Author's Friday | Kenneth G. Bennett

Our featured author for today is a wilderness enthusiast who loves backpacking, skiing, and kayaking. He enjoys mysteries, science fiction, action-adventure stories, and, most especially, novels that explore the relationship between humans and the wild. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and son,  and two hyperactive Australian Shepherds. 

Kenneth G. Bennett is the author of the young adult novels, THE GAIA WARS and BATTLE FOR CASCADIA, and the new sci-fi thriller, EXODUS 2022. 

Interview:

The Page Walker: Foremost, Ken, I'd like to know which writer/s inspire you?

Kenneth G. Bennett : I read a lot of different genres but some of my favorite authors include Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, Lee Child, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, George Luis Borges, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Barbara Kingsolver, Amy Tan and Neil Gaiman

TPW: Wow, I spotted 4 favorite authors we have in common.  Do you have a favorite spot when writing?

KGB:  There’s a sunny breakfast nook in my house, where I love to write. It’s close to the coffee.

TPW: Coffee, of course. So, when did you decided to become a writer?

KGB: By age five or six I was writing stories for my friends.

TPW: Your publicist, Vanya Drumschiiska, was kind enough to send me a copy of the cover of your new book. How did you come up with the title?

KGB: EXODUS 2022 is about an imminent, cataclysmic “departure” from Planet Earth that humans are completely unaware of, so “EXODUS” fit with the story. Furthermore, while it’s not a religious book it does contain spiritual elements and references to the church.

TPW: Who designed it?

KGB: A brilliant, gifted designer named Kathleen Grebe came up with the cover after I told her the concept of the book. You can see more of Kathleen’s work at http://www.kathleengrebe.com/

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

KGB: Ella Tollefson, because of the massive transformation that occurs with her character.

TPW: I am always forward when asking this question. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

KGB: Thriller, adventure, fantasy and sci-fi readers might enjoy this book because the story is fresh and intriguing and the pace is relentless.

TPW: What draws you to this genre?

KGB: I am drawn to a lot of different genres and this book reflects that. It’s a mix of sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, wilderness adventure and mystery.

TPW:  Are there any plans for your next project?

KGB: I'm working on a new book called THE HEALER about a man who discovers later in life that he has a unique, one-in-a-billion gift for healing.

TPW: Thank you for stopping by, Ken. Godspeed on Exodus 2022.

KGB: Yes, thank you for the great questions and for this opportunity!

Find Kenneth G. Bennett here.

   

Latest book:

Release date: May 20^th, 2014

Publisher: Booktrope Publishing

About the book:

Joe Stanton is in agony. Out of his mind over the death of his young daughter. Or so it seems.

Unable to contain his grief, Joe loses control in public, screaming his daughter’s name and causing a huge scene at a hotel on San Juan Island in Washington State. Thing is, Joe Stanton doesn't have a daughter. Never did. And when the authorities arrive they blame the 28-year-old’s outburst on drugs.

What they don't yet know is that others up and down the Pacific coast—from the Bering Sea to the Puget Sound—are suffering identical, always fatal mental breakdowns.

With the help of his girlfriend—the woman he loves and dreams of marrying—Joe struggles to unravel the meaning of the hallucination destroying his mind. As the couple begins to perceive its significance—and Joe’s role in a looming global calamity—they must also outwit a billionaire weapons contractor bent on exploiting Joe’s newfound understanding of the cosmos, and outlast the time bomb ticking in Joe’s brain. 

Get your copy of EXODUS 2022 from Amazon.com.

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY

1 Kindle Fire

15 signed paperbacks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author's Friday |Stefan Haucke

Our author for today has traveled to over twenty nations.  His favorite adventures have included riding a camel near the pyramids in Egypt, swimming with sea lions in the waters of the Galapagos Islands, climbing the Great Wall of China, hiking near the Acropolis in Athens, dog sledding in northern Michigan, and photographing polar bears in Canada. 

