Interview with Stefan Vucak, Author of Cry of Eagles

Stefan Vucak is an award-winning author of seven techno sci-fi novels, including With Shadow and Thunder which was a 2002 EPPIE finalist. His Shadow Gods Saga books have been highly acclaimed by critics. His recent release, Cry of Eagles, won the coveted 2011 Readers Favorite silver medal award. Stefan leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry and applied that discipline to create realistic, highly believable storylines for his books. Born in Croatia, he now lives in Melbourne, Australia.

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Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

As a kid, I liked doing things all other kids liked doing - until I discovered books, an illustrated copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas. After that, I was gone, lost in the universes those books opened up for me and dreaming of creating my own. I had a great time at school, even though English and its convoluted grammar rules did give me some trouble, but those rules gave me a grounding how to write. My first effort was pretty awful and I am glad it will never see the light of day. That thing went through two rewrites, but it still isn’t something I want to share. Call it my training wheels.

My first successful book, although not perfect, a science fiction work, was presentable and I tried for a long time to break into the traditional publishing market while holding down a demanding job in the IT industry, which kept me very busy. But writing has always been a passion and a drive, and I kept at it in my spare time. When ebook publishing took off, I at least got my books out to readers. I have been writing for more than ten years and still learning, but I like to think that my latest works are something I am proud to share. These days, I am no longer in the IT industry and I spend my time writing, reviewing and being a hard-nosed editor.

Where did you grow up?

I have vivid memories of my childhood in Croatia, but when my family immigrated to Australia, I really grew up in Melbourne. The place was a lot different then, not the bustle and impersonal steel and concrete of today. Perhaps that’s progress. I was educated in Melbourne and spent most of my professional life working there, except for the three years in the Middle East - an eye-opening experience.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

Looking back on those times, there are a number of fond experience that spring to mind. I do recall with a smile when I used to walk to school. I didn’t have a bicycle at the time. I gathered pebbles off the road and took potshots at bottles in the gutter. But I liked summers best. I would walk to a creek not too far from where we lived and explore the meandering waters, enjoying the hot sun and being totally carefree. I’m not so carefree these days...

When did you begin writing?

I always wanted to write. As far back as I can remember, the printed word held a fascination that allowed me to escape into other worlds, other characters. For an imaginative kid, it was better than candy - almost. Where I attended primary school, there was a small library at the top of the street, which I made my own. I remember bringing books home to my mother’s vast amusement and my father’s disapproving frown. He never had much time for books or learning, but I cannot hold that against him. He did not have the opportunities I had, but at least he made sure I had them.

At school, I loved my essay writing assignments, even though many of my classmates found it an agonizing chore. I could never figure out what was the big deal. My specialty was using elaborate flowery language. I loved adjectives, sometimes to excess. But nobody could describe a sunset, a moonlit night or the booming of crashing surf like I could. The one thing my writing lacked was people. It took me a while to make the connection. Prose was great, but great writing had to involve people, drama, conflict, emotion and everyday life. When I learned to write dialogue, everything clicked, or so I thought. Man, how I labored to learn what good dialogue was all about! You can have brilliant narrative, but crummy dialogue will sink you. I still haven’t stopped writing and learning how to do it.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I am a morning person, a result of having to get up early over the years to go to work, and that’s when I like to write. That discipline hasn’t left me and I still get up early. I am fresh and my mind is charged, ready to go - most of the time. I find I am most productive during the first half of the day. In the afternoon, I spend transcribing material from my notebook into the computer and doing initial editing. Although I don’t normally write in the evening, sometimes I do. It all depends on inspiration and what I am writing about at the time. There are also moments when I wake up in the middle of the night when an idea pops up and I simply have to jot it down.


What is this book about?

Cry of Eagles is about a Mossad conspiracy to drag America into a war. Iran’s nuclear capability represents a clear national threat to Israel. Although concerned, the United States and Europe are reluctant to increase sanctions. Frustrated that nothing is being done, Mossad decides to force the United States into action. A black ops team sabotages a refinery complex in Galveston and plants evidence that incriminates Iran, confident that an enraged America will retaliate. Congress and the public urge the U.S. president to bomb Iran, but the administration lacks direct evidence. With carriers positioned in the Gulf ready to strike, the world waits to see if the Middle East will explode into open conflict. With tension mounting, the FBI uncovers a shocking truth. It wasn’t Iran at all, but Israel! A government falls and America forces Israel to confront the Palestinian problem.

What inspired you to write it?

