Richard Hacker

I want to thank Cathy Coburn and Duaine Neill for joining me today.  These writing partners have an adventurous streak — zip lining, scuba diving and oh yes, doing jumps in four wheelers off sand dunes!  When they aren’t risking life and limb, they’re writing.  Their novel AFTER THE MIST released by Champagne Books is currently available at your favorite digital bookstore.

Welcome to Author Chat. Before we get to AFTER THE MIST, tell us how this writing partnership came to be.

C: Duaine and I both have these weird vivid imaginations coupled with creative ability. I was a wildlife artist for a time but that wasn’t fulfilling my creativity completely. I use to write, stories, poems, brochures, anything that captured my imagination, but I never sought anything further. Then Duaine approached me with a dream he had and suggested we write books together. I was intrigued with the idea, and both of our creative juices merged together to create, After the Mist.

D: Like she said we both have very vivid imaginations. I am blessed (or cursed) with movie style dreams. I started writing down my dreams down along time ago and when the base story of After the Mist came to my dreams I was so excited I had to share it. I knew that my mom would make the perfect partner to help me write it. So here we are.

I’m always curious about what jazzes creative artists.  Where do you find the inspiration for your writing? How does your partnership work? Does each of you voice specific characters? Alternate chapters? Talk a scene through and then take turns writing the first draft?  How does the magic happen?

C: Hard to say where characters come from. It’s like they’re waiting to escape the prowling of your mind. Sometimes I write something a certain character says, and they seem to object to what I made them say, I have to change it right then and there no matter where I am or what I’m doing or they won’t leave me alone. Okay, now that you think I just a crazy lady I’ll tell you how it works for us. We talk through scenes, either in person, on phone or through e-mails. Then I write and we talk and compare notes again. We get so excited sometimes as to where a chapter is headed we find ourselves talking at the same time and have to take a breath to hear what the other is saying.

D: We find the inspiration to write our books mostly in our vivid imagination and dreams and by putting each of ideas together we come up with some great characters and stories. What do you find to be the most challenging thing about writing together?  And how do you cope with that challenge?

C: I find the most challenge is Duaine’s busy life. Fitting into his schedule is sometimes difficult. I found it frustrating at first, then found while I wait for him I can write in another direction, hence, When the Dam Breaks, a Physiological Thriller I just signed contracts for.

D: The most challenging thing for me would be finding the extra time to work with her. The plus side is that it gives us extra time to think of new ideas to make the book better.

It’s always interesting to know what authors read.  What are you reading these days?  Any favorites?

C: I love getting nervous during a book. I like a book that keeps me up at night, holds me captive until I’m done then makes me long for more. I find the author that does all that for me is James Patterson. I’d have to say he inspires me the most as an author.

D: I like to read motivational books like Tony Robbins and mostly watch a lot of movies. Sci-fi, horror, action are my favorites. From what I saw on your website, the top level answer to this next question is “the sea”. 

Given you want to be near, on, in or under the water, if you could go anywhere, do anything, where would you go and what would you do?

C: I’m going to say Maui. They have great food, great beaches and great diving all rolled into one. Give me a little house on the beach, an unending supply of air for my scuba tanks, and a computer for writing and I’d be a happy camper. Oh yeah, better throw in my husband, kids and grandkids . . . now I’m happy.

D: That is a tough question. My wife and I really like Cancun, the beaches, snorkeling, ruins and tours are all great. We would love to just travel from beach to beach and see all the local sites. Before we get to AFTER THE MIST, tell us about you’re working on right now.

C: Just finished up the re-writes and contract stuff for, When the Dam Breaks. Now ready to plunge back into our next in series, currently named, Within the Mist, a lot of people waiting on that one. We’re working on getting that one finished hopefully by the end of the month.

D: We are working on book 2 and soon will start book 3, and maybe a 4th on Luke the beginning, how he came to be on Lived island.

Tell us about your novel AFTER THE MIST.

 

Mike Reynolds always prided himself on being in complete control, and then his world toppled into the unfamiliar.  Disturbing dreams plagued him, leaving helplessness in its wake and his control slipping away. Though adventurous and fearless the young and petite Maggie O’Reilly doesn’t recognize the devastating consequences of staring unswervingly into the black piercing eyes of absolute malevolence. Together, the two, team with five others to forge ahead on a perilous mission that becomes a dire adventure beyond anything they could have foreseen or imagined. They find themselves in direct confrontation between life and death, love and something else, an unlikely place for evil to be hiding or should we say, to be waiting.

Sounds like a great read! Thanks for joining me today. You can check out Cathy and Duaine at their website http://www.cathyandduaine.com/ and Cathy’s blog at http://catcobu-afterthemist.blogspot.com/.  And please look for their novel at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other digital booksellers. I hope you both have great success with AFTER THE MIST and the many great novels to come. Before we finish, Is there anything you’d like to add?

C: Thank you Richard. I wish that same success for you and your new book, Toxic Relationship and all the great novels to come. Thank you also for the great interview.

D: Thank you Richard for taking the time for this interview. We wish you the best.