An American In Britain - fun YA novelist and reviewer, Barb Taub, is...Around The Cauldron!

Today, in the ominous, awe inspiring shadow of the Burj Khalifa, here in downtown Dubai, I meet Barb Taub. YA writer, reviewer, commentator and classic American wit in the Mary Tyler Moore mould. 

Barb now lives and writes in the Green and Pleasant. I met her through the brilliant Rosie Amber’s review site, where she reviewed my novel The Night Porter.  

Whatever grade Barb gave TNP was less important than the stunning quality of the review itself, like a newspaper article, and I swiftly sent the Goblins out to research her.

I discovered she’s a writer (as you will see of Mature YA novels) and very popular in this little corner of our vast and sprawling Indie world. I also discovered she’s a superhero buff, which etches her name in indelible ink in my personal cool book.  Picking up the Wizphone, I tracked her down as she walked the dogs on a freezing  spring day somewhere up North. Here’s what she had to say. 

As an American lady, how did you come to live over here? What are the key differences and what was the hardest thing you had to leave behind?

I used to say that when I retired, I'd move to an island and open a coffee shop. It would, of course, not be a particularly good coffee shop. (I was picturing a cheap automatic drip pot with some generic grind right out of a can.) That way I would have plenty of time to write trashy novels without constant interruptions er… customers. It just happened a bit earlier and not quite the same way as I planned when my company was sold and my husband was offered early retirement. 

We decided to go for the adventure—he took a job with a university in England and we ended up living in one tower of a medieval castle owned by some friends. So the island was a bit bigger than I expected, and there wasn't a coffee shop in our little village. But I did serve at coffee-mornings once a month. And I did start turning out those novels.

The key differences? I had to learn to speak British, of course. Mostly, this meant not talking about my pants (here men wear them under their trousers) and not saying I was pissed (here it means drunk instead of angry). I do miss a few things about the US though—good Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants, celebrating the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving (for some reason, holidays commemorating successful decoupling from England just haven't really caught on here...), and people who know how to pronounce “aluminum”. But oh, what I get in return—fabulous cheese, even better chocolate, and cheap flights to France.

We recently moved to Glasgow, going from a 200+room castle to our tiny Hobbit House, so my current goal is to understand Weegie-speak.

Scottish icon and tourist ambassador Francis Begbie
enjoying a quiet night out

Tell us about your work. What’s the latest?

My daughter Hannah and I have this tiny little life-altering addiction to superhero movies. Okay, we’d probably starve to death with chocolate only a room away if a Marvel hero was in front of us. (Except Hulk, of course, because that would be just wrong in so many ways, starting with the costume.) But in general, give some guy a spandex outfit and a mask and he owns us.

One night we started talking about superheroes with awkward powers. Let’s say you are the Man of Steel, but you don’t dare have sex with Lois Lane because your LittleMan of Steel could quite probably split her in two. (And we’re not even going to discuss the havoc your Swimmers of Steel could wreck on Woman of Pasta…)

The point is that when you think about it, most people with special powers would be lining up to get their normal lives back. That’s where Null City comes in. It takes our fantasy worlds and turns them into everyday life. After one day there, those with extra gifts turn into their closest human counterparts. Imps, for example, become baristas. 

(Of course, they’re now ex-PhD candidates in literature or classics who claim to be experts on third-world coffee blends and obscure world music groups. But hey – there is only so close to human that hellspawn can get…)

And then what? What if you’re one of the superheroes going about regular human lives as plumbers and realtors and smartphone app developers, and someone pulls the plug on your city? The dogs you’re walking turn back into third-generation hellhound/toy poodle mixes. 

(Hoodles?) The kids you’re babysitting turn out to be part witch, part dragon, and part Minnesota Lutheran and start conjuring golden hotdish casseroles and flying jello molds. And after several generations of backyard barbecues and poker nights, nobody’s spandex fits anymore.#

My daughter and I talked about Null City for her last year of highschool. The one thing we couldn’t figure out was who the villain would be, when everyone is a hero. The problem with heroes, though, is that they don’t all have the same goals. What if each group – angels, superheroes, and just plain humans – is willing to do whatever it takes to make their right thing happen? 

So Hannah headed off to University in Scotland and I headed to my computer. One year and many hours of video chats later, the first Null City book, One Way Fare, was published by Taliesin (now Hartwood). Its backstory is the founding of Null City. 

