The Book Bin

Interview with Denise Robbins, author of 'Phish NET Stalkings'

High-tech becomes high-risk in Denise Robbins’ novels. The New Hampshire based author uses two decades of experience in computers to explore the killer possibilities in technology. Denise integrates her knowledge of computers and technology along with secrets, intrigue, suspense, and even a little romance into all of her techno-romantic thriller novels. Readers and reviewers agree Denise writes stories that will keep you at the edge of your seat and clamoring for more.

Her latest book is Phish NET Stalkings.

You can visit her website at http://www.deniserobbins.com.

Thank you for this interview, Denise. Why was writing Phish NET Stalkings so important to you?

Have you ever received a phishing email? One of those little emails that invade your privacy and try to steal your information? I have. I’ve been hacked. I’ve had my information stolen and it was not pretty. Now I’ve learned. By the time users finish reading Phish NET Stalkings they will hopefully know the dangers and know how to protect themselves.

What was the experience like writing Phish NET Stalkings?

Writing Phish NET Stalkings was different for me because my hero was a small town cop and the heroine is afraid of badges. I used my own anxiety toward men with beards to help in portraying the heroine’s fear of men with badges.

Can you tell us more about Cooper Chance, the chief of police?

Cooper is an ex-FBI cybercrime specialist turned small town cop. After a yearlong job on a special task force, Cooper Chance has to leave the FBI or lose his mind. He’s seen too many bad things.

What are his strengths and what are his weaknesses?

His strengths are his cybercrime skills, but also his love of children and women and making certain they are safe. His weakness is also that love of wanting to keep people safe. He gets involved.

Why does Jane have a fear of cops?

When Jane was younger, she hid in the closet while her mother was murdered. Her only real recollection is seeing a shiny badge on the person who killed her mother.

Are there any supporting characters we need to know about?

Jack is Cooper’s longtime friend who helped get him the job as chief of police. David is Jane’s business partner and mentor, and the man who helped turn her life around. Amy is Jane’s best friend from college and they are still close.

Can you open to page 25 and tell us what’s happening?

The hero and one of his police officers who is a longtime friend are planning on going out for a drink to a local bar and grill called Billy’s. Jack is impatiently pounding on Cooper’s office door while Cooper is rushing to change clothes. I don’t dare tell you more, but suffice it to say, Cooper is in such a rush that he doesn’t get completely out of his disguise before he leaves his office.

What about page 65?

Jane, my heroine, just walks into her house after a very disturbing evening out with a friend and her first encounter with the hero, Cooper Chance.

Now that Phish NET Stalkings has been published, what’s your next project?

I just finished my sixth novel with a working title of At Face Value. Cannot wait for it to be published. It takes place in Ireland, has murder, mystery, and the IRA all wrapped into one.

Thanks, Denise, for this wonderful interview. Do you have anything you’d like to tell our readers that hasn’t been discussed?

I hope you enjoy reading Phish NET Stalking as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please feel free to let me know what you think.

Interview with 'Chasing Zebras' Barbara Barnett

Barbara Barnett is Co-Executive Editor of Blogcritics, an Internet magazine of pop culture, politics and more owned by Technorati Media. Always a pop-culture geek, Barbara was raised on a steady diet of TV (and TV dinners), but she always found her way to TV’s antiheroes and misunderstood champions, whether on TV, in the movies or in literature. Barnett’s regular column, “Welcome to the End of the Thought Process: An Introspective Look at House, M.D.” features insightful episode commentaries and interviews with the House cast and creative team. It is the place for intelligent discussion of the hit television series starring Hugh Laurie. Barbara has had an eclectic career. With an undergraduate degree in biology and minors in chemistry and English, she pursued a PhD in Public Policy Analysis after spending a few years working in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Her first professional writing gig was with a food industry trade magazine, and although it wasn’t exactly like writing for The New Yorker, it completely hooked her on the profession of writing. She also writes lots of other things, including technology (from a non-geek perspective), the movies, politics and all things Jewish. Based in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, Barnett is married with two brilliant children and a dog. Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. is her first (commercial) book. She hopes it’s not her last. Visit Barbara’s website at www.barbarabarnett.com.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Barbara. Can you tell us what your latest book, Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. is all about?

