Author Interview

It is my pleasure to interview Dat Phan, author of “The Changing River: A Meditative Fiction.” My review of this title can be seen here. This work of fiction depicts one man’s journey of life as he overcomes alcoholism, lives in poverty with purpose, and faces tigers to survive.


Dat Phan is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin where he received a bachelor’s degree in science. Ordained as a Zen monk at Plum Village headed by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, he left the order after four years of practice. He now resides in France (Haute-Loire) with his wife and daughter, where he teaches English. He enjoys roaming in nature, and is passionate about playing music and basketball.

Feel free to visit changingriver.com and drop the author a line.
~*~
Heather: A traditional question here: Are any of the characters based upon yourself?

Dat: As any author draws from his life experiences to bring authenticity to his characters, I see myself a lot in Mr. Dubois and Rice Boy. But just as in a dream where we think that the people in it are outside of us, in reality, they are only aspects of ourselves, each character is a portrait and reflection of my own self.

Heather: This is very insightful and not something every author would readily admit. Thank you!
~*~
Heather: Have you faced your tigers?

Dat: My Chinese astrological sign is actually a tiger. I guess, if tigers represent fear, then I have seen its face and smelled its odor. The other week, I was driving on the highway in France near Lyon and a rock went straight into my windshield. It pierced a hole right through it like a bullet. Bits of glasses were everywhere on the driver and passenger seat. Some actually got into my eye. At that moment, panic arose. I became blind. But it's strange how fear can quickly transform into courage when there is a little calm and clarity. I kept the steering wheel straight and guided the car into the emergency lane. That day, I had an appointment with death, the great tiger that awaits us all. I was really close, but I guess it wasn't my time yet. Just after, I had this feeling of reverence that overwhelmed my heart. There was this deep appreciation for the most simple things. The more we touch our deepest fear, I think the more we'll appreciate our time on earth.

Heather: What a scary and intense gift you were given!
~*~
Heather: Will there be other books that follow Rice Boy and his family or Mr. Lee and his family?

Dat: I'm in the middle of writing "An Autobiography of a Hermit." It's the story of the wise man in the tree and what he did before he was on it. I really liked writing this one because it helped me look at my monastic path in another light. I kind of based the story on a dear monk that was a teacher, a big brother, and a true friend of mine. He has now passed away, but his spirit lives on with me each day.

Heather: It sounds like it will be wonderful to read.
~*~
Heather: Are you a student of meditation? Zen practices?

Dat: I have practiced both in the Tantric yoga and Zen tradition; about 10 years of formal training. But now, I just consider myself a student of life. I think any form of meditation should eventually free us from the form itself, like using a match to burn a fire, then the fire ultimately consumed the match. Some of us burn the fire but still hold on to the match.

Heather: I deeply agree.
~*~
Heather: Have you other books in the works? Others published?

Dat: I have one that I am writing with another author called "Chronicles of the Wanderer." It's a story of some persons traveling but you don't know how many or who. Most of the passages I wrote are in France and all the different towns and cities. I wanted to write and show how each one is so different, and also touch on different topics that relate to living life with all its surprises and learning to accept death. The other author explores other themes based in the US and also in a Buddhist monastery. This will hopefully be published next year by Linh Son Literature, books written for the "spiritually inclined and unconditioned mind."

Heather: I’ll be watching for it!
~*~
Heather: Have you been writing long?

Dat: I've been writing for about four years now, so I am still learning the ropes.

Heather: The ropes change course, so we are all in the same position.
~*~
Heather: What is the greatest message you wish readers to gain from The Changing River?

Dat: That meditation, freedom, and love is accessible for anyone. It isn't a sacred thing chosen for the few, but it is the foundation for being a compassionate human being capable of looking beyond the form as one day, one moment we would have to let go of everything that we know, might as well try do it now and see what happens!
~*~

Interview with Author Debbie Robins

Interview of Debbie Robins, author of "Where Peace Lives"
by Heather Froeschl



Debbie Robins spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry. She was the president of Roland Joffe’s Warner Brothers company, Lightmotive, a producing partner with director John McTiernan and Donna Dubrow, a producing partner with Penny Marshall, and a vice president at Disney. After achieving success in the entertainment industry and working with some of the top stars, Deb realized a call to action to help strengthen our Peace “muscle,” and to make it our most dominant, global trait. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Where Peace Lives” will go to City Hearts, a non-profit dedicated to healing the effects of violence and discrimination through the inclusion of Art in the inner city classrooms (www.cityhearts.org) and to Earth Rights Institute, which is dedicated to securing a culture of peace and justice throughout the world.

