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Today we are interviewing Sir Winston Rutherford Yates, author of The Haunting Of Debishire Manor, a murder, mystery story with a supernatural theme.
Book Blurb
Everyone is suspect after Sloan found his way home one dark and stormy night, for his grandfathers ninetieth birthday, only to find that he had been murdered by somebody in the manor. His death brings about a series of hauntings exposing deep dark family secrets, and leading Sloan into a love triangle between the woman he loves, and the woman that loves him. A strange caretaker, a massive treasure, a supernatural struggle between good and evil, and the discovery that someone is buried alive in the family graveyard, all add up to a story full of humor, suspense, and terror. This book will take you on a series of turns and twists, while the surprise ending will send chills up and down your spine. Read this book at your own risk, but hurry, for with every second you take, someone is gasping for air beneath a tombstone in the family plot, of Debishire Manor.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in a comparatively small setting along with an older sister and a younger brother. My father passed at an early age while my mother passed later in life.
I was adopted twice, once by a near relative, who passed a year later, and the second time by Lady Yates of Monte Vista.
Growing up we never had as much as the other kids about the shire, but we did have adventure to keep us busy. And busy we were!
I wrote this book in the midst of my many adventures, one of which caused me a severe chest wound when during the rescue of two children, an undetermined beast subdued me and attempted to cut out my heart with its razor sharp teeth.
During my recovery I was to be Knighted on September 30th, in the year of our Lord 2005, therewith the title, Sir Winston Rutherford Yates .
Describe The Haunting of Debishire Manor in a few sentences.
It is a story about a dysfunctional family living in a manor high atop a hill, that get caught up in the murder of their grandfather. His death brought about a series of haunts and uncovers a family secret that could destroy them all.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
I think it would be appreciated by young to middle aged readers.
What inspired you to write a story about a manor with a mysterious, murderous history?
I grew up in a haunted house and wanted to tell a little about what I went through in a way that would interest the reader.
Who was your favorite character to write in The Haunting of Derbishire Manor?
Sloan was the character that most suited myself and I put myself into him more, but Nicole was hands down my most favorite character to bring to life.
Can you tell us a bit about the creative process for The Haunting of Debishare Manor, from the initial idea to the finished book?
Each book I feel it is important to have an idea where I want to go with my story, but as I create my characters, they take on a life of their own and sometimes that life guides where the story goes. The love relationship of Sloan and Nicole, was one of those such cases. I had not intended for this to have happened, and suddenly, their it was, and they fell in love.
In addition to writing fiction, you also write non-fiction. Can you tell us a bit about your non-fiction works?
One of my non-fiction books is titled, How to get out of debt, the Christian experience, this book is my personal experience with how God brought me out from under a hundred and fifty-thousand dollars of debt in a very short time, and brought me to being totally debt free for the first time in my life.
Do you have a different process for writing non-fiction compared to writing fiction?
Non-fiction is so much easier to write, especially if it is about something you have lived through, and it takes less creative energy. I don’t really get into non-fiction as deep as fiction, when I write, it’s a totally different animal.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for about twenty-five years or so.
How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
I think I’ve learned to give my characters stronger personalities, and to add more detail to my characters world.
Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
Thus far, Steven King has had the most influence upon my writing,
What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
I have several more projects for the future and I hope to see one of my books translated into a major motion picture someday.
Writing can be a difficult, time-consuming pursuit. What motivates you write so prolifically?
I’m not sure, but sometimes I think you just have to express yourself, and this is my way of doing that. Besides, it’s a real joy.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
I am trying to get my children’s books into print, and maybe finish up the series.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Yes, I think you can write a perfectly good story without the use of profanity, so I do, and I hope you will enjoy my books. Thank you.
Sir Winston Rutherford Yates Bibliography
The Haunting Of Debishire Manor
The Men and Machines Of World War II
Don't be afraid of the dark
How To Get Out Of Debt: The Christian Experience
Helpful Tips On How To Write
Today we are interviewing John D. Ottini, author of 'A Reason to Kill,' a collection of mystery stories.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is John D. Ottini, I was born in Northern Italy, raised and educated in Canada, and currently reside in Central Florida with my wife and mischievous kitty named Bella.
I have published three mystery novellas in e-book format, My Journey to Hell, A Fool and His Money and The Object of Your Desire. All are available from the Amazon Kindle Store.
