Words with the Author

D.J. Williams on Travel, Fighting Child Trafficking, and The Disillusioned

by Casee Marie on April 10, 2013 · 3 comments

Following yesterday’s review of The Disillusioned, I’m delighted to have author D.J. Williams on the blog today to discuss his upcoming novel and some of the subjects behind it. You can read about The Disillusioned and find my review of it over here. Thank you to Mr. Williams for kindly taking the time to answer these questions; The Disillusioned will be published on May 1, 2013 from WestBow Press and is available now for pre-order (links below).

Author D.J. Williams
“The disconnect between religion
and the poor is what kept me writing…”

Religion and child trafficking are the two central pillars of the The Disillusioned’s story. How did the concept for focusing on these two subjects come together? Did you know from the beginning that you wanted to draw the story into an African setting?

When I started writing The Disillusioned I asked myself some tough questions about today’s religious landscape. I dialed in on a prestigious Christian family and the story took off from there. I’ve been behind the scenes of many churches and I’ve walked the dirt roads of the poor. I found it intriguing that for many who pursue their calling in the church these two pillars are still worlds apart, especially in the U.S. We’ve seen how success can change religious leaders when their pursuit of sharing the Gospel becomes a life filled with self-ambition inside professional religion. I had a ninety-two year old friend tell me once that the greatest difference he has seen in today’s religious institutions is that many are pursuing a career instead of a calling. All of this is happening while the poor are still starving, still being sold into slavery, and still dying each day. The disconnect between religion and the poor is what kept me writing until the last page and I don’t think the story is over.

Now, before anyone writes me an email disputing the paragraph above I will say this…I have many friends who are leaders in churches throughout the world. I’m not saying that all of them are self-ambitious or power hungry tycoons. But, I will say that if we believe this side of the church does not exist then we are fooling ourselves and missing the mark in our faith.

As far as the story taking readers to Africa, I didn’t know that was going to happen. I didn’t even know it would involve human trafficking. The deeper I went with the characters the story just took me there. Once I realized it was an important thread I knew that there was a message I wanted to convey. Sure, I wanted the story to be entertaining, suspenseful, and filled with a shadow of mystery that kept readers guessing until the last page. I also wanted to challenge readers to look at the faith they believe in, the life they are living, and ask themselves how they can make a difference in the lives of those in need.

You’re certainly an experienced traveler – born in Hong Kong, living now in LA, with everything from the Amazon and Africa in between. Did you find that your travel inspired any of Sam’s reactions to being abroad in the novel?

I have been very fortunate to be given opportunities to travel the world. Growing up in Hong Kong immersed me in a variety of cultures and I think that shaped my view of the world from a young age. When I decided that The Disillusioned was going to Africa I knew exactly where the places would be because I had been to many of them myself. It definitely helped in the writing process because I was describing places I remembered and people who had crossed my path. I tried to infuse a bit of my life experience in both Danny and Sam, just enough for readers to relate to the adventure of traveling to a foreign land.

“I decided before The Disillusioned was finished that I wanted to do
what I could to help make a difference.”

The Disillusioned does a powerful job of raising awareness of the harsh reality of child trafficking. What can readers do to help in the fight against this tragedy?

As many of us know, millions are being sold into slavery. Human trafficking is the second fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world. It is not just something that is happening in third world countries, it is happening here in the U.S. as well. Knowing that is reality I decided before The Disillusioned was finished that I wanted to do what I could to help make a difference. So, for every book sold we are making a donation to the “Let’s Respond” Campaign, which is headed up by the F.A.C.T. Alliance in Orange County, CA.

They are focused on building aftercare facilities for victims, both nationally and internationally. Without aftercare, rescue is futile, as statistically, victims tend to go back to the only life they know unless they have strong alternatives. Currently, the campaign is focused on building an aftercare village in Africa, a victim support facility in Northern California, and has partnered with The Love 146 Roundhome in the Philippines. I am excited that The Disillusioned will be a part of helping this great organization.