Stefan Haucke has always been fascinated by history, literature, and world cultures. He has an affinity for folktales, fairytales, and urban legends and has successfully worked as a deckhand, a shepherd, a dispatcher for an emergency services unit, an electric meter reader, and as an office manager. He currently resides in Colorado near the city of Boulder.

Interview:

The Page Walker: Wow, Stefan, you travel a lot! I'm sure many of these places inspired you. But tell me first, which writer/s inspire you?

Stefan Haucke: Many authors have inspired me. Here are some of my favorites (the list isn't in order because I love them all equally): Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ernest Hemingway, H.G. Wells, Stephen King, George Orwell, William Faulkner.

TPW: I am sure that a traveler like yourself couldn't be tied in a spot, but I have to ask, do you prefer a special spot when writing?

SH:  I write in different spots. I always write longhand in a notebook. I like the feel of holding a pen and writing on paper. When I type what I've written into the computer I will make minor revisions to what I've written. I always listen to music when I'm writing. Usually classic rock. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones.

TPW: So, you're also a Beatles fan, that's great! Anyways, when did you decided to become a writer?

SH: Ever since I was a child I've enjoyed creating stories. Several years ago I decided to begin writing for the public.

TPW: I've seen your book cover, and the title was enough to get me curious. Why choose this title?

SH: The title of my novel, Shadows of Ghosts, was inspired by a phrase that I read in Aeschylus's Agamemnon.

TPW: How about the book cover, is there a story behind it?

SH: The cover is a picture of a river. In Shadows of Ghosts the main character, Cal Lanshire, falls into a river when a bridge he's crossing collapses. When he falls into the water he is attacked and bitten by a poisonous snake. He almost loses his life. This is a turning point in the story. It is when Cal finds an inner strength he didn't know he possessed. 

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

SH: Mont is my favorite character. He is adventurous, brave, has a great sense of humor, and is loyal to his friends.

TPW: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

SH: Shadows of Ghosts is intended for people who enjoy fantasy stories. The main character is twelve years old, so the story will appeal to kids around that age. However, it was written in a style that will appeal to adults too.

TPW: Well, I do know a lot of readers who love reading fantasy, kids and adults alike.  How about you, why choose this genre?

SH: I was drawn to the fantasy genre because fantasy stories are entertaining, fun to read, and present the main characters with large, life and death challenges that they must find the inner strength to overcome. An inner strength that at the beginning of the story they didn't know they possessed.

TPW:  Are there any plans for your next project?

SH: Shadows of Ghosts is a complete story.  However, I felt the supporting characters had a story that needed to be told. So, I'm writing a follow up novel to Shadows of Ghosts. This novel is called Dark Dreams Return.

TPW: I'll be expecting that then. Thank you, Stefan, for dropping by. Hope to hear more from you.

SH: Thank you for your interest in Shadows of Ghosts.

Find Stefan Haucke here.  

Latest book:

About the book:

Shadows of Ghosts carry readers to Enara, a kingdom at war with itself, where for centuries centaurs have been treated like animals because of their horse-like lower bodies; they've been forced to work as slaves in the southern agricultural provinces, and have been bought and sold like livestock. But a strong abolitionist faction has convinced many that centaurs' human torsos, heads, and intellectual abilities make them humans, who should be liberated from slavery and granted the same rights as any other person. After four years of being forced to live in a remote village and having to keep his real identity a secret, Cal Lanshire, days away from his thirteenth birthday, is given the best birthday present he can imagine. He is told the war is almost over and he will soon be allowed to return home. But then an old acquaintance unexpectedly arrives with news that changes everything. Cal's father, the king, has been assassinated. Suddenly the outcome of the war and the very fate of the kingdom depend upon Cal being able to reach the capital where he will take his father's place. With only his crafty best friend by his side and an escaped centaur slave to guide him, can Cal make it through an enchanted, hostile wilderness, past the assassins sent to kill him, and back to the capital before it's too late?

