FRANTIC - Mike Dellosso - One Free Book

God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Hopefully more contracts J I’m currently in the middle of a four-book contract finishing up book three. When it is complete I’ll immediately begin work on the final book and then begin the process of seeking another contract. God has blessed me beyond belief so far with the opportunity to continue writing and do some projects that came about unexpectedly (like the 7 Hours project with six other authors). I don’t take for granted for one minute what He has done for me and allowed me to do.

Tell us a little about your family.

My wife and I will celebrate fifteen years of marriage in June and we have four daughters ranging from thirteen to one year old. The oldest three are homeschooled and my wife does a wonderful job with that. We live in a small town in Pennsylvania near Gettysburg. We love spending time as a family, picnicking, exploring, and just goofing off together.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Well, for one, I have less time to read. I usually read at night before going to bed but I have such a difficult time staying awake. But since my writing has taken a turn for the serious, I read more now to learn than for pleasure. I choose books that I know will advance my own craft and read with an eye toward how the author writes the story, the prose, the dialogue, the pacing, suspense, character development. All of it.

What are you working on right now?

I’m finishing up my next suspense novel, The Prodigy, which will release in February of 2013. I’ve been working furiously on this story to get it finished by deadline and am pleased with some of the turns it’s taken. I think my readership will very much enjoy it and be intrigued by the twists and turns the story takes.

What outside interests do you have?

Boy, not many because at this point in life I really just don’t have time for outside interests. I like being outside, taking walks, hiking, that sort of thing. I enjoy reading when I can stay awake. My wife and I are hooked on BBC shows like Lark Rise to Candleford and Cranford.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Well, up until my last novel they’ve all been set in the general area of where I live, southern Pennsylvania or northern Maryland. Then I set my last book, Frantic, in Maine. I love my local region because it’s a very rich area, not just in history but in geography. Lots of rolling hills, wooded land, farmland, small towns, back roads. But favorite place is Maine. We’ve vacationed there several times and my wife lived there as a child. I can’t get enough of it. The contrast at the coast between the huge boulders and jagged rocks and pine trees and the ocean. Small coastal lobstering communities, lighthouses, lots and lots of forest. Can’t beat it and such a neat place to set a suspense story.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Thomas Jefferson. He seems like he’d be such a genuine and thoughtful person, intelligent, courageous, dedicated. I could learn a lot from and glean a lot of inspiration.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

How much time you spent doing it and how hard it was to establish yourself in the industry. There are so many authors out there it’s hard to get noticed by readers. It seems most people have the handful of favorite authors and are reluctant to try new writers. I know I may be stepping on some toes here but I’m not alone in my sentiments. Authors are like restaurants, people have their favorites and when they have money to spend they want to stick with what they know and love.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Trust. I have such a tendency to want to manipulate my writing and career, to try to over-manage it, force it this way or that way, instead of just doing my best to write a great story, doing my best to promote it and let people know about it, then getting out of the way and letting God doing His thing.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1. Continue to improve your craft.

2. Know why you’re writing, your motivations, your inspiration, your purpose

3. Get to know your readers

Tell us about the featured book.

Frantic is the story of a trio of characters on a harried and dangerous journey to discover what it means to really trust. Marny Toogood has lived under a “curse” his entire life and has therefore avoided much contact with people. That is, until he receives a desperate plea for help from Esther Rose, the over-protective sister of William, a boy with cerebral palsy and a very special gift. All three find themselves on the run from Esther and William’s maniacal and possessive “uncle” and wind up somewhere much more dangerous.

Here’s the back cover copy:

Can a deranged serial killer be stopped before it’s too late?

For gas station attendant Marny Toogood it s just another day on the job when an urgent message from a young girl in the backseat of a car draws him into a daring rescue attempt. Now on the run with the girl and her brother, Marny begins to realize he must conquer his own past and surrender all to Christ.

As they face kidnapping, underground cults, and other evils, can Marny trust the simple faith of a child and stand his ground against a power so twisted?

Please give us the first page of the book.

The night Marny Toogood was born it rained axheads and hammer handles.

His grandfather made a prediction, said it was an omen of some sort, that it meant Marny's life would be stormy, full of rain clouds and lightning strikes. Wanting to prove her father wrong, Janie Toogood named her son Marnin, which means "one who brings joy," instead of the Mitchell she and her husband had agreed on.

But in spite of Janie's good intentions, and regardless of what his birth certificate said, Marny's grandfather was right.

