Guest Post by Jason Helford

Jason Helford is the author of the thriller From a Killer's Mind. As you may have surmised by the title, this novel puts the reader inside the mind of a serial killer. Jason's here today with a guest post that, like the book, is a little creepy--creepy in a good way for thriller fans. Warning: don't read this if you're about to go out for a jog or to walk the dog!

Kirkus review:

Helford’s debut opens with a seemingly innocuous scene: A real estate agent shows a young couple a house they’re considering buying. Suddenly, the wife imagines horrific scenes of bloodshed in the house and begins screaming. Unbeknownst to the real estate agent, the house has a dark history: It was once home to a serial killer. The author then opens the narrative up, bringing readers into the mind of that killer, John, a nervous, punctilious man preparing to go “shopping”—not for groceries but for victims he calls “epiphanies.” Helford explores the weird logic of John’s psyche in a series of carefully controlled chapters enlivened by baroque, engaging prose (“A dark calm void filled the confusion, filled the sadness, filled John to the brim, while pushing aside his chaotic thoughts to the edges of the darkness, and John followed”). On the outside, John is calm, collected and sometimes even sarcastic; he smiles as he tells one prospective victim, “You know that in some tribal cultures, a smile is actually a warning of incipient violence.” But on the inside, he’s tortured by grotesque visions that drive him to kidnap women and savagely murder them. This internal narrative is so vivid and disjointed that readers will likely find John both fascinating and repulsive as he stews with “impotent rage at the wrong done to him” yet experiences neither remorse nor compassion. As the pace increases, the focus splits between John and a team of police investigators trying to capitalize on his few mistakes in order to catch him. The technical, procedural aspects of these sections are just as well-written and convincing as John’s surreal, violent inner monologues. The book significantly increases the gore and violence in its second half, as John’s inner demons urge him to greater violence (and seem to take on lives of their own). Fans of Thomas Harris’ The Silence of the Lambs and Shane Stevens’ By Reason of Insanity may find a new favorite author here.

A violent, disturbing thriller.

About the book:

The prologue is a vignette that brings the reader into the tone and setting of the novel, giving a foreshadowing of the events that will unfold. It starts with newlyweds on a happy day, looking at a prospective home, but ends in tragedy due to an evil resonance attached to the house. This leads the reader to the beginning of John's story.
 
John has been a successful serial killer for his entire adult life, committed to his craft without detection or disruption. He's spent years refining his process and meticulously planning out each kill, honing his abilities to horrible heights. At the start of the novel, the reader is introduced to John going about the routine of his particular method of selection and abduction. The plans are well-rehearsed, but his dark life is abruptly disrupted as something even darker wells out from deep within him. What starts out as one dissociative lapse--a blackout on the road--turns into a series of uncontrollable blackouts, unraveling his carefully wrought control. John tries to re-center his mind through meditation--a technique he taught himself as a young man, to quiet his chaotic thoughts--but while John is deep within himself, he finds unfamiliar dark voices, voices not his own. They claw past his defenses and force themselves into John's reality, manifesting from out of the depths of his subconscious. John's scarred psyche had manifested as grotesque physical representations, torturing his fragile mind and bringing his buried past terrors back to life. Through a series of unbidden flashbacks to the abuses and defining moments of John's past, and through his interactions with these manifestations representing his weaknesses and fears, the reader glimpses what set him on the path to being such a prolific killer.
 
The book is written with an emotional honesty that lays bare the killer's soul for all readers to see, while also delivering a good scare.
 

Guest Post by Jason Helford

You are jogging through an abandoned part of town, each footfall crunching on the dried leaves that lonely winds have scattered over this old street. The pavement is cracked and broken, with occasional potholes that you hop over as you run. There are 4 more miles to run, and the sun slid behind the horizon hours ago. You are covered with a healthy sheen, and your pulse is steady.

Dark windows stare over doorways that smile at you as their frames sag with rot and age.  A light, dry breeze stirs the debris and brings the faint smell of old decay.

Your eyes dart left and right as you scan the deep shadows hovering in empty alleys. A trash can rattles to your right and falls over, sending you into a momentary sprint, until you hear the feline yowl and see a tabby cat run across the street, chasing something small. You chuckle and resume your rhythmic pace. You look down at your feet to avoid injury on the well-worn road. Each footfall sends a comforting shockwave up your legs and scatters dry leaves in an eddy.

“Pardon me, friend,” a voice startles you from the dark, causing you to stumble.  “Whoa, friend. Relax. I just need some directions. Sorry to scare you.”

You straighten up and stare as the man detaches himself from the night and walks towards you. He is unassuming, of medium height and build. The crown of his head peeks through a small gap in his dark hair.

“Where are you trying to go?” you ask in a flat tone, gesturing down one of the cross streets. “Downtown is that way. This is the old part of town.  An abandoned development.”

“Well, actually, I am following a tour,” explains the man, smiling and stepping closer.

“A tour? Out here? At...um, you should probably just head that way to town. Good night,” you reply, skeptical of the notion of a midnight tour.

“No, no, no,” he says with a congenial gesture while talking fast. “It’s an electronic tour. On my phone. It’s based on a book called From a Killer’s Mind. Great book! Really scary! Do you remember the grizzly killings here a number of years ago? Weird, awesome story.”

“Yeahhh,” you say, taken aback by his odd choice of words. “But they were horrible killings. Worst this area had seen. I don’t know about awesome, but, yeah, everyone here knows. Look, I can’t help you with that, so I’ll just get back to running. Good luck.”
You turn to leave, but he says something that chills your spine.

“I’m looking for 782 Smithtown Road,” he calls out in a causal tone. “Do you know where that is?”

“782 Smithtown Road?!” you ask incredulously. “That’s my neighbor’s house! It wasn’t involved with the killings! That wasn’t in From a Killer’s Mind. I read it, too. It was good.”

“Your neighbor’s house?  Well, that is a coincidence,” answers the man, his smile spreading. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. “But it’s definitely in the book. It’s right here. Look.”

“It’s the section where the writer, ah,” the man steps closer and looks around, suddenly whispering conspiratorially, holding out his phone to you. “Where the writer talks about the supernatural stuff. Some people say it’s just tin-hat craziness, or maybe covering lazy police-work, but not me. I think the stories are real.”

You warily take the phone and look at the loaded page, but you don’t see anything about your neighbor’s house.

“What are you talking about?” you accuse. “There’s nothing in here about my neighbor’s house?!”

“It’s there. Look again,” says the man with stale breath. “It’s there. The gory killings.  The supernatural shockers. Fear and suspense. The killer’s dark background. How he became who he was. It’s all there, friend.”

