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In April, my modern take on the fairy tale of Rapunzel was published in the Bearded Scribe Press anthology Twice Upon a Time. Today, I present an interview with one of the fellow authors included in that anthology. I hope you enjoy the interview and also take the time to check out the anthology.

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This interview first appeared on the Bearded Scribe Press website.

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CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I’ve even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer…editor…is privy to witness through their words.



Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you’ll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

Really young, although I can’t quite pinpoint the age. I remember enjoying the act of writing since early elementary school. It has always been a hobby, but I finally decided to get serious about it a few years ago.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

I’m certain there were others before this, but the series by had a huge impact on me. It was written for kids, but had some terrifying horror elements and ended up tackling some huge philosophical questions. That series of books really stuck with me. It also ensured that whenever the school book fair came around, I’d be there to find my next favorite story.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

That shifts from year to year. Right now its a toss up between by and by .

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

This is a weird one�. He was a humor columnist for the back when I was kid. Some pretty severe heart problems eventually caught up with him, taking his life at the age of 47.

I bought some books that were filled with his back issue columns, many of which were written before I was even born. I didn’t get all the pop culture references sometimes, but his words still moved me, mostly to laughter, and sometimes even to tears.

I remember telling my mom how reading his work made him feel like he was alive again. Even though wasn’t around anymore, his work and his thoughts were still able to grab hold of me better than most people could if they were speaking in the same room.

I wasn’t sure at that point if I had the talent to to write (and I’m still pretty shaky on that one to this day), but I thought it would be pretty cool to have that type of impact, to create written words that lived on and touched people’s lives longer after your voice would no longer be heard in the living realm.

…or maybe I just had a narcissistic wish to always be remembered or something.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

It’s a process.

I know, I know, it’s a cliche piece of advice, but its one I still keep having to remind myself about.

Even the best writers in the world don’t just wake up one day cranking out bestsellers. They write (and READ) on a daily basis, honing their craft and evolving as artists.

We obviously can’t all be or or , but we can constantly improve our ability to tell stories and speak to readers. That journey alone is worth putting pen to page (or fingers to keyboard).

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

The stream of rejections that comes vomiting out of your inbox. When that letter comes, it doesn’t matter that your favorite authors also experienced the dreaded ‘we’re sorry, but� qualifiers to their precious creations. In that moment, it sucks like nothing else.

7. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

My favorite character to write still hasn’t found a home yet, but she’s just getting started

8. On what projects are you currently working?

I’m currently in the final draft/edits of my first novel, Snipe Hunt. It’s a bit like meets (I think).

Read Nick’s story, The Wolf’s Gambit, in your very own copy of today!

















..About the Author..

NICK NAFPLIOTIS is a music teacher and writer from Charleston, South Carolina. During the day, he instructs students from the ages of 11-14 on how to play band instruments. At night, he writes about weird crime, bizarre history, pop culture, and humorous classroom experiences on his blog, . He is also a television, novel, and comic book reviewer for .

..Connect with the Author..

I believe that every writer puts a bit of himself or herself into everything they write. I also believe that for every writer, there is that one piece…that one story…that hits a little closer to home than the rest. The one that takes more of you…exposes more of you than you are comfortable with.

For me, that story is .

First off, that was two too many ellipses in that first paragraph.

But, I digress.

When I sat down and began writing a journal in the early 90s, I was a military intelligence soldier in the Central American country of Panama. At the time, I was recovering from a nasty injury, I was training my replacement and I was prepping to leave the country, back to the good old U.S. of A. If I were to be absolutely honest, I was a bit of a mess.

I’d seen somewhere (probably a film or television program) that writing shit down can be a sort of therapy. I had already written quite a bit of fiction, but this was different. This was my life. My thoughts. My (gasp) feelings.

Me being me � I wrote the journal to a fictional character, Mr. Stone. I chose “stone� because it was the most unemotional thing I could think of. As you can probably tell, emotions were not my strong suit at the time. Anything deeper that basic friendship scared the living hell out of me. For various and sundry reasons.

