WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Actor and Author Stephen Jared

Stephen Jared, Actor & Author
THE BRUTAL ILLUSION

Actor and author Stephen Jared appreciates movies, books, art, and music from the first half of the 20^th century. This love of 20th century culture resulted in his adventure and crime books set in that time period. His latest crime novel, THE BRUTAL ILLUSION, features a young woman in 1936 Hollywood searching to “fulfill her dream,” but finding a mobster. Reviewers recommend it: “highly entertaining, and loaded with mood, history and suspense.”

As an actor, Jared has appeared in feature films such as, He's Just Not That Into You; and in television shows, such as, iCarly, 24, and Touched by an Angel.  As a writer, Jared's adventures and crime novels include TEN-A-WEAK STEALE and THE ELEPHANTS OF SHANGHAI. He is currently working on his next crime story, which is set in 1956 in the California desert near Hollywood.

Don’t miss the excerpt from his newest crime novel, THE BRUTAL ILLUSION, following his interview.

Q: Both you and reviewers describe your most recent novel, THE BRUTAL ILLUSION, as darker than your previous books.  One reviewer said “Great dark Hollywood story” and that it was “Possibly my favorite of his works.” What caused this shift to the “dark” side?

Stephen Jared: I was driving one night and the whole story hit me. My initial reaction was that it was much darker than I was comfortable with, but then I began to wonder if I could pass up such a story. I think stories are elusive. Unlike most things you work at, it’s not about the hours you put into it. On top of that, I had a lot of darker feelings and personal issues I had never dealt with in my writing and I felt this story could provide a vehicle for letting a lot of those feelings out. I’m not in favor of writing books as a therapeutic exercise; I’m just saying that I felt uniquely well suited to pull this story off.

Q: Jared “has remarkable insight in coming up with these plots and ideas, making them real.” How do you “come up with” your ideas? How do you make them “real?”

Stephen Jared: The two main characters in this story are an actor and a writer. I happen to be both. I’ve always been fascinated by the frail fence between fantasy and reality in people’s lives. I’ve explored this in my previous books, but never to the same degree as in THE BRUTAL ILLUSION. We all need to escape reality at times, but at what point does escape become dangerous? If your whole life is pretending to be someone you’re not (and it’s not just actors who do this), or writing about make-believe characters, do you lose some terrific things by being so disengaged with the real world? THE BRUTAL ILLUSION is a melodramatic crime story, but that’s just ornamentation on the tree. Reality is a dangerous place, and there’s a strong temptation to run from it, but running too far can present new dangers.    

Q:  What draws you to set your books in the first half of the 20^th century?

Stephen Jared: I love movies, books, music and art from the first half of the 20^th century. Those decades will be reflected upon as extraordinary for hundreds of years to come. Much was made to appeal to common people as opposed to an aristocracy, which was a very new thing at the time. Yet, unlike today, the artists competed with tradition. The cinema of the 30s wanted to sell popcorn while competing with the best of Broadway. The modern artists wanted, among other things, to show that more primitive works could compete with the academics. Gershwin wanted his music to appeal to every average Joe while also competing with classical music. 

People with little understanding of art lazily believe the first half of the last century was only about making something new. Most of today’s works are disposable because we’ve moved so far from the classics, and anything that suggests tradition gets dismissed as derivative. So, I’m just far more inspired by those decades and prefer to escape into them when writing. That said, I’d like to write something set in our modern times. I just can’t get a handle on it. I don’t want to write about a guy who texts someone, hoping for a skype chat, and wonders if that might lead to a latte. People live with such high walls around them today, and I just find it uninteresting from a dramatic standpoint, as well as aesthetic. That’s my failing though. It can be done obviously. I just can’t crack it, not yet.

Q: How helpful is the setting of Hollywood to telling your story THE BRUTAL ILLUSION?

Stephen Jared: Hollywood is a place where you can literally walk into a world that is pure fantasy. The city and the movie industry are as important to this story as any other part.

Q: Are your characters based on real people—either historical or alive today? Or are they entirely fictional?

Stephen Jared: They’re a combination of all – historical, fictional, and living today.

Q:  THE BRUTAL ILLUSION is your fourth book. Did you find it easier to write than your first, second, or third? Has writing become easier?

