Farish's Freehold: Bad news, Good news, The Wanderer Awakens, and Smexy Vampire questions

Bad news - the porch still isn't done

Good news - I received, in the mail, my diploma from Advanced Operations Course (Colonel School) so now, not only am I all kinds of educated, I have more writing time.

Going to keep this short as I have a guest and some smexy questions about Vampires. First up another solid book by Ken Lange, The Wanderer Awakens. Take it away Ken -

Blurb

My name is Viktor Engel Warden, and I’m here to tell you that there’s more to this world than you might suspect.

There are things that slither and pass unseen through the night, and it’s my job to stop them. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. Twenty years ago, I ended a nightmare that would’ve brought the world to its knees. I thought it was over…but I was wrong.

The Cult of Fenrir has returned, and they’re stronger than ever. Now I’m in a race to find the survivors of that day so I can stop them again. Permanently. If I get things wrong…which I wont…but if I do…it might just bring about the apocalypse. But, hey, no pain, no gain, and all that BS. Right? Yeah, I’m not buying it either.

Excerpt

I stow my tablet, and pull an empty shoulder harness out of a drawer. Standing, I slip it on, before going to the nearest bookshelf and pushing it aside to reveal my personal armory. I move the Magpuls out of the way to grab two Beretta special duty pistols. They’re in dire need of replacing, but they’ve seen me through quite a few tight spots over the years, and I hate to fix what isn’t broken.

As I make my way down the stairs, Justine’s stuffing a stack of bills into her desk drawer. Looking up at me, she winks and points out the door. “Your chariot awaits.”

The moment I step out the doors, I wish I hadn’t.

Parked in my driveway has to be the most godawful atrocity ever built on four wheels—a Pepto-Bismol-pink Hummer, with matching cow print seats that are edged in the ugliest blue, fluffy, faux fur fringe I’ve ever seen. It’s like a train wreck—you want to look away, but the horror of it won’t let you. Oh God, are those multicolored rhinestones on the spinners? This is a crime against nature and an abomination to the car gods.

The passenger window slides down, and she yells, “Get in, we’ve got places to go and people to see.”

I wish fervently for nothing more than to pass through the rest of this day unseen, especially if I’m being forced to ride in that…thing.

“You’re kidding, right?” Pointing at the vomit-inducing heap of pink, I say, “Please tell me you didn’t pay actual money for this oversized Barbie go-cart.” Shaking my head, I fold my arms and stand my ground firmly. “Nope, not doing it. I refuse.”

After snapping several photos with her phone, she throws back her head and laughs. “Get in, you big baby, or I’m leaving you here.”

Oh God, the shame. The closer I get, the uglier it becomes. How’s that even possible?

With immense regret, I slip into the seat, mumbling, “Your parents did a bad job raising you.”

She backhands me in the chest and points. “Buckle up, buttercup. I’m not paying a $180 ticket ’cause you’re a whining bitch.”

Grabbing the rhinestone seatbelt, I feel nauseated. “You’re a horrible person. You realize that, don’t you?”

She lifts her phone and snaps several more incriminating photos. “Oh yes, yes I do! The look on your face makes it worth every last cent I paid for it on eBay. You look absolutely ill…my life is finally complete.” She looks up at the sky, closing her eyes in prayer. “Thank you, God. This is the best day ever.” She cackles once more and turns into traffic.

“God can’t hear you when you’re driving such an abomination.”

She steals a glance at me. “Then we should consider ourselves lucky, since neither of us are on his list of favorite people. You because you’re an ass, and I’m guilty by association.” She holds up her phone again. “Smile.”

Interview Questions

What is your main character’s motivation?

Viktor is a complicated guy, but his main motivation would have to be putting one foot in front of the other to get the job done. He’s a fighter in every sense of the word. The man is unwilling to give up, he’s incapable of compromising his core beliefs, and he’ll stand up for what he thinks is right. Of course, ‘what he thinks is right’ isn’t always what’s legal or currently socially acceptable. Don’t expect that to stand in the way of doing what needs to be done.

