Interview: STORM Author Carmen Botman

1. What inspired you to write your stories for the STORM anthology?

The Icarus Curse was inspired by my genuine interest in how we as human beings are destroying our planet. The changing of the seasons is an actual tangible example that we’re all currently experiencing. I also watch a lot of Doomsday Preppers.

Dahlias and Daisies: I think the release of a notorious gangster not too long ago, and the escalating gang violence in certain communities is what led me to write this story. The story is not far-fetched and although completely fictional, I’m sure there would be people out there that would relate.

2. Tell us what your stories are all about.

The Icarus Curse is about Shiloh Reed, the protagonist in the story, who discovers, after the earth has been virtually destroyed, that she inadvertently holds the key to the restoration of the planet. The fate of humanity rests on her shoulders alone.

Dahlias and Daisies is a story about survival, both physical and emotional, about rising up against the odds and living the life you are meant to live, no matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through. Both my stories have strong, female protagonists in them. Girl power!

3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology?

I have never belonged to a writing group before this. I had known for a long time that this is what I want to do with my life and having the support of the group, it just made the task a lot less daunting and seem much more ‘do-able.’ I thought the theme itself was fantastic and I am always up for a challenge. The fact that my name will be on an actual book as a contributing author is still unbelievable.

4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published?

I am working on a YA fantasy/adventure series called The Ternion Series. Book one, The Kindling, is complete and at present I am still deciding how to go about getting it ‘out there,’ in the great big world. It is a full-length novel and I am about two-thirds of the way with the second book. So, watch this space.

5. What is your biggest challenge in writing?

My biggest challenge is my strange mixture of overconfidence and self-doubt – simultaneously. I’m sure many other writers feel this way as well. I get an idea and think it’s absolutely brilliant; that it will take the world by storm (excuse the pun) and then halfway through or at the end, I’ll look at it and wonder what the heck I was thinking! And then I have flashes of my manuscript being rejected and retreat until another brilliant idea hits me and I start the process all over again.

6. How do you deal with this challenge?

I’m still working on it. Basically I pep talk myself into manuscript submissions and tell myself upfront that they’ll probably say no, so that when it happens I don’t feel too bad about it. But I just read an article by Jeff Goins recently about this exact thing – apparently I’m doing it all wrong! Lol. So, let’s just say it’s (I’m) still a work in progress.

7. What advice would you offer to other authors having to deal with this same challenge?

Just go for it. Develop a thick skin. Trust me, feeling totally confused about your status as an author or even getting rejected by publishing houses is MUCH better than not even trying at all. You will seriously regret not trying, so if this is what you really want to do, then suck it up and do it.

8. Please explain to my readers your writing process and how you manage your life to accommodate your writing.

All stories start with an idea. If I have the basis for a story, I ask myself ‘what if’ questions about the characters and the scenes in my head. I always try and plot something out in the beginning, even if it’s only an outline, and then I completely disregard these as the story unfolds. I generally allow the characters to take me where they need to go. I work full-time, so I spend at least 9-10 hours out of the house every day. I do the cleaning, cooking, washing, ironing, etc. as well. My husband is currently working and studying, so there are many balls to keep in the air, but lo and behold, I manage. See my blog post about this very question. 

You can find all Carmen's books on Smashwords

Interview: STORM Author Richard T Wheeler

1. What inspired you to write your stories for the STORM anthology?

I had a recurring nightmare of sharks with human eyes living in rain-filled construction ditches that were trying to eat me. (It was in fact the ditches that tried to eat me, the sharks were quite friendly once I got to know them. They were however, notorious cheats at cards) So instead of seeking an urgent psychological evaluation, I diligently wrote the concept down as a story seed for a novel. Perfectly normal behaviour for a writer.

When I met up with the Pretoria Writers Group, I heard that there was a potential space for me to publish a short story with them. Problem was, I had only until the end of the month to complete the story. I jumped at the opportunity and hashed out a rough, wildly confusing dreamscape in a week. The process of squeezing sense out of it took quite a lot longer, considering that the source material involved great white ditch dwellers.

2. Tell us what your story is all about.

Conventional wisdom states that the leopard cannot change his spots, that a villain will always be a villain. But if heroes can be corrupted, surely villains can be redeemed? What can change the nature of a man? How did he end up being a villain in the first place? Is there really such a thing as villains?

So here’s the story: Can a wrathful, perverted, murdering, soliciting, financial enslaver find redemption?

Note from Linzé: Richard's story title is A Girl Called Storm

3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology?

The challenge. I’ve not dabbled in the short format at all. (Probably due to the truly dreadful short stories that I was subjected to during the course of my English degree.) I wanted to see if I can do it. I wanted to see if I was able to work on a short timeframe in an unfamiliar format and still have some success.

