with John W. Howell
Devorah Fox is helping spread the word about the launch of His Revenge. Her blog post on His Revenge is here. She is the author of four books and a contributor to an anthology. All can be reviewed on Amazon.
She is also participating in FantasyCon’s Epic Wednesday on November 4th. Here is the Facebook link for the FB Epic Wednesday event //www.facebook.com/events/893446364072813/permalink/911235298960586/ Devorah will be manning a booth. Please go visit and tell her I said Hello.
I am very happy today to have Devorah Fox author of four great novels: The Lost King, The Kings Ransom, Naked Came the Sharks, and just released, The Kings Redress visit Fiction Favorites.
Devorah’s latest novel The Kings Redress, to be released on July 4th is book three in The King Bewilliam series. The books in The Bewildering Adventures of King Bewilliam series have a once-upon-a-time quality, but they address contemporary issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, divorce, career displacement, parent/child relationships, and the conflict between duty and personal ambition.
The King’s Redress asks, “When everyone you trust turns against you, what do you do?” Dragon slayer of renown, Robin, King Bewilliam, has bested both man and beast to battle his way back to the Chalklands and reunite with his sons, but discord threatens the kingdom’s hard-won peace and prosperity. War breaks out and Robin finds that there is no one he can trust, not even his closest knights. Fighting for his throne pits him against a shocking, unsuspected rival. With his own life and lives of all his imperiled subjects at stake, Robin faces off against his fiercest enemy in mortal combat.
John: Devorah Fox has written for television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Publisher and editor of the BUMPERTOBUMPER® books for commercial motor vehicle drivers, she is also developer of the Easy CDL apps for the iPhone and iPad and author of the literary fantasies “The Lost King” and “The King’s Ransom” and “Naked Came the Sharks,” a contemporary thriller. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she now lives — yes, with the requisite feline writer’s companions — in The Barefoot Palace in Port Aransas on the Texas Gulf Coast where she writes the “Dee-Scoveries” blog and columns of the same name for “The Island Moon” newspaper. Visit http://devorahfox.com or email her at devorahfox@aol.com.
So without further hesitation I want to welcome you, Devorah Fox to Fiction Favorites. Please pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. First of all, thank you for agreeing to an author interview on my blog.
Devorah: Thank you John. I have been looking forward to our interview. Since I live right down the street, I was very grateful not to be forced to do anything more complicated than to walk to your sumptuous writing studio by the sea.
John: Yes the sea is very relaxing. Thank you for referring to my dining room as my sumptuous studio. Can I get you anything to eat or drink? A margarita perhaps?
Devorah: Ah, an adult beverage to loosen my tongue so that I will reveal my deepest darkest secrets. A sly maneuver ….
John: Here you are, I hope you enjoy. Well, now that we are comfortable, I have some questions that I’m sure readers would want to know about you and your books. The first is on the subject of your latest book The Kings Redress. What was the inspiration for the third story in the Bewilliam series which this new release represents?
Devorah: When I set out to write Book Two, The King’s Ransom, there was a topic that I wanted to explore. The characters had other ideas and I ended up writing about something else but I still wanted to tackle that subject, thus the third book. In many ways, I was also urged to write it for fans of The Lost King and The King’s Ransom. Like me, they have become invested in King Bewilliam and want to spend more time with him.
John: How far do you think the series will go? Do you plan to continue the Bewilliam adventures?
Devorah: Frankly, I’m astounded to report that it appears that way. Just this weekend I read something and saw something on TV and found myself thinking What Would King Bewilliam Do? I guess I’ll be writing another book to find out.
John: How much of the character, King Bewilliam is taken from people you know or is he truly out of your imagination?
Devorah: While the character of King Bewilliam developed his own personality and his own psychology, the man and his dilemma in Book One, The Lost King, were definitely inspired by a real person. Apparently, though, his isn’t a unique experience. Many readers told me that they felt The Lost King told their story.
John: It is said your stories although set in a fantasy past are really modern tales. How did you come to make this juxtaposition as you created your characters and stories?
Devorah: My intent with The Lost King was to take an actual set of circumstances, imagine a different outcome and make it all end “happily ever after.” I found myself writing the story as if it were a fable, a tale set in an imaginary time and place. It was simply how the story wanted to be told.
John: You also have released Naked Came the Sharks a thriller. How easy or difficult was it for you to cross genres for this story?
Devorah: Writing contemporary thrillers is somewhat easier than the literary fantasies. I have to do so much research for the King Bewilliam stories. I had to do research for Naked Came the Sharks, too, but there was a lot more information available and it was easier to find. Also, to write the King Bewilliam stories I have to transport myself into The Zone so I can see, hear and feel what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. I have to get into The Zone to write the contemporary thrillers, too, but getting there is a shorter trip.
John: I understand you are working on releasing another thriller. Can you tell us a little about it and when we can expect its release?
