Interview with Sirenz Authors Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

Welcome to our interview with co authors Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman. These ladies have written a fantasy novel about two friends who make a deal with the devil...if you consider the Greek god Hades as the devil. 

Along with this interview is a prize pack that includes a printed copy of the book as well as some swag. #weloveswag! So if you would like to enter the contest, leave us a comment with your email address. Now, on to the interview. 

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Q. What’s your book about?

A. When two high school girls fall in love with one pair of on-sale designer shoes, there’s going to be a fight. Unintentionally Meg and Shar cause a tragedy to an innocent bystander that only Hades, Lord of the Underworld, can undo—for a price. Employed as his new sirens, they must complete a task or face eternity serving him.

Q. Was the storyline for Sirenz a mutual decision?

A. It had to be. We each drafted individual chapters but we needed a single storyline to stick to—or we’d still be working the book! We’d brainstorm together to get direction, go home and write, then come together again to edit.

Q. Are you your characters?

A. Yes and no. Both main characters have a bit of each of us. Meg (Nat’s character) is an earthy, vintage loving pixie—just like Nat. However, Meg is eco-friendly to an extreme, just like Char who’s really into recycling. And Shar, (Char’s character) is an outspoken, blond, exuberant shop-a-holic. Nat is the bigger and more savvy shopper, while Char is blond and exuberant. So the characters are an amalgamation and mix-up of both of us.

Q. How long have you known each other?

A. Funny you should ask—we were just trying to figure that out! Nat joined Char’s critique group back in 2004 or 2005, somewhere in there. So that would make it… 6 or 7 years or thereabouts.  It feels like we’ve known each other forever, but also, oddly enough, there are days when we feel like it hasn’t been that long. Time is weird like that.

Q. What is it like co-authoring?

A. Co-authoring has its challenges and perks. The challenges are different views, styles, visions, and schedules. You have to learn to work through all those—and there’s no “Co-Authoring For Dummies” book. We’ve prioritized the friendship over the book because if we weren’t speaking to each other, we couldn’t write the book anyway! The perks are you only have to write half the book, the other always brings a fresh perspective so there’s no writer’s block, you can torture their character in your chapter, and you always have someone to keep to the schedule and encourage you.

Q. What kind of writing schedule are you on?

A. At the moment it’s a bit of a shipwreck; between family stuff and promo for SIRENZ, there’s hardly been any time to tap out a few words, BUT when things are normal (as normal as things get with three kids and husband each), we work individually, then send chapters to the other to edit and add the next chapter. This back and forth goes on until we have five chapters, or a chunk as we call it, then we get together to go over chunk changes. A chunk can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks depending on what’s going on (kids, activities, emergency trips to the beach for sanity, etc.). All in all, we work whenever we can.

Q. Are you a Plotter, Panster or Plotski?

A. Initially we were ‘pansters’ flying through scenes by the seat of our pants, and the book ran off on too many tangents. We put on the brakes and roughly plotted out what would have to happen in each chapter so the story came to the conclusion we wanted. We’ve since evolved into ‘flying plotters.’ We brainstorm like maniacs, pulling in all crazy and outlandish scenarios, then sit down and choose which one to follow as we plot, chapter by chapter.

Q. What advice would you give to writers?

A. We’ve tried to narrow it down to five: 1-take the time to hone your craft. This can be hard to do when you’re excited about a project, but so important. Practice really does make perfect—and it’s not a race to see who’ll finish first. You’re not in competition with anyone but yourself to write the best novel you can. 2-Be active online. Network with book bloggers, readers, editors and other authors, it’s a friendly community and the camaraderie is great. 3- Join a critique group or do beta-swaps with other writers because there’s nothing like another pair of eyes. Add to this to learn to take criticism, if you haven’t already, it’s extremely helpful and will make you a better writer. 4- Finish. Your. Novel. Sadly, most people don’t. 5- Never, never, NEVER give up.

