Karen Fritz's Blind Vision

This morning I'm interviewing Karen Fritz, author of Blind Vision.  Welcome, Karen.

Good morning, Susan. Thanks for the invitation.

How many books have you written, Karen?

Blind Vision is my first novel.

What books or authors have influenced you?

Gosh, there are so many.  John Hart, James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, JK Rowling, Dean Koontz, Steven King, Lisa Gardner, Michael Gruber to name a few.

Karen, since this is your first novel, what has been your most rewarding experience during the writing process?

Finishing the novel, without a doubt.  I felt such a sense of accomplishment.  I didn’t let it defeat me even though there were times I thought it would. 

Tell us about Blind Vision.

Blind Vision takes place in a small southern town.  It’s a story about a young blind psychic, Peter Cole, who starts having horrific visions of women being murdered shortly after he moves into a Southside boarding house.  He joins forces with Detective Joe Carson to stop a serial killer before another murder happens. 

Is it available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats?

Blind Vision is available in paperback and Kindle.

Since you plan to write a series, what are some of the problems you  might face while plotting a series with ongoing characters?

Blind Vision is the first novel in my Southside Mystery Series.  I think the big thing for me as I am writing book two, is making sure I give just enough background for the reader who may not have read book one while also making sure I don’t bog the story down.

Yes, that's so important, and don't forget to move the characters forward in age and experience. 

How do you develop characters?

They talk to me and I listen.  For me, it’s about letting the character take you over.  Letting them show you how they feel inside and then putting that emotion on paper.  The reader needs to be able to see and feel what the character is seeing and feeling.  They need to know that he/she is vulnerable or afraid. And if I do my job correctly the reader will become emotionally tied to the character.

How do you choose your setting? 

In Blind Vision, the story takes place in a truly horrible part of town.  But that was where I needed it to be.  In reality, Southside is a part of Winston-Salem, NC.  I think probably thirty years ago it was as I have described.  It’s a little better now.  But the interesting thing is people who have read my book and lived in that area thirty years ago tell me I nailed it.  That pleases me. 

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws? 

Peter Cole is in his early twenties.  He is blind and living with his mother.  He realizes if he ever wants to have his own life he has to learn to make it on his own. He starts out being very self-centered; maybe even has a bit of chip on his shoulder.  As you read the story you will see Peter grow.  Through his experiences he becomes this strong, independent, good man.  By the end of the story, the reader will want to see him succeed.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing? 

 I think all writers are probably watchers.  I love observing people.  I love listening to how they talk and watching their mannerisms.  In my opinion, that’s what allows writers to write about any situation.  For me, it’s not so much about environment or upbringing.  It’s about research and letting your mind explore places you haven’t been.

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out both off and online? 

Wow!  That’s where the real work begins.  Obviously, I do the book signing circuit, social networking on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, anything I can think of to get the word out.  My biggest problem and frustration is time.  There never seems to be enough time to do everything that needs to be done!

Can you tell us about current or future projects?

As I mentioned earlier, I am working on book two of the Southside Mystery Series, Crossroads.   I’ve even written the first three chapters of book three.  I am hoping to have Crossroads out by summer.  I’ll just have to see how it goes. 

Where can folks learn more about your books and events, Karen? 

Check out my website, http://www.karenfritzbookz.com

It's been a pleasure, Karen.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Author Doug Roberts Stops By For Hot Chocolate

Good morning, everyone! Don't you just love this cool air? I'm so excited that I made a pot of hot chocoate for myself and guest, Doug Roberts, author of  The Man Who Fooled SAVAK. Welcome to the blog, Doug. Have a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

Thanks, Susan. I believe I will.

The release of your book coincides rather well with Arab Spring.   When did you start writing it?

In the summer of  2008, a woman I’d met on line named Erica Murray was interested in Iran so I started writing to her about it.   I started doing some very preliminary research into the history and politics of Iran in 1971  in order  to refresh my memory of things I had experienced when I was in Iran during that time.   The book was completely finished several months before the uprising in Tunisia.

Even though that was 40 years ago, there are many common elements with what is happening across the Arab world. 

Yes, especially the fear people experience when living under an autocratic regime is something I hope I have captured, and as the book proceeds, the breaking out of that fear.  Perhaps it will give people hope.  Just like in my book, the methods used by various dictatorial regimes to maintain control seem to be taken from a common playbook:   trample a free and independent press, keep the people fooled, use an iron fist to silence dissent, eliminate fair trials, use torture to extract confessions, -- the list goes on and on.    

But when you wrote the book, you weren’t thinking about that. 

(laughs) True! I don’t have a crystal ball and the Arab Spring was as big a surprise to me as the rest of the world.  

Can I ask you about one of the characters in your book?  Was there really a Junior?

Yes there was.  I think Junior made the story possible to write.  We really did sell our liquor and cigarette rations to him.   I recently learned from a fellow who served in ARMISH/MAAG just before I arrived that Junior mostly dealt with the domestic workers, the Iranian nationals who worked at the bachelor quarters where we lived. 

I’d like to ask you about another character, Mihan Jazani.  She is a historical figure, the wife of the Bijan Jazani who founded one of Iran’s guerilla movements.   It appears that she’s a friend of yours on Facebook.   

(Blushes)  Um, well yes…so it would appear.   (laughs)  Actually, Mihan Jazani doesn’t like Facebook and never uses it.  The Facebook account was set up for Mihan by her granddaughter, Aida.  Aida and I exchange messages occasionally.    

 How were you able to remember so much about what happened then?  It was 40 years ago after all.

I was assisted in several ways.   I had some writings I had done about Iran when I was in journalism school at Kent State in 1972.  I had a large number of slides that I’d taken when I was there.  Those were crucial in reviving old memories.  A huge help was finding on line a 1977 map of Tehran on the (now defunct) Tehran American School website.  I was able to use the exact names of places, even street names.  The fellow I’d mentioned earlier who told me about Junior had sent me a copy of the ARMISH/MAAG directory, which was very useful.  Finally,  talking to people I worked with at that time was extremely important, namely Heidi Eftekhar and Barry Silver, who are characters in the story.  I obviously couldn’t remember all events specifically, but I found I could generate them as needed by being very specific in my language.  I would take seeds of ideas and extrapolate and grow them into full blown events.   For example, a certain lecherous officer really did say to Heidi, “I think you’re a woman who needs a lot of loving.”   I took that and ran with it.  Last but also important, the internet was a valuable tool in researching the historical incidents in the book. 

So, where does the novel part come in?

Some of the human rights related events are novelized, but they’re very accurate in their portrayal of the times.  I’ll leave historians to figure all that out.   They will have their work cut out for them  because I’ve spent a lot of effort weaving the story line into the history of those days.

How close is your character Doug Roberts to the way you actually are?

That’s a really good queston.  (laughs)  I had originally intended that Doug the character would be an extreme version of myself.   But after having read my book now over and over, I’ve come to see that what’s extreme are the circumstances he’s in.   Doug the character is a lot like I was back then: ok in the smarts department,  a little too cocky sometimes.  He’s not very romantic or knowledgeable about women, but does all right in spite of himself.  (laughs)   There’s an element of male fantasy in the book I suppose. In the story  I have two charming female lunch companions in addition to Fari my Iranian girlfriend/fiancée.

But you really were friends with Heidi Eftekhar your co-worker in the story. 

I still am.  Heidi and I communicate regularly by email and her input on the book was immensely helpful.   Miss Farou is the fantasy.   She actually didn’t like me all that much.  (laughs).

I get the impression you had a lot of fun writing your book.

It was pretty trippy for me at times.  I would totally submerse myself in it.  For example, I had written the scene describing how I spent New Year’s Eve in Iran just a couple of weeks after New Year’s Eve in real life.   When someone asked me about how I’d spent my New Years, it shocked me as to how much effort I had to put into pulling up what I’d actually done versus what I’d just written.   That was a little scary.

What do you think people will get out of your book?

I’m sure everyone will get a little something different, but what I’d like for people to take from it is that, like in the story, life may present you with some extreme circumstances.  When that happens, keep a level head and your wits about you.  Try to see beyond what appears to be happening on the surface.  There will always be some good things happening at any given moment. Try to focus on that.  To get through your ordeal it’s a good idea to engage all your friends to help you and your faith if you have that.  Most important of all:  never give up. 

Doug, it's been a pleasure to have you here. I wish you the best of luck with The Man Who Fooled SAVAK.

Thank you, Susan.Doug's book is available online in ebook format. You may contact him through OuterBanksPublishing.com

Series and Non-series books

It's been quite a while since I posted anything about my own work. I've been interviewing and showcasing others. But this morning, I thought I'd post about my own series and the current project, a non-series book. When I wrote my first book, I ran into the same problem so many of us face:  plenty of rejections. After months of trying to write the sequel and getting nowhere with the first novel, Genesis Beach, I self-published. I had a fairly good experience with it until I tried to get the book into chain stores and got the cold shoulder at every turn. To shorten the story, I was thrilled when L&;L Dreamspell, a small Houston-based publisher, signed me. They picked up Genesis Beach, much to my delight, and gave me the opportunity to rewrite and strengthen sections of the book. They also created a cover with major impact. There are currently four novels in the Logan Hunter Mystery series.

Genesis Beach is set along the North Carolina Crystal Coast with a quirky and gutsy young female SBI (state bureau of investigation) agent. The second novel, Just North of Luck, is set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and showcases Madison County and Asheville. I really upped the ante in this one by having a serial killer and getting into his brain or rather having him in mine. It truly was a scary time for me since I carried this character around in my head for months. I was relieved to finish the book and have him move out of my space. In this book, Logan meets Chase Railey, a Madison County detective who works with her on the multiple murders, all gruesome and not fitting a serial killer mold.


In Hell Swamp, Logan thinks she can take a few days off, her supervisor assigns her to investigate a murder at Black River Plantation, four miles from where she spent her childhood. She heads to Pender County begrudingly and confronts a sheriff and deputies who failed to contain the crime scene, creating a nightmare for Logan. As she begins to question deer hunters in the area, she learns that the victim had many enemies and nobody is stepping forward to help her find the murderer.  When she eventually finds the killer, she and the entire rural community are shocked beyond belief at the circumstances that led to murder.
Chase comes in to help her with this case, but a misunderstanding leads to a strained relationship. When the couple are trapped and nearly fried by an arsonist's forest fire, they vow to work things out if they survive. By the end of the book, Chase proposes. He is sworn into the SBI.

As Logan leaves her bridal shower in the fourth novel, Sin Creek, she is paged to a local university campus where the body of a young student has been discovered. Even though she and Chase make it down the aisle, they are often assigned different cases across the state, and Chase's terminally ill mother dies in Asheville, sending him home to handle the arrangements and leaving Logan to work with an obnoxious agent sent in to help. Logan and Farris McCracken (Crack) don't get along. The tension is deafening and distracting, but the investigation moves along...right into the pornography industry. Logan is incredibly uncomfortable about having to follow Tit (Thomas Irving Trollinger)who appears to be the porn king. She ends up on a ferry dressed as a bar maid and discovers that Crack is also onboard. When she has to make a hasty retreat in a lifeboat, Crack jumps in and drives her 4-inch heel through the raft, causing it to spring a leak. They end up swimming to a small island in the middle of the Cape Fear River, hoping the river alligators don't notice them. Logan is relieved when Chase returns to help, but she has no idea how her life will change before the investigation is over.

All of the Logan Hunter books are set in North Carolina, where I've hung out all my life. There's so much beauty here, so many dialects and personalities. I love this state!

I'm in the planning stages of the fifth Logan Hunter Mystery, tentatively entitled Punch Street. But I have been working on a non-series novel about lifelong friends, Mackie Sue Beanblosson and Daisy Marie Hazelhurst, in their sixties, going through hot flashes, weight gain, marital problems, and trying to hold down jobs. You know, a day in the life sort of thing.  The book is entitled The Goose Parade of Old Dickeywood. It's entirely different from the Logan Hunter series, but I am having fun with it. I hope to have it ready for publication in 1212, but I really need to get busy.

Video trailers for Just North of Luck, Hell Swamp, and Sin Creek are over at Youtube.com  All books are available in print and ebook from the publisher, online stores, or through my site, www.susanwhitfieldonline.com  I hope I've whet your appetite. Leave a comment for a chance to win the book of your choice!

K.S. Brooks Stops By

My guest today is K.S. Brooks, truly a mystery herself. When asked about herself, she responded:“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” – The Wizard of Oz.  "That’s what I like to say when people ask me that.  I’m a full-time writer, and I like to hide behind my characters." 

Intriguing, indeed. Here is the rest of the interview:

How many books have you written, K.S.? 

