What inspired you to become an
author?
At
heart, I'm a storyteller. I love stories, I love to share stories, and writing
is just another way to tell the stories. Probably the biggest influence in my
life was my grandfather who read to me starting back when I was too young to
read for myself. He's the one who first guided me into the worlds that books
open.
Do you have a specific writing
style?
Probably,
although it isn't something I consciously think about when I write. Since my
Portals books are a blend of modern-day detective and fantasy, I sort of
combine those two styles in my writing – depending on which character's POV I'm
writing from. I'm a great believer in letting my characters tell their own
story, and as much as possible, I try to speak in the character's voice rather
than my own.
Do you write in different genres?
Just
fantasy at the moment – urban fantasy with a mix of detective for my Portals
books, although I've got a straightforward “Tolkienesque” fantasy sitting
unpublished – the famous “manuscript in the drawer” – that I'd like to see
published some day. And … I've got a couple of SF ideas floating around in my
brain, although they've got some fantasy elements in the mix as well!
How did you come up with the title
for your latest book?
My
book titles to date have all been plays on words. Sister Hoods involves
a band of Nymphs who are all sisters, and … with the help of Satyrs, they rob a
bank. So they're criminals - “hoods.”
Do you title the book first or wait
until after it’s complete?
So
far – six books into the series, although only four have been published – the
titles have suggested themselves when I get the idea for the plot. Book 7,
which I've just started while waiting for my publisher to finish reading books
5 and 6, is the exception. I'm almost a full chapter in, and I have no idea
what the title is going to be.
Is there a message in your novel
that you want readers to grasp?
Absolutely
none! I write fiction for the same reason I read it – for escape. What I'd like
my readers to come away with is a feeling of having read a good story, one that
leaves them satisfied yet (I hope) wanting to follow Corpus Christi police
detective Kat Morales and her elf partner Tevis into further adventures. I want
my readers to close the books with a sense of “Gee! That was fun!”
Is the book, characters, or any
scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own
life?
Nothing
specific, but I do draw on years of reading detective novels, and my own
experience as a reporter covering crime and court news, for the “police
procedural” element in my books.
What books/authors have influenced
your life?
Too
many to name! Pretty much everything I read has some influence on my life as a
writer and as a person. But … to name just a few …
Irish
Fairy and Folk Tales, by W.B. Yeats – I discovered this book when I was
around 9 years old, and it launched a lifelong fascination with the rich
folklore and mythology of all cultures.
The
Hobbit and Lord of the Rings – Of course! I love Tolkien's Middle
Earth, and I've learned a little of Tolkien's own backstory – a veteran of
World War I – which has added an extra layer of richness to my reading.
Three
nonfiction books that have enriched my interest in history and prehistory:
The
Making of the Atomic Bomb – A history of quantum physics as well as the
historical events that led to the building of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
Wonderful
Life – Stephen Jay Gould's account of the Burgess Shale fossils and what
they reveal about our own prehistory.
The
Caliban Shore – The fascinating story of an East Indiaman ship, the
Grosvenor, that wrecked on the coast of South Africa in the 18th
century. It's another of those books that prove that real life can in fact be
more strange than fiction ever dares to be.
Another
set of non-fiction books – any of Isaac Asimov's essays on science. Asimov was
my mentor in all things scientific, giving me a real-world grounding and a
lifelong interest in everything from biology to nuclear physics and astronomy.
What book are you reading now?
A
number of books by some terrific self-published authors that I've discovered
through Amazon discussion threads. Jean Kilczer, T. Jackson King, Sam Kates –
I'm devouring his Earth Haven series.
What books are in your to read
pile?
Books
by the above-named authors, plus a few more … But I also work full-time for
Sheridan Media, a news outlet here in Sheridan, Wyo., that includes nine radio
stations and an online publication (sheridanmedia.com), and we're getting into
the summer busy season. So between writing for Sheridan Media, and writing my
books, I may not have any chance at reading until the fall …
What is your current “work in
progress” or upcoming projects?
I've
just started Portals 7. Also … on a backburner for the time being … a
non-fiction book that would consist of a series of short articles on the
history of Sheridan County. That's kind of an outgrowth of a project I've done
for Sheridan media for the past two years – a summer tabloid called Sheridan
Chronicles. I have permission from my bosses to compile the two tabs (a total
of around 60 articles) into book form, so I just have to squeeze out some time
to do it.
Is there anything you find
particularly challenging in your writing?
Mostly
finding time for everything I want to do!
Do you have to travel much to do
research for your books?
A
little – mostly by armchair. Between all the reading I've done through the
years, and my experiences as a reporter, a lot of what I need is already at my
disposal. I did buy a couple of books on forensic science – to help enhance the
reality of the police side of my books, and I have an extensive library of
books on folklore and myth. Plus … the Internet is always helpful.
Who designed the cover of your
latest book?
My
publisher has done all of my book covers to date.
