Deanna's Tidbits: Meet Louise James - Thriller/Suspense Author

Here's the link to my interview on Deanna's blog last week. And congratulations to Shadow and Sue B for winning a copy of Sacred Murder on release day!

Deanna's Tidbits: Meet Louise James - Thriller/Suspense Author:     
Louise James is nestled off the coast of Georgia busy writing a murder and suspense...

A chat with Charmaine Gordon, Author of Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Author Charmaine Gordon

Stories of Women Who Survive.....and Thrive

An Air Force wife for many years, I wrote sketches, directing and performing in the Officers Club. Moving to NY as civilians and my youngest now almost out of high school, I pursued my dream of working professionally. Daytime drama was fun for about thirteen years along with movies like Working Girl where I sang Happy Birthday to Melanie Griffith. There were many high points during this sweet time ending in a leading role off-Broadway where somehow I gained an idea for a story.

And so writing became my new career.

Louise: Charmaine, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Charmaine: Thanks for inviting me, Louise. By chance, I met Chelle Cordero at a Hudson Valley RWA event at Barnes & Noble. She’s an author with 8 books on the table and I had my first book published by an author about to close up shop.  Chelle bought my book and before I knew it, she’d told her publisher about me. Bada bing! Vanilla Heart decided to check out my new manuscript titled To Be Continued and I was offered a contract. Just shows you never know where and when good things will happen.

As a side bar, before writing I was an actor with daytime drama, stage and movie background. No plan to do anything else until an idea crept into my head and wouldn’t leave me alone. Without any thought as to how to write a story, fearlessly I began to write and write and loved the idea of my own creativity instead of always using another’s words. So what I say to other writers is encourage yourself. Just do it!

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release.

Charmaine: Sin of Omission is a sequel to Reconstructing Charlie. I didn’t plan to continue once The End came into view but the characters called out and wanted me to tell their story. 

 Blurb:

Seems easy enough. Jimmy Costigan will deliver supplies to sister Charlie's project Haven, a respite for the needy, and leave. Simple.
Instead, Shelley Jackson answers the door, says she needs him and soft-hearted Jimmy stays to protect the family seeking refuge from a sociopath. He didn't count on falling in love.
A twist of fate intervenes when Shelley keeps a secret that threatens to break apart the Costigans and her future. A mysterious client, Deanna Rose, enters Haven, victim of a savage beating under strange circumstances. Using Internet resources, Shelley digs in to find Ms. Rose has an unsavory past.

With the reputation and safety of Haven at stake, Shelley is at risk to lose everything ... and everyone she cares about.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Charmaine: Some people sleep walk. I sleep write. A story comes in the night. In the morning, I write. The characters develop and if I open my heart, they grow.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Charmaine: Each book requires research. I’m not interested in deep studies of time and place. Keep it simple and true is my motto. With Sin of Omission, the interracial romance required information; my friend and author of many books, Janet Lane Walters, gave me what I needed to make it real.

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Charmaine: No outlines here, Louise. I fly while raising my grandest granddaughter. I’ll never forget rocking her as I wrote steamy scenes. Still write them but she doesn’t come in to see what Granny’s up to.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Charmaine: I miss performing; the immediate response from an audience; the fun of wearing costumes, make-up artists, counts 5-4-3-2- and you’re on. Take 2 or more. Writing is solitary with fictional characters to keep you company and a review to look forward to after you cry The End.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Charmaine: I work in an office crowded with toys, books, little girl stuff and my lap top. No ritual about writing. I dig in for a thousand words a day when I’m hot on a story. I greet the day, happy to be alive, stretch the bag of bones and put on a face. Can’t write w/o a nice face. Learned that in modeling days when they said always look your best. You never know.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Charmaine: Hopefully no one is home to disturb me but really folks, just because I’m here in my office at the computer doesn’t mean I’m not working. (Author speaking to family not listening). Respect my privacy. Not much to ask for, right? “For everything there is a season. . .” My season is now while I’m here to tell a story. I wake full of energy and ideas and hope to bring that to the pages. No diversion like what’s for dinner asked at 10 a.m.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Charmaine: I write stories about fictional women who Survive&Thrive. This theme runs through my books of Romance and Suspense. Heat but no gratuitous sex. Love does have a special way of creeping in. Last night I dreamed of a series tentatively titled Meet the Widows. “Claire Morgan wakes up at 2:15 a.m. and. . .”