Q. Describe your co-author in 3 words.

Char about Nat: free-spirited, unconventional, creative

Nat about Char: hysterical (as in funny), big-hearted, and boundlessly enthusiastic (I know that’s 4, but her enthusiasm bears description!)

Q. Any projects coming up?

A. Nat: Together Char and I are working on the Sirenz series, and plotting out a co-authored middle grade novel. On my own, I’m revising my Victorian fantasy and slowly but surely writing a new contemporary fantasy.

Char: Sirenz Back in Fashion edits, finish writing Sirenz 3, push for Sirenz 4; A MG novel I’m working on with my agent; developing a contemporary MG series with Nat; put other manuscripts on hold while these are completed.

Q. What would you be if you couldn’t write?

Char: Maybe be a book reviewer since I love reading, but I’d have to be dead not to write.

Nat:  Miserable probably. I’d have to write something—even if it was just for me. I’d need to keep my hands busy so I’d probably be knitting, spinning, making jam…

Q. Where can we purchase your book?

A. If your local indie bookstore or big chain store doesn’t have Sirenz on their shelves, ask for it and they can order it for you. (Mendham Books where we had our launch party has several signed copies for sale.)

Excerpt from Sirenz:

“I don’t want your soul. I want your service. You two will be my new Sirens.”

          “Your what?” I asked.

          “Greek Mythology, Shar,” whispered Meg.  “The Sirens were these bird women who sat on the rocks and sang.  Sailors couldn’t resist them, so they crashed their ships and drowned.”

          Meg and her occult studies.  Who knew they would come in handy?  She could converse with psychos.

          “Hello?  That’s a fairy tale—the stuff they make a TV series out of!”  It’s not real.  It’s not!  I refused to believe it, but the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that I was kidding myself.  I turned to Hades.

          “Fine.  Okay, let’s pretend that you’re telling the truth—hypothetically.  Why would you need new Sirens?  What happened to the originals?”

          Hades shook his head sadly.

          “Once Odysseus sailed past without succumbing to their call, they threw themselves into the sea and drowned.  The same thing happened when Jason and the Argonauts resisted them.  They didn’t take rejection very well.  So I kept replacing them. I need a steady workforce.”  Hades grinned and I felt sick all over again.

          “You mean, they died??” I was only 17 and not liking what I was hearing.

          “Every profession has its risks.”  He straightened his immaculate Jerry Garcia—signed—tie. “No one’s immortal but us gods.”

          “Get to the point,” Meg said.  “What would we have to do?” 

          “Oh it’s easy,” he purred, “You two will bring me a specified individual who executed an agreement with me, and which, shall we say, is about to expire. You lure him to an underworld portal which will send him to Tartarus, my kingdom.  In exchange, I will undo this terrible tragedy and you’re off the hook. A one shot deal. Simple, no?”

          “Too simple,” said Meg.  “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.  What happens if we can’t do it?”

          Hades looked sideways at us and grinned with a sly smile.

          “If you fail, you must reside with me. In the Underworld.  For all eternity.  And I’ll have another job for you—taking care of my pets.”

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We want to thank Charlotte and Natalie for stopping by to chat with us about Sirenz and their journey in writing. Be sure to listen in on Wednesday at 3:30pm PST when we interview them on Blog Talk Radio.

Now's your chance to win the prize package we showed above. Simply leave us a comment with your email address and you will be entered. It's that simple. We look forward to hearing from you!

Interview with Eliza Gayle, Author of Malcolm: A Black Cougar Novel

Welcome to our interview with Eliza Gayle, author of Malcolm: A Black Cougar Novel. Eliza is giving a copy of her book to a luck commenter so don't forget to include your email address in your comment.

What inspired the story behind your Black Cougar Series?

There were two things actually. First there is a stretch of dangerous road through the Mountains of North Carolina called Dragon Tail. Reading the website and visiting the area inspired the setting for my shifter.

I decided to write cougars because I wanted something you’d actually find in NC and bobcats are a little too small in my mind for these alpha shifters. When I happened across an old Native American legend that talked about the mysterious (and believed to not exist) Black Cougars that represented death, the lightbulb went off. 

