streamed down her face and dribbled from the sharp horns curling up from under her earlobes, but it did nothing to diminish the malice in her eyes, which were as blue and cold as ice.

“Strange,” she said to him, “I’d expected you to be bigger. All this fuss about such a little man. I find it rather disappointing.” Her eyes looked almost serpentine in the greenish light radiating from the open hatch behind him.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Beam said back, “A Parhronii dandy could’ve evaded your girls.”

“Have your laugh, skeechka. It’ll be your last pleasure.”

Beam shook the rain from his face. “I’ve heard that from your kind before,” he said, “You threaten and threaten but never seem to follow up. I was beginning to think you weren’t really trying.” He spit more water into the grass.

The blade on his right twisted into his ribs again. This time it stole his breath away. He tried to turn on the man, but was quickly subdued. The bastards had a solid lock on his arms, cocking them mercilessly behind him.

“Keep it up, you savage prick!” he snarled over his shoulder, “I’ll feed your jewels to you before we’re done!”

“You’ll have to excuse their zeal,” the Vaemyd said, “My trackers thirst for your blood. You’ve been a monumental irritation to them these past months, jh’ven?”

Beam again flipped the rain from his face, but said nothing.

“However, I do have an offer for you,” she continued, “I give you my word that if you answer my questions directly, I’ll make your death quick and painless.”

“And if I’m stubborn?” he said through the rain.

“I let my warriors have their way with you. You look strong enough that you might last a week or more before their fires.”

The fear that statement left in its wake disappointed him. “Do you really think I’m intimidated by you?” he forced himself to say.

She smiled at that, and leaned closer, whispering, “I’m confident of it.”

About the Author:

Welcome Cole is a writer of fantasy, contemporary novels, and urban fiction. He spends his time in the lakes and forests of Traverse City, Michigan and in the desert and mountains of Castle Rock, Colorado. He has degrees in Nursing and Business Administration, and writes at every opportunity. His book, The Pleasure of Memory, will be followed up shortly with his contemporary fiction novel, Henry’s Re-entry. The second volume of the Blood Caeyl Memories, The Shadows of Memory, will be released in early 2014.

Buy the book:
Caelstone Press | Amazon | Virtualbookworm.com
ISBN 978-0-9894249-1-2 (softcover) $16.95. ISBN 978-0-9894249-2-9 (hardcover)

Featured Author: John Halbert

John Halbert is here today with a guest post and an excerpt from his novel, published in July 2013. The conspiracy thrillers, Arbat Square (551 pages) and Plaza Mayor (617 pages) are two stories combined, published by Virtualbookworm.com.

Guest Post by John Halbert

    Thank you for this opportunity to discuss my two novels, Arbat Square and Plaza Mayor.   

    These multi-volume “Conspiracy Thrillers” had their origins in a  business journey I took to Nigeria several years ago, where I encountered people and places who became excellent prototypes for the settings and the characters in these novels. As I told others about the incredible happenings during that pressure-packed visit, they insisted that I write about it. After starting what was intended to be a short story, I realized that here was the germ of a much larger story that became these two novels. In due course, it became a heavily-researched account of the founding of a crime Cartel, worldwide in scope, supplying arms, funding, and training to  international criminals, human traffickers, renegade governments and the beginnings of a terrorist organization that closely resembled the founding of Al Qaeda.

    The first five chapters of Arabet Square mirror my own experiences through the “Kip Leeds” character.

     This two-book set takes the reader to the inner workings of the “other side” through action, intrigue, adventure and romance. 

    In the first volume, Arabet Square, oil trader Kip Leeds goes on a dangerous journey to Africa where he comes into twenty million dollars of black money. 

   
    In Moscow, Terenty Suslov, a rising young Soviet Military Intelligence officer, attends a secret Special Forces academy, training for an intense mission to penetrate the United States. Leonid Retchkio, an unprincipled former Soviet general, masterminds an international crime cartel that supplies weapons and training to subversive terrorist groups whose influence will extend all the way to the Twin Towers of Manhattan.

    Plaza Mayor, the second volume in the series, tracks Larry Landay, a young California marketing executive taking a shipment of sophisticated electronics to Africa. While there, he encounters a crime cartel supplying weapons and training to international terrorists. The American Investigation Agency joins forces with the Russian Security Service and International Police to try to stop the cartel’s mastermind.

    These “Conspiracy Thrillers” offer surprising perspectives of the “other side”, where the subjects – most of whom do not know each other but are nevertheless inexorably intertwined – are brought together at historic “Plaza Mayor” for the world-shaking climax.       

Chapter Excerpt:

    Kip pulled his bag from the overhead bin and joined the jostling passengers exiting the airliner down a set of wheeled steps. Inside the Lagos terminal, the scene he came upon was about like any other airport he had ever seen, except that this crowd was made up almost entirely of Africans in native dress.

    Then, it hit him―the soggy, sponge-like humidity and the smells―of sweat and strange fragrances. A squad of soldiers in full battle gear with rifles on their shoulders goose-stepped past; their jarring jackboots whamming down in thunderous cadence.

    Up ahead were tables with uniformed officers standing behind them. With a chill of alarm he realized they were directing him toward the Customs inspectors! Were the Nigerians about to find the fifty-thousand dollars strapped underneath his clothes?

    At that moment, a very dark, fierce-looking man in khaki pants and a white, open-collar shirt stepped in front of him, blocking his way. “Kip Leeds?” the man intoned in a heavy, accented voice, his piercing black eyes boring straight into Kip’s.

    With a start, the American realized he must be his airport contact! Kip nodded, swallowing.

    “Identification?”

    With nervous fingers Kip pulled out the pasted-on card Masobe Busa had faxed him.

    The muscular African thrust a card he was holding at the one in Kip’s hand. The serrated edges were a perfect match. “Follow me!” he ordered.

    Kip’s heart was pounding as the man led him around a corner of the shadowy concourse to a bench. “Put two-hundred dollars in your passport and sit right there,” he said. “I will be back to get you in a few minutes.”

    The man took his precious passport with the money inside it and headed back in the direction from which they had just come.

     Kip sat down on the bench and looked around at his dingy surroundings. No one else was nearby, a fact he was not sure was to his benefit or not. The odor of humid sweat hung in the air. On the paint-peeled wall right across from where he sat hung a huge ‘Pepsi’ poster. From a loudspeaker came a continuous jabber of announcements in accented English―was ‘English’ the language of Nigeria? Kip had more or less assumed that everyone would be speaking in some sort of native tongue.