Heather: Thanks so much for taking time for an interview. I so enjoyed “Where Peace Lives,” and hope to be of some help in spreading the word about it.

Debbie: I appreciate your support beyond words, Heather. Peace is calling and we are answering the prayer. There is more war/hatred on our precious planet than ever before. It is my passion and purpose now to help children and grownups alike, myself included, strengthen their peace muscle.

Heather: “Where Peace Lives” is as much for adults as it is for the younger reader.
How did you come up with the idea to write such a far reaching children’s book?
Was “The Little Prince” something you read as a child?

Debbie: “The Little Prince” was not only a book I read as a child but a story I have treasured as an adult. The creative, magical, seemingly non-sensical style in which Saint Ex addresses a universal theme – gratitude for what you have rather than a focus on what you don’t have- is, for me, sheer brilliance. Because of that I’m sure it will come as no surprise to your readers that my second favorite book is “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”! I slept with “The Little Prince” on my nightstand for three years.

Heather: What prompted the idea of having the Angel, Peace, locked in a box?

Debbie: That’s a great question. And you are the first to ask it. Peace being trapped in a box is really my metaphor for our present day reality. Globally, we say we want peace, yet we are actually creating more of it. The book was, in part, my journey to discover what the gap is between our intentions and our reality. What I discovered is that we have peace imprisoned in the wrong box. We treat peace as an ideal, a hope, a prayer, when in fact it is a discipline, a muscle, a choice, a skill, a skill set. And until we choose to make peace a part of our global educational curriculum it is unlikely we will have more of it.

Heather: Have you heard back from children, or their parents, that they understand the imagery and symbolism?

Debbie: The response from children and adults alike has been humbling. I have over 250 letters kids have written me, ages 8 to 18, telling me that the book has changed their lives. They also include their promises for peace. I have also had the experience of being a volunteer peace teacher in the Los Angeles public and charter school system. What I can share with you is that our children are viscerally aware of the heightened level of violence on this planet. They want to make a difference but they’re not sure what it is they can do. "Where Peace Lives" seems to be answering that prayer.

Heather: Have you done a good deal of study on the wise people your six central characters are based upon (Martin Luther King, Jr., Siddhartha, Ghandi, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad)?

Debbie: Yes, I have read a lot about the peacemakers celebrated in the book but am, by no means, a historian or expert.

Heather: Why put the story in parable form? Why not in “real” circumstances with “real” people characters instead of animals?

Debbie: There were many reasons I put the book in parable form, primarily its natural ability to speak to all ages. Since peace is a choice, at every age, this was very important to me. The use of the animals was because animals tend to open our heart charka even more. And peace, as I’m sure you have experienced, lives in the heart.

Heather: What was your greatest challenge in writing the story?

Debbie: The greatest challenge for me, although I love every part of the process of writing, is getting a first draft done. It is that gigantic leap of faith and demands tremendous trust and perseverance.

Heather: Are there more books in the works that readers can look forward to?

Debbie: Thank you for asking. Yes, your readers should expect two more books in 2008. “Where Happiness Lives” and “Where Peace Lives; The First Challenge”.

Heather: Do you have other goals to work toward that involve this same peaceful theme?

Debbie: I feel that all my creative expressions, be it my consulting practice, film producing or writing are all, at their core, about peace. I work with clients and companies to create more peaceful and aligned environments from which to generate their success. I write movies about love, the home to peace. And my books of course, hopefully speak for themselves.

Heather: What has been the most interesting response you have gotten from readers? Does it seem that the message is being received?

Debbie: The interesting experience has been the enormity of the positive reaction to the book from children and adults alike. The book is touching the same chord; it is acting as a universal call to action to remember that peace is a choice, at every age, and we can make a difference. Also, the buying patterns have been in multiples. Few people purchase just one copy of “Where Peace Lives”. Instead, they buy books for themselves, their children, friends, colleagues, mothers, fathers, nieces, nephews, favorite teachers, non-profits, at risk youth centers, libraries, etc. Peace is back by popular demand!

Heather: And thankfully so! Thanks so very much Debbie, for visiting with me, but more for writing "Where Peace Lives."

Author Interview - Gini Anding

I've been reviewing Gini Anding's books for a few years now and so enjoy them; interviewing her has been high on my to-do list. I love a good mystery and some of Gini's answers surprised me! It only leaves me more firm in my belief that she is an outstanding author.


Heather:
Gini, thank you for taking a few minutes to tell us about your writing world! How did you decide to write as mystery author?