CZ is a comprehensive exploration of the hit television series House, M.D. It’s written in two parts. In the first, I take apart the show’s storylines, character histories, bits of social commentary and more. My aim is to understand the series narrative, central character Dr. Gregory House and all in his orbit. I look at everything from the series connections to Sherlock Holmes to the music, sets, etc. I also look the often provocative social commentary: what does the series say about ethics, religion and God, patient rights and more. The second part of the book is an episode by episode dissection. It summarizes each episode, but also hones in on the highlights: how was House a jerk, what was the episode’s ethical dilemma? What was House’s eureka moment? What was the most important relationship moment? But even in this section, I delve deeply into many of the episodes with “Closer Look” essays.

Q: How did you come up with the idea?

I’ve written a very widely read blog called “Welcome to the End of the Thought Process” for Blogcritics Magazine since 2007 (I recently became the magazine’s co-executive editor). I wanted to find a way to dig even deeper into the episodes, story arcs and characters than was possible within the scope of a blog.

Q: What kind of research did you do before and during the writing of your book?

In addition to watching every episode numerous times, I also consulted with psychologists (House suffers from an entire constellation of emotional issues), Holmes bloggers, medical texts to understand the diseases encountered in the series, as well as pain management sites to understand better the nature of House’s chronic pain/drug issues.

Q: If a reader can come away from reading your book with one valuable message, what would that be?

Not everything is as it seems: a jerk is not necessarily a jerk; the “ethical thing” is not necessarily the “right thing,” and perhaps also come away getting to know this fascinating fictional character a little better.

Q: Can you give us a short excerpt?

From the Introduction to Chasing Zebras: Dr. Gregory House is an unrepentant jerk. He’s rude, brusque, and harsh — suffering no fools and taking no prisoners. He’s not conventionally pretty; he’s not young. In addition, he’s crippled, limping along with a cane. Yet, he’s the central character on the hit television series, House, M.D. (just House, for short). It’s a completely unlikely proposition. How do you sell the network on a series created around such an irredeemable bastard? Who would even want to watch it? Millions do. House is one of the highest-rated television series on American television. More than that, it’s a hit around the world — from the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Eastern Europe to the Middle East, and in lands as far flung as Australia and Hong Kong. In Canada, House has even outranked American Idol! Eurodata TV Worldwide, which tracks and ranks television across the globe, reported in June 2009 that House was the most-watched television show worldwide, with nearly 82 million viewers tuning in from 66 countries. Why would more than 80 million viewers tune in week after week to see Dr. Gregory House verbally spar with his patients, staff, and colleagues at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital? There has to be something more to it (and to him) than just a brilliant jerk packing a stethoscope and a toxic tongue. Is it the bizarre medical cases? That’s probably one reason, and the starting point for most episodes. Inspired by physician Lisa Sanders’ New York Times feature “Diagnosis,” the House writing team, with creator David Shore at the helm, conjure the most unusual of cases, fitting for an elite Department of Diagnostic Medicine. Perhaps the series owes its success to the snappy dialogue: the quick wit and rapid-fire pace of the writing. The show’s scripts are certainly dense and swiftly paced: a stark counterpoint to the physically disabled and slow-of-foot Gregory House. And the humor, with its one-liner “House-isms” and snarky banter, supplies balance to the intensity of the weekly medical and character stories. Or do people simply live vicariously through House’s unfiltered voice? He is certainly capable of saying things the likes of which we normal, well-adjusted worker bees can only dream. Some may be intrigued by House’s uniquely personal code of ethics. Or perhaps House’s personal struggles resonate with us. Much credit in making House compelling television goes to the nuanced and genuine performance of Hugh Laurie, who stars as the genius diagnostician with serious personality issues. Through his expressive eyes and masterful acting, Laurie’s flawless interpretation of House’s frustrations, fears, hopes, and hurts guides us through House’s morass of bullshit and elaborate game playing and deep into his heart and soul. It’s ironic that executive producer Bryan Singer, the director of the House pilot, had difficulty casting the role of the quintessentially American Gregory House with an American actor. It was not until Laurie, legendary British comedian (and novelist, musician, and actor), sent in an audition tape, complete with perfect American accent, that Singer found an “American” actor capable of handling the complex role. But perhaps that’s because Dr. Gregory House has more in common with a particular English literary hero than he has with any American television character. Take a classic British literary hero, bring him into 21st century American medicine with a vengeance, and create a modern television phenomenon. The parallels to House’s literary grandfather — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 19th century detective Sherlock Holmes — are many and intentional. House . . . Holmes; Wilson . . . Watson. Holmes fiddled with his fiddle; House plays piano and guitar. Both House and Holmes reside at 221B. Holmes solved cases with associative leaps — a combination of genius and deductive reasoning, superheroic observational skills and deep intuition about the human psyche. So does House. Like his Victorian ancestor, House applies logic, reasoning, an encyclopedic knowledge (of everything), plus his intuition to solve medical mysteries and save lives. Holmes uses cocaine to forestall boredom; House uses Vicodin for more than just the pain in his leg. Unlike the British Sherlock Holmes, House is very much American. Yet, the Eton- and Cambridge-educated Laurie — a quintessentially British actor —completely captures the character. It’s no accident that Holmes fans have often suggested Laurie as the heir apparent to the role of Holmes. But Sherlock Holmes isn’t House’s only literary or pop culture ancestor. House’s heritage includes a long history of literary and cinematic heroes and antiheroes. Part Byron, part Sherlock, a bit of Quincy, M.E., perhaps a hint of Dr. Kildare’s mentor Gillespie, some of the The Dark Knight’s Batman, and a generous dollop of truth-seeking antihero Fox Mulder (The X-Files), House joins the ranks of classic dark angels and iconoclast