    While he was pondering this, the man in the khaki pants and the white shirt came back. To Kip’s relief, he was holding the passport. The American stuffed it into his back pocket.    

    “Come with me!” the African motioned, “everything is arranged!”

    Kip grabbed his bag and followed him past the immigration area, through the vast main terminal, to the outside. At once, they were surrounded by gawking, chattering beggars and others not so impoverished-looking. “Give this woman twenty dollars!” the man said, pointing to a wizened crone, “she is with us!” Kip pulled out a twenty and handed it to her. The doddering old female snatched it and stepped back, cackling and grinning. She had no teeth.

    The man glared at the rest of the bunch, who shrank back into the shadows.

    The two went down a long, curving, grass-lined sidewalk to the street. Under a street lamp at the curb, Kip turned about and stared at the huge terminal building, with its big lighted sign on the front: ‘MURTALA MOHAMMED AIRPORT LAGOS’. He could see that others were being shaken-down for money just as the old woman had done to him. It looked like an extortion racket was in full swing back there.

    A half-dozen youngsters, including a one-legged boy hobbling on a tree-limb crutch, came up with their hands outstretched. The man swore at them; they turned and fled.
There was a scruff of tires and a blue, older-model, four-door Toyota swept up to the curb. “Get in!” the man said, opening a rear door, “these men will take you to the hotel.”
Kip tossed his gear onto the floorboard and ducked into the right-rear seat. The car pulled away into the traffic. By the flickering light of other cars’ headlamps and intermittent street lights, he could see that two men were in the front seats. Both stared straight ahead.

    They had gone about a block when a police officer in a “Colonial-style” uniform stepped off the curb. WHAM! His hand slammed onto the car’s hood like a thunderclap! The driver jammed on the brakes and gaped at the scowling lawman, who was pointing at Kip. “I want to see that backseat passenger, outside!” He repeated the demands. “You! Get out of that car! That is an order!” Kip’s eyes were wide―should the officer find all that money on him, the American knew he might have but moments to live.

    The officer pulled out a billy-club and lunged at the door. Just as his fingers gripped the handle, the driver floorboarded the gas pedal and the Toyota shot forward! The policeman spun around and fell, yelling, to the pavement! Kip looked back, aghast, and saw the officer reach for his gun. The driver jerked the car around a corner, out of the policeman’s line of fire, and they sped off into the night!

    “Oh! Oh!” Kip gasped, as the sedan careened down a shadowy back street at the outskirts of the airport.

    The African male in the front passenger’s seat spoke. “We will be all right―this happens all the time.” They were the first words either of the two men had said. “Mister Busa is waiting for you at the hotel,” the fellow went on in a heavy accent, “everything is arranged.”

    Kip remembered the white-shirt-khaki-pants man at the airport had also said, “everything is arranged.” Everything, what? he wondered. And what had the front-seat man meant by, “this happens all the time”?

    While he was still thinking about this, they came to a ramp and the driver whipped the Toyota up onto a divided highway.

    As they raced along, Kip looked closely at the two men. In the flickering lights of the road, he could tell that the driver appeared to be the younger of the two―probably in his late-twenties; the other man was stocky and middle-aged. Both had very dark complexions. Neither had much to say, but he got the impression they were following someone else’s orders.

    After they had been on the freeway-like thoroughfare for about ten minutes, the driver twisted the wheel and they bounded down an exit ramp onto a rutted service road, where the sedan presently drove up in front of a brightly-lighted, modern-looking six-story building. According to the marquee the establishment was the “Roomland Hotel.”

    The front-seat passenger yanked open the rear door while the driver hopped from the other side.

    Kip tugged his luggage bag from the floorboard and got out.

    “Come!” the stocky one said, “the man is waiting for us.” Kip guessed he meant Busa.   

About the author:

John is a former Radio-TV News Director, Internet Commentator on the World Talk Network, newspaper columnist, and he worked in the oil trading and chemical business. He  still does occasional voiceover commercials for radio, television, and other promotions, and he's currently involved in property development and construction. He lives with his wife, Cecilia, in Katy, Texas.

Sold as a two-book set, Arbat Square and Plaza Mayor: Two Stories of Our Time is available in softcover  and ebook 
from Virtualbookworm.com, Amazon.com, and Barnesandnoble.com. This set can also be ordered from most bookstores around the United States and United Kingdom. More information can be found at John's website.

Featured Author: Anthony Napoleon

Virtualbookworm Publishing has Anthony Napoleon on tour for his non-fiction political/social psychology book that he wrote with Yevgeni Yevtushenkov, A Look Inside the Playbook: How Marxists Plan to Destroy America

. Intriqued? Keep reading for an excerpt and a guest post by Dr. Napoleon.

About the book: 

   

Playbook incorporates the actual training manual used by Russian operatives trained in the former USSR.  In Playbook you will learn that America’s traditional culture has been targeted for subversion using highly sophisticated psychological measures with the goal of imploding the United States upon itself.  Once imploded, a Marxist inspired central government will be reconstituted by both elected and unelected American political operatives.  It is the author’s contention that this subversion plot was initiated in the 1960s and is well on its way to success.

Excerpts from A Look Inside the Playbook: How Marxists Plan to Destroy America

Excerpt No. 1



“We begin as we always begin, with great patience and a plan. We must first attack our enemy’s nuclear family structure because that is the framework within which they pass down their traditional American values to their children and all future generations. We will focus our assault upon their children while they are away at school. Young minds are malleable and vulnerable. We will have access to their children for six or more hours per day, nine or more months out of the year. America’s public schools will become our indoctrination camps where child by child, mind by mind, we will chip away at everything our enemy holds dear. We will not move too quickly, for it is much easier to sneak up on your enemy and kill him little by little than it is to attack everything he stands for all at once.”
……………………………

Excerpt No. 2

“We must condition children to believe in communal and socially rooted determinism, not personal responsibility.  Even when confronted with, as our enemy would say, “God-given talent,” we shall emphasize the environment and diminish internal factors.  Rest assured that our view will come to dominate and give us the leverage needed to control our enemy. This is because citizens like to think that given the right opportunity and environment, they too would have been great, talented and rich. It feels good to blame others or outside forces for your shortcomings. The fact that the vast majority of people are average, by definition, means we can blame our enemy for the average person’s relative lack of brilliance, talent and achievement.  We shall brainwash all children to be treated as though they are geniuses in the making. We shall give them rewards, accolades and special achievement awards for merely showing up in class. Remember, there are no “average” children, only brilliant children who have been oppressed by our enemy.”
 