“What are you talking about?” you demand, scrolling up and down impatiently. “What about my neighbor’s house? I don’t have time for this...”

“You have the time,” says the man, his tone suddenly different. “You’ll learn all about it.”

“About wha...” you start, pushing the phone back to the man, when pain flashes at the base of your skull, sending stars floating in your vision. You feel yourself going limp as you fall towards the ground, but land instead in inky, numb blackness.

If you liked this, try my book, From A Killer’s Mind.

About the author:

Jason Helford is a first time author, having recently published his debut novel, From a Killer’s Mind, in July of 2013. He’s a devoted husband and father, an avid comic book collector and an enthusiastic craft beer drinker. Prizing originality and creativity more than anything else, his favorite authors are Hunter S. Thompson, Chuck Palahniuk, Ray Bradbury, Terry Brooks, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin and Albert Camus. Please don’t be offended if you are an author and your name wasn’t mentioned, he probably likes you, too. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Bella, his daughter, Maddie, and his goofy dog, Sunset.



Connect with the author:
Website | Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

Featured Author: Natalie Kleinman

Natalie Kleinman is here today to talk about her contemporary romance novel, Voyage of Desire, published by Safkhet Publishing.

About the book:

What do you do when you discover your boyfriend of two years is married to someone else?
Beth Walker seeks to escape her heartbreak by taking temporary work on a cruise ship. Instead, on the very first day she meets Ryan Donovan and is drawn to him by his soft Irish lilt and mischievous eyes. Her plan to forswear men recedes like the waves at the stern of the ship...but it isn't quite that simple. There are many obstacles that stand in the way of her happiness – and then she learns she is pregnant.

It seems her problems may only just be beginning. Antagonism between Beth and Ryan abounds and there are misunderstandings aplenty. Can these two warring factions find a happy ever after? Find out what happens in Voyage of Desire.

Interview with Natalie Kleinman

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

I’ve been writing for over ten years now. Having given up an Open University course because it was taking too much of my time, I looked for something to fill the gap and joined a ten-week-long council run course. Of course, the joke is I now spend far more time writing than I ever did studying.

What’s the story behind the title Voyage of Desire?

Beth runs away from a broken romance to work on a cruise ship. Determined to put men behind her, she nevertheless meets Ryan and finds she is overwhelmed by desires she didn’t even know she was capable of.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

No, it is a full-time job.

How did you create the plot for this book?

I’m a panster. I liked the idea of a cruise ship as the setting for a story. I began with Beth running away and after that it wasn’t up to me any more – I went where it took me.

I hear you. What’s your favorite line from a book?

"Beth glanced at the seal as they sailed past. It was still looking mournful. She was feeling a lot better."

How do you get to know your characters?

They tell me. They present their appearance and personality almost immediately. I’m not quite sure how this happens, but I rarely have to ‘edit’ my characters.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Ryan. He’s only gorgeous.

What would your main character say about you?

I hope she would say that I’m sympathetic.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

No, none of them.

Is your book based on real events?

I hope not or someone out there might be lodging a suit against me. No, definitely not.

Are you like any of your characters?

I like to think I’m a bit like Beth...capable and ready to deal with whatever comes along (though I grant you she did run away at the start). Insecure beneath the surface, but then which of us isn’t.

One of your characters has just found out you’re about to kill him off. He/she decides to beat you to the punch. How would he kill you?

None of my characters would ever want to kill me off. They’d sacrifice themselves before they sacrificed me.

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

If I were a man I’d like to be Howard. He plays a minor but key role – and I like him.

Who are your favorite authors?

Lee Child, Harlan Coben...my reading of choice is thriller or murder mystery though I don’t write them, and Georgette Heyer...who introduced me to romance more years ago than I care to admit and whose writing I enjoy as much today as I did then. 


In that case, can I interest you in a cozy mystery? Sorry, self-promoting is getting to be automatic. What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?

An ability to put the book down. As I feel guilty reading during the day, this usually means I only get a few hours’ sleep...and feel dreadful the next day.


Do you have a routine for writing?

Yes, I open my laptop in the morning before breakfast, check my emails, then I write. I occasionally remember to stop for tea/coffee and lunch.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

At the dining room table. I have a designated office but it feels impersonal.

Where’s home for you?

London. Always has been.

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

A Thesaurus.

Why did you decide to publish with Safkhet?

I had an almost immediate response from Will Sutton whose email suggested I might like to stop jumping up and down when I’d assimilated the fact that he’d offered me a contract. Wouldn’t you want to work with somebody with a sense of humour like that?

If only. What’s your favorite candy bar?

I’m a sucker for white chocolate truffles.

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Lots of good books, but I’d just like to pick one out as outstanding and that is Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson.

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

When am I not writing? Seriously, lunch out with friends.

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

Where I am.

What are you working on now?

I have a pocket novel, Secret Love, being published by People’s Friend/DC Thomson, due out on 17th July. At present I am re-writing the ‘bottom drawer’ first novel. The setting is the same, a Cotswolds town, the hero is another character completely from the original and the point of view is changed from first to third person...so much easier. I’m having fun with it.

Please come back and tell us about it when it's finished!

About the author:

Living with her husband in Blackheath in southeast London, Natalie Kleinman has been writing ever since she abandoned the two-year, brain-addling study of quantum physics and geology at Open University. Now, she is a well-versed, well-written UK author, with publications in such major magazines and newspapers as The Guardian, The People's Friend, ALLAS (Sweden), Hjemmet (Norway), Ireland's Own, That's Life Fast Fiction (Australia) and Woman's Era (India). Her works span romance, science-fiction, and thriller genres.

For Natalie, writing is a compulsion she cannot resist, nor does she want to. She says her greatest gift is a husband who is not only wonderfully understanding and supportive but also plies her with copious quantities of tea – and sometimes chocolate. And he cooks!

Connect with Natalie:
Webpage | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book:
Amazon | Smashwords 

Guest Post from Christoph Fischer

Christoph Fischer was here last week with an interview and excerpt from his new novel, Time to Let Go, a book that deals with the issue of Alzheimer's disease. I'm glad to have him back today with a guest post in which he talks about the real woman who inspired his novel; Alzheimer's disease; the airlines industry (another subject of the book); and memory. As I mentioned in Christoph's previous post, my mother had Vascular dementia, a sister to Alzheimer's, and I can say firsthand that Christoph's observances are spot on. I'm happy to have Christoph here today to shed some light on the issue of dementia and to talk more about his book.

About the book:

Time to Let Go is a contemporary family drama set in Britain.