Moreover, the support that I received from the Pretoria Writers Group was overwhelming. I
finally felt that I had met some kindred spirits, and by making this effort, I will make a favourable impression on them.

4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published?

I am currently mid-draft on a novel concerning an insomniac dropout who needs to deal with ghosts who possess him to fulfil their unfinished business whenever he sleeps. It’s set in Pretoria and has a full complement of corrupt vigilante cops, love at first sight and copious amounts of Oppikoppi. As for the publishing date, I’ve recently discovered that I’m terrible at writing and have pushed back the release date to Soon™ or perhaps to When It’s Not Terrible™.

AtoZ Challenge: I is for INTERVIEW

Interviews of my fellow writers are coming up in May and June as part of our launch of the STORM anthology. They are Carmen Botman, Richard T Wheeler, Charmain Lines, Natalie Rivener, and Vanessa Wright.

If you like to ask a question I will ask each of them to answer in return - add it to the comments please. Hint: you can be as creative as you like, we are an out-of-the-box kind of group ☻

Author Interview: David Litwack

Please enjoy this interview with David Litwack, author of the gripping contemporary novel, Along the Watchtower, and the deep, dark dystopia, There Comes a Prophet. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $650 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book.

1.  Along the Watchtower is a powerful blend of contemporary fiction and fantasy that demands the reader’s attention from start to finish. What was your inspiration for writing this work, and for combining World of Warcraft with a casualty of war and a dream world?
I’ve always been fascinated by how we perceive reality. Think of the film Rashomon, the classic

exploration of multiple realities, where several witnesses to a crime describe events completely differently, each bringing their own life experience and biases into play. But it’s when we’re ripped from our normal life and placed in extreme circumstances that our reality becomes totally fragmented. Such is the case with hospitals and war.
At the same time, I’d become engrossed in playing the online fantasy game, World of Warcraft, with my son, an avid player. With me on the east coast and him on the west, he suggested we meet weekly in the fantasy world of Azeroth—an invitation I could hardly resist. For several months, we had a Wednesday evening appointment, where our avatars would meet in this virtual world and go on quests together. I was struck by how totally immersed I could get in the game, how quickly time passed, and the surreal mood of wandering around in castles and crypts, solving riddles and following quests.
The fantasy gaming experience has a dream-like quality to it. And I began to wonder:  how would this experience affect the dreams of someone whose reality has been fragmented by war, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury.
These concepts—war, hospitals, and the fantasy world of online gaming—came together in Along the Watchtower.

2. Without giving away too much, can you introduce us to the main character Lieutenant Freddie, and tell us how he’s similar and different in both worlds he inhabits?
When Freddie comes out of his medically-induced coma in the VA hospital, he’s nearly given up hope. Everything he had to live for was gone, and he was racked with bad memories and guilt, in addition to his physical injuries.
Prince Frederick doesn’t have the luxury of giving up. If he yields to despair, the kingdom that depends on him will fall into darkness. Because of this, he’s more willing to struggle through his trials. It’s through the prince in the fantasy world that Freddie is finally able to confront and overcome his personal demons in the real world.

3. Your first novel, There Comes a Prophet, explores the roots of the dystopian fiction category while also reinventing it for a younger generation of readers. This genre boasts many great classics including Slaughterhouse V, 1984, and Brave New World to name a few. What are your favorite classic books?
Dystopia literally means dysfunctional utopia, not necessarily an evil, power-hungry regime The City and the Stars. In this near perfect world, there’s no disease, hunger or poverty, and people are effectively immortal. But all are afraid to venture outside the walls of their city or even look beyond them. The thought of the open expanse of stars in the night sky terrifies them. All of this had been put in place to protect them from some past too horrible to mention. Yet the unfulfilled aspirations of a single individual drive him to discover the lost truth and let humanity move forward again.

oppressing its people, but a well-intentioned system that has lost its way, resulting in a world gone awry. My favorite such dystopian is Arthur C. Clarke’s
Lois Lowry’s The Giver is another great example. In a simple but beautiful writing style, she tells the story of a seemingly perfect world where bad memories have been abolished, except for one person, the keeper of memories. But the people are left unable to feel anything much—good or bad.

