Interview with Lindsay Edmunds

Lindsay Edmunds is the author of New Sun Rising: Ten Stories. This weekend, we bring you an interview with her.

We Read That Too: We know that you are an author. As what kind of an author would you introduce yourself?

Lindsay Edmunds: Late at night a few months ago in a state of exhaustion, it dawned on me what kind of stories I write: magical realism for the internet age. Ghosts coexist with e-beasts, mobiles with magic.

I’ve always been interested in the relationships people have with machines and have always liked fairy tales and fantasy. Magical realism for the internet age is the logical result of those interests.

WRTT: What do you do apart from writing?

LE: I work as a freelance editor in the areas of ecology, managed care, and pharmacy. My home is a semirural part of southwestern Pennsylvania, about 12 miles south of Pittsburgh.

WRTT: What genres of books do you read?

LE: I like biographies, speculative fiction, and traditional fairy tales/folk tales. However,  a book I reread almost every year, Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban, has none of those elements. Best to just describe me as a book omnivore.

WRTT: Given a chance, how would you describe New Sun Rising: Ten Stories in just one sentence?

LE: It tells the story of Kedzie Greer, a girl who looks beyond the walls of her perfect community in search for more.

WRTT: What prompted you to write this story?

LE: It began with a dreamlike image: angels bending over the bed of girl who was balancing between life and death. They told her to live.

This image makes a brief appearance in the story “Fallow Time”

“Kedzie remembered tall, blue-robed angels mouthing words she could not understand. It had to have been in the hospital. Before the hospital was a blank.”

WRTT: What inspired you to write a dystopian fiction?

LE: In New Sun Rising, I first created a utopian community, Stillwater. It was logical, in terms of storytelling, to show the world outside Stillwater’s walls as dystopian. That is how the young heroine, Kedzie Greer, would see it because she was raised in a kindly and beautiful place.

WRTT: With which other dystopian fiction would you like to compare New Sun Rising: Ten Stories?

LE: Rather than answer that question directly, I will talk about influences on my work. Every story in New Sun Rising begins with a quotation from eitherDandelion Wine or Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, a writer whose work I have enjoyed since a teenager.

Shirley Jackson, author of “The Lottery,” wrote a little-known 1950s apocalyptic novel called The Sundial with definite dystopian elements.

I also like the great post-apocalypse/dystopian novel Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban.

I admire all these authors, but would never compare myself to them. They are heroes to me.

WRTT: Apart from New Sun Rising: Ten Stories, name any one dystopian fiction which you would suggest your readers?

LE: I really liked Susan Kaye Quinn’s YA novel The Legacy Human. She just published a sequel, The Duality Bridge, which is high up on my to-be-read list. http://www.susankayequinn.com/

WRTT: Are there any other works of yours in the pipeline?

LE: Yes, two!

First one: USA Today best-selling urban fantasy author Anthea Sharp just greenlighted my story “The Skeptic” for inclusion in the Chronicle Worlds: Feyland anthology. Chronicle Worlds is a sibling series to The Future Chronicles,a best-selling science fiction/spec fiction anthology series. This is the premise of Anthea Sharp’s Feyland: “What if a high-tech computer game was actually a gateway to the Realm of Faerie?”

Second one: A novella set in the early years of the 23rd century about a husband and wife, both expert programmers, who have devoted their entire lives to making Networld a better, richer experience for people. They believe that advances in artificial intelligence and robotics offer the hope of immortality. Now that the wife is dying prematurely, they look back on their 25-year marriage.

Its name is The Paradise Fix.

WRTT: Anything else that you would like your readers to know?

LE: I love watching bad movies with good friends. The more terrible the movie, the more fun we have. I suppose that’s a dystoptian/utopian thing: the bad movie is the dystopia; friendship and laughter are the gold.

WRTT: Thank you, Lindsay. With your suggestions, our list of to-read books has grown and we look forward to add your next book to the same list.

Interview with James Faro

We asked James Faro, the author of The Assiduous Quest of Tobias Hopkins, if we could interview him. He not only obliged, but also gave clear answers to our mundane questions.

We Read That Too: We know that you are an author. As what kind of an author would you introduce yourself?

James Faro: I am a writer of fiction but I don’t specialize in any particular genre. What really motivates me to write is the behaviour of ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations, and how they deal with these situations.

WRTT: What do you do apart from writing?

JF: I love to travel and discover other cultures. Whilst at sea I visited the Americas and I’ve since lived in Portugal, Holland and Spain. I’ve been a professional musician for most of my life, performing and composing for the classical guitar. I’m interested in yoga and try to keep a few Asanas going each day. I also enjoy gardening and stamp collecting, and reading of course. I spend time with my family, especially my two year old grandson.

