Q&A with Mx. Sly, author of “Transland”

Mx SlyQ&A with Mx. Sly, AUTHOR OF TRANSLAND: CONSENT, KINK & PLEASURE

Mx. Sly (they/them) is a non-binary writer, theatre creator, and producer who has lived in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. Their play Charisma Furs appears in Q2Q: Queer Canadian Performance Texts. Transland is their first book. Transland is a memoir of transformation and self-discovery that explores fetish communities from a gender diverse perspective.

ARSENAL PULP PRESS: Did you always know you were going to title the book Transland? Would you share how you chose this title and unpack it for us?

MX. SLY: I think about the concept of homelands a lot. Of all the identities I hold, being kinky and being trans non-binary are the most vital aspects of who I am, but these are also aspects I frequently have to justify and explain to others.

I long for a place where I can be my fullest self and be seen as innately normal and ordinary, even while I’m being peed on or while jerking off my silicone dick. I’m always looking for home. This memoir is about all the intimacy I’ve explored in pursuit of fulfilling an even deeper longing. I search for a Transland.

APP: The book opens with a note to readers that “Transland is a memoir and a work of creative non-fiction.” Why was it important to you to put the work in these two containers or frames?

SLY: I wanted to situate the book in these two containers to give myself more freedom.

The book is a memoir in the sense that all the fetish sessions, thoughts, and feelings happened IRL. However, instead of sharing events in linear order, I’ve reordered the events of my sex life in this book to follow the model of the Hero’s Journey. In this way, the book is creative non-fiction.

Through the freedom to meld true events into a creative structure, I’m able to derive meaning out of all the random sex and BDSM I’ve messed around with. It’s the synthesis of craft and fact that allows me to access genuine moments of catharsis—in this book, and as a masc-of-centre dude processing my life.

APP: What was your favourite scene or chapter in the book to write, and why?

SLY: My favourite person to write about in the book was my Aussie rope top and my friend with benefits, James. I love every moment he pops up in the narrative. If we come back to the Hero’s Journey, James is my supersexual Obi-Wan Kenobi, and meeting him forever changed what I ask for out of existence. He taught me the value of being untameable, ugly, and free.

James appears in the book’s final scene. In a story filled with the rise and fall of many S&M love affairs, it’s my bondage bromance with James and our friendship that’s my favourite part of the story, because the lessons our play taught me have only strengthened and become more impactful over time.

APP: Throughout Transland you provide definitions of types of play, fetish and kink terms, and toys and equipment. Was it one of your goals in the writing of Transland to provide a sort of intro or basic education to those who are curious about the scene?

SLY: My goal in Transland was to balance writing about kink in a way that would feel visceral and authentic to those in the scene without being too opaque or esoteric to be accessible to other readers.

The book isn’t intended to be an intro to fetish, but I do try to offer enough insight into BDSM that one can have nuanced understandings of concepts like submission, subspace, and postplay drop without having experienced them. In the book, I strive to make the play feel real but also relatable.

That said, I don’t always explain fetish terms the first time they’re used. For example, I use “little” as a noun early in the book, as an Easter egg for the kink community. Later on, I explain what a “little” is in a kink sense to broader readers.

In writing about fetish and how integral it is to my personhood, I feel a loyalty and a desire to do justice to my fellow kinksters first and to bring vanilla audiences along for the ride second.

APP: Transland is a memoir with a strong narrative throughline. Chapters build on each other, people recur, and relationships shift. It could almost be read as a much sexier non-fiction version of Tales of the City. Instead of an apartment building, it’s a Toronto sex club called Fountain where the reader first meets the narrator, Sam, James, and Evie. Was Fountain a clear structural device when you began writing these experiences, or did it reveal itself in the writing?

SLY: It’s funny that you mention Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City, because Tales influenced the serialized storytelling about sex, shifting relationships, and coming-of-age journeys in this book.

That said, the Toronto sex club being a structural device … let’s say that revealed itself in the writing. Fountain is a place I used to have sex in a lot. So, it’s a structural device in the book because it was a structural vehicle in my life—for getting laid. It was an imperfect mainstay in which I’d worship my dominants, explore submission and public sex, and search for transcendence and understanding. Fountain wasn’t the homeland I was looking for, but for a time, it was closer to being a Transland than anything else I knew.

Coming back to the influence Tales has had on my writing though, I’m planning to work on continuations to Transland, much like Maupin did with Tales of the City. So, stay tuned.

APP: What other artists or art influenced the writing of Transland?

SLY: Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises had a big impact on Transland; it taught me to write in a journalistic fashion about my feelings and impulses, as well as the way my brain forms associations and impressions. A sort of hard-hitting reportage of one’s inner world.

Even more influential, Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red taught me to trust swift shifts between naturalism and magic realism. As a result, Transland often moves from the naturalistic to the imagistic and surreal and back again. The way Carson writes Geryon to be both an angsty queer kid and simultaneously a red dragon inspired me to think of non-binary people as beings who flow between physical forms freely, because what we feel and what we know is too large to be contained in just one body.

For me, pain, bottoming, and BDSM are a catalyst for transformation, setting me free enough to suddenly become a dog, a lion cub, and sometimes, an alien in outer space. Carson made me feel comfortable in writing and sharing those experiences and gave me confidence that readers will come along for the weird ride, as long as the journey is grounded in universal emotional truths.

Pick up a copy of Transland: Consent, Kink, and Pleasure at your local bookstore, or order direct from ArsenalPulp.com

Interview with A.J. Schaar author of The Storybook Coroner

Interview with A.J. Schaar, author of The Storybook Coroner

A.J. Schaar is the youngest of four sisters, three of whom are writers (like the Brontës). Already an acclaimed playwright of small renown, A.J.’s first published novella, The Storybook Coroner, was almost immediately recognized as an “INDIE BOOK WE LOVE” by LoveReading. Her work across written mediums is most often called, ‘entertaining,’ ‘surprisingly funny,’ and ‘whimsical.’ (She is going for the record number of times ‘whimsical’ is ascribed to a body of work as an adjective.) You can find her online prescence here.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

Of course, my first response will be: Smaug. I’d call him the OG (original gangster) of dragons in literature because he not only has dialogue—but his lines are all ‘HOT.’ ‘You have nice manners for a thief, and a liar.’ Objectively outstanding ‘BURN.’