Do you have any advice for other
writers?
Do
it! I've met a lot of people who tell me they “want to write a book someday.”
Well … “someday” is today. Don't talk about what you “want to do,” just sit
down and start writing.
The
second piece of advice – Learn the craft. Take writing classes if you can. Read
articles written by writers on writing (Writer's Digest is a good
source for this). Read books about writing. Join a writer's group if there's
one near you. Ideally, it should be a group of people at all skill levels as
writers, and ideally, at least some of the members should be people who know
how to provide constructive criticism to help each other improve.
Keep
writing! Writing isn't some esoteric mystery. Mostly it's about exercising and
improving your skills and abilities.
Read
– a lot! More important, read with a critical eye. Who's your favorite author,
and why do you like that individual as an author? What is he or she
doing that keeps you engaged as a reader? And how can you translate that to
your own writing?
When
you think you know everything there is to know about writing – Read more books.
Challenge yourself. We will never learn everything there is to learn about
anything in life. There's always something new to discover.
Sister Hoods
Portals
Book Four
P.L. Blair
Genre: Urban fantasy/detective/light romance
Publisher: Studio See LLC
Date of Publication: October 2013
ASIN: B00GC5BRI6
Number of pages: 292
Cover Artist: Pam See
Mike Roberts photographer
Book Description:
A bank robbery in Rockport, Texas, sends Corpus Christi police detective Kat Morales and her elf partner, Tevis, in pursuit of a band of nymphs and satyrs. The answer to their initial question - why nymphs and satyrs would rob a bank - only leads them into a deeper mystery in an enchanted woodland on the South Texas coast.
And while he and Kat try to save the woods from an evil wizard and a deadly wyvern, Tevis finds himself engaged in a personal struggle with potentially disastrous consequences: He is deeply, irrevocably in love with his partner ...
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/gCn0H3IlNGs
Excerpt:
Malthius sat at the
island counter in his kitchen and slowly consumed the dinner he'd prepared for
himself, scarcely tasting. The television reporter – or whatever Humans called
people in her position – had promised the “latest information on the bodies
found near the old courthouse at the top of the hour,” which, Malthius
inferred, meant the start of the news program at six o'clock.
The Wizard had sunk into what Theronius aptly called one
of his “foul moods.” Malthius had reason for it: first, Edwin calling to say
the Elf and Human woman would be at Summerfield Investments offices in the
morning, then this clamor over the bodies. Who would have thought that thirteen
people who meant so little while they lived would become the focus of so much
attention because of their deaths?
Still, Malthius took a certain grim pleasure in these
moments. Adversity, threats to his plans, sharpened his senses. He felt more
focused, more alive at such times. He watched the drivel that Humans called
“commercials” – though in truth, he found some of them more entertaining than
the programs they financed – then, finally, the music that meant the newscast
was beginning. People were introduced, males and females simpering at the
cameras, then a camera focused on a dark-haired young woman whose name Malthius
ignored.
“And at the top of our news,” she said, “Corpus Christi's
Mayor Janelle Hardesty announced the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken
an interest in the deaths of thirteen homeless people, seven late last night in an underpass near the old
Nueces County Courthouse, and six others found dead several days ago in
Lovenskiold Park.” Behind the young woman, an image appeared on the screen of a
woman perhaps middle-aged as Humans measured years, light brown hair graying at
the temples, standing at a podium, a microphone in front of her. “The
announcement came in a news conference on the steps of City Hall at two o'clock
today.”
The view shifted from the dark-haired newscaster,
tightening on the older woman, presumably Mayor Hardesty. She spoke: “We are
confirmin' that the deaths of the seven people last night are connected to the
deaths of six people several days ago in Lovenskiold Park. All of the deaths
are related to a case bein' investigated by the FBI. A special team sanctioned
by the FBI and headed by their agent Arvandus is in Corpus Christi ...”
Arvandus? Malthius managed to swallow the bite of
meat in his mouth without choking, scarcely tasting it. Had the woman actually
said the name Arvandus?
That was … impossible.
About the Author:
A native of Texas, now living in Sheridan, Wyo., P.L. Blair divides her time between two careers. As P.L., she writes a series (Portals) of urban fantasy/detective books that, recently, including elements of light romance. Published books include Shadow Path, Stormcaller, Deathtalker and Sister Hoods. Her fifth book is now with her publisher, and she is working on Book 6. As Pat Blair, she's a reporter for Sheridan Media, an organization that includes nine radio stations and an online news publication at sheridanmedia.com.
She's also “mom” to three dogs and a cat, all rescues, and is an avid reader, an occasional painter, and loves doing research. A lover of horses, she researches American Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred pedigrees as a hobby. Another hobby is history, and she's been the lead writer last year and again this year for Sheridan Media's “Sheridan Chronicles” history publication.
Web site www.plblairauthor.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/plblair
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/plblair/
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