In the second book, Don’t Touch, the backstory is the Metro train, Null City’s connection with the outside world. Book three, Round Trip Fare, explores what happens when saving Null City might mean destroying the world. Along the way, I also published Tales From Null City as a fundraiser for the no-kill shelter movement.

Can we have an extract, Barb?

ROUND TRIP FARE by Barb TaubMarch 2011: Seattle
“Wait here.”She had, Carey reminded herself, served ARC warrants on some of the most dangerous and violent runners the Agency had ever seen. She’d been shot at, stabbed, and hit upside the head with a surprisingly lethal Prada handbag. Just today, she’d brought in her prisoner, and she had all the proper approvals signed-off for the check she’d requested. So was she really supposed to cower out in the hallway because some Accords Agency accountant was glaring at her?
When the accountant in question was a were-badger whose eyes were squinting, nose quivering, and top lip even now raising over her teeth?
Carey dove for the gray plastic chair by the doorway. “You got it.”The clock on the wall outside of Accounting must have been left from the days when the Agency’s offices belonged to the previous tenant, a now-bankrupt software company, because it showed the time in binary code. Near as Carey could figure, she’d been looking at featureless gray walls and floors accented only by the red lights on the binary clock for 38 minutes. Or three days. She never quite got the hang of those flashing dots. Either way, her shot at making it to her class was history. Even as she mentally winced at that pun, Carey heard her name.“Warden Parker. You haven’t brought me any work lately. Where’s the love?”“Hey, Frankie. Believe me, I was tempted today.” She grinned at the petite figure in the lab coat. The Agency’s resident pathologist had autopsied more than one of Carey’s search targets. “So, resurrected anyone lately?”
“As I explained at the time…”  The scientist’s tone was severe, but the eyes behind the rimless glasses crinkled with amusement. “He was only mostly dead.”“If you want to hang onto your geek creds, Frankie, you need to quote something more badass—or at least more recent—than Princess Bride.”
Carey’s former Academy roommate, Claire Danielsen, had once explained patiently that the three of them—Claire, Frankie, and her partner Warden Laurel Franklin—were Carey’s friends. Carey wasn’t sure about that whole friends concept, but when Claire translated that as good people to get drunk with, she decided she could live with the definition.
Carey moved her chin slightly toward the accountant glaring at them.
Frankie’s freckles stood out against cheeks gone suddenly pale. Short, frizzy brown hair fluttered as she held up both hands, palms out. “Uh, right. Well, I’m… going somewhere. Tell Marley that Laurel and I are off to Portland for the weekend but we’re on for Beer Tuesday.” As she backed carefully toward the door, Frankie didn’t take her eyes from the quivering accountant.
Carey didn’t blame her in the least. After all—badgers. “Hang on. I’ll come with.”

Does your work have a genre?

It's the urban fantasy/sort-of-steampunk/the odd time travel/romance/humor genre. (It's kind of a niche genre.) My publisher calls it “mature young adult” but I think that's just because condoms are involved.

In your review of The Night Porter, you said you don’t go for Literary Fiction. Why is that? I hear it is making a BIG comeback after years on the genre-enforced sidelines.

I was once in a bookclub that fancied itself literary if they read anything that made the Booker shortlist. [still shuddering] The thing is that nobody actually liked any of those books, but I was the only one with the nerve to say so. Why did I keep going? Well, since the books were so awful, they had to pad the meeting with incredible food and much (very good) wine. I'd still be going if we hadn't moved away.

The latest craze in New York. Nude book groups

Of course, if the books were all like The Night Porter, I might start going for the discussion too. (Who am I kidding? It would probably still be the wine...)

You are a noted – and brilliant – reviewer. A blogger too. How do you describe what you do when you meet someone for the first time?

Okay, I'm having trouble getting past the “noted and brilliant” bit. I have to read that about another—oh, say, million times—before I can focus. So (Noted! Brilliant!!) right... the question. If you're asking about how I do reviews, it's simple. I give every book five stars. Then as I'm reading, I make notes and take stars away for painful, stupid, awkward bits. 

For edit fails (I read a lot of self-pubs, which somehow often seems to mean self-edited) I give them three fails within the first few pages. If it goes over that without being cancelled out by great writing, I tell the author I can't give them a good review. In a few cases, stars that are taken away get returned for excellent writing and overall entertainment value. 

In very rare cases (The Night Porter!!!) I wish I had more than five stars to give.

Barb's Review of TNP

If you're asking what I do when I meet human people in the real world? They pretty much get three strikes too. Most of them take those right away.

