Monday, March 31, 2014

Marshall Best Interview


First off, tell us a little bit about you

My wife, Tracey, and I have six great children ages 5-17. I live in Fishers, Indiana. I have learned to play piano, marimba and bagpipes, love airplanes, target shoot, fish and write. Mostly writing.
I am the grandson of the founder of Best Lock Corporation and served there as VP of Manufacturing. The Best family is no longer involved and I now own my own business, Marshall Best Security Corporation, which competes against the old company. I have a great Best Lock memorabilia collection and occasionally speak at lock collectors meetings. It is a great heritage. If you cut me, I bleed locks.
I love history. My usual fare is autobiographies of WW I and WW II pilots, snipers, tankers. I also like all the Tom Clancy type novels.

I have read a boatload of ancient writers such as Diodorus Siculus, Pliny the Younger, and the Geography of Strabo from the Loeb Classical Library. As I read those, I made a note whenever something interesting was brought up, and I’ve made great use of these notes in writing this series.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books? The Guiamo Chronicles are a blend of Historical Fiction and Fantasy. Beginning in 60 B.C. Gaul, they follow young Guiamo from his abandonment on a dirt road at the age of ten to his days of glory battling men, gods and creatures in ancient England and Ireland.
The story line brings such wonderful legends into a historic setting. It gives people a chance to see how the legends we know today might have sprung up from actual ancient events. Legends often come from real life that is distorted in the telling over long periods of time.
I don’t always follow exactly the original stories, they are too convoluted, but I do try to portray key aspects of the mythical accounts in a way that it makes sense that what survives to us today could have been derived from what I describe.

When did you start writing? 

 Six years ago.

Why do you write and what inspired you to pursue writing? Like many other authors, I began writing fiction stories to entertain my children. My first stories were The Princess Meredith Bedtime Tales written for my then six year old daughter. They are available as an e-book collection. I then began a story for my son William. I think the question and answer from a previous interview explain it best.

If you could have any 1 person read your work who would it be and why? That would have to be my son William. He is the model for Guiamo, and if only he ever read the stories, I would be content because I wrote them simply to please him.

What would be your choice for a superpower?I’d be Tax Reduction Man flying through the stratosphere spreading prosperity across America.


Who is your favorite author? That’s a tough one. Tolkien has to be at the top, though I do like Bernard Cornwell very much. He speaks to the barbarian in me. I also enjoy the Frank Herbert Dune series.
The depth of Tolkien’s Middle Earth is astounding. He was a borrower of real and obscure history to flesh out details of his stories. For instance, I read somewhere that the dwarves Durin and Dwalin came from actual people named Durin and Dvalin. In like fashion, I found the names of two brothers, Fili and Kili , in an old leather-bound set of history books I own entitled “History of the Anglo-Saxons” by Sharon Turner (24 September 1768 – 13 February 1847), so I imagine Tolkien surely had a copy of this on his own shelf.

What are you reading now? Massacre at Tobruk, the British assault on Rommel, 1942 by Peter C Smith.


Who is your favorite character to write? Guiamo himself, of course. He’s not perfect, but he does his best to do right, he’s generous by nature, he hates to see wrong win out in the end and he’s not afraid to confront it boldly.

Do you have a writing process? Sit down to lunch, begin writing, eat, continue writing. Repeat at all social events, all available time.
On a more serious note, Guiamo began as “go with the flow”, but as the books developed, it has become more structured, though not to the point of formal outlines. I do know there will be nine books. I’m now in book 5 and I have pages and pages of notes of points to cover, genealogies, calendars to lay out key events and the like. What drives me nuts is that I can’t keep everything in my head, but what author can? When I write something that reflects on previous text, I have to go back and research the details. Oh bother. However, I know where I need to go in the plots of the remaining books.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Write a story that interests you and you can be passionate about. As it’s been said, if you’re not excited about your story, no one else will be either.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing? Sci-fi, action/adventure. I saw Star Wars 21 times when it first came out - it showed for 56 weeks in Indianapolis.

What are your current projects? I’m half way through book five in The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. My oldest son says it’s the best of them all, and he loves them intensely. It’s possible I may write a few short stories in the near future for my two youngest. They would be Prince Cedric and Princess Emiline Tales.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?Rush right out in a buying frenzy.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Hamsters
Coffee or tea? Hot chocolate
Favorite food? Ribeye Steak medium rare
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without?
My keys (I’m a lock guy), My Guiamo notebook, kisses from my family
Laptop or desktop? Desktop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with?
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee
TV or Movies? Movies





Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  & my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Louisa Oakley Green Interview



First off, tell us a little bit about you, Louisa...
I've been a professional writer for more than 40 years, in a range of positions including newspaper reporter, magazine editor, public relations manager, creative director and science writer. Before meeting my husband more than 20 years ago, I was a strong skeptic about anything psychic. It just struck me as medieval superstition. Then, as fate would have it, I met, fell in love with and married a man who is a gifted psychic. In addition, many of his family are psychics as well, so I found myself surrounded. (None of them work as professional psychics; they hold regular jobs.) Over the years, I reluctantly began to realize that there might actually be something to psychic phenomena. I have no psychic ability, myself, so I refer to myself as a “psychic bystander.”

