Citywide Bytes—Author kicks off new trilogy set in a magical San Fran

In “The Others” (September, SparkPress) author Evette Davis blends magic and realism, creating a “secret society of supernaturals who seek to slow the spread of facism.” Here’s a look at what’s in store:

Olivia Shepherd is a political consultant with a secret: She’s an empath, with the power to experience the emotions of those around her. Keen to keep her supernatural abilities hidden, Olivia's world is upended when Elsa, an ancient time-walker, appears in her kitchen, unveiling a destiny she never knew she had.

As Olivia delves deeper into the hidden world of the "Others" who lurk beneath San Francisco's foggy streets, she finds herself drawn into the clandestine organization of The Council–who seek to influence humanity from the shadows–and Gabriel Laurent, the enigmatic leader of a realm where vampires, witches, fairies and demons navigate a delicate balance of power.

In this episode, we go into Olivia’s character, her abilities, and how she finds herself amidst this conflict. Evette shares Olivia’s motivation and how she handles this new world that she finds herself a part of.

We talk about the fantasy aspect of the story and why she chose to place it in San Francisco, where she lives. We even go into what will be happening in her next two books, but no spoilers here!

Five by Five: In her debut novel, Jude Berman shares a story of saving democracy

By Max Bowen

Author Jude Berman’s debut novel, “The Die,” saw its roots following the results of the 2016 presidential election, and in 2024, she sees the message as even more important. Here’s a look at the plot:

Darah, a tech writer living in the democratic nation of California, is dismayed to see the game she’s helping develop for a Silicon Valley tech company has been tampered with. When her hacker friend Jedd investigates, he uncovers a conspiracy that could change the nation—and the world.

With a circle of close friends, Jedd digs deeper and deeper into the darknet and exposes the unthinkable: an app is being developed that uses quantum computing and neuroscience to alter people’s brains, totally unbeknownst to them. As the friends realize the devastating impact of this technology, they’re presented with a dilemma: stay quiet and stay safe, or risk their lives to stand up to the international authoritarian force behind this plot?

In this new Five by Five interview, Jude shares the origin of the book, how it developed, as well as how it ties elements of spirituality with the current times. She talks about the lengthy research done for the science of the book, how she developed her main characters, Darah and Jedd, and the roles of cultural diversity and social justice in the story.


What about this topic appealed to you enough to write a book about it?
In a nutshell, the topic of “The Die” is saving democracy. I began writing it immediately following the 2016 election, after talking to so many people who expressed shock and dismay yet who had done little or nothing that might have contributed to a different outcome. I saw a soup of apathy, fear, anger and delusion. Some folks didn’t seem to think it made much difference whether they lived in a democracy or a dictatorship. Others saw the difference, but said politics was too dirty; even watching or reading the news was too toxic for them. Most of these people, if asked, would self-identify as “spiritual.”

I was deeply troubled by this tendency to create a dichotomy between our spiritual and worldly lives. How can our country—not to mention our planet—survive if we hold back from fully and lovingly engaging with it? In fact, I’d spent decades studying ancient sources of wisdom that defined spirituality in terms of our ability to appreciate the oneness of the universe and to carry that vision into each moment of daily life. Knowing most readers aren’t likely to pick up what they think is an archaic text, I wanted to incorporate the essence of that wisdom into a futuristic story that is both relevant and entertaining. In 2024, with the future of democracy even more on the line, I’m thankful I followed through on this topic. I only hope it’s not too late.

Do you have a lot of experience with this kind of science, or did this require some research? If so, what did you learn?
The nice thing about writing speculative fiction is that it allowed me to have a bit of fun with the science. I had the freedom to create any technology I wished, as long as I was fairly confident no one could definitively prove it couldn’t exist within the time frame I was suggesting it might. A low bar, really (which I made lower by not giving any specific dates for events in “The Die”). When I was on the academic staff at Stanford during the early boom years of Silicon Valley, just about everyone I knew was associated with one or another startup company, and when I began freelancing as a writer and editor, I did consulting gigs at various tech and biotech companies. So I’d say that—while I’m neither a hacker nor a gamer—I did get the basic lay of the land.

Fortunately, I have a strong research background and enjoy putting it to use. For example, the products in R&D at the company where our heroes work include smart dust and neurodust, which I learned about through my research. I also researched the timeline for the market introduction of aero cars, which I discovered is a bit of a moving target (pun intended). I didn’t have to do much research on the neuroscience I included, because I was familiar with that content from my work as an editor over the years.