Gini:
Growing up, my favorite books were mystery series, especially Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, and Cherry Ames Nurse. From there I discovered Sherlock Holmes and the Fu Manchu novels, then the English writers such as Agatha Christie, John Dickinson Carr, Dorothy L. Sayers, et al. Through the years I've continued to read mysteries and I'm always in the middle of one, sometimes two at a time. Ten years ago, I began to concentrate on those written by women with female protagonists. Along the way, it struck me that works by women were usually closer to real life because they didn't hesitate to have their main character wear many hats at the same time, coping with children and aging parents, juggling the demands of the work place with those of a household. In mysteries by men, no one goes to the store, deals with smeared mascara, a broken fingernail, and ruined pantyhose, mops up spills, shops for gifts, takes a pet to the vet, burns dinner, cries out of frustration or fear, needs to check clothing apparel (little black dress, check, business suit, check, running shoes, check), or ever throws up. I came of age during the woman's movement and experienced first-hand the glass ceiling. I suppose I was influenced by Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, in which she writes at the beginning of Part II that one is not born a woman, but becomes one. By the way, Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique is dedicated to her.

Heather:
Do you find it challenging to work in the mystery, romance and the feel of Paris?

Gini:
For me, it's natural to write a novel based in Paris, a city I know well and visit yearly. And it was natural to create a female protagonist, Amy Page, who is on a voyage of personal discovery, becoming an individual with her own merits and identify. Part of her journey includes romance, the finding of her sexual side and giving in to its expression. She arrives in Paris as a product formed by others (marriage, children, social mores, community dictates). The opportunity to be in Paris in a very different milieu affords the distance necessary for coming to grips with the inner self, and the mystery in which she is unwittingly involved frees her to fall hopelessly and madly in love. The Ile Saint-Louis gives her an environment that encourages development of the rights of the individual within an atmosphere of self-containment, enabling her to become her own person. My Witness series depends on the combination of mystery, romance, and Paris -- all three elements are equal in importance.

Heather:
I love the Witness series you’ve created. How did you come up with the notion of a cookbook writer going to Paris and falling in love, while becoming involved in mysterious murders?

Gini:
The notion of developing my series around a budding cookbook writer demonstrates the age-old rule of thumb for all writers: write what you know. Cooking is one of my passions. I read cookbooks as though they were novels. Nearly a full decade before the idea of the Witness books was born, I started to write a cookbook, so it was truly a "ready-made" passion for the main character of a series. Too, there are quite a few mystery series that revolve around a character who cooks and these works include recipes. To set my work apart, I decided not to include recipes, but instead to discuss menus, food curiosities such as the difference between a tart and a quiche, the names of different foods such as croissant (the Turkish flag), and the ins-and-outs of the culture that surrounds food, such as how to set a table in France, how a French housewife mixes a vinaigrette (shake the ingredients for 30 seconds in an old Dijon mustard jar), when to remove the baguette from the table (after the salad and cheese, before the dessert), and the fact that the term "salad" refers to greens only and is served as a separate course after the main course unless it is a composed salad and then it may appear as the first course or the main luncheon course.

Heather:
Most mystery writers will have the complete murder and clues planned out before they begin. Does your main character, Amy Page, control any part of the manuscript drafting or do you keep her in control?

Gini:
Nothing in my novels is planned out; not the murders, not the clues, not even all the characters. Basically, I tend to trust my characters. Jean-Michel Jolivet, Amy Page's romantic interest, becomes a primary character, necessary to Amy's self-discovery, for he is the one character in the novels who is on a mission to understand her. I also think that my secondary characters are fully developed and have individual personalities of their own, as well as important roles in the world of the two main characters. I maintain elaborate notes on the secondary players, their likes, dislikes, attitudes, interests, backgrounds, so much so that their actions and reactions are "expected" and move the plot along. Of course, Caroline will say such and such -- that's who she is. While a third group of characters are present mainly as background, they are usually recurring figures, so they too are somewhat individualized and at times tend to break away from authorial control, the staff of the Chez Ma Tante restaurant being an example.

Indeed, there are many times when my main character, Amy Page, runs away from me, but then so do other characters, making authorial control a challenge. However, whenever I write myself into a corner, I find that if I can get inside a given character, I'll find my way out. On the other hand, having a main character in a mystery novel and not letting her be a sleuth or amateur detective who solves crimes through wit and cleverness means that I must assert authorial control at the end. The mysteries in my novels are solved off-stage and Jean-Michel Jolivet's major role in their resolution is usually known after the fact. Amy Page's role is to hold a vital clue, but one which is unknown to her. She is a witness. Sometimes not even I as author know just how that clue fits until she escapes my control and I sit down and have a chat with Jean-Michel, who leads me to the conclusion.

Heather:
How much of Amy is really you? Any at all?

