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Book: Brothers in Arms

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Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.

Born in Northern India, Punjab in 1965. I am the youngest in the family of four kids. At the age of 5, I arrived in the UK with my mum with my three elder sisters. I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s. The world landscape was changing in every design. The music, the air, the people, and the acceptance of who we are.

Now turning 56, I have three adult children and I have taught them to be free, be honest with yourselves, be who you are and don’t forget your culture.

Q2. When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?

At the age of 15, I was in a special class for English at school. This made me work harder to prove myself. I struggle with mt English because I write what I think.

Q3. From where did you have the idea to write your book “Brothers in Arms”?

I used to work in London Bridge and on the fateful day that the twin towers were hit, we were in a meeting with the BBC. That changed my life and the idea formed over the next so many years.

Q4. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

a. Playing and watching golf
b. Going for long walks
c. Reading, books are our wealth.

Q5. Please tell the readers something about your book Deliverance?

Deliverance was my redemption and my deliverance. It was a man on a journey to learn who he was. A man given a second chance to live his life by god. Go back to earth and safe lives. In the process he was healing himself and realized that within us is god and bad. God and Satan are one, but we need to accept this as human beings. We need essentially to love ourselves. This book is very personal journey of me because I was that character. It took me out of a dark place and back into the light.

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Q6. How is life in UK? Do you miss India? Which country you actually love more and why?

Leaving India at 5 years old was a new adventure. For me I could not miss it. Now as a grown adult, I do miss it and I have two homes. I will always be Indian at heart and my kids will call me a freshie. I live in the UK and this is my home.

Q7. What are you working on next? Are you planning to release another book soon?

A few years ago, I was in Barcelona for a meeting. On the way back , sitting on a train, I was watching a young couple , around 18 /19 years old so much in love. They were travelling to the airport, first holiday, journey. So, a book formed in my head about these two young kids. A book essentially about LOVE. I am fascinated by love and its my first chance to really explore it in a sensitive manner.

Q8. What do you hope your readers take away from your books?

A sense of love, compassion, laughter. I want them to immerse themselves into the characters and feel their love, be in there shoes.

Q9. Your book “Brothers in Arms” has a character that joined army. Do you belong to a military family?

My father and his brother tried to join the Indian army before we came to the UK, but they were not accepted on medical grounds.

For me I have always loved history and the forces resonate in my heart and I feel them and I cry. I had to write this story.

Q10. Lastly, do you want to give any advice to readers and aspiring writers?

Just be you, words are like musical notes on a music script. Let those notes flow, play and hum in your mind. Don’t be afraid of what people will think and say, just be you

Author’s Profile

Book Is Available On Amazon

Brothers in Arms

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Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

Thanks for inviting me to chat with you! I’m Dianne Greenlay and I am a physiotherapist (and retired EMT) by day, and by night, I write award-winning action adventure novels for older teens and adults (The Quintspinner series), as well as a brand new children’s picture book series for kids ages 4-8, ( The Grooty Fledermau Series, written in the pen name of D.L.Kruse) and I have also dabbled in the comedy genre with a short story adapted from a one act play I wrote, called “The Camping Guy”.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your ‘Quintspinner’ book?

Being a prairie girl, I had to do a tremendous amount of research about the workings of eighteenth century sailing ships, (what did sailors do when they needed the bathroom??) and the lives of the pirates, navy men, and privateers (What was a Queen Anne pistol anyway and why was it a favourite weapon?). I even boarded a real three masted tall ship and sailed on it for an afternoon, to “haul sail” to get an idea for what it felt like. And … I even went so far as to make and sample a pint o’ sailor’s grog – just for research purposes you understand! I also had a lot to learn about the 1700’s lifestyle right down to what they ate, wore, and how people behaved. In the end, it was worth it, as the first book in the series won several awards for best historical.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

I love Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books, and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I was fortunate enough to have Diana Gabaldon do a blue pencil (editing) session, in person, of Quintspinner’s opening chapters.

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Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

I live In Canada, which is one of the largest countries in the world. It takes many days to travel from one coast to the other! However, I really enjoy visiting the city of Vancouver, which is a west coastal city with a very temperate climate. It is lush and green year round, and sits on the edge of the Pacific ocean which laps at its shores.

Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?

I used to be a pantser – one who writes by the seat of her pants, but in writing books in a series, I soon found that both plotting and using an outline became an absolute necessity so that all the loose ends could be finished up and also so that many twists and turn could be developed in the plots.

Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Deadly Misfortune’ book?

Deadly Misfortune didn’t take nearly as long to write as Quintspinner did, because I had already done all of the research, and I used a bare bones outline to keep me steering towards the climax of the story. I write only for an hour or so a day so it took about 4 months.

Q7. On what all platforms readers can find your books to buy?

Because Amazon is by far, the largest book selling platform in the world, and I am so short on administrative time for my writing, I have chosen to have the Quintspinner series available only on Amazon for now. There was a period of about a year that it was also available on a worldwide reading platform called Wattpad, where it quickly amassed well over a million reads, but once I wanted to put it into KDP’s Kindle Unlimited program, I had to make it exclusive to Amazon.

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Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the cover and the title of your books?