Is each novel interlinked or are they stand alone?

The three books do have an overarcing storyline that is wrapped up in Malcolm’s story. While I think you can read Malcolm and get the idea of the other two, it’s probably a much richer experience to read them all and in order. Lucas then Kane then Malcolm.

You’re hero, Malcom, is a shifter. Can you tell us what makes him tick?

From the start of the series, Malcolm is pretty much consumed by rage and resentment. He’s made some pretty big mistakes in his past and he has to pay dearly for them. With this much pent up frustration it’s really no surprise how much he’s lashed out through the series.

Cheyenne’s hired to find Malcolm. Can you tell us a little more about her?

It’s hard to say too much without giving away spoilers for the book. Suffice it to say she’s had a rough few years and doesn’t want to play anymore. She’s got a singular goal she’s been so focused on that connecting with Malcolm is going to be far more intense than she expects.

Aside from shifters, are there any other supernatural beings in your book?

Yes. There is a psychic and a witch. Both show up in book 1, Lucas, with the witch continuing into Kane’s story. 

Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

I’m usually somewhere in between a plotter or a pantser. These days I at least outline a story before I start as well as write short character descriptions. Much more than that and I begin to lose interest and get frustrated.

Why did you choose to write paranormal?

I write paranormal because I love to read it. I fell in love with the genre thanks to Sherrilyn Kenyon and her Dark Hunter series. Since then, I’ve read many many series.

What’s your writing routine like?

I try to write most every day and I set a word count goal for each week every Monday morning. I have a full time job in addition to the writing career but I am lucky to work from home. So throughout my day I go back and forth between writing and the day job as necessary. I’ve found that I produce my best writing in the mid morning hours so I try really hard to at least write during those hours. 

How do you choose the names of your characters?

After I have written a characters description, which includes their background, I usually turn to baby name books in search of a name that just “feels” right.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block and how do you work your way out of it?

I write every day so that helps a lot. But if I get stuck then it’s usually because I need to figure out something in my story so I’ll stop, pull out the notebook I keep by my side at all times, and start making notes.

If that doesn’t work, I take a very long hot shower. No idea why it works but it does. I keep bath crayons in my shower and frequently take notes on the walls. lol

Are you working on any new projects?

I am currently working on another witch book. It’s one I started a long time ago and I figured it was time to finish it. I’ve also got the beginnings of my next shifter book. It might surprise readers of Malcolm to discover I’ve been inspired to write a story about Kitty.

Where can readers purchase your books?

Most of my ebooks can be found at nearly all of the normal online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble or All Romance eBooks.

I only have a couple of print books available right now and those can be ordered from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The cougar series will be available in print in July.

Where can readers connect with you on the web?

I tend to be all over the place. I try to keep my website updated regularly with all my book info at http://elizagayle.net 

I also use facebook a lot where I love to post pictures about things that are going on like vacations or random things I find at the mall that make me laugh. Lol http://www.facebook.com/elizagayle 

For more frequent and short updates on what’s going on, you can follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/elizagaylebooks

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We’d like to thank Eliza for chatting with us about her book. You can read our review of Malcolm here. We will be interviewing Eliza live today on Blog Talk Radio at 3:30pm PST. The link to the interview is here.

Don’t forget to add a comment with your email address to enter the contest for a copy of Malcolm. Thanks everyone!

Winner Announcement

Happy Mother's Day to all our mommy followers.

We'd like to thank everyone who stopped by the blog and commented on our interview with J. F. Jenkins. We hope she will come back for another interivew when her new book comes out.

Now, to announce the winner of the eBook copy of Legend of the Oceina Dragon. Without futher ado, we'd like to congratulate Erin!

Erin, we will be forwarding your email info to J. F. Jenkins and she will be in contact with you regarding your prize.

Check back later today when we interview author Scott Nicholson, an Amazon bestselling author who will be doing an ebook giveaway on three of his titles.