Stephen Jared: Writing has become easier. I’m more confident. I can communicate more clearly, more quickly. But, as I said above, a great story is a difficult thing to catch. You can’t force it. Things seem to fall into place or they don’t. And the story of course is the key. Without that, you’re in big trouble.

Q: As an actor, you obviously read a lot of scripts/screenplays. Have you considered turning any of your books into screenplays? Based on reviews, I think your fans would enjoy seeing them as movies.

Stephen Jared: I certainly wouldn’t be the one to stand in the way of having one of my books made as a film. I used to write screenplays. Jack and the Jungle Lion, which is now included in the sequel novel, The Elephants of Shanghai, was originally a screenplay. It’s a tough trick to pull off. Maybe one day it’ll happen. But I won’t be the one knocking on those doors. My knuckles are too scarred at this point.

Q: Do you outline your stories or do your characters just take you along for the ride?

Stephen Jared: My next one has an extensive outline. THE BRUTAL ILLUSION had nothing. It was all so clear in my head. I didn’t need to write anything down.

Q:  I know you’ve just released your fourth novel, but I’m curious as to what’s next? Will you return to Hollywood for another crime story? Anything new on the acting side of your life?

Stephen Jared: It’s another crime story, set outside Los Angeles in the California desert, 1956. It too is a fairly dark story. As to acting, I just shot a Pepsi commercial in Japan. Was great fun, would love to do more jobs that travel.

Q: In a previous interview, you said when you’re not writing or acting you like to visit art museums and discover artists, especially those in your favorite time period—the first half of the 20^th century. Have you discovered any new artists in the past year? Or what else have you been doing besides writing and acting?

Stephen Jared: There’s a contemporary painter who I’ve admired from a distance for a while. He’s in Southern California, and I just think he’s amazing. Anyway, I reached out to him to see if he’d agree to meet, and if I could interview him. He was extremely gracious. His name is Tony Peters, and you can find that interview here: http://www.stephenjared.com/show-one.php?id=13

About Stephen Jared

As an actor Stephen Jared has appeared in feature films, such as He's Just Not That Into You, and on television in popular shows such as iCarly, 24, and Touched by an Angel (plus commercials for both radio and television). His writings have appeared in various publications. In 2010, his first novel, Jack and the Jungle Lion, received much critical praise, including an Honorable Mention in the 2011 Hollywood Book Festival. Solstice Publishing began releasing his work, starting with Ten-A-Week Steal, hailed as a "fantastic work in the tradition of the old pulp/noir masters." The Elephants of Shanghai continued from where Jack and the Jungle Lion left off (the original story is included in the opening pages of the sequel), and went on to take Second Place at the 2013 Hollywood Book Festival. His latest novel, THE BRUTAL ILLUSION, is now available.

About THE BRUTAL ILLUSION

1936. Hollywood. A young woman struggles to fulfill a dream. She meets a man with connections, becomes overjoyed, and soon feels indebted when she lands a studio contract. At the studio, a young writer takes a shine to her; however, rumors circulate that the man who got her the contract is a mobster. Unbeknownst even to her, the rumors are true, and her dream soon becomes a nightmare.

Excerpt from THE BRUTAL ILLUSION

Allyson often looked at her reflection in the mirror with pleasure. It wasn’t flattery she craved, nor introspection, but illusion. Alone now, seated, she couldn’t look away. She liked the way her reflection had no inner life, no history. It was like a game, and she’d been playing the game ever since she was a little girl, but never had the game been so compelling, never had her reflection been so convincingly someone new, as when she arrived home from the studio on this late September evening and saw herself as a platinum blonde.

She couldn’t stop staring. It was a shock. It completely transformed her. Her beauty changed from one thing to something else entirely. There seemed to be two of her now. One person on the inside with insecurities, a person who felt herself to be nothing special at all, and then the person on the outside who was daring, glamorous, a provocative bombshell.

Earlier at the studio, she’d never received so much attention as when the stylist finished with her. In the last few minutes of the day, she walked across the lot attracting the type of stares typically reserved for movie stars.

While Mr. Leammle gave his approval, he was too busy to look at results. He sent one of his top producers, Edmund Grainger, who was responsible for pictures like Madame Spy and Affairs of a Gentleman, to get the first eyeful of the new Allyson Rockwell. Mr. Grainger was stunned, and said so. He also made the point—something Allyson had not considered—that platinum blondes never got small parts. They stood out too much, usurped too much attention. Therefore, some risk was involved in the creation of this new Allyson Rockwell. Mooning over her though, Mr. Grainger also proclaimed the risk was well worth it.