4. People read books for many different reasons. Of all the different reasons you’ve seen in reviews, can you relate one story that really stood out for you about a reader’s experience?
One reviewer read Along the Watchtower and it brought back memories of being a young college student, witnessing the twin towers fall on 9/11. The book touched him deeply, because it reminded him that, as a result of that tragic event, we’ve been at war his entire adult life. The shock he felt on 9/11 all came back to him in reading the struggles of the recovering Lt. Freddie Williams.
Interestingly enough, that same reviewer had a powerful reaction to the dystopian world of There Comes a Prophet. In that book, a ruling power limits learning and growth. This reviewer associated my story with the courageous young Malala Yousafzai, the Pakastani girl who the Taliban tried to kill for advocating education for women.
5. Along the Watchtower features a veteran’s healing process on the physical, emotional, and intellectual levels. What role do you think fantasy role-playing games and dreaming can play in a healing process?
When we’re confronted with trauma too terrible to comprehend, our mind sometimes shuts the experience out to let us heal. But the memory still lingers in our subconscious. Sometimes it’s easier to confront those feelings through fantasy, like dreams or video games, rather than facing them head on in the cruel light of reality. Then once confronted, we’re better able to move on.

6. Symbolism and description play a huge role in the opening chapters of Along the Watchtower. As the lines between reality and fantasy become more and more blurry, did you find it difficult to remember which ‘character’ you were talking as?
Freddie and Prince Frederick were undergoing the same trials at an emotional level, even though their circumstances differed. The hardest part in writing the two was to maintain a distinct voice for each—for Freddie the gritty language of the VA hospital and for Prince Frederick, more of a high fantasy tone. This difference was important to make each world believable. But since the book was written in a first person point of view, it was also critical to quickly alert the reader whenever there was a switch in worlds.

7. Ocean imagery features prominently in your book Along the Watchtower. What’s your favorite place to visit, and what scenery do you find most inspiring as an author?
I almost hate to mention this because it’s such a well-kept secret. But my favorite spot is a place called The Knob in my home town of Falmouth. It’s a raised spit of land rising up dramatically into the harbor onto a domed rock, reachable only after a half-mile walk through the woods. I’ve actually used it as a setting in my upcoming novel, The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky.

8. You run a very active blog and website, though the demands of marketing yourself can be overwhelming for many authors. How do you find balance in your life, and time to enjoy your surroundings in a highly technical world? Coming from a software background, I’m sure you might have unique insights on balancing the ‘real’ world with the technical one.

I’ve spent most of my adult life in front of a computer, first as a software engineer and now as an author. The key is to take advantage of non-computer time to get out and enjoy yourself. But all writers want to be read, so you have to spend time reaching out to readers. The software equivalent was that I used to enjoy taking a break from developing software to visit customers and see how they were using what I’d developed.

9. You’ve published two books, Along the Watchtower and There Comes a Prophet. Is there anything you’d like to share with readers and your future writing plans?
I’m in late stage edits with an alternate world story called The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky. It’s about a world divided between the Blessed Lands, a place of the spirit, and the Republic, whose people worship at the altar of reason. A mysterious nine-year-old girl from the Blessed Lands sails into the lives of a troubled couple in the Republic and seems to heal everyone she meets. She reveals nothing about herself, other than to say she’s the daughter of the sea and the sky. But she harbors a secret wound she herself cannot heal.
I’m also currently planning what will be a sequel to There Comes a Prophet. I’ve always wondered what happened to Orah and Nathaniel after their world changing heroics and what became of the contemporaries of the keepmasters who had crossed the ocean. Stay tuned.

10. What do you like to do to unwind? You know, in those rare moments when you’re not writing!
Since writing and social networking are indoor activities, I try to get outside as often as possible. I go for long walks on the seashore, play some golf, bicycle, and generally try to stay active. I’m fortunate to be able to split my time between Cape Cod and Florida, both beautiful places in their respective nice seasons.

On Tour: Eternal Lovers by VS Nelson

Ancient Legends - New Worlds Humans weren't the only ones to migrate to America... When two hidden worlds collide near modern day Lake Michigan, Jennifer, a young Native American, is confronted with the reality not everything is as it seems and things do go bump in the night. The questions she has long since asked are answered in this epic tale of self discovery when she meets Gabriel; the director of Guardians Incorporated. Born in New Tuat, Netchkhet, now known as Gabriel, came to Earth some five thousand years ago to protect the human race, Disillusioned because of an unfulfilled prophecy, he has become cold and distant - even from those of his kind. Secretly, he waits for his enemy to take his head so he may leave this world for good. Can a tiny Selkie melt his hardened heart and restore his faith in a power far greater than himself? When history repeats itself, can he save her from death's embrace or will they be robbed of a future again?

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17235374-eternal-lovers 

Author Bio:  V.S. Nelson has always enjoyed reading stories with strong relationships and happy endings so it’s not surprising she found herself writing across the romance genre. Even her commercial fiction, Sins of a Man, the memoirs of a Mafia Hit man, is layered with romantic elements.

Landing in Arizona, after an exciting teaching career, which took her to the Middle East for several years, she lives in Arizona where she spend most of my time making love to her computer while writing, editing or researching, seven to ten hours a day. The days she’s not writing, you will find her with my critique partners at Starbucks, attending or presenting a workshop or at a RWA meeting.

