Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts

Thursday, May 26, 2016

BEHIND THE BOOKS WITH: Erik Straker


Every time you pick a book and start reading you enter a whole new world of imagination. Today we have Mr Erik Straker, author of Incantations who is fan of horror and mystery genre.  He is 38 years old, and lives in Western Maryland. He has two years of film school under his belt from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco (major in screenwriting), and he is a brand new author.  So let's hear from him directly: 

1) Tell our readers a little more about yourself? How did you begin writing?

I’ll avoid the standard author bio info as that can be found on all my media. I’m simply a guy who loves books and movies and stories way too much. I always wanted to be a part of that world of story creators.
I’ve always written in some form or fashion, but the fiction bug really took hold in my teenage years. I started with poetry and short stories in high school. I tried a novel or two, but always abandoned them halfway through. I wasn’t quite ready for longer works and didn’t have my process down yet. I wrote screenplays and made short films with my friends. I went to film school for two years and studied screenwriting.
2016 was the year I decided I’d take the plunge and begin self-publishing after finding out all I could about it. In January I released a book of dark poetry entitled Fairy Tale Destruction, and in February I released Incantations, my first real book. I write every day, and there are many more stories I have to tell.

2) Where do you take inspiration for your characters from? (Friends/Family)

My characters always come to me half-formed, and I have a bare inkling of who they are. I know the role they serve in the story, but it’s not until I’m writing their scenes do they start to come alive and talk to me. There are things I borrow from family and friends, such as Lillian’s love of mermaids, Gerbera daisies, and her favorite show being Twin Peaks. Mostly, I know how they look to me. I put them in situations, and then I let them inform me who they are by how they handle those situations. I love that part of writing.

3) I am intrigued with the title of the book. How did you decide to choose Incantations for your book's title?

Like many of my titles, it just kind of came to me at the beginning of the creative process I go through before starting a project. Titles are more informative to me than the plot sometimes. When I think of a title, I can immediately imagine the tone of the story, the general idea, images flashing through my brain. With Incantations, I knew the word meant a magical invocation, usually for use in raising or communicating with the dead. I had an image of a Ouija board, a dark basement, and a secret. I let my imagination do the rest.

4) Your books talk a lot about witches and magic. How much research went into writing it?


This might sound very unexciting, but virtually no research went into the actual witches and magic parts of the book. I’m a horror junkie from way back and I’ve seen more movies and read more books about horror, witches, and magic than I know what to do with. I try not to make my version of witches cookie-cutter or cliché, but I’m sure that’s debatable. I actually had someone ask me if the spells from the book were real spells because they sounded so authentic. My trade secret is that I fed a lot of Latin and medical terms into an online generator for roleplaying enthusiasts to create spells for their campaigns. I then handpicked the coolest sounding ones. Most of my research went into making my fictional town in New Hampshire seem authentic (I visited there once) and figuring out an appropriately haunting song from 1971 to fit my timeline.

5) Are you a believer of supernatural elements?

I have a strong fear of ghosts. Most writers of the horror genre will tell you to write about what scares you, so it wasn’t hard to put myself in Angela’s shoes and relate the emotions I would feel if those things were happening to me. There’s a child-like part of me that thinks it would be so cool if there was this huge underworld of supernatural creatures which we didn’t know existed but were closely guarded secrets. Werewolves, witches, vampires, magic. I love every genre of those creatures and elements and will surely be delving more into those themes with my future books and stories.

6) What was the most challenging part while writing the book?

Keeping the timeline straight with all the births and events through the Delapaz bloodline. My first draft I realized I’d botched it up big time because I didn’t take the time to create a visual timeline. I had dates going all over the place and times that didn’t quite match up. My outlining process is very intense and I almost pre-write the book in my outline phase. This was my first time delving that far back into history and lineage. I’ve now added creating a timeline to my outlining process for every book.

7) What is your suggestion to new writers?

My advice is to write what you like. Don’t let anyone tell you a certain genre won’t find fans. If I wrote strictly for a paying audience, I’d be writing erotica right now. I write the kinds of books I’d like to read. I know there are crazy people out there who have tastes similar to mine, so I don’t worry too much about the genre. Also, have fun. This is one job where we get to play and create as if we were kids again, and we get paid to do so. Read books, watch movies and television, talk to people. Absorb stories. That, plus writing every day, will make you a better writer.