Louise: Favorite authors-preference in books

Charmaine: Murder and mayhem is my favorite, on audio, so I can listen while I do my stuff not writing related.

John Sandford, Robert B. Parker, Elmore Leonard and Susan Isaacs are some of my faves.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Charmaine: I'll giveaway an eBook copy of Sin of Omission to the most interesting commenter. Answer the fun question below.

Question: If you could sing Happy Birthday in person to an Actress or Actor, who would it be and why?

Excerpt:

In this scene, Shelley Jackson confesses her secret to her best friend Charlie and Shelley’s lover Jimmy.

“Charlie, you accepted me as a friend and roommate but how would you feel if I were to marry your brother and bring color into the lily white home of your Aunt and Uncle. I’ve been there. So pristine and perfect. I envied your life and all the love they have for you.” She took another deep breath and reached for the twins in Jimmy’s arms. He relinquished them so readily it made her pause and when he again refused to meet her eyes, her mind moved on. Maybe their father didn’t want them after all. “That’s about all except to say I’m sorry. I’ve committed a sin of omission by not coming clean. If you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, we can work it out. Ball’s in your court.”

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Charmaine: Readers can find me on the following sites: AuthorCharmaine Gordon, SixSentence Sunday, Twitter @CharJGordon, Amazon Authorpage and Facebook. Buy links for my books are below.

                                                        

Sin of Omission

Amazon Kindle (available in paperback)

AllRomance eBooks

Reconstructing Charlie

AmazonKindle (available in paperback)

My books on B&N and Smashwords

Generous sampling of each of Charmaine Gordon's five novels celebrating Survive and Thrive! Click on the image above.

Stephen King shares release date for "Doctor Sleep", sequel to "The Shining"!

The long awaited sequel will be released September 24, 2013*. During the Savannah Book Festival (Feb 2012), Mr. King mentioned several fans wanted to know "Whatever happened to the kid Danny Torrance from The Shining?". He then let on he was writing a sequel.

Click here to see the article and photos of Stephen King's appearance at the 2012 Savannah Book Festival. Heck Yes, I was there!!!!! Those are my photos of him.

For those of you who have never seen The Shining movie or read the book, you're missing out on a great horror story. You can probably view the movie on Netflix or Hulu Plus. Your local library will have the book. LOL I never looked at Jack Nicholson quite the same after the movie.

On the Stephen King Official Web Site, you can read the synopsis for Doctor Sleep. No book cover yet, but I can imagine it'll be awesome. 

StephenKing.com, Official Web Site

Amazon Author page

His books on Barnes & Noble

Simon & Schuster

IT

*Source is from Huffington Post, Update 9/19/2012

Meet Roberta Goodman, Author of Snow Escape - A Mystery/Thriller

I met Roberta through Twitter; a great way to network and meet new authors. Her debut novel sounded awesome so I wanted our Readers to meet her and learn more about Snow Escape.

Louise: Roberta, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Roberta: Thank you, Louise. A twist of fate actually helped me get published. I apologize in advance for this lengthy response. Snow Escape was my second manuscript. I’d written a tragic romance/family saga first but had been unable to acquire a literary agent. I ended up writing the manuscript for Snow Escape after I was inspired by a bad winter I had endured. I completed it in June of 2010 and started the process of querying agents. After several months, I had no luck so I moved on. I had no inclination to self-publish either manuscript. I wrote a third non-fiction manuscript, which I completed in the summer of 2011. I’ve been told that one is too personal therefore it’s not marketable. It’s about my husband’s battle with Testicular cancer and how my family dealt with it.

In July 2011, my police officer husband was at the State’s Attorney’s Office for the county he works in and through a conversation he discovered one of the lawyers there is a published author. He had known this man for over a decade and had no clue he was a writer. He called him up and asked him how he got published. He was given the name and phone number of this man’s small independent publisher. I called her at her home and told her a bit about my little murder mystery and she asked me to email her a synopsis and the first three chapters. Five people were going to review the work and deem it worthy of being published. Within a week, I was contacted and told she was going to publish me. Snow Escape was released in e-Book format in October 2011 and paperback in May 2012.

Louise: Well congrats. Sometimes knowing someone with a contact really helps. Please tell us a little about your new release Snow Escape.

