Author Spotlight on Mike Duran

I wish to thank author Mike Duran for stopping by Spire Reviews today for a brief chat. For those of you who haven't read his blog (deCOMPOSE) before, I encourage you to hop over there after reading this interview. Mike is rarely bashful about speaking his mind, and his posts often encourage thoughtful and heated debates. I've discovered it to be a challenging forum that continuously inspires my growth in faith.

Also, Mike has generously offered to give away (1) copy of his new release, THE TELLING. Please see below for instructions on how to enter this contest.

Good morning, Mike. Thank you for stopping by today, and congratulations on your new release, THE TELLING. I loved your debut novel, THE RESURRECTION, and anticipate your sophomore work will be equally engaging—just like your blog deCOMPOSE.

One reason I enjoy reading your blog is because you're not afraid to stir the pot, thereby encouraging discussion. Have you ever found your opinion swayed by the debate?

Oh yeah. I’m blessed to have such wonderful commenters and facilitate such fun, interesting discussions. One such time was my review of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It remains one of my most visited, hotly debated, posts (http://mikeduran.com/2011/04/redeeming-love-a-review/). The reason I even got to the place to read and review a romance novel was because of my blog readers. I’ve said some pretty snarky things about romance and romance readers in the past. Over time, I’ve felt my views changing. Of course, it’s still not my chosen genre to read or write, but the discussions helped me to a more balanced perspective, I think. I’m glad I read that book. And though it reinforced some of the opinions, it also changed some. So, yeah. My opinion is shaped, if not swayed, often.

A frequent topic on your blog is the quality of Christian fiction. One of the goals of Spire Reviews is to spotlight *Christian fiction* that raises the standard. Have you discovered any Christian fiction authors or novels that you would endorse? What, in your opinion, elevates them above the rest?

Wow! More than I could mention. I’ve read enough to know that there’s great-to-mediocre stuff in both markets. So I’ve never bought into the complaint that all Christian fiction is junk. Currently, I’m reading Athol Dickson’s Lost Mission. Dickson is such a great writer. Not sure how any objective person could read his stuff and still say that Christian writers are hacks. Tosca Lee is another Christian author who I consider a fantastic wordsmith. Tim Downs, T.L. Hines, and Robert Liparulo, just to name a few others. Last year I read Leif Enger's Peace Like a River and just adored it. While not considered Christian fiction, its themes are blatantly spiritual. Admittedly, I haven’t read much in the Women’s Fiction category, even though it comprises probably three-fourths of the Christian publishing market. Frankly, I think that’s one of our shortfalls at this point.

Well said. You mentioned several of my favorite authors, and I would like to add that there are several excellent women’s fiction writers within Christian fiction (see Authors Who Dare Write Different list in sidebar).

Regardless of genre, are there authors you read regularly? Are there any you wish to emulate?

I love Dean Koontz’s books, especially his Odd Thomas series. What I like about Koontz is his humorous, existential ruminations. He’s writing about something “bigger” than just his characters. I’ll never forget one Christian acquisitions editor telling me at a writers conference that Dean Koontz was writing some of the best Christian fiction out there. Go figger. Another writer who has deeply influenced me is G.K. Chesterton. His The Man Who Was Thursday remains one of my all-time favorite reads. It’s complex, dense, and full of wit. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy is so full of philosophical clarity and joy, it captivated me when I first read it. Those two writers, Koontz and Chesterton, are definitely at the top of my To Be Emulated list.

I loved your debut novel, The Resurrection, and am looking forward to reading your sophomore effort, The Telling, which releases the end May. What is The Telling about, what inspired you to write it, and do you have a third novel in the works?

The Telling is about a disfigured modern day prophet who’s renounced his gift and cloisters himself in a ramshackle bookstore on the outskirts of Endurance, a quaint but quirky city on the northern fringes of Death Valley. Through an odd series of circumstances, the least of which is the discovery of his murdered doppelganger, he finds himself front-and-center in a quest to close one of nine mythical gates of hell.

While The Telling could be classified as a horror story, it’s really about destiny. A recurrent question asked in the novel is, “Do you find your destiny, or does your destiny find you?” The Telling is a story about people who, in the midst of horrific circumstances, are grappling with a larger purpose to their lives. What is destiny? Is it human or divine? Can darkness—inside or outside us—short-circuit our destiny? Or are some scars actually destined? It was really a fun, challenging story to unravel.

My third novel is in the works. It’s a little different from my first two, an Urban Fantasy about a paranormal reporter who must investigate the murder of his girlfriend, only to learn of a larger plot to build a massive conductor to the spirit world. It’s fast-paced, supernatural noir. The book’s tentatively entitled The Ghost Box and is currently being shopped.

The storyline of The Telling sounds intriguing, and I love the thematic elements! Sounds engaging and profound. The Ghost Box sounds interesting too!