Also, if you haven't already done so, please sign up for our newsletter. We'll be giving you info about upcoming reviews, guest posts, author interviews/giveaways as well as giving you an opportunity to ask the author a question and have it appear on our blog or radio show. Sign up for more details!

Interview with Legend of the Oceina Dragon Author J. F. Jenkins



Hey everyone. We have a great interview for you today. J.F. Jenkins, author of Legend of the Oceina Dragon is stopping by to chat with us. This a spectacular fantasy eBook that we're are excited for you to read.

J.F. is giving away a copy of her book. To enter for your chance to win, please comment with your name and email address in the following format: parayournormalteam (at) gmail (dot) com. Now, let's get to the interivew :-)

What inspired the storyline of Legend of the Oceina Dragon?

I had a dream one night about a girl being sacrificed to a deity. Instead of dying though, she was taken to his home where he promised her his entire kingdom if she agreed to be his bride. It spun off from there. 

Tell us about the Dragon Lord of Water

Darien is gentle in nature, but he'll fight for something he believes in. He never thinks of himself as the lord of the water dragons though. In fact, he'd prefer to be as normal as possible.  He doesn't like attention on himself at all, which makes it hard when he's in charge of an entire nation.

Besides water, are there other types of Dragon Lords?

There are fire dragons, wind dragons, and earth dragons.  Each has magic pertaining to their element, and completely different in appearance based on species. Fire dragons are small, quick, and have lots of sharp claws. Wind dragons are large, graceful, and look more like a traditional dragon. Earth dragons are enormous and bulky.

That is amazing. We love that concept.

How many books will be in the Dragon Saga?

I'm hoping for four full books, and two short stories. We'll see how the plotline plays out though.

 Fanastic! We love series :-)

Why did you choose to write in the fantasy genre?

For this particular story, it just fit. I write in just about every genre there is. I especially like fantasy/sci-fi though because of the lack of limitations.  Anything is possible, so there are so many different theories and ideas to play around with.

Do you ever get writer’s block?

All the time. It's awful because it keeps me from working for days and weeks at a time. It's also very hard to get back out of again.

We know what you mean!

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
My eyes are two different colors.  One is blue, the other is blue/green/goldish/brown.

Wow, that's interesting.

Do you have any favorite authors or authors you admire?

I'm a huge Stephen King fan. I can't say I've read all of his work, but I admire his style and inability to hold back based on “what's popular”. He marches to his own drum, and that's something I want to do as well.

Stephen King is great. He has an imagination from out of this world. We love it. 

What genre would you be least comfortable writing in?

Probably historical fiction. Lots of research makes me paranoid of messing something up. I like to stick to things I can make sound plausible, even if they aren't real.

Tell us about “The Graveyard”

I have a lot of writing supplies. In high school, just for fun, I'd keep track of how many gel pens I went through. Every time one of them “died”, I'd write down the date in my notebook. This is kind of a continuation of that. Every time I lose a pen, I write it down and how it got lost. I added notebooks too. It actually encourages me to write outside of my computer too. Plus I have soooo many notebooks and gel pens, and I'm always accumulating more.

Where can readers purchase your book?

I'm on amazon, barnes and noble, smashwords, and basically all of the major ebook sellers out there.  However, if you want to get it for less, go to my publisher's website.  Http://www.astraeapress.com.  There you can download it in any ebook format, and save yourself some money.  Plus you're supporting a great publishing house.

Where can readers connect with you online?

I'm on twitter as: jfjenkinstweets.

I have a facebook as well: http://www.facebook.com/jfjenkinsauthor

I'm on goodreads as: J.F. Jenkins

And I have my blog: http://jfjenkinswrites.wordpress.com

Can you share a small excerpt from your book?

He wanted to be with her, to be one with her, and it was the only thing he’d been looking forward to for months since the day he decided she was it for him. But as much as he wanted to be with her, he couldn’t help but be weary of the idea. He couldn’t tell if she meant it, and he wanted this moment to mean something. This would be the first time for them both. It was supposed to be special. The atmosphere was perfect though, and they were married. What could make it more special than that?