Being a Native American woman and a Scorpio, she’s always had a fondness for history, mythology, the occult, and the unexplained events which have occurred on this world we call home. It was no wonder she found herself writing a paranormal series.

She enjoys hearing from readers, fans and people with similar interests. They are more than welcome to contact her through her website http://www.authorvsnelson.com

 

I am delighted to welcome author V.S.Nelson to (site) today. Virginia, thank you for being here today. I’d like to start off asking you, why do you write under your initials rather than your first and last name? Is it to hide your sexuality?

V: Not at all. When I first switched from writing non-fiction to fiction I felt a change was necessary. I, like most authors also googled my name. I was not surprised to find my name was being used by another author. What surprised me was she also writes paranormal romance often on the erotic side. We have since become facebook friends and joke freely about our common name. Virginia Nelson is my maiden name where it is her married name. Making a long story short I felt it best to use my initials for my fictional stories. There was never any intention on my part to hide my gender.

Interviewer: I think our readers would like to learn more about you as a person. Can you tell us at least five things most readers don’t know about you?

V: Well I’m not too sure what your readers know or don’t know about me so I’ll start off by stating some of the things that is mentioned on my website then share a few secrets with you. I’m Native American, a Scorpio and a grandmother who refuses to admit that I am as old as I truly am since I am still very young at heart. I wrote non-fiction and text books for years while I taught school in New Mexico and the Middle East. I’m retired now and spend my days writing fiction in sunny Arizona where I live with the light of my life who was also my high school sweetheart. (More on this personal story below.) I have a fondness for the occult, ancient cultures and religions which l believe led me to write paranormals and urban fantasies.

Now on to some of the things your readers may not know about me. 

(1)  I was diagnosed with MS in 1990 and was confined to a wheel chair for over two years. Thing got so bad with my health I feared I would spend my remaining days in a rest home. I made the decision to try several alternative healing methods, including acupuncture, to which I am forever grateful for. It is a long haul but I eventually regained the use of my legs and arms. 

(2)  As a young teenager, in 1964, I ran away with my high school boyfriend after my parents moved from Central California to Northern California. I hated my new school and was so lonely without him we choose to runaway to Reno to get married. Sadly, I chickened out once we pulled up to a wedding chapel.  He returned home as did I and we broke up. A year later my family moved back to central California and the two of us picked up where we left off. A few months later, fate deemed we would not end up together. He married someone else as did I. I hadn’t seen or heard from Tom in years until ten years ago when I received an email from classmates dot com that he was trying to find me. We emailed back and forth for sometime before the phone calls started. We decided to meet up in person and felt Las Vegas would be a central and safe meeting place. Our weekend adventure turned into a week. Two months later, Tom made the move to Arizona and we have been together ever since. We have been content with our relationship and both feel we are committed enough in that relationship that a formal ceremony was not necessary. – That was until Thanksgiving Day when we were discussing which conferences I would attend in 2013. A decision to take part in the http:/www.romancenovelconvention.com in Las Vegas was quickly made. While making arrangements for the conference on line, Tom suggested that since we would both be in Vegas we might as well go ahead and tie the knot officially. As it turns out the model, Jimmy Thomas, who is hosting the event will be officiating the ceremony during the conference’s costume ball. What better place to formally say our vows than at a romance convention? 

(3)  Another unknown fact about me is, after I retired from teaching college in New Mexico I ended up teaching for anther twelve years in the Middle East and Egypt. It was perhaps the most rewarding experience I have had the pleasure in my life. I lived in Qatar, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Egypt in addition to a few other places and wouldn’t change a thing about my life there. The people of those counties are rich in culture and I feel blessed to have known them. 

(4)  Much like the heroine, Jennifer, in Eternal Lovers – Sekhmet’s Guardians – Book One, I was raised by my grandparents until forth grade at which time I moved in with my mother and step-father.

Interviewer: Wow, you sure have led an amazing life. Do you draw on your personal experiences when writing your stories?

V: I think every writer no matter how their story comes to them will draw on their experiences and past emotions when developing their story lines and character profiles. As I mentioned, Jennifer and I share similar childhoods. 

Interviewer: So where do your stories come from? Do you plot them out?

V: I’m very much a seat-of-the-pants type of writer. I write what I see or feel. Each story comes from a different place inside me. Cupid’s story developed with a mere thought while Sekhmet’s Guardians was revealed to me through dreams. Gabriel the leader of Sekhmet’s Guardians came to me years ago when I was in Egypt. Too busy to give him the attention he demanded I placed him in the folds of my sub-conscious until he demanded I pay attention to him. That was three years ago. He still visits me nightly sharing the Guardian’s amazing tales and I continue to write them out.

Interviewer: Virginia, I’d like to thank you for being our special guest today. I hope you will consider coming back in the near future and sharing more of your exciting life with us.

V: Thank you. I loved being here and will check back later to see if any of your readers have questions for me.

Interviewer: If you would like to know more about author V.S.Nelson or her books I suggest you hop on over to her website http://www.authorvsnelson.com

Interview: Linda Leander author of INZARED - Queen of the Elephant Riders

It is my pleasure to interview my online friend Linda Leander today.

Did you like to read as a child? 
Absolutely! My mother read to me as a baby and said I “read” the book when she pointed to the pictures. I’m sure it was memory, but that instilled a love of reading in me that I carry to this day. I remember running home from school to grab a snack and fling myself on the bed to read whatever book I was into at the time. Mom would call up the stairs for me to come down and set the table – my standard answer was always “I’m almost at the end of the chapter – be right down.” Of course, I probably gobbled up a whole chapter or more but I just couldn’t get enough. At night I snuck a flashlight in bed with me and read under the covers until my mother caught on. I still feel the same way when I’m immersed in a good book. 

As an adult you probably still like to read as most authors do.  Who are your three favourite authors and why do you like their books? 

It’s definitely hard to pick only three and if you had asked my favorite all time authors my answers would be different. I’ve only included current ones and only a few. But if I had to pick them they would be: 

1. Harlan Coben – to me he’s the master of a great suspense novel and I cannot put his books down. Once I found him I read every single thing he’d written and I’ve now re-read them many times.
2. Amy Tan – her books of Chinese family culture are not to be missed. I’ve always loved reading about different people and customs and her books are full of them. 
3. Janet Evanovich and Sophie Kinsela – I like having something that is fresh, easy to read and light. Both of these authors are entertaining and I can carry them with me to the beach or the doctor’s office.

Where do find your inspiration from?

I find my inspiration from life – from the world I live in. I’m fascinated by history and love research. I can be inspired by a couple on a park bench or an old woman walking down a lonely stretch of road. I keep a small notebook handy and as I have ideas I write them down. Sometimes they’re just one line and other times a few lines. I look at signs and billboards, read headlines on the Internet and magazines. Anything can become fodder for a new book, a character or a setting.

How much of yourself do you think become a part of your novels?

Every writer is part of his or her novels. I base some of my character traits on real-life events that have occurred in my own life and things I know how to do. I think as I write the character takes on a different persona, though, and I probably project other traits that might not be as close to my own. We all have a yen to be someone or something else. As a writer I can make it happen!

Will you watch the film if you have read the book? Or vice versa?

I love to read a book and then see the film. Occasionally I’ve seen the film first. I don’t mind doing either. What’s exciting about reading (and writing) is the ability to “see” the characters and settings through the eyes of the writer. It’s all an adventure!

What do you enjoy the least and the most in writing a novel and publishing it?

I most enjoy the writing – that moment when you lose all track of time and the words flow from your fingers faster than you can key them into the computer. I least enjoy the editing, but actually find some of it interesting, especially when I delete characters or delete scenes.

And lastly - if you had to pick only one pair of shoes - which pair would you take and where would you like to go?

They’d be my cross-trainers. I’ve worn out several pair but they take me on my quests for adventure. They’re always comfortable and I’ve walked many miles in them and traveled to many places. As long as I’ve got those and a little black dress I’m all set!

More about Linda:

L.Leander is an author, freelancer and award-winning songwriter. Her first novel, Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders was published in June of 2012. The second book in the series, Inzared, The Fortune Teller is slated for publication in early 2013. The author has also published a short non-fiction series titled 13 Extreme Tips for Writers, targeted to the beginning writer.

Ms. Leander manages a blog titled L.Leander’s Reviews and Interviews that offers book promotion to Indie Authors. The author currently resides between Wisconsin and Mexico.

Find Linda's books and follow her at:

INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders by L.Leander

Video Trailer for INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders: http://youtu.be/lQHtsFQGAP0

13 Extreme Tips to Self Publishing by L.Leander

13 Extreme Tips to Marketing an eBook by L.Leander

L.Leander’s Website: www.lleander.com

L.Leander’s Reviews and Interviews: http://lleandersreviewsandinterviews.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/L.-Leander/e/B008IVRNU8

Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/lleanderbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lleander11    @lleander11

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lleander11

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6441993.L_Leander

Google+: https://plus.google.com/100076816458862731821

Swords and Knives - Cover Art

I have the privilege to have a friend that owns, designs and manufactures swords and knives that grace the covers of some of my books and short stories (and hopefully more to come). This is an interview that he kindly consented to - after some persuasion on my part ;-)

Hi Dennis, thank you for letting me tap your brains on knife and sword making.

Linzé: What kinds of knives and swords do you design and manufacture? Any particular reason why?