My short story 'Slipper's Last Breath' was selected and published in the 2014 edition of the Holiday Tales Anthology by Firestone Publications (available from Amazon in paperback and e-book format).
Describe the plot of your new book in a few sentences.
This book consists of three mystery stories, 'My Journey to Hell,' 'A Fool and His Money' and 'The Object of Your Desire.'
I’ve always been fascinated by ordinary people behaving badly. Why do perfectly rational people who know the difference between right and wrong, still choose the wrong path? The lead characters in these stories are a prime example of what I’m talking about. When faced with everyday problems such as a destructive marriage, personal addiction, unemployment, financial debt, lost love or a bad sexual liaison, the choices they make can change their lives for the better or drag them into a living nightmare.
The stories are a fast paced combination of mystery and suspense. They highlight the frailty of the human mind when confronted with the choice between good judgment and bad behavior.
Interesting characters, in everyday situations, presented with a dash of humor and a splash of ‘who done it’, make for one fun read.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery book which consists of many twists and turns and a gotcha ending will love this book. If you figure out ‘who done it’ before the end of the story, then I haven’t done my job.
What got you interested in writing mystery?
Growing up I’ve always loved reading mystery novels or watching a good mystery movie. I take pride in trying to figuring out the plot and I’m always impressed when the writer can keep me guessing until the very end of the novel.
Your new book, “A Reason to Kill,” is a collection of mystery short stories. What attracts you to the short story format?
Actually, the stories fall into the ‘novella’ format, because they are much longer than the traditional short story. I’m not necessarily attracted to the short story or novella format, but that’s just the way the stories have come to their nature conclusion. In other words, I don’t start out by thinking I’m going to write a novella, I just write a story and when I feel it has reach a satisfactory conclusion, then the story is complete. At that point, depending on the word length, it will be categorized as a novel, novella, novelette or short story.
Your collection has a theme of ordinary people going down a negative path. What drew you to write about this theme?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been fascinated by ordinary people behaving badly. Why do perfectly rational people, who know the difference between right and wrong, still choose the wrong path? Why do people rob convenience stores fully exposed, stare into the camera and somehow expect not to be caught? I guess the main questions behind my stories are - What the hell was I thinking, when I did what I did? Why did I think I could get away with it?
Do you have a favorite short story in your collection?
My favorite story is ‘A Fool and His Money’ because anyone who has been in love can sympathize with the plight of the lead character Thomas O’Connor. We have all done crazy things for love, perhaps not as crazy as Thomas, but I think we understand where his heart is and why he would go to such lengths without seeing the error of his ways.
Having said all that, I’ve been told by a reliable source (my wife) that the ‘The Object of Your Desire’ is by far the best story in the book.
Is there an author who had a major influence on you while you were growing up?
Not so much when I was growing up, but when I was older I loved reading anything by the late great detective/mystery novelist Robert B. Parker. He had a smooth almost effortless style of writing, where he could tell the whole story through fast paced and witty dialog. There were no wasted words in his novels and no segues into useless descriptive paragraphs which add nothing to the overall storyline. I try to emulate Mr. Parker’s style in my stories, whether I have been successful in doing so, I’ll leave for my readers to decide.
Who was your favorite character to write?
All my characters are very different, but if I had to choose, it would be Thomas O’Connor in ‘A Fool and His Money’, although the psychotic Joel Simon in “My Journey To Hell’ is a close second
What do you have in mind for your next project?
My next project is actually a book of short mystery stories (not novellas). I’m only about half way through and I haven’t chosen a title yet, so it’s all a bit sketchy at this point. For more information about me or my books please check out my Blog at John D. Ottini Novels
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Yes, I want to clarify that each novellas in this paperback book was previously released as an individual e-book and is available in the Amazon Kindle Store. If you’ve already read my e-book novellas, then buy this book if you want a paperback copy of the stories.
Also, I want to thank anyone who has purchased and read one of my e-books and especially those who have taken the time to post reviews on Amazon. You have no idea how grateful I am to my readers and to you for this wonderful interview. Thank you
More Information
A Reason to Kill on Amazon
A Reason to Kill on CreateSpace
John D Ottini's Amazon Author Page
John D. Ottini's Author Blog
Today we are interviewing Brian White about his mystery/suspense novella, "NIGHTFALL."
Describe the plot of your book in a few sentences.
A beautiful young escort is strangled to death, her corpse discarded in a back alley dumpster. The killer's identity is a mystery, and the homicide has gone almost unnoticed. Welcome to Middleton, where these things happen every night and the police are too busy or too jaded to notice.
