Would You Rather? - Interview with P.S. Bridge - #SpringReads

I am delighted to welcome P.S. Bridge to my blog today, and she has answer a series of fun questions all entitled - Would You Rather?

1) Would you rather live under the sea or in space?

Under the sea!  I have always been fascinated by what lies in the depths of our seas and oceans. Besides, before we start exploring space, I believe it’s much better to explore our own planet. Marine life is fascinating, almost hypnotic. 

2) Would you rather only read your genres you write in, or all other genres for the rest of your life? 

I like to be able to change the genre I read. Much as my heart will always lie in thrillers, as a writer and a reader, the best experiences are those which are varied. 

3) Would you rather ride a camel or an elephant?

It has to be an Elephant! They are a lot more comfortable and there is something majestic about these beautiful creatures. 

4) Would you rather eat sweet or savoury food? 

This is a tough one! Sweet would have to be my choice. I love my chocolate far too much, especially Bourbons and Custard Creams! 

5) Would you rather pick all future books to read by their covers only, or their blurbs?

However much we like to believe otherwise, our eyes are always drawn to vivid images. I have fond the majority of my book collection was chosen as a result of their striking front covers. 

6) Would you rather go skiing or sit by a beach on holiday?

I adore the beach. The sounds of the waves lapping on the shore, the warm summer breeze and the feeling of warm sand beneath my feet, and always a great book to read. I cannot imagine anything else more relaxing and inspiring. 

7) Would you rather go to the cinema or the theatre?

Having spent a large amount of time working on stage, the theatre would be preferred. Live action, right in front of your eyes, cannot be beaten. 

8) Would you rather read ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

Physical books for definite! Nothing replaces a physical copy. It’s the smell of the pages, that first moment of excitement when you thumb through the pages and hold it in your hand before opening it. You cannot beat a physical book!

9) Would you rather be rich but unhappy or poor and happy?

Poor and happy.  I have been there before, and, when everything is said and done, it’s not about what you could have; it’s about what you have already got and how you make the best of it.  

10) Would you rather play or watch sports? 

I used to be very sporty, but these days I prefer to watch rather than participate. We are currently massive fans of winter sports and having been glued to the TV watching the Winter Olympics. 

11) Would you rather always have to tell the truth, or always have to lie?

For me, the truth is always the best option. I have always been an advocate of the truth and I think that’s why I chose the legal profession to work in. Everyone deserves to know the truth despite how difficult it can be to handle. 

12) Would you rather only be able to whisper the whole time, or shout the whole time?

I would rather be able to whisper. If you have to whisper, people have to work harder to listen. And also that means when shouting is required, people take notice! 

13) Would you rather always be late or always be unprepared?

I would never go into anything unprepared. I am obsessed with being on time though and I really begin to panic if I’m late for anything. Victory loves preparation! 

14) Would you rather have your own luxury car, or private plane?

I’d rather have a private plane. It opens up the possibilities for further travel and to get to places cars cannot. Although I wouldn’t turn down a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500! 

15) Would you rather be aged 10 or 30 forever?

With age comes wisdom and I think 30 would be my preferred age. 

16) Would you rather look like a fish or smell like a fish?

Look like a fish! Smelling like one means no one’s going to come near you. At least if it’s only looks, it’s easier to live with! 

17) Would you rather be an only child or have siblings?

I have 2 older sisters, and much as it’s nice to have them, I always wondered what it would be like to be an only child. 

18) Would you rather lose your keys or forget your mobile phone?

I’d rather lose my mobile phone. When I was younger, mobile phones were not so readily available and I managed fine without one! 

19) Would you rather have free books for life or free food for life?

Free books! No one can have too many books! 

20) Would you rather give up social media or alcohol?

I would give up social media. It’s not that I don’t like it, but it somehow doesn’t have the same appeal as a nice 12 year old Scottish Malt! 

A terrorist threat, a sinister organisation, and a threat to the security of the free world.

Renowned British lawyer and Sandhurst military academy dropout, Mark Lucas King is assigned the case of his career: to prosecute known terrorist Mohammed Al-Azidi.

All King wants is justice and to do his job successfully. But his peaceful life is shattered when a team of merciless hitmen targets him and his family and the court case collapses. Framed for assault and suspected of his wife's murder, King must leave his legal career behind and go back to his old career as a British Army sniper in order to catch those responsible and hold them to account. Mark King's brand of justice doesn’t involve a court room.

Forced to battle against highly trained hitmen to clear his name, King discovers that a sinister organisation known as Invictus Advoca is operating behind the scenes. What is their connection to him and the Al-Azidid case?