Well, having written seven science fiction books in my Shadow Gods Series, I decided to make a foray into contemporary fiction, hoping it might give me a better chance of getting with a traditional publisher. I’m still hoping. Having been interested in Middle Eastern politics, and world geopolitics in general, for some time, seeing what is happening in Israel and the misery inflicted on the Palestinians, I saw a story in it. Cry of Eagles touches a possible raw nerve, looking as it does at some of the history behind the Israeli/Palestinian problem, unwillingness by the American administration to broker a settlement, Mossad prepared to do anything to further Israeli interests, how the FBI operates, makes for what seems a unique treatment of the topic. I hope it is also an entertaining yarn.

Who is your favorite author?

Looking back, a number of writers influenced me. During my science fiction phase, two stand out: Roger Zelazny and Keith Laumer. When his writing was good and before he descended into sorcery and mysticism, Zelazny had an evocative, deceptively easy style that was a pleasure to read. When I can reread a book several times and still enjoy it, that’s my view of a great book, and Zelazny had several. His mixture of characterization and action was finely balanced, allowing the reader to fill in missing pieces, to become part of the story.

Keith Laumer had an irreverent, sardonic writing style that blasted my sensibilities and often amused me. Some of his stuff was terrible, but a lot was extremely entertaining. In the end, that was all that mattered. His writing style left an impression on me, as looking back, I find my main characters being slightly dismissive of authority and impudent, but still good at what they were doing.

Since my sci-fi days, I sampled writers from other genres. I like Stephen Coonts, at least his early works. Sadly, he descended into trash popularism, culminating with Saucer, a truly awful book. But a couple of hundred books later, the techno thriller genre gave me a solid grounding into the workings of governments, spy agencies, the military, and war machinery of all kind. It was a good launching platform for my own contemporary novels.

I guess every author I came across must have left an impression, especially if I bought more than one of his works. They all talk to me from somewhere in my mind as I put my own words down on paper.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Having finished my first book, a science fiction work, which has expanded into seven books in a series, I thought all the hard work was behind me. How many years ago was that! It seems like a different lifetime. Back then, there was no Internet to help writers, and although there were books telling you how to format and submit your manuscript, I didn’t have them. My formatting did not conform to the requirements and my submissions resulted in a pile of rejection letters. All very frustrating, seeing some of the stuff that got published. Along the way, I tried getting an agent, but that didn’t work out. With the Ebook market opening up, I found immediate success, but I am still trying to break into the traditional publishing market.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Readers can purchase my books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other Ebook outlets. They can also be found at my publisher sites:
Solstice Publishing: http://store.solsticepublishing.com/stefan-vucak/
Double Dragon Publishing: www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

I have a website www.stefanvucak.com that lists my books and where readers can contact me. My blog has some posts and articles.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

If there is one thing I learned over the years as a writer, if anyone is contemplating taking this on seriously, he should be prepared to spend many lonely hours with a pencil and paper, and sitting behind a computer screen. There will be disappointments, frustration, angst ... and moments of sheer exhilaration and satisfaction when the words flow and the creative process produces something wonderful. Writing is a gift, but it can also be a curse. But once bitten with the urge to create, there is no cure.

What is up next for you?

Having finished a contemporary drama novel, due out next year, I decided to return to my Shadow Gods series and write one last book about Terrllss-rr, his loved one Teena and his battle against the Celi-Kran. At least I think it will be the last book. Fates can be funny that way. It’s a big universe I created and there is lots of room for more books. It has been a number of years since I finished the last novel in the series, but I never felt comfortable that things were complete. My current work should put a cap on it.

Abe March's They Plotted Revenge Against America

In They Plotted Revenge Against America, an American attack on Baghdad leaves heartbroken and angry survivors. Two different families, one Muslim and one Christian, are wiped out in the 2003 raids and their young adult progeny are determined to avenge the loss of their loved ones. An Israeli Secret Service Agent with a grudge of his own, knows just how to tap into the vulnerabilities that grief leaves, and he organizes the training of select men and woment whose desire for vengeance is strong enouh to consider a deadly covert mission in America. Trainees will learn to blend in, disappear in the multicultural mix of the US and then infest the food and water supply with a deadly flu virus capable of mutating and infecting the human population. The antidote - if it works - will only be revealed under strict demands.

As a part of their indoctrination, mission members must have a deep understanding of the causes of conflict in the Middle East. Peering through the darkness of their grief and hatred, some team members come to realize that they could ultimately be responsible for millions of innocent deaths. Their actions could break the stalemate between the Israelis and Palestinians - or bring unparalleled tragedy.

As our special guest blogger, I asked author Abe March to discuss the premise behind his new political thriller. Here is what he had to say:

With my story, They Plotted Revenge Against America, I attempt to show in a simplified manner through the eyes of its characters, how the unresolved dilemma between Israel and Palestine perpetuate “acts of terrorism”. America’s engagement and support of activities that continue to foster hatred between the parties is evidenced by its actions. The history of all events could not be addressed, but rather the consequences of this unresolved dilemma that lead to retaliation. The subject of terrorism is normally seen as something to defend against and portray those who commit “acts of terror” as evil people. The focus of this book is to understand the actions that cause these events, as seen through the eyes of the freedom fighter/terrorists seeking revenge.