Paperbacks or e-reader?

E-reader please. (I travel a lot.) I will say that the daughter of a good friend came to visit recently. When she saw our little Hobbit House here in Glasgow, she commented that in the old days you could learn so much about people by looking at the books on their shelves. But now everyone has those on their Kindles.

How do we get kids off the X-Box and back in their bedrooms with a book?

First of all, I like the X-Box. Second, I must see a different group of kids, because I'm not sure how big a problem this is. Online, in social media, and by email I'm constantly meeting kids and young adults who are completely addicted to reading, and to writing as well. 

Frankly, my big worry is who will read all the volumes they are generating. That's a good problem for the world to have, if you ask me.

Three favourite books, two favourite CDs and favourite film

Books? Good Omens by Neil Gailman & Terry Pratchett is my go-to desert island fare. 

After that, I'd probably take Cien años de soledad by Gabriel García Márquez because I've always wanted to read it in the original Spanish but never really had time to focus. And finally, I'd take the biggest blank book I could find because I pretty much like my own stories best.

CDs? I love Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5, by Alfred Brendel with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Levine. Okay, I know people say there are better versions, but for sentimental reasons (I heard them in amazing concert performance!), this is the one. 

The other CD (this week anyway) is Trio, with Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, And Emmylou Harris.

Favorite film? Could I have the first (and only) season of Firefly? If not, how about Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth version of course).

You are invited for a walk with an inspirational figure. Where would you choose to go walking and who would you like to walk with?

I like to be around smart people. And the smartest person I ever worked for or met—arguably one of the smartest people on the planet—is Stephen Wolfram, physicist and youngest winner of the MacArthur “genius” award. 

When he needed a framework for his discoveries, he invented Mathematica, which calls itself (and is) “the world's definitive system of modern technical computing”. But the thing that never ceases to amaze me is just how interested Stephen is in pretty much everything. Hands down, that makes him the most fascinating person I've ever known, and I'd pretty much walk anywhere because I wouldn't be looking around anyway.

What does 2015 have in store for readers and supporters of Barb Taub?

Hopefully, with Round Trip Fare finished, I should be able to get a good start on the final book of the series. I've also been having fun blogging about travel, and that should continue. And of course, I have to focus on learning to at least understand Weegies.

Barb,  it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you round the Cauldron, and I hope you have a terrific 2015 with your books - and also with the learning Glaswegian project.

Thanks Wiz, the pleasure was all mine.

Contact Barb

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Contact Barb Taub

Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

BIO: In halcyon days BC (before children), Barb Taub wrote a humor column for several Midwest newspapers. With the arrival of Child #4, she veered toward the dark side and an HR career. Following a daring daytime escape to England, she's lived in a medieval castle and a hobbit house with her prince-of-a-guy and the World’s Most Spoiled AussieDog. Now all her days are Saturdays, and she spends  them consulting with her daughter on Marvel heroes, Null City, and translating from British to American. 

  

Suzanne Van Rooyen talks about Obscura Burning

From South Africa to Finland, via Australia, Suzanne Van Rooyen has certainly travelled and this infuses her novels with a latent maturity.

Her second novel, ahd her first YA novel, Obscura Burning, has just been published. Featuring a bixexual protagonist, a cast of sexually confused teenagers and a planet on a collision course with earth, the novel plays on apocalyptic fears, both intra-social and extra-terrestrial, and examines the hopes and fears of a world under pressure. 

Suzanne expects flak - this is a thoughtful piece of work which she expects to generate a certain controversy but whatever the reader's preferences, they are guaranteed  strategic plots, taut sentence construction, internal coherence, great characters, profuse, elegant dialogue (her current speciality) and a sense of topical importance which is essential for all fiction to emphasise credibility. 

I also noticed a sneaky, almost cunning, amorality in the prose - a clear allegory for the inevitable apocalypse Suzanne wryly hints at throughout the book. At times, you can almost hear the neighing of the horsemen's steeds as they hover in the clouds. 

Whatever. You are guaranteed an excellently written read whenever you see the name Suzanne Van Rooyen anywhere near a book cover. I got on the Wizphone, managed to catch up with her in a snowy, windswept park just south of Helsinki and tethering her wonderful pup, Lego, she spoke to me about writing and writers. 

Original Interview with Wiz Green. 

http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/interview-with-suzanne-van-rooyen.html

Suzanne's acclaimed debut
novel

Hi Suzanne. Tell us about your publication history? What have you published so far?

