Questions that Matter with Pat Spencer

I asked the questions that matter of Pat Spencer! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Boxty-Frypan-Pat-Spencer/dp/1639844694/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NS0T2O3N3DLR&keywords=%22golden+boxty+in+the+frypan+by+pat+spencer&qid=1694223708&sprefix=%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1

Check out Pat’s other interview in the links!

Now, the questions:

Okay, Pat! Time for round two! What’s your biggest screwup in the kitchen?

I put a bag of frozen Birds Eye Creamed Spinach in the microwave oven and set it to cook for four minutes—just long enough to defrost—or so I thought. I planned to nuke the spinach a bit more when I came back inside after grilling pork chops on the barbecue.

After about twenty minutes, a terrible explosion scared us out of our socks. The microwave door had blown open and smoke was rolling out. My husband uttered a stream of words I cannot write here. Burnt creamed spinach dripped off the adjacent cupboard, dribbled down the counters, and puddled on the floor.

I had mistakenly set the microwave for 40 minutes!

A neighbor, thinking someone’s place was burning down, came over to ask if I smelled the fire. When I opened our front door, the stink of incinerated spinach and melted plastic bag hit her in the face. I had no alternative other than to confess the entire embarrassing tale. Within a few days, everybody knew.  

I imagine the smell lingered for weeks! So I have to ask: What is your favorite smell?

Well, it certainly is not burnt spinach!

Lavender is my favorite aroma. For me, it creates a sense of peace and relaxation. At times, I really need that. It’s distressing that most candlemakers now mix in vanilla, lemon, or another scent. I crave a pure lavender aroma and am having a hard time finding it. I welcome any leads.

Let’s help Pat find the calm! What is your favorite sound?

My favorite is my granddaughter’s voice when she tells me she loves me. The second is ocean waves crashing on the shore.

Both are lovely sounds! Cook in or eat out?

Most of the time, I like to eat out and try different restaurants. However, I’m a pretty good cook. With the exception of exploding creamed spinach, people enjoy my cooking and that makes me feel good.

My husband does the cleanup. He says I am a messy cook, so he likes to eat out as well.

I prefer barbecuing to cooking inside. I use the Girl Scout method of wrapping vegetables in foil along with lemon and butter. It gives them a great flavor. And I enjoy watching the waves break against the shore as I cook.

Barbecue on the beach: I’m in! Do you believe in aliens?

I’m hoping there’s someone else out there who is smarter than us—perhaps a society of people who have no tendencies toward violence, abuse, deception, and just plain meanness.  

I also like to believe in ghosts. I’ve always wanted to see one, and maybe hold a wee conversation. No luck so far.

As long as they’re friendly! Do you have an irrational fear?

Oh, my, yes! Japanese Beetles. And they are attracted to me. I can stand out in the middle of nowhere, settle in on the patio with a good book, or play any round of golf, and one will track me down and dive bomb my head.

My high school boyfriend told me that Japanese Beetles have prongs on their noses that they use to latch on to cows and suck their blood. Wikipedia confirms this to be untrue, but logic has no effect on my fear. Every time a Japanese Beetle swoops me, I scream and flail my arms.

The standard method of bug removal! What’s the most marvelous thing you have seen with your own eyes?

In my travels, I’ve seen many marvelous things. Perhaps the most extraordinary sighting appeared on a South African safari. Our jeep stopped to observe several elephants standing at the side of the road with a single calf. As we waited to give them the right-a-way to walk in whichever direction they chose, we spotted two giraffes peeking out over the top of a tree. Someone whispered, “How can nature watching get any better than this?” Then, three lions slipped out of the brush and sauntered in front of our jeep. They ignored us, the giraffes, and the elephants, and paraded by to the watering hole. Absolutely incredible.

I’m sure the elephants and giraffes thought so, too! Thank you, Pat, for giving us some more insight into the wonderful you! To support Pat, check out the links below and buy that book! Then, pop your spinach in the oven and set that timer right so you don’t miss the next interview!

https://patspencer.net/

Click to Read Selected Works by Pat Spencer, Ph.D.

• Golden Boxty in the Frypan (historical fiction)
• Story of a Stolen Girl (international thriller)
• Award-Winning Oceanside: A Healing Place
• Dialogue Tags v. Action Beats
• Isibambiso (Literary Yard)
• Passing On (Potato Soup Journal)
• Bittersweet (Scarlet Leaf Review)
• Sticks in a Bundle–A Work in Progress

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143982367?ean=9781639844692

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Golden-Boxty-in-the-Frypan-Paperback/3565761350?from=/search

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Golden%20Boxty%20in%20the%20Frypan%20(Pat%20Spencer)&ac=1&acp=GOLDEN%20BOXTY%20&ac.title=Golden%20Boxty%20in%20the%20Frypan&ac.author=Pat%20Spencer

REQUEST AUTHOR SIGNINGS OR EVENTS 
Email: spencerp04@verizon.net                                               
Website: https://patspencer.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.spencer.9849
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrPatSpencer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/87167531-pat-spencer
 

Pat’s other interview: https://dovewinters.wordpress.com/2019/07/12/questions-that-matter-with-pat-spencer/

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Raymond Parish

I asked the questions that matter of Raymond Parish! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Shall-Fall-Anderson-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0BG92HDCD/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2GZGDHQ177Y11&keywords=raymond+parish&qid=1665587612&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjgwIiwicXNhIjoiMC45MiIsInFzcCI6IjAuOTIifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sprefix=raymond+parish%2Cdigital-text%2C106&sr=1-2

Check out Raymond’s other interview with us, linked below!