Q: In your own experience, is it hard to get a nonfiction book published today? How did you do it?

The publishing industry is very tough these days and very much in transition. I was incredibly fortunate to connect with a wonderful agent who found the perfect home for the book.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

I’m up by 6:30 a.m. and at the “day job” usually by 8:30. My hours at work are fairly long, but I usually take a two-hour stretch mid-day to write and tend to Blogcritics editing responsibilities. When I get home (usually about 8:00 p.m.) I write/edit till about 11:00 p.m.

Q: What’s next for you?

I have a project in proposal stage right now with my agent. I don’t want to talk much about it (bad luck), but it’s a pop culture treatment.

Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Barbara. We wish you much success!

Thanks so much!

Interview with Ghost Hunter Susan Kronick: 'Hauntings are not all about the Exorcist and the Catholic Church'

Susan Kronick’s background is the perfect backdrop leading up to her latest paranormal novel, Sarah, They’re Coming for You.  She has a Master of Science in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Ph.D. in Paranormal Studies/Psychology from Union Institute and Graduate School, as well as being an adjunct psychology professor at Barry University and Palm Beach State College.  A psychic and a medium, she has the gift of seeing the dead since she was a child.  She also has taught parapsychology classes through the Palm Beach County School Board, as well as at Palm Beach State College.  Susan has extensive experience in the area of investigations of haunting and the paranormal.  She lives with her husband and her four spoiled rescue dogs in south Florida.  You can visit her website at www.susankronick.webs.com. “Like” her page at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/susan-kronick/156870670886.

Thank you for this interview, Susan.  Let’s start with having you tell us what your new book, Sarah, They’re Coming for You, is all about?

Susan: Hauntings are not all about the Exorcist and the Catholic Church.  My book is a hair-raising ghost story whose main character has been tormented by nasty spirits throughout her life.  Her great great grandfather has always interceded on her behalf reaching out from the other side, to protect her from the evil ghosts, who wish to claim her soul for eternity. The only way she can end her haunting is to travel to her family’s ancestral castle in the tiny Alpine town of Meiningen, Austria .With the help of a mysterious stranger along with the discovery of her great great great great grandfather’s diary, she heads to the old country to face her  ghostly tormenters head on.

You based your main character, Sarah, on your own life, am I right?

Susan: Yes, that is correct. I am Sarah!  The book is inspired by actual events from my own life!  I didn’t initially set out to write an autobiography.  The experts say always write about what you are familiar with.  Rereading the first few chapters of the initial draft, it quickly became quite apparent that I was writing my story.  Like Sarah, I am an average, married, middle aged psychology professor with the not so average ability to see ghosts. All of Sarah's ancestors in the book are in fact my own relatives!                   