The things that I wrote about in the journal began in good faith and eventually turned into a sarcastic persective of the life I thought I was fated for. It turns out, a couple of decades later, that looking back on that time…well, it sort of turned me into the man I was destined to be. Or, at least, got the ball rolling.

So, twenty years later. After a dozen or so attempts to turn the journal into something of some literary value, after failure after failure…something hit me in the middle of the night one night. My Wife had gone to bed and I was sitting in front of the computer � as I am wont to do � and there was this moment. All of a sudden, I was back in the jungle. We were coming off mission one afternoon. Days of humping 70-pound rucksacks full of survival gear and radio equipment ended with me standing in the shower and this line rose up from the steam:

I stood there, the hot water falling on my head and shoulders, in a desperate and futile attempt to wash the jungle off me. I swear I could feel the rain sloshing around in my bones, weighing me down. Where was I going? Where was the light at the end of this muggy fucking tunnel?

With those words jotted down, I had the “feel� of what I wanted to do. It felt more like a film than a book. Or, perhaps, a televisions series? Nah. That would never work.

Still, I’ve never been one to give up easily. I guess that’s what made me a good soldier. I have to try. It’s in my DNA.

For just a minute, while I sat there and reread those words…I was back there. I could feel the sweat on the small of my back, rolling down my face. I could smell the jungle, the leaves, the wet earth. I could feel that weight on me once again. I had it easy, don’t get me wrong. A lot easier than thousands of others who saw combat on a day-to-day basis. The combat that we saw, down there, was a different kind of struggle. It was a sneaky, hiding in the shadows kind of thing. But, it could still get someone killed.

It took months for me to shake that off, that feeling of loneliness and pressure.

Back then, it was specific and torturous in its own way. There were moments when I did not think I could take it any more. I almost gave up. Once. For just a second. Then, I came back to myself. I stood up once more.

I remember all of that. I remember it like it was yesterday, but I do not make a habit of dwelling there very often. Until now.

I felt that I needed to channel all of that, all the emotions, all those moments and set them free. So, I began building something. A story.

I built Church.

On Friday, May 15th, 2015, I will debut the story for the world. Few will read it initially, of this I am certain. I will continue to tell the tale. And, we shall see. We shall see how many people have been there. We shall see with whom Church connects. We shall see if I can relate it all in a befitting manner. We shall see if the story is worthy.

We. Shall. See.

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Sometimes I feel as if being a writer is not really a choice. I’m sure there are others who would agree, in the sense that we writers each have this weird gene that *drives* us to write. Now, whether that writing is poetry, short stories, novels or investigative reporting essays, we simply must write. If we don’t, if we put it off for very long, there begins an itching down deep in our soul. It is an itch we cannot scratch without putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Myself, I began writing short stories when I was around 12 or 13. The first A+ I ever received in school was for a short story I wrote in Spanish class my freshman year of high school. That single letter grade changed my focus considerably, eventually leading me down a very long and very winding path.

I’ve spoken to others about their writing experiences. I’ve spoken of my own writing experiences to classes and writing groups. I have come to believe that writers are a rather unique group of individuals. Our minds wander. A lot. All the time. Ideas float in and out of our conscious thoughts on a fairly regular basis. These fabulous (and not so fabulous) ideas tease and torment us until we do something about them. We either dig into them until we see there is nothing there, or we work on them until they very nearly consume our every waking moment.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely adore being a writer. That classification pretty much defines me as a human being.

When I say that, I’m certain ears and minds will perk up with lots of clarifying questions. I suppose my next blog series will dive into that preconception and we will see how far down the rabbit hole I can take you all.

Still. Let’s get back to the point of this post.

I published my first poem when I was 19. Looking back, I consider it a vanity publishing, as I don’t think anyone who submitted was turned down. Still…it made me feel good that someone must have liked it. Right?

For far too many times since, I tried to get my work published. I always think I should have tried harder during certain parts of my “career.� However, it wasn’t until 2003, when I won an online, reader-voted writing contest that I thought to myself, “Hey, I might actually have a shot at this.�

Eight years later—after a lot of rejections, a lot of frustration, a hell of a lot of editing and a LOT of encouragement from family and friends—I self-published and I take great pride in the fact that I did take the time to do it right. On my own terms.