Now, let’s fall into these questions!

Congratulation on your new book! Now, let’s get to know you even better! In your opinion, what is the best Disney animated movie?

A fun question that I gave serious thought.

I have been a fan of The Sword in the Stone, an adaptation of King Arthur’s humble beginnings, for as long as I can remember. The princess and prince narrative of most early Disney movies did not appeal to this out-spoken, intelligent, scrawny kid with superhero fantasies. Then, my parents treated us to a movie about an out-spoken, intelligent, scrawny kid who would become king. Arthur was impulsive, curious, and courageous. Merlin was both hilarious and lovingly fierce. The villain, Madame Mim, was colorful, funny, and frightening. And, value added, this was a movie that transformed humans into animals and back again, a big-time plus for a boy who imagined what it would be like to be a dolphin, eagle, or turtle.

It was after years of being captivated by the movie that the mentoring relationship between Merlin and Arthur registered in me on a conscious level. As an adult, I’ve continued to add a host of movies featuring the impact of powerful, healthy teachers to my all-time favorites’ list. This theme has informed my work, my life, as a mentor and mentee and is integral to both my fiction and non-fiction writing. As readers are drawn into the suspense and humor of Overnight Delivery and The Mighty Shall Fall in the Hank Anderson thriller/mystery series, I hope they will connect with the key characters that accept this responsibility in Hank’s world, and how he pays it forward.

What an inspiring story! Do you know what your name means? Or who were you named after?

My twist on this question is about the process of choosing my pen name for the Hank Anderson series, Raymond Parish. When I decided to separate my work as a non-fiction writer on mental health topics from my fiction writing, I was struck by a desire to pay homage to writers and characters that sparked my passion for mysteries as a boy. Agatha Christie, Frank and Joe Hardy, and Sherlock Holmes were taken. I quickly arrived at Raymond, a nod to noir genius Raymond Chandler of The Big Sleep and Farewell My Lovely fame. Allowing that to simmer for a bit, I finally decided to include family in the naming. My dad was instrumental in putting me on the path to reading dozens of mystery series, from Agatha to the Hardy Boys, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Dashiell Hammett. But, I already share his last name.

As a modification of my approach to letting go of writer’s block, I stepped away from struggling to visualize other options. It worked. Mom. Not her maiden name, but a generational name dating back to our families’ migration from Norway. I ran the pseudonym past my siblings and wife. The vote was unanimous.

Raymond Parish.

One of my favorite questions — from those who know me and those who don’t — has become: Where did your pen name come from?

And a fine name it is! Do you sing in the shower?

This question is a trip down memory lane for me.

I regularly sing in the shower. And in the car. While mowing the lawn. Wandering around the house. My tendency to burst into song and break into my special version of a Temptations dance when Motown cues up on our sound bar is well documented. This is, without a doubt, an extension of my childhood.

I grew up surrounded by music. Dad was a beloved local singer in every small, Midwestern town we moved to. Broadway hits, 30s and 40s dance band tunes, the crooners, hymns. His repertoire was impressive. One of my fondest memories is lying in bed listening to his vocal warmup routine on Sunday mornings, hoping mom would forget to get me up for church. Never happened, but hope springs eternal in a kid avoiding those cushion-less pews.

We had the first stereo with detachable speakers in the neighborhood; no more than a foot of speaker wire from the turntable. My sister, brother, and I all sang and we all played instruments.

And so, I sing in the shower and in every room in our home. My set list tends toward rock and soul, but I am occasionally amazed at my ability to conjure up a lyric and melody from Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, or Gene Kelly.

Because this is an author’s interview, I’ll add that the love of vocal music kicked off by my parents is integrated into the Hank Anderson series. Music sets the atmosphere for key moments in both Overnight Delivery and The Mighty Shall Fall. After serenading myself in the shower, I often write with music in the background. I’ve been known to sit back from my computer and join Mark Knopfler on the Dire Strait’s Sultans of Swing, perfect for my vocal range.

In keeping with tradition, my son recently surprised me with a playlist from the musicians and bands mentioned in Overnight Delivery. It was very cool.

Never stop singing! Are you usually early, late, or on time?

A clearly overused family joke is that early is on time for me. It may be true that we typically do make it through TSA security at the airport with enough time to eat, shop, and take a walk before boarding the plane. 