How did you develop the characters of Darah and Jedd?
All the characters in “The Die” are based on counterparts in the ancient epic of the Mahabharata. Darah is based on Draupadi, and Jedd on Yudhishthira. I wanted Darah to be the only one who had experienced life in a dictatorship; that would enable her to appreciate some threats the others could not see and potentially to warn them. It also meant she would have sensitivities and vulnerabilities the others did not have—something that is both her strength and her weakness. I drew on my own experience when developing her character. Like Darah, I’m a first-generation American. While her mother was deported from the dictatorship to Afghanistan, my mother was arrested and then expelled from Nazi Germany. Like my mother, Darah suffers from PTSD; like me, she has intergenerational trauma. Notably, she works as a tech writer, something I used to do.

My original model when developing Jedd was Barack Obama. In addition to looking kind of like a younger Barack, Jedd has a similar wily combination of intelligence, problem-solving ability, leadership, and unshakable cool. Like Yudhisthira, Jedd has one human flaw: blindness when it comes to gambling. That flaw plays a pivotal role in both “The Die” and the ancient epic, suggesting that, despite the vastly different eras in which these stories take place, some basic aspects of human nature have not evolved all that much.

I read in your bio that your parents instilled “a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and social justice.” Does this come through in the book?
I think it comes through in various ways. I knew going into the project that, while the heroes of the Mahabharata are the five Pandava princes, having five male leads in “The Die” was a nonstarter. So I set about creating a diverse cast. Darah, in addition to being a woman, is a first-generation Afghan American. Jedd is a biracial man; his mother is Jewish and his father is African American. June is an Asian American woman. Beers is a physically large White man. Nick and Zack, based on twin brothers in the epic, are two gay men who look very much alike and jokingly call themselves twins. While it might seem obvious that all current fiction should reflect the diversity of our culture, I’m continually surprised at the extent to which this is not the case.

Social justice is central to the plot of “The Die,” as the characters fight to save democracy from a dictator who would destroy any prospects for a fair and equal society in which each person’s rights are respected and protected. I drew on the concept of dharma, from the Mahabharata and other Eastern traditions, to exemplify the principles of equitable and right action and of working for the greater good of all. How ironic that we could learn how to embody principles central to social justice from wisdom dating back to an era when monarchy and social hierarchy predominated.

I also read that you’ve worked as an editor and running two small presses. Did this help you in the writing or publishing process?
Being both a developmental and a copy editor certainly helped. I’d almost go so far as to say this book (and the two that are forthcoming—“The Vow” [Oct. 24] and “Shot” [July 25]) would be no more than a twinkle in my brain if I didn’t have those skills. Running the small presses didn’t affect my writing but it did inform my journey through the publishing world. I learned firsthand the critical importance of both distribution and marketing/promotion for a book’s success. When many people were turning to self-publishing, I swore I’d never do that because I wasn’t going to underestimate the challenge of getting a book into the hands of readers. At the same time, while I had always venerated traditional publishing, I began to see that wasn’t a viable route for me, due to my age and lack of a large enough social media following. When I learned about hybrid publishing (specifically, SparkPress/She Writes Press), my experience with small presses led me to quickly appreciate how the hybrid model could offer the best of both worlds. Some authors new to hybrid publishing struggle with their responsibility for promotion, but my experience with small presses made it easier for me to see why and how I needed to jump in. Plus, I had a partner in my publisher, so I didn’t feel the burden of self-publishing—or for that matter, the stress of running a small press.

Rhode Island Author Expo: Political chaos and real-life adventures across the world

As the big day approaches, here’s the final of the two-part series previewing the Rhode Island Author Expo, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It’s a free event with more than 100 writers, panels, raffles and more.

David Shoorens is up first and his book, “The Refuge,” may have that “ripped from the headlines” sound, but I assure you, it is a work of fiction….for now. The U.S. is a broken country, with a far-right president granted unprecedented power over their political opponents. We talk about the story and how it came to be, the characters that inhabit it, and his take on the world as it is now.

Closing this episode out is Thomas Brillat with his first book, “Ekaternia.” The main character Ekaternia is a relative of Tom’s and he talks about how he learned of her story, and how he turned these family tales into a completed book. He goes into the more memorable stories and how he wrote what was effectively a ‘practice book’ before writing this one.

Two comics for the price of one!

The name Scott Hoffman (AKA Babydaddy) is well known in the world of music as co-founder of the disco glam band Scissor Sisters. And now we can add “comic writer” to his resume with the release of his two series, “Nostalgia” and “Wag,” both available through Comixology Originals.

Scott and I talk about how both these series came to be. “Nostalgia” is about a reclusive rock star in a dystopian future, and you can bet Scott channeled some of his time in the music industry into this title. We also go into the sick artwork, which is some of the dreamiest, trippiest drawings I have seen.

Next is “Wag,” also in a dystopian future, but that is where the similarities end. Wag is the story of a loner in a post-apocalyptic world, who hears voices in his head. We talk about the legwork that went into creating the character and the world he lives in.

George Franklin takes us into the hallways of Washington in his new book

Let’s face it: politics is pretty nuts. And who better to capture that wild, sometimes insane nature than George Franklin, a longtime lobbyist in Washington, D.C., Congressional candidate, and author. In his new book, “A Feeding Frenzy in Washington,” this former Fortune 500 corporate executive and Capitol Hill staffer pokes fun at DC and the politicians who comprise the circus we call Congress.

But don’t let the characters fool you—this is entirely a work of fiction. No, really, it is.

In this episode, Curtis and I talk with George about what went into writing this book, his fourth to date. He talks about the characters and some real-life inspiration that worked its way into their creation.

George has worked in Washington longer than some of us have been alive, and shares some of the people that he’s met that resonated with him. He defines just what a lobbyist is (surprisingly, the movies and shows have it wrong!) and the work he did over the years.

Of course, this interview wouldn’t be complete without asking George the all-important question. When it comes to democracy in 2023, are we going to be OK?

Michael Bland’s second book pushes his character to new limits

In Michael Bland’s debut novel, “The Price of Safety,” we’re introduced to Dray Quintero and his mission to save his daughter from a crime she didn’t commit. As intense as that was, things get taken to a whole new level in “The Price of Rebellion.” Here’s a look at the synopsis.

It’s 2047. Secrets have been revealed. And Washington wants revenge. Dray Quintero learned an ugly truth: the leaders in D.C. are fake. Using his technology, they’ve stolen the identities of those duly elected to Congress and are determined to stay in power. After revealing the dangers of their government-mandated implants to his fellow citizens, Dray joins the already-underway rebellion. Before he can strike, The Agency attacks with devastating consequences. Dray and the other survivors are forced to run as Agents hunt them.

Michael and I talk about how Dray has grown as a character from the first book and the challenges that await in the second. We look at how Dray learning his tech has led to the takeover of D.C. affects him and how he manages as a part of the rebellion.

In the future, everyone has a microcomputer in their brains and computer-screen lenses in their eyes. Kind of like what we have now. Michael tells me how current technology and politics influenced that of “The Price of Safety” and what awaits us in the next book.

Patrick H. Moore builds on the success of first novel with “27 Days”

By Max Bowen

Like they say, write what you know.

Patrick Moore has taken his career as a private investigator and built a brand-new career as a novelist. His first indie-published book, “Cicero’s Dead,” has led to a new novel, “27 Days.” In this book, we meet PI Nick Crane, caught in a race against time to save his friend and business partner from alt-right power brokers and domestic terrorists who will spare no one to “Make America Safe Again.”

The terrorist group, “The Principles,” is led by Nick’s old enemy Marguerite Ferguson, who is out for his blood. When The Principles kidnap Nick’s friend and business partner Bobby Moore, Nick is informed that he has 27 days to surrender to Marguerite, and if he doesn’t, Bobby will be tortured and murdered. Help appears in the form of a young, idealistic female FBI agent named Carrie North who wants to arrest Marguerite for conspiring to commit domestic terrorist operations against the U.S.. Nick and Carrie join forces and the race against time to rescue Bobby Moore begins.

In this interview, Patrick talks about how one career led to another, Nick Crane’s progression as a character, and the topical aspect of the story.


Let’s begin with your choice to jump into novel writing. What prompted this?
I don’t really remember making a choice to write novels. It’s almost like it was just a given in my psyche, analogous in a way to Descartes’ famous dictum, “I think; therefore, I am,” only in my case it would be “I exist; therefore, I write novels.” The fact my parents read to us a lot when I was a child undoubtedly helped plant the seed.

In 2014 you indie-published your first thriller, “Cicero’s Dead.” How did that experience help with your new book?
“Cicero’s Dead” was my first Nick Crane crime thriller. It did fairly well and sold plenty of electronic downloads. Although many readers really enjoyed Cicero, I felt it had a few flaws, which I tried to correct in “27 Days.” First, I felt Cicero was a bit generic. The antagonist, Arnold Clipper, was a bit of a stock villain. Furthermore, he was offstage through most of the story. The reader only experienced him third hand. So, in “27 Days,” I took pains to make the villains highly visible. Also, I felt the text of Cicero arguably contained gratuitous violence, which I tried to avoid in “27 Days.”