Following a traumatic incident at work Stewardess Hanna Korhonen decides to take time off work and leaves her home in London to spend quality time with her elderly parents in rural England. There she finds that neither can she run away from her problems, nor does her family provide the easy getaway place that she has hoped for. Her mother suffers from Alzheimer's disease and, while being confronted with the consequences of her issues at work, she and her entire family are forced to reassess their lives.

The book takes a close look at family dynamics and at human nature in a time of a crisis. Their challenges, individual and shared, take the Korhonens on a journey of self-discovery and redemption.

Guest Post by Christoph Fischer

“The Real Biddy Korhonen”

I grew up with only a few friends and with two older siblings who were miles ahead of me in their lives. My mother was a busy woman, and so I spent a lot of time at my aunt’s house. She had always wanted to have four children but lost one child at birth. Her other three children were much older and didn’t need her much anymore, so my visits to her house filled a gap for her, in the same way as her attention to me filled a need in me. A match made in heaven. 
Philomena, or Minna, as we called her, remained a source of happiness and encouragement throughout my life. I was always welcome and treated like a precious gift. She smoked, but she outlived both of her sisters (taken in their 40s by cancer). 


In her late 70s,  Minna was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Well, I thought, at least she lives, belittling her misfortune without much awareness.


The next time I saw her, her trademark happiness, however, seemed far away. She was crying bitterly because she had lost her hearing aid, a very expensive one, too. Suddenly her life seemed to revolve around retrieving things. She was spared the physical pain of her sisters, but she suffered severe mental torture.


She fortunately reached a happier stage as medication and care helped reduce the misery in her life, but the attention she needed was a huge toll to the family. Despite her memory loss, she seemed to vaguely recognise me; me, the ‘child’ that lived abroad and who rarely came to visit. She had not lost her warmth and happiness, or maybe she had just regained it after the bad patch I mentioned earlier.


Very recently I saw her again, almost unrecognisable: withdrawn, very unresponsive and almost reduced to basic functioning. Surprisingly, she could still read, and when I came to see her for a second time, her eyes shone as if she did recognise me. I spoke an emotional goodbye to her and her hand was shaky and excited as she listened to my speech. She even responded by talking, using words that didn’t fit exactly but which expressed an emotion similar to what one would expect from a loving aunt in such a situation.


With her loving kindness in mind I created Biddy, the mother in Time to let Go, a selfless, giving woman, who even in her illness manages to show her innate kindness. I know it would be wrong to praise her for a gift that many other patients do not have, through no fault of their own. Losing one’s memory and control of one’s life is a terrible thing that you can only understand when it happens to you.

Time to Let Go is partly meant as a tribute to my brave aunt and to the wonderful people who help make her life dignified and as happy as is possible.

***

Alzheimer's

My book is inspired by personal experiences with sufferers from the disease. Nowadays, almost everyone knows someone who has relatives with Alzheimer's and gradually stories and anecdotes about these patients have entered the social dinner party circuit and become common knowledge.

Alzheimer's is a dreadful disease that cannot be easily understood in its gravity and the complex, frustrating and far reaching consequences for the victims and their families. There are different stages of the disease as it progresses and patients can move through them at different paces and in varying intensity. My book does not attempt to be a complete representation or a manual of how to deal with the disease. The illness affects every patient differently and there are many stories to tell and many aspects to cover. I hope that I can bring some of those issues to the surface and help to make the gravity of the disease more prominent. I did, however, decide to stay firmly in fiction and family drama territory, and not to write a dramatized documentary on the subject.

I have witnessed several different approaches to handling the disease by both individuals and entire families, and I have learned that the people involved in every case need to work out what is best for them. In my book, a family work out their particular approach, which is right for them. They have different ideas about it and need to battle it out. These clashes fascinated me and I felt they were worth exploring.

Issues of caring at home, mobile care assistance or institutionalising patients are personal and, depending on where in the world you are, every family has very different options or limitations. The ending in my book must be seen in that context: as an individual ‘best’ solution that uniquely fits the Korhonen family.



As point of first reference and for a more comprehensive and scientific overview of information and help available, I recommend: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ in the UK, and http://www.alz.org/ in the US. 
There are support groups, helplines, and many other sources available in most countries. These will be able to advise specifically for each  individual situation.
(Note from Amy: I found www.alz.org to be extremely helpful. I highly recommend it.)



I can also recommend Because We Care by Fran Lewis. This fantastic book has a comprehensive appendix with more or less everything you need to know about the disease: its stages, personal advice on caring, information, tools and help available in the US.

For consistency, I exclusively used material relating to a medium-advanced stage of the disease. To protect the privacy and dignity of the patients that inspired the story I have altered all of the events and used both first and secondhand experiences and anecdotes. Nothing in this book has actually happened in that way. Apart from some outer parallels between my characters and patients I witnessed, any similarities with real people, alive or dead, are coincidental and unintended.

*****

Airlines

The airline plot is not based on any real incident but is inspired by my own imagination. I used to work for an airline and so naturally, much of Hanna’s life is based on my own experience of 15 years flying. I lived with the awareness that every time a call bell goes off on a plane this could be a matter of life and death. What happens to Hanna in the book has never happened to me or anyone close to me. My flying life was not that extraordinary. Fortunately. 
But every year airline crew are retrained in emergency procedures and aviation medicine, and at least during those intense yearly re-training sessions, your mind cannot help considering the possibilities of such events.


The modern trend of the ‘suing- and compensation-culture’ and the extent of it in some cases worries me a little, which is why some of that concern found its way into the book.


The lifestyle of cabin crew and pilots is often falsely glorified as a glamorous string of free holidays and leisure. A recent crew strike in the UK has brought the profession into disrepute in the media as fat cats and lazy bones. My book aims to shed a bit of light on the realities of flying. I enjoyed the life and would not want to miss the experience, but it is a tough life that demands huge personal sacrifices and flexibility, sleep deprivation on a massive scale, and exposure to aggressive and abusive behaviour by a consumerist clientele. In the global trend of cost cutting, salaries are going down and what used to be a career is at risk of becoming a minimum wage job handed to people who have no experience and who have no incentive to give it their all.


My book is a tribute to my former colleagues in the airline industry, who, in my opinion, are unsung heroes and a bunch of wonderful, hard-working and very caring people.

*****

Memory 



What makes Alzheimer's so terrible? What is it that makes a memory so important to one’s life that people compare its horrors to pain-inflicting diseases like cancer? You are alive and physically well, you eat and function as a human, but as an Alzheimer patient you are bound to be suffering, frustrated, depressed and unhappy.