At the exact time Marny was delivered into this world and his grandfather was portending a dark future, Marny's father was en route to the hospital from his job at Winden's Furniture Factory where he was stuck working the graveyard shift. He'd gotten the phone call that Janie was in labor, dropped his hammer, and run out of the plant. Fifteen minutes from the hospital his pickup hit standing water, hydroplaned, and tumbled down a steep embankment, landing in a stand of eastern white pines. The coroner said he experienced a quick death; he did not suffer.

One week after Marny's birth his grandfather died of a heart attack. He didn't suffer either.

Twenty-six years and a couple of lifetimes of hurt later, Marny found himself working at Condon's Gas ’n Go and living above the garage in a small studio apartment George Condon rented to him for two hundred bucks a month. It was nothing special, but it was a place to lay his head at night and dream about the dark cloud that stalked him.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me at www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mikedellosso) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/mikedellosso) 


Thank you, Mike, for sharing about this story.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Frantic - paperback
Frantic - Kindle


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

DARKNESS FOLLOWS - Mike Dellosso - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I write for those enjoying a good, character-driven story that's suspenseful and thrilling. Most of my readers like fast-paced stories that put them in the midst of the action and have suprises around every corner. I write to explore human emotions and relationships. My characters are flawed people trudging through this life just like the rest of us, learning how to trust God and love others.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I married my wife, Jen. She's has been my biggest supporter and encourager for going on fourteen years now. And in addition to being a lovely wife, she is a dedicated and wonderful mother and teacher for our four daughters.

How has being published changed your life?

 It's made it busier! Now I have deadlines and edits and promoting and marketing. Sometimes, I don't know how I find time to do it all. I don't want to complain, though, being published is a blast and very fulfilling. I know I'm blessed to be able to do it and don't want to take it for granted for one second. I write every book as if it could be my last . . . because it could!

What are you reading right now?

 Right now I'm not reading anything. I'm under a tight deadline and when that happens I suspend all reading and focus only on the project at hand.

What is your current work in progress?

My next novel, Frantic (due Jan/Feb, 2012), is in its final stages of editing and I've begun work on my next book after that, as yet untitled. This untitled project will be something totally different for me and I'm both excited and scared to death of it.

What would be your dream vacation?

A tour of Europe hitting England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Or a trip to New Zealand. I've always wanted to go to NZ.

I would love to travel to Australia and New Zealand. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I usually write what I'm familiar with so I've kept the settings close to home, either south-central Pennsylvania or northern Maryland. But for Frantic I'm breaking that mold and set it in Maine. I love Maine because it offers such an interesting backdrop to a story with its stunning landscapes and seaside villages and interesting people. And the next story is set in Virginia's horse country.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

George W. Bush. I'd want to ask him all kinds of questions about 9/11 and his decision to invade Iraq and how he dealt with all the criticism and held up under the pressure.

I admire George W. Bush, and Barbara. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Well, let's see. I used to love to golf, then the kids came along and I no longer have the time nor the money for it. I really don't have any hobbies. Family, work, and writing take up most of my time. I'll save the hobby thing for when I'm retired.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Getting started. I'm always terrified of starting because I know once I start I'm not going to want to stop until the project is finished and that's going to mean early mornings and fretting over storylines and word choices and character motivations and wondering if I'm writing the correct thing and following the right plot. Lots of stress and apprehension.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Start and don't quit until you finish. I meet so many writers who have started two, three, four novels but never finished any of them. Writing is something that you have to be in the long haul for. It takes time and persistence but reaching the goal is well worth the effort put into it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Darkness Follows is suspenseful, fast-paced, and thrilling but at its core, it's a love story. Sam Travis is a man on the brink of despair. He's out of work and feeling useless. One morning he awakens to find a journal entry from a Civil War soldier written in his own handwriting. From there the story takes off dragging Sam into an ever-deepening hole of despair as he becomes obsessed with more journal entries and as the entries lead him into a darkness so thick only one thing can rescue him: the unconditional love of his daughter.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Gettysburg, 1863 

Captain Samuel Whiting removed his gloves and sat on the cot in his tent. It had been a long, grueling day of battle and his clothes were soaked through with sweat. He'd lost more men, good men, family men. Men who would never return home to their wives. Boys who would never again cross the threshold of their parents' home. 

He leaned forward, removed his boots, and stretched his legs. The air in the tent was still and muggy. At least outside there was a light breeze to carry away the stench of the wounded. In here, the smells hung in the air like a haze. Beyond the canvas walls the sounds of soldiers--heroes--in the throes of agony wandered through the camp like the souls of dead men looking for rest. But there was no rest in a place like this. 