Flashbulbs burst like fireworks in Allyson’s imagination. She stepped from shiny cars onto red carpets. Hysteria erupted all around her. Allyson wished she could freeze her disposition and feel this way forever. Crossing the studio, having effectively escaped everything she had ever been before, was an unforgettable sensation. She hoped she would see her famous blond friend in every mirror she passed for the rest of her life.

More of the night slipped away. Where shock moved on confidence began to reside. She kept still, staring at herself, on a bridge of calm between two lives. She looked almost like a dessert, she considered, her hair nearly the color of wedding cake.

Without thinking too much—she told herself not to think too much—she stood. She went to a telephone and dialed for a cab. Again she considered that taking the Cabriolet wouldn’t be prudent. As well, certain anxieties had the potential to cut into her newfound strength. She wanted to take her anxieties and tuck them away, leaving them to collect dust in her old life. Over time, she would move away from ever using the Cabriolet again. Eventually, she would leave the Hancock Park home as well. That time would surely come, but for tonight, she reserved the cab, quickly changed her dress, and dabbed her neck with perfume.

Links

Twitter address…@stephen_jared

Amazon

Goodreads

Website

Facebook

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Author Dan Dembiczak

Dan Dembiczak, Author
IMPERFECT  PARADISE

Successful playwright, actor, director, producer, and short story author Dan Dembiczak has published his first novel, IMPERFECT PARADISE.  Reviewers describe it as an “intriguing story of self discovery” and tout Dembiczak's “complex, strong protagonist” and the “backdrop of the Big Island of Hawaii” which “adds to the richness of this story.” Dembiczak himself says that he is “interested in crafting an interesting character.  A human being.”

Dembiczak has always been a writer. Eight of his plays have been produced in Seattle. He has traveled extensively to Hawaii and appreciates its magic.  He gained insight into women, such as his protagonist, having been reared with three sisters, befriending women, and reading women’s self-discovery literature of the late 1800s. He is currently working on his second novel. In between, he likes to garden and is a yoga “fanatic.”

Q: Why did you write a story about a woman’s self-discovery? Do you think it’s difficult for a man to comprehend a woman’s feelings? How did you gain insight?

Dan Dembiczak: The inspiration began with taking the women’s self-discovery stories of the late 1800s and putting it in modern times.  I was most interested in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, a book that spoke to me at an early age and the power of the story has stuck with me for a long time.  In those stories, the woman was always seeking to escape – and unfortunately the only escape route meant her own demise.  I wanted to explore a more positive option, but equally delve into the messiness of figuring out one’s true path. 

As far as comprehending a woman’s feelings and gaining insight, beyond being a huge fan of women’s fiction, I grew up around a lot of women.  I’m the youngest of four siblings, with three older sisters.  So it was like I had four mothers!  I’ve also had some very special female friendships over the years and observed the markedly different experience a woman has even in these modern times. 

Q: Reviewers praise your protagonist in IMPERFECT PARADISE as “complex, strong” and “definitely relatable and easy for readers to root for.”  How do you entice readers to root for or embrace your protagonist Sarah Chizeck? Is she based on a real person?

Dan Dembiczak: I always knew she’d be a challenge for some, much like Edna was in The Awakening.  But I’m very pleased that readers are responding to her realness and identifying with where she’s at in her own awakening.  At first we see this woman on a very decadent Hawaiian honeymoon who seemingly has the perfect life.  Why does she seem so malcontent?  That’s just annoying.  But then as the story unfolds and we learn of her backstory, it becomes more evident that she isn’t living life for herself.  She’s trying to fit into a paradigm her family and society have set for her and ignore her doubts, regrets and misgivings. 

Q: How helpful or relevant to telling your story was the setting of Hawaii?

Dan Dembiczak: Huge!  I don’t think Sarah would have made the same choices or had the same discovery somewhere else.  I actually envisioned this story while running on a beach in Kauai in 2005.  It was my first trip to any of the islands, and a very powerful experience for me.  There is something so intense about the beauty there and the vividness that just leads to a startling clarity.  The sensuousness Sarah experiences on all fronts – the food, the air against her skin, the empathy she begins to experience for other women on the island – all leads to her exploration and ultimate decision to choose a new life. 