Of course it is ridiculous to compare the two diseases, but while a cancer patient has still their awareness and choices, the Alzheimer sufferer is losing the core of their being, everything they ever were. 


How can you define yourself if you cannot remember? You have had children, but you won’t recognise them. You won awards, had a successful career, made people happy, but you don’t know any of it. Who are you and what are you doing on the planet? Who are the people around you? As the disease progresses, these things become more intense and you can live in a mental prison of fear and disorientation. Your brain won’t do as you want it to. The fear of losing ‘it’ altogether, for some is impossible to bear. You are about to lose everything that was ever precious to you.


That thought is frightening to all of us. It can happen to all of us. The worst stage seems to be when patients still notice that something is wrong. We all know how annoying it is when we just put something down and don’t remember where. Imagine that happening to you all the time, every day, and you get an idea of how it might feel. The carers see their loved ones slowly drift away into a stranger.

Biddy’s husband Walter in my novel becomes obsessed with preserving memories – his own and others. He begins to write a family chronicle as a constructive outlet for his fears. He is an important character with his musings about preserving knowledge, memories and facts, and he allowed me to bring in thoughts about the disease on a different and more reflective level.

I hope that I have managed to write about more than just the clinical side of the disease. I stuck to the early stages of Alzheimer's in the story because it gave me the best opportunities to work these thoughts into the story. It allows me to look back at Biddy’s past but with still a lot of hope.


About the author:

Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border. After a few years in Hamburg he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small hamlet, not far from Bath.  He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family.

Christoph worked for the British Film Institute, in libraries, museums and for a major airline. He completed the historical Three Nations Trilogy last year, which included: The Luck of the Weissensteiners, Sebastian, and The Black Eagle Inn.

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

Buy the book:
Amazon

Did you know?
In addition to writing, Christoph and I have something else in common: we both own

Labradoodles. In fact, Wilma, one of Christoph's three Labradoodles, just had puppies (go to his Facebook page or his blog for adorable pictures!). This little nugget of trivia really isn't relevant to this blog, but the picture Christoph sent me is just too darn cute not to post. Congratulations, Papa Christoph!

And Christoph asked, and I delivered... here's an up close and personal  picture (left) of my Cooper.

Featured Author: Tricia Drammeh

I'm so happy to have my friend Tricia Drammeh back at A Blue Million Books today. Tricia was my very first guest in September 2012 with her YA novel The Claiming Words, and she came back last April to talk about The Fifth Circle, also a young adult book. She's here today with her new chick lit novel, Better than Perfect, a book one reviewer called, "Tricia's best work yet!"

About the book:

Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of rut some people never escape from. With few friends, no boyfriend, and no plans to graduate from college any time in the immediate future, Karlie is as stuck in her ways as the elderly neighbor she spends all her time with.

When her world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them.

Excerpt from Better Than Perfect

The sun is coming up before I finally crash into sleep. When the ringing of the telephone startles me into a sitting position, I struggle for a moment to remember where I am. Three, four, five times, the phone rings, a noise from the past, from a time before cell phones all but obliterated the need for a land line.

Who’s calling this early? How early is it? Maybe it’s the hospital. Oh, my God! Maybe it’s Sharron. I bolt from the sofa. My feet tangle in the blanket, nearly sending me crashing face first into the coffee table. I right myself and skitter to the kitchen, yanking the olive-colored plastic handset from the wall phone. “Hello,” I gasp breathlessly.

“Karlie, honey? Everything okay?”

“Hi, Marita. Everything’s fine,” I lie. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m a little weak, but I’m feeling better. Just worried about my boys. Are they awake yet? Are you coming over to the hospital?”

The clock on the microwave blinks 9:35. I’d overslept and missed my Colonial Lit class. Two days in a row of missed classes. Way to go, Karlie.

“I’ll get them up soon and we’ll be over after breakfast. Have you seen the doctor yet? What’s going on?”

“Doctor Evans was here this morning and wants to run some more tests. I’m supposed to see a heart doctor this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, I’m having an EEG. They think I might have had a small stroke last night...”

My head begins to pound. Tomorrow morning? What does that mean? “When are you coming home?” I ask, interrupting her list of tests and medications.

“That’s one of the things I need to talk to you about,” she replies sounding tremulous. “The doctor said I’ll be here for at least a couple of days. I can’t impose upon you to watch the boys that long. You’ve got a life to live—a job, and school...” she trails off, hesitating. “Have you been able to get in touch with Sharron?”

“Not yet. Her phone isn’t working, but I’ll keep trying.” Then trying to sound casual and non-judgmental, I ask, “When is the last time you talked to her?”

“Hmmm, let’s see. I talked to her when I picked the boys up from the airport. Did I talk to her after that? No. Yes. I might have talked to her once, but it was a while ago.”

Oh my God. Sharron has disappeared off the face of the earth and I’m going to be stuck with the boys forever.

I hyperventilate just thinking about what I’ll do if I have to deal with those twins another day, much less another week...or more. Even if Marita gets out of the hospital tomorrow, that still leaves today to worry about. I’ve already missed two days of school, including today, so I can’t miss any more.

There has to be someone to take these demon children off my hands, but who? Darla? She has a sick husband to care for and isn’t in the best of health. She probably isn’t the best option, but what choice do I have? It’s not like the boys are babies. They’re practically grown. Of course, with the visits from the police and their tendencies to wander off, they probably need more looking after than toddlers.

“Karlie, are you still there?”

“Yes ma’am. Sorry. What were you saying?”

“Darla promised to stop by today before chemo. She said she would take the boys if she was able, but she can’t because she’s having a procedure done on Friday. I was supposed to help her, but now it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to.”

“Well, that can’t be helped,” I say instinctively trying to soothe her while still worrying about my own difficult position.

“Keep trying to get in touch with Sharron.”

“I will. I asked the boys if they could think of any other numbers where she could be reached, but they weren’t any help. I’ll keep trying, though. She’s bound to call to check on the boys eventually.”

“Of course.” She doesn’t sound very sure. I can’t blame her for doubting her daughter. What sort of parent doesn’t call to check on her kids? What kind of parent doesn’t make sure the person responsible for her children has an emergency number? If something happens to one of the boys...

No. I can’t let myself think about that. I have to think positive. In all likelihood, Marita will get out of the hospital in a day or two. Things will be back to normal before too long. How hard can it be to take care of two fourteen-year-old boys? I just have to sit them down and reason with them.

“The boys and I will be there soon,” I assure her. “Do you need anything?”