            “Of course I’m sure.” she said. She stared up into his eyes and he was completely swept away in hers. They were filled with certainty, and when he looked into them he did not see a dreamy, dazed, or confused look. Her pupils appeared normal, even her smell suggested she was recovered from the spell well and returning to her right mind. Her smell told him she lusted for him. If anything, she looked determined. Love at first sight? He’d heard a lot of stories about it, and while he had been hoping for it, he was also a little skeptical about the idea. Love at first sight had worked for his brothers, but it seemed too good to be true. Now he realized how much he worried over nothing. His dreams from the past six years were now coming true. That reassured him, and so did her words.

            “If you’re my husband, that means I love you more than life. I need you to love me. I want you. I feel safe now. Love me and protect me from the dragons.”

***

We'd like to thank J.F. Jenkins for stopping in to chat with us. We will be interviewing her Wednesday at 3:30pm PST, on Blog Talk Radio. Our channel is here. Be sure you stop in and listen. You can call 619-639-4626 with question. You can also post comments on our Blog Talk Radio wall, as well as @ us on Twitter during the interview. That's it for us for now. We hope you'll join us Wednesday, and of course, we'll see you on the stream ;-)

Interview with R.A. Evans, Author of Asylum Lake

Hey everyone. Welcome back to another ParaYourNormal interview. We are excited to talk with R.A. Evans, author of the paranormal thriller, Asylum Lake. They say some memories are better fogotten, but what happens when the unremembered grow restless?

R.A. Evans is excited to share his novel with some of you. He has graciously agreed to giveaway 5 eBook copies of Asylum Lake! Be sure to leave a comment after the interview with you email address, and you will be entered into the contest. Now, for the interview.

Why did you start writing? 
A: Because the little voices in my head were driving me crazy! Honestly, writing has always been an escape for me. B: I do it for the advertising industry, but at night I get to write for pleasure. Besides, writing about all the dark and terrible things that go bump in the night keeps me sane.


Oh, we feel you. So,what inspired your storyline for Asylum Lake? 
I spent 10 years working for the public mental health system in Michigan doing PR and Marketing. During that time, I was able to visit some of the state psychiatric institutions and found it all quite unsettling. While visiting the Kalamazo State Hospital, which is actually located on the Asylum Lake Nature Preserve, I found myself wondering what sort of memories were trapped within its walls and within the nearby lake. That's when the idea took root.


Is there any character in Asylum Lake you can relate with? 
Several, actually. The protagonist in Asylum Lake is a young reporter dealing with the recent loss of his wife. he moves back to the home where he spent the summers of his youth only to find himself drawn into the mysteries of the abandoned asylum and its connection to his own painful memories. Like that character, I started my career as a newspaper reporter and even experienced my own painful memories when returning to my small hometown after years away. From the character's choice in music (Pearl Jam) to his twisted sense of humor, I was able to fill his personality with my own. Of course, he is far younger than I am, so I had to live vicariously through some of the other older characters, too. Especially the dark and twisted ones.


Can you tell us a little about your protagonist? 
Brady Tanner is a rising star at the Chicago Tribune when tragedy takes his young, pregnant wife. Couple his grief with unresolved issues from his childhood and it's the perfect recipe for disaster. He's smart, funny, and in way over his head. Readers really connect with him, and as an author, I do too.


Which genre would you be uncomfortable writing in? 
Ironic that you should ask this question. I just finished drafting a guest post for The Creative Penn where I touch on the difference between genres and how the vampire I write about in horror is vastly different those in Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance. At the end of the day, a good story is a good story no matter the genre. That being said, any genre that has Fabio on the cover is probably not a genre I would feel too comfortable in.



LoL, you have a great sense of humor. Do you ever get writers block? 
All the time. Mine is usually the kind of block that comes with trying to perfect a single line of copy. I've been brought to a screeching halt by a single word choice. Fortunately, it never seems to last too long.


Aside from Asylum Lake, how many books have you written? 
I've completed two novels. Asylum Lake was published in July 2010. Its sequel, Grave Undertakings, will hit the shelves in just a few short weeks.