Other personal favorite dragons would include Maleficent, Falkor, the Jabberwocky, and Figment. Cosy Dragon readers may also be interested to know there is a dragon in The Storybook Coroner, “Great Malicestriker,” who lives in the mighty tree at the Center of Asgard.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external hard drive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

The idea is still with me for ‘The Tuber of Terror.’ A small potato in a humble garden patch witnesses the massacre of its family before its many eyes on Thanksgiving. Then a freak accident occurs whereby the potato grows to over ten feet in size and develops telekinetic abilities. With its heart set on revenge against potato-eating humans, it becomes a terrorist, suspending its victims in giant jars of water with giant toothpicks. Not too bad for an 8-year-old’s premise? But I’ve never figured out how to make it sustain itself for a full novel, or graphic novel. It might make a better mock ballad, like ‘The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati’ (shout out to novelty records, everywhere, and may Dr. Demento be blessed).

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

My writing has improved over time in two clear ways:

One, I used to be very susceptible to voice. You could tell who I had been reading by what I’d been writing—especially in terms of rhythm and style (not content). I’m happy to say I am less susceptible now.

Two, I used to explain everything—

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

Happily, both!

It’s very rare that I start a new longform project unless the idea’s stuck around for several years. That said, I have so many ideas that have been with me for years now, it’s wonderful to have several new projects to decide from as soon as one is finished (or ‘settling down’).

I also like to have at least 2 projects in the works at the same time so I can keep a relatively fresh point of focus on each.

What kind of research do you conduct while writing your books? How does it influence your writing and shape the story?

They say reality is always stranger than fiction, and I must agree with ‘them’ there. I research as I go on almost every project and incorporate a great deal of what I find. My favorite sources are always ‘the original source’ if I can find it; then I trust the Wikipedia wormhole; and if possible, I’ll always talk with real, living, human experts—who know true things that aren’t always publicly disclosed…

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and in what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

Tables and chairs most often… Yes, sometimes I write just sitting in a chair; sometimes I write just standing at a table—most often though, I’m writing while sitting in a chair, at a table. The table and/or chair could be anywhere.

Sometimes I just bend over to put in a small edit… but then I end up doing much more extensive revisions while I’m at it, and end up crouching or kneeling—as if I’m just about to finish it—until some body part gets stiff or falls asleep.

In terms of medium, I can only write poetry with pen/paper because I can’t write ‘finished from the pen,’ and have little arrows and additions drawn all over the pages… For books and plays, digital is so much faster (and I’ll know what I wrote afterwards. Handwriting, shmandwriting).

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I’m very lucky to have family and friends who will read and comment on my work! These days, I’ve finally written enough material that they’ve liked in the past, I don’t even have to harass them to do it. Much.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – eBooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

I can’t do the eBook thing. I’d like to, because so much is immediately available. But you should see the sheer number of books in our house. And we (my husband and I) reference most of them, constantly. Any new city we go to, we check out the indie bookshops. That said, we probably order most of our physical books online—because we live in the future.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

Tough question… I’ll probably go back to revisit the classics (across genres) more than anything else. In terms of new work, I’ll probably (like you) spend the most time in fantasy, and then second place would be a tie between westerns/noir/sci-fi/adventure. I’m also a sucker for a good biography. And I’ll always stop to read a manifesto.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

Personally, I don’t check out social media at all anymore. Professionally, when it’s had to do with plays, I’ve worked with an awesome social media manager! I’ve never walked out a self-published novel before and look forward to learning from the experts as I go.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

Not when the questions are as much fun as these! I truly appreciate the opportunity to share this Cosy chat with you.

About The Storybook Coroner:

Kidnapping. Robbery. Death Queens. PsychoPumps. Master Plans. Hell Holes. Gods. Dragons.

True Love.

Sandwiches.

INDIE BOOKS WE LOVE. “This is a tale full of irreverent humour, with a broad cast of gods introduced, mysteries uncovered, and grand rescue plans concocted… Easily readable and whimsical…  An interesting and entertaining romp through mythology, with a modern twist.”

LoveReading

 Learn more and purchase this novel at the following links:

Paperback and eBook versions currently available at Barnes & Noble

Details soon at LoveReading’s Indie Books We Love

Interview with Rebecca Holmes, author of Beyond the Gloaming Pass

Interview with Rebecca Holmes, author of Beyond the Gloaming Pass

Rebecca Holmes is an adult fantasy author from Vancouver, Canada. Her debut novel, Beyond the Gloaming Pass, is a heart-wrenching tale of two women fighting for their place in a harsh world of magic, prejudice, and ethereal beauty. She writes what she loves to read – vibrant worlds, rich cultures and multilayered characters, exploring deeper topics through authentically realized emotions and drawing parallels with the real world. When she isn’t writing or reading, she’s a product manager, ecommerce expert, and avid PC gamer. She shares her home with her mum and her dog – a very cute papillon named Piper.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

Smaug, from The Hobbit.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

My first book writing attempts were nonfiction which, looking back, did not make much sense as I practically never read nonfiction. I doubt I’ll ever resurrect those. My first fiction book did eventually become a finished product, but it took me eleven years to get there!