Get your copy of Shadows of Ghosts from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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Author's Friday | Oliver Dahl

Welcome to another Friday. Today's author is so young, he completely blew me away. It is so wonderful to find such a talented young man, and it is an honor to feature him here.

Oliver Dahl currently resides in the beautiful state of Idaho. In 2011, his book The Dreamers landed him in Idaho's Top 50 Authors. In the following year, Oliver earned the title Student of the Year.

Interview:

The Page Walker: Hello, Oliver. I'm sure you are as excited as I am, so why don't you make the introductions yourself.

Oliver Dahl: Hello! I’m Oliver. I'm 16 years old, and I write books and try to be funny. I live in Idaho, am a sophomore in high school, and also enjoy playing piano, and spending time on the internet. Let's be friends! :)

 TPW: I've seen your site and some photos, it's obvious that you're quite a reader too. Which writer inspires you?

OD:  Christopher Paolini, the teenage author of the Inheritance Cycle is a great inspiration to me. Suzanne Collins' original series before The Hunger Games (called The Underland Chronicles) is probably the series that first inspired me to write.

TPW: Paolini is one of my favorites too. He often sends video emails from his home office. How about you, is there a special spot when you’re writing?

OD:  My lovely desk! And the top of my mini-bookshelf next to it. 

TPW: As young as you are, when did you decide to become a writer?

OD: I always enjoyed just writing for fun, but when I discovered self-publishing, and how simple it could be for me to fulfill my own dreams of getting published, I decided to take it seriously, and... here I am now, just over three years later!

TPW: Moving onto your new book, Lies, how did you come up with the title?

OD: Originally, it was going to be "Vexed," describing the girls who were afflicted or "cursed" by the witches. But as I continued to write the story, the idea shifted to showing the affects Ann Putnam Jr.'s actions were having on the town of Salem during one of the darkest times in colonial history.

TPW: And the book cover, who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

OD: I actually designed the cover myself. It has taken a long time, and as many, if not more, revisions than the book itself! The matching color of the title and the noose hanging from the tree tell you at first glance that it is because of someone's lies that people are hanged. And that is, essentially, the idea behind the book. Everything builds and snowballs until the main character changes herself through what she justified as good actions.

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

OD: I have to admire Mary Warren. She, like Ann, decides to act as if she were also cursed by the witches, but for attention, rather than Ann's originally good intention of helping her friends. However, Mary is able to make a hard choice and comes out as faking her afflictions. This becomes the "straw that broke" Ann. When she, in turn, accuses Mary of being a witch, she recognizes the power she has to do such things.

TPW: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

OD: "Lies" is aimed at readers from high school (and maybe upper jr. high grades) on up. (PG-13 rating)

TPW: Well, I don't mind reading it myself. But tell me, what draws you to this genre?

OD: I'm more of a science fiction/fantasy guy, myself! I love incorporating elements of these genres into reality. When thinking about what I could write in terms of historical fiction that already contains elements of fantasy, the Salem Witch Trials quickly came into mind. Maybe there had been witchcraft in Boston in 1692. Who knows? That element of intrigue definitely drew me in.

TPW:  As early as it is, what can we expect from you in the future?

OD: Well, I'm starting young, so hopefully a lot! :) I'm currently writing another, longer epic novel, which takes place under the catacombs of Paris. I'm super excited about it, but it will likely take well over a year to get it near publishing. 

TPW: Before we wrap this up, Oliver, is there anything you wish to tell our readers?

OD: If any of you reading this have any questions, I'll try and answer them best I can! And if you end up grabbing a copy of "Lies," or any of my other books, let me know so I can personally thank you! Also, please be sure to check out my website, www.oliverdahl.com.

TPW: We will expect more great works from you, Oliver. And thank you for giving us a peek into your writing life.

OD: Thanks for having me!