The Big Island, in particular, is such a magical place.  I’ve been there so many times and yet each visit it’s like I’m falling in love all over again.  And it’s not the glitzy resorts.  It’s the small little ice shave shack or an undiscovered black sand beach.  Beauty is hiding in every corner waiting for the right person to discover and appreciate it. 

Q: Did you write IMPERFECT PARADISE to entertain readers or also to deliver a message?

Dan Dembiczak: Absolutely both.  I mean, who doesn’t want to read a bit of sizzle that takes place on a tropical honeymoon?  So I think the relationship between Sarah and Kalei and Sarah’s exploration of the island is a highly entertaining reading experience.  At the same time, I was very much hoping to convey a message of freedom and hope.  That it’s never too late to start living an authentic life, even if you’ve made huge commitments.  I’m not trying to start a movement for women to leave their husbands, though! 

Q: In addition to IMPERFECT PARADISE, a novel, you have also written short stories, plays (of which eight were produced in Seattle), and articles. Which do you enjoy writing the most? Why?

Dan Dembiczak: It’s changed over the years.  As a kid I began writing short books and going to young writer’s conferences with them.  I then took up short stories and poetry.  In middle school I wrote my first screenplay.  My dad was working nights at the time and photocopied enough copies for me to do a reading with friends.  Then in high school we had an assignment to make a movie and it came to life!  In college I majored in creative writing and worked on short stories and started a novel.  Then the theater bug hit me and I spent many years writing plays.  And I really found a love of writing characters and dialogue.  For me, it’s really important for each individual character to have a unique voice.  So the years in theater really honed that for me.  When I decided to take a break from theater, it felt like the perfect time to sit down and write this novel that had been marinating in my brain for years. 

So I would say that right now writing novels is the most satisfying for where I’m at in my life.  But I’m not closing any doors on plays or screenplays.  Writing articles has always been a way for me to keep my writing sharp and stay involved in the community.   I’m sure I’ll continue with that always as a way to stay connected.

Q: Is the concept of “villains vs heroes” or “antagonist vs protagonist” relevant to your books? What makes an interesting villain and hero? Do you need one to have the other?

The "good vs evil” mentality may work well in action movies, but in my writing I’m more interested in the gray area. We’re all just a product of our experiences.  I like to explore both the darker and lighter sides of characters.  Sarah is no grand heroine, but she’s not a villain either.  And neither is her husband or Kalei or her family.  I love it when I read a story or watch a film and leave with mixed emotions.  I think I’m less interested in what makes an interesting villain or hero and more interested in crafting an interesting character.  A human being. 

Q: Do your characters lead you to write what they want? Or do you draft an outline and stick to it?

Dan Dembiczak: I draft an outline, but I keep it pretty skeletal at first so that the characters can emerge and lead to spontaneity. For IMPERFECT PARADISE, I stuck pretty close to the overall plot outline, but there were scenes that were born naturally as I was writing them.  For example, the subplot with Sarah’s obsession with the cat in the parking lot was not something I had originally put into the outline. 

Q: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Dan Dembiczak: I can’t really remember not having an interest in it.  In kindergarten I was very shy and loved to read.  Writing has always been a way for me to keep company with anyone I want to create.

Q:  What’s next?

Dan Dembiczak: I’m writing my second novel titled The Hardest Pose is Corpse Pose.  It’s written through four main characters’ points of view, some first person and some third person.  It follows a married couple living in South Seattle and facing marital problems.  The wife is a yoga instructor and trying to come to terms with her husband’s infidelity and an unexplained illness that’s struck her.  The family dog is also one of the characters and offers a very different perspective on what’s going on at home.  Each character is struggling with an issue related to faith, whether that be their lack of or a reconciliation with a belief system that’s been in place for a number of years.

Q:  Tell us about Dan Dembiczak. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Dan Dembiczak: I’m fortunate enough to have a decent sized yard and enjoy gardening.  I am a yoga fanatic.  I try to practice every day.  I love food, movies, reading and getting to the Big Island as much as I can.

About Dan Dembiczak

Dan Dembiczak is a Seattle native who began writing stories as soon as he could spell. He earned a BA in creative writing from the University of Washington, and has worked extensively in local theater as a playwright, actor, director, and producer. Eight of his plays were produced in Seattle, including the popular four-part Capitol Hill High series, and a number of his articles and short stories have appeared in publications in Seattle and Los Angeles.