WRTT: What genres of books do you read?

JF: Any genre really, providing it’s well written. Again, I like a story which focuses on the characters. I also write reviews of other authors’ works and this gets me to consider books which I wouldn’t normally choose to read.

WRTT: Given a chance, how would you describe The Assiduous Quest of Tobias Hopkins in just one sentence?

JF: The story, set in the 17th century, centres around a young man, Tobias Hopkins, who is searching for his missing father in an attempt to overcome his troubled past.

WRTT: What prompted you to write this story?

JF: Some years ago I read an article about Mary Webster, a woman in 17th century Massachusetts who was accused of witchcraft. This inspired me to write a fictional story, The Widow of Duxbury, which follows a similar theme (read the story here: http://www.jamesfaro.com/#/widow-excerpt/4588185642). From this short story I became interested in the character of Tobias Hopkins who was assigned to investigate the widow’s accusations. His own story took off in a new direction and became the novel; The Assiduous Quest of Tobias Hopkins. The story is set mostly in Jamaica and focuses on the relationship between Toby and his newly discovered step-mother and half brother. Whilst at sea I travelled many times to the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard of the U.S.A so I already felt a connection with these locations.

WRTT: What inspired you to write a historical fiction?

JF: I developed an interest in social history whilst studying at music college and later when I read Central and South American history at university, so it was an obvious path to follow.

WRTT: With which other historical fiction would you like to compare The Assiduous Quest?

JF: I recently finished reading Leofric: Sword of the Angles by S.J.Arnott which tells the story of a young nobleman in 5th Century modern day Denmark. I found many similarities between the protagonist, Leofric and Tobias Hopkins. Both suffer from anxieties and self doubt and both set out on a journey; Leofric to clear his name, Toby to find his father. By the end of each story both the characters mature and gain in self confidence.

WRTT: Apart from The Assiduous Quest, name any one historical fiction which you would suggest your readers?

JF: If I have to choose one, it would be Orphan Moon by T. K. Lukas; a fascinating story of a young Texan girl who joins the Pony Express in 1860. There is so much history in this novel; references to the U.S. Civil War, the election of Abraham Lincoln, the ongoing problems with Native Americans and also the issue of slavery. It’s such a well-written story!

WRTT: Are there any other works of yours in the pipeline?

JF: I’ve had a number of people asking if there’s going to be a sequel the Assiduous Quest. Right now though, I am working on a contemporary psychological thriller (under a different author name) which has been an ongoing project for the last few years. I hope to get this completed by the end of this year so I can start working on the sequel to the Assiduous Quest. This episode will take Toby to the Northern Colonies and right into the conflict between Native Americans and the settlers of New England. I have the plot worked out and much of the material has already been written. However, as so often happens, the characters will probably take the story in a new direction and lead me into situations I hadn’t previously considered. I’ll just have to see what the outcome is.

WRTT: Anything else that you would like your readers to know?

JF: I’d like to point out how important readers’ reviews are to independent authors. If you’ve enjoyed reading a book by a new author, please take the time to have your say and submit a review; even if only a few lines it will be greatly appreciated. I am always emotionally moved when I hear that someone has enjoyed reading my work.

WRTT: There you go, ladies and gentlemen! There is more to look forward for Tobias Hopkins. And most of all, more works of James Faro. So, don’t forget to read his works and do tell him what you think of them. As for us, we simply love The Assiduous Quest of Tobias Hopkins!

Interview with Ilika Ranjan

Ilika Ranjan, author of Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the Princess, took some time out of her busy schedule for an interview with us. Here’s what she had to say.

WRTT: As we all know, you are an author. As what kind of an author would you introduce yourself?

Ilika Ranjan: An author who can makes reading fun and introduce  a life with unlimited possibilities.

WRTT: What do you do apart from writing?

IR: I am an ex-banker, used to handle product development and balance sheets in the bank I worked for. Had written my first book Puppet on the Fast Track in 2011, after being absolutely disillusioned with the banking system.

I feel strongly for employment generation potential of tourism in India. Thus started my company Pundareek in 2009. Our country is beautiful. It just needs dedicated and passionate hands to position it positively. It’s a venture I have dedicated my life for.

I also write travelogues for a magazine called CFO Connect.

