As
I'm busy working my fingers to the bone, getting The Witch's Lair
(Inquisitor Series #3) ready, another Indie Author has offered to
help me out with this week's post. Also, as promised, there are a few
lines from The Witch's Lair at the bottom of the post, if you want a
teaser of what will happen next to Brother Sebastian.
In
the mean time, sit back and learn about being a Submariner, and what
happens when you train and train for an event and then can't go.
Meet
Michael Durkota
He's written a book called Once in a Blue Year
Tagline
Set
during the Gulf War, this engrossing dramatic narrative follows two
barracks roommates who remain onshore when their submarine is
deployed— leaving each to resolve his own inner conflicts.
 |
| Yep he knows a bit about the Navy |
Blurb
Once
in a Blue Year
begins during the first days of the Gulf War, with two navy barracks
roommates remaining onshore as their submarine leaves without them.
Unraveling through different points of view in both present action
and flashbacks, the story follows Dan, who is conflicted about
receiving a medical discharge, and Trevor, who is seething with anger
over the incident that forced him to miss his deployment.
With
nowhere else to go, Dan moves into the home of his friends Nathan and
Heather and their young son, James. Meanwhile, Trevor is furious with
Nathan, who has managed to volunteer to go to battle in Trevor’s
place. But Trevor’s hotheaded temperament has finally caught up to
him, and regardless of his skill as a true naval warrior, he’s
suddenly been ordered to “stay in.”
In
Nathan’s absence, Dan is charged with looking after Heather and
James as he rebuilds his life, while Trevor struggles with his anger
and intimacy issues in his relationship with girlfriend Tara. But
before they can move forward, they must both come to terms with the
fateful event at sea that changed their lives forever.
Links
Author
Page: http://www.durkota.net
Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/lsb7wkn
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/durk13
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mddurkota
Rogue13
Publications: http://www.rogue13-publications.com/
About
the Author
Michael
D. Durkota, a former submariner in the US Navy, holds a master of
fine arts degree in fiction from the University of Pittsburgh. His
debut novel, Once in
a Blue Year, follows
two friends during the Gulf War as they struggle with their navy
service, adulthood, and relationships. Durkota lives in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, with his wife. He is currently working on his second
novel and an odd collection of stories.
She
will reach for her glass of wine, and, as she takes a sip, she will
catch a reflection of him, of them, in the glass. The boy and the
man. One, then the other, depending on how she tilts the glass and
catches the light. She will alternate between the two. The tiny pink
representations of them. The boy now peacefully asleep. His chest
rising and falling like waves. The man, near sleep himself. His head
tilted back. His fingers combing through her hair.
The
boy. The man. She will feel content with her head on his lap. The
boy. She will feel content with him by her side. The man. She will
wonder what he is thinking. Then she will ask in a whisper.
But
before he answers, someone will pull into the driveway. Headlights
will flash off the mirror, the clock. And for a moment the room will
light up. Shadows will transform. She will see the wax on the table.
She will see the toys scattered on the floor, like casualties of war.
She will feel his leg flex beneath her. The man. She will hear him
stir. The boy.
Then
the car lights will go out. And, if not for the footsteps, all would
be as it was just a moment before. She will wish she could hold on to
that moment just a little longer. The man and the boy. But the
footsteps will grow louder as they approach the door. And chaos will
enter the room.
When
did you start to write this one and why?
I
wrote a story called “Submergence” about 15 years ago. The
original story was a mostly true telling of my experiences on
submarines. In writing it, I realized I had a lot of demons that were
in need of exorcism. I also realized that I was facing an opportunity
to achieve my life-long goal of writing a novel. Fictionalizing those
memories was a perfect therapy.
Main
Character's motivations
Dan
is largely unmotivated. Having just been discharged from the Navy, he
finds himself at a loss for what to do next. His indecisiveness get
him into trouble pretty quickly. Trevor is motivated to a fault; his
sole purpose in life is to serve the Navy. When that is taken away he
is rudderless (nautical pun intended).
What
is their secret strengths/ weaknesses
Dan’s
secret weakness: Although he qualified for submarine duty, he is
terribly claustrophobic. Trevor’s secret strength: He is covertly
training to become a Junior Inquisitor. (Good Choice!)
Any
philosophical issues in this story? If so how do you address them,
how does MC live and over come them?
There
are several, mostly moral dilemmas from differing perspectives.
Fitting to their motivations, Trevor overthinks them and Dan tries to
ignore them. I’ve always thought the two created their own balance.
The story also plays around with irony and coincidence. Oh, and there
is a mention of Plato; does that count?
Any
offbeat obscure or 80s references?
The
story takes place in the early 90’s, so there are a few. I did a
have a solid reference to the Beastie Boys, but I was strongly
encouraged to remove it in order to avoid litigation. I have to admit
it would have crushed me to be sued by my high school idols.
What's
next in this series or in your next book?
Once
in a Blue Year is a standalone novel. That said, one character was
only in the present of the story for a few pages; Nathan existed
mostly in flashbacks. He was an enigma, and that was all he was ever
meant to be. However, I did enough exploration of his character to
realize that he had an entirely different story to tell. The next
book is a subtle prequel based on his early teen years. I have always
been a fan of Michael Ondaatje, and I loved that Hanna from “The
English Patient” was actually introduced as a young girl in “In
the Skin of a Lion.” My second novel will be a feigned attempt to
emulate the master, albeit in reverse.
Preview
of your next book?
The
story focuses on a teenaged boy living in a small rural town and how
he and his friends perceive the early 80’s economic (steel industry
collapsing) and political (Iranian hostage from US embassy) crises.
When
will it be available?
Soon,
I hope. If I keep to my current schedule, I should have a draft out
for edit by early spring. Optimistically, I am hoping for a summer
2016 release.
Links
Author Page: http://www.durkota.net
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lsb7wkn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/durk13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mddurkota
Rogue13 Publications: http://www.rogue13-publications.com/
Edits
for The Witch's Lair, Inquisitor Series #3, are progressing, and
should be ready for the next review soon.
Beta readers get ready.
Junior Inquisitor
Still just $2.99
Smashwords - http://goo.gl/XsGgAC
Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/mJtTf8
Soulless Monk
Smashwords - https://goo.gl/NXw3Gr
Amazon - http://goo.gl/p9fBn0
Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/5lCyaX
Excerpt
from The Witch's Lair, Book Three of the Inquisitor Series - The Hammer’s Chapel was too small to
fit all of the caskets properly. Simple boxes, still smelling of
freshly cut pine were stacked so they could all fit. The smell of
flowers lingered faintly in the air.
2 comments:
The book sounds complex and emotional - and very intriguing, since Michael knows so much about submarines and the navy. Wishing him much success!
~ LX Cain
The best stories are the simple, yet complex ones which we live everyday. Michael has captured this truth in his novel. Well worth the read.
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