Strraight Chatting from the Library - Dean C Moore

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What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

I was really hooked on the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series, which are akin to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. Considering how much sci-fi and paranormal fantasy I write (11 published titles and counting), you’d think I’d say something like The Chronicles of Narnia, which granted, was another standout. But there was nothing quite like those books in The Three Investigators series for me. I’d pick up another as soon as I set the last one down. As I recall they had a secret lair hidden beneath a mound of garbage at a dumpsite. If I was psychoanalyzing myself, I’d say my reality was “the dump” and those books were “the secret lair.” Maybe as I grew older it wasn’t enough to investigate hidden truths in the real world that the adults were oblivious to, and to save people only to restore them to the real world (“the dump.”) I decided, perhaps unconsciously, that if I was going to really save folks I had to give them something to live for. That meant teaching them the kind of self- empowerment that goes with levitating coffee tables, reading minds, flying and shape shifting. Hmm, some would say I should have saved the self-psychoanalysis for when I got older.

E-Reader or print? and why?

If I had unlimited resources and funds I would stay solidly ensconced in the print world. But with the amount I read, I would need not just entire rooms dedicated to my books, but entire houses. So I’ve been forced to be a bit more selective with my print reading of late to keep the second story from falling into the first story under the weight of all that black ink. I actually did the math in case you’re interested when I felt it was that or wake up wondering why the roof is suddenly so much higher than it was.

When I do read a print book it has to be a hard cover or a 6 x 9 paperback with the same dimensions and generous margins of a hard cover so I can luxuriate in the book rather than feel like I have to rip it apart from the inside seam to force both sides to stay open. I get enough of a workout at the gym, thank you. This is why I release all my paperbacks in 6 x 9 format to allow readers to relax into a book rather than fight with it. I was appalled when I purchased Steven King’s re-released The Stand (with a few hundred thousand more words than the original) that I needed a magnifying glass to see the print with my 20-20 vision, and a couple professional bodybuilders to stand to either side of me each holding a side of the book to keep it from closing in on itself. I thought, “What a testament to indie publishing, if the writer who can afford the best treatment out there, has to put up with this from a mainstream publisher.”

I will admit, I have dreamt of the day when I can have ALL of my books on my e-reader. Not because it’s my preferred format, but I drool at the idea of being able to scan for items that are very hard to find unless you do have a very organized library at home. I might be searching for a quote, which I only remember a piece of, or a bit of information I know had to come from one of fifty nonfiction books on a topic related to my latest sci-fi novel, and well, you can imagine what a nightmare that turns into when option B is dragging the books out of the boxes and out of the attic.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

The thought of mauling a book by bending back a page would keep me up at night. I believe there is a separate floor in hell dedicated to those people that Dante would have gotten around to writing about if he wasn’t so hung up on the numerology of nine. I admit this sentiment is a bit contradictory when you think that I then underline anything noteworthy in the book, write in the columns, and leave bigger notes on those pages where the chapter ends halfway up the page. Owing to the fact that I read prolifically, and don’t always finish one thing before moving on to the next, I’m always in search of more bookmarks.

While I love the artsy-fartsy ones that one picks up in a book store, I must confess that all too often my bookmarks take the form of unpaid bills (which seems a lot better use of the unopened envelope and the bill, to my thinking. After all, I wouldn’t want to maul that envelope either by ripping it wide open!) National Geographic has been very kind to assist me with bookmarking with their subscription renewal inserts. I have some choice recipes I want to be reminded periodically to whip up in the kitchen that make great bookmarks. Other current bookmarks doing active duty: a nail file; a stainless steel oven thermometer, some folded maple leaves, and a to-do list dating back to 1999 (which, as it turns out, was a good year for ignoring more practical concerns.)

When do you do most of your reading?

I now read mostly late at night right before going to sleep. In truth, this is just the type of reading labeled “highly self-indulgent.” Technically speaking, I’m reading all day long, either as part of writing and editing my own books, or hitting a wall with the writing that requires Google research or books from my own library to get beyond.

Favorite place to read?