I’ve written or at least started writing a lot of books.  Six have gone to publication:  Lust for Danger, The Mighty Oak and Me, The Kiss of Night, Postcards from Mr. Pish Vol.1, Night Undone, and Mr. Pish’s Woodland Adventure.

What books or authors have influenced you? 

I read a lot when I was younger.  Bookworm would have been the perfect word to describe me.  So the impact that these books had, to stand out above the rest, I think says a lot – to me anyway.  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (pere) taught me how to round out characters; pretty much anything by Oscar Wilde inspires painting with words; Rudyard Kipling magically provided a moral to the story; and Warren Murphy’s Pigs Get Fat was a fantastic lesson in writing better suspense.

Tell us about your latest release, Night Undone.  

I feel like I took a big risk with Night Undone.  I stepped way outside my comfort zone with this story.  I’d never written something so character-driven, so personal...while it reveals a lot about Agent Night I feel like it sort of leaves me standing naked in the middle of a busy intersection.  The story follows former Special Agent Kathrin Night as she tries to come to terms with her career-ending injury, civilian life, and her Russian lover after he reveals his deepest, darkest secret – turning their lives upside down. It’s available online and at Amazon.com in print, e-book and Kindle formats.

Were any of your books more challenging to write than the others?  

My educational children’s books are hard work because I want to make sure everything is absolutely correct.  A lot of verification has to be done.  My “Agent Night Adventure Series” books have been the most difficult to write – but that’s really my own fault.  I write faction, and I set these books in locations so exotic that they’re difficult to research. 

What are some of the problems you faced while plotting a series with ongoing characters, K.S.? 

I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, actually.  I’m daft enough to be writing two series with the same character simultaneously – the Agent Night Adventure Series features Special Agent Kathrin Night during the height of her career as a field agent (2000-2009).  The Cover Me Series follows Agent Night after an injury in the line of duty, as she struggles to deal with ‘civilian life’ while trying to resurrect her career (2010 and after).  At first, I found writing the latter was helping me improve the first series immensely.  It was making me think ‘cause and effect’ and enriching the first series by helping me plant the seeds that would bloom in the Cover Me Series.  Then I got an idea for a possible love interest who I could introduce in the early series – but I’d already limited myself as to how many “relationships” she’d had during a Cover Me session with a shrink. 

How do you develop characters?

My characters tend to develop themselves.  But if I have anything to do with it, I pile obstacles in front of them and see how they deal with them, pushing them to grow and learn in the process.

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws? 

Special Agent Kathrin Night is complex, yet simple at the same time.  She’s dedicated her life to serving justice and protecting the innocent, at the same time isolating herself socially.  This makes her an extremely effective agent, but a somewhat inept human.  She has difficulties relating to the emotional and psychological needs of others since she’s closed off that part of herself. 

Can you tell us about current or future projects? 

I’m nearing completion of Postcards from Mr. Pish:  A Cross-Country Journal Volume 2.  This installment will take kids (and adults) on a journey through Mr. Pish’s (the traveling terrier) eyes from Washington State all the way to Maryland, including neat locations in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois...and so many more I can’t list them all.  I’m also working on the sequel to Lust for Danger, which I started back in 1991.  Yikes!  Some of the locational research really slowed me down, but now, thanks to the internet, and my fantastic research assistant Kyle Londagin, I’ve gotten what I need to get this action-packed thriller done.  I’m hoping to have the drafts of both these books completed this year. 

Where can folks learn more about your books and events, K.S.? 

Facebook is such a handy tool.  All my books, and whatever else is going on, is posted on my author page at http://www.facebook.com/KSBrooksAuthor.  My website, http://www.ksbrooks.com, has a lot of biographical information as well as some writing tidbits and links.  A fun place to learn about what’s going on with my children’s books is at http://www.facebook.com/MrPish.  We have lots of trivia and give-aways which promote outdoor learning and literacy – geared towards adults.

Thanks for stopping by, K.S. Continued success!

Randy Rawls: PI series

My guest today is Randy Rawls. Welcome, Randy.    

Good morning, Susan.

We'd be fascinated to know more about you.

I've been writing for quite a while.  I write for my pleasure, an avocation that keeps me young.  And, I must confess, I'm a much more serious Reader than I am a writer.  I love to read and my Kindle goes with me everywhere.   

How many books have you written and in what genre(s)?

