​Please tell us about your latest book. My latest book, Koolura and the Mayans, is the third book in the Koolura Series. Each book in the series is loosely connected to the other books in the series, but a reader doesn’t have to read book one to appreciate book three. In this third book, Koolura, a girl with extraordinary psychic powers, visits Oaxaca, Mexico with her deaf friend, Leila for a family wedding. The girls visit Monte Alban, a Mayan archeological site. When they explore one of the ruins the girls are transported over 1000 years into the past where they meet an advanced race of aliens that are enslaving the Mayan people and perhaps planning an invasion of Earth. Can Koolura and Leila prevent a time shift?
 
What can we expect from you in the future? I just started researching for my next book, Gem of Peace: The Story of a Deaf Girl in Iran. It will be a fictionalized account of the life a Jewish girl in Iran during the 1950s-70s. It will be loosely based on the childhood of Jila Haghighat, my fiancé, who died last year from colon cancer.
 
How do we find out about you and your books? You can learn more about my books and my writing on my website at www.michaelthal.com. If you’re interested in young adult novels, visit Pop’s Blog at www.michaelthal.com/blog. Here’s where you can read book reviews written by independent authors as well as traditional authors. I also write about current trends in YA lit and suggest books for kids to read. Here are more links: 
 
The Legend of Koolura: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Koolura-Michael-L-Thal/dp/1470135337/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245825&sr=8-1&keywords=the+Legend+of+Koolura
 
Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback: http://www.amazon.com/Koolura-Mystery-Camp-Saddleback/dp/1494351730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245888&sr=8-1&keywords=koolura+and+the+mystery+at+camp+saddleback
 
Koolura and the Mayans: http://amzn.com/B01D3UM8JY
 
Goodbye Tchaikovsky: http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Tchaikovsky-Michael-Thal/dp/0880924691/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245970&sr=8-1&keywords=Goodbye+Tchaikovsky
 
The Abduction of Joshua Bloom: http://www.amazon.com/Abduction-Joshua-Bloom-Michael-Thal/dp/1625260725/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458246019&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Abduction+of+Joshua+Bloom
 
The books are also available on publisher websites and on Barnes & Noble.
 
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?  I taught elementary/middle school for 28 years. During that time I learned a lot about the middle grade student. That knowledge has been carved into the personalities and behavior of my characters. For example, Koolura is modeled on the personalities of my daughters, Channie and Koren. I also have a strong belief in being kind to others, so my main characters tend to be friendly and polite. Their antagonists, on the other hand, aren’t as accommodating bringing tension and stress to the stories.
 
When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms? I first started writing seriously after a dream about being abducted by aliens. From that dream I wrote The Abduction of Joshua Bloom. However, that project started during my late 20s. The book didn’t get published until 2012. Back in 2000 I suffered from an irreparable hearing loss that left my right ear deaf and my left ear severely damaged. I couldn’t understand my students any longer. When my ENT specialist suggested disability, I jumped at the opportunity to become a full time writer.
 
Generally, how long does it take you to write a book? That depends on the book. Koolura and the Mayans took two years to write. Goodbye Tchaikovsky, the story of a deaf violinist, took about a year to write.
 
Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? I try to write a chapter a month. For Gem of Peace, I’m in the research stage and should get started writing the book this summer.
 
What is your writing routine once you start a book? I write a chapter then get together with my writing group, The San Fernando Valley Critters, and share what I’ve written. They read the chapter and provide feedback. I then go home, edit, and then write the next chapter. So it goes until the book is finished. With the finished manuscript I re-read, edit, then send off to trusted friends to read and advise. Once that’s done, I’ll send the edited version to my publisher. She is always impressed with how little work she has to do. LOL.
 
What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions? My daughters are adults and don’t live with me any longer. My Jila passed away last year. All I have left to interrupt me is Scribble, my dog. So if she wants to bother me, I give her a bone and that usually shuts her up. LOL!
 
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries? I visit Channie and my grandchildren or take a trip to Boston to see Koren. But usually, I enjoy going to the gym for a workout.
 
What truly motivates you in general?  In your writing? Once I set a goal for myself I see it through. The monthly meetings of my writing group are a huge motivator to have something to show my writing friends. I refuse to go empty handed.
 