Guest Post

At the outset author Dr. Napoleon wishes to disabuse the reader of the understandable misunderstanding that he is a political writer.  Nor is he a political ideologue or partisan.  Playbook is a journalistic effort not a political tome.  As an expert on mind control strategies Dr. Napoleon came to recognize that something and/or someone was orchestrating the changes he saw on objective psychological tests among clients, patients and the general population.  Not only were American attitudes changing at an unprecedented pace but the degree of homogeneity of attitude change suggested to him that a coordinated effort was being made to create a uniformity of thought in the population as a whole.  Who would do this?  How would they do this and why?  The search for the answers to these questions spawned Napoleon’s first book on the subject, The Progressive Virus.  In that book he identified the cognitive distortions epidemic in America and much of the western world.  He traced the origins of the root cause of the distortions, the “virus” and documented who created it and why.  Enter Yevgeni Yevtushenkov.  Yevgeni approached Dr. Napoleon after reading The Progressive Virus and, much to Napoleon’s surprise, disclosed to him that operatives in the former USSR had set about to create the changes in cognition and attitude that Napoleon had discovered and written about in his capacity as a forensic psychologist.  The “Active Measures” used against the people of the United States over the past half-century are revealed for the first time in the actual training manual that is his newest book.  Playbook had previously been available to only a select few of high-level operatives working to subvert America.  People will be surprised to learn that the last 20 years of the KGB’s focus was not upon espionage or “spying.”  Spy work only consumed about 20% of the KGB’s total budget.  The other 80% was spent on developing then implementing the subversion strategies and tactics found in A Look Inside the Playbook:  How Marxists Plan to Destroy America.  Napoleon’s message is quite simple:  “It’s not politics folks, its reality...deal with it.”

About the authors:

   

Dr. Anthony Napoleon, PhD is a California licensed clinical psychologist, with a specialization in medical and forensic psychology.  His work at Indiana University at Bloomington included dual majors in the psychology department’s honor’s program and in I.U.’s school of journalism.  Dr. Napoleon is an expert on mind control and how psychology can be used to modify cognitive and affective neurological function. 

Yevgeni Yevtushenkov was a high ranking operative in the KGB who was responsible for helping to provide fundamental research for its “Active Measures” unit.  This group of Russian human behavior experts was charged with developing the psychological strategies and tactics that have been used so successfully to subvert the people of the United States. 


Connect with the author:
Website | Twitter

Buy the book:
Amazon

Featured Author: Christopher Compton

I'm happy to introduce you to Canadian fantasy and adventure writer Christopher Compton today to talk about his book Eternal Dreams: The Curse of Memories.

About the book:

Eternal Dreams is a fiction fantasy tale about six teenage friends who escape into a dream world to hide from the horrors of their own lives, only to find that reality is catching up with them anyway. Drephoria, the name of the stunning dream world created from their collective minds, will test the limits of their friendship, break the balance between good and evil, and prove the true value of memories and the imagination.

The first book in the trilogy, The Curse of Memories, focuses on the central character Kail and his dark past, told through memories, while simultaneously introducing the rest of his friends (known as The Inseparable Six) and the other strange and deadly inhabitants of Drephoria. Pitted against the dark queen Malise and her legendary allies known as The Forgotten Four, Kail and his friends must rid their world of evil before they lose themselves forever. Nostalgic, thrilling, heart-breaking, and consistently memorable, Eternal Dreams is a fantasy at its finest.


Interview with Christopher Compton

How long have you been writing, and how did you start?



I used to read Hardy Boy detective novels when I was really young, probably around seven or eight, and just couldn’t get enough of them. It got to the point where I had run out of books to read and decided to write my own stories, just to read them after. Gordon Linker Mysteries, they were called. I obviously knew the endings before I started reading them, but I quickly started to realize that I was having more fun writing than reading anyway. I would give the stories to my parents and friends to see if they got the same enjoyment out of reading my work as I got out of reading the Hardy Boys. That inclination to produce and share enjoyment is where it all started.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

To be honest, Eternal Dreams was just a working title for quite a while. I knew I wanted the sub-heading to be The Curse of Memories, because of how the book depicts memories as something that holds people back, but Eternal Dreams itself was a placeholder. The more I wrote, however, the more it just made sense. Eventually I stopped trying to think up something that could replace it.

How did you create the plot for Eternal Dreams?

As cheesy and possibly cliché as it sounds, the plot came to me in a dream. Not all at once, of course. That would have been overwhelming. It started with an image, really. Two people standing in a white dreamscape created from their combined imaginations. I didn’t know all the details of who they were or why they were there, but the basics of a dream world were clear to me. By the time I woke up, I started to flesh out what that image could possibly mean. I filled the dreamscape up with heroes and villains and sights people could only see in dreams. That’s when I knew I had a book on my hands.

How do you get to know your characters?

Getting to know my characters was like hanging out with a group of people I knew would be destined to be good friends. It’s a little awkward at first, but after someone cracks a stupid joke and names are exchanged, everyone becomes comfortable. I ask difficult questions of myself and let each character answer them in their own way. I like to think creating each chapter in Eternal Dreams is like rehearsing a scene for a play. I give them the lines, they memorize them, but there’s always room for some improvisation. In those unscripted moments, that’s when I discover who these people really are.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Each member of The Inseparable Six is very dear to me and picking a favorite to write for is like picking which kid I am most proud of. I guess I’ll just have to live with those consequences. Kanoa, the dreamer of the group, always strikes a chord with me. While he isn’t the main character, the story practically revolves around him. He packs a huge amount of momentum behind him and every scene he’s a part of has a chance to go completely off the rails. That level of danger and unpredictably is always a thrill, but it can also be somewhat emotionally exhausting writing him. Sure, he’s a dreamer finally getting his dream world, but in his mind, he had to wait far too long and suffer far too many disappointments to get there. Reality has taken a toll on him as the damaged layers start to pull away it becomes obvious that letting his imagination go wild is perhaps not the best idea.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

It would be unfair of me to say that all the characters in Eternal Dreams are totally original or pure works of my own imagination. The overlap in personal qualities between my own friends and The Inseparable Six are impossible to ignore. I’ve literally lifted parts of conversations I’ve had with my friends to use as dialogue, with their permission of course. I won’t go into specifics as to which character resembles which friend, but they probably know who they are. I just hope I don’t owe them royalties.

