He is a married man with two cats and a dog. He is also a martial arts enthusiast and a CrossFit endurer who enjoys fishing, sports, movies, TV series with continuing storylines, and of course, reading. Most inconsequentially, he holds the unrecognized distinction of being one of the few people in the world who have been paid to watch concrete dry in the dark. Tragically, that is a true statement.
Visit his website at http://carlyleclark.wordpress.com/.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Why is this question always so hard? You’d think in this age of infinite selfies and endless facebook updates I would have mastered the ability to blather on about myself, but I still haven’t got it. So I’ll make it quick for the both of us. Shockingly, I love to read, and I also love anything with excellent storytelling, as well as sports and CrossFit. I have bachelors in criminal justice and I work in corporate security management as well as writing. Saving the best for last, I’m a married fella with two cats and a dog.
When did you begin writing?
I began about ten years ago. I took creative writing class and the teacher would read a story from each student without identifying the student first. That meant I was able to secretly study readers', or in this case listeners', reaction to my story. To my great delight, they clearly enjoyed it, laughed at the funny parts and everything. (That story is called "He’s Faster," and it’s actually a prequel to my novel and can be found for free following the links below.) It took me a few years after that to figure out that waiting for inspiration to write was getting me nowhere, so I began making time.
What is this book about?
The Black Song Inside is about private investigators Rosemary Sanchez and Atticus Wynn being blackmailed by Atticus’s ex into unraveling the mysterious murder of her boyfriend. As the investigation delves deeper, the PIs are confronted by an ever increasing array of violent criminals, the most frightening of which being a messianic mercenary called The Priest, and the most emotionally troubling to deal with being Rosemary’s own gangsta brother, Johnny, and his crew.
What inspired you to write it?
I had read so many PI novels that it felt natural to write one. However, I didn’t want to write something that was exactly like what was already on the market. I definitely wanted protagonists you can root for and I wanted them to be competent, but I also wanted them to be, well, messed up. That’s why Rosemary is missing a leg and struggling with PTSD from being an Iraq war veteran and why Atticus is well, a little off, as some put it. And, what really got me excited was creating a frightening character like The Priest and working through his disturbing mental processes. Once I had my characters, they provided my inspiration by demanding their stories be told.
Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?
No, I don’t have an agent. At this point I’m not looking for one, and am instead using an intellectual properties lawyer to review my contracts. I may seek out an agent for my next project and I may not. It’s a new age with Indie publishing taking off where you no longer MUST have an agent to get anywhere. Now you have to really think about what you’re trying to do and whether you need an agent to accomplish it. It’s a much more liberating time to be an author than ever before.
Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?
For this novel it’s hard to tell in that the goal wasn’t traditional publication because I didn’t have an agent, and thus, had no way to approach the one publisher I was interested in. Then, after I self-published, they contacted me out of the blue and from then on it was fast and smooth and phenomenal. I guess I’d have to say it went from brick wall to smooth sailing.
Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?
You can find The Black Song Inside at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and at Audible.com. There is also a free prequel short story available, "He’s Faster," at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
What is up next for you?
Currently, my wife and I are co-writing a fantasy novel called Red Destiny. It’s a rejuvenating departure from crime fiction and we should have it completed before the year is out. Then we’ll begin work on the sequel to The Black Song Inside.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Yes, thank you for hosting me and for everyone for taking time to read this. Take care!
Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.
Pump Up Your Book & Carlyle Clark are giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
- By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
- One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive the Accelerate Your Power Grand Prize.
- This giveaway begins December 2 and ends February 28.
- Winner will be contacted via email on
- Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
ENTER TO WIN!
The Black Song Inside Tour Page:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment