Today I’m pleased to welcome Mike Kearby to Off the Page chatting about his new book Kavachi’s Rise.
From Wikipedia: Mike Kearby (born 1952) is an American novelist and inventor. Since 2005, Kearby has published ten novels, one graphic novel, and written two screenplays: (2011) Boston Nightly, with fellow writer Paul Bright and (2012) The Devouring. Boston Nightly is scheduled for filming in the spring of 2013.
Kearby was born in Mineral Wells, Texas, and received a B.S. from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) in 1972. He taught high school English and reading for 10 years and created “The Collaborative Novella Project” The project allows future authors to go through the novel writing process from idea to published work.
“Ambush at Mustang Canyon” was a finalist for the 2008 Spur Awards.
“A Hundred Miles to Water”” was awarded the 2011 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Best Adult Fiction.
“Texas Tales Illustrated” was awarded the 2012 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Best YA Non-Fiction.
Tell a little about yourself, what you do when you’re not writing, what are your aspirations for the future?
I am an ex-high school reading teacher who loves the written word. When I’m not working on a project, I enjoy spending time around the farm, cooking with my wife, and spending time with the grandchildren.
When and why did you start writing?
I started writing full time in 2005. At that time, I sold my business: a bucket list moment, deciding there were some things I wanted to do in life before I reached an age where I might not be able to attempt such.
If you could only read one book over and over again for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee’s sentence structure is so simple, yet the book reads so powerfully. It is a perfect example of how an expert wordsmith never lets words get in the way of a story.
Give us some back story about Kavachi’s Rise, where and when did you write it?
The idea for The Devouring came while sitting at a red light in Lampasas, Texas. Glancing around, I saw a funeral home on the corner of the intersection and was immediately struck by the thought – if I were vampire, that’s where I’d hang out. I’m sure every writer in the writing world can relate to the fact that once an idea invades your mind, it will not leave until you write the story. So, The Devouring was born I began researching the novel in September of 2011 and started writing in December at the farm in Lometa, Texas. The book was completed in three months. I signed the contract a month later.
What inspired your story?
I felt it was time to “evolve” the vampire story from the undead to living creatures that were an apex predator.
What was your favorite part of Kavachi’s Rise to write?
I enjoyed writing the death camp scene as it is based in fact. The history basis being the Romani Holocaust during WWII.
Are you working on any other projects at the moment?
Two actually. I am halfway through The Devouring~Annihilation and four chapters in on a detective novel aimed at AARP readers. The book’s main character is a 70 year old private eye aptly named Les Danger.
Are you a Pantser or Plotter? Why?
I think I fall somewhere in-between. Once I arrive at a book’s premise, I do all the necessary research as a plotter. When the writing starts, I let the characters fight for face-time with the readers.
Do you have any tricks to your trade, bottomless coffee, a magic pen, a special muse?
Actually, the one tip I would share with anyone wanting to write is this: write regularly. Write at the same time every day, seven days a week. Like all jobs we take on in life, we only get better by performing the act over and over. Writing is no different. Your tenth novel should be much better than your first novel.
If you could be any fictional character for a day, who would it be and why?
Forest Gump. He certainly qualifies for the title: Renaissance Man. And who among us wouldn’t want that?
Title: Kavachi’s RiseSeries: The Devouring #1
Author: Mike Kearby
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Publisher: Damnation Books
Paperback/Ebook
Words: 56,000
Purchase:
A Dark Secret. Thomas Morehart and his sister, Kara are vampyre, not the undead, but creatures evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to mimic their prey, man. Then – rescued from a Nazi Prison Camp, Thomas and Kara are brought to the U.S. and forced to work inside government-owned mortuaries. Now -betrayed by the government sixty-seven years later, Thomas and Kara are in a race against time to transform back to their feral states or risk Exsanguination by government sanctioned hit squads.
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