Book Nerd Interview
Coral Russell won the 2003 McCaleb Peace Initiative which produced the non-fiction articles Peace on the Peninsula about South Korean's view on reunification. You can also find various articles written by her on Technorati and BlogCritics. After winning a fiction writing contest (a fluke), she caught the fiction bug. An encounter with something paranormal on a local ghost tour inspired her to start writing the ghost hunter series.
Her titles include Peace on the Peninsula, Twelve Worlds, Playing with Fire, The DIY Guide to Social Media Marketing and eBook Publishing, and Amador Lockdown. Ms. Russell runs the blog alchemyofscrawl at alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com Stop by for the latest in Indie book reviews, news, and resources.
Social Media
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I have worked at several different jobs before settling down and teaching for five and a half years. When my family started getting older and needed help, I moved back to be closer to them but didn't start back to work. Instead I took up writing.
Where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in Ohio and most of my family lives in either Ohio or Texas. Wherever I hang my hat is home because I've moved all over (not for a good reason) and lived in eight states and a couple of countries.
What made you take the plunge and start writing?
I had some extra money, my husband landed a good job, my daughter was having trouble moving from a small school to a big one, and I had time on my hands. I've written non-fiction for a long time but decided to plunge into fiction writing.
What was your first introduction to horror literature, the one that made you choose that genre to write?
I was a huge horror fan growing up. I think my Uncle Tom is the one who got me started. So while other teenage girls were reading romance, I read Stephen King, Peter Straub, Frank Herbert, John Saul. Shadowland by Straub made some kind of impression on me, some altered reality impression. I've never gone back and re-read the story to try and figure it out. I started ghost hunting and loved the show so the two just came together naturally for the first two short stories and then Amador Lockdown. I can possibly write three more stories with the Paranormal Posse.
What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?
Write a page a day or edit three pages. And the thing is that my family and conversation and activity may be erupting around me. You just have to let it wash over you and finish before you get sucked back into everyday life.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I haven't written enough. The one I'm currently working on is always my favorite.
Do you ever come up with anything so wild that you scare yourself, that leaves you wondering where that came from?
I don't do enough! My wonderful crit partners have pointed out that something bad has to happen here. In Amador Lockdown I had trouble ruining a teenager's quinceanera! But, it had to be done.
What was your inspiration for Amador Lockdown?
The Amador Hotel is a real place in Las Cruces, NM and I was nutty enough to spend the night in that haunted hotel as part of a 'lockdown' through El Paso Ghost Tours. After the experiences of that night, I knew it would make a great story.
Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
This is Hector's story and the twist ending needs to be resolved. There are four members of the Paranormal Posse and I want to give the other three their own story as well. I won't start the next one until next year. This year I'm working on a thriller.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Hector?
How much of myself I put into the character.
Which character was your favorite to write? What about the hardest to write?
My problem is liking them all and introducing or wanting too many characters into a story. The first part was re-worked extensively several times.
If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
Hmmmm there is one character (no spoilers) that will eventually be introduced to the rest of the Paranormal Posse. That will be interesting!
Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas?
Absolutely! I love a well-researched book. Since I started with non-fiction and like research (I know, I'm crazy) I always start out researching different things around my ideas for a story before starting the story.
Which author would you love to co-author a book with?
Someone famous would be too intimidating! I think I'll have to start with a couple of my good writing friends - Chryse Wymer, Scott Kelly, SM Johnson.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Write, ask questions, find terrific writing friends, learn everything you can about writing and practice, practice, practice.
What’s the worst job you’ve had?
I've been extremely lucky or selfish and only done exactly what I wanted to do. The only job I can't do is work in a restaurant. I was going to do some light accounting for a friend but because it was in a restaurant, I just couldn't do it. I've never worked in fast food, even as a teenager because of it. I went for learning how to type and computers and software and went that route.
What is your favorite Quote?
I love quotes and have many! The one that I adapted as my life quote is -
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive, well preserved body, but to skid in sideways, dark chocolate in one hand, Long Island Tea in the other, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO what a ride!"
Do you have any fun Halloween experiences you can tell us?
I love Halloween. We really decorate it up. One year a friend stayed with me to help pass out Halloween candy and brought over a snake (harmless). We would coil it in our hands and put the candy in the middle and dare the kids to take it out. A lot did because they didn't believe the snake was real, until it moved... hehehe
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
Yes. We were living in an old house and during a routine test found out my daughter had a high level of lead in her blood. We think it was due to old water pipes. I had my first panic attack because it wasn't something I could fix or help make better and we had to make a lot of quick drastic choices.