She rattles off a list of personal items before I hang up. Hopefully she won’t be in the hospital long enough to use all the things she’d asked for. I try calling Sharron’s number again and nearly cry in frustration. Where the heck is she?

My heavy, tired feet trudge up the stairs and down the hallway to the boys’ room. I knock several times before a disheveled twin opens the door.

“Do you want to go see your grandma?”

“Now?”

“In an hour.”

“We’re tired.”

“So am I,” I snap. “I’ll make breakfast.”

“We’ll get ready.”

Food is a useful bargaining tool with the twins, I’ve realized. I’ll have to remember to use their stomachs against them in the future. I go back downstairs and sort through the fridge, pulling out a few items for breakfast. The smell of frying bacon and eggs fills the kitchen and it isn’t long before the boys shuffle down the stairs. They look like zombies—stiff arms, uneven gait, a look of mindless hunger on their faces.

While they feed, I run across the yard to my own house. I’ve never been so happy to see it in my life. I revel in a warm bath and get lost in luxurious, sudsy solitude until my guilt reminds me it’s time to get moving. Marita is waiting.

Other books by Tricia:

The Claiming Words:

The Alexanders have always kept their secrets hidden...When sixteen-year-old Jace Alexander moves to the small town of Oaktree, Georgia, he attracts the attention of every girl in school. Shy, introverted Alisa Cole immediately casts Jace in the leading role of her latest fantasy, but she assumes he'll never return her interest. After she saves Jace from a Hunter, everything changes. Her accidental discovery of Jace's secret propels her into a world of magic and danger. Alisa's newfound courage is put to the test when Jace introduces her to his intimidating older brother, Bryce, and she decides she would rather battle a Hunter than endure another moment under Bryce's intense scrutiny. Jace and Bryce aren't the only ones with secrets... Rachel Stevens is the girl who has it all. She's beautiful, popular, and in possession of an ancient power which endangers not only her, but those sent to protect her. Jace is drawn to Rachel-and he isn't the only one. The Demon Re'Vel will do anything to claim her-even if it means waging a war with the entire Alexander family. As layers of secrets are peeled away, revealing the truth of her heritage and her family's betrayal, Rachel struggles to resist an immortal suitor who stalks her in her dreams. With the Alexanders fighting to protect her, can Rachel escape the power of the Demon and his Claiming Words?

The Fifth Circle:

Sean is no stranger to darkness. He's overcome a dangerous addiction, struggled with mental illness, and faced relentless bullying by his peers. His best friend, Alex, has always been there for him, but when he falls in love with her, he replaces his online gaming obsession with a possessive interest in her.

Alex's survival depends upon her ability to lock memories of her troubled childhood deep inside her mind, but an unhealthy relationship with Sean causes dark visions of her past to rise to the surface. Sean's obsession and Alex's complacency collide, resulting in tragedy.

Together, Sean and Alex live in a hell of their own making. One will escape at the expense of the other. Both will discover why Dante chose to condemn the Wrathful and the Sullen in the Fifth Circle of Hell.

The Seance (Dark Summons)

Ninth grade can be a nightmare when you don’t fit in at school, your crush chooses someone else, and your parents tell you they’re having a new baby. Abby was prepared for normal high school problems. She wasn’t prepared for a demon.

Abby has always been fascinated by the paranormal, but after an ill-fated séance, she discovers not all Spirits are benign. A dark entity unleashed during the summoning sets out to destroy Abby, and within days, she loses her best friend, incurs the wrath of her parents, and becomes a prisoner in her own home. With time quickly running out, she assembles an unlikely group of helpers: the most hated guy in school, a retired psychic, and the cute clerk from her favorite bookstore. Unless the demon is defeated, Abby and her new baby brother won’t stand a chance.

The Séance, a Dark Summons Novel, is a full-length Paranormal book for teens and young adults. Join Abby as she navigates the complexities of ninth grade, tackles the supernatural, and even finds a bit of romance along the way.

About the author:

Tricia Drammeh is a wife, a mother of four children, and an author. She lives in New Hampshire with her family. When she isn't writing, she can be found devouring books, chasing cats, and consuming vast amounts of coffee. You can learn more about Tricia by visiting her website.

Connect with Tricia:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


Buy the book:
Amazon 

Featured Author: Lisa Becker

Lisa Becker is the author of the chick lit Click series, which includes Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click, and Right Click. Lisa was here in January 2013, when she braved my 20 Questions and shared an excerpt from book one. In April 2013, not only did she sit down for an interview with me, she also shared a talk she had with her main character Shelley Manning, and she brought an excerpt from Double Click. I'm happy to have Lisa back today with the third and final installment of the Click series.

About the book:

Love. Marriage.  Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."

Click: An Online Love Story Book Trailer

Interview with Lisa Becker

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

I remember writing short stories and poems as a little girl and always told myself I would write a book someday.  So, it was incredibly gratifying to see a “bucket list” item/dream come true when Click: An Online Love Story came out in 2011. The feedback has been tremendous, so much so, that I’ve turned it into a trilogy which includes Double Click, released in 2013, and Right Click, which just came out in May 2014. 

What’s the story behind the title of your books?

I liked the double meaning of click – both “clicking” a mouse while using a computer for online dating and “clicking” or making a special connection with someone. 

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I’m fortunate to have had a series of wonderful careers outside of writing including being a wife, mom, PR professional, college professor, community volunteer and Girl Scout troop leader. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment around here.

How did you create the plot for this book?

My husband and I met online on a popular dating website. After we married, I was recalling some of the hilarious experiences that I had with both traditional and online dating. I decided to capture some of them in writing and from there, a novel emerged. The books are loosely based on my real-life dating experiences, as well as stories friends have shared with me. In some cases, things are written as they actually occurred. Other scenarios are exaggerated for entertainment value or comedic affect. And some scenarios are completely fictionalized. I really did go out on a date with someone I met online who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking last night.”  The ultimate goal was to create a fun read for anyone who has ever had a bad date, been in love, been dumped, or is searching for "the one." But, the happy ending is real. Steve and I have been happily married for more than 10 years and have two amazing daughters - ages 9 and 7.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?  Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

I most readily identify with Renee. She and I share a lot of qualities including a self-depreciating sense of humor, fear of flying, motivation in our PR careers and love of baking. Mark is loosely based on a friend who encouraged me to try online dating. He’s a terrific guy who is still himself searching for “the one.” So if you know any nice single girls, let me know. But my favorite character is Shelley. She’s confident, brash, outrageous and wholly unapologetic for her choices. She was so fun to write. Her hilarious habit of giving nicknames to her “man du jour” was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who had a nickname for a guy in college that she admired from across the dorm cafeteria.  She called him Maverick because he looked like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Much like Shelley, she is a self-confident, gorgeous, lovely gal and it wasn't long before they met and dated for a spell. 