As the hunt for those responsible takes him far across Europe, can Mark unravel the mysteries that shroud this secretive organisation and peel back the layers to discover why he and his family have found themselves the target of professional hitmen?

Time is not on Mark King's side as he races to prevent a global terror threat, discover who killed his wife, and find out who wants him dead, and why.

Purchase from Amazon UK  or Barnes & Noble

About the author: 

Living in Hampshire, right on the edge of Southampton Water, P.S Bridge has spent over a decade working in the private financial and legal sector. Away from his professional life, he embraces his creative side and is often found writing stories whilst listening to music. An avid reader from a young age he counts author Scott Mariani as one of the many influences that finally encouraged him to put the finishing touches to the first in his Mark King thriller series.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSBridgebooks

Fab Firsts - Q&A with Brian Paul Bach - Spring Reading Week

Fab Firsts is my new regular Sunday feature, that is going to be highlighting books that are firsts. When interviewing authors, it will be about their first book, as well as other firsts in their lives. When reviewing books for this feature, there will be a mix of debuts, first books in a series, the first time I read an author, and possibly other firsts depending on what I can think of!

If you are an author wanting to take part in Fab Firsts then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you.

I hope you enjoy this look at a variety of hopefully fabulous firsts, while making some sort of dent in my review and paperback TBRs which are my current main focus!

Brian Paul Bach is a writer, artist, filmmaker and photographer; he has worked across the entertainment business, in theatre, music and as an academic. He now lives in central Washington with his wife, Sandra, independent cat Condell, and faithful hound Hudson. His previous works include The Grand Trunk Road From the Front Seat, Calcutta’s Edifice: The Buildings of a Great City, and Busted Boom: The Bummer of Being a Boomer. Forward to Glory I: Tempering by Brian Paul Bach (published by Clink Street Publishing March, 2017, available to order from online outlets including Amazon and from all good bookstores. For more information, visit https://forwardtogloryquartet.wordpress.com/

1) Can you tell us a bit about your first book?

When my wife Sandy and I were traveling in India in the 1990s, the route that we took, from Calcutta in the southeast all the way up the border with Afghanistan in the northwest, was so thrilling that it was a natural for a travel book. The result was The Grand Trunk Road From the Front Seat, which appeared in 1993, and a revised and expanded edition in 2000. The journey is described in vivid detail, but in an appreciative and exploratory manner.

2) What was your original inspiration to become a writer, and to write your debut?

Because I’ve always been an artist, and later a photographer and filmmaker, writing has always been a natural addition to my creative pursuits. I was particularly moved to write the Grand Trunk Road  book because there was so little material on the subject. That’s why it was accepted so enthusiastically by the publisher.

3) How long did it take you to write your first book?

About five months, and it was pretty easy, because I was writing about recent experiences.

4) If you could do anything differently in retrospect, what would you change about your debut, or how you went about writing it?

I would have been a bit more assertive in working with the publishers to make the book better than it turned out to be, especially as far as editing and presentation were concerned.

5) Was your first book self or traditionally published, and how did you go about making that decision?

It was traditionally published by HarperCollins in India. I wrote a proposal to them from Bombay, and when in Delhi, I approached their offices in person. They had received my proposal and liked my offering. I signed a contract that very afternoon.

6) Do you have any tips for other first time authors?

If you can write, even just a bit, every day (or every other day, so as not to overdo it!), you’ll quickly learn for yourself what sort of system you can work into. One that works best for you. If you’re driven on a single project, and it’s going smoothly, keep it going, and you can refine it later, which is the best approach anyway. Also, you might try working on more than one project at a time, and try out different genres within fiction, nonfiction, essays, reviews, etc. Even if your writing is just for yourself, the important thing is to keep the momentum going, and concentrate on the writing itself. Allow yourself a bit of planning (or fantasizing) about what you want to have happen with your work, but ease off if it becomes a distraction. Good luck!

Tell us about your first…

7) Book you bought

‘The Golden Treasury of Myths and Legends’ by Anne Terry White. A treasury I treasured whenever I checked it out from the library in elementary school, especially the glorious illustrations by Alice and Martin Provensen. When on a family vacation in exotic Chicago, I was amazed to find a brand-new copy for sale in the Art Institute’s bookshop. My dad, an artist, art professor, and Art Institute alumni, was impressed by the illustrations and so, cheerfully handed over the purchase funds, which amazed me even more. One of the best four dollars I’ve ever spent.

8) Memory

Being dragged down the hall on a blanket by my three older brothers. We were all laughing hysterically.