Dembiczak has traveled extensively to the Hawaiian islands, particularly the Big Island, where he was married in 2008, and considers Hawai'i his second home. He primarily resides in Seattle with his husband, dog, and chickens, and is currently working on his second novel, The Hardest Pose is Corpse Pose, which tells the tale of a yoga teacher facing change, adultery, and, possibly, death.

About IMPERFECT PARADISE

For thirty-two-year-old Sarah Chizeck, marriage was not an option, but an expectation. She was raised to believe that a woman’s main focus is to get married and start a family, and she put everything else on hold to accomplish this goal.

So when she finally marries her boyfriend of five years, Sarah and her family are ecstatic. But underneath Sarah’s smiles, something else is lurking.

Sarah’s career and personal interests were not all she put on hold to pursue marriage. She also put her feelings on the backburner and buried her emotions. But when she reluctantly goes to Hawai’i for her honeymoon, these things come to the surface, and she is both pleased and alarmed by the sensory experiences she encounters.

Terrified by her attraction to a handsome young concierge, Sarah is forced to confront her new feelings, as well as what she previously ignored, and she ultimately comes to shocking revelations about her upbringing, marriage, and future.

IMPERFECT PARADISE tells the compelling story of Sarah’s internal awakening and delivers a powerful message about hope, happiness, and finding your place in the world. A classic romance with a contemporary twist, it is sure to appeal to fans of modern, liberating fiction.

Author and Purchase Links

Amazon listing  

twitter:  @imperparadise

Goodreads 

Facebook  

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Author Andrew Clawson

Andrew Clawson, Author
DARK TIDES RISING
A PATRIOT'S BETRAYAL
THE CROWN'S VENGEANCE

Andrew Clawson just released his latest present-day thriller using history to entice readers, DARK TIDES RISING. Reviewers describe Clawson’s books as, “historically intriguing,” “fast-paced thrillers,” and “true-to-life well developed characters.” Clawson says his interest in the past combines with his curiosity to explore small moments with a big impact. He says he creates suspense more through dialogue than back story, and divulges his characters slowly.

Clawson lives in Pennsylvania, loves to read, seeks out the sun, and “of course a good craft beer will always get my attention.”

Be sure to check out the excerpt from DARK TIDES RISING following his interview.

Q:  What inspired you to use history to tell modern day thrillers?

Andrew Clawson: The biggest inspiration is a lifelong interest in our past, which bred a fascination with understanding not only where we came from, but looking beyond the surface and wanting to know what events from bygone eras led to the reality we experience today. The tiny coincidences or mundane actions of years gone by, which at the time seemed irrelevant, can have a permanent impact on the future.

Take, for example, George Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware. December 25, 1776. The Continental Army was camped in Pennsylvania, and Washington led a surprise attack by crossing the ice-choked river in the dead of night, which allowed him to take the Hessians in New Jersey by surprise, capturing 1,000 soldiers along with much-needed supplies. Now, how was this bold maneuver able to succeed? Other than excellent planning and decisive action, the much-needed victory came about because a Hessian officer who received word of the impending crossing from a loyalist spy failed to pass on this information, as he was playing poker. Had he folded, the British would have known Washington was coming, could have captured or killed him, along with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and the Declaration of Independence becomes nothing but a dream. Truth is stranger than fiction, and this is a perfect example of how history can be inter-woven with truth to drive a thriller today.

Q: “Historically intriguing,” “sparked my interest in American history,” “adept handling of historical details…Far from a dry history lesson, the author weaves details from the past into the fast-paced action of the present.” Are you a historian? Do you enjoy history? How do you engage readers with historical facts?

Andrew Clawson: The only historical training I’ve received is in a classroom, much like every other student in the country, but it seems to have stuck. As noted before, I enjoy reading about history, and I’ve been fortunate enough to combine a subject I get excited about with a chance to craft tales that keep a reader intrigued on multiple levels. In every novel I write, extensive research goes into each twist and turn. I do my best to weave an authentic storyline that is as true to the times in which the narrative is set as possible. Utilizing a historian as one of the recurring characters allows me to take the best parts of modern fiction, such as technology, weaponry, and geography, and mold them with the wonders of the past. Part of what I believe makes this all work is that though we have a vast knowledge of our past, there are still countless mysteries regarding what exactly happened in any number of situations. With such a trove of material, the hard part is choosing what to write about, because it’s all so good.