Roberta: Snow Escape is a murder mystery/thriller that takes place in Brooklyn, NY on the night the biggest snowstorm in history is occurring. My main character is a 30-year-old single school teacher named Allegra Maxwell. She’s used online dating to meet potential love interests and one of these men chooses the night of the snowstorm to contact her. They talk via Instant Messenger for several hours. Ultimately, during this conversation, she discovers he’s been stalking her and claims to live in her building. This is where his threats to harm her begin and will continue throughout the night. She turns to neighbors for help with tragic consequences ensuing. She’s basically trapped in her apartment building because there is a tremendous amount of snow on the ground, which is hampering her attempts to leave. It’s also keeping the police from reaching her. 

Louise: Readers, enjoy an excerpt below. Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Roberta: I never plan the characters for anything I write. I feel it would limit the direction I could take them in. 

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Roberta: It depends on what I’m working on. I tend to use the internet a lot, especially if I’m writing about an area I’m not familiar with. For the manuscript about my husband’s cancer, it was a simple process. I just wrote down what we were going through while it was happening. 

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Roberta: I’m a complete Pantser. I do make notes about the characters, but I never outline.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Roberta: I do write full-time. I’ve been a stay-at-home-mom since my son was born in 2001. I worked for a hotel and in retail before that. When my second child started pre-K in 2008, I made the decision to start writing my first manuscript. I’ve also been doing some freelance work for several years, which consists of article writing.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Roberta: I write in my bedroom on my pc. I have a big comfortable chair I sit in. I feel I do my most compelling writing in this atmosphere. The best time is preferably when the house is quiet, because it helps me concentrate.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Roberta: Lately, I’ve been writing whenever I get a chance. After getting my two children off to school, I set aside several hours during the day to work on a plethora of things. I’m either writing articles or working on my current project. 

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Roberta: Well, I’ve revised my first manuscript and I’m hoping to land an agent with it. Here’s a description of my tragic romance/family saga: When Serafina Conti meets Joe Pirelli in October of 1936, both of them realize immediately they’re soul mates. Their intimate encounters can only be described as earth shatteringly intense. Remaining inseparable for two years, Joe becomes sick and decides to end their romance to save Serafina the heartache of having to watch him die. Unaware as to why he’s broken up with her, and devastated beyond belief, she eventually turns to the man who will become her husband. A Sojourn in Hell is a multi-generational tale spanning almost eighty years. From the Great Depression through WWII and beyond, the reader is a witness to the changes one woman’s life undergoes as she becomes a wife, mother, and grandmother as well as the trials and tribulations her own children end up going through. Alcoholism, untimely deaths, physical and mental abuse, adultery, and life-long regrets abound in this heartbreaking character study of human emotions. 

I’m also currently working on something that I describe as a cross between Bridget Jone’s Diary and 9 ½ Weeks. Its humor mixed with sensuality. I’m hoping to have it completed by the beginning of next year.

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Roberta: I love fiction, but ironically enough my favorite book of all time, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, is non-fiction. Honestly, there really isn’t any one particular person I could single out and say they’re my favorite. Some modern writers I like are John Berendt, who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Elizabeth Gilbert, Elizabeth Strout, David Nicholls, and if I’m in the mood to spice it up, Anne Rice. I’m also partial to classics writers. Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, George Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, and Charles Dickens hold my interest.

Louise: We live near Savannah, GA and we have driven by the Mercer House several times. Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Roberta: Writing is my passion. In expressing myself through the written word, I can help others escape boredom and for me that’s a powerful thing. If writing is your dream, then never give up. Even in the face of adversity, push through it and don’t let others tell you your work isn’t good enough to get published. It’s a tough business to break into. Sometimes you have to take a non-traditional route to get your work out there such as using an independent publisher, like I did, or self-publishing. The work doesn’t end once a book is written or even published. Getting the word out about your book is equally important. If no one knows about it, then you can’t expect anyone to find it and read it.

Louise: We totally agree. Authors shouldn't be shy about contacting fellow authors or bloggers to feature them. Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Roberta: Here are our my links and sites to purchase.

I'll give away Three eBook copies (in PDF) of "Snow Escape" to Three commenters. Leave a comment and your email address or Twitter handle for a chance to win. Good luck!

Website/blog 

Facebook Author Page 

Twitter 

LinkedIn 

Goodreads 

The Author Show Book Club

Purchase info for Snow Escape:

Amazon 

Amazon UK 

Write Words Inc 

Fictionwise 
Barnes & Noble

BIO:

Roberta Goodman grew up in Philadelphia. As a stay-at-home Mom of two children, she discovered her creativity could be expressed through the written word when she embarked on writing her first manuscript. In addition to freelance writing, she has written a total of three manuscripts in two and a half years. "Snow Escape" is her first published novel. Roberta and her family reside in a small town on the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Set against the backdrop of a historic snowstorm, Snow Escape is the story of one woman’s innocent foray into the world of online dating turned deadly.