Timeliness has served me well as an author. When I am dealing with an editor or publisher, deadlines guide me to submit work as agreed. When I work as an indie writer, accountable only to myself, there are many moments when my passion for the story drives my commitment to engage the story. Other days, when my passion lags behind, I am pushed to write by the awareness that I cannot create time, only decide how to use it. Some of my most treasured days writing started as nothing more than a decision to take the time.

The early bird gets words on paper! If you were a road sign, what would you say?

This is a unique, thought-provoking question.

MAKE SPACE

Literally: Let other folks merge. Keep a safe distance. Share the lane. Lead and follow well. Pay attention. Enjoy the ride.

Off the Road: Let other folks merge. Keep a safe distance. Share the lane. Lead and follow well. Pay attention. Enjoy the ride.

That’s a sign worth following! Which Beatles song describes you?

I describe myself as a life-long mediocre guitarist. Despite that truth, I sing and play a credible cover of Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight. I am drawn to the contrasting tones of warmth and harshness, reassurance and loss of innocence.

One of my heroes is Victor Frankl, the eminent psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor, who integrated a life of extreme pain into a world-view of resilience, endurance, and purpose. This is the interpretation I impose on McCartney’s lyrics and elegant chord structure. A significant portion of the wisdom I have managed to cobble together over the years comes from past mistakes, mine and others. The positive vision I possess as I go forward has been supplied by celebrations of victories and the kindness of others, alongside an equal measure of recovery from defeats and flawed relationships. This song takes me there. These days, when I listen to Paul’s striking vocals, I settle into the place I call Realistic Optimism. Life is good. Life is hard. Relationships are wonderful. Relationships are difficult. The world is a gift. The world is a mess. Many of us, writers included, carry that weight while seeking to lighten the load of others.

Hear, hear! Now, flash me! Write us a flash fiction story, no more than 50 words please!

Post-rage exhaustion bested Dale on a pancake flat stretch through Kansas, his dream-driven mumblings echoing my eyes-open nightmare. Perhaps he’d wake with a plausible spin on the man we’d killed and the child we’d saved.

I drove on. Humming R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World as We Know It.  

Oo, I’d like to hear more of that one! Thank you, Raymond, for joining us again on this quirky journey! To support Raymond, check out the books and the links below! Then, warm up your vocal cords and join us here again for another fun interview!

https://www.facebook.com/chris.frey.5030

Twitter: @Parishauthor

Raymond’s other interview: https://dovewinters.wordpress.com/2021/05/07/questions-that-matter-with-raymond-parish/

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Eva Sandor

I asked the questions that matter of Eva Sandor! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CYRYJYF

And now, without further ado:

Hello, Eva! Do you know what your name means or who you were named after?

Well, first off: “Eva” is certainly having a moment! After a lifetime of people not knowing how in the world to pronounce my name (hint: the Hungarian way, which is common all over Europe, with the “e” as a long A) , all of a sudden every other little girl in the known Universe is named Eva— often long-A Eva— and I’m constantly hearing moms yell “Eva! Stop that!” and wondering what in the heck I just did.

As for meanings Eva is, of course, the very first human woman’s name—English speakers would translate it as “Eve”, meaning “life”. But I’m Hungarian on both sides of my family, and although I don’t use the language much anymore, I grew up speaking it. Maybe that’s why I enjoy words so much— from a young age I knew you use certain ones at certain times, and that they all have their own distinctive flavors.

And a lovely name it is! Were you the class clown or the teacher’s pet?

My mom recently Marie-Kondo’d a lifetime’s worth of stuff and, after sifting through several huge boxes full of everything I ever did— art, writing, school projects— I was able to look back on my childhood through the magic of 1970s report cards. I found out what teachers really thought of me. So in answer to this question: I think I may have been the class wild animal.

I kept reading notes such as: “Eva is very friendly and bright, but we need to make sure she knows the rules apply to her, too. For example, if she is bored with class she cannot simply get up and leave”!

Wow. And here I always remembered it as: “I had such a cool education, I could go explore the science classroom or the library whenever I wanted to.” Nope. Apparently I was an elusive creature that could not be caged!

But then later I became an artist and a writer, both of whom are famous for being weird and impatient with the rest of the world, so there you have it.

Art needs inspiration and freedom! Which animal-person are you?

Speaking of animals, I would say I’m a horse person. Not only because I’m a horse owner and rider, but because I think I do have their personality.

Horses are infamous for having a dual nature. They have a burning curiosity about their surroundings, but are also wizards at tuning stuff out. A horse can remember everything that’s happened in the past twenty years… but then they’ll spot their own saddle pad lying in the barn aisle, looking slightly different that day, and be convinced it’s something never before seen on this Earth.

I think this kind of all-over-the-map personality is typical of a creative type. We need to possess an unusually broad range— being able to see things not only from unusual perspectives, but also from the commonplace ones— because our job is to show people views of life that hadn’t previously occurred to them, yet in a way they can relate to.