A couple of years later, I joined forces with a few amazing writers who had become friends, as well. We created a unique little entity called . It has been both the bane of my existence and the singular most accomplished thing I’ve ever done.

Business is hard. The publishing business is a daily kick-you-in-the-shins, pull-your-hair-out-slowly kind of hard. But, what can I say? I love it. I love the people I’ve come to know and love over the years.

I am always meeting new people, making wonderful and exciting connections with like-minded individuals. It is one of the greatest joys of my life. When I began this journey, everything pointed to the life of a writer being a very solitary one. Not so. Not even close. In a way it is…as you must create and to do that you need your quiet space. But, outside of that, there is an undeniable and incomparable camaraderie that comes along with being a writer. I have a term for it now: bliss.

Every time I send one of my babies (stories) out into the big bad world, I hope and pray that they will not get picked on, berated, or beat up. Yet, I still do it. I’m a writer. I simply must.

Yesterday marked the first time that I have seen one of my works (my babies) presented by someone other than myself or my own company. It is the first time that I really felt like I was accepted for the value of the work, not the value of my submission fee (there wasn’t one!).

Today, you can find my first professionally published short story in the pages among some extraordinary writers such as Court Ellyn, Richard Chizmar, Brian Rathbone and so many more. I want to thank Joshua Allen Mercier and Bearded Scribe Press for this incredibly important moment in my life, and in my career.

I wasn’t certain I was on the right path until I sent Joshua, the editor of the anthology, the first part of my story. I asked him to look it over and let me know if it was even something he might want in the collection, since I had not formally submitted yet. You cannot imagine the thrill of reading his response, which fell along the lines of �you’re in! Now, finish the story!�

Look for my modern day twist on the Rapunzel fairy tale, The Black Stair, in the new anthology: .

What if Rapunzel wasn’t tucked away in that solitary tower against her will, but for the safety of others?

What if the “prince� who came to rescue her was more trapped than she?

Not all stories end happily ever after, and not all stories only happen once upon a time.

A whirlwind ride through fairy tale and folklore, myth and majick. Treasured stories from your childhood are revisited and remastered into newly-treasured tales of hope and heartache, of adversity and adventure.

Edited by Joshua Allen Mercier. Cover artwork by Luke Spooner.

Featuring stories from Bo Balder, AJ Bauers, Carina Bissett, Rose Blackthorn, S.M. Blooding, Rick Chiantaretto, Richard Chizmar, Liz DeJesus, Court Ellyn, S.Q. Eries, Steven Anthony George, Dale W. Glaser, Jax Goss, K.R. Green, Kelly Hale, Kelly A. Harmon, Tonia Marie Harris, Brian T. Hodges, Tarran Jones, Jason Kimble, Shari L. Klase, Alethea Kontis, Hannah Lesniak, Wayne Ligon, RS McCoy, Joshua Allen Mercier, Robert D. Moores, Diana Murdock, Nick Nafpliotis, Elizabeth J. Norton, Bobbie Palmer, William Petersen, Rebekah Phillips, Asa Powers, Joe Powers, Brian Rathbone, Julianne Snow, Tracy Arthur Soldan, C.L. Stegall, Brian W. Taylor, Kenechi Udogu, Onser von Fullon, Deborah Walker, Angela Wallace, and Cynthia Ward.

I can’t remember the very first time I saw a vampire film. However, I certainly remember how much I remember seeing for the first time. That really stuck with me at a young age. To be honest, I don’t think there has been a time since when I wasn’t enthralled with the very idea of vampires.

From that love of vampire mythology came my delving into books on the subject: novels (Dracula, Necroscope), comics (Vampirella, The Tomb of Dracula), and even non-fiction treatises on the historical influences of the mythology.

As we are beginning, today, the online Book Release Party for my new novel, Blood of Others, I felt it appropriate to share my top ten favorite vampire films.

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Top Ten Vampire Films:












Fun Honorable mentions:

Underworld
Daybreakers
Blade 2
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Ultraviolet
Night Watch
30 Days of Night
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Innocent Blood

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So what’s YOUR favorite vampire flick? Something not on the list?