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?

My book, Loitering at the Gate to Eternity: Memoirs of a Psychic Bystander is a collection of more than 100 true paranormal stories from everyday people. I approached the subject matter as a professional journalist. I don’t try to tell readers what to believe. I just faithfully retell the stories of others. The book is also filled with information about different types of paranormal phenomena, how they have been viewed through history and studies that have been done in paranormal research.

When did you start writing? 

I had my first written piece published when I was 14, in a poetry anthology. My first paid professional job was at the age of 17, when I wrote a humor column for a local newspaper. But even as a grade school child, I was always writing stories for classmates, so I guess I have had a passion for writing as long as I can remember.

Why do you write? 

I write because I enjoy the process of writing. Most of my writing these days is in the scientific arena, but I also interview people for articles on everything from what it’s like to work in a rock band to the views of a professional college student who’s in her 90s. It’s fun posing questions you could never politely ask otherwise, and I have found that by listening to the experiences of others, you can learn a great deal about life.

What would be your choice for a superpower?
I would like to have the power to heal the sick, both physically and mentally—to relieve suffering in the world.

Who is your favorite author? 

Most of what I read is biographies and histories, so I am not sure I have a favorite author in those genres. However, in fiction, I suppose J.K. Rowling has my admiration for solid writing skills. For gritty realism and characterization in a fantasy, I admire George R.R. Martin. Among the older authors, I always liked the gentle humor of Roger Zelazny, and Kate Wilhelm is quite skilled in conveying a great deal in remarkably concise writing.

What are you reading now? 

I’m on the fourth book in The Game of Thrones series. Actually, I am waiting for my daughter to lend me the fourth volume. In the meantime, I’m reading a vintage Star Trek book titled Spock Messiah.

Who is your favorite character to write? 

I write nonfiction, so I don’t create characters, but I enjoy engaging in conversation with people I interview and listening to their personal stories.

Do you have a writing process? 

I just sit down and start writing. It’s a discipline and after all these decades it comes as naturally as breathing in and out.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 

Pursue your passion.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

My mother was a writer and she encouraged me to have fun with it.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

I don’t watch a great deal of current television. I watch old series on DVDs. My husband and I are now in the process of watching the entire run of FarScape. Before that, we watched the entire run of the original Star Trek and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

What are your current projects?

I am planning to begin work on my second book sometime this spring. In the meantime, I have book signings and lectures for my current book.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? 

Be open-minded about life and about the books you read. I remember when I was in college that I was an ardent pacifist, so I took a History of Warfare class along with the ROTC candidates because I wanted to understand a different viewpoint. I learned not to be a fanatic. Few things in life are clear cut. No viewpoint works all the time. In the case of psychic phenomena, I definitely didn’t believe in them, but over the years, after many inexplicable experiences, my viewpoint has softened. Anything is possible and books offer the opportunity to broaden your experience through the eyes of others and deepen your understanding of the world around you.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Cats
Coffee or tea? Tea
Favorite food? Duck
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Cell phone, purse, car keys
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? George Carlin, Tycho Brahe, Boadicea
TV or Movies? TV







Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  & my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Wake The Dead Free This Saturday!


Wake the Dead is live on AMAZON and exclusively available through the KDP Select program. It will be going FREE this Saturday, 3/22/14 all day! I hope you enjoy it and if you happen to download a free copy, PLEASE try to leave a review!

(Again, this book is intended only for mature audiences)


When Alex's idyllic life becomes hell on earth in the face of a zombie apocalypse, his survival skills keep him one step ahead of danger. With the companionship of a lone wolf, Alex begins to accept this cruel existence, struggling at times to keep a moral compass, and setting out on a new quest of hope where he not only wants to survive, but also seeks to thrive in a world besieged by the living dead.







Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  & my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Zombies are coming...


I finally have a release date planned for Wake The Dead and will let everyone know that it will coincide with a FREE KDP select day! That's right, you can grab a copy of Wake The Dead for FREE on March 21, 2014 when it launches live on Amazon!

In celebration of the release, Chapter 2 is live on WattPad right now! Check it out! 



wrap around cover with text





Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  & my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.