Well, in a nutshell: I've had one adult cyberpunk novel published by Divertir Publishing - that would be Dragon's Teeth. I've also had a bunch of short stories ranging from children's to erotica published by various print and online magazines including Storm Moon Press, Earthbound Fiction, and Niteblade. 

"Niteblade recently nominated my short story Where Dreams are Grown for the Pushcart Prize which is a fairly big deal, I hear.  

Congratulations on that, Suzanne. Deserved too, if I may say so. So tell us about Obscura Burning, your latest published work.

This story really came out of nowhere one day while I was listening to the whimsical music by the band Explosions in the Sky. The music conjured the image of a boy walking in the desert and so Obscura Burning was born. There was definitely some extraneous force working through me in the writing of this novel. This is Kyle's story, I just helped shore up his sentences and deleted a few expletives. This book is about a boy caught up in a quantum event, which threatens the very fabric of his reality and the future of the planet. 

As the tagline says: The world's going to end in fire…and it's all Kyle's fault. 

To what extent does Obscura Burning represent an evolution in your writing career?

It's my first published novel-length young adult work and represents a definite shift in my focus from adult to YA. 

"I much prefer writing teenagers with all their excesses and insecurities, their narcissistic tendencies and rash decision making because it allows for complex characters, disastrous situations and plenty of room for these characters to grow. "

I'll definitely write for adults again but right now, I love writing teenage characters for the YA bracket.

Who is your target audience? How do you know that you are connecting with your readership?

Older teenagers - 16 and up - given the content of my book (some bad language and sexual content) and of course all the adults who love reading YA. 

Since Obscura Burning has a bisexual boy MC, I'm hoping teen and adult readers from the LGBT community will be enjoying my book. I think you know you are connecting with your readership when you see who comments on blog posts and who's posting reviews on Goodreads. I'm predicting a lot of 20-something women :)

In "Non Fiction," Chuck Palahniuk lionises Amy Hempel for her strained, skeletal style.  I don't agree with him, but his views are incredibly influential. Your books are increasingly sparse and dialogue based. Is this deliberate? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this for a writer?

No, it's not deliberate. It really depends on the character and their unique voice. The style of the prose reflects the narrator's personality so Obscura Burning is less purple and more dialogue based because that's Kyle - he loves comic books so that's kind of how he sees the world, in thought bubbles and clipped dialogue. 

I'm not sure there is an advantage to any writer to conform to an apparent trend in fiction since trends change so quickly. 

"Most of the books I love do not conform to any kind of formula or trend. I think it's more important to be genuine in your craft and story telling than to try to write the 'correct' style."

How would you answer the argument that dialogue-rich novel writing "abrogates the writer from the arduous responsibility of painting pictures in the reader's head".

That's ridiculous! Dialogue paints it's own picture. Syntax and delivery of dialogue speaks volumes about a character, about how they see the world and the people in it. I think dialogue does a far better job of showing a character's personality and perspective on life than paragraphs of description do. 

Dialogue can be used with very subtle but profound effect, helping the reader paint comprehensive pictures in their head. I don't know who said this 'abrogates arduous responsibility' nonsense but I think they've missed the point of dialogue completely. 

Does that mean you should write dialogue only and get rid of exposition - of course not but it largely depends on the genre and who you're writing for. 

Teen readers are all about communication - text messaging, IMs, emails, Facebook, 140 character tweets - so Tolkien-esque paragraphs aren't going to go down well with them.

That's a terrific answer, Suzanne. I can remove the spotlight now! haha. So who influences you as a writer nowadays? Who are the YA writers the discerning reader should look out for?

Cath Crowley and Maggie Stiefvater are my favourite YA writers. 

They both have a very definitive style and aren't afraid to daub on the purple every now and then. I also enjoy Barry Lyga's writing because he doesn't shy away from controversial subject matter. 

I think YA readers should look beyond JK Rowling, John Green and Suzanne Collins, and can go in search of the less well known writers like Lisa Burstein, Janice Hardy,  Cath Crowley, Laini Taylor and Lissa Price. 

They should also look outside of America for writers in the UK and Australia (like Cath Crowley who is just awesome and everyone should read Graffiti Moon by her!)

I've shared with you that I think you are an Old School writer in a YA writer's body. Do you agree with that? Do you think there will ever be a time when you start using exposition as a tool, and/or creative, allegorical and descriptive paragraphing to embellish your skeletal style?