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

I just finished the independently-published book Ripple by L.D. Cedergreen. She is a friend, and her son goes to school with my daughter. It’s a wonderful love story about difficult choices and the consequences they create. 

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I sit in my home office at an HP desktop computer with a really big screen. My eyes grow tired pretty easily in my old age;) And I like to write with the television on in the background. When I first started writing, I was obsessed with Law & Order reruns.  Now, I can’t seem to get enough of NCIS. I guess there’s a part of me that likes to see justice served. 

If you were leaving the country for a year, what’s the last meal (or food) you would want to have before leaving?

I’ve had this question before and honestly, if I could only have three foods for the rest of my life, I’m confident I could survive on macaroni & cheese, carrot sticks and chocolate pudding. 

Why did you decide to self-publish?  Are you happy with your decision?

Don’t write off (HA! Like the pun?!?) self-publishing. I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute, and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. Self-publishing is a way to get your work out there.

I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me: "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“So shines a good deed in a weary world.”  -Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

What’s your favorite candy bar?

I’ve been known to hide candy bars all over the house and my office, so I’ve been known to sneak a Snickers or two among others. 

Snickers with almonds? They're the best! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I live in a part of Los Angeles County called Manhattan Beach, less than two miles from the ocean. I love walking along the strand, looking out over the ocean, searching for dolphins and playing in the sand with my girls. 

What are you working on now?

Like most everyone else in Los Angeles, I’ve decided to try my hand at screenwriting. I’m nearly finished with my first script called Clutch. It’s a light romantic comedy about a young single handbag designer in Los Angeles who has a series of relationships that she equates to different style handbags, searching for “the one” she wants to hold onto or “clutch.” I hope it is coming to a theatre near you soon. 

More about the Click Series

Click: An Online Love Story -Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds entirely through emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with "My buddies and I were out drinking one night," to the egotistical “B” celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee wades into the shallow end of the dating (cess)pool and endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and inadvertent Reply to All's, readers will cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends. And ultimately, they will root for Renee to "click" with the right man.



Double Click - Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.

About the author:

Lisa Becker had endured her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click, and Right Click.  She is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for you!

Connect with Lisa:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Featured Author: Christoph Fischer

Christoph Fischer's fourth book, Time To Let Go, is a family drama that deals with the issue of Alzheimer's Disease. My mother, who recently passed away, had dementia, a sister to Alzheimer's, so I'm anxious to read this book. This is Christoph's fourth visit to A Blue Million Books. He's been here previously to talk about his Three Nations Trilogy, specifically, The Luck of the Weissensteiners, Sebastian, and The Black Eagle Inn. Check out those features, and then check out the books. But first, read my most recent interview with Christoph and an excerpt from Time To Let Go.

About the book:

Following a traumatic incident at work, Stewardess Hanna Korhonen decides to take time off work and leaves her home in London to spend quality time with her elderly parents in rural England. There she finds that neither can she run away from her problems, nor does her family provide the easy getaway place that she has hoped for. Her mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and, while being confronted with the consequences of her issues at work, she and her entire family are forced to reassess their lives.

The book takes a close look at family dynamics and at human nature in a time of a crisis. Their challenges, individual and shared, take the Korhonens on a journey of self-discovery and redemption.

Interview with Christoph Fischer

Christoph, what inspired you to write Time to Let Go?

I thought I knew a lot about Alzheimer’s and dementia until I finally got to witness the disease first-hand, about five years ago. I have seen some very different approaches as to how to best look after the victims. Caring at home or using professional help? That issue played a prominent part in my life. At the time of writing the book, I was working for an airline, which should explain the other parts of the story.

Who is your target audience?

Fans of family dramas will probably enjoy it the most. People who are unfamiliar with Alzheimer’s or the life of cabin crew may get some ideas of what is involved, whereas those already in the know hopefully might find it re-assuring and enjoyable.

How long did it take you to write this book?

I wrote the first draft within two months, in 2011. It was actually the third book I wrote, but I got carried away with the historical novels, and revisited Time To Let Go only when I needed a break from my war stories. Since November 2013, I have rewritten it about five times before giving it to the editors in March.

What do you hope readers will get from Time to Let Go?

I hope the book provides entertainment for its readers with some informative parts and a little food for thought. Understanding Alzheimer’s and what the sufferers and their families go through is only one aspect of the story. The life of flight attendants is something that many people have misconceptions about. 
Primarily however, the book remains a family drama. We all come to crossroads in our lives and need to make tough decisions. We hold on to things that we need to let go of, only we need to know what they are and when is the right time to do so.

Why did you decide to write Time To Let Go? Have you had any personal experience with Alzheimer’s patients?

Yes, my aunt, who played a very central role in my life, was diagnosed with it several years ago. I see her once or twice a year and have witnessed the progress of the disease and the way she is cared for over the course of time. I have also come in contact with a few other sufferers, although much more superficially.

Did you do much research for this book?

I read several books about the disease when my aunt was diagnosed, long before I thought about writing this book. A lot of the information was also collected from real life – first and second hand. In my life for the airline, I met many people and exchanged stories with them on long sleepless night flights: there was no shortage of material. I took a deliberate decision though, not to make a fictionalized documentary.
 The most difficult parts to research were police procedures and other details that play actually a very minor role in the book.

What was the most difficult scene or chapter to write?


The scene I am including as an excerpt. At a certain stage of Alzheimer’s, patients can get very repetitive, yet obsessive in their interactions. At that point, conversations with them can be very taxing. It was very hard to write that scene at the Korhonen kitchen table. I wanted to show the problem without losing the attention of my readers, I wanted to show Hanna and Walter’s different ways of handling it, while making sure that Biddy still remained a likeable character. 
I have witnessed many such moments in my life but needed to come up with something new and fictitious to protect the dignity and privacy of the people who inspired my story.

What’s your routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

I work best very early in the mornings, before the Internet wakes up and keeps me busy. I do need to take the dogs for a walk first though, or Molly will push my hands off the keyboard with her nose, Wilma will drop the ball in front of my feet every two seconds, and Greta will give me her most evil look.

You're a devoted dad! Where do you prefer to do your writing?

Anywhere quiet and secluded really. I have a small office which is away from everything else in the house.

Where’s home for you?