If you’re interested in learning more about them you can visit www.LetsRespond.com or you can contact me on my website at www.djwilliamsbooks.com

Prior to writing The Disillusioned you did a lot of work producing and directing for television. Did you find that your experience with that method of storytelling affected your approach to novel writing?

I think working in any type of creative media helps when you crossover into another aspect of visual or written storytelling. In all of these areas you’re trying to tell a story that is compelling for the viewer/reader. You need to grab their attention and then keep it throughout. That’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned from the projects I’ve been involved in. Also, on the television side I work mainly as a producer or director so it’s a different frame of mind from writing. I’m always watching the clock, the schedule, the shots and making sure I’m getting what we need to cut an episode together. For me, writing The Disillusioned was an escape from all of that. I took my time. I wrote alone. No one read a single word until I was nearly finished. It was much more solitary than directing or producing, which I enjoyed.

Last but not least, what project (or projects) are you working on now? Readers could possibly imagine a sequel to The Disillusioned; is that something you might pursue in the future?

I have a 4-book series that has been shopped around over the last year and is still trying to find a home. I’m going to shelve it for now because there is a story I’ve been researching over the last three years. I think I’m finally ready to write it. It’s filled with rich characters from the 1920′s and present day whose lives collide. My hope is it will keep readers guessing, leaving them on the edge of their seats, trying to figure out how these two eras will unfold in the story. With The Disillusioned ready to hit the shelves I’m finding myself once again standing on the edge ready to jump back into the deep end. As far as a sequel to The Disillusioned…I will let the readers decide. I will say that I have outlined the second book already just in case. Wish me luck!

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With the DNA of a world traveler, Williams was born in Hong Kong, has ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East, to share stories of those who are overcoming incredible odds. Williams is the co-author of Restoration Road with Mitch Kruse and ghostwrites for other fiction authors. He has also produced and directed over 140 television episodes syndicated on NBC, ABC, FOX and various cable networks worldwide. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife.

Connect with D.J.: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
Buy The Disillusioned: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Ross Poore and Ryan Poore on Extremism, Civil Rights, and The Blood Doctrine

by Casee Marie on April 2, 2013 · 0 comments

in Words with the Author

Joining us today on Literary Inklings are authors Ross Poore and Ryan Poore, a father-and-son team whose debut novel, The Blood Doctrine, is available today. The novel tells the story of a startling murder and the detectives who are on the case; Aaron Lee, a Mormon missionary, has murdered a homosexual man in the streets of Salt Lake City, an act that traces through the history of religious extremism and the archaic concept of blood atonement. The Blood Doctrine‘s authors kindly took the time to answer some of my questions on the inspiration for the book and how they handle the novel’s controversies.

The Blood Doctrine by Ross Poore and Ryan Poore

The Blood Doctrine, available today

The Blood Doctrine‘s premise is a powerful and controversial one, which undoubtedly required a lot of confidence to purse. Could you talk a bit about the inspiration behind the novel?

Ryan: One very strong influence for The Blood Doctrine came into play when the LDS Church backed Proposition 8 in California. This was the bill that would block same-sex marriage in the state if passed. I believe everyone should be treated equally and I didn’t agree with the LDS Church’s stance. I already had a concept story in mind about a Mormon missionary who would murder in the name of his religion. And once Proposition 8 came into play I merged the two ideas and wondered what would happen if a Mormon missionary murdered a gay man in the city the LDS Church calls home, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ross: I believe that when the LDS church became active in Proposition 8 spending over $30 million they created an atmosphere in which their position was open to discussion and evaluation. Proposition 8 eliminated the right of gay individuals to marry as guaranteed in the California Constitution. As a tax free organization the LDS church formally entered the political arena and deserved to have their position reviewed. The Blood Doctrine examines the LDS church’s position in terms of the rights of gay Americans and the concept of blood atonement. Civil rights movements always prevail. That should provide comfort. In historical perspective the LDS position on homosexuality will fall—human dignity and respect will always be the dominant position of society.

While the Mormon practice of “blood atonement” is an element from the 19th century The Blood Doctrine is a modern-day story. How difficult was it to translate the practice into current times?