Though I seldom get the chance anymore, bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders. You’ll find me either seated in the café enjoying their coffee and croissants, or sinking into a couch or easy chair somewhere amidst the towers of books. I enjoy looking up periodically and feeling the book energy and the cool vibes that come from book people. Book people are like dog and cat people; they’re good people, and they’re fun to be around.

Favorite genre?

You would think that would be sci-fi and paranormal fantasy, again owing to the amount of ink I’ve committed to the subjects in my sum and sundry novels. But in truth, my reading is very eclectic, and my writing too, more than I let on. I have one romantic comedy slash action adventure slash bank heist book entitled Love on the Run. Think the movie The Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan and you’ll be right on target for this read. And I have one coming out in 2015 entitled Strays, a kind of modern- day Oliver Twist tale about an out of work teacher who takes in homeless teens and then teaches them to steal in order to provide a decent living and future for them. I have a tale called Odd Man Out scheduled for 2015 as well that ought to be a hit with fans of the Dexter TV series.

In this case, my anti- hero is a FBI profiler by day and a serial killer by night. And it’s endless fun watching him mentor his protégé on how to take his serial killing to the next level using Zen and various other esoteric meditative practices. You need a real black sense of humor for this franchise, but like I say, fans of Dexter should feel right at home. And I guess that’s why I read broadly, so at the drop of a hat, I can write broadly. I guess I have a restless soul and want the freedom to roam over various genres before I start feeling too limited by any. I suppose the theme of my heroes and villains trying to transcend themselves, be so much more than they ever thought they could be is one that will follow me wherever I go. As I find it very contemporary.

When competing in a global marketplace, who doesn’t need to absorb tips and tricks and best practices from folks who are masters at shape shifting into whatever they need to be to deal with whichever new reality presents itself? Maybe those role models got that way from inclination, but like most of us, they probably had no other choice. The competition is just that fierce. So while I always write to entertain first, I want to make sure I always leave people better equipped after finishing the novel to go out and conquer the world than they did when they started it.

Do you loan your books?

I loaned one once, and never got it returned. That was some decades back. I’m still in therapy over the whole thing. No, I’m a hoarder. The only reason I’m not on A&E’s Hoarders is I have a real artistic eye for how to conceal my sins. I.e., under the bed, where no one can see them. In attic and closet spaces. Writers, as it turns out, don’t need much by way of clothes, since we only make contact with reality long enough to launch the book to KDP or Createspace, Amazon and Goodreads. And I’m out in the country now with acreage. Now I can become a true serial killer of books and just bury them in the back yard in coffin shaped holes. Or maybe I should make the diggings full-size walk in crypts with trap doors that errant trespassers can fall into, where they can find the treasure trove of books to spend their last days with. Hmm, okay, maybe I’ll just save this little psychotic break for a character in a story.

Re-reader or not?

The reason I’m a hoarder is I’m determined to reread every one of my books. At the very least, consult the underlined parts when I’m doing my research. In reality I’ve yet to do either with most of them. It’s just easier to google what I need if I must revisit information that I wasn’t able to hold onto in memory. I can find the choice tidbits in question on line before I can find them in a book in my own disorganized collection! You would think this realization would break me of my hoarding habit. Ah, if only logic and common sense had any bearing on how I live my life. In my defense, I’ve practiced Zen and the art of letting go for years. I hold on to one or two quirks so I don’t feel entitled to condescend to less enlightened mortals, and to keep me humble. From this perspective, hoarding may be my saving grace. Alright, as spin control goes, that one almost has me convinced. I’ll keep at it with the rationales. After all, the more we can justify our insanity, the richer we can be in character.

What would make you not finish a book?

