Welcome to Author Meet & Greet

Here, you will have an opportunity to meet authors,  connect through their social media links (if they choose to share them), and purchase their works.

The 4 most current interviews will be posted here. Older ones may be found under the Archive: Author Meet & Greet on the front page.

 

**Jack Ketchum’s Interview from December 2017 is PINNED at the bottom of this page**

 

So, without further ado, let’s get to know

Meet & Greet Author:  #92

Ricardo L. Garcia

 

 

Name: Ricardo L. Garcia

Genre(s) of your work: Science Fiction

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Short stories since 1985 in two languages in paper magazines, anthologies, online magazines; two self-published books: https://www.amazon.com/Time-Phoenix-Man-Ricardo-Garcia/dp/1492809993/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384399417&sr=1-1&keywords=Time+Of+The+Phoenix+Man and https://www.amazon.com/Quantitative-Factor-Ricardo-L-Garcia/dp/1517397502 . Last story sold: https://www.antimattermag.com/helping-hand/ September 2017.

 

Bio:

Ricardo L. Garcia (Havana, 1955), is one of the authors belonging to what many regard as the Golden Age of science fiction in his country of birth, Cuba—and the only one to write in either English or Spanish, as he fancies at the moment, if normally he favors English. His work has appeared in English, Spanish, Galician, Bulgarian, and Esperanto.

 

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I discovered science fiction as a kid, and it was love at first sight. I have written and published some poetry, and I guess I could write fantasy too, but I just don’t care for anything but science fiction.

 

 

How has writing changed/altered your life?

Oh well—when I was teaching college English, I suppose it thrilled my students to have an actual author in the classroom. But writing is simply something that makes me happy.

 

 

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Arthur C. Clarke, hands down. Not only he had quite a heck of an imagination, but he really did work the science angle, something that is so sorely lacking in much of what passes for science fiction these days. Oh, and that wonderful British irony of his—having at one time studied at a British school, that’s something I can relate to. Also James Blish, Michael Crichton, Robert A. Heinlein, Hal Clement, and the classics from the 50s. Sorry—I grew up reading them!

 

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I don’t have anything against them, if I think they could benefit from also showcasing independent authors.

 

 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

Hard to answer, that one. I suppose I hope they have a terrific time reading my stuff (I’ve been told they do) but basically all of my stories are exercises in What If…? So maybe I also want them to stop and think for a moment about all those things that make me wonder. Go figure.

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

Not a whole lot, I’d say—there’s an English Lit. professor in one of my stories (“Quod Erat Demonstrandum”) if I fervently hope I’m not him. And the main character in my novel, Time of The Phoenix Man, has a twin of sorts—well, two. Or not. And no, they aren’t twins. Or maybe they are…let’s leave it at that. (I have a twin brother.). And, well, I have always loved astronomy, if I can’t handle the math part to save my life. (But my twin can, easily.)

 

 

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

I haven’t a clue. Sometimes I have this idea dormant in the back of my mind for years, then suddenly feel the urge to sit down and write it in a couple hours. Sometimes it takes me forever to complete a story/chapter. And quite a few times I have revisited something I published twenty, thirty years ago, say, and write a new, different story using the same basic idea. And often my good friends at the Spain-based miNatura science fiction and fantasy magazine prod me for stories (they’re merciless at that, when they really want to).

 

 

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

Besides its being unredeemably boring? Profanity. I can overlook the occasional word here and there, but more than that, and the book ends in the trash bin. (A couple years ago I did just that with a book by Richard Matheson, who otherwise I consider a terrific author. Only that book of his, a recent one, was conceivably intended for a different audience than the rest of his excellent work.)

 

 

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

No.

 

 

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

Same as above.

 

 

Where can people find you and your work?

For the most part, Amazon, Perihelion magazine (No. 2014, Jan. 2015—but since they don’t keep the links, maybe no longer), Antimatter magazine (Sept. 2017). For those interested in other languages, I can suggest where to look. Oh, and my Facebook author page,  https://www.facebook.com/Ricardo-L-Garcia-705042366295755/?ref=bookmarks

 

Thank you so much, Ricardo!

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Ken MacGregor

 

Name: Ken MacGregor

Genre(s) of your work: Primarily Dark, Speculative Fiction (Horror), but I write across the spectrum.