How did your career as a private investigator and sentencing mitigation specialist inform the book?
Through working as an investigator and a sentencing mitigation specialist, I’ve become very familiar with how our legal system actually works, particularly at the federal level. I’ve worked on hundreds of cases, mostly criminal in nature. I’ve seen score of judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys in action, and I’ve interviewed countless witnesses. I’ve pored over Discovery, sometimes for days at a time. All of this experience has enabled me to write thrillers that are, hopefully, realistic in terms of how our criminal justice system works.

Were there any stereotypes or clichés of thrillers that you wanted to avoid?
I wanted to write a novel with social and political relevance, which is perhaps not typical of most thrillers. I wanted it to be more than pure escapism. On the other hand, I followed many of the standard conventions. I tried to create a page-turner steeped in unpredictability in order to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Patrick H. Moore

What writers do you feel really get the reality of criminal investigations?
Richard Price and Michael Connelly come to mind. Also Tana French, the brilliant American-Irish writer who has made Dublin her center of operations. And of course, there are many others. I think that Steve Hamilton, Dennis Lehane and James Lee Burke also have a good handle on the “reality of criminal investigations” filtered through their own potent imaginations.

The antagonists of the book want to “Make America Safe Again.” How do current events tie into the book? Was this always the plan?
The “Make America Safe Again” theme reflects the current ethos of the far right here in the United States, which I believe poses a “clear and present danger” to our democracy. The January 6th insurrection is a perfect example of this unfortunate mentality in action. I think the unhinged quality of the antagonists in “27 Days” reflects the “win at all costs” mentality of many present-day right wing elected officials and their enablers in the media. It was always my intention to depict a similar group of miscreants in action in “27 Days.”

In your opinion, what are the challenges of tying in current events without making the book all about your political viewpoints?
This is an excellent question. We’ve all read books where the storyline is simply a thinly-veiled attempt to “make a point” rather than to simply “tell a good story.” The key to avoiding this pitfall, which I was of course aware of, was to create compelling realistic characters (my protagonist Nick Crane and his crew) locked in a life-or-death struggle against their adversaries. The reader is welcome to simply enjoy a lively and suspenseful page-turner without giving much thought to the larger social implications of the story if they so choose.

Nick Crane and Marguerite Ferguson. Who are they and what happened to make them enemies?
My protagonist Nick Crane is a veteran LA private investigator. Although compassionate on the inside, he is one tough and determined SOB, more than willing to “throw down” when necessary. His main antagonist in “27 Days,” Marguerite Ferguson, is one of the principals, a shadowy group of wealthy and influential right-wing aristocrats. Nick has been a thorn in the side of the principals ever since he and his team brought one of their key members, a serial killer of women and “gentler, kinder torture” expert named Frank Constantine, to justice in 2011, eight years before “27 Days” takes place. In the prequel to “27 Days,” which is called “Rogues and Patriots,” and which will hopefully be published next year by my publisher Down & Out Books, the reader will learn that Nick has thwarted all of Marguerite’s previous attempts to destroy him, earning her undying enmity in the process. Marguerite is not used to having her plans foiled and she perceives Nick’s refusal to bow down to her and the principals as a resounding slap in the face.

Are Nick and Carrie North a good team? How do they complement one another?
Nick Crane has always been somewhat skeptical of law enforcement and he is initially highly suspicious of FBI Special Agent Carrie North and her intentions. Nick is used to bending or breaking the rules as he sees fit and reporting to no one. Nonetheless, Nick learns to accept Carrie based on the courage she exhibits, her firm belief that Marguerite Ferguson must be brought to justice for the good of America, and her willingness to help Nick rescue his partner Bobby Moore, who has been kidnapped by Marguerite and her crew. Carrie, on the other hand, gradually gets used to Nick and comes to accept his unconventional approach to “working a case.” As the story progresses, the reader sees that Nick and Carrie are, in fact, indispensable to one another.

I loved the cover! How did it come about?
I’m really glad that you like the cover, something that everyone seems to agree on. We wanted a dark and forboding cover that epitomizes the danger Nick finds himself in. The managing editor of Down & Out Books, Lance Wright, asked his sister Dr. Margo Nauert to design the cover and, to my delight, she did a brilliant job.

Will there be more Nick Crane books?
I certainly hope so. I believe that Down & Out Books will publish the prequel to “27 Days” early next year. It is called “Rogues and Patriots” and it will answer many of the questions readers of the current book have concerning what led up to the predicament Nick finds himself in at the beginning of “27 Days.” “Rogues and Patriots” is almost finished. There will be a third and final book in the “Nick Crane versus Marguerite and the Principals” series with the working title of Giant Steps. After that, I may write more Nick Crane thrillers but they will either be standalones or part of a new series with different antagonists.