8) Tell us more about your upcoming works?

I have several books in the works, all in various stages of completion. I have a dark action/thriller titled Remember about a young woman who awakens in the desert with no memory and only a few clues to her past and her identity. Another horror/thriller ghost story that takes its cues from urban legends titled Bloody Betty. And I even have plans to start a kid’s mystery series under a different name. There are many more projects constantly being announced at my website, which will be listed below.

9) I read something about you watching Game of Thrones? What is your prediction for the rest of Season 6?

I so wish I had a better answer for this. I absolutely love Game of Thrones. The problem is, I also love around twenty other shows that are either currently airing or have ended a while back. I have a huge backlog. Writing obviously comes first, and I have trouble scheduling my time sometimes to fit in catching up on television shows. Add to that an obsessive need to wait until the season is over so I can binge-watch a season (I hate watching week to week). I still have to watch Game of Thrones season five. I know. My friends taunt me. Spoilers abound on Tumblr and Facebook. It’s not a pretty thing. With any luck, I’ll be catching up this coming week. Fingers crossed.


It is a pleasure getting to know Mr. Straker and here are the links where you can get to know him socially and his upcoming works:



Here is the link to the review of his book : 





**This material cannot be copied or used without the author's permission. **

To get your book reviewed you may contact me at:
Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com
Facebook: Just a Thought
Goodreads: Sukriti
Library Thing: My page


Thursday, April 23, 2015

BEHIND THE BOOKS: DAVID J THIRTEEN: MR 8


So today is world book day, I feel incredible to have an opportunity to interview an author which has such an amazing writing style. I had a whole sleepless night till I didn't turn the last page of the book. I just couldn't keep my eyes off the pages and totally ignored even my phone, which kept buzzing like crazy. One book old and he has been creating waves with his amazing plot and narration style.

Author's Bio: David J. Thirteen has studied English Literature, Film Making, and Media Studies. He has lived and worked in the technology field for twenty years throughout the North East, in both Canada and the U.S. Writing has been a hidden passion for most of his life.

Mr. 8 is his first published novel is now available at Amazon, B&N, and iBooks. It was first written as a serial story on Wattpad, where it became a #1 ranked feature novel. He still writes and posts new stories on Wattpad every week.

David currently lives in Toronto, Canada and lives a bright life, while dreaming dark dreams.


**DISCLAIMER: The interview does contain spoilers so better to grab a copy of the book and read that for reading below**



1. How did you discover your hidden passion for writing while you have been working in the field of technology for 20 years?

I have always been interested in writing. In my teenage years I wrote many short horror stories and one almost complete novel. Then after college introduced me to the classics, I tried my hand at literary fiction. None of it was very good and I never had a mentor, a teacher, or peers who could offer me support and guidance with it. So one day, I hung it up and walked away, concentrated on my career and my family. I never expected I would come back to it, but a few years ago, I found myself in a bad place. The job that I once loved had become completely unfulfilling. It wasn't really a conscious decision but I started writing again, jotting down just a few random things at first, but eventually writing stories and novels. Writing resurfaced and became an outlet for creativity and fulfillment. My job was paying the bills but I was sitting down at the laptop every day and producing something from my heart.

2. Where do you take inspiration for your characters from? Like friends or family members?

I never base characters on people who are close to me, although I will borrow character traits from them. Acquaintances seem to be a bigger source of inspiration. Denton Reed, the main character of Mr. 8, was based on a very influential professor I had while in college. I never knew the man that well, but he has stuck with me to this day. And whenever I thought of Denton, I saw him.

3. Which is that one legendary author (living or dead) for you  that you'd wish to meet and work with? Also what would you wish to ask them in person?