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

This is going to sound odd, but… stamina. In the beginning, I found it extremely difficult to write for more than an hour or so at a time. That hour might yield a paragraph if I was lucky, and I’d probably come back and rewrite it later anyway. I had to wrestle with my brain not just to focus, but also to be in the right frame of mind, and to willingly dig into my past experiences to draw up the emotions needed to write convincingly. It was like a muscle I had to exercise and strengthen to the point where I could comfortably pump out a thousand half-decent words in one sitting.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

Now, I think I probably could – assuming I continue to have the same amount of time and energy to invest in writing. I sincerely hope I do! At times, my day job has grown so all consuming it left little space for creative endeavours. Work-life balance is crucial to keep the creative juices flowing productively, but that’s sometimes easier said than achieved. I have ideas for another four books in the same series as Beyond the Gloaming Pass. I’m in love with the world I’ve created for that series: flawed, but magnificent; harsh, but beautiful. I plan to release one book a year for the next four years!

What kind of research do you conduct while writing your books? How does it influence your writing and shape the story?

My stories are set in a fictional world, which gives me a lot of freedom to create my own rules. However, my goal is for the setting to feel historically plausible. I’ll regularly fact-check historical technology, aesthetics and cultures to achieve that grounded, down to earth feeling in my work as an undercurrent to the fantastical elements. In Beyond the Gloaming Pass, the main characters start off in the city of Tunswick, which is loosely based on Victorian London. I found actual video footage from the late 1800s of a London intersection and used this to paint a more realistic mental image of life in my fictional city. I have some very peculiar Google search history – everything from ‘how to dry fish on a rack’ to ‘common causes of warehouse fires in the 19th century’.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I can write anywhere quiet and distraction-free. All I need is my laptop! I used to write in Google Docs, which got the job done but caused me some headaches with formatting later on. Now I use Atticus, which takes care of all the formatting for me and allows me to split into parts and chapters as I go. It’s a lot more organized. Usually I write at home, or in my hotel room if I’m traveling. My most productive hours tend to be late at night.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I used a combination of friends who like my genre and people who reacted positively to my postings on Critique Circle. I put my prologue up for review on that site and was able to establish a relationship with potential beta readers that way. I had three beta readers in total who did an excellent job between them.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

My reading is almost entirely digital. I’m a member of Kindle Unlimited and get most of my books from there. The best thing about that is I get to read a lot of indie books and find hidden gems that no one is talking about yet. I often review these on Goodreads, so check out my Goodreads profile for some great indie fantasy recommendations! I love the idea of a home library but it has never been practical. I’ve moved around a lot, and a significant book collection is one of those things that multiplies the pain of moving tenfold. Who knows, maybe in the future my book cave dreams will come true!

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

I think I’ve always been a fantasy nut as long as I can remember. I’ve sampled all sorts, but I generally prefer the historical kind – whether that’s a version of our world or an alternate world analogous to a familiar time period. I don’t read a lot of romance, and tend to get put off if things get too steamy. Having said that, one obscure book from my childhood that had a huge influence on my writing style wasn’t fantasy at all: Grace, by Jill Paton Walsh, is a novel based on the true story of Grace Darling, an English heroine from 1838. Walsh’s writing style is very unique, and perfectly suited to a first-person narrative from that time period. I think it was her book that started my obsession with the authenticity of historical concepts in fiction.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I hate social media too, but as an author I have to do it. The technology aspect is fine – I’m very tech-savvy – but it presents a particular challenge for me because I don’t understand the appeal of using the platforms on a personal level. I’m learning about the world of BookTok right now to connect with other authors and readers in my genre as I’m well aware how huge it’s become. Not somewhere I expect to be spending any time ‘just for fun’ though. I’d much rather be writing or reading!

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

I don’t mind, and I know the importance of unique content from a search engine optimization perspective. My goal is to always provide uniquely-worded answers and keep it interesting for the reader, even if the general sentiment of my answers is the same from one interview post to the next. For that reason, I won’t copy-paste answers.

About the Book

That barren, supposedly cursed land everyone’s afraid of? It’s inhabited. Sophisticated. They’re doing just fine, and they’re tougher than you. Are you brave enough to venture Beyond the Gloaming Pass?

In this emotional high fantasy adventure, two women fight for their place in a broken continent with broken systems. Years of hardship have put a heavy strain on Rubriel and Molindra’s friendship. When a contract from a wealthy merchant offers a hefty payout for a dangerous mission in a mysterious land, Molindra seizes the opportunity for a better life. Little do they know, that land has ambitions of its own. The pair find themselves swept onto opposite sides of a bitter conflict that spirals rapidly out of control. Will they reunite and save Bantria from the growing threat, or become unwitting agents of its destruction?

Learn more and purchase this novel at the following links:

Interview with Joshua Crosson

An Interview with Joshua Crosson, author of Limelight

Joshua Crosson lives in a small town in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He attended college in his early twenties, wasn’t sure what he wanted to study, dropped out, and is now returning—this time to get a nursing degree. He has a passion for helping others in need and has always believed good writing has the power to connect and help other people. He’s loved writing ever since he was a small boy. While writing can sometimes be a challenge, his passion for it has never died. He’s heard other writers use the term “writing as therapy” and believes the expression is a good fit for him too.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

Toothless, from How to Train Your Dragon. [[[ED: MEEEE TOOOO]]]

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

I wrote a novel called Sheep in my early twenties. I was trying really hard to make a statement about religion in it. The writing wasn’t that great either, but it was the first time I felt I was really trying to develop characters and themes that were personal and close to my heart. I’d say my first “real novel” was this big, untitled book that took place in the future on this run-down city on the moon. It was this dark, futuristic detective novel about this man—the detective—who hates human beings. And then by the end of it he ends up saving the Earth. It was kind of like Seven and True Detective but sci-fi. But, honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever try to resurrect these stories. I think I left them behind for good, my writing interests elsewhere now.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

Everything! I’m thirty (at this time of writing) and I’d say I’m only now discovering my voice and style—especially with this second novel I’m writing now. But still, I often struggle. I’m still learning and improving.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

I’ve become more patient with my writing as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger I wanted so bad to be like Stephen King—or like some of the other popular novelists—able to pump out a book a year. But I realized that’s not the way I work. I wish I could write that fast.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