“…human dignity and respect will always be the dominant position of society.”- Ross Poore

Ryan: The interesting part of The Blood Doctrine is that we weave in historical and modern day elements throughout the story. Blood atonement may have been used more in the 1800’s than it is in present day but it doesn’t mean that it still does not exist in one form or another. In fact, in present times, Utah was one of the last states to ban execution by firing squad. This is actually a form of blood atonement. The motive behind the blood atonement is what we explain in The Blood Doctrine.

Ross: An examination of history in Utah during the past 40 years is ripe with examples of violence. Ervil LeBaron, the polygamist leader was credited with numerous murders. Dan and Ron Lafferty were tried and convicted of the brutal murder of their niece and sister-in-law because she was going to leave their brother and the practice of polygamy. Their bodies were found in the home in 1983 with their throats cut in what could be called an atonement killing. The Lafferty brothers claimed a revelation from God. There are a number of other examples that could be mentioned. The LDS Church rejects the premise that they ever practiced blood atonement. LDS Church history and the statements of church leaders contradicts that position.

From the perspective of a courtroom drama The Blood Doctrine examines historical texts and practices that ultimately explore the threads of extremism woven into the history of the Mormon religion. Why did you think this was an important story to tell?

Ryan: There are extremes everywhere in the world and we are not trying to state the case that this would happen to everyone who is raised in the Mormon religion by any stretch of the imagination. This is one of the avenues we chose to show how impressionable someone who was raised in a specific environment could potentially turn out. We wanted to show how a strong religious allegiance could be formed in the mind of a young person while learning what is right and wrong as deemed by their church.

“We wanted to show how a strong religious allegiance could be formed in the mind of a young person while learning what is right and wrong as deemed by their church.”- Ryan Poore

Ross: It is important to recognize that when a church has a prophet that speaks for God there can be unanticipated actions on the part of members who take church doctrine and the words of a living prophet literally. There are two current examples cited in the book. The Blood Doctrine uses an individual that has personality defects as a vehicle to discuss LDS church doctrine and practice. It would be wrong to conclude that the church is full of individuals that are capable of the behavior exhibited by Aaron Lee in the book. As a perspective, it must be kept in mind that the Mountain Meadow Massacre in 1857 in which over 120 men, women, and children were brutally murdered by church members in southern Utah in the largest massacre in the United States prior to 911. The LDS Church, as do other religions, have a history and past culture of violence. It is their history. I did not create or invent it, I wrote about it.

As religious disputes continue to play a prominent role in the social atmosphere literature maintains its position as a powerful tool for shaping the conversation. What do you hope readers will take away from the story of The Blood Doctrine?

Ryan: I would like everyone to accept people for who they are and treat others as they would like to be treated. There are consequences for your actions.

Ross: It is important to remember that when individuals hold themselves out as prophets of God they need to recognize that their words can lead to consequences that can cause other individuals extreme pain. There are always consequences for your words and deeds and actions. My hope is that all people will be treated with respect and dignity.

“There are always consequences for your words and deeds and actions. My hope is that all people will be treated with respect and dignity.”- Ross Poore

The Blood Doctrine was the first novel you wrote as a team; do you plan to further write – either together or apart – on the topics this novel explores?

Ryan: Yes, we do plan on writing more novels together and are in the middle of writing our next story about another big social issue. We won’t rule out a story in the future that deals with similar topics in The Blood Doctrine but we don’t currently have any plans for one.

Ross: We are currently in the middle of writing our next novel which is a murder mystery. As a team we do not currently have plans to write anything similar to The Blood Doctrine. I am investigating writing a book that explores topics from past LDS history related to the Danites, an organization known for violent acts in protecting the early interests of the church. I also have an interest in the history and culture of violence in all religions.

About the authors:
Ross Poore and Ryan Poore are the authors of the debut novel The Blood Doctrine, available April 2, 2013 in paperback and e-book formats from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. More information about The Blood Doctrine – including press materials and references – can be found on TheBloodDoctrine.com.