Are you like any of your characters?

Even more so than my friends, The Inseparable Six are reflections and fractions of me. At the risk of that sounding completely conceited, I’ll explain that I think everyone has more than one personality they share with the world. A single person can have many personas. The Inseparable Six are an expansion of my many personas. Kail, the main character, is the introverted, pessimistic side of me, Cora is the ambitious side that never stops looking forward, Thalia embodies my youthful, energetic qualities etc. I take multiple traits that match with one another and flesh them out until they form a character. So while no single character is more like me than another, they combine into a pretty accurate portrait of who I’ve been, who I am, and who I might become.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I absolutely abhor spoilers, so I’ll attempt to pick a scene that is still memorable without revealing too much. Early on in the novel, right when The Inseparable Six hit the dream world, they don’t have a very good handle on how to control their thoughts or the world they’ve unknowingly created. This leads to quite a few instances of the world reacting to their emotions in undesirable and unintentional ways. My favorite is a scene that juxtaposes how Kail deals with his new surroundings compared to his best friend Kanoa. Kail immediately gets stuck in jungle and has difficulty finding his way out because the jungle keeps shifting around. He doesn’t know he’s the one doing it, or how to stop it. It takes everything he has to make an escape. It’s clear that he’s going to have some troubles adjusting to the rules, or lack thereof. Then he meets up with Kanoa, who is riding down a mountain on the back of an avalanche as if it was second nature. It’s such a shocking contrast that it’s practically comical, while hinting at the true capabilities of the world they find themselves in. That’s the moment I think the reader might stop and think "literally anything can happen here." And I want them to know that they’re right.

What song would you pick to go with Eternal Dreams?

Eternal Dreams wouldn’t exist in its current incarnation of it weren’t for one single song. When I was trying to peg down a tone to slap onto the narrative, it was originally much lighter. It was going to be a lighthearted fantasy romp through a fun, colorful dream world. The day I heard MGMT’s "Time to Pretend" while writing, was the day that changed everything. It’s dark, energetic rhythm and reckless, melancholic lyrics infused Eternal Dreams with a rusted, jagged edge courtesy of reality that didn’t exist before. Suddenly, it was a story about kids coming to terms with the flaws in their dreams, realizing they weren’t invincible, and the harsh truth that not everything was going to be okay.

Who are your favorite authors?



My favorite authors will probably surprise a grand total of zero people. I grew up on J. K Rowling and J. R. R. Tolkien like most kids from the 90s. I’m pretty sure Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are required reading to pass your teen years as a human being. Other than that, I like to cherry pick my favorites. Stephen King is a great author for the millions of books he’s written, but It really sticks out to me the most, not just of his work, but of anyone’s. Stephen Chbosky’s Perks of Being a Wallflower should also be mandatory reading in high school, in my opinion. And without Lewis Carroll and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, I’d probably not be doing this interview or have a published book.


Do you have a routine for writing?

Whenever I’m in the hazy divide between sleep and awake is when I’m writing. First thing in the morning, before I eat breakfast or brush my teeth, I’m writing. Last thing at night, just before my head hits the pillow, I’m writing. Exhaustion is apparently fuel for my imagination. Once I become fully awake, the ideas start to fizzle out. I’m probably one of few who love waking up in the middle of the night. Some of my crazier ideas were born in the dead of night with eyes full of fatigue.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?


I can’t write with people around me. I like to shut myself off from the world and just pretend it doesn’t exist. I don’t need a specific place to write, but I do need solitude. Outside stimuli is distracting to me. There’s only one thing that will get me in the perfect mood to write: music. Nothing kills my abilities faster than silence. I need to absolutely drown out everything around me with noise. It has to be songs I’m familiar with though, or I’ll just end up focusing on the words or instruments instead of the words in front of me. If I can get alone, swallowed in a soundscape, I’m golden. 


What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

To me, making memories is the point of life, if there really is one. I don’t want to be one of those people that has a hard time filling a single page if I were to write an autobiography. I love being with my friends, getting into adventures, traveling, pretty much anything that has the potential to create a memorable moment. I’m aware that every day can’t be remembered, however, and sometimes I’m comfortable just watching a movie, reading a book or playing video games. Consuming entertainment is important when creating your own.

What are you working on now?

Right now is pure promotion for my first book. I want to get the word out there as best as I possibly can to anyone that’s willing to listen. If I’m going to make a career out of this, I have to be as ambitious and persistent as possible. I’m also writing the follow-up to The Curse of Memories, titled The Gift of Memories. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long and everyone can see the adventure continue. I’m just excited about every opportunity that comes my way.

About the author:

Christopher Compton, an aspiring young writer with dreams probably a little too big for this world, received the Most Imaginative Setting Award for Eternal Dreams: The Curse of Memories. He’s from a small town north of Toronto called Keswick. He is a graduate from Western University with a major in English Language and Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. He hopes to settle in his favourite place of all, New York.



Connect with Christopher:
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Buy the book:

Amazon | 
Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Steve Margles

Family activities and Parenting book, Notes from: Your Friend, The Tooth Fairy is not written by Steve Margles. Well, he compiled the book, but he swears the notes and the introduction were written by a fairy. Thanks to Virtualbookworm Publishing for bringing Steve here today.

About the book:

Notes from: Your Friend, The Tooth Fairy is meant as an illustration of a too often missed opportunity. It is hoped that children, parents, and grandparents who read it will use it as an inspiration. Upon losing the first tooth, be sure that your child leaves not only the tooth but also a brief note requesting a communication from The Fairy. You may be amazed at the wonderful responses that result. The illustration consists of the actual, unedited collection of the notes left for Samantha Margles by her Tooth Fairy, along with a contemporaneous photograph. Included is a scrapbook for you and your child to use. This will make it fun and easy to save the notes. Keeping them with a timely photograph will, once completed, produce a highly treasured keepsake!

Interview with Steve Margles

Steve, how did you come up with the title of your book?

Given the subject of my publication, the title was really a “no brainer.”  We played around with “Letters from”, and “Things received signed,” but they didn’t seem right.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Most of my job IS outside of writing. As I transition into retirement, however, I hope to devout more time to it, or at least to the promotion of this book. I think of this book as a concept book. A lost tooth is an opportunity. Too many people miss this great opportunity for communication with young children.

How would you describe your book in six words?

Beautiful, poignant, imaginative, meaningful, forever timely.