9) Person you fell in love with

Hayley Mills – along with millions of others! Sandy came my way later on – fortunately!

10) Holiday you went on

British Columbia, Canada. Total excitement.

11) Prize you won

I have never won a prize, even though I am always eligible!

12) Album you purchased

The ‘Doctor Zhivago’ soundtrack album, which was a blissful revelation. Music by the great Maurice Jarre.

13) Sport you enjoyed participating in

Tetherball! Easy!

14) Embarrassing moment you can remember

Puffing on my first cigarette, at age five, in the crawlspace of a house under construction in our neighborhood, accompanied by my older brothers and friends, I declared: ‘Nice filter!’ It happened to be a filter-less Camel ‘straight’. The power of TV advertising! I was razzed, but with good humor, because my statement was more funny than stupid. I’m proud to say I’ve never become a smoker.

15) Pet

Our Springer Spaniel, Cricket, much beloved. For my first ten years, she was slightly older than I was.

16) Time you were in trouble

I was a good little boy (!)

17) ..choice of alternative career if you weren’t an author

Film director.

18) …time you had any independence

When still in elementary school, my dad let me explore downtown Seattle on my own.

19) …toy that you recall loving

An inflatable choo-choo-train locomotive that’s squeaky-deaky when squeezed. I still have it, though it’s currently uninflated.

20) … time you felt like an adult

When I was no longer carded when buying beer. (Just kidding.)

21) … time you realised you were good at something

My capabilities in drawing pictures were appreciated by others quite early on.

22) Dish you cooked

Cold oatmeal with milk. Uncooked, so I guess it doesn’t count.

23) … time you were really scared

When the foghorn blasted on the ferry from Seattle to Victoria BC. I started bawling. I was four.

24) ..time you bought or received flowers

I always picked ‘em for Mom – no need to buy ‘em!

Thank you for agreeing to take part in Fab Firsts. Although Brian may not be a film director I do have a post coming up on 25th April all about his love of film, to celebrate his new book Forward to Glory: The Tempering.

Forward to Glory: Tempering

Butterbugs is a nobody, a nothing. But that’s not why he’s compelled to drive to Hollywood and hurl himself upon the mercy of the cinematic capital. His only dream is to act. Without any plans, resources or friends, he throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey to the City of Angels. The trials that result pose only one question: will Butterbugs remain a non-entity, or will his big dream come true?

Facing the movie monolith’s prospects alone, Butterbugs attempts to perform dramatic scenes in front of the homeless and amongst the inebriated. Living in his car, and with dwindling reserves, he searches for opportunities, takes on a hazardous scaffolding job, and makes desperate pleas to bankers for clemency. Isolation leads to alienation, from fringe existence to bare survival, all in a city which cradles high achievement and bottomless failure. Despite his rough start, Butterbugs is strangely attractive to other outcasts turned possible allies: Heatherette – a mysterious force for good whom he weirdly rejects, and who in turn, rejects him; Starling – the thief who tries to love him; ProwlerCat – who might indeed save him, though it is far too early to know for sure. At one of his bleakest moments, Butterbugs receives his first sign of hope that his dreams remain alive: a screen test and the chance to be an extra in a major production. But now, with his first opportunity in hand, nothing seems as it should, except his going forward.

Abundant with movie lore and invention, Forward to Glory I: Tempering by Brian Paul Bach is an ode to the cinema and the bewitching power of entertainment. 

Author Bio

Brian Paul Bach has been a worker in the theatre, an academic library, and the music business. He is a student of film and its lore, a casual dramatic performer and voice impressionist, an appreciator of theatre architecture and operation, and an architectural writer. Golden ages of film production, automotive design, and world architecture are of especial interest, as are music, social culture, and most things concerning the Indian subcontinent. As a youth he embraced teenage filmmaking, worked in fringe show business in Seattle, and later probed the filmic corners of Hollywood, London and India. From these pursuits he has adopted cinematic thinking as a built-in facet of everyday life. As a young person he ran his own neighborhood theatre, for which he produced acts and short movies. He has been immersed in performance arts and associated activities all his life. Writing has also been a constant, fiction and nonfiction.

Accompanying these efforts has been an ever-present production of drawings, paintings photographs, videos and designs that have added up to a very personal statement of style and expression.
Bach’s other published works, illustrated with his photos, drawings, and maps, include: THE GRAND TRUNK ROAD FROM THE FRONT SEAT, in two editions, 1993 and 2000 – the Author’s travels from Calcutta to the Afghan frontier; and CALCUTTA’S EDIFICE: THE BUILDINGS OF A GREAT CITY, 2006 – a major examination of the architecture and culture of the Bengali metropolis. The book was presented to two successive Chief Ministers of West Bengal state, at the 2006 and 2012 Calcutta Book Fairs, the latter attended by the Author. Bach has long observed his own generation’s behavior, its choices and its outlooks, resulting in BUSTED BOOM: THE BUMMER OF BEING A BOOMER.