Dennis: Knives: I like to design and manufacture folding knives and fixed blades leaning towards classical designs. I use antique knife designs of European and Mediterranean origin as inspiration for my designs. I am fascinated by history; especially ancient civilizations. Nevertheless, I also do designs conforming to more hunting knife requirements; but without compromising that old-world look. I prefer to work in Damascus steel; not only because of the ancient origins of this steel, but also because of its pure beauty.

Swords: I prefer to design and manufacture swords that can be considered historically accurate. I am especially fascinated by European, Ancient Grecian and Roman swords designs. Some of my swords are interpretations or amalgamations of various design aspects in ancient swords that fascinate me. I am for instance quite drawn to short leave-shaped blade designs. So whether it be a hoplite, gladius, broadsword or something suited to ‘Lord of the Rings’, I am sure I must have held and handled all of them in previous lives.

Linzé: I have noticed that they are particularly sharp, so they are real blades, not only for decoration?

Dennis: All my blades are made to use, whether it be for hunting, food preparation or war. There is no sense in making a blade only for decorative purposes.

Linzé: Please tell me about the skills you need to make knives and swords. Did you need special training to learn these skills?

Dennis: I didn’t and there are certainly knife makers more experienced than I am. I have been making knives and tools since an early age. I am essentially self taught.

Linzé: Would you consider it to be an art? Why?

Dennis: Any skill able to transform materials in raw form into something of beauty can be considered art. Knife and sword making therefore can be nothing else but art.

Linzé: Do you need complex or special tools for the manufacturing of the blades?

Dennis: It depends on the methods that you use. There are essentially two methods of knife making: stock removal or forging. I prefer the last mentioned. A small amount of stock removal is still required. The basic tools required are a forge to heat the steel, steel tongs to handle the hot steel billets, a large anvil, some hammers and basic forging tools, belt sander, sandpaper, files and polishing buff.

Linzé: You use Damascus steel for your blades. Why this kind of steel?

Dennis: Damascus steel is ancient. Damascus steel has character and unique beauty. Each Damascus steel knife and sword is unique; fingerprinted through a forging process that cannot ultimately control the material flow. Damascus steel exemplifies the pinnacle of ancient metallurgy. Damascus steel was rare in ancient times and remains rare today. I am enthralled by it, and so are my customers.

 

Linzé: I have noticed that the handles of the blades are also made of different materials. How do you decide which material is best for the type of blade?

Dennis: Blades: Swords able to withstand the rigours of battle must be made in carbon or Damascus steel. I use both. Stainless steel is not ideal for this application.

Handles: I prefer to use natural materials with character: bone, hardwoods, horn…..I like brass, red copper and again, Damascus steel.

Linzé: You have also made rings from this steel. Is it a difficult material to make jewellery with? How do you deal with the problem that this is not a precious metal and could corrode when in constant contact with skin and the environment? (Note from Linzé: the rings can be seen on the cover of HUNGER)

Dennis: The steel (in annealed form) can only be worked on lathe. The pattern is brought forth via etching with diluted Ferric Chloride.

Some people have oilier skins that preclude rusting from taking place. My own Damascus ring has been worn constantly for two years without rust damage. Generally a smear of Vaseline also helps. It is a lifestyle decision and I prefer the beauty of the basic beauty of Damascus over that of gold or platinum. It is not made to last forever; but neither are we.

Linzé: If someone would like to order a knife or sword, how can they can do that?

Dennis: They can contact me via my website. I don’t make any custom knives. I make what I want and sell these. My business has grown so much, that I subcontract work to other knife makers on many of my more popular designs.

Thank you, Dennis, for the information and allowing Francois Venter to take the photographs of the blades. PS: I love my Damascus ring, too!

 

Those Pesky Interview Questions

I am sure you have seen the interviews that I, and many other authors, have posted on our blogs and websites. The questions we ask each other are much the same: what inspired your writing? Do you like to read? Why that specific genre, story, age group, etc. Although we all try to be more creative and add at least one or two questions that will make the interviewee think for a moment or tickle their funny bone. And to be honest these questions are relatively easy to ask and answer. The difficulty, that I at least, now have to face is the questions that I want to ask a non-writer. For research.

With the almost unlimited amount of information available on the internet, we all use that to do most of our research. What is the currency of Burundi? Which cars are manufactured in South Africa? You know, facts and figures. But where do you find out about the inspirations and creativity that people employ in their daily lives, hobbies and experiences? You ask a human being, of course.

The need to talk to someone as a means of gaining information, needs a more sensitive and well-thought through approach. The more sensitive the subject, the more preparation work you need to do. Even if you are acquainted with the person, determine the boundaries of your questions to respect their feelings and privacy. Offer to show the final product to them before you publish it, in whatever form it might be – article, blog post, book chapter. Aside from any possible legal difficulties, you could stand to loose a friend, and in my book that will the absolute worst thing that could happen.