Hahaha. I do have a soft spot for the classics and I love the description rich works by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and David Mitchell. Maybe I am a bit more old school in my approach because I don't really like the minimalist novel. I don't consider my style skeletal at all. In fact, it's been criticised for being too purple. 

I try to strike a balance and make description count as more than just a word painting, but to reflect some deeper theme or to reveal some new aspect of the character doing the describing. I don't mind exposition but it's the section I tend to skip when reading books, looking for action and dialogue, so I tend to write what I enjoy reading. 

I do use allegory, a lot, and my works usually have little Easter Eggs (the hidden message kind) for those with a keen eye. Obscura Burning has a few and Dragon's Teeth has many. 

 I have seen some savage reviews of writers lately. Can you take criticism? How do you respond?

Oh yeah. Criticism doesn't bug me because opinion of books is so subjective. Not everyone will love my book. Some are going to hate it, especially Obscura Burning. 

If the review is scathing vitriol, I can laugh it off. That sort of review serves no purpose to me. 

"On reviews: A review that deals out constructive criticism, I take far more seriously and mull over what they've said. If I find myself agreeing with the review or understanding why the reviewer felt the way they did, that's fantastic because I've learned something and can apply it in my next project. If I disagree, well then different strokes for different folks and there's no point getting upset over it. "

I never respond to bad reviews and rarely respond to good reviews with more than just a 'like' on Goodreads because everyone's entitled to their opinion.

What's your next project?

My next project involves robots and violins. Although the manuscript is technically finished, there's a lot of work to be done with it still. I've sent a few chapters to my agent and I'm also waiting for feedback from a few critique partners. I'm sure I've got some rewriting in my future with that one. 

Suzanne, thank you very much for coming back to cast a few more spells, and I wish you all the best in the future! 

You're welcome, Wiz and thank you for inviting me.

Buy Obscura Burning here:

http://www.amazon.com/Obscura-Burning-ebook/dp/B00AJP6RIU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354871438&sr=8-1&keywords=obscura+burning

Read more Suzanne Van Rooyen here:

http://suzannevanrooyen.com/

http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/interview-with-suzanne-van-rooyen.html

An Interview with Bill Jones Jr

Bill Jones Jr

One of the great perks of being an Indie Wizard is the pleasure of both meeting new people and people you admire from afar. I hear great things about Bill Jones Jr's fantasy work on a regular basis and I was introduced to him by a mutual acquaintance and wasted no time in reaching got the Wizphone. 

Here's what Bill had to say from somewhere over the ocean.

Hi Bill.

Hi Wiz!

UK readers have heard about The Stream due to your membership at the Independent Paperback Gift Shop. Tell us a bit about Bill Jones Jr?

I grew up assuming I would be a professional photographer one day. However, like many kids, I was steered away from the arts and into a “normal” profession in the business world. I’ve had a rewarding career, but I think there’s something inborn in artists that can’t be quelled any other way but through art. I started writing poetry, and had quite a few published in obscure little journals here and there. Then, on a dare from a friend, I decided to try my hand at writing fiction in 2009. I became immediately addicted, and wrote my first two books back-to-back. Now, after having written four books and a short story collection, I’m finally allowing myself to call myself an artist.

Of course, that could just be because my mum finally read my first book, and liked it. If your mother doesn’t think you’re an artist, you aren’t.

Tell us about The Stream series

The Stream is a fantasy fiction series starring two brilliant adolescents, Charlie and Robin, who discover they share the ability to walk into and influence others’ dreams. Charlie’s vivid dreams are initially merely an escape from their shattered family lives. They jounce from one adventure to the next, amidst warm-blooded dragons, mythical creatures, and increasingly, a growing darkness. There is more to the land of dreams – the Stream – than sleepers, they learn. Something there has trapped Charlie’s best friend, his great grandfather, and he and Robin will stop at nothing to find him, and bring him home.

Always been a big fan of your covers, BIll. The former has something of the "Shrooms" and "Blair Witch" about it.

Thank you, Wiz. They're pretty sharp.

Who is your target audience? Are you a primarily a YA author?

 Although my main characters in The Stream are 12, the books are actually targeted at adults. There are dream adventures based on history, re-imagined mythologies, as well as some fairly adult themes. 

There is no language or sexuality that’s inappropriate for kids, but my “perfect reader” as I imagined her, was a parent who loved the Harry Potter and Narnia series, but pretended they did so for the sake of the children.