Where do your ideas come from? A few of my ideas came from dreams. Some come when running around beautiful Lake Balboa. And others just pop into my head. I keep a pad of paper nearby and write down ideas so I won’t forget.
 
Do you feel humour is important in YA fiction and why? Yes, humor is very important. For example, in The Legend of Koolura there are many classroom scenes. To keep my kids interested as a teacher I used humor. When kids read they too like to laugh. There are also sad scenes, exciting scenes, and scenes that will make you cry. All the emotions are tugged in my books.
 
What kind of research do you do? For Koolura and the Mayans I had to research a lot about Mayan civilization and incorporate that knowledge into my book. In Goodbye Tchaikovsky I researched hearing loss as well as Deaf Culture and specific signs. To be effective I took ASL classes at a community college. As I’m researching for Gem of Peace I am interviewing Jila’s family to learn more about her childhood in Iran, the community in which she lived, the Persian language, Iranian architecture, etc. Writers want our books to feel as realistic as we can make them feel.
 
Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? The Abduction of Joshua Bloom is science fiction. Goodbye Tchaikovsky is realistic fiction. And the Koolura series is middle grade/YA fantasy. All five books are linked to the middle school/high school audience I write to. However, adults read my books too and enjoy them as much as the kids.
 
What does your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend think of your writing? Jila was very proud of my writing. Whenever I had a book signing party she’d invite her family and prepare the food.
 
Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.) I grew up on Long Island, New York during the 1950s and 60s. I earned a BA in History at the University of Buffalo then went on to Washington University to earn a MA in elementary education. I chose to live in Los Angeles because of the warm climate. I have two adult daughters, I enjoy traveling, and exercising at the gym.
 
Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine. My favorite dessert is chocolate ice cream. My favorite city is New York City (in the spring/summer), and my favorite season is summertime. As a boy, my hero was Superman and my favorite heroine was his cousin, Supergirl.
 
What are some of your favorite things to do? I enjoy tutoring children and I volunteer at my local synagogue teaching ESL to Iranian and Russian immigrants.
 
Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book? Right now I’m really into Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles. The first in the series is Cinder, which is followed by Scarlet, and then Cress and Winter. I’ve turned into a real Lunatic!
 
Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?  John Grisham’s books always hold my attention. And a little known author, Anne Lauder McGee is excellent. You don’t want to miss her extraordinary historical novel about the Civil War, Anni’s Attic.
 
What do you think of critique groups in general? My critique group has been a huge asset to me.
 
Where do you see yourself in five years? My ex-wife and her husband bought me a condominium in Encino, CA. I plan on being here in five years. I love the place. However, I just started a new job as an International Coordinator for exchange students from Europe and Asia. So I see myself getting involved with that job and taking copious notes for book ideas I may get from that experience.
 
How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer? I’ve been writing since I was 27 years old, so that’s about 40 years now. Writing professionally began after I left my sixth grade teaching job back in 2001.  My interest in becoming a writer was evolutionary, however losing most of my hearing was a huge impetus.
 
How many books have you written, how many have been published? I’ve written five books and all five have been published.
 
After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it? I always buy a copy for my Kindle. I guess I’ll re-read the books after their 10-year publication dates. Got some time on that. I did re-read Goodbye Tchaikovsky. While writing it I injected the emotions of my hearing loss into David Rothman, the main character. So when I read about David’s trials, I cry every time.
 
Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine? I feel the closest to David Rothman because we both suffered from an overnight hearing loss. So Goodbye Tchaikovsky is my favorite, and it’s won awards. Recently it won Second Place in the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards.
 
What book for you has been the easiest to write?  The hardest?  The most fun? Goodbye Tchaikovsky was written in a year, the fastest book I’ve written. It was also the hardest because of my emotional involvement with the main character. Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback as well as Koolura and the Mayans was a lot of fun to write. Having the support of my writing group can attest to that.
 
Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting? That depends. In The Abduction of Joshua Bloom the story came first. In Goodbye Tchaikovsky the protagonist came first. When I write the Koolura series I first think of Koolura, then the setting, and finally the plot.

What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you? The hardest is sitting down and doing it. Once I’m in my seat, time flies.
 
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer? A teenage girl once said to me, “I love the Koolura Series. I can’t wait until the next book comes out.” I’ll make sure to give her a copy as soon as my print copies are sent to me.
 