Devorah: Dead Line is slated for winter 2014-15. It’s a historic thriller because the action revolves around a specific February, 1993, event. Like all my stories, it’s about a fairly ordinary someone who is simply going about his business and ends up facing an extraordinary challenge. In Dead Line, that’s a suspected Presidential assassination plot.
John: Thinking now about all your books. Which was the most difficult in terms of story flow and character development for you to write?
Devorah: I’d have to stay “what happens” is the most difficult part of storytelling because I start out with a good idea about who the characters are and how they’ll respond.
John: Which is harder for you to write, the beginning, middle or conclusion and why?
Devorah: The conclusion has proven to the hardest. I believe it’s because I fall in love with the characters and don’t want to say goodbye to them. They prove to be complex people and even though a particular story arc is finished, I’m not done with them, or they’re not done with me. I’d also have to say that the beginning is difficult. I think I know what the story is about when I start. Once I’ve gotten into it I discover that it’s really about something else. Then I have to go back and reframe the beginning to suit what the story turned out to be. And OK, the middle isn’t easy either. Let’s face it, John, writing is just plain hard work.
John: This is a question I ask all authors since other authors are always interested in the style of others. Are you a plotter (very planned approach to writing) or a pantser? (seat of pants)
Devorah: I started out being a planner and plotter. Increasingly, especially in the King Bewilliam series, I’ve been a seat-of-the-pants writer. However, I’m finding that to be stressful. There are days when I am in a sheer panic because I don’t have a clue about what to write, so for future projects I’m going to do more planning and plotting, less pantsing and panicking.
John: What is the best advice you were given by another author?
Devorah: “Take your hands off the wheel.” There comes a point when the story has its own momentum. At that point, it’s best for me to stop trying to steer it, to get out of its way and simply go where it wants to go.
John: So I don’t totally exhaust you I think this will be the last question. You are releasing Dead Line, a contemporary thriller slated for winter 2014. Do you have plans for the next book and if so will it be more like Naked Came the Sharks or The Kings Redress?
Devorah: Thanks, John. I’ve been yammering away and have barely touched my margarita! I do have other books simmering, waiting to move to the front burner. I have in mind another contemporary Texas Coastal Bend story. It’s a murder mystery. I know who’s dead, I just don’t know why or whodunit (minor details). This is the classic case of “don’t anger a writer because you’ll end up dead in her next novel.” Also, Sir Maxwell from the King Bewilliam books has been lobbying for his own book. I think his story would make a good Young Adult novel and I’ve been urged to write for the YA genre, so young Sir Maxwell may very well get his wish.
John: I’m sure all of us will look forward Dead Line as well as your next release. In the meantime; all should pick up and read The Kings Redress and any of the other Bewilliam books; The Lost King, The Kings Ransom, as well as the thriller, Naked Came the Sharks. Thank you Devorah it was a real pleasure to chat today. Please come back again.
*****
amazon.com buylink: http://www.amazon.com/Kings-Redress-Bewildering-Adventures-Bewilliam/dp/0977824551.
Mondays are Book Tag days and I have been tagged by Jo Robinson. As you may be aware, Jo lives in South Africa and hopes to publish four books this year.
Lesser Being is the first in a collection of novels featuring Judith, a ghost writer specializing in memoirs. Each book tells the life of the person whose memoir she’s currently writing. The first one is Emmaline. Jo describes it as: “This particular story started out as a memory of someone, then turned into a daydream about what route her life had taken, then it became a high-definition movie in my head with surround sound in 3D. All I had to do was write it down, and try not to use too many exclamation marks again.”
Thanks Jo for tagging me.
The rules of this tag are to answer the following four writing questions, and then tag three other authors. Next week, March 3, these three authors will answer the same questions and tag three others, and so the chain continues to grow larger. This will enable readers to get to know more authors and their books. It will also allow everyone to get to know these authors a little better.
Questions:
1. What are you currently working on?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches on the second part of the John J. Cannon trilogy. The draft is finished and now needs editing. The working title is His Revenge and tells the story of the attempt of Matt Jacobs the money and brains behind a small, but dedicated group of terrorists to discredit John Cannon, the protagonist from My GRL. Speaking of My GRL I am still in the heat of marketing. I actually have posted a first chapter on the sidebar of Fiction Favorites.(for those who actually visit the site)
2. How does your work differ from others in the same genre?
Most thrillers have a strong hero-type protagonist who seems immune to any threats or harm. John Cannon is an ordinary guy who has been very successful in his work and wants to relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor. He is not connected with any agency or secret mission team. He is just a man wanting to learn to be a charter boat captain and is caught up in circumstances not of his making.
3. Why do you write what you do?
I have a dream to finish five novels before my brain turns to oatmeal. The subject matter of these works comes to me and I am compelled to write them down. Sometimes I have no idea why I write what I do. Some of my short stories reflect this “in the dark,” scenario.
4. How does your writing process work?
I usually outline a few chapters and then work on a timeline. After that, I start writing and don’t stop until I think the story is finished.
And now time to Tag three other Authors.