Where to find Oliver Dahl:

The Dreamers Adventure

Twitter

Tumblr

Facebook

Latest book:

Ann Putnam Jr., one of the leading accusers during the Salem Witch Trials (1692) knows that something is wrong. After a horrifying encounter with Tituba, her friends were cursed. Miraculously untouched by the effects of the witch, Ann acts bewitched as well, in an attempt to accuse and hang her friends' torturers. This tragic experience of guilt, abuse, power, and love gives a first-person view into the spine-chilling months where neighbor turned on a neighbor at the word of a little girl.

Get your copy of Lies from Amazon.com.

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Author's Friday | RIVAL GATES

I had a chance to get in touch with Rival Gates, a Fantasy Fiction writer who published Quest for the Red Sapphire, his first book in the Sapphire Chronicles, last December 2013. He kindly agreed to come over today and answer some questions about himself and his book.

Rival Gates grew up as the son of an editor and a high school teacher.  He wrote his series as a hobby and published it as a promise fulfilled to his dying mother.  Rival lives in Nebraska and loves spending time with his wife and children.  When not working, he dreams of more adventures with bone-crushing fights and epic battles. 

Interview:

The Page Walker:  Hello, Rival. Thank you for coming over.  
Most writers are readers too.  So tell us, which writers inspire you?

Rival Gates: I like the work of David Eddings, J.R.R. Tolkien and have been especially influenced from a young age by C.S. Lewis.

TPW: Is there a special spot when you’re writing?

RG: I have my own office in the house where I can close the door and my family knows to give me privacy so I can write in peace.  When I get stumped on a section of my book I like to go to church and sit alone in a pew.  Perhaps it’s the lack of distractions or a more divine force but I always put the scene together in a very effective way.

TPW: When did you decide to become a writer?

RG: With my father as an editor and my mother being an English teacher I had a strong desire to be a writer from my middle school years.  I would enter every writing contest there was and won my fair share.  When there was a school play the teachers always came to me to help write it.

TPW: I understand that Quest for the Red Sapphire is the first in the series.  How did you come up with the title of your book?

RG: I was really into the whole Camelot genre with the quest to find the Holy Grail.  Something appealed to me about a mythical object some believed existed while others did not.  Then there was a quest against all odds to find it.  They had honor and a code of conduct.  To continue on a quest when you had doubts in your mind showed great devotion.  All those things really spoke to me.  A red sapphire is a more elegant name for a ruby but that just intrigued me more. 

TPW: Regarding the cover art, who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

RG: It was designed to my specifications by Jason Humphreys.I wanted the character of Linvin portrayed as a great warrior without fear of his enemies. 

He needed to be imposing and gallant. His Uncle Anvar stands behind him with his magic ready to use if Linvin should call upon him. I wanted it to be clear that Anvar had great power but was not the leader of the group and was considered a backup to Linvin. The goblins actually came out a little gaunt for my taste. In the book a goblin is basically about four to five feet tall and weighing between 250 and 300 pounds. While the ones illustrated were much smaller, they still had the menacing look about them I ultimately sought. I chose this depiction because I wanted the reader to be able to tell there was a vast amount of action in the story and the odds would be strongly against the flamboyant main character, Linvin.

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

RG: Oddly enough, I would have to say my favorite character is Bander Greenlith. He is one of Linvin’s fraternal twin cousins and begins the book as an antagonist to Linvin. Later it becomes apparent that Bander is a pawn in his brother’s plans and is actually a very simple minded, heart-felt young elf. He cares about family, telling the truth (as well as he can understand it) and above all else, eating. Bander always is thinking with his stomach. He is not overly clever but he does know right from wrong. As the book develops, he begins to see through the web of lies his brother has spun around him for years. Overall, Bander is a loveable, big, strong teddy bear who provides some of the best comic relief in the story.