Where can readers stalk you?
I have a Stalker Package on my blog! http://alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com/my-stalker-package/
Something has moved into the Amador Hotel. Hector, Marcos, Bev, and Tony of the Paranormal Posse are called in to either debunk the haunting or get rid of whatever is causing the problems. With the surprise arrival of Hector's son, he tries to keep his professional and personal lives separate, but whatever is haunting the Amador Hotel has other plans.
What I loved about Amador Lockdown was that it delivered a good old-fashioned ghost story. Author Coral Russell produces a thriller ride with excitement at every turn of the page. There are a few stories within this book from several different points of view. All of which made the book more interesting and enjoyable.
The story is set in the American south-west as evident with many Hispanic references from the culture and the language. The pre-setup that the ghost hunters perform were detailed and it is obvious that Russell put in a lot of thought and research. The story follows four ghost hunters investigating strange occurrences at the Amador Hotel, but when the defiant teenager Darren enters the picture, things get problematical.
It was great to read a ghost story with realistic circumstances. Even the procedures and equipments used by the ghost hunters were believable. This realistic element played well throughout the book and it proceeded as being very creepy. It allowed for my complete concentration and I was truly enthused all the way to the last page.
It is exceptionally well-written that will draw you quickly into the story. Russell has a way of creating a creepy and spooky world without ever having to exaggerate or be dramatic. She kept it to being as real as it can be and that just added more to the creepiness factor. Coral Russell is a talented storyteller and I anticipate that whatever she comes up with next will be just as good, if not, better.
Do you have any fun Halloween experiences you can tell us?
I love Halloween. We really decorate it up. One year a friend stayed with me to help pass out Halloween candy and brought over a snake (harmless). We would coil it in our hands and put the candy in the middle and dare the kids to take it out. A lot did because they didn't believe the snake was real, until it moved... hehehe
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
Yes. We were living in an old house and during a routine test found out my daughter had a high level of lead in her blood. We think it was due to old water pipes. I had my first panic attack because it wasn't something I could fix or help make better and we had to make a lot of quick drastic choices.
Where can readers stalk you?
I have a Stalker Package on my blog! http://alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com/my-stalker-package/
Something has moved into the Amador Hotel. Hector, Marcos, Bev, and Tony of the Paranormal Posse are called in to either debunk the haunting or get rid of whatever is causing the problems. With the surprise arrival of Hector's son, he tries to keep his professional and personal lives separate, but whatever is haunting the Amador Hotel has other plans.
The story is set in the American south-west as evident with many Hispanic references from the culture and the language. The pre-setup that the ghost hunters perform were detailed and it is obvious that Russell put in a lot of thought and research. The story follows four ghost hunters investigating strange occurrences at the Amador Hotel, but when the defiant teenager Darren enters the picture, things get problematical.
It was great to read a ghost story with realistic circumstances. Even the procedures and equipments used by the ghost hunters were believable. This realistic element played well throughout the book and it proceeded as being very creepy. It allowed for my complete concentration and I was truly enthused all the way to the last page.
It is exceptionally well-written that will draw you quickly into the story. Russell has a way of creating a creepy and spooky world without ever having to exaggerate or be dramatic. She kept it to being as real as it can be and that just added more to the creepiness factor. Coral Russell is a talented storyteller and I anticipate that whatever she comes up with next will be just as good, if not, better.
You can purchase Amador Lockdown at the link below:
And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you Coral for making this giveaway possible.
3 Winners will receive one e-Copy of Amador Lockdown by Coral Russell.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
5 comments:
sherrilyn kenyon
tamora pierce
rachel vincent
george martin
CC hunter :)
Great interview! I reviewed this and loved it as well. It is just a really good horror story!
Janiera @This is From my Heart
Wow! What an awesome review and post. Thanks for having me and good luck to the winner. :)
Top five authors: Neil Gaiman, Roger Zelazny, Baccaccio, Cervantes and Neil Stephenson (sorry am wrapping up craziness and in two weeks my thesis goes in front of committee ACK)I cannot name my top five, but this week those are the peeps! I believe though that Roger and the two Neils are in the lead no matter what.
Chuck Palahniuk, polish writer Jacek Piekara, polish writer Andrzej Pilipiuk, polish writrer Stefan Darda... And you know, I can't think of 5th. And yes, I know - Too many locals writers from where I live :D But they are awesome.
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