 I believe the books are appropriate for ages 12 and up. While I enjoy YA fiction, and have kept all 3 books of The Stream safe for younger readers, most of my other work is targeted directly at adult readers.

How do you write? Do you binge, or are you a strict 2,000 word a day man?

 Ah, binge writing – I love that concept. hahaha, 

Since I have a day job, I am a strict 2,000 word a day writer. I actually started writing novels during the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in the U.S., and found that format (write a bit each day) fit the fact that I had to drag myself out of bed early every morning and go to work. 

If I were stinking rich, and could write full time, I’m sure I’d turn into one of those book hermits whom you never see for three months at a time while he writes around the clock and forgets to bathe or eat. Hmm, maybe it’s good that I have a day job.

I binge in a way, in that I set aside months out of the year where I do nothing but write. This past June, for instance, I wrote about 100 pages of short stories.

I understand you are a photographer. Tell us a bit about that?

 I have always loved photography. My grandfather, with whom we lived, was one of those old gents who always had his camera with him. My fondest family memories were all of us grouped in the living room, looking at granddaddy’s slides projected onto the wall. I also had a great uncle who would come to visit, and never seemed to tire of taking Polaroid shots. So naturally, when I got my first camera at age 12, I was hooked.

I’m sure my photography has been influenced by both men, as I love candid and street photography, and rarely take posed or studio type shots. If you see me without a camera, I’m having a bad day. I do a bit of freelance work, but mainly, it’s for the love.

You have been kidnapped on the way to the Walgreens by strange furry purple aliens. You are locked in a spaceship brig. Your gaoler is a kindly alien and allows you three books, two cd's and a dvd. What would you choose?

I would choose Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy, because I have started, and been interrupted while trying to read those books for 10 years. I am determined to finish them or die trying. 

My CD’s would have to be Bob Marley’s “Legend” and probably some jazz, any jazz; otherwise I’d never be able to write. 

Legend - Bob Marley Full Album

Magnificent Mike Figgis Jazz score
for Leaving Las Vegas

John Coltrane, A Love Supreme

A dvd would be harder; the alien would probably shoot me before I could make up my mind. Perhaps “The Day the Earth Stood Still” would feel appropriate.

Original Poster

Casual Vacancy at Bill's table for JK

Which writer, and which photographer, would you be pleased to see knocking at your door with two bottles of Claret? And what would you cook?

I would honestly love to see J.K. Rowling show up, not because of the success of Harry Potter, but due to the incredible blend of imagination and detail her books showed. Even more interesting to me, is the determination she showed in going through rejection to reach success. I could learn a lot over dinner I think.

The photographer I’d pick would be Annie Liebovitz. I’ve never been satisfied with my portraits, and she is just the master at connecting with her subjects. Of course, if death were no obstacle, it would be Diane Arbus. Such a talented, tormented woman.

Annie Liebovitz portrait of America's First Family

Since clarets are earthy wines, and I don’t eat red meat, I think I would have to cook them my version of my grandmother’s Shrimp Creole. It’s about as earthy a food as you are going to get. Plus, if you want to get a genius talking, a bit of spice with their wine can’t hurt.

Magnificent Shrimp Creole

What do fans of Bill Jones Jr have to look forward to in the coming year?

In the coming year I will be releasing my first full-length science fiction adventure, Hard as Roxx. In Roxx, in a 22nd-century world that is a distorted hybrid of rigid control and absolute freedom, one woman broke a cardinal rule: she got pregnant, without permission. Worse yet, it was her second pregnancy, in a world where only one is tolerated. The penalty for breaking the One Child law is death. Roxx, however, is not the victim type.

In addition, I will be releasing the final book of The Stream trilogy – Emprise, as well as my first short story collection. It should be a fun year.

Bill, it's been an absolute pleasure to see you round the Cauldron. I wish you every success in the future.

Wiz, the pleasure was all mine!

Stalk the Writer

Contact Bill on his website:

bill@billjonesjr.com

Buy The Stream: Discovery:

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Stream-Discovery-ebook/dp/B005NL83I2

On Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-stream-discovery/18886133 

On Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/3778886

You can also buy Bill's beautiful books IN PAPERBACK - along with the work of a hundred other Indielit authors - at

http://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentPaperbackGiftShop

Read much more about Bill with the wonderful Mary Ann Bernal

http://maryannbernal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/an-interview-with-author-bill-jones.html