I have six books published in my Ace Edwards, Dallas PI series, along with several short stories in anthologies.  The novels are pretty much out of print (I still have hard copies if anybody wants one), but the first two (JAKE'S BURN and JOSEPH'S KIDNAPPING) are available as ebooks published by L&L Dreamspell.  My Ace books are mysteries with chuckles built in.  Thorns on Roses is my first thriller and I will probably write a sequel to it.  I like series and believe the characters in Thorns can carry a series.  Thorns is available from www.lldreamspell.com as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other Internet sellers.  I'm also writing a female South Florida PI named Beth Bowman.  I have high hopes for Beth.  I also enjoy writing short stories and have had some published.  They run the gamut from young adult to Christmas stories to mysteries to thrillers to . . .  No romance or sci-fi yet.

What books or authors have influenced you?

Too many to name.  As I said above, I am an avid reader.  I read in almost all genres.  I'm a firm believer in learning from the best and hope I learn from each of the authors I read.  Three books that I read and re-read every couple of years are: To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), Old Man and the Sea (Earnest Hemingway), and (are you ready?) Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll).  If you haven't read Alice as an adult, you should.  A totally different story from the one you read as a child.  However, don't get the idea I only read old books.  I'm always on the lookout for a new writer as well as waiting for the next release from such as Robert Crais, PJ Parrish, Harlan Coben, Ken Follett, Radine Trees Nehring, Sylvia Dickey Smith, CJ Box, Phillip Margolin, and many, many others.  Like I said, too many to name.

What are your writing goals?

Have fun and entertain as many people as possible.  If I can make a few bucks along the way, that's even better.

Tell us about your latest release.

Thorns on Roses is a thriller featuring Tom Jeffries, an ex-Special Forces NCO, who is now a PI in South Florida.  For good reason, Tom has no faith in the justice system.  When the seventeen-year-old daughter of his best friend is found dead in the trunk of an abandoned car—raped, strangled, and nude—Tom vows to avenge her murder.  As Tom tracks the gang, Thorns on Roses, he discovers more about himself than he ever dreamed existed.

Is it available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats?

Yes.  Thorns on Roses is available as an ebook for all readers and as a print book.  L&L Dreamspell is my publisher and Thorns can be found at their website www.lldreamspell.com  The Kindle version is at Amazon, Nook version at Barnes and Noble, etc.

Were any of your books more challenging to write than the others? If so, why?

Yes, the Beth Bowman mystery that I am currently writing.  I call it Death by Vengeance.  The challenge comes from the crime that Beth is attempting to resolve—the kidnapping of a five-year-old girl.  While the story is absorbing and I love my characters, the aspects of a kidnapped child are difficult for me to handle.  I shall be glad when I have it finished, edited, and sold.

How do you develop characters?

Characters evolve as I write.  For example, the second lead in Thorns on Roses is a female lawyer.  To give Tom some degree of cover for his actions, I decided to have him on retainer with a major law firm in South Florida.  Suddenly, I had the senior partner and his son, a junior partner, assigning Abby Archer, one of their sharp young attorneys, to assist Tom.  Once she entered the picture, she became a driving force and the love interest for Tom, a confirmed bachelor.  When I started Thorns on Roses, I had no idea there would be an Abby.  She just appeared and took on the role.  And don't think she's just a piece of eye-candy.  She can dish it out—as Tom discovers.

How do you choose your setting?

I use settings that I know well.  I hate finding setting flaws in books I read.  My Ace Edwards stories are all set in Texas, five of them in small towns.  I went to those towns, walked the streets, talked with the people, and researched the area, learning as much as I could about them.  Then I wrote the story through the eyes of Ace as a stranger to the town.  It was fun weaving in a bit of the history of the area into each book. 

I now live in South Florida, thus Thorns on Roses and the Beth Bowman series are set here.  The streets are real, the kookiness of the area is real.  I want my settings to ring true to anyone who knows them.

Randy, do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?