Then there’s the choice aspect of his personality. He’s a strong believer that everything is choice. While every situation is different and has the ability to limit a person’s choices, it never prevents them from making one. There are times when none of the available options are good, but there’s always a choice, and it’s up to the individual to do the right thing. His entire life is a constant reminder that we are free to make any choice we desire, but we are not free of the consequences.

What is his secret strength/weakness?

The simple answer to both: his moral code. First and foremost, he won’t interfere in certain situations, even if doing so would make his life easier. He’s exceptionally inflexible here, which is why it’s both a strength and a weakness.

If he says he’ll do a thing, he’ll do it, no matter the cost to him personally. There’s a long list of other ethical things he believes in, but those will be touched on throughout the series. Long and short of it is this: he’s willing to fight and die for those beliefs. That’s what makes him a very dangerous man, and at times predictable, but not in the ways his adversaries would hope.

Any philosophical issues in this story?

The story is meant to entertain, but it also shows a man who’s trying to do right, even if it isn’t the easy or polite thing to do. He won’t ignore a problem, he won’t shy away from his responsibilities, and he fully accepts who he really is…not the person others think him to be.

I touch on issues of tolerance and acceptance a few times, but not for the reason you might think. I’m not making a conscious decision to put it in there…it’s just how I see the world.

It doesn’t matter to me what label is placed on you. What matters to me is: are you a decent human being? If the answer to that is yes, we can be friends. That being the case, I know a wide range of people. That’s why I use a diverse set of characters that span the gambit of human nature. I feel that it comes closer to accurately representing the world as it is, and keeps me from confining myself to a narrow margin of the population.

When did you start to write this one and why?

That’s a tough one. It’s been rumbling around for well over two decades in one form or another, but it wasn’t until 2010 that I got serious about it. That’s when I put a lot of it to paper and shared it with friends…it was terrible. The good thing is, all that research, note-taking, and terribleness led to figuring out different elements of the story and retooling the book to actually make sense.

Now as to the why. I’m fascinated with Norse mythology. The description of Odin’s palace, and the other gods’ homes are fantastic. They describe them as gleaming metal palaces that roar through the skies...kind of sounds like the way primitive man would describe a spacecraft.

No, I’m not an ancient alien kind of guy, but I won’t deny that the idea of them not being gods and possibly something extra-terrestrial in nature helped the concept along.

When will it be available?

15 November.

What’s next in this series or in your next book?

Galen’s Peace should be next in the Warden Global Novels. Of course, the title is subject to change, this one’s did. I’m also working on the follow up to my first novel, Accession of the Stone Born…Yes there’s a title, but I’m not sharing it yet since it’s going to take place after Galen’s Peace. Don’t fret, it’s not far off.

Where do you get your ideas?

Reading, art, and music. The reading gets me out of my own head and expands my viewpoint, not to mention the fact that I love it. The artwork can be almost anything, a photo, painting, even a well-done font can trigger an idea. At other times, it’s music that gives me that spark. Once it’s there, it doesn’t go away and rattles around in my head until I do something about it.

When did you start writing?

I started writing in high school, and it’s carried over into this. If I get lucky, maybe I’ll get to do it full time at some point in the future.

Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always been fascinated by a great story; it’s my escape from reality into the magical realms of the written word. It’s always intrigued me how scratches made on clay, stone, wood or paper can touch people so deeply. I’m truly an introvert, and this is my way of sharing the worlds spinning in my head with others.

For me, writing heals the heart, rebuilds a broken soul, and gives hope to a failing body. It allows me to walk amongst the stars and go places that otherwise I couldn't, and it gives me the humanity that I've lost along the way.

What is the hardest part about being a writer?

Trying not to ‘good idea’ myself into oblivion. Sometimes, I’m plagued by what I think are fantastic ideas then I write them down and run with it, only to realize that maybe it wasn’t as good as I’d thought. Well, at least not yet. That’s the thing about ideas—they can be used at a later date.

Were there any difficult challenges or special subject matters you came across while writing this book?