Usually in my room at night, though I’ve written in many places before. My ritual is to always write after I get off home from work. I work the swing shift (usually) so I get home around eleven or midnight. But once I’m home I’ll eat some dinner, drink some tea, and I’ll try to write at least an hour before I go to bed. And always using pen/paper too. I used to do all my writing on computers (and also typewriters haha), but I’ve discovered a love for writing with pen and paper these days.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I’m one of the lucky ones and have wonderful family and friends who read my work. My mom is my best critic. She’s also an author and she always gives me honest feedback, doesn’t pull any punches. My sister, brother, and a few friends have been so helpful to me too. And I also have a lovely new fiancé who I can bring works-in-progress too.
Recently, I just started reaching out to people I don’t know (like on Facebook writing groups), asking them if they’d like to read my current work-in-progress.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

I definitely prefer physical books. The smell is amazing, new or old books. There’s a local Goodwill nearby where I live and I’ve gotten hundreds of books from there. I also use Amazon.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

I’d have to say Crime Fiction is my favorite genre—or genres in the same vein, like Suspense, Thrillers. I also love Horror.

I’ve always loved horror. That’s never changed. It started with Goosebumps for me. And then I fell in love with Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Clive Barker. Lately, I’ve been delving into this really bizarre, nasty subgenre of horror—Extreme Horror. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve also always loved and have always been fascinated by true crime. Over the years, I’ve developed a deep love for crime fiction though.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

It was really frustrating for a while, because I started my writer’s page on Facebook maybe two years ago, but I had nothing on it. I had no published novel, no short stories (I don’t like writing short stories), nothing. My debut novel was published a month ago, and so I’ve only now (this past month) been active on social media. It feels better now to have something out there, something that I can share with other people. I’ve been finding it to be actually kind of enjoyable to talk to other likeminded people—other writers and readers and creative people—to be able to connect with them. At the moment, I just have an author website and an author Facebook page. Having too many platforms makes me feel cluttered and overwhelmed and I’d rather just stick to one or two (though maybe, at some point in the future, I’ll change my mind about this).

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

This is my second interview regarding me and my book! So no temptation, not yet haha!

Limelight – a crime/noir/mystery novel

Chris Flowers, one of the most famous and beloved popstars in the world, wants nothing more than to keep playing shows and creating art for his dear fans. Nearly finished with an album, and only days from playing a major show, Chris receives a fateful phone call threatening to expose a dark secret of his past that could ruin him. The sinister voice demands Chris to “Confess” or else… When the lives of loved ones from Chris’s past—the very people he left behind to pursue stardom—become involved, Chris must decide how important his career truly is for him—and if he’s willing to sacrifice lives for it.

Interview with Kathryn Troy

An interview with Kathryn Troy

I’m a history professor by day, a novelist by night. I like to write what I read – fantasy, romantic fantasy, gothic fiction, historical fiction, paranormal, horror, and weird fiction. Horror cinema and horticulture are my other passions. When I’m not reading or writing or teaching, I’m gaming, traveling, baking, or adding some new weird creepy cool thing to my art collection. I’m a Long Island native with one husband, two children, and three rats.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

The one in Into the Land of the Unicorns, by Bruce Coville, that tells Cara the truth about her family.

I’m not going to be reviewing your newest novel, but from your other published novels, is there one that is your own personal favourite?

Gosh, I love them all. I have a soft spot for my Frostbite series, because those are the characters I was able to put on the page first, and their struggles make me cry.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

Yep. It’s A Vision in Crimson, the first book in my Frostbite series, which is being re-released by City Owl Press in 2024. The most exciting part is getting a new cover. I love book covers.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

The sharpness of my writing. In my earliest drafts, I used a lot of hedges in dialogue. I’ve gotten better at getting right to the point.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

Good question. A bit of both, actually. Ideally I’d like to do a book a year to keep myself active and relevant, but some books just take longer. So self-imposed deadlines are good, but I’ve learned to give myself a little grace and patience if it will take me a bit longer to get the best final product.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I can write anywhere, but it needs to be quiet. I like my dining table best. I have plenty of room, and all I can hear is the ticking of the cuckoo clock on the wall. Pen and paper, all the way.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor?

My husband is my first and best beta. We read a lot of the same books and have the same literary aesthetic in many ways, so I always think of his opinion as the one that counts most, since it’s like the me outside of me. My other betas I’ve gathered from my Goodreads and Facebook groups, and they are wonderful and reliable.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

I do love physical books, but in recent years my vestibular issues make standard print too small for me to read for extended periods. So I’ve learned to accept e-books and their wider accessibility.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

Oof no I read in so many genres, and my tastes have only been cemented over time. Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, Historical genre, Weird Fiction. I really am not a fan of contemporary fiction, and I’m done reading literary fiction since it’s no longer school-assigned reading 🙂 I will read the occasional biopic/cultural piece. My favorite is Lipstick Jihad.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I agree with you whole-heartedly. I prefer to live my real life. But it’s a part of life now. I use mostly Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram. I’m proud to say I’ve never tweeted.

It is not the funnest part for me, because it means more screen-time, which is a strain on my eyes and brain. But I like Instagram best because I am a visual creature, and aside from bookish things, I mainly follow artists.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

Nah. I like to keep it fresh. And you never know- sometimes depending on my mood, the answers could change 0_0

You can find Kathryn on a range of platforms, including:

Facebook: Kathryn Troy

Blog: Bathorys Closet

Instagram @BathorysCloset

The Shadow of Theron: The powers of old are fading. A new Age is dawning. 

Holy relics are all that remain of Theron’s sacred legend.  Now those relics, the enchanted weapons forged by the Three-Faced Goddess to help Theron defeat the wicked Sorcerer Argoss, are disappearing. 