The Quintspinner story has a major plotline about Spinner rings with paranormal powers. I have travelled throughout the Caribbean where there is often a strong belief in magic, voodoo, and superstitions, and spinner rings are very prevalent. It is said that the spinning of an object produces a meditative or trance state during which a person can have desires for good health, love, revinge, or good luck given to them. I couldn’t decide which ‘gift’ a spinner ring in the book should have, so I modified my story to include 5 rings, each with its own special power. Quint ( for ‘five”) sounded a lot more exciting and mysterious than ‘Five spinner” so the title was born. I have since changed the title to ‘Pirates of Blood Bay Island” hoping that it would help fans of pirate books find it more easily. The cover for Book One has been changed 4 times as well, as I try to find an image that will draw readers in.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

I really enjoy developing surprises and twists and turns in the plot and in the character’s motivations. That keeps up my own interest in developing the story line and I think it keeps readers turning the pages, too.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Why yes, so glad you asked! (evil laughter comes from me as I release the sound of the drums and ominous deep notes from the background music of cello ….) One of the favorite characters doesn’t make it and I’ve had readers say that brought them to tears … can you guess who?

Author’s Profile

Book Is Available On Amazon

Deadly Misfortune

Pirates Of Blood Bay Island

Book: Outlanders: Malefactor, The First Of The Fallen

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Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

My name is David. I was born on the 4th of July in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. After graduating from High School, I set out to college. However, after three years, I dropped out to secure a full-time job to help my family in light of economic struggles. But in those three years of college, I was able to flesh out the plot and characters that would be the protagonist of my first book. After working many years in the retail industry, I retook my studies. By luck, two of my professors were caring enough to notice errors in my work and suggested a list of possible learning impairments that had been previously undiagnosed. While working three jobs, and studying I was lucky to pen several comic books, including revisiting characters that were creations of my own. A position as a book store manager piqued my interest in pursuing a career as a book writer. My passion for science fiction, dark fantasy, suspense, and horror continues to be an outlet for my creativity. Although I consider myself introverted, I love to talk and encourage other people to pursue their dreams.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Outlanders: Malefactor, The First Of The Fallen’ book?

There are significant differences between writing a book and writing a comic book. When writing a comic, there are different approaches; you can give a plot to an experienced artist, and he or she will flesh out the book in a predetermined number of pages. Once the pencils are layout, you can begin to work on the dialog. The comic book panels establish the amount of space you have to include dialogue. In a way, half of the narrative rests on the artist’s shoulder. Creating a book changes your writing style as a whole. In comics, you avoid writing about the action the artist already portrayed, using the limited space provided by exploring the character’s mindset or something not featured on the page, whereas, in books, you need to create a clear portrait in the head of the reader using carefully crafted words. For me, the most challenging was writing about cosmic beings, which is entering the state of consciousness of creatures that are vastly superior to what a mortal being can comprehend. You will inevitably assign them flaws of the human condition so readers can establish a connection with them throughout the story. But in my mind, the interacting banter between them had to be professorial. I couldn’t fathom the idea that deities talk in a jargon akin to ours. You risk alienating some readers when you use that type of vernacular; however, introducing a character that surmises each chapter in a down-to-earth language that anyone can understand helped with that aspect.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Orwell, Kahlil Gibran, Tolkien, etc.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

I’ve been fortunate to live in a town that is near the beach. Taking a stroll near the shore is where I usually come up with ideas.

Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?

Definitely. It depends on many factors, mostly the type of book you are writing. If your story develops in an existing place, fact-checking and an accurate depiction of said place is pivotal. If it is a made-up place, world-building is also essential. “Who are you, and why should I care?” So are often questions the reader asks when reading a book. There is no such thing as a throwaway character. It is important to add details to that character to make your story more solid, even if that character will interact briefly with your protagonist. Nothing occurs by happenstance. A well-developed character will not only resonate with the reader, but it will open an opportunity if you ever run out of ideas. Pay close attention to the people of your community. Chances are their quirks, the way they talk, what makes them who they are, might serve as an early draft of one of your protagonists.

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Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Malefactor #0: Malefactor’ book?

Fourteen months.

Q7. On what all platforms readers can find your books to buy?

For now, you can find the book in Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VVW1BMY

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the cover and the title of your books?

It helps a lot when you have experience as a graphic designer and had worked in retail for as long as I have. Marketing is crucial to move a product. Some color combinations may not appeal to the demographic you are trying to reach. Sometimes a well intricate design can catch the eye of an unsuspected buyer, and sometimes a bit goes a long way. Most people are very picky when choosing a product. I should know because I’m one of them. As far as titles go, I like to choose one that apply to several of the characters involved. Those who had read the book might find that the title “First of the Fallen” could be bestowed upon “The Traveller”, “Daystar”, “Logos” “The aspect of Wrath”, and so on.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

Death is an aspect of life that is unavoidable. I have no qualms as far as removing a popular character that I feel has overstayed their time. Both the corruption and redemption of characters are fascinating aspects of the human condition to me. Moreover, introducing different characters that are interconnected to a story and yet bring something different to the said plot is always refreshing to see in a sequel.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

I wrote the book with the purpose to be open to interpretations. That way readers will have the chance to discuss it and give their respected interpretation of the events, incentivizing an urge to revisit it once more. There are several mentions to characters from books that I love and easter eggs of factual events that will seem outlandish. One event in particular place the character of Ru-Vi -Flo” (which is an amalgamation of the three names of the witches in Macbeth) on trial for murder. The judge put the pigs that cause the stampede to testify on trial. This was based on a reported actual trial recorded as having taken place in Europe in the thirteenth century.

Author’s Profile

Book Is Available On Amazon

Outlanders: Malefactor, The First Of The Fallen