The first is Charles Yallowitz whose blog Legends of Windermere is also the name of his series of fantasy novels: The Beginning of a Hero, The Prodigy of Rainbow Tower and Allure of the GypsieS. (Click on the covers below to go to Amazon) Charles has been described as the hardest working author of anyone. He also is a mentor and coach to those authors who need some advice.
Charles is also hard a work on at least three more Legends of Windemere book which I know about. If you have not visited him yet you should go
Helen Valentina is my second choice and is a writer who loves to explore why we do the things we do and how our characters are formed by our beliefs and actions. The essence of the reason for her blog is best said by her: “Like most people, I have a number of sides to me. The most interesting one probably emerges through my writing, hence this blog. I love to read, and also to write, and so this is a way to share both. A visit to her blog will show you how uniquely talented Helen is in her writing. Her poems will cause you to think and ponder and then react.
Not content with poetry alone Helen has written two books The Seed and Curiosity
‘The Seed’ is a dark romance that looks at the impact of dreams and myths on our romantic natures and choices – an intense and sometimes ambiguous journey into the heart of passionate people. The Seed, now available on lulu.com, iTunes (link via lulu.com), Amazon Kindle and POD and on Nook. Helen describes The Seed, “ is a dark romance, exploring passion and the reasons that we choose to follow relationships and the implications that can arise from those choices. For those familiar with my poetry, the mix of passion/love and mystery/ambiguity will be quite familiar.”
‘Curiosity’ is about a man who believes the world has already ended and no-one noticed, and how his beliefs and nature propel him into being an unlikely hero for the modern, media age. She says: “As a black comedy/satire, Curiosity is a major departure from my first novel The Seed. It’s writing style, though of course my own, is lighter and more cynical – more extroverted and action oriented than introspective and contemplative. As I’ve said before, if my novels were my children The Seed would be the moody, passionate artist. Curiosity is a bit of a brat to be honest, but hopefully a clever child, who will one day grow to cut a swathe in public relations or the gossip column industry.”
My third choice Devorah Fox is a fellow member of the Rockport Writers Group and has published three novels. Two: The lost King,and The Kings Ransom are fantasy stories of her character King Bewilliam and his quest to restore his lost kingdom. The third is a departure into a Mystery story Titled: Naked Came the Sharks .
Naked Came the Sharks synopsis: Chasing her dream of becoming an investigative reporter in San Francisco, Holly Rivera Berry has to return to her hometown of Bonafides on the Texas Coastal Bend to settle her recently deceased father’s estate. She discovers that just before he died her father researched the possibility that via an old Mexican land grant the Rivera family owns The Gap, a natural channel to the Gulf of Mexico. Land speculators plan to erect luxury homes, resorts, hotels, and a casino along The Gap and Holly comes to doubt that her father died of natural causes. The more she investigates, the more things don’t add up. One by one her allies fall victim to fatal accidents and it looks like Holly might be next.
Devorah Fox is helping spread the message of the launch of My GRL. Visit her at http://devorahfox.com
Devorah is an author of critically acclaimed novels. She is unique in the fact she is capable of writing in both the literary fantasy and thriller fiction genres. Her books The Lost King and The King’s Ransom are acclaimed literary fantasy novels whose time and place carry the reader into a land where all things are magical and still practical at the same time. The reader can follow the story of King Robin Bewilliam as he tries to sort out the details of circumstances causing 
him to lose his kingdom. Book One, The Lost King, Robin awakens one morning to find himself mysteriously transformed from a beloved and respected ruler to a homeless vagabond. His quest to uncover and break the bewitching spell that plagues him and regain his kingdom sets him on a journey of adventure, romance, and self-discovery. Book Two, The Kings Ransom finds Robin at sea both literally and figuratively. At first directionless and purposeless, he determines to reunite with his sons and with them restore his shattered kingdom but Fate has different plans for the lost king. Driven far from his home in the Chalklands, Robin pits his will against a dragon, a fortress’ duplicitous and deadly guards, high winds on the open water, and a horrifying sea monster only to meet his most formidable opponent.
Devorah with Jed Donellie also wrote the contemporary thriller Naked Came the Sharks which tells the story of murder and mayhem in the Texas Costal Bend. Chasing her dream of becoming an investigative reporter in San Francisco. Holly Rivera Berry returns to her hometown of Bonafides on the Texas Coastal Bend to settle her recently deceased father’s estate. She comes to doubt that her father died of natural causes. The more she investigates, the more things don’t add up.
Devorah has also written for television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and various blogs. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and wrote her first novel in the third grade. She now lives in Port Aransas, Texas, where she writes the “Dee-Scoveries” blog at http://devorahfox.com and columns of the same name for The Island Moon newspaper and TexasNOW magazine. On the rare occasions when she’s not writing, she dabbles in glass painting and etching and enjoys relaxing with her Significant Other and a trio of gray tabby cats.
Her three books can be found by clicking on the covers or HERE, HERE and HERE