At what point did you say I’ve got to write this stuff down?  And why did you fictionalize it instead of writing a memoir?

Susan: I had no intention of penning a novel.  The point at which I decided to write everything down was the winter of 2008. Weary after going through three hurricanes here in Florida, we moved to upstate New York. The dreary winter days lent the perfect backdrop to writing a ghost story. Who needs fiction! My own life IS a ghost story!  At that point the idea to write it all down fell into place. Fortunately I did have two unfinished manuscripts I tapped into into when writing "Sarah."  One actually was a memoir of my genealogy research at the Family History Center, the many months corresponding with the various agencies in Austria for information on my mother's family, and the 1990 trip to Austria with my mom.It's a good thing I had kept that information, I would never have total recall of those details after twenty some odd years.The second book was a non-fiction text I had written for my parapsychology classes which I had taught over the years. I chose to write this book as fiction and not a memoir because even changing one fact makes a work fiction, and I changed a couple of facts to make the story more interesting.  Fact: My ancestral home in Meiningen was not really a castle, it was a very modest house. Fact: Although I have been plagued by nasty spirits my entire life, I did not have to travel to Austria to end my haunting.  Fact: My mom did have several cousins all named Josef, but they never spiritually tormented me in any way. Fact: We did move from our two story house into a ranch style, as Sarah and her husband did, but we were not forced out my nasty ghosts, we moved back to Florida in Dec. 2008 and our first house had sold before we decided to returnto the sunshine state.

Can you give us some similarities in the book that happened to you in real life?

Susan: The similarities between my life and Sarah's is uncanny. A few examples are: The opening scene where Sarah is lecturing a womens club at her sister's house actually did take place, at my sister's house; There was a scene where Sarah felt a presence and looked down to find a scrap of paper containing the initial's of her great grandfather.  That actually happened to me, and I still have that piece of paper with the initials; My great great grandfather Hermann is in fact my guardian angel; Just as Sarah does in the book, I do wear my great grandmother's wedding rings.

You were told you were the reincarnation of your great great great grandmother.  How did you learn this?

Susan: Years before I had done the research on my family, a psychic took my hand and told me I was the reincarnation of my great great great grandmother.  She told me her name was "Dora" and her last name had a long "i" sound. I didn't think much of it until years later while studying my genealogy.  I retrieved a copy of the death certificate for my great great grandmother, and on the document was the name of the decedent's parents.  I was shocked!  The name of my great great great grandmother was "DORA TOBIAS!" This story is in the book!

One of your passions is ghost hunting!  Would you like to tell us about one of your real ghost hunting expeditions?

Susan: Some years ago I appeared as a guest, on the Good Day Show, a morning program broadcast on WCVB-TV out of Boston, Massachusetts.  Halloween was just around the corner, and I was scheduled to investigate a haunted house in the nearby suburb of Newton. The program staff completed some preliminary research on the paranormal phenomena, as reported to them by the homeowner.   The ghostly occurrences included a child’s Glo Worm toy, which stood up and shined by itself in mid-air, as well as the proverbial footsteps walking across the floor, mirrors shattering to the floor, and several small household items being misplaced and moved around the house. The assumption being the ghost was the previous owner of the residence, who died in the home, shortly before the present owners purchased the property.

With a camera crew in tow, I spent considerable time in the house, in my dual role as parapsychologist and medium, a paranormal investigator with the ability to see spirits!  I “saw” the ghost clearly and relayed a detailed description along with a name, indicating the spirit was very friendly and loving, definitely not someone hell bent on reclaiming their house!  The homeowner in disbelief showed me some photographs. I identified the ghost, who turned out to be the homeowner’s own grandmother.  She had passed away shortly after her granddaughter’s wedding, and never lived to see her great grandchildren. I explained that Grandma was just trying to get their attention, with the strange phenomenon that had occurred.

The original plan had been to cross over the spirit, when it was assumed the ghost was the earth bound previous owner.  With the discovery that their spectral guest was their beloved grandma, the family chose not to have granny banished from the premises!

Sounds exciting!  I thank you for your time and wish you much success with your novel, Sarah, They’re Coming for You.  Do you have any final words?

