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Author Francis H. Powell is currently making his way through the blog tour circuit promoting his new book of short stories, Adventures of Death, Reincarnation and Annihilation. Below is my interview with Powell about his writing process, inspirations, and wildest dreams. Be sure to give him a follow on social media, and check out his book.  

About Francis H. Powell

Name/Pen Name: Francis H. Powell

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Website: Francis Powell Author

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Book Title: Adventures of Death, Reincarnation and Annihilation

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humour.

Book Summary: A series of stories, which are both light and dark, with quirky characters. The central subject is death, but the stories are not gloomy. There are elements of horror, science fiction and fantasy.

Book Excerpt 1: THE MASTER’S HOUSE

Part one

The strange goings on in the life of Amos Toft.

We had found her face down on the sand, as the tide closed in. The moon shed silvery light and there was a soft gentle off shore breeze that glanced our faces. We’d run out of our house, having seen torch light. They had left as quickly as they had arrived.  There were sounds of horses, leaving at speed, shadowy figures, hooded, dressed like soldiers, soon fading into the horizon.  We presumed she was dead and were relieved when she spluttered and coughed and fought for breath.

“Let’s get her inside” my wife said urgently. She was totally naked and had no possessions.

“Are you all right?” I demanded. She did not respond. I repeated myself again, there was just the sound of her heavy labored breathing.

“She appears in terrible shock” my wife said, as we helped her up.  We draped one of her arms over my wife’s shoulders while I propped the other.  We struggled along the sand and then headed towards our small house, which looked over the large bay.

“What’s your name?” I asked, expecting by now she was in some kind of condition to speak. Again no response, her eyes were fixed on the ground, she made no attempt to speak.

We got her back to the house and sat her down on a couch.

What had happened?  Why had she been left naked on the sand, as the tide came in? What was going through her mind? My wife got a towel and offered it to her to clean her and cover her naked body.

Book Excerpt 2: I AM THE LAST OF THE IDRIS

It is 2096 and I am wandering ceaselessly on an endless journey. There is a world that is open to me, but I am last of the line, trapped in my own solitude, in this vast wilderness.  I am an Idris, some might describe me as a beast, others a secondary  lower echelon of the human race. My type were originally contrived in a laboratory, by scientists, my genes contain those of human genes as well as animal DNA. My species, of “hybrids” were genetically modified and designed for specific functions.  We are a species enriched with speed and agility, both our thighs and arms sinewy, our frames tall and overbearing.  We also have great stamina and could travel long distances swiftly. One observer said we “could outrun a thoroughbred stallion and still have energy in surplus.”  We also have great faculties of vision.

We were initially created as a slave species, to go to war on behalf of humans, the ultimate killing machines. Once trained, our type were sold for huge profits, as if we were some new kind of military hardware, our physical attributes far superior to those of humans. One scientist commented, “This creature will help to end our wars” adding proudly “it will fight our wars for us.”

After a time, we were deemed useful for other purposes. A smaller version, was created and we began to be used as a kind of sophisticated pet. We were “the must have” accessory in any rich household.  Female versions were later created, much smaller and softer in appearance, with large doe eyes, long flowing silky hair and the gentle feline movements. With this advancement, we were able to breed amongst ourselves. We progressed as a species at a much faster rate than scientists anticipated, we surpassed all expectations.

Book Excerpt 3: THE WORLD THERE AFTER

PART 1 THE EXODUS

It was while watching  Zee Tube,  the second  president of the new Global Republic, make  a chilling speech, to a carefully elected few, that  Mobatroy and Rad  Meterman  decided to take action. Mobatroy had just become pregnant.

“We  will create  a new existence,  nothing like anything we have known before there will be no more human fallibility, no more physical pain,  we  have long surpassed, what those in the past called God, we  will be the new deities living in perfection, we are following our destiny, we need purification and  eliminate all that can damage us in any way, we must follow a process, a radical one, it is our brains that make us function, our bodies are just dispensable, mere receptacles for the brain, we must follow the path to the final evolution, the final brushstroke that completes a masterpiece”

Talking Shop

What is the central theme or message of your story? What do you want readers to take away from it?