NOTE: This article is based on preparation work that I am currently busy doing for two interviews that I hope will eventually be posted here. In both cases the information is intended for use in short stories that will be published on Smashwords. Both interviewees have indicated the need for privacy and even anonymity, for various reasons.

Interview with Woman of the Year: Marisa van der Merwe

Marisa and Willem van der Merwe

My interview this week is with Marisa van der Merwe - who won Woman of the Year 2012 (Education Category)

Thank you for the opportunity to interview you for my blog.



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MiniChess website

 
Please tell us a bit about yourself. Where were you born? Do you have brothers and sisters? Did you learn to play chess as a child? Do any of your siblings play? Where did you meet Willem? Did you know straight away that he was the guy for you? How long have you been married? How many children do you have and what do they do?
I was born in Germiston, Johannesburg, 57 years ago as the first child of two top SA chess players: Piet and Wynie Robbertse – in fact, both have well-known chess tournaments named after them. My dad Piet Robbertse was an actuary and well-known businessman, who taught my mom to play chess after they got married…she eventually became the SA Women’s Chess Champion for 11 years. 
I have a brother and two sisters – of which my brother Piet and baby sister Wyna were both very good provincial chess players.
I am married to my high school sweetheart, Willem van der Merwe, for 37 years now, and although the thrill was there from the first moment we met, I think a life-long relationship is based on more than thrills… I count myself very lucky to have a life-partner with whom I do share all the thrills, but also the same values, dreams and passions in life (note: not necessarily the same taste in movies, art and music!). We have 5½ children…let me explain: Vanessa (a passionate language teacher), Jan-Hendrik (an electronic engineer, like-father-like-son) and Pieter (a medical doctor), plus Elzanne (a ballet dancer, married to Pieter) and the ½ is Annerie Scheepers (pharmacist, engaged to Jan-Hendrik) … and then there is also the son-to-be: Piet Ludick (Vanessa’s life-partner, who is much-loved in our family).
Willem’s father, Jan, turned 90 this year, and we are very honoured that he is also part of our BIG family. AND there are the 3 dogs, 1 cat and 2 fishes that’s part of this family as well. Although the children are now already out of the house, they live close-by and we often eat & spend time together - quite a house-full!
 
How did you get involved in teaching chess?
When my children were small, I was a stay-at-home mom. Their school asked parents to get involved in the chess club, and I offered my help. I immediately LOVED chess training with the young-ones … I enjoyed every moment….and it fired-up a lifelong passion!! Although I don’t consider myself a strong chess player, the age-old game intrigued me because of its many facets: creativity, competitiveness, tactics & strategy, science, history, logic and fun – all combined with the human factor. It is fascinating!
 
What made you decide to use chess as a tool to help children learn better?
It wasn’t really a decision that I made on a day – it was a process that evolved over time and revealed it to me as a wonderful opportunity for all:
I ran a chess-school for 5 -13 year-olds in our home’s garage for more than 20 years. It was a lot of fun & sports, AND amazingly successful: it produced 27 junior national players and 100’s of provincial players! Although I was teaching the children a lot about chess, they were teaching me a lot about children. It came as a surprise to me when parents, teachers and youngsters reported much-improved academic results as well as improvement in self-confidence and maturity: many of my chess students became top-academic performers, captains of different sport teams and leaders in their schools.
Throughout my chess-coaching career, I have always been very analytical, critical and innovative in developing my students, and also my methods of training….you know: thinking about it a lot, reading, sound-boarding and rolling-around/pondering it in the wee hours of the night. As every child’s thinking patterns were unique, my approach to every child also had to be specific. It’s quite technical, but this experience proved to be the basis of chess-as-educational-tool, developing specific mental skills through specific techniques, chessboard-games, “minichess”-games etc. The idea developed and refined over the years through experimentation and on-going learning, to grow into a full program.
Then about 10 years ago I was invited by a top primary school in Pretoria to run a chess-in-school program for their foundation phase , gr.R to gr.3 learners (5 to 9 year-olds) – which gave me the opportunity to test my program in the SA classroom situation. I had to formalise the program – with projects and learner workbooks (4 levels), Teacher Manuals with structured age-specific lesson plans, assessment standards, teacher aids, etc.  It was a challenge and a wonderful learning curve for me: all the children in the foundation phase had to be included in the program and I knew that all children would not find chess easy, so I developed a program that started with the pre-learning concepts of chess – developing mental capacity though fun & games – and had remarkable success to take the benefits of chess to all learners in the classroom! Soon other schools got interested in the program… The non-profit PBO Moves for Life was established in 2010 and they also took the MiniChess program to disadvantaged communities by means of sponsorships. By July 2012 16,000+ children in all provinces of SA were doing the MiniChess program on a weekly basis, with positive feedback from schools, teachers, learner and communities on a regular basis. 
Grandmaster Garry Kasparov visited SA in November 2011, when he witnessed the MiniChess program in action. He was very impressed, and called it the “most scientific program in the world, linking chess with education”. He is interested to take it international by means of the Kasparov Chess Foundations in Europe, N-America, S-America, the Middle-East and Africa. Universities in SA are doing studies on the impact of the MiniChess program on school readiness, development of math-understanding, etc. 
It is my dream to develop the mental capacity of our youth, enabling them to thrive in a fast changing world - and what better way for youngsters to learn than to play games and have fun? We are now in the process of developing the first MiniChess Computer game. I am thrilled and honoured to be part of this fantastic journey!