If you weren't writing, what would you be doing? I’d probably tutor more children or take on a part time job.
 
Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers? It took over 150 rejections before The Legend of Koolura was accepted by Solstice Publishing for publication. So never give up and make sure when you do submit the work it is your best.

Please tell us about your latest book.

Mother is a psychological thriller in the vein of Psycho and Misery, with a pinch of Peyton Place and a dash of Gaslight. It concerns a young, expectant couple, Claire and Jason Holbrook, who’ve fallen on hard times, forcing them to move in with Claire’s estranged mother. Claire vowed to have no contact with the overbearing woman ever again, but Mother is thrilled at the prospect of a grandchild. At Mother’s, Claire and Jason begin experiencing things that make them determined to leave immediately … but when a cruel twist of fate makes leaving impossible, Claire becomes obsessed with her mother’s motives. Fantasy and fact blur together as her compulsion consumes her, and Jason wonders who the villain really is. When a cache of macabre family secrets is uncovered, Claire and Jason find the answers they’re looking for - answers that will change them forever … assuming anyone can get out of Mother’s house alive.

What can we expect from you in the future?

More installments of The Witches of Ravencrest, a collaborative sequel to Tamara’s classic vampire novel, Candle Bay, a solo novel from each of us, more collaborations, and an abundance of fascinating dark fiction writers on our radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!

How do we find out about you and your books?

Readers can find everything they’re looking for and more at our websites: tamarathorne.com and alistaircross.com  We also have a mutual blog.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

While it’s impossible for an author not to “leak” into his or her stories to some degree, we try never to insert ourselves into our work. Nothing has either of us shutting a book more quickly than the author’s constant presence, peering over our shoulders as we read, telling us what a fascinating person they are, showing us how much they know. The author’s ego is an easy thing to spot, and in our opinion, doesn’t belong in fiction. So we work very hard to not inject our personalities and personal narratives into our work.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

Tamara: I was in second grade when I wrote my first story simply for the joy of it. I began devouring every last book on writing the library had in those years - there were hundreds - and continued reading and writing throughout school. After a hiatus to try out the “normal world” I decided to write a novel. I submitted it when it was finished. That’s it.

Alistair: I first thought about being a writer when I was in third grade. I began submitting manuscripts when I was in my early thirties and what prompted me to submit them was the hard-earned knowledge that I would never truly be happy until writing was my job and not just my hobby.

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

With edits and final research, five to nine months. Basic research begins in spare moments many months before that.

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

Absolutely. We write together from 8:30 am to about 7:00 pm Monday through Friday, and put three to six hours in on Saturdays for promotional and other business-related tasks.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?

It always starts with several weeks of research and world-building and brainstorming. Then we write every day, keeping regular hours. As we get close to the finish, we give up other Saturday tasks to finish. Immediately after that, we dive into our major edit, then send it out to the copy editors. While they have it, we begin the research, world-building and brainstorming on the next book. When the completed book comes back, we read it again and do our final edit. Then it goes to the publisher and we’re instantly writing our next novel.

What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

We set boundaries and made it clear very early on that writing was our job. We don’t receive phone calls or accept visitors during writing hours, the same way we wouldn’t be chatting on our phones or hanging out with friends if we worked for a company. Initially, people do assume that you’re available when you’re working at home, but you just have to shut that down before it gets out of control. Sometimes, you have to be harsh … the people around us wouldn’t really dare interrupt, and that’s the way we like it. Only our cats get a pass.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

Tamara: After a long day at the computer, I like a couple of cats in my lap, a Family Guy or two and then some horror - a Walking Dead, a Supernatural, a horror movie. In bed, what I need is a hard, strapping novel that knows how to make love to my brain.

Alistair: I read. A lot. I’m also a fan of The Walking Dead. And I like going for drives with no destination in mind, listening to really loud music.
 
What truly motivates you in general?  In your writing?

Tamara: Desire for knowledge and love of fun motivate me in equal parts. In my writing, it’s all about being passionately interested in my subject matter - so it’s pretty much the same thing.

Alistair: My primary motivation is to get out the stories that have been milling around in my mind for the majority of my existence. My secondary motivation is a refusal to fail, an unwillingness to be one of those “writers” who never actually writes anything.