The central idea is evidently “death”. There are messages, for example the world is in a fragile state, the human race is very destructive. Some parts are about the last human/being left alive.

How have you promoted your books? What has worked best? What has failed?

I have been a Twitter user for a while now. I post on Facebook and have a website and blog. How successful, I can’t tell.

Did you use any professional services before publishing your book? Are there any you recommend to indie authors?

No. I wanted to do the cover because I went to Art School. It took many efforts before the publisher liked my cover. In the end, the cover is a row of houses in a market square, near where I live.

What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?

It was published at the end of December, so it is early days for reviews. I hope people will like my book.

How active are you in the online writing community? How has this community helped you as a writer?

I have done author interview exchanges and have communicated, now and again with other authors, sometimes asking advice.

What is a fun or strange source of inspiration that ended up in your book?

I got inspired to write what heaven is like, and described it as a vast luxury hotel.

How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?

I started really, when I wrote short stories, when living in Paris.  I learned as I went along, and I began to develop my own style.

What is your day job? How, in any way, does it relate to your life as a writer?

I am teacher. One subject I teach is history, and this has certainly influenced some of my ideas.

Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of all time great writers?

Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Daphne du Maurier, Stephen King (and me if there is any rock left…only kidding)

Do you have a writing ritual or any odd habits or superstitions?

If I am not near my computer, I might scribble ideas on a piece of paper or whatever I can find, so as not to forget ideas.

How well do you handle criticism, either while writing, editing, or reviews?  Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?

If you put your heart and soul into something, it is hard. With my first published book, I had a struggle, because the stories are very “British” in character, whereas the editors were American. So there was a conflict of culture.  I hated some of my ideas being chipped away.

What is the most fun part about writing? The most difficult?

The fun part is the evolution of the story, creating great dialogue and characters.

Do you focus on word count, hours spent writing, page count, or another way to measure your daily or weekly progress?

I do, but maybe it is not good, sometimes words flow, sometimes not.  It is great to see a story evolve.  When I am on form, I can write around fifty pages a week, depending on outside interference and work commitments. Sometimes you can get stuck, a certain part of story proves problematic.

What skills have you acquired or information have you learned from writing?

I think this a great thing about writing, it involves research. For my last book, I needed to understand things about science.

Adventures of Death Reincarnation and Annihilation Book Cover

“What If” Scenarios

If your book ever becomes a movie, and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?

Perhaps younger versions of Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando.

If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?

This is a hard question. So randomly, I am going to say Salvador Dali.

If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?

Oscar Wild, Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, William Thackeray.

A wealthy reader buys 100 copies of your book and tells you to hand them out to anyone you wish. Who do you give them to?

All my family, friends, and a lot of book reviewers.

Your favorite character that you’ve written comes to life for one day. What do you do together for 24 hours?

Find out more about him, having a chat and a good meal.

You are transported into your book for one day. What role do you play? How do you alter the events of the story?

A psychologist, but I am not sure I could alter much.

You’re offered a contract to rewrite your book in another genre. Which genre do you choose and why?

I would maybe make it more humourous. That is the only way I can see my book evolve, other than making it even more of a horror book.

You’re given $10,000 to spend on marketing for your book. How do you spend it?

A big Amazon Giveaway, get some well known online book promoter to promote it. Get lots of reviews.

Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?

Write the next one.

Would you rather own your own book store or your own publishing house, and what would you sell or publish?

I suppose books similar to my own, with exciting new authors.

Just For Fun

Your trademark feature.

At the moment, it’s my beard.

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

I paint, so paintings, published books. Being a good father.

Favorite time of/part of your day.

The evening. After completing a good day’s work.

Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.

St Michael’s Mount Cornwall.

Food you’d like to win a lifetime supply of.

Any Indian food or Thai. (it has to be vegetarian)

The topic you can’t shut up about/the topic you wish everyone would shut up about.

Brexit.

Buy it!

Buy a copy of Adventures of Death, Reincarnation and Annihilation by Francis H. Powell here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.

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