How did the idea for this book come about?

The growth and development of my children, all the fun, pain and wonderment of growing up dictated the plot.

What’s your favorite line from a book?

"Would you take a train ride with me?   Is that a proposition?     No darling, it’s a proposal.”  Actually it’s not a book it’s a movie, “North By Northwest.” Gary Grant asks Eva Marie Saint. I used it in asking my wife to marry me. She had to pick up her cue, which she did after a momentary hesitation.

I love that. Are you like any of your characters?

I hope I am just like the Fairies who looked after my children, kind, understanding, intelligent, compassionate with a great sense of humor.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

That’s a tough one. I love both Samantha’s and Shawn’s fairy. Choosing between them would be a question for Solomon.

What are your favorite songs?

I really have very few favorites. That goes for color, flowers, and food. I like so many things I don’t feel its necessary to rank one ahead of another. There are many songs I like, some for the melody, some for the words. A few of the songs I can identify with are:

"The Impossible dream" (Man of La Mancha)
"Tomorrow" (Annie)
"My First Love Song" (Roar of the Greasepaint, Smell of the Crowd)
"If you go away-Ne Me Quitte Pas-" (Patricia Kass, Piano Bar)

What song would you pick to go with your book?

I would use a great melody that I used for a scene in a movie I made of a trip to Africa.  I’ve searched and can’t find the name. It was light and smooth and magical. Can I get back to you on that?

Sure. Just don't forget. (LOL) Who are your favorite authors?

The books I have loved the most are usually fantasy or sci/fy. The entire series by Julian May starting with The Saga of Pilocene Exile and continuing on with The Galactic Milieu Series. Terry Brooks has a fun series, which starts with Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold! I loved James Michener’s The Tell.

You won the lottery.  What is the first thing you would buy?                                  
The things I want most can’t be bought.

About the author: 

Steven W. Margles, M.D. is the compiler of this book and makes no claims to authorship.  The introduction and Notes are the original work of Samantha’s Fairy. Steven was born in NYC in 1948 and lived in New York State until going into practice as a Hand Surgeon at The Lahey Clinic in 1979. He developed the section of Hand Surgery at Lahey Clinic, which has expanded five fold. His particular expertise is in the treatment of professional boxers including four world and several national champions. It is ironic that a doctor who improved the ability to knock teeth out has made his first publication about Tooth Fairies. He lives in Winchester, MA with his wife Tricia, their four cats and 6 fish.


Connect with Steve:                      Buy the book:
Website | Blog | Facebook         Amazon | Barnes & Noble   

      

Featured Author: John Doherty

The Spanish version of The Ultimate Job Guide (Guia Fundamental Para Buscar y Conseguir Trabajo) was published in 2013, the English version in 2012. VirtualBookWorm Publishing brings author John Doherty here today to talk about this educational book. John says, "Career success is a journey, not a destination."

Interview with John Doherty

John, how long have you been writing? 

Approximately 5 years, I started in 2008.

What inspired you to write The Ultimate Job Guide? 

The poor advice that the unemployed were receiving on the basis of current publications.

How long did it take you to write the book? 

Approximately 2 years to perform the research and organize the substance.

What do you hope readers will get from this book? 

A lesson of planning and inspiration for continuing to explore career opportunities.

How did you come up with the title? 

Simply put, the book is the best book of its nature ever published and within a hundred pages can be found the ultimate job for the individual—-thus The Ultimate Job Guide.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 

Yes, as a wizard of transition.

Hmmm...that sounds interesting. But you're going to keep us guessing as to what that job entails, aren't you? How would you describe your book in a tweet? 

If you're looking to find the right job, buy a business, or even buy a franchise, look no further.

Why did you decide to write this book? 

To raise the professional bar against the current published books.

How did you come up with your cover art?

The cover art was inspired by Daniel Healy and Associates, a recognized expert on Spanish publications.

Tell us about your favorite chapter.

The chapter on branding, quoting Lady Gaga.

What song would you pick to go with the book? 

"You've Got to Have Heart," from Damn Yankees.

Who are your favorite authors? 

David McCoullogh, Mark Twain and Agatha Cristie.

What were your favorite books...

as a child? 

The Bobsey Twins.

As a teenager?

The Red Badge of Courage.

As an adult?

To Kill a Mockingbird.

What book are you currently reading and in what format? 

Digital Marketing, hard cover.

Do you have routine for writing? 

Yes. 

Where would prefer to do your writing.  

In my study.

Name one thing you couldn't live without. 

Belief in God.

If you could only keep one book what would it be: 

The Bible.

Pretend you're going to leave the country for a year. What meal would you have to have before you leave? 

Chicago deep dish pizza with pepperoni.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

A book store.

If you win the lottery what's the first thing you would buy? 

I'd buy a zoo.

Now that's an answer I've never heard before! I love it. Name five people with whom you would pick to be stranded in a book store. 

Bill O'Rielly, David McCoullogh, Mark Twain, Saint John, and George Will.

A day off to do anything but write. 

Go to a Chicago Cubs game.

Where would your dream office be?

A tree house in Colorado.

Where is home for you? 

The Big Apple.

What's one of your favorite quotes? 

“Second place is rinky-dink.”

What three books read recently would you recommend? 

Rumsfeld Rules, Digital Marketing, The Brooklyn Bridge.

What would you like to do when you're not writing? 

Put people back to work.

What are you working on now? 

Publishing an effective website.

About the author: 

John Doherty brings to Doherty International his considerable talents and expertise as a counselor in the fields of entrepreneurial strategies and new business development. He also is a recognized pioneer and visionary in the field of executive transition, with more than 25 years of leadership in this highly competitive field. In fact, he first identified the need for and began providing these services to corporations and their executives many years before such services became popular and commonplace. 

Doherty is CEO of Doherty International, Inc., which he formed in 1993 to provide executive transition planning and counseling plus related services. Prior to that he served as chairman and CEO of an internationally ranked consulting firm. He also has held progressively more responsible positions, primarily in human resources, with companies including ITT and Baxter Laboratories, and in organization development with Booz, Allen, and Hamilton. Doherty also serves in a volunteer capacity as Executive Director of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Career and Business Networking Ministry. This ministry, which has assisted hundreds of individuals, was founded to relieve the pain and stress of job loss.  With an excellent established speaker's program, the ministry has drawn attention for its effectiveness. Participants receive a free copy of The Ultimate Job Guide in either English or Spanish as part of a community outreach. Doherty holds a BA in political science from Iona College and has done extensive graduate work at St. John’s University School of Law and Stern’s School of Business at New York University. He has lectured at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He currently serves on the board of advisors of Options Unlimited, a retirement counseling firm, and for a decade was on the board of advisors of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. He is a past member of the Chicago Club and the Philadelphia Union League Club.