A single oil lamp sat on the floor, casting an orange glow about the tent's interior. Samuel turned the knob on the lamp, giving more wick to the flame. The light brightened and the shadows darkened. From a writing box he removed a leather-bound journal, the one his mother had given him before he left to join Mr. Lincoln's army. At the time he thought he was doing the right thing, thought he was fighting for a noble cause. 

Now he thought differently. There was nothing noble about this war, nothing honorable about the way it was being fought nor the reasons for which it was being waged.

I'm totally intrigued. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website/blog: http://www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com.
Or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mikedellosso

Thank you, Mike, for dropping by again.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

DARLINGTON WOODS - Mike Dellosso - Free Book

Today I'm welcoming fellow Strang author, Mike Dellosso. So Mike, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Every character has a little bit of me in him or her. I draw on my own experiences, my own personality quirks, and my own emotional blueprint quite a bit. It's not so hard when I'm writing a male character with the struggles of most men, but when I write a female character I have to tap into that, ahem, feminine side of me (I say that very carefully) and it's a little more difficult. The most fun is writing the villains. I know that sounds awful and maybe even a little demented but that's when I can be mischievous and nutty. That's the side of me usually only my family sees. The scary part is when I have to write the dark side of a villain. I tread very carefully on that ice, it can be ever so thin in places.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I stutter and when I was child and teen my stuttering was very bad. Some sounds were harder to say than others and some situations just locked me up. Answering the phone was one of those situations. If I was home alone I'd let the phone ring until it drove me crazy (this was before answering machines) and then I'd answer it but nothing would come out. The caller would say "Hello? Hello?" then hang up and call again. And it would start all over again. If someone else was home I'd run for the bathroom when the phone rang. That way I could holler, "I'm in the bathroom" and someone else would have to answer it. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. Weird. Quirky. And pretty sad when you think about it.

I'm glad you outgrew that, or that technology helped you. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I didn't always want to be a writer. In fact, all through school and college I loathed writing, hated anything that had to do with English or composition. September, 1998 changed everything. My brother-in-law was in a very bad motorcycle accident and found himself in shock trauma in a deep coma. Prognosis was not good. My wife and I visited my sister in the hospital and were just blown away. The shock, the pain, sadness. When we got back home I was so overwhelmed with emotions, questions, tears, that I did the only thing I could think to do . . . I wrote it all down. And that's when I fell in love with writing. It was like a switch was flipped in me. My entire life had been spent running from words because of my stuttering and here I'd found a way I could speak my mind and heart with perfect fluency. I'd found my voice. I haven't stopped writing since.

That's wonderful. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I mostly read in the same genres I write--suspense, thriller, supernatural, horror--but do occasionally wander outside that. I've read westerns, historical fiction (almost the entire House of Winslow series by Gilbert Morris), YA fantasy, southern fiction (Charles Martin). I've read Nicholas Sparks (and enjoyed it) and Dale Cramer, one of my favorite authors. I also enjoy Angela Hunt's work.

 How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I stay grounded in my family. Besides my desire to honor God with everything I write, my family is the reason I do what I do. They are the reason I work so hard at this writing thing. At times it's hard to stay focused. So much is happening around us all the time. I wish so badly that we could drop everything, move to some secluded location, and start over. Slow down. Disengage. Maybe someday. It's been done before . . . or so I've heard. I keep myself focused by remembering who it is who gave me the ability and opportunity to write and why I write. When I'm tempted to give in or give up, when I want to quit on the next book, I remind myself what and who all this is about, and it's not me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I choose names very carefully. For me, and in my mind, the name has to match the character. You know how you look at someone and think "she looks like a Jane," or "he looks like a Mark." I do that with my characters. I try to use common names so the stories don't get dated by names. Names are like trends, they come and go, but there are those that stay familiar throughout. Those are the names I go for. Last names are the toughies. Fortunately, my day job is with people so I have a wealth of surnames at my disposal. Again, I try to choose something that matches the character and isn't too "out there."

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Surviving colon cancer. It's not an accomplishment I can take credit for, so many were by my side, primarily my wife. So many prayed and encouraged and helped where they could. They knew our needs before we even realized we had needs. And of course I couldn't have survived anything without my God and Savior holding me, lifting me up, wrapping his arms around me, and whispering love in my ear throughout the entire journey. I learned so much about myself and God during that time. Things I'll never forget.

We never really understand how much we need Him, until we really NEED Him. James and I learned that, too. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Boy, I'd like to say something cool like a lion or eagle or horse, but I think I'm most like a beaver. Don't laugh. I'm a hard worker, organized, scheduled, and am happiest when I'm home. I'm never "finished," always adding on or making adjustments, always doing something.