Lysandro knows the village magistrate Marek is responsible, and he searches for proof disguised as the masked protector the Shadow of Theron. But when Marek wounds him with an accursed sword that shouldn’t exist, Lysandro must find a way to stop Marek from gaining any more artifacts created by the Goddess or her nemesis.  The arrival of the beautiful newcomer Seraphine, with secrets of her own, only escalates their rivalry.

As the feud between Lysandro and Marek throws Lighura into chaos, a pair of priestesses seeks to recover the relics and return them to safekeeping. But the stones warn that Argoss is returning, and they must race to retrieve Theron’s most powerful weapon. But as they risk their lives for a legend, only one thing is certain. The three temples to the Goddess have been keeping secrets: not just from the faithful, but from each other.

Wheel of Time readers and fans of Sarah Maas, Saladin Ahmed, and Trudy Canavan will delight in this fantasy adventure duology infused with romance.

Purchase The Shadow of Theron here:

Interview with Khalil Barnett

An Interview with Khalil Barnett, author of KOJIRO

An alumni of the University of Central Florida, Khalil is a prose writer, screenwriter, English teacher, and martial artist living and working in Orlando, Florida. He published his first novel, Guerillas, in 2001, and his second novel, The Cynosure of All Eyes, in 2020. Kojiro is his third novel.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

My favorite dragon in literature is easily Falkor from Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story. And the reasons are multifaceted. For starters, in the book Falkor’s name is written as “Fuchur”, which is derivative of the Japanese word fukuryū -meaning happiness or luck, which of course is his description in the story as ‘Falkor the Luck Dragon’. His archetypical function in the piece is transcendent, even Jungian and correspondent to Joseph Campbell’s observations of universal literary symbology in his seminal work “Hero With A Thousand Faces”. We all pass through what Campbell referred to as the ‘field of bliss’ on the path to self-actualization, and the hero’s journey reflected in most stories is a dramatization of this struggle that we all face. Falkor, and I noticed this even as a little deaf kid back in the 80s, is an expression of the importance not merely of “Luck”, but, more pointedly, “Hope” and “Belief”. Humans do not persevere without hope, we do not survive as a species without some form of belief in ourselves, in purpose, in meaning. We would all, instantly, or at least inexorably, succumb to the Nothing! Falkor is all of this, precisely. I can see his smile and wink right now as I say it.

I’m not going to be reviewing your newest novel, but from your other published novels, is there one that is your own personal favourite?

I’ve formally published three novels so far. The first, ‘Guerrillas’, was an examination of the stuff that makes a tyrant and the ways they indoctrinate otherwise good but desperate people to their destructive causes. My last book, ‘The Cynosure of All Eyes’, was an experiment in philosophical erotica but also a very intimate deep dive into the challenges of living with, and overcoming, debilitating clinical depression. But my latest novel, Kojiro, is by far my most personal project to date -because of its history. The idea was dreamt up during a car ride in 2001 through the streets of LA with my best friend Kesler Casimir, who regrettably passed right before Christmas in 2008. It started as an idea for a high concept horror script but went through several permutations from there, eventually evolving into a full-blown heroic mythology better suited for long form prose. What it’s become in its now published form is an amalgamation of so many heady ideas I’ve started and stopped over the years, cataloging in a idea database that has reached the point of bursting. Kesler always believed in every version of Kojiro, so this piece is for him, as are those that will follow in the expanding world.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

I think there are shades of my first fully written though unpublished piece prevalent in all the three books I’ve published so far, enduring like an influential ghost of the past ever guiding my hand in the present and beyond. It was the story of a convict who breaks free of his mental and emotional shackles long after being released from the physical ones that shaped the bondage of his personality. In retrospect, it was very much a metaphorical therapeutic exercise in working through the baggage of my own experience in the world as a deaf person. Ever since I was a kid, I felt alienated from every peer group -from even my friends and classmates, from even other young black boys growing up in the south. Any cursory examination of deaf culture, which I wasn’t exposed to during my formative years, you’ll find expressions of this kind of isolated experience. Will I return to that old piece from my budding days as a writer and resurrect it anew? Very likely. That voice wouldn’t keep coming back to me if it weren’t still a story that demands to be told, like the child alive and well that is buried under wreckage of any adult’s memory.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

The one thing I would say that has improved most about my writing is focus and readability. All the many unpublished tomes, they’re all good ideas lost in wildernesses of unsolved puzzles. All very much free association in nature as I struggled to find a voice. Now, there’s confidence and vision to damn the deluge of inspiration.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

The first author, my favorite, who comes to mind when I consider this question is Walter Mosley. He is so incredibly prolific and yet never seems to run out of ideas. The second author that comes to mind is George R.R. Martin, who famously takes many years between books. If I had to classify myself, I’d say that I am somewhere in between in regard to the developmental process of bringing a story from idea to fruition. The incubation stage for me is like a chaotic, unpredictable chrysalis. Maybe I’ll spit something in a short series of months, or maybe a project, like Kojiro, will take many years to see print. I’m already at work on the follow up, so Kojiro 2 will not take nearly as long as the first one did.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I recently discovered that a thing I have in common with Toni Morrison is that I do my best writing early in the morning, while it’s still dark and the rest of the surrounding world is still sleeping. I like to imagine myself a conduit of dreams in these hours, not just my own, but those of the collective unconscious. I don’t remember who it was that said it, but I agree that every writer, inevitably, is part philosopher and part social scientist. We all have our finger on the pulse of society in some way or another, it’s maybe at once a gift and consequence of the neurosis that drives creativity. You don’t just research your topic, you research yourself and the many influences that characterize your thinking. Doesn’t matter where I’m doing the writing to facilitate that process, really. It’s more a matter of when. I make notes usually on paper, but the writing writing I do strictly digital. The keyboard is my guitar.