Connect with John:
Website |  Blog | Publisher 

Featured Author: Joel Savage

Joel Savage, author of Overseas Chronicle-The Rome and Amsterdam Experience, and he's here today with Virtualbookworm Publishing to talk about the book and writing in general.

Sidebar: I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because a Grammar Nazi can never be too careful.

About the book:

The Roman Catholic priests continuously abused the young boys they had provided accommodation and in Amsterdam the liberal laws on drugs have destroyed a lot of people that there are walking dead on the streets.

In Amsterdam, the police successfully have impounded hundreds of kilos of
drugs which are brought into the country through the airport Schipol, yet marijuana and other harmful drugs find their way into the coffee-shops for customers. Where do those drugs come from? Who is controlling it? The government, the army, the police, or the Queen?

Interview with Joel Savage

Joel, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I have been writing since I was a teenager. I grew up in environment where I witnessed the experiences of those dying in desperation, and it deepened my understanding and knowledge to start writing books inspired by true events.

What do you like best about writing?

Writing has been my passion. It may be a hereditary thing since my father was a journalist and writer.

What’s your least favorite thing?

I don’t have any least favorite thing but I feel restless when a particular book I’m working on is left uncompleted.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Yes, when I am not behind my desk, I work as a cleaner or sometimes as a forklift driver to support my family.

How did you create the plot for this book?

I was aware of the subject I wanted to write about and since it falls in the genre of non-fiction, I made the book very interesting to read, letting the reader feel that he or she is witnessing firsthand.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

Having the story in mind, I just plan the outline and the story continues as the book is inspired by true events.

Did you have any say in your cover art?

I love being creative and adventurous. I therefore design the cover illustration of every book I have written.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peal

What’s your favorite line from a book?

There was an advice to a certain lady to refrain from thinking in order to prevent wrinkles from forming on her forehead.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

The Devil that Danced on the Water by Aminatta Forna.

What do you do to market your book?

I write little feature articles on my blog relating to my books before they are published.

Joel, tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

When I was invited by the police in Amsterdam for my documents, I went without any idea that I was going to be arrested and thrown behind bars. The police told me “We knew that woman more than you; she takes money from foreigners under the pretext of helping them.” I couldn’t say anything.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

I don’t have any song which suits my case but I remember that time the African-American musician, R Kelly’s lyrics, “I believe I can fly” supported me spiritually through faith to survive.

Who are your favorite authors?

Norman Vincent Peale, Aminatta Forna, Jeffery Archer and Ryszard Kapucinski.

What are your favorite books as a child, as a teenager, and as an adult?

Books inspired by true events.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him? 


Harrison Ford. I will first ask him what he likes best.

Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

I write when time is available. It can be morning, evening and even at midnight.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

At home at night.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?

At the moment I haven’t experienced any writer’s block because I’m still working on other scripts.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“Whatever happens to me benefits me, because it educates me morally and spiritually.”

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, by Jeffrey Archer; My Laugh Comes Last, by James Hadley Chase; and Cry My Beloved Country, by Alan Paton.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Watch a favorite program on the television.

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

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

United States of America

What are you working on now?

My new script The Passion of Reggae and African Music.

Joel Answers the Dirty Dozen:

1.    Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

      The Holy Bible

2.    If you could only keep one book,what would it be?

       The Power of Positive Thinking

3.    Your last meal would be...

        Last meal wouldn’t taste well. I prefer to request the Bible.

4.    Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

        I prefer any of them because both are the best way to increase your knowledge and
        interact with people.

5.    You won the lottery.What’s the first thing you would buy?
 
        A house.

6.    Would you rather be stranded on a deserted island or the North Pole?         Both aren’t a good experience if one finds himself in any of the two. I will
         therefore pray for this never to occur.

7.    You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

         I will still use that precious time to write.

8.    You’re driven to a private plane and told it will take you anywhere your want to go.
        Where would it be?

         A place I haven’t visited yet, United States of America.

9.    You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

         Sammy Davis Jr.

10.    Where would your dream office be?

        A place where business thrives with friendly people.

11.    If you could do only one, would you rather read or write?

        Write.

12.    One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?

        That’s a hard decision. I am happy I’m not working on anything like that at the
        moment.

About the author:

Joel Savage was born in the central region of Ghana, Cape Coast, on January 19, 1957. He attended the Ebenezer Secondary School and Accra High School in Accra, Ghana. He later studied at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. 
Joel was a freelance writer for the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times and the Weekly Spectator. He became a naturalized citizen of Sierra Leone in 1985 and of Belgium in 2008. He is an accredited, card-holding member of the Flemish Journalists’ Association and lives in Antwerp, Belgium, with his wife and three children. 


Connect with Joel:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon 

Featured Author: Fletcher Groves

Fletcher Groves is the author of the non-fiction business book, The Pipeline: A Picture of Homebuilding Production, published by Virtualbookworm.com.

About the book:

The Pipeline creates a visual image of homebuilding production from a systems standpoint, connecting the underlying production principles and disciplines to the measures that operating performance and economic outcomes hold in common, and making the compelling argument for the velocity side of ROA as the path to sustainable competitive separation.  

Interview with Fletcher Groves:

Fletcher, how long have you been writing, and how did you start? 

I have written almost my entire business career, but this is the first book I have ever published.

Why did you decide to write The Pipeline? 

It started out as a narrative for a specific client, which I recommended crafting as a dialog on homebuilding production, rather than a more straight-forward narrative.  The client eventually opted for the straight narrative, but allowed me to retain the IP for The Pipeline as a business book in a dialog/story format.

What will others learn from reading your book? 

Literally, there has never been this in-depth a study of production principles for this industry vertical. Pascal Dennis, who wrote the foreword for The Pipeline, remarked that – from a production management standpoint – the homebuilding industry is currently where the automobile industry was a hundred years ago.

A lot of this material will be completely new to executives in this industry.

What do you like best about writing? 

I like it as a means of transferring knowledge, and a creative expression.

What’s your least favorite thing?

There is nothing I dislike about it.

How did you come up with the title of your book? 