He lives in Washington State with his wife Sandra, an accomplished ceramicist and chef, independent cat Condell, and faithful hound Hudson.

Purchase FORWARD TO GLORY - ACT I: TEMPERING
Amazon | Amazon UK | Bookfinder | Abebooks

Social Media

Main website, with blog | Goodreads author page | Facebook author page | Twitter | Recent interview on Back Porch Writer blog radio

Follow along with great bloggers and authors on the Spring Reads week

Back Catalogue Books - Q&A with J C Norman - Spring Reading Week

Back Catalogue Books is my new regular Saturday feature, focusing on books that are not the latest releases. There is going to be a mix of Q&As and also reviews, depending on what I have the space for. 

If you are an author wanting to take part in Back Catalogue Books then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you. 

I hope everyone enjoys this weekly look back at some of the slightly older books that are about but still great, and that I eventually make a dent in my TBRs as a result of it!

My name is Jamie Norman and am author to the series Sphere's Divide. A series inspired by my love of fantasy, science fiction, action, romance, martial arts and adventure stories.

1) Please tell me about your first book, and what started you writing in the first place

My first published book was the first part of my series 'Sphere's Divide I: Pilgrim of Element' but this was not my first story. I originally had an old series I tried writing when I was many years younger but scrapped the idea and tried concentrating on other things at the time. My love for writing and making stories originally started when I had a paper round in my small village and used to tell myself a story, adding a chapter each week in order to pass the time.

2) How many books have you written and what are they?

So far I have written three published books, all of the same series (Pilgrim of Element, Composer of Wrath and Tragedies of Emotion)  but it's now closer to four since I have nearly finished the next instalment.

3) Which book are you most proud of writing?
When it comes to what one am I proud of is a hard question. I am proud of each one in different ways. The first was my first feeling of accomplishment and gave me direction in what I wanted to do in life; the second was the first time I felt the story turned in the direction that I wanted and started to portray a darker tone of the series; the third I feel is where I feel settled and matured in my writing style and the fourth is closer to my own story than any other and I feel emotionally attached to (but since it's still in writing I wont go into it). To ask me my favourite would be like asking a parent who is their favourite child.

4) Which book was your favourite to write?
Not including the latest one, I would say my favourite to write so far would be the second instalment (Composer of Wrath) because I feel I raised the bar with this story over the first and even though I feel the third succeeded it, that this book was where the story began to step away from its inspirations and become something unique. It was where I began to use my own feelings and emotions and use them in the story to give the characters a more believable and 'human' appearance. Giving them a vulnerability that is relatable to the audience and portraying stress, heartbreak and depression for the first time in my writing. It wasn't a happy time for me but it took my mind away and gave me something to work towards.

5) Who are your favourite characters from your books and why?
I have often thought of who are my favourite characters in my series. It's a story with a large cast and it's often the first thing I ask anybody who has read them. The characters are the most important part of any story for me. Again I love all my characters for different reasons but if I had to choose I would say I love Raiden, Acarlie, Dude (Monkey/Mute) and Miles. Raiden in many ways is a symbol of what makes my story unique. He was the first non-human character of the series. Acarlie because the Elemental Battles are a trademark of my stories and something I get many positive responses from. 

The nameless mute (Dude/Monkey/Mute) is my favourite and everyone else's favourite, the underdog mute I have a lot of fun writing with because he cannot talk and so everything is actions, emotions and pity with. He portrays many of my own insecurities and rejections and so connects with the readers on a more personal level than many others (apart from Mitis). And Miles is just a pure joy to write with. Every scene I write I smile and absolutely love how he dominates any scene he is in more than any other character.

6) If you could go back and change anything from any of your books, what would it be, and why?

To ask me what things I would change made me laugh, because I already have gone back and changed things. The first book I re-visited and re-wrote after I felt the second and third had surpassed it and felt I needed to give the foundations of the story a re-work. It now has the same flavour that the others do feels more like a Sphere's Divide story than it ever did before.

Amazon UK

7) Which of your covers if your favourite and why?
Since the covers of the series will eventually all be identical its hard for me to pick out a favourite. Each cover will have a different symbol related to the elements that Acarlie learns on her pilgrimage. Composer of Wrath's however has a rich a powerful cover I had designed before but this will one day change to match the rest of the series.