I have seen a horse spook at swaying grass, so yes! I understand! Are you high or low maintenance?

Low, in the sense that if there’s something I want done I will 90% of the time just do it myself. I really don’t often ask for help with anything— I’d rather learn a new skill.

Sometimes people talk about “maintenance” in the sense of hair and makeup. With those, I’d say I’m still fairly low. I have no patience at all for hairstyles— if it’s anything fancier than a ponytail or a chopstick bun, I’m going to nope right out— but makeup, since it’s a form of painting, is more my speed. As a teenager I definitely had the outrageous 80s eyes and the wild lipstick. But come to think of it, nowadays I really just let it slide. I’m 51. What’s cute and colorful on a teenager would be… eek!

If “maintenance” refers to specific food and drink preferences: well, I’m pretty much zero maintenance there. I definitely know what’s good and what’s not— but like Homer Simpson the restaurant critic, I’ll cut food a lot of slack just for being where I can reach it.

The only place I’d say I’m high maintenance is that, for some reason, I have a far-higher-than-average need to be protected from biting insects. Why, I don’t know, but there it is. Spread out the mosquito net and pass the jumbo can of OFF!

No Calamine needed here! Coffee or tea? Iced or hot?

Ah, caffeine, fuel for the ol’ thinkeroo. As a kid, whenever we visited my grandparents, my sister and I would slug down torrents of tea for weeks on end and my mom never questioned it. But back home in the US, we really didn’t drink tea to that extent and coffee, oh no, that was a bridge too far! I really, really wanted to try coffee— after all, it didn’t seem to hurt the kids in Pippi Longstocking— but instead I had to console myself with my favorite Baskin-Robbins flavor, Jamoca Almond Fudge.

Finally I went off to college and like many an art student in those pre-Starbucks days, stayed in the studio all night with the help of some really nasty cafeteria ditch water. Since then I’ve embraced all the different flavors and formulations coffee has to give, but hot and black are still my go-to. I want a cup of Joe, not a pumpkin sundae! (And even as I say this, I realize I went to Culver’s today and had… a pumpkin sundae.)

And I’m off to find some Jamoca Almond Fudge! But before I go shopping, which season defines you?

My books so far have both been set in late summer, when everything is dry and the cicadas are loud. To me that’s the exhausted part of the year, the “get-on-with-it-already” part, and it’s a refreshing jolt to have it turn into fall.

I probably picked this idea up because to childhood me, back-to-school season felt like life’s starting line. Even today, I find excitement in autumn: the air turns sharp, the trees get that once-a-year chance to briefly flash their true colors, the sun starts holding off in the morning as if it’s finally learned to be gentle. I can wear layers, which provides a creative opportunity. And being a runner, I’m pleased that cool weather is on the way— see ya later, miserable overheating!

I could not agree with you more! If you had to live without one of the five senses, which one would you give up?

Sadly, and as much as this will astonish those who know me, I’d have to boot taste off the island. I know, I know, I’ve already described how I’m a mega gourmand and live for food, but without taste perhaps I’d save a lot of money on said food.

The thing is, I’d need the other senses for my work: sight for drawing and typing, sound for hearing words read aloud, and— as one of my characters put it— the sense of touch is the foundation for all true experience. Smell has to be retained if, for no other reason, as a safety mechanism: how else to notice gas leaks and things on fire?

I do have some further thoughts on the loss of sight, however. As a visual artist I place a lot of importance on being able to see, and many people find the prospect of blindness to be terrifying. I might have been one of them, but a few years ago, a friend and I experienced Unsicht-Bar in Berlin: a dining experience in complete darkness, served to patrons by hosts who are blind.

It was a stunning revelation to me. True, neither my friend nor I could see a thing and we had plenty of laughs over our mistakes as (among other errors) I confidently assured her that my salad was actually a dip for our bread! But a couple of hours without sight taught me that blindness really was far from the anguish many of us assume it must be. My personality was unchanged, my sense of humor, my delight in food and adventure and company. Afterward I told the host so: that Unsicht-Bar had changed my life, taken away one of my fears.

In fact, one of the most interesting characters in my books— the young Queen Margadet de Vonn— is blind. I hope readers will find her believable, positive, and well written. Which, of course, is what I hope they’ll find both of the books, in general!

An interesting experience! Thank you, Eva, for taking us on this journey with you! Support Eva by checking out the links below! Then, get a spoon for your Jamoca Almond Fudge and join me in reading more interviews!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0997F1VK6

https://www.facebook.com/eva.sandor.author

https://www.instagram.com/evasandor_books/

twitter: @evasandor

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Stephanie Rowe

I asked the questions that matter of Stephanie Rowe! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093RQPHYG

Now, we ask:

Hello, Stephanie! What is the hardest part of being an author?

The hardest thing about being an author is having the confidence to start writing every day. Once I get going, I’m good, but before I start writing, the doubt devils are always screaming at me that I can’t do it. Every. Single. Day.

I think we all can relate, those sneaky little devils! Do you have a sweet tooth or a savory tooth? 