That’s always a hard question for me, because I always (realistically) imagine myself completely tongue-tied in a situation like that. I would have to say Haruki Murakami. At least, even if the conversation turned out to be a total disaster, we could talk about music. I really admire his work. The first time I read something by him it was like stepping onto a new planet. He made me see both book and life in a completely different way. We would definitely talk about music, because I would want to ask him about his thought process when he puts music into his stories.  Is it what he’s listening to when writing? Are they a thematic decision? Or is it more just a way to define the character?

4. So how did you end up on Wattpad? Who pushed you there?

While I was researching self-publishing, I came across Wattpad, as well as some other similar sites. I had just finished a novel that I wanted to get it out there. I guess I realized that it wasn’t good enough for people to pay for, so I figured why not put it out for free—at least someone might read it. Ironically, to this day, I still haven’t shared that book with anyone. Occasionally I dust it off but it always seems so inferior to the work I did on Wattpad. It really is a great forum. The internet can be a pretty harsh place. Anonymity can bring out the worst in people. But Wattpad’s community is amazingly supportive to novice writers. I’m still shocked by how much I improved after I started writing on there and started to get feedback from other writers. No one pushed me on there, but one of the fist writers I discovered there was Alys Arden (author of The Casquette Girls) and I have to credit her for proving to me that there was high caliber writing on the site.

5. While reading the story I felt that at almost three points you almost ended the story but chose to continue with a new twist? Is it true or just a figment of my imagination?

I can completely see that, but it was always planned that way. The first plot twist, where Cole Radnor seems to infect Denton, was really the pivotal point of the book. For a brief time when I first started planning the book, I even considered starting with that moment and splitting the story off with present events and flashbacks of what led up to it.

The second twist, the one right before the end, was a bit more improvised. About halfway through the book I realized that my planned ending wasn't going to work. Denton’s character had developed in a direction where it just didn't make sense anymore. So I knew I wanted to have the scene on the frozen lake and I worked toward that. I decided to end it with one last twist. Denton makes so many wild assumptions throughout the book, it felt like he needed to be proved wrong. His biggest character flaw was what I took to calling “smartest man in the room syndrome.” Even when he doubts himself he never really thinks he’s wrong enough to change course. And that had to be his downfall.

6. How did you actually build this concept? I thought the story started as a murder mystery, went to some supernatural content and ended at what genre exactly?

A large part of the book came to me in a nightmare. I've rethought it so many times now that the actual dream is lost from my memory, but it did have a killer; victims who drew eights, which were really a sun and a moon; and an alien virus. Like I mentioned earlier, the moment when Denton thinks he’s become infected is really the key moment in the book. I thought I could cover the events leading up to it in a few chapters, but once I got into it, I realized it needed more and it became a whole mystery tale in itself.

The ending still fits into the supernatural genre. It’s just a very different supernatural source than what is believed in the middle of the novel. Part of me would have loved for it to have turned out to be a rational explanation. I even tried think up one and used my failed attempts as theories in the story. But had I gone with the insanity being caused by something in the water, for example, readers would have called BS on it. So really the explanation had to be supernatural in nature. It does end up being a tough sell, and I know not all readers aren't into it. The problem with it being a twist is that the reader’s only know what Denton does, so when he’s wrong, the only person to explain it isn't very reliable—Ray thinks he’s doing something good not just twisting people to his will. I think if it ended up being something like vampires, it would have had the power of established folklore to add to the reader’s knowledge and might have gone over better with more readers.

7. The role of a professor getting caught up in this and dying in the end saddened me. Why did he have to die?

In my mind, Denton was always on a collision course with death. Conceiving this story, I thought as being a bit like DOA, the main character racing against his own impending death to solve the case. It gave him a reckless freedom he wouldn't have had otherwise. While I was putting this out serially, I got such positive responses to Denton that I did start to wonder if there was a way to keep him alive. I came up with one ending but it was extremely bleak. Ultimately, Denton could never live with the things he did. He kills people and justifies it by saying, they weren't really human. But by the end, he knows that’s not true, they might have been under Ray’s control, but they were still human. It’s why he doesn't try and escape at the end.