Please explain to my readers what the Minichess program is about and how it works.
The MiniChess program is a practical-based “chess-in-school-time program” for gr.R to gr.3-learners (5 to 9 year-olds), linking chess with education in fun playful ways. Chess is the game of ideas, and are therefore an excellent teaching tool – rising above all barriers of language, culture, age, gender and even physical disability.
MiniChess is the pre-learning part of chess as a sport: breaking down complex abstract ideas into small simple steps. BUT, more importantly, at the same time it uses fun & games to develop the young mind - to think, reason, plan, solve problems, compete, master spatial concepts and number skills, shape- and pattern recognition, enhance life skills (like inhibiting impulsivity) and self-confidence, creativity, concentration, discipline, and much more …all aspects of school readiness and important early childhood development. The young child’s brain offers a window of opportunity to learn specific skills/concepts which are critical for later learning. The MiniChess program is designed to develop those critical areas by means of play.
The program is well structured, with tried & tested, progressive and age-appropriate Learner Workbooks (4 levels) AND Teacher Manuals with extensive lesson plans, assessment standards, and educational outcomes (including training and support for the teachers). The content and method of learning links-up with school curriculum in the foundation phase. Youngsters that would not normally be interested in chess as a sport, nevertheless enjoys the MiniChess program  a lot! Even teachers who don’t know anything about chess will be able to use this educational tool – and will eventually  also be (entry level) chess teachers! Learners and teachers get much benefit from this in-class program, and are accredited after completing each level. Please visit our website for sample materials, educational studies, photos, etc.

I know you have a large local interest in the program. Can it be used to benefit children in other countries as well? How do people contact you if they want to learn more about MiniChess? I understand that you have plans to take the program online. Can you give us a little sneak preview of what your plans are?
The MiniChess program can be used very effectively by children from different countries and cultures, as it is aligned to the generic educational outcomes for children aged 5 to 9 years old. The Learner Workbooks as well as the Teacher Manuals (with the lesson plans) are available in English at the moment, although translation into different languages are being investigated. Interested persons are welcome to contact us through the MiniChess website.  The MiniChess Software program 1 is under construction, with interest form international chess guru Garry Kasparov, who also wants to get involved. It is an adventure game which takes the player all over the world (and even into space!), linking to the educational outcomes of the MiniChess Level 1-program, with STUNNING artwork, and a wonderful surprise at the end!     

Congratulations again on winning Woman of the Year in the Education category. Your prize included a R100 000 for your program that I know will be well spent. But what plans do you have for the personal prize that you have won as part of the award?
I want to thank Shoprite Checkers again for honouring the work that SA women are doing in their communities, and for the generous contribution of R100,000 towards the MiniChess/Moves for Life programs countrywide.
The additional cash prize is such a WONDERFUL gift – it is not often that a “mother and teacher” gets money to spend on whatever she wants! I shared the prize with my fellow MiniChess workers and my family by treating them to special “celebration dinners” and I bought something special for my garden. The rest is in the bank, for now….

Author Interviews...Loads of Fun!

There are just five more days in July, and five more days that I will be hosting an interview with Michael Lorde, an author I met online in a Facebook writer's group. Initially I was a bit sceptical (sorry, Michael :-)) about the concept of interviews of other authors on my blog. Now I have been converted.

And its not some lightning strike from above that changed my mind, quite the contrary. Pure human nature, happened.

Another online friend - and his interview is already scheduled for September - suggested that I interview a best selling woman writer of thrillers. It gave me the opportunity to ask questions that are not exactly the usual - tell-me-about-your-book type questions. And besides being kind enough to answer my questions, her sense of humour made the interview worth reading again.

So why will I find more authors to interview on my blog? Because I get to ask funny and weird questions, and I get to meet plenty more people who love books, almost as much as I do, no doubt ;-)

Make a knot in your ear and visit my Interview with... segment in August - you might be pleasantly surprised.