Currently I have taken up an additional assignment as Content Guru for a new venture- Aroundhomz.com. I loved the concept of the venture. Download the app and one gets to call any vendor one needs for the house. In today’s world when we have to think both in terms of quality and security, such ventures and entrepreneurial initiatives are the call of the day.

I have also taken up on me to encourage children to read and make reading a fun hobby. Thus I have been visiting schools across India, to encourage children to get creative with writing and reading. This I have been doing purely driven by passion and there is no monetary angle here.

WRTT: What genres of books do you read?

IR: I have a penchant for fantasy and mystery books, especially the ones for children and young adults. They are full of hope and easy on the mind.

WRTT: Given a chance, how would you describe Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the Princess in just one sentence?

IR: A fun-fantasy book for children which has converted so many non-readers into readers.

WRTT: What inspired you to write a children fantasy novel?

IR: I love reading children fiction and my creative juices reach a very different level when I write even a paragraph for children. I also thought in terms of reading potential for the book. Children are very positive and impressionable. They are also great motivators. I have repeatedly said that other than my family and friends, the segment which has motivated me the most for Secrets of Zynpagua, are the children. They don’t differentiate between Indian and foreign authors, unlike adult counterparts.

 I felt Literary industry in India is publishing books on cliched topics. The publishers, booksellers have completely ignored the potential of children fiction. Thus penned down Secrets of Zynpagua.

WRTT: With which children fantasy novel would you like to compare Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the Princess?

IR: None. It is different. Yes the story of stars has enamored me since childhood, but I think that is it.

WRTT: Apart from Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the Princess, name any one children fantasy novel which you would suggest your readers?

IR: I am assuming Harry Porter is a given read, but yes, I liked reading Children of the Lamp Series by P.B Kerr.

WRTT: Are there any other works of yours in the pipeline?

IR: I am currently writing part 2 of Secrets of Zynpagua, which is – Secrets of Zynpagua: Search of soulmates.

When you read this book, you will discover a very different meaning of the word SOULMATE.

WRTT: Anything else that you would like your readers to know?

IR: Being an author is a very difficult task. Authors meet very hostile and negative people during the journey of publishing a book. The publishers are callous and myopic. The booksellers are clueless and there is so much cynicism in the industry. In this entire journey, even when one reader writes a good review for the book, it gives so much life to the author and his/her creativity. Authors I think are more sensitive  than what people know of them. I want to thank and acknowledge every reader who has liked my book. Had they not been there, Secrets of Zynpagua would not have existed.

WRTT: Thank you, Ilika. I am sure your insights will help our readers get a better understanding on what an author goes through to cater to readers. We can’t wait to read Secrets of Zynpagua: Search of soulmates.

Interview with Aarohi Brar

First author interview on We Read That Too (WRTT) is of Aarohi Brar (AB), who is the author of a romance novel Pluviophile.

WRTT: We know that you are an author. As what kind of an author would you introduce yourself?

AB: I like to think of myself as an author who writes fiction. Romantic fiction at that.

WRTT: What do you do apart from writing?

AB: Apart from writing, I love to read, travel, cook and listen to music.

WRTT: What genres of books do you read?

AB: Anything that falls under the category of fiction, romance, contemporary, young adult, new adult, thrillers, comedy, historical fiction and others of the ilk.

WRTT: Given a chance, how would you describe Pluviophile in just one sentence?

AB: From a refreshing drizzle to excruciating heat; and back.

WRTT: Being a resident of India, what prompted you to write a story which takes place in USA?

AB: The only reason that comes to mind is that nearly all the romance books I have read so far have been based in the US. So, probably when this story came to my mind, I imagined both lead characters to be Americans.

WRTT: What inspired you to write a romance novel?

AB: This might sound cliched, but I am in love with the very idea of love. I find it gratifying. When I first realized that I wanted to be an author, I decided that the first book I ever write would be a love story.

WRTT: With which romance novel would you like to compare Pluviophile?

AB: I like to think of all novels to be unique in their own way. Drawing comparisons only defeats that purpose.

WRTT: Apart from Pluviophile, name any one romance novel which you would suggest your readers?

AB: Bright Side by Kim Holden. Simply because, it is more than just a romance novel.

WRTT: Are there any other works of yours in the pipeline?

AB: All I’m going to say is, don’t think the characters from Pluviophile have said goodbye for good. They haven’t. Especially not Alex and Haskell.

WRTT: Anything else that you would like your readers to know?

AB: Just that other than being a writer, I am also a book reviewer. I love to read and post my honest reviews on my blog, www.bookaholic.in as well on my facebook page; the link to which is http://www.facebook.com/lector.vorax. and twitter username is @AarohiBrar