What does the average American know about the M.E. problem? Do they read to learn about the issues involved? Do they really care? The problems were primarily “over there” until 9/11 brought the reality home. With more understanding about the cause, and not just the effect of terrorist activity, change can occur. Realizing that people living under occupation over a prolonged period of time will seek a means to lash out in retaliation, can assist with understanding and initiate a greater resolve to end the stalemate. America wants to be seen as an “even handed” broker in finding a solution, however it is viewed by those oppressed as one-sided with its unqualified support for Israel, even ignoring the rule of law.

My story, expressed in dialogue by the members on their mission of revenge, question why UN Resolutions are not enforced against Israel but are enforced against other countries. The invasion of Iraq further damaged America’s image and reinforced the belief that America’s foreign policy is controlled by Israeli influence.

This book considers a new weapon, with greater devastation than any mechanical weapon previously used that could reach the heartland of America. Awareness of this potential threat is needed to defend against it, but more importantly, to defuse the need for such an act to occur.

Trying to write a well-balanced book was difficult. I let the characters speak their mind. They reflect a change of attitude once they realize that the average American is either ignorant or naïve when it comes to actions taken by their government.


About the author:

Abe F. March is an international business consultant and author, living near Landau, Germany with his wife Gisela. An active retiree, he enjoys hiking and exploring the local vineyards and can also be heard singing with a regional men's choir. Mr. March's career has taken him around the world to work in many areas from his birthplace in the USA to Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

His first book, To Beirut and Back - An American in the Middle East, was published in 2006 and is a memoir of his adventures that took him to Lebanon in the 1970s. Mr. March grew up in York County, Pennsylvania on the family farm, and he served in the USAF from 1957-61. His business career got underway with the computing sciences division of IBM's service bureau where he held positions as manager of administration and operations analyst. He later joined an international cosmetic company where he rapidly achieved top distributor status and was promoted to Vice President of Sales Development and Product Marketing Management, an opportunity which took him throughout the USA and into Canada, Greece, and Germany.

With international experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. March started his own importing business headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, for the distribution of cosmetics and toiletries to the Middle East markets. With an ease about him and a talent for developing business relationships, he also functioned as a locator of goods and services sought by Mid-Eastern clients before the civil war in Lebanon destroyed his successful business enterprise. Mr. March returned to the United States to start over, and was soon working on an international level once again. His subsequent work involved Swan Technologies, Inc., a personal computer manufacturer in West Germany, and back to the US to work with Stork NV, supporting a fleet of 1200 Foker Aircraft. He officially retired in 2001.

For more information please visit http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch.

Quo Vadis (Where Are You Going), Israel? by Peter Nennhaus

Quo Vadis, Israel?

by H. Peter Nennhaus

Should you look at my latest book, Quo Vadis, Israel?, which expounds on the idea of “moving the State of Israel to greener acres”, you are likely to ask, ‘Is Peter Nennhaus a crackpot or, worse yet, an anti-Semite?’ Let me assure you, I’m neither. Instead, I made a serendipitous discovery, which, if we send a few prayers to heaven, may hold immense benefit for the Israelis and many others as well.

In a nutshell, the book tells you that there will never be peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not in fifty years and not in a century, and that there are obvious reasons for this. It further says, peace or no peace, the demographic time bomb will go off perhaps in three or four generations, whereupon the Israeli Jews will be a minority and exposed to the vengeance of the angry Arabs. Consequently, Israel resembles a patient who suffers from a disease that’s not only chronic and incurable but ultimately fatal. I know, that prognosis is one for the books but it is essential for understanding Quo Vadis, for if you believe it might be true, you will be intrigued by what my book is about. On the other hand, if you believe my deadly prognosis is nothing but poppycock you should not waste your time on it.

Let me tell you how this came about. I grew up in Germany and still have relatives there. It started innocently enough with a nasty joke about President G.W. Bush, which I e-mailed to my cousin. In his reply he attached a travel journal about a trip to the so-called Kaliningrad Territory. This is the northern part of what used to be the German province of East Prussia on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. Upon Germany’s defeat in 1945, Stalin annexed it and gave the southern part of the province to Poland. I had known all along about the ill reputation of the Kaliningrad area, but my cousin’s report was nothing less than appalling. The Russians have made a mess of it. It is a failed state. It is the site of indigence, Stalinist bureaucracy, endemic corruption and alcoholism, drug abuse and drug trade, illicit arms trade, crime and the strong arm of the Russian Mafia. The Europeans call it the Devil’s Kitchen and The Black Hole. More importantly, for reasons explained in the book, no help is in sight as there is a standoff between Moscow and the European Union about how to correct the problem.