I am lucky enough to have very literate and brutally honest people in my sphere who proofread my material before I unleash it on the world.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

Physical media is where it’s at! There’s nothing like the smell of a freshly printed book! I’m the cartoon character being drawn to it by tendrils of animated fragrance that forms a hand hypnotically beckoning me to ‘Come on!’ E-readers are incomparable to that. Audiobooks, forget it.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

If I had to choose a favorite genre, it would be gumshoe fiction. Because that’s what life is for me, an ongoing high stakes investigation. I used to joke in fact about how being deaf or severely hearing impaired, in every conversation I’m like a detective working to crack a case. Studying clues in voice inflection, random words that I hear clearly in a bombardment of verbal hyroglyphics, context, etc… This is especially true in my work as a 5th grade English teacher when talking to students… But I love literary fiction, contemporary fiction, and, obviously, fantasy and sci fi. I’m drawn to sci fi for its inherent optimism for the future. There’s optimism even in distopian sci fi, because, ultimately, those stories are still about the heroic journey of overcoming. What’s more optimistic than self-actualization in the mist of tyranny and utter despair? I love fantasy, mythology, for its unapologetic expressions of archetypical pantheons, and for an undercurrent of, again, hope requisite to the very imaging of fantastical worlds, quests, and larger than life beings.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I agree that social media is a hassle. More than that, it brings out there very worst in some people. The paradox being that it is antisocial, a breeding ground for toxic behavior, unchecked prejudices, and all around ugliness. Indeed, poor character and anti-intellectual fringe thinking is celebrated in the dark corners of so-called social media. But at the same time, when used effectively, it can be a great tool for connection, for networking and, again ironically and in spite of its nature, building real friendships that last forever. That said, I manage my own social media pages. I can’t imagine that changing sometime in the future, but I guess we’ll see.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next? 

In answering interview questions, I try not to ever lose the conversational aspect, the human connection at the foundation of it. It’s the point, I think, to interviews anyway; connection. So no, I don’t ever consciously recycle answers. If I’m asked a similar question, I may give a similar answer. But it’s never a copy and paste sort of thing. That’s not how conversations work. Indeed, it’s not how honesty works. If we’re talking, we’re talking. Answers, responses, comments, they’re influenced by the moment. And sometimes, caffeine.

Novel Synosis

Springing from a restless imagination, tulpas–otherwise known as “thought-forms”—can go on to live lives independent of their creators. This can have dark, troubling—even violent—consequences. No one knows this better than Coletrane Marx.

The only son of an eccentric billionaire archeologist, Coletrane one night unwittingly creates a tulpa—one that, to his horror, visits him in demonic form and murders his parents with a samurai sword.

Forever changed by this trauma, Coletrane soon discovers that his fevered childhood imagination has created a mysterious, cursed samurai warrior named Kojiro. But not just Kojiro: It has also created an alternate feudal history in which Kojiro lives his own prophetic story, in a world full of mythic creatures, powerful humanoid animal Lords, living deities, and evil Tricksters. A world—Coletrane soon learns—that could overlap with his own in catastrophic ways. Can Coletrane and Kojiro reconcile their dark, shared past? Can they join forces to defeat cataclysmic destruction?

Purchase KOJIRO here!

Interview with Gini Grossenbacher

author headshotAn Interview with Gini Grossenbacher

Gini is the author of Madam in Lace which illuminates the life of a real 1850s madam who came from her native France to live and work in San Francisco. This is part of her American Madams series, a unique look at history through the eyes of women who were doing mostly what they needed to do in order to survive.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

Maleficent. I appreciate that the wicked fairy transforms into a reptilian creature, the embodiment of evil. I saw the Disney film as a child in the 1950s, and the dragon image stayed with me all my life. I think I have a love-hate relationship with that dragon. She is larger-than-life, powerful, and gorgeous.

I’m not going to be reviewing your newest novel, but from your other published novels, is there one that is your own personal favourite?

Madam in Silk has a special place for me, since I not only did extensive research into the heroine Ah Toy’s history in San Francisco, but I had to do lots of reading about Guangzhou, the Pearl River, and the porcelain trade where her fictional father gained his wealth. I immersed myself in Chinese ancient cultural practices, familial relationships, and the class system.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

Luckily, I hired an excellent editor to shepherd me through the revisions of Madam of My Heart, my first novel. I do have an “in the drawer” World War II novel that has been through tons of revision and editing, but I have never gone back and published it. My readers wanted me to continue the “American Madams” trilogy, so continuing to write those novels seemed more important at the time. My next trilogy is called “Artistic Women.” After I finish those books, perhaps I’ll return to the war story.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

I am a two-to-three-year percolator. I do extensive research for each of my novels, multiple revisions, and work with beta readers and critique groups.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down, and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I write on my laptop in the morning hours or late afternoon. I have a spacious office with artwork on the walls, candles burning, and my little terrier Murphy in her bed. That keeps me happy.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers and choose an editor?

I have a trusted group of fellow novelists who critique my story, then I have two or three well-read friends who read and provide opinions. My patient husband helps me when I encounter a plot wrinkle.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

My favorite bookshop is the Avid Reader in downtown Sacramento. They always have the latest bestsellers available, in addition to a wonderful children’s literature section where I tend to get lost. They’re also quite willing to host my book launches and sell my novels and poetry.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

As an English teacher, I taught the classics of course, along with works by diverse authors of color. I read widely in fiction and non-fiction, yet I always return to historical fiction, my genre, in order to see the latest trends.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I did hire a social media manager a few years ago. She helped me set up my platform, website, and initial presence on Facebook and Twitter. When she eventually moved away, I handled the platform myself, yet it is a big job, and I find myself always feeling guilty for not posting enough. I have a publicist, Cristina Deptula, from Authors Large and Small, and she has been a great help to me in gaining contacts and reviews over the years.

I like Facebook because the brief posts seem to fit my time and genre. I also belong to FB reader/writer groups, and I enjoy reading the posts of other authors and readers who love their books as well as my own.