You must be so excited. Do you have any projects you're currently working on? 
I just completed the first draft of FLIGHT. I'm really excited about it, too. Here's the tease: U.S. Air Marshal Liz Downie thought she had lucked out with her assignment – a half-empty red eye from London to the states. The passengers – an odd assortment of State Department staffers freshly plucked from the embattled U.S. Embassy in Iraq. These arent your usual friendly skies, however. Tucked into the passenger jet’s shadowy cargo hold hides a secret the U.S. Military will do anything to protect – and Liz Downie everything to stop.

Where do you run when you are 33,000 feet up?

That is very intriguing. Will you tell us a random fact about yourself?
I'm afraid of worms - like really afraid! I especially hate the smell of them after a heavy rain...when they are stretched out on the sidewalks...Yuck!

Do you have a favorite author? 
I grew up on Stephen King and am constantly amazed by his work. HIs son, Joe Hill, is also really high on my list.


Where can readers purchase your book? 
Asylum Lake is available on www.amazon.com for Kindle, www.barnesandnoble.com for Nook, at www.smashwords for other ebook formats, and autographed print copies can be purchased from http://www.schulerbooks.com/product/asylum-lake


Where can readers connect with you on the web?(website, twitter, Facebook, FB fanpage?) 
You can follow all of my dark musings, participate in promotions, and stay up to speed on my projects at www.raevanswrites.wordpress.com. On face book at www.facebook.com/asylumlake and even on twitter by following @raevanswrites


How about an excerpt?

November 10, 1971

Bedlam Falls, Michgan

Sheriff Buck Tanner arrived at the station shortly before sunrise and

parked his familiar truck around the block behind the library to mask his presence.

He wasn’t quite ready to be the official face of the investigation; let Frank

have a little more fun, he thought as he entered the darkened station and put on

a fresh pot of coffee.

As requested, Maddie had spent some time in the file room. A neatly organized

mess greeted him on his desk. To the left was a very thick and somewhat

intimidating appearing binder atop a stack of newspapers. Buck guessed at what

was contained therein and quickly turned his attention to the small stack of files

on the right side of his desk. Between the two piles rested a handwritten note.

Sheriff – Cupboard was left pretty bare. I’ll keep digging.

Buck recognized Maddie’s penmanship and set the note aside. He had

expected as much. His predecessor’s handling of the asylum affair had been less

than thorough. Sheriff Rylan Walters had his deputies snap some photos, ask

a few questions, and then basically wrote the whole thing off as though it was

livestock merely thinning its own herd. Rumors had run wild but soon they, too,

had died off from lack of interest.

Buck caught the scent of the cigar before he noticed Jim Bowling’s shadow

pass over his desk. “Morning, Jim.”

State Police Lieutenant Jim Bowling stood in the open doorway and

smiled down at the Sheriff.

“My, my, what do we have here? The long arm of the law finally come to

save us simple folk?” Bowling snickered around the cigar clamped between his

yellowed teeth. The Cheshire Cat should have envied the man’s smile.

Buck looked up from his cluttered desk and locked eyes with the trooper.

“You might call it that, Jim.” The Sheriff’s eyes glittered hungrily. He was in

no mood for Bowling’s bullshit. Buck had already heard enough from Deputy

Griggs about how uncooperative the little prick had been; best to put him in his

place right away. “Black, Jim, no sugar. How ‘bout you go fetch me a cup?”

Bowling blew out a long slow plume of gray smoke and stepped into Buck’s

office, the trooper’s beady little eyes full of instantaneous rage. “Excuse me?”

Subtlety wasn’t one of Buck’s strongest qualities – especially after recent

events.

With his son bandaged and broken, a young family butchered, and a

killer still roaming the streets, Sheriff Tanner didn’t have time to mince words.

Plus, having one’s skull cracked open with a golf club tends to set a person in

a foul mood.

“How long have your worn that badge, son? Five years? Certainly not

much longer.” Buck kept his voice calm and his eyes on the young trooper.