Don't I wish.  I start with a crime and it goes from there.  I envy those who can outline a story, then stick to that outline as they write the book.  But my way is more fun.  The story forms in front of my eyes as the book progresses.  A character that I see as major might become minor.  And a character I introduce as a bit player might take over.  In Joseph's Kidnapping, book two in the Ace Edwards series, I introduced a female lawyer and made her as unlikeable as I could.  She was a witch, no doubt about it.  But a funny thing happened as the storyline developed.  I liked her and she liked me.  Thus, by the end of the book I had made her a nice person and a keeper in the series.  She appeared in two more of Ace's adventures, each time on Ace's side.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

The environment of South Florida definitely colors my writing.  We have a saying here: There is no fiction in South Florida.  Anything you write happened yesterday, is happening today, or will happen tomorrow.  And, while I usually say it with a smile, it is true.

Can you tell us about current or future projects?

The immediate future will be filled with promoting Thorns on Roses.  I'll be traveling to writers' conferences, hitting bookstores, and working the Net.  I am very hopeful it will be a winner in the eyes of readers across the country.  Depending on feedback, I may start book two in the series, send Tom and Abby off on another avenger adventure.  Also, I have a Beth Bowman to finish and ebooks to promote.  Oh, I'll also write and sell (I hope) more short stories.  There will be no letup in my writing life.  As long as it remains fun, I'll keep doing it.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

My website is www.RandyRawls.com and, as I say above, my publisher's website is www.lldreamspell.com  I'll try to keep my site up to date, and I know L&L will continue their sterling work.  Also, I love to hear from people.  Ask me anything, I'll try to answer.  And, don't think I'm only looking for praise.  I have thick skin.  Scold me if you think I deserve it.  Contact me at RandyRawls@att.net.  (But, if you insist, I also accept praise. J)

 LOL. Thanks for dropping by, Randy, and continued success!

Cynthia Vespia: Demon Hunter

My special guest today is Cynthia Vespia, author of Demon Hunter. Welcome to the blog, Cynthia!

Thanks, Susan.

What has been your most rewarding experience during the writing process?

It is always most rewarding to hear reader feedback, that's why I write. But during the writing process it becomes very rewarding to have the story tell itself. What I mean by that is the flow. When it is effortless enough that it feels like I'm reading it myself or when the story takes a different turn that I wasn't expecting. That's what brings me joy.

Tell us about your latest release, DEMON HUNTER: HEROES CALL

This is part three in the Demon Hunter trilogy. The final act calls for a test of will for the protagonist Costa. Since we met him in part one THE CHOSEN ONE, he was just coming into his skills as a demon hunter. In part two SEEK and DESTROY he had become more seasoned. And now when we visit him he has quietly stepped out of the life to tend to his family until danger once again comes knocking on his door. I really pushed him this time and challenged his choices. Does he take the same path or choose a different one. The thing about Demon Hunter has always been the underlying “demons” we all face in our own minds and daily lives. Those things that tell us we aren't good enough, smart enough, strong enough. Those demons are more dangerous than any physical being. This is what Costa faces head on in HEROES CALL...himself. It is available as an ebook on August 29^th, 2011.

What are some of the problems you faced while plotting a series with ongoing characters?

Growth mostly. It is important that these characters develop not only within the pages of the novel that they're in but the ongoing series itself. Realistically people change all the time. Through different experiences lives are shaped and character traits are born. When you're putting your characters through these extreme situations the way I did in the Demon Hunter series then they are going to be changed in some form or another...sometimes even physically. These are the things you want to keep in mind when going from book to book in a series. Then on the flip side I also like to make sure that they can stand alone as well. If someone picks up Demon Hunter 3: Heroes Call without having read 1 or 2 they are still going to get a great fantasy adventure that doesn't leave them confused on who these characters are or what the backstory is. 

How do you develop characters?

Developing characters is my favorite part about writing. You get to create the way you were created. If anyone has ever played The Sims it is a bit like that. You get to build your character from the ground up and decide what they look like, act like, work as, moral codes, values...everything. I make sure my characters fit my world. Even if I'm working on a contemporary piece I want them to react and behave like people really would given these situations...no matter how extreme. For Demon Hunter I wanted a trio of characters that all balanced each other. Each was different and unique which brought a sense of wholeness to this group as they went out on the stages of adventure put before them. This way the reader can find themselves able to relate to what is going on. I think that is the basis of good character building. Even if it is a villain, they need to be relateable in some way.

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws?

Costa Calabrese comes from a long line of demon hunters. He has inherited skills such as strength, agility, intuition, as well as the gift of foresight. In other words sometimes he will dream things before they happen or have visions like premonitions.