I supplement social media with selling my books at bookstores, fairs and festivals, especially at those events with a vintage theme since they complement my historical fiction genre. I will wear a fascinator or frilly skirt, decorate my booth with lace and flowers, and set out my books. I make many sales that way, and people love to see an author’s booth next to the painted rock table.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

Not really. My career keeps evolving with the times, so my answers are relevant today. Tomorrow’s interview could be completely different since I’ll have a new novel out or a fresh book of poetry!

Purchase Madam of Silk here

Interview with James Michels

An Interview with James Michels, author of Icebox, Ice Rising and The Ballad of Jonny Carlo

My name is James Michels, and I’m a crime fiction writer from Michigan in the United States. To date, I have two published novels and one that will be published soon. I’ve always had an interest in the world of crime fiction and true crime and have worked for seven years as a corrections officer in state prison.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

My favorite dragon in literature would have to be the three dragons from Game of Thrones, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.

I’m not going to be reviewing your newest novel, but from your other published novels, is there one that is your own personal favourite?

I’m not sure if I have a personal favorite book that I’ve wrote. I’d say that The Ballad of Johnny Carlo would have the most appeal to a wider audience.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

I actually started writing a story when I was in high school once, but that story is pretty much shelved indefinitely because I didn’t follow through on it back then, and that was when my mentality was different. I wasn’t devoted to becoming an author back then. I didn’t even knew I’d like writing.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

I’d say that the ability to use different words and expressions has improved. I’m working more on my showing/telling ratio.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

I try to get at least one book out a year. My goal is to have at least four by the time I’m thirty. I write as the idea comes to me, so even I don’t know how long it will take me to write a book. Ice Rising took a year to write, The Ballad of Johnny Carlo took maybe a year and a half, and Icebox was less than a year.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I write on my phone, so I can pretty much write anywhere except at my day job. I prefer to write on my recliner at home in the morning on my days off or in the evening during a work day since I work mornings. With three kids, my writing schedule is not always consistent.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I am lucky enough to have people close to me who will give honest opinions. My betas are usually my wife, my mom, and a good friend which also edits my work. He’s never steered me wrong on my editing, so I trust his judgment.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

There is a local book store that I enjoy going to, but I absolutely love Barnes and Noble. I could spend a whole day there. I do read eBook from time to time, but I prefer paperback.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

My favorite reading genres have to be true crime and crime fiction. I have picked up urban fiction, romance, some more fantasy, dystopian, and classics over the recent years. Also enjoy horror and dark fantasy. As of right now, the only two genres I have not ventured into are erotica and western.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I do manage my own social media. My preferred platforms are Twitter and Facebook. I only spend maybe an hour on them a day, usually to keep up to date on some Facebook groups that have helped me out, post some content to Facebook and Twitter for my followers, and to connect with readers and other writers.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next? 

I think it depends on the question being asked if I recycle my answers. I tend to find out more about myself as I answer them, so there is usually a different variation of answer even if the question is the same.

Thanks for your time today, James. I find it so inspiring that you are able to bust out a book a year as well as a day job and kids! Keep up the writing. ~ Rose

Interview with Louis J. Ambrosio

An Interview with Louis J. Ambrosio, author of A Reservoir Man

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

What is your favorite dragon in literature?

The unnamed dragon Beowolf captures and kills at the end of the tale.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external hard drive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

This is my first novel, I was busy doing dissertations, reports for graduate school, and then grant applications for my theaters. I do have a collection of poetry from that time which still sits on my desk.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

Microsoft 365 Word has made a major difference, though I always had a command of syntax and I was always a competent writer.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

Writing “A Reservoir Man,” took me one summer working 2 hours a day, 4 days a week. I approach the book by writing “stream of consciousness,” a way of writing I find inspirational and freeing.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I imagine I can write anywhere, some places are more pleasant. My office which overlooks my garden is where I enjoy writing currently while being underscored by Mahler, Beethoven, and disco.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I don’t believe in giving too many people my work, too many opinions spoil the pot. I was fortunate to have 2 friends, one distant and one close to read my book. The close friend, read chapter by chapter. The distant friend read the first pass and urged me to keep editing, which I did, many more times. With my close friend, I was able to share my metaphysical thoughts and inspirations.

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

I don’t like ebooks, I want to be able to keep the physical copy with me, I could not agree more with you. I find the most inspiration from hardcover books and I love Barnes and Noble. I get my source material from the classics and the internet.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

My favorite genre is drama and the classics. Anywhere from the 17th century to the 20th century. My tastes have never changed, these books have taught me and showed me my truth and my freedom.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

Social Media has its place in today’s world but I think it has overreached it’s bounds.  I use ads and reviews on platforms.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy my new book “A Reservoir Man” available now on Amazon

Interview with Frederick Douglass Reynolds

Interview with Frederick Douglass Reynolds

Frederick Douglass Reynolds is a retired LA County Sheriff’s homicide sergeant. He was born in Rocky Mount, Virginia, and grew up in Detroit, Michigan where he became a petty criminal and was involved in gangs. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1979 to escape the life of crime that he seemed destined for. After a brief stint in Okinawa, Japan, he finished out his military career in southern California and ultimately became a police officer with the Compton police department. He worked there from 1985 until 2000 and then transferred to the sheriff’s department where he worked an additional seventeen years.

Frederick retired in 2017 with over seventy-five commendations including a Chief’s Citation, five Chief’s commendations, one Exemplary Service Award, two Distinguished Service Awards, two Distinguished Service Medals, one city of Carson Certificate of Commendation, three city of Compton Certificates of Recognition, one city of Compton Public Service Hero award, one California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition, two State Senate Certificates of Recognition, a County of Los Angeles Certificate of Commendation, one Meritorious Service Award, two city of Compton Employee of the Year Awards, and two California Officer of the Year awards. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter Lauren and young son, Desmond.  They have six other adult children and nine grandchildren.

What is your favourite dragon in literature?

Lisbeth Salander’s dragon tattoo. Just kidding. Actually, I think my favourite dragon is Smaug, from The Hobbit.