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

 An Aberrant Mind (2014)

Sex, Gore & Millipedes (2017)

Those two are my books, but I also have short stories in over 60 magazines and anthologies.

Bio:

Ken has been writing since he could hold a crayon, and getting paid for it since 2012. His work has appeared in dozens of anthologies and magazines, and the occasional podcast.

He has two story collections: AN ABERRANT MIND, and SEX, GORE & MILLIPEDES. He is a board member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers (GLAHW). He has also written TV commercials, sketch comedy, a music video, and a zombie movie. Recently, he co-wrote a novel (pending publication), and they are working on the sequel. He is the Managing Editor of Anthologies for LVP Publications.

When not writing, Ken drives the bookmobile for his local library. He lives with his family and three cats, one of whom is dead but we don’t hold that against her.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I’ve been a horror fan since I was kid. I love how there are no restrictions there: you can write anything, and no one is shocked or appalled (unless that’s your intent, though mine is always to tell a good story).

 

 

How has writing changed/altered your life?

Since I started working with publishers, I have met some amazing people, online and in real life. One of them, Kerry Lipp, and I co-wrote a short story and sold it. We had fun, so tried it again. However, it spiraled out of control and became a novel. Should be out pretty soon. We’ve become pretty good friends, too.

 

 

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Neil Gaiman, Gillian Flynn, Stephen King, Paul Tremblay. All excellent storytellers. All know how to turn a phrase. Highly recommend.

 

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

While I’d rather support, small independent stores (of any stripe), I think that anywhere people can get books is okay with me.

 

 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

My ultimate goal as a writer is to entertain you. I hope you walk away from my stories with a sense of time well-spent. I’m not trying to change the world with my fiction, but if I can give you a way to escape reality for a while, to become immersed in my world, I think that’s pretty cool.

 

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

Oh, tons. I think every writer’s work is colored by their experiences. I think it’s unavoidable. However, nothing personal from my life is ever portrayed in my work directly. I don’t use real-world events or people in my fiction. First, because it could hurt someone’s feelings; second, because I think that’s lazy writing.

 

 

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

Once I’ve started, I usually want to know how it ends. The best ones are when the characters take over and start doing things I don’t expect. I know it’s going to be good then.

 

 

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

My own? I get bored or start something else and forget (I never throw anything away though, and have rewritten bad stories and made them good enough to sell). Someone else’s? I have no patience for badly written books. Unless I’m being paid to edit it, I’m done after a few pages of dull prose.

 

 

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

No. I believe that art should be expressed in whatever way the artist wants. I write some pretty edgy stuff (I mean, my second story collection is completely NC-17), and I would certainly hope no one lets their kids read my adult horror, but should it be censored? Absolutely not.

 

 

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

Writing: the waiting. So much about this industry is time-consuming. In reading: sloppiness and failure to research annoy me. If I know a lot about a subject, and the writer clearly doesn’t, it rips me right out of the story.

 

 

Where can people find you and your work?

Amazon (naturally), Barnes and Noble, Ann Arbor, Clarkston, and Ypsilanti (Michigan) bookstores (and one in Gloucester, MA) and the Ypsilanti District Library.

Ken can be found at ken-macgregor.com. You can also connect with him via social media on the following platforms:

Twitter: @kenmacgregor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KenMacGregorAuthor?ref=hl

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/macgregorken/

Thanks so much for sharing, Ken!

 

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Sandra M. Colbert

 

 

 

Name: Sandra M. Colbert

Genre(s) of your work: short stories and crime/mystery

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Chicago Bound – 2015

The Reason – 2015

Damaged Souls – 2016

 

Bio:

Born and raised on the Southwest side of Chicago. I spent twenty years living in Arizona and I currently live in Rockford, IL.

 

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

The short stories are really a pleasure to write. The outcome is resolved quickly. And I found that, maybe because of the length, there can be a powerful, emotional impact.

I hadn’t planned on committing to a crime/mystery series, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I really enjoy talking to the readers of my stories. It’s great to see how involved they are with the characters and the book’s outcomes. I enjoy the research and working with the professionals in the fields that I’ve written about.

And, I think, most importantly, I enjoy being able to determine the outcomes and the appropriate punishments for the ‘bad guys’. There is control over a situation that you don’t have in real life.

 

How has writing changed/altered your life?

I spent a large part of my life in banking and mortgages. It paid the bills. But it was never what I wanted to do. I am finally doing exactly what I want to do and it’s what I wanted to do for so many years.