Q: How important is historical accuracy to telling your story? Do you believe historical accuracy leads to credibility and believability? If so, what kind of research do you conduct?

Andrew Clawson: Accuracy is vital – to a point. With the kind of stories I like to write, it’s important that the lines between fact and fiction are difficult to discern, because much of the inspiration for my plots can be found in textbooks. Borrowing from the past allows me to paint a much more vivid and engrossing picture than simply creating most detail from thin air. I believe that type of story is much more likely to make a reader question what’s in front of them, which takes away from the whole purpose of a book – to entertain (at least a fiction novel). By incorporating factual information into the narrative, it allows a reader to more easily accept the story, as many readers who pick up one of my novels will have at least a passing familiarity with the time period from which parts of the tale are drawn. And this all leads to one of, to me, the most important outcomes of a book like mine: making the reader think. I want everyone who finishes a book I’ve written to go out and do a little research. Did that really happen? Was that person real? By drawing someone into the past, and by doing so in an entertaining manner, I hope to stoke, or even create, a newfound interest in the past.

My research is multi-faceted. I have a decent grasp on events of significance from our past, though of course this is painted with the brush of who wrote the history books (a favorite saying: “History is written by the victors”). Once I latch on to an idea for a story, I’ll begin to read about the period, specifically the time and place in which the impetus for my modern-day adventure will be drawn. This initial research is less focused than later readings and investigations, because I’ve found that if I limit myself in the beginning, I risk missing out on facts and trivia that I never knew existed, some of which may work perfectly with my storyline. Once I have a better idea of exactly what the tale will contain, my research focuses specifically on how I can incorporate factual information from the time period or place into my writing. Soon after this, an outline begins to take shape, and I can move forward with confidence.

Q: How do you create interest in your characters—both modern day and historical?

Andrew Clawson:  I try to incorporate traits from people I know or with whom I am familiar, people who have inspired or in some way left an impression on me. I also like to utilize actions or motives that create a strong reaction, positive or negative. Giving characters depth isn’t a product of detailed back story or endowing them with stereotypical villainous qualities. Creating a memorable individual can be much more subtle, a sentence here or a pointed action there. Sometimes, of course, it’s best to hit your audience over the head with one of these, but I try to mix it up and paint characters in small strokes without a wide brush. Complexity, to a point, is paramount. And it should be revealed over time, with a dash of misdirection thrown in when you can. Always keep the reader guessing (except when you don’t).

Q: Are you in charge of your characters, or do they take over? Do you follow an outline? Or…what is your writing process?

Andrew Clawson:  It’s not very often my characters begin to direct the action, mostly due to the fact that I outline every scene prior to starting the novel. I actually work backwards, starting with the ending, and stepping back through time to determine the best (read: most entertaining) path to arrive there. With such an investment in the outline, I tend to stick with it, though of course there are certain times when the story speaks to you, and if that happens, I believe only a fool ignores it. Barring such intervention, however, the most effective method I’ve found involves hours of preparation to allow yourself the luxury of focusing only on the writing itself as opposed to worrying about the storyline at every turn. If you’ve already plotted the dance, there’s little need to worry about each step.

Q: Are there villains and heroes in your books? What makes a good villain? Do you need villains in order to have heroes?

Andrew Clawson: I try to have both, but to paint them in shades of gray as opposed to black and white. Imbuing characters with qualities normally associated with their natural opponents gives them depth, creates a deeper association with the reader, and adds a level of complexity that isn’t found with the straightforward hero versus villain dynamic. And as to the need for both? I say, no, you don’t. A hero can be his own worst enemy if you write him properly.

Q: Your reviewers tout the “fast paced action.” How do you create an “electrically charged thriller?” What are the characteristics of a good thriller?

Andrew Clawson: For me, I seem to have success when my interactions are dialogue-based. By that I mean the characters reveal their motivations, come to realize their situations, and aid in story development through what they say as much as what they do. Tense, tightly-knit plotlines can be built through the careful construction of engaging dialogue, which I believe stems from putting yourself in the characters shoes. What would they say? Does it sound right? Focusing on putting not only the right words, but believable words, in a character’s mouth is what allows me to keep action flowing and reveal plot twists and turns in an engaging manner.