Last night (9/15), I experienced a major milestone in my writing career: my first paid speaking engagement.

To say that it was a big deal for me would be quite the understatement. I’ve been writing for decades. I was always told that to be a “professional� at anything, you have to be paid for your services. As photographers, the Wife and I became “professionals� in 2003. The first time I was paid for my writing, I was 20 years old and I sold a poem. Strange thing was, back then I did not give much thought to it. In fact, I very nearly ignored the fact.

I’ve been a published author of novels since 2011. Two novels and two collections under my belt, I still feel a bit inadequate and I try and learn as much as I can every day. I feel horrible if I don’t write every day…even if it is only a sentence or two.

I have spent the past few years driving Dark Red Press, an independent micro-press that I started with three fellow authors. We’ve had some minor successes, but it is hard out there in the big, bad publishing industry. Still we get to see work that other publishers would most likely not even think about publishing, and we get great reviews on it.

I’ve been speaking publicly for a couple of years now, but last night was the first time there was a “payment� involved.

I refused.

Why? Not because I don’t think I am worth it. I feel I certainly shared quite of a bit of valuable information, advice and experience.

I refused because I had a fantastic time speaking with like-minded individuals, sharing and teaching and…I wanted to seal the memory in my mind. I wanted to remember it for what it was: the next step.

I could not have asked for a better audience.

In addition to great conversations about writing, my irrepressible Wife was a hit when she spoke about her perspective as a spouse/outsider looking through the writing window and the importance of being supportive to a partner who lives for the writing. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face!

Thanks to all for being awesome!

Also, !

Self-Editing

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Editing

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Book Covers

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Writing Reference

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Local (DFW) Writers� Conferences

Tune-In Tuesday is BACK!

There so many songs that evoke something from deep inside of me. Songs that make me want to laugh out loud, songs that break my heart every single time I hear them, no matter how many times I have.

Today I’m sharing one of those songs that sparks something inside of me that I cannot possibly describe. It’s a melancholy song, but it makes me want to sing it at the top of my lungs whenever I hear it. It is easily in my top ten of all time. Period. Brilliantly written and performed by Counting Crows, this is “A Long December.�

Over the weekend, I caught two separate films: one with The Wife and one I’ve wanted to see for some time. Both turned out to be treatises on relationships. Imagine that�

Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin in Odd Thomas

First up was the new Marvel film, . Now, this film is an almost totally different “feel� from the other Marvel blockbusters we’ve seen over the past 5-7 years. The characters, the attitudes, the world itself are all of a different slant than, say Thor or Captain America or Ironman. And, from the Avengers, which did contain its share of snarky dialogue and humor, GotG took it all a step farther…into the out reaches of the universe.

What I Liked:

The humor. Even the dark-historied assassin, , had a snarky line here and there that perfectly suited the situation. And, don’t get me started on Rocket Raccoon, because he nearly stole every scene he was in. Kudos to Bradley Cooper for bringing that tragic character to life with emotion and wit.

The relationships. This is the very heart and soul of the film. What happens when you bring together five extremely disparate personalities, all loners of a sort, and force them to live up to their own potential? In the end, it all comes down to trust and relationships built. Friendship. A word that is barely in the vocabulary of a couple of these miscreants.

The Bad Guys. Wow. Bad appears to be a relative term here, because Lee Pace, as , lends an entirely new meaning to the term. Gamora’s adopted sister, —who is portrayed by the ever-growing-talent of —is continually on the cusp of killing someone if she isn’t already in the process. Needless to say, I certainly look forward to seeing more of (the girls� adoptive father) in the next Avengers film, Age of Ultron.

What I Did Not Like:

The moments of over-the-top BS. Drifting in open, outer space for more than 4-5 seconds, I’m sorry…you’re done for. Period.

The lack of explanation as to why Ronan was so very pissed at the Xandarians. Maybe I missed it. I’m not altogether certain.