TPW: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

RG: My book is aimed at people age 14 and up.  Basically anyone who likes a good adventure story or fantasy tale will love this book.  Adults who like the same writers I do have been drawn to it but it is written in a way to include the young adult audience.  They should read my book if they seek to escape everyday life.  This is a whole different world with different rules.  The heroes are strong and the villains are vile.  Quest for the Red Sapphire reaches out and pulls you in.  You will not want to put it down.

TPW: What draws you to this genre?

RG: I love the fact that Fantasy can be anything you desire.  There’s really not a wrong way to do it.  Other writers view fantasy differently from me and write accordingly.  That doesn’t make one way better than another.  In fact, it makes the different styles more appealing because you get such different perspectives from different authors.

TPW: What can we expect from you in the future?

RG: The second book in the Sapphire Chronicles, “Sapphire Crucible” is due out this year.  Already fans are writing me asking what happens next in the story.  Just be patient and the answers will come.  There will be even more action than in “Quest for the Red Sapphire” with some amazing scenes.

TPW: Rival, before we let you go, is there anything else you wish to tell our readers?

RG: Everyone I have talked to tells me that the story draws you in and compels you to read more.  For free, go to http://www.rivalgates.com/sample-chapters.html and read the sample chapters.  If it isn’t your cup of tea, there is no harm done.   If it catches your interest, buy the book and see what happens!

TPW: I'm sure fantasy enthusiasts will take this chance to read those sample chapters. Until next time... Godspeed, Rival!

Find Rival Gates here.

      

Latest Book:

Former General Linvin Grithinshield is summoned home from the Goblin Wars after his father’s disappearance to run the family trading empire. Soon his mother is murdered and he is on the run with a price on his head. As a faceless enemy pursues him he must seek out the mythical Red Sapphire. In a world with enemies from without and within, he must set out with dragons in the sky and cutthroats all around to fulfill his destiny or die in the attempt.

Quest for the Red Sapphire is available on Amazon.

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Author's Friday | JESSICA DALL

Happy Valentine's, everyone!  This Friday, I am excited to introduce you to fiction writer Ms. Jessica Dall with her upcoming book The Copper Witch, to be released in March 2014.

Jessica Dall started her writing career at the age of 15. For the past years, she has published novels and several short stories that have appeared in anthologies and literary magazines.

She is currently residing in Washington, DC where she is working freelance for several papers, reviews plays and books, and edits everything from novels to how-to books.  Along with that, Jessica also writes book reviews for ePublishaBook.com and teaches Creative Writing classes for Writopia Lab.

Novels: 

- The Bleeding Crowd (2012), Melange Books

- Grey Areas (2010), PaperBox Books 

Short Stories: 

- “In a Handbasket” (2012), Boxfire Press

- “Backspace” (2012), 20 Minute Tales

- “Frankincense” (2011), Sam’s Dot Publishing’s “Shelter of Daylight” Anthology

- “Last of the Liars” (2011), “Write for Japan” Anthology

- “One Man’s Heaven” (2010), Sparkbright Magazine

- “The Living Requiem” (2010), Single Solitary Thought Magazine

- “Counterfeited Sins (2010), Anotherealm Online

- “99% Right 100% of the Time” (2010), Autumn Letters eMagazine

- “Gods Laugh” (2009), Leucrota Press’s “Abaculus III” Anthology.

Interview:

Hello, Jessica, and welcome to The Page Walker!

First, tell us something about yourself.

The Page Walker: Most writers are readers too.  Which writers inspire you?

Jessica Dall: Between writing my own things and editing as a freelancer, I actually have very little time for outside reading, sadly (the irony of reading all the time and not at the same time). I have really enjoyed Philippa Gregory’s books, though, and I did recently go back and reread Liz Berry’s The China Garden simply because it was my favorite book back when I was fifteen. Honestly, I’m inspired by everything and anything, so just about anything I read becomes inspiration to me. Perhaps I’m lucky that way.

TPW: Is there a special spot when you’re writing?