“Now, you may be a big deal down in Lansing -- hell, maybe even outside the

capital. But here, in Bedlam, you’re a guest - my guest. And I don’t take kindly

to my guests pissing in my cheerios.”

Buck paused, letting his words settle over his “guest.” “You ever work a

homicide, son? Not just string the yellow tape, but actually roll up your sleeves

and work one?”

Buck could see the anger leaving the man as he continued. “Now I ain’t

saying you don’t know shit, but dammit Jim, if you think running to channel

forty-one with every last detail is gonna actually help in any way, then it’s obvious

–       you don’t know shit.”

Bowling’s face flushed with embarrassment. Buck held up a hand before

the man could comment.

“I get it – you’re pissed. You wanted this. Hell, maybe you even deserved

it.” Buck paused, and for the first time his calm demeanor and cool tone began

to fray at the edges. “But this isn’t about what you want…or what I think. This

is about justice – for the Reed’s, for my boy, and for Lord knows who else this

sick son of a bitch has hurt.”

Bowling stared across the desk at the Sheriff. The gray smoke hung heavy

between them, but the tension had finally broken. “What can I do?”

“I need your help, Lieutenant. You have access to records, files…information

that I could never lay my hands on. “

Bowling nodded, not fully understanding the request but suspecting he

might be bending a few rules in obliging the man. “Done,” he nodded, noting

the seriousness in Tanner’s eye. His hatred for Griggs’ aside, the trooper had a

modicum of respect for the aging sheriff.

Buck paused, reconsidering the man standing before him. He, too, had

been young and brash once. Perhaps not the asshole that Jim Bowling had shown

himself to be, but nonetheless there was no denying the kid had fire. That fire

may just be the catalyst to nailing the murderer.

The file was marked Lake View Asylum – 1958. Inside were half a dozen

sheets of handwritten notes and a few black and white photographs. Buck held

it out to the state trooper.

Bowling opened the file and glanced briefly at its contents. The trooper’s

brow furrowed with puzzlement.

Buck removed a photo from the binder on his desk and held it up for

Bowling. “Notice anything?”

The trooper’s eyes moved from the file’s contents to the photo Buck

held. Bowling had seen the Reed’s bathroom and quickly recognized the bloodscrawled

word -- Repent. Bowling’s eyes widened as he made the connection.

His reaction was immediate.

“No fucking way!”

Buck smiled in spite of himself, “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I’m not sure

how or why -- but it’s your job to find a ‘fucking way.’

Bowling nodded, his mind spinning at the possibilities.

Buck rose to his feet, standing a full six inches taller than the young trooper,

and extended his hand. “I’ll talk to Griggs – let him know to give you a wide

berth and all.”

Lieutenant Jim Bowling accepted the offer and responded with a firm

shake of the Sheriff’s hand. Depositing the thin file on the Sheriff’s desk, he

left Buck’s office with something to finally dig his teeth into. Walking to his car

a few minutes later he had more than a passing suspicion that the elder lawman

was grasping at straws. Yet the photos were eerily similar.

Maybe I should just take a look around, he thought, Pointing his cruiser

east down Main Street. Placing his trademark mirrored sunglasses atop his nose,

Lieutenant Jim Bowling drove towards the rising sun over the Lake Hospital.

On that final drive, he never suspected how right Buck Tanner’s hunch would

turn out to be, or that, much like the countless souls before him who had ventured

through the asylum’s doors, he would never see the light of day again.

***

We would like to thank R.A. Evans for stopping by to talk with his book. Don't forget, we will be talking with him live on Wednesday, April 27th on Blog Talk Radio. Our channel is here. If you follow the link, you can set up a reminder for the day of the show. Feel free to call in at 619-639-4626 to ask questions, or for those of you who are little shy #nothingwrongwiththat ;-) leave a comment on the website and we'll do our best to ask the author your question during the interview! 


That's it for us for now. Be sure to leave a comment with your email address and you could be one of five lucky winners for the eBook copy of Asylum Lake! Thanks everyone~