Follow the authors: Website| Facebook | Twitter
Buy the book: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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John A. Heldt on Time Travel Fiction, Historical Research, and the Northwest Passage Series

by Casee Marie on March 11, 2013 · 1 comment

in Words with the Author

John A. Heldt independently published his debut novel, The Mine (reviewed 10/12) , in February of 2012. The novel told the story of Joel Smith, a fresh-faced college student whose trip into an abandoned mine sends him back in time to Seattle in 1941. Heldt continued his time travel series in November with The Journey (reviewed 12/12), which saw forty-something Michelle Preston lost in the 1960s with her high school self. Now, just over a year later, Heldt is releasing his third title in the Northwest Passage series, The Show. I’ve greatly enjoyed this series and I’m looking forward to reading The Show in the next few months, but today I’m very excited to be hosting the author for a Q&A to discuss the writing and researching that goes into a time travel story and his experiences with the Northwest Passage series at large. Many thanks to John for taking the time to share his answers!

The Mine (Northwest Passage #1) by John A. Heldt

The Mine, part one in the Northwest Passage series
“I’ve been able to write the kind of stories I’ve dreamed about writing for years and market them to readers who truly appreciate them.”

How did the idea for the Northwest Passage series come about?

The idea for the series followed the enthusiastic reception of The Mine. I gave the matter a lot of thought and ultimately decided that I could produce an entire series around modern-day protagonists who travel back to a critical time in the twentieth century and confront people and problems that they still consider recent history. I chose to set each of the books in the Pacific Northwest because that is the region I know. It is home.

While time-travel is enduring among readers, it’s also a notoriously daring medium for a writer to take on. What has the experience of writing time-travel stories been like?

For the most part, it’s been a profoundly positive experience. I’ve been able to write the kind of stories I’ve dreamed about writing for years and market them to readers who truly appreciate them. But I have encountered a few bumps along the way. By choosing to write time-travel stories that elevate the fiction over the science in science fiction, I have run afoul of some who believe that time-travel novels should follow rigid rules. I do respect that school of thought, but I do not feel bound by it. As an author, my first priority is to provide readers with an entertaining story. I want my readers to laugh and cry – hopefully in the right places – as they follow my characters through time and not get bogged down by the technical aspects of something that even physicists in 2011 declared was impossible.

The Journey (Northwest Passage #2) by John A. Heldt

The Journey, part two in the Northwest Passage series
“Little things matter to readers, which is why I have tried my best to take care of the little things.”

One of my favorite things about the books in the Northwest Passage series is the terrific period detail. Has your historical research ever prompted you to take a story down a different road? Do you have a particular process for researching a novel during the book’s development?

I take great pride in this. Little things matter to readers, which is why I have tried my best to take care of the little things. When I wrote The Mine, I consulted no fewer than a dozen subject experts on things ranging from the flora on Mount Rainier to the particulars of the peacetime draft to the costs of goods and services in 1941. When I wanted to know whether it was possible to fly commercially between Seattle and Montana in 1941, I found an answer by emailing a man in Sweden who collected old airline schedules. I did similar research for The Show, set primarily in 1918 and 1919. I poured through old newspapers, yearbooks, and photographs and contacted librarians, archivists, and subject experts. I didn’t do as much for The Journey because that story was set in a time (1979-1980) and a place (eastern Oregon) I know like the back of my hand. On a few occasions, I have made minor changes in a story in the name of historical accuracy. In The Mine, for example, I originally had “Chattanooga Choo Choo” streaming out of Tom Carter’s car radio on a date with Ginny Gillette in July 1941. But the hit by the Glenn Miller Orchestra did not become a staple on the airwaves until weeks later, so I substituted another song.

The Show (Northwest Passage #3) by John A. Heldt

The Show, part three in the Northwest Passage series
“The Show is a book that takes risks and heads down paths that some might find unsettling.”

The Mine gave us a love story in 1941 while The Journey focused on the friendship between time-traveler Michelle and her younger self in the 1970s. What can readers expect from The Show?