The biggest problem I had was getting the tense correct, and making sure that Viktor’s voice was clearly distinct from Gavin’s, the hero in my first novel. Because of those two things, this one is written differently than anything else I’ve ever done. Not only that, it required a complete and total rewrite of every scrap of material in the book.

Which also means that everything else I’ve got written down will have to be totally rewritten to fit the current tensing and mood of the character.

Tell us three things about you—the writer—readers wouldn’t typically know.

I get up stupid early.

I’m a very focused person.

I don’t do small talk or hints. I’m more of a get to the point/have a discussion about something kind of person.

Where did you get the premise for this book?

I was reading a lot of Norse mythos, and because a lot of it has been destroyed over the centuries, I had questions…so this is me filling in the blanks, and retelling some of their stories, along with my own.

What is your book about?

It’s about a lonely man who’s finally found his place in life, remembering a lost past, and trying to do the right thing.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they enjoy the book for what it is, entertainment, but if they wish to take more away, then I hope they take a hard look at the people around them and realize that they’re not so dissimilar.

Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a combination?

A little of both, I suppose. I try to have it all plotted out, but sometimes the story or the characters disagree. For example, I wanted to write Viktor being a little more temperamental, but after getting to know the guy, that changed. I still think it’s a bit strange, but, apparently, it happens.

What was your favorite part of the story to write?

All of it, mostly. I always start by writing the first couple of chapters and then the ending, so I can’t change it up too much.

Was there a part of the story that was difficult to write?

The opening for this book was the trickiest. I actually removed the prologue—you can find it on my blog if you want to see what it originally sounded like—and finished the book, never fixing the part where I actually introduce the character. So that’s why there’s a journal entry now instead of having to wait for several chapters to get the character’s name.

Do you have any quirky writing habits?

Other than the silence? I suppose, if I have to do anything else that day, writing is pretty much off the table. I need to be able to sit with the story and let it move onto the screen. Interruptions, be it errands, going out for lunch or appointments, pulls me out of that space and it’s difficult for me to get anything done.

What advice would you give to other writers?

To be themselves and not try to be someone else. It’s a lot easier that way.

Pre-Order links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3S3C0P

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N3S3C0P

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N3S3C0P

I enjoyed this book almost as much as Ken's prior book Accession of the Stone Born: The Vigiles Urbani Chronicles (A Viktor Warden Novel). The only ding I have, is I did not like the main character as much in The Wanderer Awakens, which is kinda minor. Different characters are more or less likable to different readers. You may think Victor is the coolest thing since Gandolf snuffed the Balrog.

Worth your time and money I give The Wanderer Awakens

That's 4.5 stars out of 5, In other words, damn good.

More questions about Smexy Vampires from Laurie Vincent

Can vampires really have sex? Speaking for the male, is he able to "perform" if he is "undead?"

SIGH. No, you're thinking of these kind of Vampires

70's Cheesealicious

The kinds of Vampires Inquisitors encounter are a bit more primal - “Pain was something he'd not felt in centuries, hunger yes. Hatred always, but pain? It was almost a new sensation. Her flesh burned and he almost sighed in contentment.”

If vampires CAN have sex, do they have orgasms?

*Shakes head* Again, you're thinking hot bodied, perpetually horny creatures of the night, like this

I'm going to spend eternity engaging in meaningless sex, 'cause blood gets me hot

In my world Vampires are not pretty, but more repulsive and down right scary

"And the ascension?"

"You are weak," he scoffed. "You would not survive. You know it will cost you an eye, and then there's this—" Rigir let go of his chin, and the lower jaw unfolded.

The two halves spread wide, ready to strike. Arrowhead-shaped fangs, long and sharp, emerged horizontally from either half. When the fangs closed on a neck, they would line up with the carotid arteries and tear them open in a spray of blood. Rigir's tongue, unsupported by the open jaw, hung down his neck and twitched in anticipation of a meal. Spittle dripped from the fangs in slow, fat drops.

Now if you want Smexy, Laurie Vincent has some great books, like this one,