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. ‘Nuff said, right? My daughter is an amazing baker and keeps me in chocolate. I am a very lucky mama.

If you have any extra, send it this way! What is your most bizarre talent?

I have the brilliant ability to whistle with grass. I can make it sound like a wild duck, or a woman screaming, or a train whistle, depending on how I hold the grass. It’s fun to freak people out, I’m not going to lie.

Of course it’s fun! What’s the color of your toothbrush?

Pink. What’s the color of my favorite joggers? Pink. What’s the color of my favorite shirt? Pink. What’s the color of my dog’s collar? Pink. Are you seeing a trend here? To me, pink is about love and finding the feeling of being happy. What else matters? Disclaimer: I *am* a romance author who spends her days creating heart-melting stories of the triumph of love… 

We need more pink in this world! What’s the meaning of life?

To find the path that makes your soul feel joy. When you are on your soul’s path, you spread love and positive energy everywhere you go, which then lifts up others. We are here to create and live our true path of joy, whatever that may be.

The best answer! On a scale from 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?

I would say I’m zero afraid of the dark, but if you put me in the woods or a dark, abandoned alley in the middle of the night, my answer might not be so cavalier…

There is nothing to fear but fear itself…and dark, abandoned alleys! Favorite age you’ve been so far?

My present one. I’ve worked hard to find my way to a place where I can love myself, love my work, and find joy in the everyday moments. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

May joy abound! Thank you, Stephanie, for taking this insightful interview! Support Stephanie by checking out the links below! Then, put on your best pink shirt and join us for another interview!

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-rogue-cowboy-s-second-chance-the-hart-ranch-billionaires-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-rogue-cowboys-second-chance-stephanie-rowe/1139472931?ean=2940162514718

https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-rogue-cowboys-second-chance/id1567603431

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Stephanie_Rowe_A_Rogue_Cowboy_s_Second_Chance_Hart?id=qkI3EAAAQBAJ&hl=en

https://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Rowe/e/B001HMPECO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stephanie-rowe

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieRoweBooks

Twitter: @stephanierowe2

Instagram: @stephanierowe2

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Constantine M. Dhonau

I asked the questions that matter of Constantine M. Dhonau! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Collateral-Intentions-Stories-Journal-Entires/dp/0578663422/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Now, we ask:

Hello, hello, Constantine! What is your favorite word?

Phenomena 

Amazing! Do you know what your name means? Or who you were named after?

Constantine is Greek. It’s a tradition to name your first-born son after your father. My father’s name is Vassilios, his father’s name was Konstantinos. 

Michael was my uncle’s name from my mother’s side. 

Dhonau is German, on my mother’s side. I’m still learning more about the etymology of my last name but there are some myths in the family about being named after the Dhonau river. 

A name rich in culture and history! Do you have a nickname? If not, give yourself one now!

*exhales deeply*

*inhales wide-eyed*

Connie

Teenie

Tino

CoCo

CiCi

Chachi

Boo Boo

Turtle

CD

Costa

Costas

Connie Bear

Stinesy

Quotestantine

Constantsauce

Con Man

Camel

C

C Diddy

C Bear

Snoopy

Constantinople

Communist

Kris

sw33t t00th

Costaki

Cosmo

Cosmore

Cos

Lobster

Coaster

Tiny

Mush

Langusta

Dino

Skoo

Mobo

Cheshire Overlord

BoxEmBoi

Box

Jingly Boots

…more or less

I hope you inhaled again after that! What’s the meaning of life?

The meaning of life is to give life meaning. 

That just might be the best answer yet! Would you go out in space if given the opportunity?

WITHOUT QUESTION. I’m so excited that I’ll be able to go to sub-orbital space in my lifetime as a commonplace activity when I’m older. I will visit the moon base. I will get to Mars in a week riding on a dedicated outer-space shuttle with an ion drive. I will feed future Martian generations by fertilizing potatoes with my ashes. MAYBE…just maybe, some of my ashes end up on Saturn’s moon, Titan. 

Interesting! So then I have to ask: do you believe in aliens?

I believe the notion that we are the only sentient life in God’s expansive universe is…poetic; however, unlikely. I believe that if there are 100 billion solar systems in our Milky Way galaxy, and 30 galaxies in our local cluster, and 100 local clusters in our local supercluster, and 10 million superclusters in the KNOWN, OBSERVABLE universe, and we’re on the brink of technology doubling the size of what we can observe in the UNKNOWN universe…well, you see where I’m going with this.

We do indeed! What is your motto?

Change the world, one world at a time.

A great one! And last, what would you tell your younger self?

I would hand him “Collateral Intentions,” my first book: a memoir of poetry, short stories, journal entries, and letters. It exposes the darkest parts of my life from 17 to 28 years-old. “Burn after reading.”