The image I was trying to create about a production system was simply a pipeline;  therefore, the title.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 

Yes, absolutely. I am a senior consultant with the management consulting firm SAI Consulting, Inc. 

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

I have an extensive business library, and I have repeatedly referred to portions of those books; the only books I have completely read more than once were novels like Wind from the Carolinas, A Land Remembered, and then a number of books designed for daily reading.

Who are your favorite authors? 

In the preface, I list the authors who influenced my thinking. From a business book standpoint, from the standpoint of using dialog to get business points across, the most influential author for me has been Eli Goldratt (The Goal, Critical Chain, etc.).

What do you do to market your book? 

I have used SAI’s Escape from Averageness weblog to post excerpts, going back to well before the book was published. Those posts are almost always used as updates on five or six industry-specific LinkedIn groups.

This is a non-fiction book, so there aren't characters per se. But are you like anyone in the book?

The character known as the intrepid, results-based consultant (always identified by the full description of the position, and never as anyone else) is my pseudonym, patterned after the personality of our oldest daughter, Henley. Using a pseudonym in this book allowed me to be in the story, but not have it be about me.

All of these characters I have encountered on different consulting engagements; some of them are typical. In the way she presents, argues, and explains – everything but gender – the intrepid, results-based consultant is very close to who I am.

How do you handle criticism of your work? 

Matter-of-factly.

Where’s home for you?  

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. A case of working where you live, not living where you work.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow? 

Principles are immutable, but virtually all of this book comes from actual experiences with clients in business.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? 

Play golf.

About the author:

Fletcher Groves, III has more than 30 years’ experience in commercial banking, in residential real estate sales, development, and construction, and in management consulting. He has owned and managed his own development and award-winning homebuilding companies, as well as worked for Arthur Rutenberg Homes.

For the most part, Fletch focuses his efforts in the homebuilding industry on the velocity side of ROA, on efforts to obtain measurable improvements in operating performance and business outcomes for builder clients, centered on business process management, but including issues related to strategic planning, organizational structure, financial management, executive vetting, productivity, production systems, process workflow, and performance measurement and compensation.

He is responsible for strategic partner relationships with iGrafx (division of Corel that provides a complete suite of process applications) and LEAN Pathways.  He is an author, blogger, content expert and frequent speaker at IBS and other homebuilding conferences.  He has been instrumental in the production of Reference Point®, SAI’s periodical survey of contemporary management issues, conducted among C-level executives within the homebuilding industry.


Website | Blog | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Trey Copeland

I'm happy to be talking to Trey Copeland, the author of Known Afterlife, Volume 1 of The Provider Trilogy, a  Speculative Fiction novel with equal parts sci-fi & fantasy.

About the book:

Stalling and Steffor inhabit different worlds, yet they are connected. With the fate of both realities in the balance, they each navigate knife-edged paths between utter darkness and universal salvation, paths that bring them to the same mind-bending dilemma. Do we have a moral obligation to pursue enlightenment at any cost? 

Antium is a world ruled by an ancient and merciless theocracy. The pervasive grip of stratification and elitism paralyze man's ability to grow, to dream, to aspire for a better existence. Armed with the motive, the technology and the capital means, Stalling Alterian stands ready to impose transcendence upon a stagnant society. Can Stalling and his cadre of gifted conspirators complete a technological miracle before the noose pulls tight? 

Meanwhile, Steffor wages an all together different battle to save his utopian world- an arboreal planet known as The Provider. As a Guardian of The Provider’s Citizens, Steffor exists to protect against an ancient and once believed vanquished enemy. With the very nature of reality at stake, can he salvage the bedrock mysticism that defines him? 

The two adrenaline-fueled narratives form the parallel tracks of a roller coaster that tosses the reader back and forth from a futuristic world of nearly recognizable technology and timeless corruption to an exotic fantasyland of magic, mythical beasts and romance beset by world-changing events, all while racing towards an inevitable if unimaginable collision.

Interview with Trey Copeland:

Trey, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I have been writing fiction for about five years now. For me, the decision to write was less about conscious choice and more about imposed call to adventure. Prior to that juncture, I had relegated my muse to a means of combating insomnia: imagining worlds, characters and stories until sleep finally conquered an over-active mind. A string of dramatic events occurred in my life over a short time period that motivated me to capture these ideas on paper. Despite this new-found compulsion, my confidence as a writer was far from high. So, in tandem with my nightly ritual of dumping ideas onto paper, I read several “how to” books (Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Teaching and Writing Fiction by Wallace Stegner being two of my favorites). Soon after, I found the courage to start writing and set out upon my new journey with mule-like determination. Outline soon emerged from brain-dump, sentences formed into paragraphs, paragraphs became chapters. One piece at a time, the giant puzzle took shape.

What do you like best about writing?

Writing does not come easy for me, it is a true labor of love. Storytelling, by comparison, comes natural. The best part about writing is when I have tapped into that vein of imagination, mined the story therein, and made it come alive on the page.

What’s your least favorite thing?

My least favorite aspect of writing is whenever I have to wage battle with my inner critic. Writing can be a lonely occupation and my inner critic never seems to miss an opportunity to instill doubt.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The title for the book did not emerge until well after completing the first draft of the manuscript but, in hindsight, choosing the title was one of the easiest steps in the process. The title captures the essence of the book’s spiritual themes, directly addressing the open-ended question that started it all: “If the mysteries of the divine Universe were revealed and quantified for all to see and experience, how would our world change as we know it?”

How did you create the plot for this book?

Personal frustration with and a genuine desire to eradicate human ignorance created the plot for Known Afterlife. Not ignorance in and of itself, our journey almost ensures all of us remain ignorant relative to our growth. No, ignorance imposed and propagated by a narrow yet influential few spawned the plot of Known Afterlife. What happens when a technological miracle wipes out mass ignorance overnight and in doing so, destroys the primary tool leveraged for thousands of years to rule and oppress the masses?

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I am big outliner. Before writing the first sentence, I had all three books mapped out in an outline consisting of 75,000+ words. The writing software I use enables me to break the outline from overview, to ideas, events, locations, characters, references, etc to the eventual transition of chapters and overarching trilogy. I’d be lost without it.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

If I were ever evangelical about a book, it would be Journey of Souls, by Michael Newton.  For a myriad of reasons, this book was a personal game-changer. That prefaced, I do not recommend it to everyone; the subject matter of life between lives and reincarnation does not resonate with everyone. 