When you're not writing, what are you doing?

Since I’ve been contracted, my life has really changed. It’s honestly something I did not calculate. I work a 40-hour week outside the home, so writing just takes up pretty much the rest of my time. It’s extremely hectic and has involved a huge re-thinking of my priorities. Blogging also takes up a lot of my time. I enjoy doing it, but it’s really pretty hard to put out good stuff on a regular basis without spending time on it. I am constantly gathering material for my blog. I also love to garden and watch a lot of movies. Netflix has become an important tool in my writing workbox.

Can you briefly describe your journey to publication?

Well, it’s definitely not the journey I would have chosen! I was a minister for eleven years—full-time staff at a Christian church. I got into the ministry as a young man and a new Christian. I had a wife, four kids, and was on a steep learning curve. But the pressures eventually took their toll (as they do with many ministers) and, after a lot of teeth-pulling, I felt like I needed to step away.

But after I left the ministry, I kind of drifted. I didn’t jump straight into writing. In fact, I had no idea that’s what I’d end up doing. I returned to construction and kept one ear to heaven. This went on for three or four years. At the time, I subscribed to World Magazine. They sponsored a fiction contest by Westbow and I decided, rather impromptu, to enter. I’d never written fiction. But years in the pulpit had taught me how to work with words and engage an audience. To my surprise, out of thousands of entries, my story received an honorable mention. That affirmation sort of got the ball rolling on a possible writing career. As a result, I eventually was asked to join an online writing group. And that was really just the beginning of a whole other journey.

Thanks again, Mike, for stopping by Spire Reviews today! I wish you the best in all your future writing endeavors.

About Mike

Mike Duran is a novelist, blogger, and freelance writer whose short stories, essays, and commentary have appeared in Relief Journal, Relevant Online, Breakpoint, Rue Morgue magazine, and other print and digital outlets. He is the author of the supernatural thriller THE RESURRECTION (Realms, 2011), which was a finalist in the 2011 INSPY Awards, an e-book fantasy novella entitled WINTERLAND, and THE TELLING (Realms, May 2012). Mike contributes monthly commentary at Novel Rocket, one of Writer's Digest 101 Most Helpful Websites for Writers. Mike is an ordained minister and lives with his wife and four grown children in Southern California. Mike's novels explore the boundaries of belief, the fragile tether between science and superstition, the depths of despair and the reaches of faith. You can learn more about Mike Duran, his writing projects, favorite music, cultural commentary, and arcane interests, at mikeduran.com.

THE TELLING

Realms, 304 pages

A prophet never loses his calling, only his way.

Disfigured with a hideous scar from his stepmother, Zeph Walker lives his life in seclusion, cloistering himself in a ramshackle bookstore on the outskirts of town. But Zeph is also blessed with a gift—an uncanny ability to foresee the future,to know peoples’ deepest sins and secrets. He calls it the Telling, but he has abandoned this gift to a life of solitude, unbelief, and despair—until two detectives escort him to the county morgue where he finds his own body lying on the gurney.

On the northern fringes of Death Valley, the city of Endurance is home to llama ranches, abandoned mines, roadside attractions...and the mythical ninth gate of hell. Now, forced to investigate his own murder, Zeph discovers something even more insidious behind the urban legends and small-town eccentricities. Early miners unearthed a megalith—a sacred site where spiritual and physical forces converge and where an ancient subterranean presence broods. And only Zeph can stop it.

But the scar on Zeph’s face is nothing compared to the wound on his soul. For not only has he abandoned his gift and renounced heaven, but it was his own silence that spawned the evil. Can he overcome his own despair in time to seal the ninth gate of hell? 

His words unlocked something deadly,

And now the silence is killing them.

Drawing for THE TELLING

To be entered in the drawing, tell us, in the comments below, one thing that intrigues you about Mike Duran’s blog (http://mikeduran.com/). One comment per person will be entered. The drawing ends Monday, May 28 at 6 p.m. CST. The winner will be announced on the Spire Reviews blog on Tuesday, May 29. Winner must provide a mailing address in an email to BrendaBryantAndersonATcomcastDOTnet.

Novel Anticipation - May 2012

The list of books I'm anticipating reading for May is shorter than previous months lists, but that's okay. The books coming out this month (release dates taken from Amazon.com) look like winners, two of which are written by debut authors!

Are there any novels releasing this month that you can't wait to read?

THE SOUL SAVER

Debut novel by Dineen Miller

Barbour Publishing, 320 pages

Meet Lexie Baltimore, who is in the supernatural battle of her life. In obedience to God’s calling, Lexie uses her art and dreams to help others. But will she have enough courage to help herself when she becomes torn between her atheist husband and a godly man? A widower and a father, Pastor Nate Winslow is drowning in darkness. Will he resist his treacherous assignment to win Lexie’s heart or give in to the attraction between them? As events unfold, Lexie becomes entangled in a twisted plot. Will she overcome the evil assailing her or yield to the dark side?

THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ

Debut novel by Darrel Nelson

Realms, 304 pages

At their sixtieth anniversary party, Adam Carlson asks his wife, Elizabeth, for their customary waltz. After the dance they gather the family and share their story—a story of love and courage overcoming adversity and thriving in the face of overwhelming odds.

It’s the summer of 1946, and Adam has just returned from the war to his home in Reunion, Montana. At a town festival he meets Elizabeth Baxter, a young woman going steady with his former high school rival and now influential banker, Nathan Roberts.

When Adam and Elizabeth share a waltz in a deserted pavilion one evening, their feelings begin to grow and they embark on a journey, and a dance, that will last a lifetime.

THE TELLING

by Mike Duran*

Realms, 304 pages

A prophet never loses his calling, only his way.

Disfigured with a hideous scar from his stepmother, Zeph Walker lives his life in seclusion, cloistering himself in a ramshackle bookstore on the outskirts of town. But Zeph is also blessed with a gift—an uncanny ability to foresee the future,to know peoples’ deepest sins and secrets. He calls it the Telling, but he has abandoned this gift to a life of solitude, unbelief, and despair—until two detectives escort him to the county morgue where he finds his own body lying on the gurney.

On the northern fringes of Death Valley, the city of Endurance is home to llama ranches, abandoned mines, roadside attractions...and the mythical ninth gate of hell. Now, forced to investigate his own murder, Zeph discovers something even more insidious behind the urban legends and small-town eccentricities. Early miners unearthed a megalith—asacred site where spiritual and physical forces converge and where an ancient subterranean presence broods. And only Zeph can stop it.

But the scar on Zeph’s face is nothing compared to the wound on his soul. For not only has he abandoned his gift and renounced heaven, but it was his own silence that spawned the evil. Can he overcome his own despair in time to seal the ninth gate of hell?

His words unlocked something deadly,

And now the silence is killing them.

*Mike will be visiting Spire Reviews later this month.

Watch for his post, which will include a book giveaway!

Debut Author Spotlight ... Keven Newsome

MY WRITING JOURNEY

by Keven Newsome

It must have been fifth grade when I began my writing journey, but writing video game spec fic. And the best part was that all the characters spoke in King James English, because that’s what they did in the game. But it was my first attempt at writing, and that counts for something.

I didn’t write again for several years, focusing instead on music and art. In Junior High I started a series of sketches that had a story behind them. This germ of a story took root and ignited that fire of writing. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and those thousand words were screaming to be written down.

High School is when I really started writing. I did about four short stories, which I still have but haven’t read in years because I’m sure they really suck. I also hand wrote about 150 pages of a novel based on that story germ from Junior High. It was full of narrative summary, anachronistic dialogue, and teen angst, all wrapped in a medieval candy shell.

After graduating college in 2002, I began what I affectionately call My Practice Book. Its real name is Among Dragons. And it’s a prequel to that horrific attempt to write I made in High School. This book is on my list to be rewritten and reworked, because it’s actually a decent story even if the writing stinks. I had a copy printed, and it sits on my shelf as a reminder of how much I’ve learned.

My intention after completing this prequel was to go into the trilogy of books based on… you guessed it… that story I started in High School. I reworked it, reoutlined it, and made it into something exciting and worth writing. I wrote about fifty pages and then hit a block. But it wasn’t a writer’s block, per se. It was a block of distraction. You see, my creative mind was dwelling on something else that had recently come up.

On a Goth girl with the gift of prophecy.

So I began to write Winter’s story. December 2006, I finished the first draft. A second draft followed, then beta readers and a third draft. I tried my hand at submitting the third draft, but received nothing but no’s. I didn’t even get past the query letter stage.

In the fall of 2009, Winter was a finalist in the Marcher Lord Select Premise Contest. Little did I know this contest would be the pebble that begun the avalanche to being published. A year after entering that infamous contest, I received an email from one Kat Heckenbach. She had read my book and loved it. She passed it on to a friend of hers who was reading it and loving it. That would be Grace Bridges, owner of Splashdown Books.

Grace sent me a message. And while it was glowing and full of praise for the book, it contained one small sentence that almost made me want to throw out the computer. “For your own sake, I wish you would find a bigger publisher than me.”

Grace finally relented after I convinced her no one else would have me. I guess the whole premise of my book sounds a little too risky. We signed in December 2010, and Winter was released June 1, 2011 under a new paranormal imprint of Splashdown Books called Splashdown Darkwater.

Risky? Winter instantly became an in-house best seller for Splashdown Books. And I’m honored, and very thankful, that Grace didn’t see risk in my book…but potential.