Susan: My website is www.susankronick.webs.com. Readers can find out outmore about me!  "Sarah, They're coming for You" may be purchased at www.amazon.com/kindle, www.wildchildpublishing.com, www.omnilit.com, www.bookstrand.com, and www.mobipocket.com

 

Interview with Cynthia Kocialski, author of 'Startup From the Ground Up'

Q: Thank you for this interview, Cynthia. Can you tell us what your latest book, Startup from the Ground Up, is all about?

This is a nonfiction business book. It shows readers how to think about transforming a product idea into an early stage company. It’s not enough to have a great product. Entrepreneurs can only go so far with an idea. The product is like the heart of a company and just like a person, what makes human beings is far more than our hearts. Entrepreneurs often focus too much, and sometimes even exclusively, on the product and neglect the rest of the company. Entrepreneurs ignore the business factors needed to bring that product into the market. This book talks about this everything else that entrepreneurs need to consider.

Q: How did you come up with the idea?

I’ve been writing the Start-up Entrepreneurs’ blog. I noticed the trend was in popular posts focused on how to start a company, and not so much the operational aspects of a start-up. The most popular posts are either about finding funding or getting customers to speak with a start-up. But still I didn’t have a firm notion of what to write, what would help the first time entrepreneur the most. As I was sitting in an investors meeting sponsored by a foreign government, I found most everyone being distracted because none of the start-ups had put their presentation together in the informal standard referred to as the slide deck. And then I had it, the book would follow this format.

Q: What kind of research did you do before and during the writing of your book?

I have personal experience with beginning a start-up and so I have quite a bit of first-hand knowledge of the topic. I’ve witnessed the day-to-day operations and growths of many start-ups and have participated in them from the inside out. But despite the fact that I’ve seen dozens of companies, others in Silicon Valley have seen thousands of start-ups flare up and flame up, and even a few skyrocket to the ultimate success. I’ve spoke with venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and various consultants who provide services to start-ups.

Q: If a reader can come away from reading your book with one valuable message, what would that be?

Start-ups are not about the product. An entrepreneur needs to deliberately build a company like they consciously define and create the product.

Q: Can you give us a short excerpt?

Cornering a potential customer at an event is another way to get them to speak with you. Smaller events are better. The restroom marketing approach is a clever way to meet your potential customers. Here’s how a B2B enterprise software start-up did it. The marketing person bought the list of attendees for a small conference prior to the event date. He cross referenced the list to their potential customers, memorized the list of names, and staked out the restroom area at the conference. As people left the restrooms, he noted the name on their conference name tags, and approached those on his target list. The marketing person knew the person would have at least a few minutes to speak with him as the customer was walking from the restroom area back to the conference area where the programs were being held. In fact, this is how he first met their first big customer.

Q: In your own experience, is it hard to get a nonfiction book published today? How did you do it?

I self-published my book. I spoke with authors, some who had self-published and some who had used a publisher. I asked their opinions about how to publish. I can remember asking a published author what a publisher did for him and his response was “Not much really.” When I probed about marketing and promotion, the published authors told me you had to do much of this yourself. So I made the decision to self-publish because I couldn’t see what the value add was for a publisher. Once I had the outline of book, the writing was the easy part. The editing and publication process seemed much too long – mostly because I was anxious to move forward. The hard part is the marketing and promotion.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

My day is a mix of writing, attending meetings, participate in conference calls, evening networking events for entrepreneurs and investors, attending to my two daughters, and occasionally I am able to fit some exercise in. I try to write in the early morning. I often wake up in the wee hours of the morning and start typing my thoughts in on my laptop. I simply can’t write on pen and paper. I’ve been using computers for most of my life, and the words only flow when I am at the keyboard. I spend time with my kids after school, but most evenings I’m am networking, at an investors’ meeting, or the like.

Q: What’s next for you?

I would like to write another book, perhaps one that showcases the entire start-up ecosystems and how it all functions. I love start-ups and all the great new products they bring to market. Since I am so passionate about start-ups, I will continue to be heavily involved n the start-up community. In the technology industry, there been speculation and discussions about augmented reality books. I want to try writing one of these for my next book, where the written word is coupled with the different digital technologies to enhance what’s written.