Where do your ideas come from?

Everywhere.

Tamara: Often my ideas gel in dreams, though more often, Alistair and I just begin riffing on something small - a tiny detail in a photo, a peculiar word, a place - and we end up brainstorming. Before we know it, we have another book to write.

Alistair: Agreed. The real question is, where don’t you get ideas. Ideas are all around you, all the time.

Do you feel humor is important in the horror and thriller genres and why?

Humor is vital to horror or any other anxiety-inducing genre. Unrelenting stress isn’t any fun for many of us (although we have met a handful of folks who seem to enjoy chronic stress and chaos!) Alfred Hitchcock always made his audience relax or even chuckle before doing something shocking. While we don’t set out to do humor, certain characters inevitably rise up and give some comic relief. We’re grateful - they keep our heads from exploding.
 
What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

Not at all. While we don’t write full-on romance, there’s plenty of it in many of our books. The Ghosts of Ravencrest is loaded with it and our scenes tend to be quite spicy. Every so often, we enjoy titillating our readers. We’ve been told the section of The Ghosts of Ravencrest titled “Awakening” requires smoking after the, uh, climaxes.

What kind of research do you do?

We do all kinds of research. We always try to get reality right - from housing styles, to types of high heels, to how to get a pike into someone’s skull properly. We discovered we both have a penchant for historical research when we wrote “Christmas Spirits,” a historical novella inside The Ghosts of Ravencrest. For Mother, we researched certain aspects of psychology - both through written material and by consulting a friendly psychologist - to make sure we got everything right. To write outrageous things, your base in reality must be impeccable.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?

We don’t really think about genre. No matter what we write, it’s unlikely we - alone or collaboratively - are capable of enjoying writing a story that doesn’t have a horrific aspect.

What does your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend  think of your writing?

We are both very fortunate that our spouses are extremely supportive of our careers and what we write. They love our stories and we love them for it.

Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

Neither of us have ever let our mates read until a book is complete - then both will read for continuity and grammatical errors. We appreciate that, and their praise. It means a lot.

Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)

Tamara lives in southern California with her high school sweetheart and a passel of purring felines. Her husband loves to cook and her hobby is encouraging him. Tamara’s educational background is in journalism and psychology.

Alistair also married his high school sweetheart and they live near the mountains with two cats and one blind, deaf, elderly dog. Alistair’s hobbies include poetry, photography, and stalking Stevie Nicks. Well, not stalking exactly, that would be creepy. But, you know, waiting in angst for the next album to drop … googling for pictures he might somehow have never seen before. Things of that nature.  
 
Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine.

Tamara: Lemon sour cream pie. San Francisco. Fall. Deadpool. Feisty.

Alistair: Raspberry cheesecake. New York. Fall. Anyone who dares carve their own path. Spandex pants?

What are some of your favorite things to do?

Tamara: Hike the trails at Joshua Tree National Monument or hike any mountain trail, go to allegedly haunted locations and soak up the atmosphere - or if it’s a touristy haunt, plant ideas in people’s heads to watch reactions. Petting cats. Reading. Roadtrips.

Alistair: Read, go on long drives. Listen to music.

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

Tamara: I teethed on Ray Bradbury and consider him my mentor. His book, Dandelion Wine, is an eternal favorite. Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House, Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor, Tolkien, LOTR.  All early favorites, all influences.

Alistair: I have a few favorites. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It by Stephen King. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Pines by Blake Crouch. The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?

Tamara: Stephen King and Nelson DeMille - those are two authors whom I will read even if I don’t care for the subject matter. I enjoy many, many more. Graham Masterton, James Blaylock, Douglas Clegg, Peter Straub, Harlan Ellison, Kurt Vonnegut, and of course, Alistair Cross!

Alistair: Stephen King, V.C. Andrews, John Saul, William Peter Blatty, and Tamara Thorne (I know she’s my collaborator, but I’m serious. I’ve been a fan since the 90s)

What do you think of critique groups in general?

They’re great for some people. A good group, free of petty jealousies, is hard to find, but if you like going the critique route, that’s what you need.  Neither of us have ever been joiners. We prefer another writer to critique with - and we have each other for that. We have a good friend, a children’s writer who used to be an editor that we go to for content commentary when we finish a manuscript.  

Where do you see yourself in five years?