His flaws come from just being human. None of us are perfect.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

I used to read a lot when I was very little. Those stories are what initially sparked my interest in writing and shaped my writing voice. Since then it has taken on a life of its own.

Can you tell us about current or future projects?

I can tell you that I'm working on two different thriller series, one about a hitman and the other about a private investigator team. There will also be more from the demon hunter saga in the future.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

You can find me at www.CynthiaVespia.com; www.facebook.com/cynthia.vespia; and www.twitter.com/cynfulcharm

I wish you continued success, Cynthia. Keep those great books coming!

Dwight Geddes: A Favor for a Favor

Dwight Geddes was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to New York as a teenager in the 1980’s. In 1999, his first book, a short story collection entitled Genesis was published by Denlinger’s Press. The collection was shortlisted for a Frankfurt E-Book Award, and several of the stories in Genesis have been reprinted in various literary outlets over the last decade. His second book, The Prodigal's Return was also published by Denlinger’s Press in 2000 and introduced character Blake Casson. Dwight is currently finishing a follow up to The Prodigal's Return, a novel entitled Empire of Dirt. He's a huge sports fan and  started a blog in 2010, called "Sports 'n Stuff". He also contributes to several widely read blogs, including Jamaicans.com.

Dwight, welcome to the blog. Let's jump right in, shall we?

Sure, Susan.

What books came along at just the right time to influence your reading/writing?

I’ve been influenced more by specific writers than particular books. As a kid growing up in Jamaica, I read a wide range of books, from the Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins mysteries to Donald Goines, Nick Carter pulp novels and James Bond. Over the years I have also been influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Octavia Butler, Robert Ludlum and Walter Mosely among others.

What are your writing goals?

Quite simply, to influence people to read and enjoy the story that I’ve crafted. We live in an age of sensory overload, most of it visual, and the stimulus that the written word provides is often lost in the barrage of imagery available. I want people who read my stories to lose themselves in the world and scenarios I’m describing, to enjoy the story within the story that we all receive individually.

What has been your most rewarding experience during the writing process, Dwight?

Getting to the end. The most euphoric feeling for me is typing those words ‘The End’ and stepping back from the work.

I know the feeling. It is wonderful, isn't it?

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest published work is a short story titled A Favor For A Favor" which will be released as an eBook by Untreed Reads publishers this spring. It’s another Blake Casson story set in New York City and involves Casson taking a job doing what he does best for an old friend. It fills in some of the back story of the character and hopefully will whet the readers’ appetite for Empire of Dirt.

Empire of Dirt, my next novel, is currently a work in progress. It will be completed by the summer.

Super! Do you think your writing has improved since your first attempt? If so, in what way?


My writing has evolved in many ways since my first book was published. I have changed a lot of the subject matter I write about, and I have learned not to shy away from the emotional uneasiness that some topics may cause for myself and the reader. Empire of Dirt tangentially deals with terrorism and radical Islam and how we as people in Western society deal with it. Blake Casson, the protagonist of my novel and the upcoming short story, is a mixed race ex-government operative turned freelance agent for hire. In 2000 when the first novel was published, his character would be seen by many as an aberration. In the post-9/11 world, having someone such as Casson who can blend into almost any foreign culture is not just an asset, it is a requirement.

One of my earliest recollections as I tried to get published as a young writer was receiving rejection letters from various and sundry agents that basically said in sum ‘there is no market for your work.’ The subtext of that was initially troubling on several levels, including the fact that so many professionals in this industry didn’t think that a young black male writer who was not writing romance novels or ‘in the closet’ stories would find an audience for his work. Some of my earlier short stories, including Young Americans and Child Welfare for example contained elements and themes that are now projected in books and television and has even become a genre: Urban Fiction. Not so long ago-in the mid-90’s-I was being told no one wants to buy and read such work. So yes, my style has changed, but the world has changed also.

Any current projects?

Still working on Empire of Dirt. It’s the next Blake Casson story, and updates the character and his latest adventure. It pits Casson against a terrorist who has embarked on a series of attacks on the US and its allies in an effort to cripple the West. There are many subplots and issues that are touched on in this story, and I consider it to be not only my most challenging work to date, but quite possibly my best. But I promise to get better.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

I have a facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/jamaicanwriter, where people can see some of my work and information on my upcoming events. I can also be reached at jamaicanwriter@gmail.com

Continued success, Dwight!