Ezzy Morgan once roamed these blue collar streets as a paramedic. Here she was weaned from innocence and taught the cold-blooded nature of the human heart. Now she works as a private detective and has shut the door on shootings, stabbings, and the constant specter of death. But her life is about to be shattered when the dead woman's only surviving friend seeks her out, looking for justice.
Clues are sparse and the trail seems to be a dead end before it has even begun. But the mystery takes a macabre turn after another death is dropped at Ezzy's feet, and she's hit with an ultimatum from the world of organized crime: find the killer in the next twenty-four hours . . . or die.
Who (age, gender, etc) do you think would most appreciate this book?
A focus group revealed that babies have the widest range of opinions. During a reading their reactions ranged from giggling with outright joy at a particular passage, to going so far as to soil themselves during another. Fans of mystery, suspense, and crime books will also enjoy it.
What inspirations contributed to this book?
My cousin, a photographer, was talking about doing a series of photographs starring a female detective. He wondered if I could write a story to which he could place them. Sensing the million dollar movie deal that would undoubtedly come from such a work I pushed him off the cliff we happened to be walking along and stole the entire idea for myself.
Who was your favorite character to write?
Ishmael. But then I found out that Melville bloke had already written him. Louis Credo was pretty cool. I like the idea of a cocaine addicted cop. Functioning addicts are seldom portrayed. Usually we see addicts as barely hanging on wastes of life. But there is a huge amount of people out there who are great at their jobs whilst being addicted to one thing or another. Credo might show up again.
What is your favorite book?
That’s like asking me to pick a favorite drink out of the near endless selection of choices. It would be gin. And my favorite book is Stephen King’s It.
How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
Well, the mole on my arm might be getting bigger, but it doesn’t seem to have affected my writing ability one way or another. I just keep putting the words on the page and, for some reason, people keep reading them.
Are there any aspects (e.g. character building, world building) of your writing that you've been practicing?
I don’t practice anything specifically. It’s a very unrefined process. I sit down, write a story. Rewrite it until I can’t think of a way to make it better, and then let it go out into the world. Reading was always intuitive for me. I know if I like a story or not. And I don’t have to break it down into its individual parts to know I liked it. It’s the same with writing. I know if the story I’m writing is entertaining to me or teaching me something. I follow my gut, in other words.
As a writer, one would assume English was your favorite class in school. If that was not the case, what was and why?
No, I hated English. Probably because it was either about finding verbs and nouns and learning what the hell a gerund was. That stuff is boring. I liked science. Try to make recognizing an adverb stand up against learning what happens to matter as it approaches the event horizon of a black hole and it’s no contest. Even writers don’t write about English. They write about the cool stuff that happens outside of English class.
How do you feel about the increasing popularity of ebooks?
Excited. I know we all have an attachment to bound books. But digital format is not going away. Its low production cost and multiple formats make literature more accessible than it’s ever been. And for all you going on about the smell of “real” books. It’s the words that make the book what it is, not that damn odor.
What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
To keep writing.
Have your family and friends been supportive of your writing
Some have, some haven’t. The ones who have supported me will have a secure place in my kingdom when I rule the world. The ones who didn’t support me . . . God help the poor sods.
Is there any aspect of writing you don't like (e.g. editing)?
It sounds horrible since it’s exactly what I’m doing now, but promoting. It’s not that I don’t like it, but I’d much rather have Harry Potter come and wave his wand and make that part take care of itself so I could focus all my energy on writing.
Do you write with a computer, typewriter, or pen and paper? Why do you use this tool?
Computer all the way. My dad had an old typewriter that I used a few times for kicks. It wasn’t a bad way to knock out a first draft, but it was still obsolete compared to digital word processing. I tried pen and paper a few times because I liked the idea of doing it that way. But it was ill-fated. My handwriting is terrible to begin with, and trying to knock out a first draft and keep up with stream of consciousness that way leads to hand cramps and an unintelligible mess on the paper.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book? Nightfall has been shown in studies to reduce one’s risk of cancer. Nine out of ten dentists prefer it. Some studies also show that it can reverse male pattern baldness and ED in men over fifty. It has also been shown to be 100% effective in alleviating boredom if purchased right now. Length of effectiveness may vary depending on individual reading speed.
More Information
Buy the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K08RQP4