WINTER
by Keven Newsome

Splashdown Books, 2011

Winter Maessen didn't ask for the gift of prophecy. She's happy being a freak - but now everyone thinks she's crazy. Or evil.

Goths aren't all the same, you know. Some are Christians.

...Christians to whom God sends visions.

Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter knows there's more than flesh and blood at work.

Her gift means she's the only one who can stop it - but at what price?



Keven Newsome is a graduate student at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology specializing in Supernatural Theology. He writes stories that portray the supernatural and paranormal with a Biblical perspective. Winter is his first book. He currently lives in New Orleans, LA with his wife and their two children.

www.KevenNewsome.com
www.facebook.com/thewordcrafter
www.twitter.com/kevennewsome
www.youtube.com/kevennewsome
Keven also heads up the team at the New Authors' Fellowship collaborative blog.

WIN A FREE e-BOOK!

Keven Newsome and Splashdown Books are giving away one e-book of

WINTER to one lucky commenter.

Contest Rules:
Comment on Keven Newsome's My Writing Journey by Thursday, July 21, 2011 and your name will go into a drawing for a free e-book of Winter in the e-book format of your choice. Contest closes Thursday, July 21, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be posted on Friday, July 22, 2011. Winner must provide an e-mail to Brenda AT Brenda Anderson Books DOT com. Don not post your mailing address anywhere on this blog.

Debut Author Spotlight ... Travis Perry

THE "EASY" ROAD to PUBLICATION

by Travis Perry

For me, the publication of my novel was surprisingly easy. The hard part was finishing the story in the first place.

I began writing The Crystal Portal in 2006. I had written short stories before and had a few published in small magazines, and one of my stories made it into a book anthology. But I had never written a novel and really didn't know anything about how to proceed with and finish a work of that length.

I wrote about a quarter of the the story (in a different order than it is now) and got stuck. Discouraged that my story would be of no interest to anyone, busy with ordinary life, and suffering from a serious case of writer's block, I only made marginal progress for the next several years.

I finally realized my problem was that I was only thinking of the story in terms of my main character and other point of view characters. I was not taking into account my villain's actions, which is why I was so stumped as to what should happen next in the tale. It may seem like a simple thing, but since I did not ask anyone for advice on the story or read anything about how to write a novel, it was a major realization for me.

After I completed the story in 2009, I read it over and felt something was missing. Other friends who read it didn't react to it the way I expected. I had done my own editing, but I knew I needed help.

On an online group of Christian speculative fiction authors (the Lost Genre Guild), I asked if anyone would be willing to help me edit and fix the story for the reward of having coauthor credit and a share of any profits that might ensue from publication. I had several people express interest, but Mike Lynch seemed to be the most interested and had the most experience in having other books published.

Mike and I worked together to edit the story. A number of parts were cut out, the order of a number of scenes changed, and we did a lot of other editing. Mike wrote one scene that hadn't been in the book before I started working with him.

After we had done our work together, Mike was looking for some objective readers for some good feedback on our work. One of the people he showed the story to was Grace Bridges, who is the owner of Splashdown Books. She loved the story and was immediately interested in publishing it.

Of course, she had interest in other edits and story changes, but with her help, the process of actually getting published was quick and mostly painless. So I was very blessed to have stumbled onto people willing to help me, and who saw something good in my story.

Now if only I get to generate some sales...

THE CRYSTAL PORTAL
by Travis Perry and Mike Lynch

Splashdown Books, 2011

And Yeshua said, "His ears will be a sign to you."

A time-travelling warrior elf on a manhunt for an evil genius. A state-of-the-art robot from New Los Angeles. And a carpenter's son from first-century Israel. Entering the Portal, they join forces with a princess of the Sapphire Monarchy to defy their power-mad adversary.

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-PAAbOF6nA

Travis Perry was born and raised in the mountains of western Montana, where he learned to let his imagination soar. A one time-pastoral student and active church member, he has a keen interest in faraway places and has studied (attaining varying degrees of proficiency): Spanish, French, German, Biblical Greek and Hebrew, Arabic, Italian, and Dari (Farsi). Blending Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Biblical Historical Fiction, he created the worlds of his first novel, The Crystal Portal, co-authored with Mike Lynch. An Army Reserve officer recently serving in Afghanistan, he is currently on his way home to his wife and six children in Wichita Falls, Texas.

WIN A FREE e-BOOK!

Travis Perry and Splashdown Books are giving away one e-book of

The Crystal Portal to one lucky commenter.

Contest Rules:

Comment on Travis Perry's The Easy Road to Publication by Tuesday, July 19, 2011 and your name will go into a drawing for a free e-book of The Crystal Portal in the e-book format of your choice. Contest closes Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Winner must provide an e-mail to Brenda AT BrendaAndersonBooks DOT com. Do not post your mailing address anywhere on this blog.