 

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Jody Picoult – She is absolutely brilliant. All of her books deal with a moral dilemma. Her books make me think, not only while I’m reading it, but well after I’m done reading. And her writing is just so good.

The same for Gillian Flynn.

I’ve read all of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels. I hooked me from his first book. I have a tough time putting down any of his books.

And there are so many more.

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

We need all bookstores! Regardless if they are corporate or independent. We need to support them.

 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

I hope there is an emotional impact. Not just escapism. I want the reader to feel something and feel something enough, that they share their thoughts and feelings about the story with others.

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

The short stories were based on the neighborhood that I grew up in – The Back of the Yards. It was a gritty area in Chicago that grew out of the Stock Yards. The people and the neighborhood apparently had quite an effect on me.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

Poor research. Details that simply do not make sense, because the author made them up and they are not based in fact.  And boredom. I can’t read a boring book.

 

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Absolutely not! Censoring is just another person or group’s opinion or belief. It has no place in the literary world. If you don’t like the topic, don’t read it! But do not stop others from reading it because you have the power to do so.

 

Where can people find you and your work?

Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Also, Goodreads. And at any book fair in the Rockford/Chicago area.

I can be reached at sandycbound@gmail.com for any questions or comments.

My website is: authorsandracolbert.com

I am on Facebook and Linked In

Thank you, Sandy!!

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Keith Carmack

 

Name: Keith Carmack

Genre(s) of your work: Comic Books, mostly. Sci-fi and Fantasy

 

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Victorie City – IDW Publishing / 2016

Current – Self-Published / 2017

The Fog of Severed Peaks – Self-Published / 2018

 

Bio:

Keith Carmack is a filmmaker, writer, and musician. He directed and scored the feature full length documentary Is This Heaven? which won Best Documentary at the Frozen Film Festival 2016 in St. Paul, MN. He created the series Victorie City, published by IDW Publishing, is a contributing artist in the 44FLOOD anthology, TOME Volume 2: MELANCHOLIA, and has producer credits for Ben Templesmith’s THE SQUIDDER and DAGON graphic novels.

“Writing is personal and my writing is no different. I attempt to infect my characters with experiences that I’ve had, emotions and reactions that are honest and real, and mold it into a story that informs the reader of a truth that they’ve never pinpointed, but always knew was present.”

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

Ideas come and you work with what you’ve got the energy for. I’d love to write a novel about the plight of man, but it’s too hard to tackle; a story about twin Viking girls taking on a tyrant King is more my speed.

 

How has writing changed/altered your life?

I drink a lot more wine now.

 

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Hemingway. I read The Old Man and the Sea when I was whatever age you are in the fifth grade and I maintain it’s a near-perfect novel. I romanticized the idea of him, Fitzgerald and the rest, the lost generation, running around Paris. They were celebrating having won the great war and now they could be artists. I want to feel like I’m through with the fight and just be an artist.

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

The cool kid club.

 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

I want them to have fun. I want them to enjoy a story. Storytelling is as old as mankind, to be good at it is the ability to entertain the masses.

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

There is plenty in there. Even though I try to continually mix it up with characters from different background, you can’t help but throw in anecdotes from your own life.

 

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

It’s a feeling like if you don’t get it done you’re going to explode.

 

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

Thin plot connections and bad character motivation.

 

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Not really. Things that are blatantly over the line won’t last.

 

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

Yeah. “Hey, I’m gonna start with a big action scene and then cut to one week earlier when the character was just a lonely writer in a coffee shop, depressed about getting dumped, eating a sandwich and staring at his macbook!”

“Oh, yeah!? So it’s a story about a writer trying to write and then something insane happens!? Have you ever considered the reason you only have this one idea is because you’re a writer trying to write and you haven’t taken any chances or experienced anything!?”

 

Where can people find you and your work?

Keithcarmack.com

amazon.com/author/keithcarmack

 

Thanks very much, Keith!

 

 

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Barbara Claypole White

 

 

Name: Barbara Claypole White

Genre(s) of your work:

Mainstream / book club fiction / women’s fiction / upmarket commercial fiction / literary fiction / southern fiction

 

 

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

The Unfinished Garden                     2012

The In-Between Hour                        2014

The Perfect Son                                  2015

Echoes of Family                                2016

The Promise Between Us                  2018

 

Bio:

Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White creates hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness. Originally from England, she writes and gardens in the forests of North Carolina, where she has fourteen flowerbeds, one of which is home to Horace–a black snake who likes to scare the UPS guy. She is also a wife, a mother, and an OCD Advocate for the A2A Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes advocacy over adversity. (Her beloved menfolk—her husband and son—both battle obsessive-compulsive disorder.)