But not before we read it, too! Thank you, Constantine, for taking the time to answer our questions! Support Constantine by checking out the links below! Then, tell us your nickname and join us for another interview!

https://www.constantinedhonau.com/blog

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdhonau/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1009139

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20431911.Constantine_Dhonau

https://books.apple.com/us/book/collateral-intentions/id1503092314

https://reedsy.com/discovery/user/constantinedhonau

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Hailey Sawyer

I asked the questions that matter of Hailey Sawyer! The book will be released November 10, 2021!

Now, the interview!

Hello, Hailey! What is the hardest part of being an author?

For me, the hardest part about being an author is trying to figure out how to deal with what I like to call the “ping-ponging feeling” I have when I’m working on my writing. It’s the kind of feeling where at some points I’m like “Wow! This is awesome!” and other points I’m like “Wow! This is the worst thing I ever made.”

We can relate! In your opinion, what is the best Disney animated movie?

In my opinion, the best animated Disney film is The Lion King 1994. What makes this film work so well is not just the moving score and wonderful animation, but the little things as well. For example, The Circle of Life sequence gives the audience everything they need to know about the characters and the like in less than five minutes without even a shred of dialogue. Not only that, but even though Mufasa loves his job as king, he’s more than happy to take a moment to focus on what Simba is interested in and teach him things like how to pull off a good pounce. There’s also a part where Rafiki hits adult Simba with his stick to teach him how the past can hurt and how he can either run or learn from the past and adult Simba dodging Rafiki’s stick when Rafiki tries to hit him again. Two sidenotes. One, this film was a major influence for Kenji and Yuki: A Japanese Tale. Two, contrary to popular belief, this film did not rip off Kimba the White Lion. Don’t believe me? Check out YMS’ Kimba the White Lion video. It’s kind of long, but it’s more than worth the watch for its thoroughness and high entertainment value.

I love that movie! What’s the color of your toothbrush?

I have a pink and white manual toothbrush. It’s nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done.

Keep that smile clean! You can only have one kind of sandwich: what is it?

That would be a buffalo chicken sandwich on a nice roll with chopped onions and lettuce. I’m a huge fan of spicy food so if I had to have only one kind of sandwich, this would be the perfect one for me.

Turn up the heat! What’s your favorite sound?

Easy. My favorite sound is the sound of a soda can opening. I can’t quite explain why, but there’s something about it that sounds so satisfying.

It means something good is coming! What superpower would you like to have for a day?

That would be shapeshifting. To me, it’s such a versatile power because it can allow you to become something really strong like an elephant or something that can fly like a hawk or something really stealthy like a snake without needing any other powers.

And you would always win at hide and seek! What is one of your favorite quotes?

I have a bunch of favorite quotes. But if I had to narrow it down to one, I would say that my absolute favorite is by Dr. Hiriluk from One Piece, who said, “When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten.” For me, I think there’s a lot of truth to what he’s saying. See, when someone remembers a funny story about or looks at pictures of someone long gone, especially if it’s of a friend or family member, they’re keeping them alive in a sense.

So very true! Thank you, Hailey, for that insightful interview! Support Hailey by checking out the links below. Then, shift your shape and join us next time for another interview!

Home

https://twitter.com/HaileySawyer101

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/78172698-hailey-sawyer

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Tia Cotant

I asked the questions that matter of Tia Cotant! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B06XYJ5PPT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Now, we ask:

Welcome, Tia! Shark diving, bungee jumping, or sky diving?

Bungee jumping, it’s more certain, I don’t want to be dead!

Good choice! On a scale from 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?

3 or 4, I’ve never been at ease in the dark, I prefer seeing what is around me.

I agree! You can only have one kind of sandwich: what is it?

I love Kiri’s sandwiches, they’re delicious!

I would love to try one! Time for a board game! Which is your favorite?

Harry Potter Cluedo, because I love Harry Potter and this game is very good, so putting them both together it’s just perfect.

Magic and mystery! What was the last movie, TV show, or book that made you cry or tear up?

It’s a movie: The Fault in Our Stars, it’s so sad, I cried a lot.

So did I! Do you know what your name means? Or who were you named after?

My name (Tia) means “princess” in Egyptian, or “little fairy” in Slavs.

And a beautiful name it is! Do you prefer the movie or the book?

I prefer reading, but I can admit that movies bring another side to our interpretation, it’s very good too.

So do both, I say! Thank you, Tia, for joining our squad! Support Tia by checking out the links below! Then, secure you bungee cords and join us next time for another interview!

Accueil

https://www.facebook.com/Tiaecrivaine/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOsRvXnxllh4jv4WglMnOPA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNrFQjXZ7qDtZIOJpCebPaA

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with John Espie

I asked the questions that matter of John Espie! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MB4MPYT

And now, we ask:

 Welcome, John! To start, what would you name your pet gorilla?

Allirog.

Taerg! What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

Um… lay down? (Am I reading these things correctly…?)

The interpretation is up to you! If you were a road sign, what would you say?

Humps

Proceed with caution! Is the glass half-empty or half-full?

Technically, it’s completely full: half liquid, half gas. Bam.