8. Tell us about your upcoming projects and when can we expect to read the next title from you?

I’m nearing the end of the first book in a three part series on Wattpad. It’s called The Things We Bury and it’s about a group of people tasked with studying a mythological creature in a government lab. It’s much more in the Science Fiction genre than Mr. 8. I have also started a new novel which is very much in the spirit of Mr. 8. It’s a murder mystery with supernatural and horror elements. My hope is that I’ll be starting the publication process with one of them by the fall and I will have something new out next year.

9. Any message for your readers.

I would want to say, thank you. And, please get in touch and tell me what you thought of Mr. 8. This is a book that wouldn't exist without my readers. It was my first attempt at a serialized story and the feedback I got while writing it wasn't just hugely supportive but it also helped to mold the direction of the story. Now that it’s published, I am just hugely appreciative every time someone picks my book up—there are so many options to choose from in today’s market. And Wattpad has really spoiled me to getting a response from people. Hearing from readers is truly the best reward of writhing.

It is a pleasure getting to know David and here's the links where you can get to know him socially and his upcoming works:


I'll be reviewing more of his works when I get further chance.

You can Buy David J Thirteen's books from amazon.com. This link redirects you to his amazon.com page where all his works can be found out for purchase or gifts.

Here is the link to the review of his latest book Mr 8: MR 8_DAVID J THIRTEEN




**This material cannot be copied or used without the author's permission. **

To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:
Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com
Facebook: Sukriti Goyal
Goodreads: Sukriti
Library Thing: My page
Book Blogs: My page

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Jane Austen Month: Book Review: The Plight of the Darcy Brothers

Author: Marsha Altman (http://marshaaltman.wordpress.com/book-2/
No of Pages: 366
Publication House: Sourcebooks Landmark
Date of Publication: 1st August, 2009
Genre: Classic 
Series: Pride and Prejudice Continues
Buy: Almost

Summary: (from goodreads.com)
In this lively second installment, the Darcys and Bingleys are plunged into married life and its many accompanying challenges presented by family and friends.
With Jane and Elizabeth away, Darcy and Bingley take on the daunting task of managing their two-year- old children. Mary Bennet returns from the Continent pregnant by an Italian student promised to the church; Darcy and Elizabeth travel to find the father, and discover previously unknown and shocking Darcy relations. By the time Darcy discovers that there's more than one sibling of questionable birth in the family, the ever-dastardly Wickham arrives on the scene to try to seize the Darcy fortune once and for all.
** The book had been sent by the author for an honest review and by no means the review is biased/influenced**

STAR RATING: 4/5
DESCRIPTION IN ONE LINE: Full of surprises at every single page. 

Title: The title made me go DARCY BROTHERS!!!!!!! There were no Darcy brothers till now all of a sudden.....there has to be family secrets around here and that too messy ones. It is curious enough to pick it up and go through it.

Title Rating: 4/5

Cover: The cover shows me a serious fight going on between the Darcy Brothers...I supposed that as it ought to be something shocking. 

Cover Rating4/5

Characters: Take a look at the complete list of characters here: P&P Continues Characters right here: The story has Darcy's two illegitimate brothers and honestly I liked the one so timid and faithful. As he hasn't seen the outer world he is so innocent that you can not want to not like him. Wichkam was a surprise in himself and had his moment of heroism which was not palatable to me. Mary who was the ideal child had a most surprising turn and the guy responsible was a mystery in itself.

Characters Rating:4/5

Review: The story takes the Darcy and emotionally stressed Elizabeth in order to protect the reputation of Elizabeth's sister Mary but they have no clue that they shall be discovering secrets which will change the entire sanctity of his father's image in Darcy's mind. Even though he is having a hard time believing things but he loves his brother immensely and is ready to go to any lengths to make him safe and tell the society his real identity. A real page turner and fast paced. I couldn't keep it down till I got to the very end.

Review Rating: 4/5

Appreciation: The book had unexpected twists and turns and the little Mr Darcy is a complete darling.

Let Downs: No matter what, Wichkam's true identity was not palatable. 

Final Verdict: Great improvement than the first book as the narration got a lot better and as you go from one book to other you just love it automatically. The twists and turns keep the journey alive.

Would I be reading more from MARSH ALTMAN: Yes the entire series is worth reading and immensely enjoyable.