I’d like to say bad writing, i.e., lulls in the story, too many pages going by which don’t engage me for one reason or another. Perhaps the characters and the plotting all seem a little too hackneyed, what might fairly be called lazy writing. However in my (hopefully subclinical) ADHD reality, even the best books get put down. That’s because while I’m writing my own novel, the instant I’ve extracted what I need for research purposes, I move on. For instance, my homework for Renaissance 2.0, a book so big I had to split it into 5 parts so people wouldn’t need a crane to lift it, I bought up these fat epics and sagas from anyone good who’d written anything over a thousand pages (preferably over 1500 pages). But I seldom had to finish them to extract what I needed to find out how the authors kept the readers engaged for the duration. And, of course, as soon as I finish one book, I’m off to writing another one with another set of challenges and another heap of books that I have to be equally fickle with. That’s a lot of fictional characters I’ve entered into an abusive relationship with. I should probably take a look at that. In my defense, I do ultimately finish books I start that warrant it. But it now takes me years to finish some things. Alas, I’m not the prolific reader I once was since embarking on writing full time. These days I’m more likely to relax my mind to a favorite TV series at the end of the day. I’m down to a book a week, which is just shameful of me.

READ THE BLURB

Fraternal twins are separated from birth, and raised to be assassins. They were never meant to meet. But even when kept apart, they’re just too powerful. Their paranormal abilities cease to be an advantage when they can no longer be controlled. So they are scheduled for cancellation.

Their paths cross before they can be taken out. It is only then that they discover the true depths of their betrayal. Not only are they stronger when they’re together, they’re half-breeds, sired by an all-powerful warlock.

The question is, are they strong enough even together to take him on now that he’s coming for them?

They have an ace up their sleeves they are not aware of. Drawn to the same kind of women, they find themselves married to a pair of sorceresses whose magical abilities are only now surfacing.

But one encounter with dear old dad is all it takes for them to realize, they’re still the underdogs.

READ AN EXCERPT

Just beyond the perimeter of the military encampment, Clay and Jared soared in with the F-14, still moving relatively slowly under the influence of Clay's telekinesis, the jet’s fuel long spent. They observed the drama with the dragons breathing fire on the soldiers and having it deflected by the force field.

And then they watched as Rydell took out the two-headed dragons one after the other with blasts from his eyes, boring basketball-size holes through each of their hearts.

The beasts emitted agonizing cries as they fell. The first to land, the one with the more pointy snouts, managed to penetrate the shield with her heads as she landed on top of it. With her dying breaths, the fiery boluses she emitted took out a healthy allotment of soldiers already panicked and fleeing beneath the energy dome. Then, with her body limp and arched to accommodate the shield, she slid off.

As the second dragon crashed, it flicked its tail, penetrating the shield, and slicing any number of running soldiers in two, before the shield pushed it back out, resuming its perfect spherical shape.

The last of the second dragon’s heads hammered the ground moments after.

Jared took over the F-14, firing up the afterburners. “We're outta here.”

“And the defenseless women we're arriving like knights in shining armor to save?”

“We'll say a prayer.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

I write sci-fi, fantasy, action-adventures and thrillers, or some combination thereof— usually with a strong vein of dark humor. Though, my works are dramas first; the humor is there to take the edge off as with the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Transformers, and Jurassic Park franchises.

I wrote screenplays for a while, and while enjoying them, I found them a bit confining. After a while you just need the extra page count to flesh out characters better and do additional world building, especially when considering doing anything epic in scope. I also took a run at future forecasting and trend tracking, being as I always had my head in the future, things like Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock. I also relished this, and can certainly see myself releasing a few titles accordingly in the nonfiction area. But since delving into novels, short and long, I’ve definitely found my home and my voice. For the first time I feel the restraints have been taken off of my imagination. I suppose all mediums have their limits, so I may end up doing a mix of things, but I suspect I will continue to spend most of my time with novels. Series add an additional dimension, allowing for even more depth and development both in the character and world building departments. But I remain at heart a divergent thinker, so, no surprise, I seem to have more series going than follow up installments at this point. That too may change over time; we’ll see. Until then, it may be best to just think of these books as one-offs if you’re fond of my writing style and some of the themes I work with.

My current catalog of twelve books represents a little over five years' worth of work. I'm currently averaging a couple books annually. Of my existing franchises with multiple installments, The Hundred Year Clone books can be read in any order, while the 5 books of Renaissance 2.0 must be read in sequence as they form part of a singular story arc (much as with A Game of Thrones.)

I live in the country where I breed bluebirds, which are endangered in these parts, as my small contribution to restoring nature's balance. When I'm not writing, or researching my next book, I may also be found socializing with friends, or working in my organic garden.

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