Bam! What would you tell your younger self?

“Everything you know to be correct? It’s not.”

Amen to that! Quick! Ask your spouse/closest friend/parent or sibling to describe you in three words. What did they say?

“Mow the lawn.”

Tell them you can’t—you’re in the middle of an interview! Have you ever had a dream at night that later came true?

My short novel The String Rider, available exclusively on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MB4MPYT, was inspired by a dream, so… sorta?

Sounds good to me! Thank you, John, for ignoring your lawn to answer my questions! Support John by checking out the links below! Then, follow the Allirog and read another interview next Friday!

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20885684.John_Espie

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20885684.John_Espie/blog

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Raymond Parish

I asked the questions that matter of Raymond Parish! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Overnight-Delivery-Hank-Anderson-Thriller/dp/B08MWVTFQH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XW8FPQEXE6Z4&dchild=1&keywords=raymond+parish&qid=1617988194&sprefix=raymond+parish%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-1

Now, the interview:

Hello, Raymond! What is the weirdest scar you have and how did you get it?

I have a perfect line across the bridge of my nose, a small indentation few people notice these days. I acquired it when I was 9 or 10 years old, roaming around a local scrap yard with a buddy, on an unapproved neighborhood outing. As I ran through the trash, I stepped on the edge of a thin metal hoop. Like something out of a Three Stooges episode it flew up and hit me square across the nose without touching any other part of my face. I remember bleeding all the way home, working on a story that quickly disintegrated into the truth. The good news: no broken nose. The pretty good news: a very odd-looking cut that eventually healed into a souvenir scar I’m just a bit proud of.

Ouch! How did you meet your best friend?

When I speak of my best friend of nearly thirty years, Jim, my wife reminds me that he’s my “best male friend.” And so, my wife and I met as therapists on the same treatment team at a public mental health hospital in Iowa. We collaborated, disagreed, developed a training team, and, eventually, went on a date. Establishing a relationship with her as a respected colleague and work friend was a powerful foundation for what became our marriage. More than a few years later, during the pandemic, it’s been an unexpected blessing to be stuck at home with my best pal.

What a sweet story! What’s your favorite word?

It’s a tie between folks and cool. I’m a lifetime Midwesterner and, for me, folks has a warmth that is lacking in other words that describe people, or groups of people. You’ll find the word in my novel…it just fits. Cool is a throwback to a previous time. My dad was a part-time jazz musician. He and his friends dressed cool: sharp suits, wide silk ties, two-toned shoes. Miles Davis was cool. Then, the Beatles were cool. Then, Carlos Santana was cool. I have aspired to be cool, with mixed results.

Gotta keep up with the changing times, folks! You can only have one kind of sandwich: what is it?

No contest: Pork Tenderloin. In Overnight Delivery, my central character, Hank, grew up in the family restaurant business. For this part of his story, I borrowed from my years as an adolescent and young adult working in restaurants in the Midwest. I breaded, seasoned, cooked, and consumed a staple of high cholesterol cuisine, the fried tenderloin sandwich…ketchup, pickles, and onions only, please. A healthier approach to nutrition has moderated my intake as an adult, but you will still occasionally find me, very excited, at the local drive-through in the heat of summer.

Sounds delish! What is your favorite smell?

Due to several medical procedures, I have a limited sense of smell (there seems to be a nose theme developing in my interview). A strong smell I love is Eucalyptus. Pungent and relaxing at the same time. Sweet and savory. A scent that takes me to a tropical place while sitting at home in 20-degree weather, with snow on the ground. It wakes me up and calms me down.

The nose knows! What is one of your favorite quotes?

Progress not Perfection. This is a slogan from the Twelve Step Program of recovery. I had the quote etched into the ID bracelet I wear when riding my bicycle. For me, it speaks of the opportunity for folks to stay curious, learn, and grow throughout the life cycle, with a bit of freedom from the relentless pressure of our lightning paced, magnifying glass, give the right answer the first time, every time world. As a writer who moved cautiously to the fiction world after four successful non-fiction books, it gives me permission to do my best work, publish, and improve. On a much larger scale, it’s a good message for folks to live from.

Always improving! What’s the most marvelous thing you have ever seen with your own eyes?

At the risk of giving a clichéd response, I have been gifted with being present for the births of all three of our children. Each day is locked into my visual memory bank. I’ve been to many magical places on our planet. Canyons. Rivers. Oceans. Gardens. Mountains. Wildlife. Forests. None of these compare to the focused energy of the moments when our kids arrived in the world.

It is the greatest thing you can see! Thank you, Raymond, for answering my questions! Support Raymond by checking out the links below. Then, join the cool folks by coming back next Friday for another interview!

https://twitter.com/ParishAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1516453435279318/?multi_permalinks=3079090369015609&notif_id=1620226771161566&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif

Happy reading! 🙂

Questions that Matter with Joyce Reynolds-Ward

I asked the questions that matter of Joyce Reynolds-Ward! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09256Q4FW

Now for some questions!