Interview with John Milton Langdon, author of ‘Against All Odds’

John Milton Langdon is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and has a master’s degree in maritime civil engineering.  Langdon retired and became a professional writer after an active and rewarding engineering career.  Initially he worked in Britain but from 1972 until 2008, he dealt with project development in Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.  Langdon lives in the Austrian town of Klagenfurt which has a history stretching back to mediaeval times.  Langdon has three children and five grandchildren from his first marriage and two step sons from the second.  Langdon has many interests including travel, the British canals, music and literature but hiking in the mountains surrounding his home is a preferred leisure activity.

John’s latest book is a historical fiction titled Against All Odds (Tate Publishing).

You can visit John Milton Langdon’s website at www.jmlangdon.com.

Q: Thank you for this interview, John. Can you tell everyone what your latest book, ‘Against All Odds’, is all about?

John:  Based loosely on fact ‘Against All Odds’ describes the early years of a young man born into humble circumstances during the reign of Queen Victoria.  He shows how a combination of intelligence and perserverance, aided by a little good fortune, can help any child overcome the disadvantages of poor education and lowly birth status in an era when status is all important.  In ‘Against All Odds’, the first volume of a four part series, you can read how Jason Smiley Stewart is transformed from callow village youth into a ship’s officer.

Q:  Is this your first book?

John:  Yes.  ‘Against All Odds’ is my first book.

Q: Why did you decide to write a historical fiction novel?

John:  I think it would be more accurate to say that the subject chose me as I had no literary ambition, even ‘though John Milton is an ancestor.

A chance visit to an island in the Elphinston Inlet (Khor As Sham) in Oman provided the inspiration for my story, and my retirement from full time employment gave me the time I needed to write it.  The island is called Telegraph Island and anyone with Google Earth on their PC will be able to locate it quite easily.

In the middle of the eighteen hundreds a small group of British telegraph operators lived and worked at a repeater station on the island, as it was one of the links in the chain of repeater stations on the electric telegraph between Britain and India.  This was at the very beginning of the electronic age that we take for granted now.

Standing in burning sunshine on a barren lump of rock, surrounded by a sea edged with equally barren but precipitous mountains, I could only marvel at the fortitude of men who could live and work under such appalling conditions.  Water, food and all the other essentials of life had to be supplied by sea.  They lived in Arab style huts made of barasti and must have suffered enormously in the heat and humidity.  The operators spent long hours listening to incoming messages in Morse code which they then had to retransmit along the next section of the cable.  It was small wonder that many became ill and the phrase ‘gone round the bend’ was coined by sailors recovering mentally sick personnel from the island which is beyond a bend in the inlet.

I felt there was a story to be told about these men, with the development of the telegraph system during the industrial revolution as a background theme.  ‘Against All Odds’ is the first part of this story.

Q: Can you tell us all about your main character?

John:  The main character is Jason Smiley who becomes Jason Smiley Stewart during his life.  The story opens when Jason is a small boy living with his mother and blacksmith father in a village in eastern England and describes his mimimal education.  His ability to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him lead initially to a career as a naval officer and then to his involvement with the construction of part of the electric telegraph system.  During these early years he also met a young woman – his first sweetheart – but is prevented from pursuing the relationship by a puritanical Victorian father.

Q: John, you live in the Austrian town of Klagenfurt whose town’s history goes back to medieval times.  What’s it like living in Klagenfurt?

John:  This is a difficult question to answer as there is so much I could write about.

Klagenfurt is the capital city of the province known as Kärnten (Carinthia) and it has a very long history although there are few visible remnants of those ancient times.  There are a number of myths associated with Kärnten and some of these I have described in short articles which are included in my home page.  If these are of interest please refer to   www.jmlangdon.com

Klagenfurt is surrounded by mountains which can be capped with snow from about November through to March and the temperature can remain below freezing point for most of that time.   There are few people here, apart the old and infirm, who do not ski during the winter an it is not unusual for a 5 year old to have skiing lessons.  Although the temperature is starting to climb now, and snowdrops are beginning to appear, there is still snow lying on the fields and gardens around my home.

Whilst generally on the subject of winter, it may be of interest to note that all the motorists here have two sets of tyres.  We change from normal to winter tyres in October and then back to normal tyres in about April.  Many motorists also carry a set of snow chains during the winter months.