Everyone has a ‘first novel’, even if many of them are a rough draft relegated to the bottom and back of your desk drawer (or your external harddrive!). Have you been able to reshape yours, or have you abandoned it for good?

Black, White, and Gray All Over is my first novel, but I definitely reshaped it over the years. There came a time early on that I knew I wanted to write a book, because I had seen so much misery and had experienced so much trauma. And this was even before I became a cop. I knew what the title was going to be, because that is what I felt my life had been. I messed around for a little while, jotting down ideas and notes on line-loose leaf paper that I kept in a green colored binder with the title written on a post-it affixed to the front. But I put it away when life got in the way. When two of my colleagues were murdered in 1993, I knew that I would write about that night one day. When I retired in 2017, I started writing again, only now the murders weren’t going to be the focal point of the book. They were certainly going to be a huge part of it, though, as they were such a seminal point in my life.

Over the years, what would you say has improved significantly in your writing?

Being able to hold the reader. For years as a police officer and then as a Homicide Detective, especially as a detective, writing is a huge part of the job. You have to be able to convey the story to the district attorney. What you write may one day be read and discussed in the Chambers of the Supreme Court. I worked hard on my writing, being as descriptive and detailed as possible. Before I became a cop, my ideas were a bit jumbled and in disarray.

Some authors are able to pump out a novel a year and still be filled with inspiration. Is this the case for you, or do you like to let an idea percolate for a couple of years in order to get a beautiful novel?

Well, my first novel was drawn from true-life experiences. I do know whether writing about yourself is easier, or harder. I do know that I cried several times while writing this book. I think the next book will be easier. I’m going to write a science-fiction crime novel, I think. But its going to have to get put on the backburner. A long-retired detective, who is approaching 80 years old, just dumped about 300 pages of handwritten notes about his life on me, and asked my if I could ‘fix’ it for him. So, I guess I’m going to be a ghost-writer, first. It will probably take me a year to get his notes straightened out and typed up. But I love him, and I am going to do it for him because I know how expensive ghost-writers can be.

I have heard of writers that could only write in one place – then that cafe closed down and they could no longer write! Where do you find yourself writing most often, and on what medium (pen/paper or digital)?

I won’t have that problem. I love to get up early in the morning, make a cup of black coffee and have a slice of cheese and toast in my backyard while looking at the hummingbirds feed. I named two specific ones ‘George’ and ‘Orwell’. I can easily identify them because one has red on his chest and the other one has yellow. After eating, I will break out my lap-top and begin typing. I do love writing with a thick lead pencil, but my hands and fingers stiffen rather quickly and start hurting so I don’t do it as much anymore.

Before going on to hire an editor, most authors use beta-readers. How do you recruit your beta-readers, and choose an editor? Are you lucky enough to have loving family members who can read and comment on your novel?

I didn’t have a beta-reader. There was so much that I didn’t know about this business! My wife, although she has infinitely more education that I do, doesn’t really like to read. She prefers watching sports. However, she would read certain parts of what I wrote. When it held her attention, I knew that perhaps I had written something worth reading. I knew I had her when I caught her crying as she read one part.

The publication company that I went with did editing, and we went back and forth for about two months with suggestions and changes. It was really important to me that I had the book published on August 18, because that is the date my father died and the book is dedicated to him. I got the last version back from the publishers about four or five days before, and I saw four mistakes. I asked the publishing company if the could correct those mistakes and still have the book published by the 18th. When they said it couldn’t be done, I told them to go with it as is. It was more important to me to have that publication date than it was to correct those mistakes. They cost me an award from Feathered Quill, it turns out. Someone who works for them told me that my book was one of the best ones in the contest, but their editors are sticklers for grammar. She commented on a mistake that I didn’t even catch: A quotation mark is missing from the back cover!

I walk past bookshops and am drawn in by the smell of the books – ebooks simply don’t have the same attraction for me. Does this happen to you, and do you have a favourite bookshop? Or perhaps you are an e-reader fan… where do you source most of your material from?

I love physical books. I have hundreds of them at my house, and even more in storage. E-books just don’t hold the appeal for me, either. I guess you and I are relics of the past. I don’t like the big box bookstores. I like the mom and pop bookstores, where there are one or two people working, both wearing eyeglasses, and at least one of them sitting behind the counter next to a cash register that is surrounded by dusty old books with yellowing pages. Unfortunately, these stores are fading fast and they are hard to find now. I always spend at least fifty dollars whenever I go in one.

I used to find myself buying books in only one genre (fantasy) before I started writing this blog. What is your favourite genre, and have your tastes changed over time?

My favorite genre is fantasy and science-fiction novels. I am a big fan of George RR Martin and Aldous Huxley. I worked in True Crime for so, so many years, and I would often escape from that sobering reality by reading fantasy and science fiction. Although a graphic novel, the Watchmen by Alan Moore covers both genres and is one of my favorite books.

Social media is a big thing, much to my disgust! I never have enough time myself to do what I feel is a good job. What do you do?

I use a delightful lady by the name of Monica Kelly, and she has created a very nice author’s page for me. I chose to publish my book with Mindstirmedia, and part of that package included the services of Monica for a few months. Other than that, I post information about my book on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I spend quite a bit of time on my phone now, much to the dismay of my wife, who gets livid if she is talking to me and I pick up my phone and start scrolling. And understandably so.

Answering interview questions can often take a long time! Tell me, are you ever tempted to recycle your answers from one to the next?

Boy, am I! But I realize that hardcore readers are a close-knit bunch and tend to read up on everything about an author they like or a new author that they want to get to know. Because of that, even though a lot of interview questions are similar if not the same, I try my best to give the same answers if only phrased differently.

Thanks so much for your time, Frederick! True crime always facinates me, and it’s fantastic to have you add more diversity to the books out there.

You can find out more about the author here (link) and the book on Amazon (here).