by 
Interview Mark Rosendorf
Interview
– Tell us about your novels. Why should everyone buy them?
The Witches of Vegas is a true story but from a different reality. Isis Rivera, Zack Galloway and the witches want everyone to know about their lives and read their story. They have chosen to tell that story through me. Isis and her adopted family pretend to be magicians, but they are actual witches, so we know they have the power to do this. Clearly, they want their story told, they want everyone from this world to know about their lives and their adventure saving their Earth. Zack and his family aren’t witches, they’re magicians in Las Vegas. Although, technically, the witches’ show rivals theirs, I think they’d agree the story is worth hearing. At the very least, it’s an entertaining one.
– Out of all the talented writers on Earth, why do you think they’ve chosen you to tell their story?
That’s a good question. Perhaps because I am a published writer and a former magician. In fact, magic is still part of my life. As a high school guidance counselor for special needs students, I use magic as part of our performing arts program to build confidence and teach teamwork. Perhaps Isis, Zack and The Witches of Vegas chose me because they feel, with my background as a writer and a performer, I would understand their story well enough to want to share it with the world.
In general, I’ve always had a creative mind and always wanted to be a fiction writer. I knew that ever since the seventh grade when, during a final exam, I wrote an essay for social studies class on World War 1…and because I didn’t study, I wrote it without one single fact. But I made it dramatic as if it were coming from the emotional turmoil of a soldier on the battlefield. It received an “A.” The teacher was so wrapped up in the story, he skipped over the fact that it didn’t include any of the information he had told us to study.
– In what genres do you write? Do you plan on writing in other genres?
My past works were suspense and sci-fi. The Witches of Vegas, however, has taken me into a new genre, young adult fantasy. Teen witch Isis Rivera and fifteen-year-old magician Zack Galloway are characters I think anyone would relate to no matter their ages. They are the ones that brought me into the young adult genre. I happen to like the new neighborhood and I think I’ll be sticking around for the foreseeable future.
– What is your all-time favorite novel/book? What makes it special?
Growing up, I was a huge fan of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. I read the book and seen the movie (both versions) several times. In 1995, Stephen Baxter wrote a direct sequel titled “The Time Ships.” I fell in love with the book the moment I read it. Each chapter was short but ended on a cliffhanger that made you want to flip that page to see what would happen next. It’s the story that made me want to become a writer.
– Tell us a bit about your writing process.
My ideas are like lightning, meaning one bright flash, then it’s gone. That is why I keep note pads everywhere. They’re next to my bed with a flashlight, they’re taped to wall outside of my shower, they’re in the car. Whenever an idea hits me, I write it on one of these pads. Then, I use these notes when writing a chapter in a notebook. At this stage, I’m not worried about grammar or sentence structure, I just want to get the idea on paper.
Next, I type out the chapter. That’s when I’m focused on the writing part. Thanks to this process, the first time I’m typing the chapter, it feels like I’m on my second draft. Once the book is complete, the edits, insertions, deletions and rewrites takes place. It’s a long process, but well worth it in the end.
But before any of that happens, the first part of any writing process is coming up with a concept. In the past, my first part of the writing process was mapping out what was going to happen in the story from beginning to end. That’s where The Witches of Vegas is unique in that the story actually came to me as if it were shot into my brain, from beginning to end. For this story, the process involved a lot less mapping out and more writing up the details so I could commit them to memory.
– Tell us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.
Even though I am no longer a magician, I still like to dabble a bit in the craft. At work, I usually have both a captive audience and willing students in the art. I’m also an avid reader, although that’s probably the case with every writer out there. I also like to play various games on my iPad. My wife has often told me that my books would come out much faster and more frequently if she just tossed my iPad out the window. She’s willing to do that favor for me, all I need to do is ask.
– We have many followers who would like to start writing a book or are already writing their first novel, any advice for these brave people?
Be ready for a long, frustrating and exhausting process, and that’s after the book is written. Whether you’re looking for a traditional publisher or you want to self-publish, you have a lot of work ahead of you. For traditional publishing, if you’re a new and relatively unknown writer, expect to get a lot of rejections. And I do mean A LOT. Most of them are form letters with no explanation as to why they rejected you. But that’s okay because you only need one publisher to say yes. When you see your book in print, all that hard work is satisfying. But keep in mind, when you do get that “yes” and your book becomes real, that’s not the goal…that’s the starting line. It doesn’t mean you won your race, it means you are now entering the race, a race that never ends because there are always people out there that haven’t read your book yet and you want them to know about it.
– How important is it to have your facts right and are there any instances when you bend history to fit your story?
In the day of social media where anyone can look up any fact you have put in your book, it is especially important that your facts are on point. As a fiction writer, there is room for indulgences, but only if they’re consistent within your story. Most readers are just looking for a book they can enjoy, but there are always people out there who look for inconsistencies or factual misinformation so they can pick apart your story. So, if it’s important to get all dates and facts, real or fictional, accurate.
– What are you reading at the moment?
I just finished “The Autobiography of James T. Kirk” which I really enjoyed. Next on my list is the Hunger Games prequel, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” After that, Scott Adams. As you can see, my tastes are diverse. Now, after conducting this interview, I think I may take another pass through “The Time Ships” first.
– How is it to be an author in your country? Do you have a good support from the local public?
Yes and no. It is next to impossible getting a book into the bookstores if it’s not from one of the top publishers in the world. That’s why authors and publishers rely heavily on social media promotions and sales. Libraries tend to be a bit more willing to carry the books, especially if they’re donated, it’s jumping through hoops to get them to purchase copies. Luckily, online you can reach the entire world with your work and, it is there where there is great support.
– Certainly, you have had some interesting episodes as an author, fans related or others, share one of them with us.
One of my favorite stories was an e-mail exchange with a woman across the country who reached out to me through my website. She told me that she recently had life-changing surgery and was bedridden for over a month while going through her physical therapy. To pass the time, she ordered books on amazon and read. She found The Rasner Effect series online and purchased the books. She proceeded to tell me how she fell in love with the characters. She told me how reading my series helped her pass the time and was a great distraction from her pain. We had some nice conversations and she even kept me up to date on her physical progress.
At one point, she asked me if I could do a book reading in her home. She offered to put me up and invite all her friends to meet me, learn about the series and have a few chapters read by the author. She said she’d tell them all to come ready to purchase books. As touching as the offer was, I didn’t take her up on it. The Rasner Effect is from years ago, but it was my start in writing and I’m glad to know it made a difference in at least one person’s life. It’s my hope that The Witches of Vegas will touch today’s readers in similar ways.
– A final message for our circleofbooks.com readers.
First, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read this interview. I hope you enjoyed it and that you will give The Witches of Vegas a try. To quote the famous Marty McFly, “you may not be ready for this yet…but your kids are going to love it!”
Thank you Mark Rosendorf. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!
Click here to visit the author’s page here at Circle of Books.
Tweet