In summer thoughts turn to swimming, sailing and for the more energetic mountaineering.  We have a very big lake here called the Wörthersee and again there is an article on my home page about the ‘biggest bath tub’ in Europe.

Klagenfurt is well endowed with shops; from boutiques to supermarkets.  The supermarkets carry a wide range of fruit, vegetable and meat products but I often find that something I am accustomed to buying in Britain, or in Dubai for that matter, are unavailable here.  Mint sauce and dried mustard are two commodities that spring to mind.  They are not part of the local culinary heritage.  However horseradish sauce which is known here as Kren, is far superior to anything I have bought elsewhere.

The language of Austria is German of course, but English is spoken by many Austrians and their ability seems to depend on age and confidence.  For example an Austrian teenager will be fluent in English  but older people will generally say they cannot speak English as they do not wish to be embarrassed by making a mistake.  I have the same problem when I try to speak German.

Q: In your opinion, what is the key ingredient for writing great historical fiction?

John:  To write convincingly it is necessary to understand the custom and practice of the particular historical age one is writing about.  How did people live, interact, travel, dress and so on.  This requires careful research if the story is to have a realistic or authentic feel.

Q: Finally, I like to ask authors this question.  What is your passion?  What is it that you’re more passionate about than anything else?

John:  Passionately for sustainable energy; passionately opposed to the tunnel visioned concentration in Britain on wind power because it is not a reliable source of energy, and will lead to the construction of another generation of nuclear power stations.  Britain is surrounded by sea, but the energy that can be generated from ocean tides and currents is not being developed as it should be, particularly as tidal forces are totally predictable.

Q: Thanks for the interview, John.  Do you have any final words?

John:  Thank you for taking the time to ask some interesting questions.

Final Vector: Interview with Thriller Author Allan Leverone

Allan Leverone is a three-time Derringer Award Finalist whose short fiction has been featured in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Shroud Magazine, Twisted Dreams, Mysterical-E and many other venues, both print and online. His debut thriller, titled FINAL VECTOR, is available February 2011 from Medallion Press. For details, please visit www.allanleverone.com or his blog at www.allanleverone.blogspot.com.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Allan. Can you tell everyone what your latest book, Final Vector, is all about?

Allan: Final Vector tells the story of Nick Jensen, an air traffic controller whose world is falling apart. His wife Lisa, an auditor at the Pentagon, has been killed in a suspicious automobile accident after discovering potentially treasonous material on a fellow employee’s computer.

Desperate to escape the pain, Nick throws himself into his work and is on duty at the ATC facility serving Boston’s Logan International Airport on the night U.S. President Robert Cartwright is scheduled to fly into Logan. A band of heavily armed terrorists storms the facility and Nick escapes capture, but now must use the information discovered by his dead wife to stop an assassination while outnumbered, unarmed and on the run…

Q:  Is this your first book?

Allan: Yes. It’s actually the third novel-length manuscript I’ve written, but it’s the first to see publication. Hopefully it won’t be the last!

Q: Why did you decide to write a thriller novel?

Allan: I’ve always loved reading thrillers—the fast pace, the action and excitement—so it only makes sense I would choose that genre when I started writing books. Plus, my nearly thirty year career as an air traffic controller makes the subject of aviation the obvious choice for me.

Q: Can you tell us all about your main character?

Allan: Nick Jensen is the quintessential regular guy, thrust into a situation he cannot comprehend. Up until a week ago, he was ordinary in every way, but since then, has had to deal with the sudden death of his wife in a horrible accident, learned she was involved in something mysterious and dangerous at the Pentagon, and been forced to deal with an armed takeover of his workplace with the knowledge he is likely the only person who can prevent the assassination of the President of the United States. He is going to have to find reserves of strength he never realized he possesses in order to prevent a tragedy and escape with his life.

Q: Interesting that you have chosen to have your books published electronically first.  Would you like to tell us your views on the ebook publishing industry?

Allan: Initially it wasn’t really my choice. The original contract I signed with Medallion Press called for a mass-market paperback release of Final Vector, but with the publishing industry changing so quickly, Medallion elected to withdraw from the mass-market paperback format entirely and concentrate on ebook releases instead of mass-market paperback. At first I was skeptical and disappointed with their decision, but in the eleven months since they made the change I’ve come to believe the ebook market is the perfect place for a debut author to begin developing a presence.