8) Have you ever thought about changing genres, if so what else would you like to write?

I have already had plans for different genres. Where Sphere's Divide will always be my first I don't expect it to be the only series I write and have several ideas in different genres I wish to one day show the world. Ranging from children's stories to historical inspired fictions/ noirs to thrillers etc.

9) Looking forward can you let us know what you are working on next?

With a quick glimpse into my latest work. My next book will still be in the SD series but will be something a little different. Set around a completely different cast of the first three books the fourth will be a stand alone story with themes of heartbreak, loneliness, war, family and designed to raise a couple of philosophic questions for the reader.

10) I dare not ask for a favourite author, but is there any author’s back catalogue you admire and why?

I can't really say if I have a favourite author's back catalogue. I have read many of Tolkien's works and George Martin, Terry Pratchett, Frank Herbert, ect but since all of those are an individual series I wasn't sure if it counts. I don't really buy or read books because I like the author. I choose mine based on the story or are suggested to me by friends. That does mean I have to take risks every once in a while though.

11) Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your back catalogue of books?

Sphere's Divide is extremely special to me for I feel it personally gives me a purpose on this earth and gives me hope for the future. I enjoy every page that I write and hope the readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  

Thank you so much Jamie for answering my questions.

Author bio

Growing up in a small village in a small town I quickly took to dreaming as a means of escaping the confides of my tiny world when I was young. This turned out to be something I not only enjoyed but was also quite good at. I never got into sports like most of my friends and family but always loved films and books. As far back as I remember my life has always be centred around these and back in school I always used to love the English lessons where we would be asked to write stories. Music was another big part of my life, especially in my late teens and early twenties when I picked up a guitar and began learning every day. But as much as a tried I could not write songs. I could play other people's but found there was no originality in mine and I felt I could not articulate myself as much as I tried. And so I turned back to writing and this time stuck with it and found I could find a way of expressing myself through my stories and making something more enjoyable than music ever could.

I am also a man of martial arts and have been studying karate since I was 16. I still train twice a week or more and again love the idea that it is a practise no-one can ever master and you better yourself and learn with every lesson.

I started writing my current series in October of 2009 and as the years went by the series became bigger and better as I learned more over the years.

It started as a means of taking my mind away from a break-up that I still am scarred by today but soon I found that I could use my own emotions and experiences and use them in my stories to give more depth to the characters. Turning something negative in my life and turning it into something productive. Even today I now write as a means of escaping from my reality and instead create something everyone can enjoy and relate to. It is an amazing feeling when you have an idea stuck in your mind for years, and one day someone can sit down and discuss your idea as they would for any of their favourite books, shows ect. This is what I have always hoped to achieve with my writing, that one day many people will find enjoyment and inspiration from something that started off to me as only a dream and a means of escape.

I take my inspirations from various forms, from screenplays to books, video games, graphic novels, manga, stage plays, animations, but also of music, history and science like the natural world and astronomy as well as my own experience and knowledge of martial arts and love to mix all these things together to make fun and exciting stories.

With many different genres and ideas I would like to try also I have no intention of stopping writing any time soon and will continue on trying to perfect my art and keeping my mind focused on moving forward.

With a life full of routine and vices I feel liberated every time I write and enjoy creating something fun to colour the monotony of every day life.      


Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sphere%27s+divide

http://jamienorman.godaddysites.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Spheres-Divide-193860173985202/

Sphere's Divide III : Tragedies of Emotion

After the dramatic collision of events that tore apart friends and lovers Arcalie and Val in second novel of the Sphere’s Divide series, we return to find another city has fallen and society has once again been plunged into turmoil. Arcalie, growing in power, is struggling to remain in control of her influence over the elements and is stretched to the limit as she continues to compete in the Elemental League tournaments with one aim: to become the Element Leader. Val, having being rescued from his recent imprisonment, is the only one who can keep her grounded; the build up of energy locked within her can only lead to ruination. So when Lord Zane — reigning Elemental Lord and Arcalie’s immortal adversary — orders the death penalty to be introduced to the games, it is up to Val and their friends to save the Elementists. As events spiral out of their control, Arcalie unwittingly sets down a dark and dangerous path that may yet lead to her own destruction and that of everyone and everything she has fought so hard to protect. 

A gripping blend of science-fiction, steam and cyber punk, Sphere’s Divide III: Tragedies of Emotion is the third instalment of J C Norman’s fantastical series.

Don't forget to check out all the wonderful blogs that are taking part in the Spring Reading Week