Reading about this, a fleeting thought passed through my mind. How prosperous and healthy would this land be, I thought, had in 1948 the State of Israel been created here instead of in Palestine. Neither of the neighbors, Lithuania and Poland, have a claim to the land, so there would be nobody in the world to accuse the Jews of having stolen the land. The next day the thought came back. Could one transfer the State of Israel up to the Baltic now? It was an absurd idea as well and I dismissed it. Unsolicited but intriguing, the idea turned up day after day, although being ignored every time. After perhaps ten days, I gave in and, enjoying intelligent hobbies, decided to carry out a little research, which would prove the foolishness and absurdity of the concept once and for all. That’s what I did, yet to my utter surprise, after many months, my investigations proved the exact opposite.

Many questions had to be answered. What was the background and justification of Zionism? What has happened to its goodwill and idealism? Why hasn’t peace been achieved in sixty years? How do the Arabs look at Israel and the West? What would have to happen to appease their animosity? What are the chances that peace and harmony are ever to come about in the Middle East? Is Israel’s permanence endangered by the higher birthrate of the Israeli Arabs? If so, how long will it be until they outnumber Israeli Jews? What are the history, climate, fertility and economic viability of the Kaliningrad Territory? Why would Russia sell the land to the Israelis? What are the chances that the Israelis agree to this plan? Who is going to pay for it and is it affordable? What benefits would be accruing to the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Russians presently living in Kaliningrad, the Middle East, the European Union, the Russian Federation and the world at large?

Instead of finding the catch hiding in the project, the reason for its failure, after months of study everything kept falling neatly into place. The benefits were immense. Israel would be saved from an incurable and fatal disease by a well-planned surgical operation. It was an operation that was safe, predictably successful, and affordable. Equally promising were the benefits accruing to the Palestinians, the Middle East in general, and all the other parties involved. It would be a legitimate business transaction assured of worldwide approval and it would end a painful tragedy.

It was to be expected that this concept would encounter disbelief and rejection because of its novelty and extraordinariness. It might also evoke spurious fears of violating our pro-Israeli attitude and loyalty although the reverse is true. I also remembered rational policies being rejected for no other reason than that they were out of fashion or disapproved by ideology. But, I felt, before we discard this concept out of hand, it should first be put up for discussion and so I decided to publish it.

That was easier said than done. No publisher and no agent was willing to accept the challenge or to venture out into such unexplored territory. In the end, I availed myself of the friendly services of Outskirts Press, a demand self-publisher.

It is a brief text. I hope you will read it and do so with goodwill in your heart and an open mind. That is the spirit in which it was written.

Author’s Bio: H. Peter Nennhaus, a retired surgeon and Illinois resident, was raised in Berlin and became a U.S. citizen in 1961. He is the author of Boyhood, the 1930s and World War II, Memories, Comments and Views from the Other Side. Among his various interests, the study of the history of the 20th century, the Holocaust, and anti-Semitism has been a persistent focus.

To order Quo Vadis, Israel? go to Amazon.com or http://outskirtspress.com/quovadisisrael


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Quo Vadis, Israel? by H. Peter Nennhaus--Book Review

Well-written, intellectually stimulating, and thoroughly researched, Quo Vadis, Israel? provides the open-minded reader with a unique solution to a decades-long problem.

Since its birth in 1948, the State of Israel has been consistently despised and attacked. Numerous peace efforts by various countries and organizations have failed to bring about a long-lasting solution for Israel and Palestine.

But what if Israel were moved to a more suitable land in Europe?

This is what author H. Peter Nennhaus asks the reader to contemplate while providing an historical background of the conflict, the history of anti-Semitism, and the bleak outlook for the future in the Middle East.

For such a short piece of work (~ 110 pages), Nennhaus has managed to pack in a plethera of facts, figures, and important dates. It is obvious he is knowledgeable about this topic. He makes a strong case for moving Israel to a more suitable location--one where the State of Israel and its inhabitants wouldn't be surrounded by a bunch of countries and people who wish them harm. Showcasing the abilities that the Jews have for turning wasteland into prosperous territory, Nennhaus believes the Jews will do equally well in creating a new home in a land that is in much better condition than the land they received in 1948. The author willingly admits that this plan will be difficult for many to accept, but this reviewer admires his convincing arguments.

In Quo Vadis, Israel? I found a probable solution that would finally allow the State of Israel and its people to live in peace.


Title: Quo Vadis, Israel?
Author: H. Peter Nennhaus
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978-1-4327-1459-9 (Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-4327-0919-8 (Hardcover)
U.S. Price: $11.95 (Paperback)