Q: In your opinion, what is the key ingredient for writing great thrillers?

Allan: Action and suspense. My goal is to leave the reader feeling like she has just run a marathon when she puts the book down, whether she happens to stop reading at the end of the book, the end of a chapter, or the end of a paragraph. Obviously you need sympathetic characters and a believable plot, too, but at the end of the day, a thriller has to thrill, plain and simple.

Q: Finally, I like to ask authors this question.  What is your passion?  What is it that you’re more passionate about than anything else?

Allan: My number one passion is and always will be my family. I’ve been married for 27 years to the same fantastic woman, and we’ve watched three children grow nearly to adulthood. Now we get to watch a grandchild grow up as well. Nothing can compare to that.

A close second, though, at least for me, would be writing. I love the feeling of disappearing into a story, of building a world in which absolutely anything can and will happen. The fact that I get to share those stories with like-minded readers is the best thing I can imagine.

Q: Thanks for the interview, Allan.  Do you have any final words?

Allan: I suppose I wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t try to get a few parting shots in. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share Final Vector with you and your readers. This is my first novel and I would love to receive whatever constructive feedback any reader is willing to give, good, bad or otherwise. Feel free to contact me via my website, www.allanleverone.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Released: Interview with Tom Roy

Tom Roy is the President and Founder of UPI. After a very brief time in the S.F. Giants organization, Tom went on to a career in radio, taking his first job in West Virginia. Shortly after that he felt the call of God to pursue a college degree and enrolled at Grace College in Winona Lake, IN. Upon completion of that degree he took a head baseball coaching job at a local high school for 3 years. He continued in that profession, coaching also at the college level for 9 years. In 1979 God put UPI on Tom and Carins hearts. In 1980 the ministry became a reality. Tom ministered to players thru chapels, in camps and clinics for 28 years. He has had the honor to serve Christ through UPI in many venues, including speaking and conducting clinics in over 60 countries. Tom and Carin reside in Winona Lake, Indiana and have two daughters, Amy and Lindsay, and 6 grandchildren (Hannah, Luke, Faith, Tommy, Sam and Lainey). In January of 2008 he assumed the role of President/Founder and now finds himself working with the Advancement of the ministry as well as staying in contact with “UPI alumni” and caring for ballplayers through counseling. His latest book is Released. You can visit Tom Roy’s website at www.tomroy.org.

Thank you for this interview, Tom. Can you tell us what your latest book, Released, is all about?

RELEASED tells the remarkable story of the birth, growth, and development of a unique Christian outreach to the world of professional baseball-Unlimited Potential, Inc. Beginning with a phone call from Hank Aaron during a miserable Indiana blizzard, the fledgling work has grown to a world-wide ministry that has impacted thousands through baseball clinics and instruction. Through dozens of anecdotes, the personal stories of changed lives light up the pages of this book.

How did you come up with the idea?

This is a story we felt needed to be told. RELEASED not only gives a history of God working in the game of professional baseball, but tells of hundreds of professional athletes giving of their time and finances to share the great story of Jesus in over 60 countries to the world of baseball..

What kind of research did you do before and during the writing of your book?

Spent 6 weeks looking over every document, newsletter and board minute of the ministries 30 years. Also, requested personal interviews and testimonies from our staff and professional players.

If a reader can come away from reading your book with one valuable message, what would that be?

It is great to be alive, because God is in control.

In your own experience, is it hard to get a nonfiction book published today? How did you do it?

I was fortunate to have a publisher our town that believed in the story and the impact it could have on others.

What’s a typical day like for you?

When younger I found myself on the road often. Having traveled to over 60 countries keeps one busy. On top of that, visiting ballpark to see players, do bible studies and help the families. For 6 years I was the bible teacher or chaplain for the Chicago White Sox. Now, I primarily stay in contact with retired players and families by phone, text and emails. Also write a weekly blog and travel to spring training sites during the spring. Also do a fair amount of public speaking.

What’s next for you?

Hope to speak more about the work of UPI as well as share the love of Christ to as many as I can. A second manuscript is finished, this book dealing with the deep subject of betrayal.

Thank you so much for this interview, Tom. We wish you much success!

Thanks so much.