What is your favorite food?

Well, it used to be hot dogs but then I went and got colon cancer and the oncologist told me no more red meat and no more processed meat. So now I eat poultry and lots of vegetarian stuff. I think if I had to choose one thing I'd go with a Subway veggie sub. Man, it's like the best salad on a roll. Just a note: I also love anything Italian or Mexican. Chimichangas rule. Oh, and fettuccini Alfredo. Okay, I better stop. I'm getting hungry!

So am I, and I just got up from eating lunch. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Oh, easily finding the time. I used to write in the evenings and it drove my wife crazy. I was writing when I should have been spending time with the family. I didn't see it until she called the computer "the other woman." Ouch. Message received. Loud and clear. That's when I started writing in the mornings. It's the perfect time. Everyone else is sleeping and it never interferes with something else and never gets bumped on the family schedule. Holidays, weekends, even vacation, it doesn't matter. Who wants to do anything at 5 a.m.? That's my time. And when you love what you're doing you don't need a day off. Granted, I do take some days off and there are times when I go to breakfast with a friend at 6 a.m. but those days are very rare.

Tell us about the featured book.

Darlington Woods the first book I wrote following my battle with colon cancer. It's about a man who loses his wife and son but refuses to believe his son is really dead. He's convinced he's still alive and to be found in a town called Darlington. With the help of a local waitress, he finds his way to Darlington totally unaware of the horror that awaits him. There he must face his own fears like never before if he's ever going to find the truth. The story is so personal to me because it has so much symbolism in it. It's an allegory of my battle with cancer and fleshes out the fears and I had, the questions, the struggles, and ultimately the triumph. Darlington Woods is every person's soul, where light and darkness meet.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1987
Darlington Woods, northern Maryland

The screams were everywhere, piercing the darkness like spears. Surrounding him. Closing in. Mixing with the wails and torturous moans of the other men.

Asher Wiggins ran pell-mell through the woods, blindly rolling over saplings and crashing through clumps of honeysuckle. Thickets pulled at his clothes, left jagged trails of blood on his skin. His bandaged face throbbed in time with his quickened pulse.

And still the screams grew closer.

To his right, Jerry hollered then went down in a complicated crash of crunching leaves and breaking sticks. The sound that followed reminded him of a pack of rabid dogs in a feeding frenzy.

Only it wasn’t dogs. Far from it.

He came to a ridge where the ground sloped downward at a sharp angle for thirty yards or so, bottomed out, then rose on the other side. Lungs working furiously to keep the oxygen coming, heart in his throat, Asher stole a quick look around. To his left, in the distance, he heard Abe trip on a fallen limb and hit the ground hard. He knew it was Norm by the sound of his wheezing. Within moments he heard them attack—he didn’t even know what they were. The sound of Abe’s piteous screams for help sent chills racing along his nerves.

Asher turned and pushed himself down the slope. He stumbled mostly out of control but somehow was able to keep his feet under him. At the bottom he looked up and saw a dark pulsating shadow at the top of the ridge. It was them.

“God help me.”

One of them let out a terrible scream, like a woman in great pain, and they all responded similarly.

Without thinking, Asher turned and started climbing the opposite slope. His legs burned, and his lungs were on fire, but adrenaline kept him moving.

“God help me, God help me, God help me . . .,” he said over and over as he climbed, finding purchase with both hands and feet, grabbing onto saplings and branches where he could.

The gauze covering half his face—a hastily assembled bandage—was soaked with blood and working loose. It dangled like a lame wing.

Behind him he heard the crash of the horde as it charged down the slope, screaming and hissing.

Faster he climbed, clawing at the ground, pulling himself forward and upward. Finally at the top, he ran a few feet and stopped. He could go no further. His legs felt boneless and every blood vessel in his body beat in sync with his rapid breathing. His vision blurred, and his chest tightened.

Asher tried to breathe deep but his diaphragm spasmed and refused to cooperate. The woods started to spin around him, and he collapsed onto his back. The bandage peeled away like an old scab and left his wounds open to the air.

He could hear the horde coming up the slope now. But there was nothing he could do. He looked up with his one working eye, past the limbs, past the leaves, and found the early morning sky. It was just beginning to lighten with the dawn of day. He’d been in the woods all night.

His last thought before closing his eyes and accepting what may come was a passage from Scripture he’d used in a sermon recently,

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

Wow! I can hardly wait until my copy gets here. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My blog/website is http://www.mikedellosso.com/. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter. Also, just Google Mike Dellosso and you can't miss me.

Mike, thanks for sharing with us today.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/