They can expect the best-written book of the three and a thoughtful story told by a young but mature female protagonist. The Show is a roller-coaster ride that moves from 1941 to 2000 to 2002 to 1918, but it has one constant that keeps the reader grounded – and that constant is Grace Vandenberg. We see her in various stages of life – as a friend, a wife, a mother, a niece, and, oddly enough, a daughter. She is as much the heart and soul of The Show as Joel Smith is of The Mine. The Show is also very closely tied to The Mine. Several lingering questions from the first book are answered in the sequel and several characters from my debut novel are cast in new roles. The Show is a book that takes risks and heads down paths that some might find unsettling. But like the other two books, it has a powerful positive message.

Lastly, what can we expect to see from you next? Do you have plans to write additional novels in the Northwest Passage series?

I plan to publish the fourth book of the five-part series by the end of this year. In that book, Kevin Johnson, the son of Brian and Shelly Johnson of The Journey and a student of Professor Joel Smith’s, will travel as a 22-year-old in 2013 to Wallace, Idaho, in 1910. He will see Halley’s comet, fall in love, and experience the Big Burn, the largest wildfire in U.S. history. The fifth book also will feature the grown children of characters from an early book, the twin daughters of Joel and Grace, but it will be set in Seattle in 1964. After that, I will probably move on to historical fiction.

Add the Northwest Passage series to your Goodreads shelf

About John A. Heldt
John A. Heldt is a reference librarian who lives and works in Montana. The former award-winning sportswriter and newspaper editor has loved reading and writing since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of both the University of Oregon and University of Iowa, he is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. Heldt is the author of THE MINE, THE JOURNEY, and THE SHOW, the first three novels of his Northwest Passage time-travel series.

Visit John: Website/Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Shelfari
Buy the books: The Mine | The Journey | The Show

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Author Q&A: Maxine Schnall & Ken Salikof (as Maxine Kenneth) on Jackie Bouvier and Spy in a Little Black Dress

by Casee Marie on October 18, 2012 · 2 comments

in Words with the Author

Today I’m very excited to be hosting Maxine Schnall and Ken Salikof – the collaborative authors of Spy in a Little Black Dress and Paris to Die For as Maxine Kenneth. Maxine and Ken kindly took the time to answer a few questions exploring the concept of their series, which follows a young Jackie Bouvier through life as a CIA agent, and what the process of writing as a team has been like. Thanks to the authors for their insightful answers!

Spy in a Little Black Dress was inspired by an actual letter Jackie wrote that indicated a job offer from the CIA. What motivated you to bring the “what-ifs” of Jackie’s potential spy life into the realm of creative fiction?

Paris to Die For
“The challenge would be to take the facts of her life…and blend them into an out-of-body existence.”- Maxine Schnall

Maxine: It was Ken’s idea to do a “what-if” of Jackie as a spy after learning of 21-year-old Jacqueline Bouvier’s letter to Vogue stating that she was going to accept a job offer from the CIA. After starting work on the project, he placed an ad in Craig’s List seeking a woman collaborator to develop his outline and first few chapters into a full-fledged novel. I was seeking a co-author for a mystery novel concept of my own, but when I answered his ad and read the material he sent me, including a copy of Jackie’s letter filed in the John F. Kennedy Library, I was hooked. I had always admired Jackie for giving us a taste of American royalty as First Lady in the Camelot days and for the way she handled her husband’s assassination with such incredible courage and class. The challenge would be to take the facts of her life, both known and uncovered through research, and blend them into an out-of-body existence that readers could experience vicariously along with her fictional character.

Ken: I don’t think motivated is quite the right word here. I found out about the letter and instantly the plot of the first book, Paris to Die For, unfolded in my mind. So I just started doing the research and the writing without too much in the way of forethought or deliberation. I just followed my instincts and decided to go for it.

Why do you think fictitious stories about iconic figures from history have become so popular?

Maxine: I can see why bringing historical iconic figures into fiction – Dorothy Parker, Jane Austen, and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few who’ve been done – has become a popular trend. For one thing, the character, a fascinating one with a huge built-in following, has already been established and doesn’t have to be created out of whole cloth. Plus, when you’re working with an icon familiar to everyone, there’s a lot of fun to be had when the reader knows some things that are going to happen to the character before the character does. Then there’s the additional advantage of uncovering startling facts about the character through research that give the lie to the public image and create buzz. I was surprised to learn, for example, that growing up with an alcoholic father and sometimes physically abusive mother and being in a tenuous financial position in her adoptive home differed from the wholly privileged childhood most of us thought Jackie had. And finally, there’s the “Walter Mitty factor” that draws writers and readers to the imagined lives of famous icons.