SUMMARY:

Yes, this one gets 5 of 5 Pens of Approval from me. It was easily one of the most fun and adventure-filled Marvel films to date and I walked out wanting desperately to see it again.Ìý Well-done, team! Well done!

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Next up was the film I had wanted to see: , based on San Diego dweller .

I have to say: this film surprised the heck out of me. I was expecting…well, I’m not certain what I was expecting, but what I got was resolutely better than anything I could have been expecting.

I believe this film/story classifies as a mystery-thriller with paranormal elements. Yet, I think Amazon classifies it as Supernatural Thriller. Regardless, it has stuck with me.

What I Liked:

The honesty of the characters. Odd continually notes how odd he is. Perhaps too much. But, he is honest with himself about who he is and the gifts he’s been given. His girl, Stormy, is pretty much my favorite character if only due to the fact that she loves Odd for all he is, the good, the bad, the dangerous, the goofy and, yes, the odd. Then again, she is a bit of an odd one herself, perhaps in part because of her closeness with Odd. Even the police captain (Willem Dafoe) is a real person. Even if he has learned to trust that Odd sees and knows things that are outside the realm of normal human perception, he has his own life and the relationship between he and his own wife is enviable at times.

The relationships. Even through some less than stellar writing, the thing that stood out to me was how well the relationships were written in this film. I’ve already mentioned the Captain’s and his wife’s. Yet, the bond between Odd and Stormy truly lifts this film above where it would normally reside in the pantheon of supernatural thrillers. Their loving and snarky banter rings true and the fact that she calls him at inopportune times to check in on him just seals the deal for me (I write this from experience, yes). I found myself drawn into their relationship, seeing that there could be a raucous and fun-filled future for these two oddly cool kids.

What I Did Not Like:

The moments of WTH. There were a couple of points where I wondered why the heck Odd didn’t pick up on certain clues, certain personality points that screamed out to me (the viewer). There was a minor explanation mentioned in the film, but I take objection to it for some reason. Not certain why.

Summary:

This one gets 4 of 5 Pens of Approval from me. I will definitely watch this one again, if only to bathe in the warm and fuzzy of such a truthful relationship as portrayed by Odd and Stormy. The film is powerful in ways I did not expect and I love it for that very fact. I recommend it.

P.S. � I think I may have a new screen crush on .

Over the weekend (opening weekend, I might add), I went to see the latest film venture, Lucy. I went with a writer friend and cohort, John J. Smith. I like seeing films with John, since he is often more critical of the screenplay and plotting than I and we can have significant conversations post-mortem.

I admit that I had high hopes for this film. First off, I really enjoy Besson’s films. From his first notable screenplay, The Big Blue, to The Professional, Le Femme Nikita and The Fifth Element all the way through The Transporter and Taken, Lockout and Columbiana. I love his action sense and the pace of his films.Ìý Story-wise, he gets where he is going with only a modicum of reality and, dang it, that is what I’m looking for in a film experience: escapism. Screw reality!

Therein lies the crux of issue with his latest endeavor, the thrilling and elevated supposition exercise that is .

The entire premise of the story is built upon the hypothesis that we, as humans, only truly utilize about ten percent of our brains. Now, I’ve heard this hypothesis for many years and I always wondered at its truth. The “highest of levels� being entirely subjective, of course.

Now, with that in mind, let’s put it aside and just suspend our disbelief for the sake of the film experience, shall we?Ìý (I can do this because I choose to do this, in order to sort of turn my brain off from reality for a bit and slip into the film’s world. I like doing this. So sue me.)

The overarching theme of the film appears to be the likelihood that we—humanity as a whole—are not living up to our potential. Well, to be honest, that’s a given in my mind. Look at the state of the world today: corruption, greed, war and power-hunger is driving the actions of the vast majority of the planet. It is a far cry from anything close to Utopia, huh? Ain’t it a beautiful world to live in? But, again, let’s take a step back and hop into Besson’s car for the ride.

The action begins when Lucy, an American student studying abroad for a semester in Taiwan, gets duped/forced into delivering a package to our gloriously bad antagonist, Mr. Jang. Needless to say, things do not go well for our vapid blonde college girl. She is knocked out, operated upon and left with a bag of drugs shoved into her lower abdomen for delivery to the States. She, along with a few other mules, isÌýnot given any choice in the matter. Inciting event accomplished.