Excerpt

While using Instant Messenger to talk to Charles, a man she met through an online dating site, Allegra realizes he might be up to no good.

Sitting back down at the computer, she saw that Charles had written that people should expect widespread power outages to occur. The weight of the snow on tree branches would eventually cause some of those branches to snap, taking power lines down with them.

“God—I hope that doesn’t happen,” Allegra remarked. “Without power there won’t be any heat and with it being so cold out it would be freezing inside my apartment in no time.”

“Then I guess we’d all just have to bundle up, putting extra clothes on to stay warm,” Charles added.

Not wanting to think about worst case scenarios, Allegra tried to change the subject, but Charles continued to talk about the fact that the snow was going to wreak havoc on everyone and everything.

“Think about it, what if something horrible happened right now? Do you think the police would be able to get to anyone in a timely manner? Yes, snow plows were out, but the snow was falling so fast that as soon as a plow cleared the road, snow was just covering it up again. The blizzard conditions would also make it difficult to drive, with those out on the roads having to drive slowly and carefully, especially at night.”

Allegra typed, “Why dwell on worst case scenarios?"

“In situations like this, Allegra, Mother Nature is calling the shots and one should think about what one would do in an emergency.” Then he asked her, “What if one of your neighbors was up to no good, in just a situation like this, there would be no one to stop them.”

“What do you mean no good?"

He went on to elaborate by saying, “Suppose the person living next door to you decided to kill his wife and she manages to call for help, do you think the cops would get to her in time before her husband offs her?"

“I don’t want to think about a neighbor of mine doing that, it’s morbid.”

“Ah—but things like that do happen, Allegra, as well as many other awful things. There are people in this world who wait for once in a lifetime weather events like we’re experiencing right now to commit the most heinous crimes imaginable.”

Confused by what he was saying and the fact that their conversation had taken this unique direction, she wrote, “I don’t like where this conversation is headed Charles.”

“Why Allegra, do you think that our building is so secure that nothing like what I’m talking about could ever happen here? Do you think the individuals that live here aren’t capable of snapping, of losing their minds, and committing horrible crimes?"

The words “our building” and “live here” hit her like a tornado. She typed, “You live in my building?"

For several minutes, she waited for him to type a response. When none came, her heart racing she wrote, “Who are you and why can’t you answer my question?"

Finally, he wrote, “I’m the one who will burrow inside your head. I’m the one who will turn you inside out. I’ve been watching you for weeks now and I know all about you and what you’re about.”

“What kind of sick game are you playing Charles? I don’t appreciate it,” Allegra demanded to know, figuring he was obviously an unbalanced individual who got off on scaring people.

“It isn’t a game; it’s who I am and what I’m about. Our conversation is over, but you will be hearing again from me soon.”

Allegra wrote back, “What the hell does that mean,” but by the time she had sent it, he had logged off. With her hands shaking and her heart beating a mile a minute, she tried to process what just happened. How had such a pleasant innocent conversation taken such a sinister turn? Who was this person and why had he said all those awful things? It was as if he had talked so nicely to her for almost two hours, trying to gain her trust, just so he could fuck with her mind in the end, but why? Her thoughts racing, she jumped when she heard the ringtone of her cell phone, which was sitting on her bed, start playing. Grabbing the phone, she saw it was Maggie returning her call.

A Chat with Ken Hoss, Author of Suspense and Crime

Ken Hoss joins us this week via New York City location setting of his suspense series, featuring Kelli Storm. Ken is an avid reader, a computer nut and also loves to promote his fellow authors as much as we do. He is currently writing the third installment.

A bit about Ken before we start the interview.

Kenneth Hoss was born at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas in 1957 to Albert and Mary Hoss. He served a combined total of fourteen years on active duty from 1974 to 1987 in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. His tour in the Army took him to Frankfurt, Germany where he had the opportunity to travel Europe. While in the Navy, Kenneth spent most of his time stationed in San Diego and Long Beach. His Navy travels took him to Hawaii, Guam, The Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Okinawa, the Middle East and Pakistan. He has lived in several States, including South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington and California.

Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel is a Police Procedural and is the first book in a three book series. Storm Warning, the next book, has a planned release of Fall 2012.