Barbara is traditionally published with MIRA Books and Lake Union, and has five novels in print and one in the drawer—where it will stay. She is currently working on what she thought was novel six, but appears to be two linked stories that need separating. (Fun times ahead.) THE PERFECT SON, her third novel, was a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Fiction 2015.

To connect with Barbara, please visit http://www.barbaraclaypolewhite.com

 

 

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

Not sure I have a genre, so let me tackle that first. When I started writing fiction, thirty years ago, I knew only that I wanted to create strong female voices and messed-up men. I didn’t want to write genre romance, but I was leaning toward love stories. Once I unleashed James Nealy on the page, the hero of my debut novel, everything changed. Or rather, became more defined. James led to my two passions: crafting characters who battle invisible disabilities, and creating stories about the impact of mental illness on families.

Some people classify me as women’s fiction because I write emotionally-layered stories; others say I can’t possibly write women’s fiction because I have two novels with male protagonists; booksellers have put me in romance, southern fiction, and commercial fiction. My last two novels have performed consistently well in Amazon’s literary bestsellers category.

Honestly? I write the stories I want to write and hope they find good homes. If I had to pick a genre for myself, I would say book club fiction, which isn’t strictly a genre. Mental illness has framed my life since childhood, and I want to punch holes in the stereotypes, the stigma, the shame. I also want to be part of the public dialogue, and book clubs spark terrific discussions about such topics.

 

How has writing changed/altered your life?

I’ve written my whole life—in stories and poems as a child, in journals as a teenager, in press releases as a publicist, in articles as a freelance journalist, and finally in fiction. Fiction is my true love. It’s become my therapy and my escape, the way I process fear and everything I can’t control. The way I consistently write a better story for myself and my loved ones. I don’t necessarily have happy endings, but my stories carry truckloads of hope. I need that hope.

 

Who are your favorite authors and why?

I tend to have favorite books, not favorite authors, but I will read anything by Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, Chris Bohjalian, Sally Hepworth, and Denyse Devlin/Woods. I love these authors because they guarantee strong themes and messages, outstanding characters, and gorgeous writing. (As an author and a reader, I’m all about writing and character.)

This summer I’m on a kick to read more thrillers/suspense to teach myself pacing. I was pleased with the pace of my January release, The Promise Between Us, but it’s something I struggle with as a writer. I want to stop and describe the flowers, the light through the trees, the bird song… My natural inclination is to meander, and meandering doesn’t generate page-turners.

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I’m a huge fan of indie bookstores. Always have been, always will be. I love Amazon Prime and the ease of shopping with Amazon, but nothing competes with the ambiance of a community bookstore. We’re blessed to have great indies in our area and they host amazing author events. Plus, our local booksellers have been incredibly supportive of me throughout the ups and downs of my career. They have won my customer loyalty.

 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

I hope that my work encourages readers to talk openly about mental illness—to share information and stories of success. Life in the trenches with mental illness can be debilitating and isolating, and if I start a conversation, or educate readers about real life OCD, for example, I’m thrilled. However, my primary goal is to entertain. I’m an author first.

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

How long do you have for my answer? My story seeds come from my corner of the world—either from watching loved ones struggle with anxiety, depression, addiction, etc., or from events within my mental health community. I plant those seeds and encourage them to grow outside the box of personal experience. Ultimately, I find my stories and my characters through one-on-one interviews with strangers who are living the experiences I want to recreate. For example, we have bipolar disorder in the family, but my research for Echoes of Family was restricted to people I met online or friends of friends.

 

 

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

Gin and chocolate? (That’s not so far from the truth…) I work backward from my contract deadlines, figuring out what I have to achieve by when. I put those dates on my calendar and then shrink that information to daily goals. I hate everything before the third draft, so up until that point, I focus on writing 1,500 new words a day or editing a set number of pages a week. Thinking small helps me achieve big and discover plot/research holes. I have just made the terrifying decision to abandon my work-in-progress after a year, because I discovered I had squished two stories into one. And a stronger heroine accidentally presented herself during a research interview. I know I’ve made the right decision, but it’s battered my confidence. (Thank the Lord for gin and chocolate.)