Home is wherever my partner and my dogs are. I have moved so many times in my life that I feel quite ungrounded, to be honest. I missed over twenty-four years in my hometown in Germany. It has changed so much, it feels somewhat strange to me now: the people and the culture (the language even) have evolved, leaving me confused in otherwise familiar surroundings. I spent nine years in London and will always feel home there to some degree, but not entirely. Where we live now, the deep West English countryside, is beautiful and very familiar, too, after 5 years, but there is not much of a community, so we could easily move somewhere else.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

"He is not the Messiah, he is a very naughty boy." From Life of Brian, Monty Python.

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

Currently, I am binge-watching Dexter, a very gory TV series about a mass murderer and some more lighthearted comedy programs, such as Modern Family and Brooklyn 9-9. I love running, walking the dogs and lifting weights to balance the hours in front of the computer; I still have the addiction of reading books, and I enjoy just being completely silly with my friends.

You’re self-publishing this book. How has that process been for you?

The process has been amazing. I was lucky to have met helpful people who gave me good advice very early on in the process. In particular, I attended a self-publishing seminar in London and realized that the publishing industry has changed dramatically over the last decade. You are expected to do a lot of your marketing and social media platform work yourself. What some publishers offer may not be in your best interests; for example giving up the rights and control over your work and how it is promoted. I was lucky to have had the right help, the time to learn and to do it. 
It is a bit of an acquired taste, but now I absolutely enjoy doing it all by myself – of course with the help of wonderful friends I made on the way.

What have been the most effective marketing tools in promoting your books?

Book blogs and Twitter. I found that the second I stop tweeting, my sales drop. Via HootSuite, I have learned to catch the people who like or respond to my tweets, and I have made more helpful contacts that way than I would have dreamed. Many reviews and messages about my books suggest that readers found my books on other blogs, which is encouraging.

I noticed you have 18.5K Twitter followers. I know you’re a great guy with a charming personality, but seriously...how on earth does one get that many followers?

Weeks’ worth of continued hard labor on Twitter and HootSuite. Making your tweets interesting and not just hard sales of your own books but also about other books and issues I believe will keep you the followers that you gained. I interact with other twitter users and re-tweet their interesting tweets, which helps both parties to get attention from the other user’s followers.  Following the followers of similar authors can lead to reciprocation, and having my dogs in the profile picture helps, too. There are automated tools to take some of the workload off you, but since twitter has floated on the stock market and offers to ‘promote your account’ for cash, they are a little restrictive about this.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on several projects. An epic historical novel set in Scandinavia, mainly Finland, from 1918 - 1950, currently with the working title In Search of a Revolution. It tells the story of two friends on opposing political sides and how their lives change during the various wars being fought in Europe during that era. I also just started writing a psychological thriller, currently called The Healer, which my partner had the idea for last week. I have not been able to stop writing it.

Other books by Christoph Fischer

Excerpt from Time To Let Go

Hanna looked around the room for inspiration, but all she could think of was the tried and trusted: “Is there anything interesting in the newspaper?”

“Yes. Let me have a look,” her mother said, as she folded the newspaper back to the front page and scanned the article in front of her with intense concentration.

“Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg...” Biddy began, and read the entire article remarkably well, without any errors.

After finishing Biddy asked: “What is the Taliban?”

Walter shot his daughter a warning look and shook his head.

“Oh, they are politicians,” Hanna said vaguely. “A lot of people do not like them.”

“Ah, politics,” she replied. She hesitated for a moment then she went back to the paper.
“Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg...”

“Is everything ok with you?” Walter asked his daughter whispering so as not to disturb his wife’s reading.

“Oh yes, all good,” she nodded enthusiastically.

Walter turned away from the stove and looked at her intently.

“There’s something you’re not telling me. I’m not stupid!”

“There is nothing going on that you should be concerned about,” Hanna said, shifting in her seat. “You are doing a fantastic job looking after mother. Stick to that as your family duty. I can manage my life. I am 40 years old, for crying out loud.”

“Who is the Taliban?” Biddy interrupted.

“They are politicians,” Hanna repeated.

“What kind of politicians?”

“Not very nice ones,” Hanna replied. “A lot of people don’t like them.”

“Ah,” Biddy nodded, looking at the paper. Then she turned back to Hanna and asked “Who is it that the people don’t like?”

“The Taliban, Biddy.”

“Who is the Taliban?”

“They are politicians.”

“Hanna save yourself the effort, you are hardly going to teach her about world politics now,” Walter said, but Hanna ignored him.

“What kind of politicians?” Biddy asked again.

“You don’t need to worry about them,” Hanna put her comforting hand on her mother’s shoulder. “The government is dealing with them. They have no relevance to you or me.”

“Are you sure?” Biddy was shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Hanna pressed harder on her mother’s shoulder.

“Quite sure.”

“Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg...”

“I admire your endurance,” Walter said, blatantly talking over his wife now from the stove. “If I were you I would just steer the conversation to something else. Why should she concern herself with the Taliban?”

“Why should she concern herself with anything these days?” Hanna shot back. “It doesn’t really matter what she engages with. As long as she interacts and asks questions I am glad for her.”

“You can only confuse her by talking about abstract things like that. Keep it simple.”

“I am not going to discourage her if she shows interest in something. I just want her to feel valued, surely that is worth a few repetitive moments.”

“We’ll see how you feel when you have done this for a week, or a month,” Walter said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love your patience. Just don’t burn yourself out.”

About the author:

Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border. After a few years in Hamburg he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small hamlet, not far from Bath.  He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family.

Christoph worked for the British Film Institute, in libraries, museums and for a major airline. He completed the historical Three Nations Trilogy last year, which included: The Luck of the Weissensteiners, Sebastian, and The Black Eagle Inn.



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

Buy the book:
Amazon 

Featured Author: D.M. Annechino

I'm talking with D.M. Annechino today about his medical mystery/thriller Hypocrisy. Don't miss the excerpt from the book after the interview, and check out iRead Book Tours for a full list of Daniel's virtual book tour schedule.

About the book:

Dr. Lauren Crawford is a brilliant research scientist who discovers a revolutionary treatment for cancer that not only extends life, but much improves the quality of life for terminal cancer patients. The treatment, in some instances, can even cure certain cancers. On the evening before Dr. Crawford holds a press conference to announce that the FDA has given preliminary approval of her new cancer treatment, somebody follows her to her car and puts three bullets in her head. Was it a planned murder with a motive, a mugging gone badly, or merely a random act of violence?