Here are the previous blogs in Jane Austen month:
Georgiana Darcy's Diary: Volume 1
Pemberley to Waterloo: Volume 2
Kitty Bennet's Diary: Volume 3
Anna Elliott's exclusive interview: Behind the Books with Anna Elliott
The Darcys and the Bingleys: Book 1
Marsha Altman's exclusive interview: Behind the Books with Marsha Altman


To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:
Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com
Facebook: Sukriti Goyal
Goodreads: Sukriti
Library Thing: My page
Book Blogs: My page


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Behind The Books with Marsha Altman: Jane Austen Month

Today on our blog we have Marsha Altman who shares my love for Jane Austen books and has taken her legacy forward in form of Pride and Prejudice Continues. She is an author and historian specializing in Rabbinic literature in late antiquity. She is also an expert on Jane Austen sequels, having read nearly all of them. She works in publishing and is writing a series continuing the story of the Darcys and Bingleys. A resident of New York city and P&P lover. Here are her responses to my explicit questioning to her:   



1. What drew towards writing in first place and at what age you took up your pen?


I do not remember not wanting to be a writer, but then again I also don't remember a lot from before I knew how to read and write. Before the age of three children are not as able to form long-term memories.

2. Why did you take up writing Pride and Prejudice? Has Jane Austen be an inspiration for you from the beginning?


I had read her and seen the miniseries when I was a teenager, but I got interested again after the 2005 movie and this started the whole series.

3. Which character from the Pride and Prejudice book do you relate yourself to and why?


If any woman on earth answers anything other than "Elizabeth Bennet" she is a liar.

4. Who is your favorite besides Darcy?


Mr. Bingley. Poor Mr. Bingley. When you read the book the first time you think the book's going to be about him, and then it isn't. He's like the fake-out in the beginning of a Law and Order episode, where there's an initial suspect and then they rule him out and you don't see him much for the rest of the episode.

5. Does any of the characters from your books relates to anyone from your own family?


Georgiana Bingley's first words (in The Plight of the Darcy Brothers) are a version of my own first words. I didn't say individual words first, I just was quiet for a long time and then I said a full sentence, and like Mrs. Bingley, my mother almost passed out from the shock. Any other relatives who might have inspired characters would probably rather not know about it so I'm not going to say their names in case they google themselves. 


6. Who is your favorite writer and which book have you read repetitively?


This is a trick question, right?

7. From where do you take inspiration for the names of your characters?


I tried to stick to the naming conventions of the Georgian period, i.e. naming everyone some version of the name George, and having children given the same name as their fathers, but of course that got very confusing very fast, especially when I learned rather late in editing the series that in that time period they didn't use Roman numerals for non-kings to distinguish generations, just Elder and Younger. Then a lot of people ended up getting nicknames, like Georgiana became Georgie, and Charles Bingley's son Charles became Charlie. When I expanded out there were some Daniels and Brians because I was just running dry on English monarch first names. Some of the foreign names are just pulled from books I was reading at the time (I was reading "Lady Audley's Secret" when I wrote Book 6, which has a character named Detective Audley, and Alison Darcy is named after the Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales, which I was reading for class at the same time I was writing the scene where her mother reading it) or the names of foreign historical figures when naming foreigners, so I knew that the name was in use at that time period and isn't newer.  There is one character, Saul Franklin, who appears later in the series and is the only reoccurring American character, and he's named after my great-grandfather, and his son Edward is named after my grandfather.

8. If you would have got a chance to meet with Jane Austen in person what would've you asked from her?

"So you've been dead for a while. What happens when we die? I've always been curious."

9. Do you ever wish the you could change some incident of the story to entirely something else?


You mean, other than the historical mistakes I made because I hadn't done enough research and when I went to edit them there was no way to work them out of the plot?


10. Message to all your readers and your upcoming projects?


Book 10 comes out this winter, and closes the series. I'm working on a satire of a thriller, and I've published a Kindle Worlds book for the "Wayward Pines" genre, but I'll hopefully be returning to my true love, science fiction. Whatever I publish going forward that I want people to know about will probably be published under the name Marsha Morman, though it will show up on the Marsha Altman site. Authors often use different pen names for different genres so people don't get confused about what they're getting when they go to read all of the titles of a particular author.

