Monday, August 22, 2011

Author Interview: T.A.Bradley

Author Name: T. A. Bradley

Book Title: Lucifer's Pommel

Book Price: $2.99

Available: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80569


Book Review: "A thrilling book that I could not set aside. It was almost like reading a King book and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next." Helen Youngblood, an avid Horror fan.

Book Description: Welcome to a small town's Hell.
When a misdirected icon arrives in the small town of Banderman Falls, its power draws the personification of evil, Zachariah Witherstone, who has but one objective – the acquisition of Lucifer's Pommel. It is this remnant of the Devil's sword, used when he was cast from Heaven, which will enable Witherstone to remain in corporeal form. Through dreams and visions, Witherstone draws the inborn malevolence from the townspeople to fuel his power. Men and women are set against one and other as a nightmare of horror takes over the town. As his powers grow, he is able to take an ancient demonic form, a Betorak. And with the acquisition of the pommel, it seems his powers are unstoppable. But the town's sheriff, Jack Dougherty, is not about to give up. He enlists the aid of his friend, Ethan Kennedy, a former Special Forces operative, as well as the town's physician, Dr. Michael Robertson. They soon discover that what they are dealing with is beyond their capabilities, and that the outcome of their final stand will depend on members of an ancient, secret society, a priest, an old man, and a small boy.

How would you describe your book, Lucifer's Pommel? Overall, it's a journey into the darker side of human nature and how we succumb to - or rise above - our inborn malevolence.

Where did you get the idea for your novel? I guess the short answer comes in the form of the age old question all authors ask: "What if." In this case, I asked, "What if evil could take physical form?" That set up the original premise ... Suppose the sword that Lucifer used when he was cast from Heaven was found, and it drew an evil to it that could use it to remain physical rather than purely emotional.

Which character from Lucifer's Pommel is your favorite? That's a really difficult question. I really enjoyed developing Arliss Peterson. I set it up so that she had to journey through herself to find her strength and learn what she needed to know ... to remember ... to successfully deal with the daunting tasks that lay ahead of her.

I also have a soft spot of Eric Baxter, an older man thrust into a nightmare that required the strength and courage of a younger man ....yet he didn't flinch ... even when he knew it would separate him from the only thing in his world ... his dog.

What makes Lucifer's Pommel stand out from the crowd? I think that, in this case, my background in medicine and ability to astutely define human nature helped my create characters that were not one-dimensional ... neither all good nor all bad. For a novel of this sort, "the willing suspension of disbelief", must come from a strong sense of realism in the areas that are not imaginary.

How did you plan out your book? I started with a basic core idea and asked myself what kind of characters did I need to make it work. Once I put the characters in play...I let them write the story based on their personalities and the challenges they had to face. It wasn't until I was about two thirds finished that I actually started to map out the ending.

What's your story as a writer? I started writing when I was roughly 17, but never had the luck of getting anything published. Wanting to become a physician, I joined the army and served as a Clinical Specialist during the Vietnam War. I moved from patient care to research not too long afterward, but kept writing merely for my own pleasure. In 2008, for health reasons, I left the field of research virology and started writing full time. I have several short stories published, with one coming out soon at John Betancourt's Wildside Press's Vampire Megapack. I don't think there's a better feeling in the world than being able to sit down and create something from nothing more than a fragment of an idea.

Do you plan to publish in the future? I just published Lucifer's Pommel, and am currently preparing a book of short stories for publication, as well as a second novel, Primordia - all in the horror genre.

Any advice for others wanting to self publish? I guess the only advice I have is what anyone would tell another author. Make your book the best it can be before publishing. If you've edited 3 or 4 times...you're not done yet. Aside from that ... plan out your marketing now and get started, because the self-publishing arena is a wild place. Tons of books, and you'll have to get yours read by doing your own marketing.

Author Bio: Born in Philadelphia, PA, T. A. Bradley lives in Conshohocken, PA with his fiancée, two German shepherds and a cat. He served with the Army Medical Corps during Vietnam as a Clinical Specialist. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology, his Master's work done in Virology He has worked for a number of biotech companies as a virologist.
He is the author of several short stories, with two completed novels and three in the works. His short stories have appeared in several magazines. Weeping Willow will appear in the upcoming edition of John Betancourt's WildSide Press's Vampire Megapack. He now writes full time




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