Two New York City homicide detectives, Amaris Dupree and T.J. Brown, are assigned to the investigation. The detectives evaluate the circumstances surrounding Dr. Crawford’s death and follow a trail of clues that exposes a sequence of startling facts. One by one, the detectives carefully examine each suspect and piece together a puzzle with unimaginable implications. As the investigation gets more intense, and the detectives get closer to solving the murder mystery, someone threatens Dupree’s life. The detectives now realize that Dr. Crawford’s murder was much more than a homicide. And if they don’t arrest the murderer soon, Dupree might be the next victim.

Interview with D.M. Annechino

Daniel, Hypocrisy is your fourth published novel. How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

After working in the retail automobile business for 18 years, in 1992 I wrote a nonfiction book titled How to Buy the Most Car for the least Money. Signet, an imprint of the Penguin Group, published it. It sold about 22,000 copies and rekindled my repressed desire to write a novel. Between 1993 and 2008, I wrote four full-length novels, all of which were rejected by every publisher on the planet. But in 2009, I was at a point where I wanted to quit writing and move on. But this little voice in the back of my head kept saying, “Just one more time.” So, I wrote a book titled They Never Die Quietly, and remarkably, I signed a contract with Amazon Publishing. Since then, I’ve published four novels and I’m halfway finished with my fifth.

What’s the story behind the title Hypocrisy?

In one word, Hypocrisy, pretty much sums up the theme of the story. Many people believe that a cure for cancer really exists, but it is suppressed. This book explores the possibility of what might happen if there were a revolutionary new treatment, and possibly a cure for cancer, and the impact it would have on healthcare and traditional treatments.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I worked as an Account Executive for San Diego Gas & Electric until I published my first novel. When I signed a two-book deal with a German publisher, I decided that I couldn’t serve two masters, so I retired and devoted myself to writing full time. 

How do you get to know your characters?

Before I start a book, I like to fill out a comprehensive character questionnaire for each significant character. The questionnaire covers everything: appearance, emotional makeup, attitudes, political views, family, philosophies, loves and hates—just about everything you can think of. As I write, I do sometimes modify a character slightly if certain things about them just don’t work. But by completing a character questionnaire, I really get to know my characters intimately, and this is absolutely essential in order to make the characters three dimensional. 

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

It may be common and unoriginal, but I thoroughly enjoyed characterizing Homicide Detective Amaris Dupree, the protagonist. I thought she really came to life with her crisp wit and the fact that she was flawed in many ways—just like all of us are— to a point. I’ve read lots of novels where the protagonist is portrayed as nearly perfect—without fears or insecurities, or dark secrets. This, to me, does not imitate real life.

Is your book based on real events?

There is one particular aspect of this book that references a real person who developed alternative treatments for cancer. Her treatments were very controversial and she had more adversaries than advocates. Some called her a charlatan, others a saint. But her real research plays a major role in this story.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?

Sami Rizzo, Al Diaz, Kate Miles, Amaris Dupree, and T.J. Brown.


With what five real people would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?

1)    Stephen King
2)    J.K Rowling
3)    Pat Conroy
4)    Charles Frazier
5)    Quentin Tarantino

Who are your favorite authors?

Stephen King, Pat Conroy, Donna Tartt, Michael Connelly, Thomas Harris, and Charles Frazier.


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

Morgan Freeman.

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

Stay Close by Harlan Coben in e-book format.

Do you have any pet peeves when you read?

What absolutely drives me nuts is when an author doesn’t follow the first commandment of writing fiction: Show, don’t tell. The only logical reason for this is laziness on the author’s part. It’s much more challenging writing action scenes than it is to merely tell the reader what’s going on, particularly when a scene involves an exchange between two characters. Telling takes away the deep emotions and dramatic tension.

I totally agree. 
Where’s home for you?

I was born and raised in Rochester, New York, frozen tundra in the winter and a humid sweatbox in the summer. I finally reached my limit shoveling snow and taking cold showers, so I moved to sunny San Diego in 1993, where we get 300+ days of 75 degree sunshine. And you can even buy a cute little bungalow for about a half-million dollars.

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

That’s an easy one. The Bible.

You’re leaving your country for a year. What’s the last meal (or food) you would want to have before leaving?

Fresh California Sushi and Sashimi.

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

I would take a walk to the ocean. Sitting near the ocean gives me a profound feeling of tranquility. It’s the best way to unwind. And the vastness of the Pacific is just amazing.

Again, I totally agree. I think that's why I'm rarely tranquil. I live thousands of miles from an ocean. Let's say you can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

Indiana Jones.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

My first three novels were published by Amazon Publishing. I self-published Hypocrisy, my fourth novel, through Create Space. I enjoyed a great relationship with Amazon. With their global reach, their marketing plan for my books was very successful. But I thought it might be a great experience going it on my own. Only time will tell.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” --Mahatma Gandhi

Good one. What’s your favorite candy bar?

Dove Dark Chocolate Promises are my all-time favorite candy, but technically, they’re not really a traditional candy bar. I highly recommend them for any chocolate-a holic.

I'll accept that answer, and I'm with you except mine would be milk chocolate. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I hate to admit it, but I love to watch TV, particularly movies and some of the series that appear on the premium channels.

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

Positano, Italy.

What are you working on now?

I’m halfway finished with A Piece of You, novel #5. I hope to have it completed by the end of summer.

Other books by D.M. Annechino

 

They Never Die Quietly | Resuscitation | I Do Solemnly Swear

Excerpt from Hypocrisy

When he pressed the pistol against her temple, Dr. Lauren Crawford remembered something she’d heard many years ago. At the exact moment before death, when the end is inevitable, your entire life passes before you. She’d always believed it was a legend, but now she knew the truth. She saw herself playing hopscotch in front of her home with Teresa, her best friend. She could see herself on her tenth birthday riding a Shetland pony at the State Fair. A giant Ferris wheel spun slowly in the background; the smell of cotton candy filled the air. She remembered her high school senior prom, Bobby Hanford, the purple orchid corsage, her first kiss. She could see her dad, lying in a coffin, his skin pale, cheeks sunken, feeling inconsolable and torn to pieces. Then there were memories of Christmas, her favorite time of the year. She envisioned herself helping her mom decorate the entire house, hanging wreaths and garland and red and green stockings above the fireplace. She recalled writing her name on the steamy windows while the fragrance of a slowly-roasting turkey teased her senses. But then, the vivid memories froze and all she could see was a splash of red light.

In an instant, total darkness.

About the author:

Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor specializing in full-length fiction, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, in 1992 while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly. His second book, Resuscitation (Thomas & Mercer 2011), a follow-up to his first novel, hit #1 in Kindle sales in the UK and reached #26 in the USA. He is also the author of I Do Solemnly Swear (Thomas & Mercer 2012). Hypocrisy, is Annechino's fourth novel.



A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.


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