Welcome again, Joyce! What is your most bizarre talent?

Making roosters crow and turkeys gobble. I showed chickens in 4H when I was a kid. Part of doing that meant hanging out in the show barn with my critters, and, well, sometimes things were slow. I learned to crow in at least three different forms and amused myself by making tom turkeys gobble. Now does that skill carry over to the wild turkeys? It’s inconsistent, though I did amuse my friend Phyllis Irene Radford by calling in a wild turkey tom during the spring while we were researching a setting for one of her books set in the city of Eugene, Oregon. It’s not sufficient for hunting purposes, though. Every time I’ve gobbled at a wild turkey here in Wallowa County, I’ve gotten a suspicious glare. I suppose I learned a different turkey language from what they know–and those turkeys are very wild.

That is quite a talent! Name the top five things you take with you during a zombie outbreak.

First of all, my friendly neighborhood large animal veterinarian or vet tech. Seriously. Have you ever SEEN all the apparatus on a large animal vet’s farm call truck? It has everything you need, plus veterinarians are skilled at working on patients without getting bitten. It’s a job requirement.
Second, the best damn PPE I can get my hands on, including masks.
Third, as much cheap Aqua Net hairspray I can find. It gets used as a cheap art fixative, and if I have to, maybe I can lacquer the heck out of any obnoxious zombie’s face.
Fourth, a nice, sharp machete and appropriate sharpening equipment.
Fifth, a weed whacker with the longest blade attachments I can find and the highest speed engine possible.

Sounds like you’re not going down without a fight–you’re on my squad! If you were reincarnated as an animal, what animal would that be?

Everyone who knows me knows the answer to that–a horse. While I’d like to be something glamorous, say one of the performing Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School, more likely I’d end up as a chestnut mare herding cattle. Though if I did that in competition, it’d be glamorous in itself. Or else be a rodeo bucker, and only work 8 seconds a day 2-3 times a week for about five months, then spend the rest of my time wandering the big ranch spread with my herd.

Sounds good to me! Diamonds or pearls?

Unquestionably pearls, either saltwater or freshwater. Freshwater pearls have interesting shapes to them. But definitely pearls of some sort. Diamonds are kind of boring–when it comes to gemstones, I prefer the colored stones. There’s a reason why the family gems in the Martiniere Legacy are emeralds, with pearls and citrines–they’re much lovelier than diamonds. Star sapphires are also gorgeous as well (I used to make stone bead jewelry, though I didn’t work with the really expensive stones). I’ve written a couple of things where colored stones play a role–rutilated quartz is one of my favorite stones to make magical, because of the golden or black threads in clear stone.

I’ll have to look that stone up, it sounds pretty! Cook in or eat out?

I’m afraid I’ve gotten boring during the pandemic. Cooking in has become much more appealing to me. That said, I’m one of those lucky women whose husband loves to cook, and prefers to cook. He keeps me surprised with his creations–in a most excellent way. I suppose I’ll eat out again, but since we’ve been keeping to a pretty strict quarantine due to both of us being older and high risk, it’s going to be a big brave step before we do.

Stay safe! What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep?

I usually fall asleep while reading a book. Doesn’t matter if it’s on my iPad or hard copy…a half hour reading before going to sleep is what I prefer to do. I’m also an eclectic reader–while I write science fiction and fantasy, I read widely, including fiction and nonfiction. Right now I’m devouring Beverly Jenkins’s Black Western Romances, and learning a lot about history that I never even suspected. But I also like Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire books–he puts a lot of craft into his work and they’re quite deep. My reading also includes history, social science, and nature/environmental works.

The perfect bedtime routine! Do you believe in aliens?

I don’t NOT believe in aliens. While aliens aren’t a part of my latest series, the Martiniere Legacy, they’re a part of my first series, the Netwalk Sequence. My characters gradually figure out that a piece of rogue technology that goes around killing cities is alien technology gone bad, not a war machine created by a weapons manufacturer. There have also been some interesting local sightings out here in Wallowa County (Northeastern Oregon) that have some fairly credible sourcing. I based one of my standalone books, ALIEN SAVVY, loosely on one of those sightings.

Realistically, I do think the existence of aliens is probable, and that it’s also probable that we either cannot comprehend their nature, or that they’re watching us and have left us alone for whatever reasons–including the likelihood that physics simply means that such things as the Galactic Federation can’t exist. Though I don’t know. I don’t necessarily think that scientific research is limited or that there’s a cap on what can be known or designed. Every time it’s been proclaimed that a limit exists–it gets blown out of the water. I think our science is just insufficiently advanced to reach the levels of interstellar travel.

To believe or not to believe….Thank you, Joyce, for answering questions with us again! To support Joyce, check out the links below! Then, rev up your weed whacker and join us next week for another quirky interview!

https://twitter.com/JoyceReynoldsW1

https://www.facebook.com/authorjoycerw

https://www.joycereynoldsward.com/

Happy reading! 🙂