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

Typically, my characters reflect strong personality traits of people in my life, be it family, friends, co-workers, or business partners. I am drawn towards people strong in their convictions, whether I share them or not. Good or bad, our convictions define us and reveal ones true character.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Great question, one I have pondered many times. Every time, despite having an intimate connection with so many different scenes, I come back to the scene of Steffor’s father retelling the story of the maiden trek across the Constunkeen Prairie Bough. The scene practically mugged my imagination, demanding its birth. It was the first piece of writing to silence my inner critic, if only for a moment. More importantly, the scene became a key pivot point towards the climax and in many ways the book’s foundation.  

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, in hardback.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?
Meditation prior to writing is a tried and true practice for me. In addition, I listen to a variety of entrainment programs while writing that aid in the creative process. 

11.    What are you working on now?
Volume 2 of the Provider Trilogy (the title is a work in progress). I am pleased with my progress and anticipate completing the first draft soon.

Excerpt from Known Afterlife
(from Chapter 11):

A strapping ten year old, already bigger and stronger than many young adults, Steffor's station in life remained undetermined.

The kuwani season was at its peak and yet another long day of harvesting the exotic fruit had ended. The fruit's sweet aroma mixed with pungent sweat, each steeped into weathered smocks and worn breeches, hung thick in the air, trapped by the canopy of colossal leaves overhead.

Steffor and his father wended a narrow branch as thoughts of a warm meal and peaceful sleep crept in, motivating weary bodies to forge toward home. Dozens of harvest Shifters—their family, neighbors and closest friends—each worn to the bone and exhausted from the day's labor, joined their commute along adjacent leafstalks; gratification with the day's work was displayed on every face and bent back.

By nightfall, the multitude of stalks had merged into one branch, herding them together to form a loose line, two to six abreast. The deep canopy thinned to reveal the sky full of early evening stars and the rise of Ginllats. The day's harvest hovered a few hundred feet above, packed into a large freight car suspended by thick haulage vines. The cylindrical satellite, its silhouette accentuated by the moon's bright green illumination, trudged along in silence, casting a long shadow over their trail.

Having left for home prior to the car, it had finally caught up with them and was slowly pulling ahead. The young Steffor watched the car pass by, making its way toward Razum City. He visualized the burly vine Shifters, their naked trunks glistening from the coordinated and strenuous movements, tirelessly shifting the elongated vines over miles of prairie bough. Hours of labor later, they would deliver the car filled with thousands of kuwani to market that would in turn disperse it around the world.

They watched the car whisper by overhead, shameless pride displayed across his father's weathered face, Steffor, grimed head to toe and reeking, content with the day but restless in the spirit.

"Why did you and mother choose to settle Maseriah?" Steffor asked as he turned his attention back toward the trail.

"Maseriah chose us, not the other way around." The ardent glint in his father's eyes, so familiar whenever he spoke of higher powers, stifled Steffor's chortle at the thought of a place having the ability to choose anything, much less a Citizen. Instead, he nodded as if understanding and arched his brow with respect, imploring his father to elaborate.

Taking a long moment to ensure his son devoted all his attention to what he said next, his father continued his story. "Your mother and I had been partnered for less than a year. We were contributing as novice Shifters, our raw skills relegated to the mundane but important: I, maintenance of Razum's plethora of decks, stairways and ramps; your mother, her budding gift for food put to use as preservative Shifter at the Market. We were active, honing our craft and staying patient. When the call of the Provider came, we were prepared to follow without hesitation."

"The sign came from the Mysticnet when our minds were flooded with the images of a young Guardian named Maseriah, safely returning home after being lost and presumed dead for over six months. His disappearance was big news and his return even bigger. Your mother and I were instantly mesmerized by his tale."

"Maseriah had discovered an uncharted branch while surveying the Constunkeen prairie bough, the very branch we travel today." His father spread his arms wide, turning side to side, to emphasize the novelty. "The branch had avoided detection over the years due to how it jutted strait down before spreading outward to mingle just below the bifurcated branches located at the bough's end. His keen Guardian eye followed the camouflaged branch for miles and was elated to discover a thriving complex of unique flora. Being the young and confident Guardian he was, and a fine Dive competitor to boot, Maseriah chose his path and leaped toward history."

"Looking back at it, he admits to not giving much thought to how he would return. The impulse to explore had overwhelmed him and he was now acting on instinct. Nor did he give much thought to the perilous act of getting down to the secluded branch." By the tone of his voice and spark in his eye, Steffor sensed his father admired the young Guardian's temerity. "Maseriah's point of entry was a low cliff found midway in the expansive fork and the path he chose was no less intricate or harrowing than a championship dive chute."
"Starting with a thousand foot free fall into a copse of stalks and leaves, Maseriah punched his way through leaf and stem, forming a Source sphere at the last second on a stalk not a half mile from where we stand, no wider then you are long." Steffor had seen the images and from his young point of view, the success of Maseriah's dive was nothing short of a miracle.

"Safely on the branch, Maseriah set to exploring. True, our branch displayed many unique and unseen growth patterns and foliage but after several days, fear began to grip the young Guardian as his search for food, water and a means to return to the prairie bough came up short. By the twenty-eighth day, exhausted, his provisions gone for over a week, Maseriah lay sprawled on his stomach, lost in the catacomb of stalks and began to prepare himself to join the Provider."

Somaht, their village Mystic, had shown this story to Steffor dozens of times, both with and separate of Maseriah's in-person narration. His father knew this, sitting in on most of the communal recitations, and yet told the story as if for the first time. Out of respect and partially because he had learned to be patient whenever he asked his father a question, he chose not to point out this obvious fact.


About the author:
Born in 1969, Trey Copeland was hooked on science fiction the moment he watched his first Star Trek episode (a rerun of "The Enemy Within"). Trey folded in a love for fantasy upon discovering Dungeons & Dragons during his early teen years. Since, he has stoked his passion for speculative fiction with the greats: J.R.R. Tolkien, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, L. Ron Hubbard, C.S. Lewis, Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind and many more. The works Trey admires most entertain while sharing a vision.

The primary inspiration for Trey's writing comes from the belief that the purpose to life is to learn and grow from individual and shared experiences. If he can communicate that deceptively simple pillar of faith while entertaining, if he can move a reader to "what if?" explorations of their own than he has achieved his aim as an author.

Born in Central Virginia, Trey currently resides in North Carolina with his loving, supportive and patient wife, where they both do their best to prioritize raising their three boys.

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