JD: I tend to be one of those lucky writers who are able to write anywhere. I always have a notebook with me and have a MacBook Air which is small enough to carry around in my purse if I like, so whenever I have a moment, I’m generally writing. I just have to be careful that I don’t get too caught up when on something that’s moving. I've nearly missed my stop once or twice writing on the train.

TPW: When did you decide to become a writer?

JD: I've always in some ways been a writer. I used to drive my mother crazy by leaving papers with lines half scribbled on them lying around my room. Even before I could actually write, I would “pretend” where I’d do a bunch of loops on a line and pretend it was cursive (doing that is actually one of my very early memories). I first began writing seriously, however, in high school when I finished my first novel, and then professionally in college. Since then I've been hooked.

Now, about your latest book...

TPW: How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

JD: For The Copper Witch, the name came from a couple of things (other than me simply liking the title). Copper refers partially to a bracelet the protagonist wears (a bit like a safety blanket) and her hair which has a fair deal of red in it. Witch is there because she’s “entrancing” and finds some witchcraft rumors popping up around her as the book goes along. Combine that, and voila. The series name (The Broken Line) comes from family lines being very important in the series. While all the protagonists from the books are related to each other, family names aren't passed down the maternal line and thus each character finds herself in a different “family line” (hence “broken”). There is also some fun upheaval with that in Book 2, but I’ll leave that for when that book comes out.

TPW: Tell us a little about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

JD: The amazingly talented Viola Estrella designed the cover and did a brilliant job. While my publisher had final say on cover art, I really couldn't be more thrilled. Part of the inspiration for The Copper Witch was Frank Cadogan Cowper’s painting “Vanity” which I shared with Viola along with pictures I felt had the right feel for the cover. Viola was able to take those inspirations and come up with something truly breathtaking. The joke is I now hope my writing lives up to readers’ expectations when they buy it solely for the cover.

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

JD: My favorite character to write was certainly the book’s protagonist, Adela Tilden, simply because she’s a force to be reckoned with. She knows what she wants and goes after it, damn the consequences. While I’m not sure I’d actually want to be friends with her in real life, she was a lot of fun getting down on the page.

TPW: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

JD: I have to say I was my original intended audience (I wrote The Copper Witch purely because the characters interested me to start) so I imagine my intended audience would be people like me (twenty-something women who enjoy historical fiction) but I do believe many outside that demographic will also enjoy the book. And I would hope they read it because they find reading it as enjoyable as I found writing it. The characters always seemed to know what they wanted to do, and it’s quite the ride from beginning to end.

TPW: What draws you to this genre?

JD: The Copper Witch is actually my first foray into anything like historical fiction (my previous works have been fantasy/sci-fi), but I have always very much enjoyed reading the genre. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I found myself writing something set in the past. Honestly, though, if I think of an interesting story, I tend to write it. Doesn't matter the genre.

TPW: What can we expect from you in the future?

JD: Book 2 of the Broken Line Series, The Porcelain Child, is already in the lineup for publication later this year so readers won’t have to wait long for the next Broken Line book (it’s currently waiting to start edits). For those who prefer my fantasy books, they’re also in luck with My Soul to Take coming out at the end of this year from REUTS Publications. Once I have gotten through the craziness of three books coming out in one year, I’ll be starting work on Book 3 for Broken Line and probably going back to an historical fantasy series I started a bit ago but still need to finish.

TPW: Jessica, thank you for taking the time with us today.  Godspeed to you and The Copper Witch

JD: Thank you for hosting me!

Find Jessica Dall here.



Latest Book:

Adela Tilden has always been more ambitious than her station in life might allow. A minor nobleman’s daughter on a failing barony, Adela’s prospects seem dire outside of marrying well-off. When Adela catches the eye of the crown prince, Edward, however, well-off doesn’t seem to be a problem. Thrown into a world of politics and intrigue, Adela might have found all the excitement she ever wanted—if she can manage to leave her past behind.

Book One of the Broken Line Series, available March 13th, 2014 from 5 Prince Publishing.

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