Kenneth is currently single and lives in Irving, Texas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Louise: Ken, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Ken: Well, it’s really a long story, but it was actually an old High School girlfriend that convinced me that I should start writing again. I wrote a lot of Sci/Fi and fantasy back them and she loved my stories. We reconnected on Facebook and she asked if I was still writing and when I said no, she asked why. Honestly, I hadn’t written in years and really didn’t feel the spark. She ended up sending me a few primer lines and I took those and ran. Of course, it was utter garbage and will most likely never see the light of day, but it got the juices flowing.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release.

Ken: My newest release is the second book in the Kelli Storm series, titled Storm Warning. It picks up a few months after the end of the first book, Storm Rising. It follows my main character, Detective Kelli Storm and her new partner as they attempt to shut down a major Colombian drug cartel’s operations in New York City.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write? 

Ken: Actually, my characters come to me and ask me to write their story. In the case of Kelli, she approached me shortly after I had written the first story, the one my old girlfriend got me started on, and ask if I would write her story. I told her I didn’t think I had it in me, but she had faith that I could do it. And the rest, as they say, is history. Over the past couple of years, Kelli and I have developed a special relationship.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Ken: I do a ton of research, especially since my books are based on the NYPD. There are so many small details, which if left out, would make my books read like some Hollywood script. If you omit the minutia, then anyone reading it will have a hard time believing it. I had to know things like what firearms NYPD Officers were allowed to carry on and off duty. Another small, but very significant detail is the fact that the NYPD does not call their cruisers Squad cars. No, they are called RMP’s, or Radio Motor Patrols. For this book, and I don’t want to give away anything, I had to research anything to do with the Mexican drug cartels.

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Ken: With Storm Rising I did a complete outline, as well as character bios. I found out that after a few chapters that the story line was taking a complete ninety-degree turn from the outline. After that, I just let Kelli tell me what was going to happen next. With Storm Warning I did a skeletal outline, based off what Kelli told me, and the rest I let her run. So, I guess you could say that I’m a punster.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Ken: I wish I could write full time. Unfortunately, I’m not at that level yet. That is the goal of course. In the interim, I work as a Lotus Notes Administrator for a multi-national company.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Ken: I put my ear buds in, tune to a good Classic Rock station, usually Q104 in New York, and I go from there. Kelli is a BIG Classic Rock fan and it helps both of us communicate.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Ken: Typical? There really is nothing typical about my writing day. I write when the mood hits me, or when Kelli keeps bugging me to get to my laptop because she has something to say.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Ken: The next planned book is the third one in the series. I can’t say what is going to happen yet, because Kelli is currently taking a well deserved vacation, and she deserves it. After all the hell she went through in this last book, I can’t blame her.

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Ken: I really don’t have a favorite, but if I did, it would have to be thrillers. I also love Stephen King novels, some Sci/Fi and occasionally horror.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Ken: Just that if they do pick up Storm Warning, they will not be lost. It does fill in Kelli’s history throughout the book. However, I would also add, that they should pick up book one, if only to see where it all began.

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Ken: They can go to my blog, my Independent Authors Network page, and of course my Amazon Authors page. Storm Rising is available in all eReader formats on Smashwords, and is on Amazon, Barnes and Noble; Nook & paperback, and iTunes. Storm Warning will only be available on Amazon for Kindle and in paperback. They are also available on Amazon UK. And of course on Twitter.

I'd also like to giveaway an eBook copy of Storm Rising to one lucky commenter. Let me know you've stop by or ask a question we did not address above, and leave your email address so we can easily contact the winner.

Louise: Ken, thank you for visiting with us this week. 

Interview with Richard Stephenson, Author of "Collapse"

Richard Stephenson

Author of Suspense, Thriller and Speculative Fiction

We are thrilled to introduce Richard to you. Readers, if you like futuristic, sitting on the edge of your seat, and a real page turner reads, then you're going to love Richard's books.

With twenty-three 5 star reviews on Amazon, you know it must be good. Here's a few taglines of the reviews.

5 Stars ~ How can this be his first novel? ~ DMartin Jr
4 Stars ~ Collapse had me burning the midnight oil! ~ Errol Barr
5 Stars ~ A Terrifyingly Real Read! ~ California Book Lover

Louise: Hi Richard, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Richard: Thanks for inviting me. Honestly, I just started writing and didn’t even think about publishing at all. I just got that writing bug and needed to find a cure, so I started writing. I was probably five chapters in before I stopped and realized – this is pretty good, I should try to get this published. I did a lot of research on which route to go. Self-publishing seemed like the way to go since I could retain complete control of my work and the process. The higher royalties were also a big plus.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release, Collapse.