No changes except for having lots more books out! And Alistair will be totally buff. He’s working out, you know. Tamara will become buff by osmosis.

How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

We have both been writing since the earliest primary grades and both of us have always wanted to be writers.

How many books have you written, how many have been published?

Tamara: About a dozen, maybe more. All have been published or are about to be.

Alistair: Several collaborations with Tamara, one solo and another on the way.

After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

Tamara: No. It’s behind me and I prefer to look forward. Though occasionally, I’ll reread a book that’s a few years old and I don’t remember it so well. That’s fun. Alistair and I are both about to reread my vampire novel, Candle Bay, because we’re writing the sequel together.

Alistair: No. By the time a book goes to print, I’ve already read it anywhere from five to seven times, and by then, I’m clear sick of the sight of it, and eager to get started on the next.

Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine?

We’re in love with our new psychological thriller, Mother, as well as our ongoing series, The Ravencrest Saga, which pays homage to gothics like Dark Shadows and lots of other things. We’re both very fond of Ravencrest’s Belinda Moorland - we love watching her grow. We’re also crazy about Ravencrest’s Grant Phister - a butler who is more than he appears. And then there’s Coastal Eddie, a DJ/conspiracy nut (or is he?) who first debuted in Candle Bay and now appears in all of our collaborations as the voice of unreason and, perhaps, reason.

What book for you has been the easiest to write?  The hardest?  The most fun?

None of our collaborations have been difficult, but Mother has been, hands down, the most fun. An absolute blast. And despite the fact it flowed onto the page easily, it was also the most difficult to write - it’s been a complicated dance. We should also mention The Cliffhouse Haunting - we shrieked with glee regularly during its writing.

Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?

Alistair: Usually, the characters come first for me.

Tamara: It’s often a location, but location is a character. It’s always character.

What are the elements of a great romance for you?

Tamara: Spookiness, mystery.

Alistair: Longing.

What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?

Tamara: The hardest part is getting up in the morning. The easiest is the joy of brainstorming - and writing once we get in the zone.

Alistair: The hardest part for me is often research, and sometimes setting. The easiest part is dialogue.

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you work through it?

We don’t believe in it. If something isn’t coming, we just write. It can be nonsense, it can have little to do with the project, but before long we’re there. We think writer’s block often emerges when an author trying to force a character or story to do his or her bidding. Listen to your characters, keep typing, and it will flow. Honestly, we consider pleading writer’s block a lazy way to get out of working.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

The short commute to the desk and the comfy clothing are nice, but the best thing about being a writer is getting to create new worlds, to live in them, and feel what our characters feel. Finishing a book is about as satisfying as it gets.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Tamara: Maybe a profiler - I’ve been told I have a knack for that - and it’s similar to being a writer. Or a forest ranger or a beach bum. Maybe a Halloween-house engineer.

Alistair: Honestly? I’d be miserable. Likely drunk most of the time. Perhaps I’d have a job somewhere, doing something inane and repetitive, assuming I didn’t get fired for being drunk.

Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

Don’t write to a market because you think you might make money that way - write what you love. Write every day and don’t take advice from anyone who isn’t where you want to be.

MOTHER
 
A Girl’s Worst Nightmare is Her Mother ...
Priscilla Martin. She’s the diva of Morning Glory Circle and a driving force in the quaint California town of Snapdragon. Overseer of garage sales and neighborhood Christmas decorations, she is widely admired. But few people know the real woman behind the perfectly coiffed hair and Opium perfume.
 
Family is Forever. And Ever and Ever ...
Nothing escapes Prissy’s watchful eye, nothing that is, except her son, who committed suicide many years ago, and her daughter, Claire, who left home more than a decade past and hasn’t spoken to her since. But now, Priscilla’s daughter and son-in-law have fallen on hard times. Expecting their first child, the couple is forced to move back … And Prissy is there to welcome them home with open arms … and to reclaim her broken family.
 
Home is Where the Terror Is ...
Jason Holbrook loves his wife. He’s heard Claire’s stories about Priscilla, but now it seems Mother has mended her ways, and as he uncovers a cache of vile family secrets, he begins to wonder who the real monster is. Lives are in danger - and Jason must face a horrifying truth … a truth that may destroy him … and will forever change his definition of “Mother.”