1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a 3rd generation American of Spanish/Italian origin, born into a middle class family and raised in the Great Lake state of Michigan. I began writing when I was 20 and have always embraced an eccentric writing range that has touched upon everything from eschatology, to space travel, to political intrigue.
2. Describe your book The Ululant Ache in 30 words or less.
On a mission to Europa, aboard the manned spaceship ISS Galilei, Astrobiologist Gilbert Fornia sees his dead wife within a mysterious energy source emanating from the Jovian moon’s deep ocean.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The book developed while I was grieving the death of my beloved Mother and the loss of my marriage.
Suffice to say, I was in horrific emotional pain. This made writing the book a gut wrenching, energy draining experience.
Out of the broken heartedness of my spirit, I felt compelled to revisit the first novel I had ever written and rewrite it in a more expansive setting, with a more character driven storyline.
The result was a novel saturated with hauntingly broken characters who—under incredible stressful circumstances—directly confront the medical and scientific definition of death and challenge the perceived veracity of when death occurs. Moreover, the story seeks to answer the greater question: What is death?
In The Ululant Ache, the brokenhearted travel to the wailing, life giving waters of Europa, wherein, the power and majesty of the ocean moon holds the secrets of life and death.
4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?
The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton absolutely fascinated me with its heart stopping realism when I first read it in high school.
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum astonished me with its union of action prose, tight dialogue, and romance.
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet, first acquainted me with rich, memorable character development.
Lastly, one of my greatest influences growing up was Jack London. His short story The One Thousand Dozen has never stopped inducing emotions within me.
5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?
I’ve always believed that the best marketing is a good book—writing the best book possible is my primary goal.
I’ve been using BookBuzzr’s technology, of course, to help market my work.
I’ve recently begun working with a marketer to develop a more social media presence, create a banner campaign, focusing on flyer and poster distribution, and perhaps organize some readings. Also, I’m considering radio as a possible marketing avenue.
I’ll be releasing Sword and the Pythia, my most recent book, through ebookit and they have some built in features to assist me in the promotion of my work.
6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
I like playing games of all kinds. From computer war-game simulations, to playing all sports, to working out, running, and hiking, I believe that an active mind and body lead to the best quality of life.
I also love music and am a trained tenor.
7. What are you working on next?
Now that I finally completed Sword and the Pythia, an eschatological thriller, I’m about a third of the way to finishing my next novel, which I hope to release this summer!