What I liked�

I liked the idea presented that “We never really die,� as Lucy so eloquently states.

“Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.�

� Albert Einstein

I’ve always agreed with Einstein’s thought that energy never really dies, it can only be transferred or transformed. When we die, our physical bodies no longer able to maintain corporeal form, I sincerely believe that we go on: in another form of energy. Transferring out into the Universe. Moving on.

I would love to sit and chat with Besson about this� Perhaps someday fate may allow this conversation.

I also liked how, as Lucy’s cognitive abilities increased exponentially, her emotions dampened. Again, this falls into line with my own theory that the more intelligent we become, the more logic rules our actions and the less emotion plays a part. Now, we are far from what is presented in Lucy’s transformation, but still�

Which leads me to one scene in particular wherein Lucy asks that a character stay with her, even though it is obvious she can take care of herself. She needs that reminder of what it is to be human, to crave and need that human, emotional bond that makes us more than the sum of our intellectual parts.

Besson also did a fantastic job of using the invaluable writer’s tool of “show don’t tell� in a myriad of ways. Little seconds-long scenes that allowed us to catch a glimpse of Lucy’s growing abilities, but also her attachment to the person she once was. Those little scenes MAKE the film. They are the parts I loved the most.

What I did not like�

As I stated, both in the film and in my own theorizing, intellectualism has its downsides. The one scene in the film (and I’ve complained about this in other films as well) that made me want to slap Besson upside the head was when Lucy took a peek into a bad guy’s head to get some information. Although not the info she was looking for, it was clear that, at this point, he wanted her dead. ÌýWhy leave such a threat alive, when you’ve taken out others for less? If you’re in his head, how can you not see the base intent that absolutely shone like a white dwarf in that man’s soul? You’re just going to walk away? REALLY?!

Still, this would have eliminated the noted “Big Bad� in the film. Nevertheless, there could’ve been another obstacle/antagonist to throw at her. Oh, well.

SUMMARY

What can I say? I enjoyed the hell out of the film. I came away with a sense of completion and subject matter for this blog post, as well as a few others I’m thinking of writing up. I’m sure I’ll stir up trouble somehow.

4 of 5 Pens of Approval � Highly Recommended

One of the major players in the writer’s toolbox is the ability to describe something. With only words, a writer must be able to bring a subject to life for the reader through the simple but terribly difficult act of visualization.

For example, read the paragraphs below and let’s see how well we can bring an unseen image to life.

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The room was sparse to the point of squalor. The walls were aged concrete with long carved lines to allow the electrical line to run across the room to the emergency button. That button led straight to the nurses� watch station, but it was to be used only in the case of dire straits. Now, the world was silent, the button serving no purpose other than to decorate the barren wall. As Lissa sat on the edge of the solid mattress—the wrought iron bed was the only piece of furniture in the room—she stared out the window, her chin in her hand, wondering as always how she had arrived at this unusual juncture in her life.

The smell of the ammonia used to disinfect every surface in this horrid place permeated the air and nearly suffocated her. In her dreams she had been a forest-dweller, a hunter, a forager, self-sufficient and powerful in her own right. Even in the open air, she had felt warmth. Here, the chill in the air and the cold of the concrete floor against her bare feet sent a brief reflexive shiver over her body. Her thin nightgown offered little of that lost natural warmth. They had chopped most of her long luxurious hair off when she had been brought in to this sullen gray prison. Her only solace, her forest partner and friend, Duke. He was there with her, sitting watch, protecting her. The bear’s large furry palm rested gently on her shoulder, claws draped innocuously over her vulnerable flesh.

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So, can you see the room? Can you picture the inhabitants? .

How would you describe that same scene? Feel free to share in the comments. We each see things differently, describe things differently, as it is all in how we see them that we are able to adequately describe them.

Practice your descriptive writing. Take a photo and then simply describe it on paper (or on your computer). Does it accurately reflect the scene?

~Peace