Gini:
Amy Page is not my alter-ego, but there seem to be traits of me in her, or so my friends tell me, but then I have friends who try to find themselves in my secondary characters.

Heather:
Do you get to take trips to Paris to research for your books?

Gini:
I go to Paris every year and stay on the Ile Saint-Louis, where I walk every street, gaze at every building, gaze into all shop windows, read all menus posted at all restaurant doors, visit the church, frequent the food stores, take elaborate notes, reread all published histories, notice changes, and soak up the atmosphere of that tiny island in the Seine and of Paris in general. In the past, I have even rented an apartment on the Ile and "gone native." My "Author's Note" and sketched map at the beginning of each novel reflect my knowledge and first-hand experience. My husband takes the photographs for the covers, each one capturing the title.

I meticulously research the geographical, historical, cultural, and culinary details mentioned. I am a trained researcher and really enjoy that part of the writing process. I make sure that my facts and social observations are checked out by at least three pre-readers. I am fortunate to count among my friends a French jurist, a medical doctor, a retired pathologist, and an arms expert, whom I consult and whose advice I follow to the letter. I never exaggerate or fictionalize places and things, only people, and, in all truth, my characters are most likely composites
of people I've known through the years.

Heather:
How many books do you plan on there being in the series? Can we expect to hear more from Amy Page? Do you have plots in mind for future volumes?

Gini:
Currently, there are three Witness novels in print: Witness on the Quay, Witness at the Bridge, and Witness in the Square. A fourth, Witness by the Church, is scheduled to be released in November. On my desk is a folder with notes for a fifth, Witness in the Café, but I have yet to write the first word. I need to mention the cookbook, The Amateur Gourmet, that Amy Page is writing throughout the first three novels; it was published last fall under both our names. It is the cookbook I began so long ago, but I decided to list her as my co-author because I doubt that I would ever have finished it without her as my inspiration.

Heather:
What other works do you have in progress? I know you also write with your husband, and under another name. Do you care to share those titles with our readers?

Gini:
I don't have any other works in progress. The novels and cookbook are published under my maiden name. I wrote five critical books, nearly 50 articles, and almost 100 reviews and they were published under my married name. In addition, I have authored handbooks and manuals, historical articles, and position papers, so it became important to me to keep my two publishing lives separate. As an academic, I did co-author several works with my husband, but he is no longer in the writing business. Instead, he is my secretary, agent, business manager, advisor, copy-editor, first reader, photographer, sounding board, and primary critic.

Heather:
Please give us a bio.

Gini
I think that everything is on my web page:
www.GiniAnding.com.

Heather:
Is writing your “day job” or do you have other obligations to consider?

Gini:
I no longer have a "day job," having retired over seven years ago. Some weeks, I am busy with research, consultation, and chewing my writerly cud or "noodling" over ideas. Other weeks are filled with my favorite pastimes. I don't write by a fixed schedule, but when I write, it's usually in an intense way with just one or two pages of notes; at those times I write steadily from three to six hours a day.

Heather:
Do you enjoy the marketing side of being a published author?

Gini:
I absolutely hate the marketing side. I think that the commercial aspect of publishing is all the more maddening when I know that many bestsellers are riddled with geographical, historical, and/or cultural errors and some hot series are written by a team that does the research and actual writing, the author being the one who merely suggests the main ideas. Despite saber rattling against the formulaic by agents and publishers, it is the formulaic that is marketed the most.

Heather:
Any unique promotion plans in the works?

Gini:
Not really. I am immensely pleased that the local library in Middleton, WI, prominently displays my books, the Madison, WI, Barnes & Noble put Witness on the Quay on its shelves in the Mystery Section under A (for Anding), and at Christmas the St. Augustine Barnes & Noble carried in stock a copy of The Amateur Gourmet. It's a thrill to see one's work on a shelf in a library and in a bookstore!

Heather:
If there is anything else you would like to share, please do so!

Gini:
In 1995, I was diagnosed with MS. My neurologist is encouraging me to go public on a radio show in Lexington, KY and talk about life with a serious autoimmune disease. He is convinced that when MS forced me to give up physical activities such as gardening, tennis, and riding a bike, I turned to writing fiction. He may be right. Certainly, having MS has provided me with a lot of free time that I might not have had otherwise. I don't know. I've always been engaged in the writing process. As a child and teenager, I wrote a lot of poetry and I've always wanted to write a novel. Today, I only know that I enjoy my fictional world and take deep pleasure when I hear that others are enjoying my work. I suspect that MS or not, I would have felt compelled to try my hand at fiction in retirement. Just as reading has been a lifelong passion, so is writing.