Richard: Collapse is a dystopian thriller set fifteen years in the future and lays out the downfall of American society. I’ve always loved a good end of the world story, but mostly deal with zombies, aliens, a killer asteroid, a pandemic or that sort of thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for any story like that, but I wanted to write a story that was grounded in reality. I wanted to ask the question – how fragile is our civilization? Could a series of unfortunate events destroy our nice, comfortable way of life?

America is falling; ready to join the Roman Empire as a distant memory in the annals of history. The year is 2027. Tired and desperate, the American people are deep in the middle of The Second Great Depression. The Florida coastline is in ruins from the most powerful hurricane on record; a second just like it is bearing down on the state of Texas. For the first time in history, the Middle East has united as one and amassed the most formidable army the world has seen since the Third Reich. A hidden army of terrorists is on American soil. 

This is the story of three men: Howard Beck, the world’s richest man, also diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Richard Dupree, ex-Navy SEAL turned escaped convict. Maxwell Harris, a crippled, burned out Chief of Police of a small Texas town. At first they must fight for their own survival against impossible odds. Finally, the three men must band together to save their beloved country from collapse.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Richard: A combination of both really. I created detailed character bios but during the writing process, a lot of changes took place. When I created one of the central characters, I had every intention of killing the character before the end of the book. The character grew and interacted with the other characters so well that I decided to keep the character alive.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Richard: I find that the easiest way of writing is to write what you know, to draw upon your own knowledge and experiences to make the story come alive. That doesn’t mean I didn’t spend a fair amount of time on Google, truth be told.

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Richard: Again, a combination of both. I mapped out the story with a chapter outline. I knew what I wanted the characters to accomplish at key points in the story. However, the story grew and developed in ways that I didn’t anticipate and changes were made along the way.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Richard: I still hold down a full time job, just celebrated my fifteenth year in law enforcement. Also, the full time job of husband and father takes up a lot of time. Hopefully, someday, fingers crossed, I can write full time.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Richard: Not really.  I write when the bug hits me. I might write non-stop during my free time for days, get burned out, and not write another word for a week. I’m not crazy about setting deadlines for myself, I only write when I’m inspired to do so, to do so otherwise takes the fun out of it for me.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Richard: It consumes me. I get in the zone and block everything else out. The ideas come faster than I can get the words on the page. It’s very exhilarating.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Richard: Collapse is the first book in a series of four. I’m making notes and a basic outline for book two. I’ve just finished my first short story called Spider that will be available for download around the first part of September.

Coming September 4th!

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Richard: Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a sucker for a good end of the world story. I’d say my favorite author is Lee Child. His writing is very fast paced and intelligent.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Richard: I have an audiobook of Collapse in the works. It will be available for the holiday season.

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Richard: On my blog, Twitter, Facebook and Readers can find Collapse on Amazon US and UK, and in paperback.


Remember if you don't have a Kindle you can download the Kindle for PC free.

Louise: Richard, thanks for visiting with us this week. Readers, follow Richard's blog and Facebook fan page for updates. Book Two in the New America series, entitled Resistance is slated for a summer 2013 release.

Giveaway!
Ebook of Collapse in any format – Nook, Kindle, PDF, etc... to one lucky commenter. Leave your email address so we can easily contact the winner!

If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address in your comment - you can send me a message through Facebook. Put Richard Stephenson in the Subject Line. Please do comment on here!! Thanks! 
Facebook - Louise James


Author Bio

Richard Stephenson was born in 1975 in Denison, TX and spent his childhood in North Texas. In 1992, he graduated high school after only three years. He then pursued his degree at Oklahoma Christian University, once again accomplishing the task in three years. Richard then married his best friend before going off to basic training to be a military policeman with the US Army. With his new wife joining the adventure, they spent the next four years at Fort Polk, LA and had two children.

Just before his son turned five, Richard and his wife were told that their oldest child had Asperger's Syndrome. Nine years later, Richard's son would become the inspiration for the character of Howard Beck.

After leaving the armed forces, Richard continued his law enforcement career in the federal sector and has been with the Department of Justice for eleven years.

Richard enjoys many things. He reads constantly with the thanks of his trusty iPad. When he can find the time, he can be found playing Mass Effect, Fallout: New Vegas, or Modern Warfare 2. When a friend or a friend of friend needs a computer fixed, Richard is on the case.