 

 

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

I rarely give up on a book. As a writer, I often learn more from a story that I’m not enjoying. However, if I’m not connecting with the characters on any level, I might call it quits.

 

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

No, I don’t. I believe good writing comes from the heart and research is a wonderful tool that allows authors to build worlds. If an author has the passion and dedication to research and write around a difficult subject, that’s his or her choice. And the reader must decide whether he or she wants to spend time with the result. Some people who struggle with OCD have told me they had to stop reading The Promise Between Us because my heroine’s postpartum OCD triggered their own obsessive thoughts. When I do public events, I warn people this can happen. On the other hand, readers with undiagnosed, untreated OCD have reached out with incredible stories about how my novel encouraged them to seek professional help or enabled them to understand their struggles as new parents. Fiction can, and does, make a difference.

 

 

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

It’s an incredibly silly one, but I hate the word ‘chuckled.’ There, I’ve said it. I’m not a chuckler. Icky, icky, icky word.

 

Where can people find you and your work?

Check out my website for my social media links: http://barbaraclaypolewhite.com/index.html, and my Amazon author page for my books: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00913DBCG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1532187971&sr=8-1&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true

 

 

Thanks so very much, Barbara!

 

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Jack Ketchum (PINNED – Interviewed in December 2017)

 

Name: Dallas Mayr

Pseudonym (if you use one): Jack Ketchum

Genre(s) of your work: Horror and Suspense (and the occasional Black Comedy.)

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):  Writing professionally since 1970, first fiction 1976, first novel, OFF SEASON, 1981.

Bio: see my website http://www.jackketchum.net/and add to that, Most Recent Novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF SOULS, written with Lucky McKee and Most Recent Collection, GORILLA IN MY ROOM.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?  

I grew up loving fantasy, and horror is the dark side of fantasy.

How has writing changed/altered your life? The usual perks of self-employment — no punching the time clock, no damn bosses hovering over your desk.  But in addition to that, writing mandates continual periods of self-examination.  You don’t easily get away with lying to yourself on the page.  It requires you to scour your history and your present for your deepest faults and pleasures, to reveal and revel in them, to find the strengths in your life and work from there, reaching outward.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Far too many to list here.  I read all over the place and consequently my favorite writers come from all genres and backgrounds, from Henry Miller to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, from Raymond Chandler, Elmore Leonard and John D. MacDonald to Thomas Hardy, Philip Roth, Michael Chabon, Joyce Carol Oates, Peter Straub and Stephen King.  Why?  Because they’re smart, empathic, courageous.  Because they’re good!

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I wish we had a lot more mom-and-pop, brick-and-mortar bookstores.  I seriously miss browsing.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

The need for empathy and tenderness in the world, that the souls of beasts and humans matter.  And a few hours of just plain fun.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

Depends on the piece.  Some, like THE GIRL NEXT DOOR and RED, are highly personal, others…?  I don’t know where the hell they came from!

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?  

Finishing a piece is almost always easy.  It’s getting started that’s hard.  Getting all your ducks in a row and then having the balls and suspension of disbelief  to say to yourself, this is really going to work.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

I give books a first paragraph test.  If it passes, then a first chapter test.  If it passes that, I’ll almost always finish the book — I can tell from there that I’m going to want to.   If it fails I scuttle it immediately.  Very occasionally, too much repetition will make me dump it.  I don’t want to waste reading-time.  Too much good stuff out there.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Nothing should ever be censored.  Everything is worth discussing.  How long a discussion is another matter entirely.

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

 Life’s short.  I don’t bother with peeves.  If I’m bored, I just close the book.

Where can people find you and your work?

Website, see above. I have a list of published works there.   Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/jackketchumofficial/ Twitter, https://twitter.com/jackketchum Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ketchum

 

What can I say?

I am honored to have snagged a bit of Jack Ketchum’s time, for him to share his thoughts and words with me (and my readers), and for his participation in a blog such as this one. Thank you so much – for the interview as well as your writing. It has and continues to be an inspiration.

Readers, I implore you to look into Jack Ketchum’s work, especially if you are a horror/suspense fan. From the mouth of Stephen King – “Who’s the scariest guy in America? Probably Jack Ketchum.”