It was a pleasure getting to know Marsha and here's the link to her official website: http://marshaaltman.wordpress.com

You can also find my reviews of Jane Austen Month:

I'll be reviewing more of her works when I get the chance.

You can Buy Marsha Altman's books from amazon.com . This link redirects you to her amazon.com page where all her works can be found out for purchase or gifts.




**This material cannot be copied or used without the author's permission. **

To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:
Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com
Facebook: Sukriti Goyal
Goodreads: Sukriti
Library Thing: My page
Book Blogs: My page

Monday, December 15, 2014

Jane Austen Month: Book Review: The Darcys & The Bingleys

Author: Marsha Altman (http://marshaaltman.wordpress.com/book-1/
No of Pages: 432
Publication House: Sourcebooks Landmark
Date of Publication: 1st September, 2008
Genre: Classic 
Series: Pride and Prejudice Continues
Buy: Definitely

Summary: (from goodreads.com)
A Tale of Two Gentlemen's Marriages to Two Most Devoted Sisters

Three days before their double wedding, Charles Bingley is desperate to have a word with his dear friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, seeking advice of a most delicate nature. Bingley is shocked when Darcy gives him a copy of an ancient, illustrated book of sensual secrets-but it does tell him everything he needs to know.

Eventually, of course, Jane finds this remarkable volume and in utmost secrecy shows it to her dear sister Elizabeth, who goes searching for a copy in the Pemberley library...

By turns hilarious and sweet, The Darcys & the Bingleys follows the two couples and the cast of characters surrounding them. Miss Caroline Bingley, it turns out, has such good reasons for being the way she is that the reader can't help but hold her in charity. Delightfully, she makes a most eligible match, and in spite of Darcy's abhorrence of being asked for advice, he and Bingley have a most enduring and adventure-prone friendship.

** The book had been sent by the author for an honest review and by no means the review is biased/influenced**

STAR RATING: 4/5
DESCRIPTION IN ONE LINE: The humour mixed with the P&P magic makes the perfect recipe of a good read. 

Title: The book title shows that there is going to be an equal focus on the Darcy and Bingley families as P&P moves further from the joint wedding of Fitzwilliam and Charles with Elizabeth and Jane. 

Title Rating: 4/5

Cover: The cover is vibrant and compliments the story and makes us expectant to what might the book have as we turn the pages.

Cover Rating: 4/5

Characters: The characters in the story get a witty twist and they have taken up comical outlook towards life which makes them more lovable. Caroline finally seems to overcome her pride and accept the reality of love and life. Besides the Pride and Prejudice characters there is a Lord Kincaid with a shady character and the multilingual  doctor who seems out a rare choice by the lady in question.

Characters Rating:4/5

Review: The book opens right with the talk of Kamasutra and I was like no no no this isn't my P&P. I just wondered if Jane Austen knew she might term it as a vulgarity. As I kept reading on there was the talk about the marital bliss but it didn't cross any limits and could be termed as almost appropriate. Then as the story moved to Caroline it took a turn for the fun and at some instances I was forced to actually let a chuckle or two out. The story keeps a smile on the face intact.

Review Rating: 3.5/5

Appreciation: This books makes you go LOL literally and the point where Darcy is taken advantage of his drugged condition was the best in this particular book. 

Let Downs: The opening got me really shocked as it was not something a classic novel is supposed to have.

Final Verdict: This book makes a decent read and although the first half was not that brilliant it bore promise and it did end well. Although I don't like the idea of Darcy being in harm's way.

Would I be reading more from MARSH ALTMAN: Yes the author bears promise and I shall be reading more.



Here are the previous blogs in Jane Austen month:
Georgiana Darcy's Diary: Volume 1
Pemberley to Waterloo: Volume 2
Kitty Bennet's Diary: Volume 3
Anna Elliott's exclusive interview: Behind the Books with Anna Elliott


To get your book reviewed you may contact me on:
Email: inextrica.sukriti@gmail.com
Facebook: Sukriti Goyal
Goodreads: Sukriti
Library Thing: My page
Book Blogs: My page