Hello, all. Welcome back to the blog hop. I hope you'll take time to visit the five bloggers linked below, following the Q&A. Thanks to Roland Mann for tagging me.
1: What is the title of your book?
It's Midnight Eyes.
Originally, it was Dark Eyes, but I published a story by that name focusing on totally different subject matter by another author in my podcast. The title was perfect for that short story, so I thought something different might be in order for my tale.
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
I find there's not one single idea for a book but actually a series of ideas. It's inspired loosely by one true story and fueled by facts about a rare psychological disorder. It also draws on my experiences working as a newspaper reporter and often covering the police beat.
3: What genre does your book come under?
Thriller with horror elements or serial killer thriller, though it's got some mystery elements. It's Seven territory, I suppose.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, wow. I've been trying to convince some producers it would make a great film, especially since it's set in Louisiana where there are nice economic incentives for production companies.
I'm not a casting expert but maybe Ryan Gossling for my criminologist Wayland Hood. There's a good role for an older actor as the hero's sheriff father. Could Kurt Russell be Ryan Gossling's dad?
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When a series of brutal murders plague his Louisiana jurisdiction, Sheriff Ty Hood has to turn to the last person he wants for help, his ex-FBI agent son.
6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
I was reped by an agent once who was more devoted to romance. It was published by Crossroad Press. It's a very active independent with titles by Clive Barker, Jack Ketchum, Tom Piccirilli and many more. First Crossroad brought out my previously published books, and then this one. I wrote it as part of what was supposed to be a segue from horror to thriller once upon a time, but it missed one wave or another in the markets. I put it away, but this seemed like a good time to rewrite it and bring it forward.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Probably six or eight months. The rewrite took four to six.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Well, I hate to compare, though I just did it above, didn't I? It's in the Silence of the Lambs mold. It's not as dark as I Was Dora Suarez, but it moves into some grim territory. There's, I think, an interesting action sequence at the end. That came about because I was working as a reference librarian at the time I was first writing it. A man came in for information on a topic, and as I read about it, I thought: this would make a great ending for a book.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
It came on the heels of my newspaper experience, and there's a lot of that in the book. I lived and observed a lot covering the crime beat. This is all of that, how cops work, how cops and reporters clash, how editors drive reporters. There's a lot wrong with the media today, but a lot of people have the wrong conception about reporters. No one's perfect in this story, and the focus is more on the cops, but there's a taste of cop and media clashes, and a taste of how cooperation can work.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's a mystery and a thriller, so there's a plot that has some questions in the mix. One positive reviewer gave me a lecture on the mystery side of the coin, but I like the way the story hangs together.
Now jump to some more authors with interesting books to discuss.
Alphabetical by first name:
Avery Debow
Charles Gramlich
Dave Jeffrey
M.F. Korn
Wayne Allen Sallee
1: What is the title of your book?
It's Midnight Eyes.
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
I find there's not one single idea for a book but actually a series of ideas. It's inspired loosely by one true story and fueled by facts about a rare psychological disorder. It also draws on my experiences working as a newspaper reporter and often covering the police beat.
3: What genre does your book come under?
Thriller with horror elements or serial killer thriller, though it's got some mystery elements. It's Seven territory, I suppose.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, wow. I've been trying to convince some producers it would make a great film, especially since it's set in Louisiana where there are nice economic incentives for production companies.
I'm not a casting expert but maybe Ryan Gossling for my criminologist Wayland Hood. There's a good role for an older actor as the hero's sheriff father. Could Kurt Russell be Ryan Gossling's dad?
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When a series of brutal murders plague his Louisiana jurisdiction, Sheriff Ty Hood has to turn to the last person he wants for help, his ex-FBI agent son.
6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
I was reped by an agent once who was more devoted to romance. It was published by Crossroad Press. It's a very active independent with titles by Clive Barker, Jack Ketchum, Tom Piccirilli and many more. First Crossroad brought out my previously published books, and then this one. I wrote it as part of what was supposed to be a segue from horror to thriller once upon a time, but it missed one wave or another in the markets. I put it away, but this seemed like a good time to rewrite it and bring it forward.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Probably six or eight months. The rewrite took four to six.
Well, I hate to compare, though I just did it above, didn't I? It's in the Silence of the Lambs mold. It's not as dark as I Was Dora Suarez, but it moves into some grim territory. There's, I think, an interesting action sequence at the end. That came about because I was working as a reference librarian at the time I was first writing it. A man came in for information on a topic, and as I read about it, I thought: this would make a great ending for a book.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
It came on the heels of my newspaper experience, and there's a lot of that in the book. I lived and observed a lot covering the crime beat. This is all of that, how cops work, how cops and reporters clash, how editors drive reporters. There's a lot wrong with the media today, but a lot of people have the wrong conception about reporters. No one's perfect in this story, and the focus is more on the cops, but there's a taste of cop and media clashes, and a taste of how cooperation can work.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's a mystery and a thriller, so there's a plot that has some questions in the mix. One positive reviewer gave me a lecture on the mystery side of the coin, but I like the way the story hangs together.
Now jump to some more authors with interesting books to discuss.
Alphabetical by first name:
Avery Debow
Charles Gramlich
Dave Jeffrey
M.F. Korn
Wayne Allen Sallee
4 comments:
I really liked the ending, one of the more original action sequences I've read!
I appreciate that. It was a lot of fun to write.
Great post, Sid! I kept looking for the "like" button! ;)
Thanks, I appreciate that!
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