We all like to fantasize about our own lives and how they might be different, and this type of book appeals to that daydream tendency.

How has writing as a team affected the process for both of you? Is there a strong difference between writing together and writing solitary projects?

Maxine: Writing as a team was an expansive experience for me. Except for my one novel and a screenplay, most of my work before this project had been nonfiction, primarily in the fields of neuro/social psychology and marital and family life. I came into the spy thriller genre as much a fish out of water as Jackie was. Luckily, Ken was an expert in this field, and we easily fell into a natural division of labor: he handled the “guy” stuff (the action-adventure scenes, the mystery element, and the espionage angle) and I handled the “girl” stuff (the scene-setting, character development, and romance). Although our writing styles were different, we were able to make adjustments and act as each other’s editor so that the whole thing came off seamlessly in that regard.

The strongest difference between writing together and writing solitary projects is how much time you save by dividing the work in half, but you can’t be territorial about it. You do have to relinquish some pride of ownership in your work and be open to your collaborator’s vision and suggestions rather than cling to your own preferences. The tradeoff for sharing the responsibility is a loss of freedom, but I thoroughly enjoyed the brainstorming process and found it to be a spur to creativity.

Ken: Yes, there’s a big difference. When you write with a partner, you have to work hard to create a unified vision of the finished book. To insure that, in both Paris to Die For and Spy in a Little Black Dress, I created a detailed outline of the story, broken down into chapters. We then divvied up the chapters to write, and traded them off when we were finished to insure the continuity of the writing.

Spy in a Little Black Dress by Maxine Kenneth

Spy in a Little Black Dress
“When you write with a partner, you have to work hard to create a unified vision of the finished book.”- Ken Salikof

Spy in a Little Black Dress is the second book in your series of Jackie Kennedy spy novels; the first taking her to Paris alongside the Duchess of Windsor and Audrey Hepburn. What’s next for Jackie?

Maxine: We’ve discussed having Jackie sent to England in 1953 to cover the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as The Times-Herald‘s Inquiring Camera Girl, but in her undercover assignment, to prevent a plot to assassinate the Queen from being carried out.

Ken: Well, I’m currently working out the story for Jackie’s next adventure. But inspired by a photograph I came across in the course of my research, I expect that Jackie will start out rubbing elbows with Jack Kerouac and his Beat pals in San Francisco. But that’s about all I want to give away at this point.

I thought Spy in a Little Black Dress would be collaboration between two people. But it turned out that there was a third collaborator who signed on for the book – Jackie Bouvier. As I started to write this new Jackie spy adventure, I saw that Jackie wasn’t behaving as she had in the first one, Paris to Die For. She was more confident, more decisive, moved through the world in a slightly different way. And I realized that this was because the Jackie of Spy had grown through her experiences in the first book and was telling me that she was a new person now, not the Jackie of Paris, not the Jackie of the history books, but one who had achieved independent life on the page. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to come up with for her third adventure.

About Maxine Schnall
Maxine Schnall is the author of six non-fiction books and one novel, including What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger (Da Capo, 2003); a Pulitzer Prize nominee (Limits: A Search for New Values, Clarkson Potter, 1982); a former contributing editor with Woman’s Day and CBS radio talk show host; and a popular media personality with six appearances on Oprah.

Visit Maxine: Website | Twitter

About Ken Salikof

Ken Salikof is a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, an award-winning screenwriter, and an independent book editor. Ken has sold scripts to New World Cinema, HBO, Nickelodeon, and several independent producers and has edited many bestselling novels.

Visit Ken: Blog | Twitter

Buy Paris to Die For: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BetterWorldBooks
Buy Spy in a Little Black Dress: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BetterWorldBooks