Straight Chatting from the Library: Ben Mariner

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ben Mariner will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW

Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

I’m a huge pop culture junkie, especially in regards to the 90’s. That’s pretty apparent when you read Apocalypse Wow. My likes include nachos, Zubaz pants, Super Nintendo games, and the collected works of Jean Claude Van Damme. My dislikes include vegetables, antidisestablishmentarianism, mesh tank tops, and original series aired on CBS.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently finishing up the sequel to Apocalypse Wow and about to get underway on the final installment of the series. I’m really happy with how the series is working out and I think readers are really going to enjoy the journey as much as I have.

Where did you come up with the idea for for either your current release or your current WIP?

The inspiration for the idea for Apocalypse Wow has been long forgotten over the last ten years or so since it first took hold in my mind. I would guess it was probably inspired by a late night bender fueled by Mountain Dew and Doritos.

Do you have a favorite snack that like to munch on while writing? If so would you mind sharing what it is with us?

I love snacking. I love writing. I love to do the two together, but the problem with that is, I can’t multi-task. I either write and forget the food, or eat and forget to write. Typically I forego the snack, but if I do opt in I usually go for some kind of chip. Tortilla, maybe potato. If I’m feeling frisky, maybe churro, but the cinnamon sugar gets absolutely everywhere, delicious though they may be.

Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?

One of my favorite scenes is when Mike is taken prisoner and his captors stop to refuel in a small town in central Illinois. That’s a little nod to my hometown and I feel like I did a pretty good job bringing it to life for the reader so they can experience what I had to grow up with. It was really fun to guide Mike past some of the major landmarks of the town and apoclify (yes, I made that word up) them.

When you are not busy writing wonderful stories to keep us lucky readers entertained, what do you like to do? Do you have a hobby?

Mostly I just read and write, but I dabble in the video game as well. I just like to do anything that stimulates my imagination because it helps me come up with new ideas for stories and will, ultimately, lead to a new book.

Do you have a favorite background noise you like to having going while you write (TV, Music, kids playing)?

TV is way too distracting. Kind of like the snacking thing. It’s music all the way for me. There’s no specific playlist or anything. It just has to start with Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. I don’t know what it is about that song, but it gets my creative juices flowing. After that, it just goes on random.

Thanks for visiting. It has been a pleasure having you visit today. Can you think of anything else you would like to share with us today?

Thanks for having me! I can’t really think of anything else. I just hope that everyone who chooses to read the book finds some enjoyment in the story. I’m happy to answer any questions via the comments on this post, on Twitter (@A_Writer_Guy), on Facebook (Author Ben Mariner), and Goodreads. Any and all are welcome to like/follow me on any of those platforms as well.

READ THE BLURB

Jack Winters is in a bit of a pickle. Things started out just fine. He had a decent job and a few friends. Then he met the woman of his dreams. They go out on a date and things go really well. That’s when things go south. The morning after turns out to be a week later and the world went ahead and ended itself while Jack was far away in dreamland. Now he’s awake in a post-apocalyptic world with no family, no job, and worst of all, no girlfriend. Along with his friends and some other random tag-alongs, Jack will journey cross country to find the woman of his dreams against zombies, heavy metal horsemen, pirates, and a power so immense and evil it will put his very soul to the test.

READ AN EXCERPT

A man who could best be described as homeless was standing in the middle of the merry-go-round as the metal saucer twirled slowly around. His clothes were filthy, and the hair that stuck out the bottom of his tin foil hat was matted and disgusting. In his hands he held a piece of cardboard that was about three feet by three feet with black writing that read: THE END IS NEAR. For some reason, I couldn’t help but stand and watch the man slowly rotate over and over again, reading the sign each time it came around. I found myself wondering three things. First, why was he standing in that abandoned park instead of on a street corner that people other than me frequented, so that he may spread his message? I would think that everyone would like to know that the end – whatever that entailed – was near. Second, why do all homeless doomsday prophets have to be so vague? Don’t they think we’d like a more exact date on when the end would occur? A time, a day…something? And third, just how in the hell does a homeless guy afford markers to make a sign anyway?

I decided to let the more important mysteries of the universe figure themselves out and continued on my way to work. After all, the only apocalypse I cared about was the PlayStation game of the same name starring none other than the incomparable Bruce Willis. Man, that guy rocked my world with his unrelenting machismo. By the way, I’m not gay. I just thought I’d clear that up. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Ben Mariner is the author of Apocalypse Wow as well as The Many Lives of Zane Montgomery, which definitely sold some copies to some people. He currently lives in Denver with his wife and animals. He enjoys mozzarella sticks, dunk tanks at carnivals, and solving crime with his psychic powers and best friend/sidekick.

Buy the book at Amazon.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/A_Writer_Guy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBenMariner
Blog: http://www.awriterguy.com/

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