Q: Do you write your books primarily to entertain or were you also trying to educate or deliver a message?

Andrew Clawson:  Great question. For me, it’s both. I believe books are dual-purpose weapons. I believe you can get lost in a beach read that also makes you think. By weaving truths and near-truths together in a tale that gets your pulse racing, my hope is that readers will be inspired to delve more deeply into the issues, even if all they do is toss a few phrases into a search engine to fact-check. I’ve always found that truth is much stranger than fiction, so by incorporating my knowledge of the past with a good tale, I believe a reader can be both entertained and educated in one sitting.

Q: What’s next?

Andrew Clawson: My next tale will take readers to the green fields and bustling cities of Ireland, and from there on a non-stop adventure that traverses the Emerald Isle from north to south, finally ending in the heart of Great Britain, London. An ages-old conflict will serve as the focal point, and of course the story will stretch back through the centuries to bring a long-forgotten period of the British Empire’s past to the forefront, with global consequences on the line.

Q:  Tell us something about Andrew Clawson. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Andrew Clawson: If I can find enough time to read a great new book, that’s always first on my list. Away from the written word, I enjoy spending time out in the sun (though we haven’t seen much of that lately in the northeastern part of the U.S.), and supporting my favorite sports teams. And of course a good craft beer will always get my attention.

About Andrew Clawson

Andrew Clawson is the author of several books, including A PATRIOT'S BETRAYAL, THE CROWNS VENGEANCE, and DARK TIDES RISING. 

He lives in Pennsylvania, where he enjoys reading, writing as much as possible, and spending time with his rescued black cat, who brings him good luck and the occasional dead bug.

You can learn more about Andrew and his novels at andrewclawson.com.

About DARK TIDES RISING

In Philadelphia, Penn historian Erika Carr studies a Revolutionary era map that had been lost for centuries. Scrawled across its surface is a cryptic poem, the contents of which Erika suspects may point to a prize that has fascinated mankind for ages.

Buried treasure.

When a mysterious benefactor appears and offers her a fortune in exchange for the map, Erika cannot imagine what her refusal will unleash. With Erika at his side, investment banker Parker Chase soon finds himself racing for his life as they unravel the mystery of the map and the treasure it protects, deciphering clues charted by some of history's most infamous pirates.

Every clue brings them closer to the truth masked within the enigmatic poem, though they have no idea what darkness awaits. The treacherous course takes them from the remote beaches of North Carolina to the sparkling waters of the Caribbean, and if they can stay alive, Parker and Erika can uncover a treasure that will rewrite history.

Excerpt

Parker slipped into the warm water and all was black. Moments later, silky sand met his heels as he struck bottom.

His light flashed toward the surface. He was about ten feet down. Ahead, all was inky black, the white beam fading to nothing. A mental clock began ticking down the seconds.

Hand raised, he felt for the rocky roof and found it just ahead. Beneath him, he didn't even bother looking. Using the roof as a guide, he kicked hard, back skimming just below the stone, eyes burning.

Ten seconds left. Ahead was nothing, an infinite pool of space.

The first surge of fear hit him. His body floated, weightless in the warm water. His only guide, the rocks above.

Five. Still nothing ahead.

His internal clock hit zero.

Lungs burning, he started to turn around.

Something slammed into his face.

The last breath of air shot from his lungs. Through a mass of bubbles, Parker caught a glimpse of the stalactite, a curving mass of cruel rock hanging from above.

Out of air and panicked, he reached forward to shove off. He needed air.

But the stalactite was slippery, covered with algae. His hand slipped across it like ice.

Desperately grabbing for purchase, his hand was suddenly cold.

His fingers had broken the surface. There was air above him.

He had no other options. Lungs screaming, Parker shot out of the water into a black void.

All he could do was gasp. Parker greedily gulped the warm, salt-tinged air, chest heaving. Only after he'd sucked in the most wonderful breaths of his life did he pull his flashlight up and look around.

What he saw nearly sent him back under.

Not ten feet away was a sandy beach, the mirror image of where he'd left Erika. However, it wasn't the cave that grabbed his attention. It was the shoreline.

Or, more appropriately, what was on it.

Skeletons lay strewn about the sand.

Purchase and Author Links

Amazon DARK TIDES RISING

Amazon THE CROWNS VENGEANCE

Amazon A PATRIOT'S BETRAYAL

Facebook 

Web 

Goodreads