I want to welcome G.D. Ogan. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.
While now a "senior citizen," I'm somewhat of a novice when it comes to writing fiction. However, I wrote a good deal during my 20+ years in the service on military procedures, and during a second career in the field of psychology, as well as writing for automotive and running magazines (for fun).
Tell us about your latest release.
"Immortal Relations Coming Out" is the third in my paranormal romance "Immortal Relations" series. While each book stands alone, I think it's best to read the second to get the most out of the third, since there is so much action in the second book that relates to the third. My guardian vampires, having saved mankind from nuclear war as well as two potential ecological disasters in the second book, are discussing "coming out" to the human population (telling them that vampires really do exist and its been these good vampires who have saved mankind). Being sworn to protect innocent humans from the blood-thirsty type of vampires as well as criminals and evil politicians, our good vampires set up a new coven in Southern Canada to monitor an evil regime that appears dedicated to destroying America. This same regime, has reason to believe that this group setting up shop in Canada was involved in defeating the Communist Chinese invasion of Siberia, so they are showing signs of being willing to attack the group in Canada. Things get "fast and furious" from this point forward, yet there is time for a good deal of love.
Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.
1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?
Vlad Dracula is normally portrayed as the ultimate villain in vampire books; however, in my novels he has been reformed (by his lovely wife of course) and is now a champion of the vampires seeking to safeguard innocent humans.
2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?
That is a close one! I love Vladimir Kolukov, who in the first book is the leading General Officer in the Russian Federation and later becomes a Field Marshal. In the second book, he is suffering from terminal cancer but accepts the offer tendered by our good vampires to "change" him in order to save Russian Siberia from a Chinese invasion. He quickly becomes the President of Russia when terrorists wipe out the Russian government. To watch him in action is to grow to love him! However, I have a vested interest in Gary Logan, the human who fell in love with a lady vampire and thus volunteered to become one himself in order to stay with her throughout eternity. Quirky and with thinking that is definitely "outside the box," Gary is often laughable in his efforts to please the two ladies who changed him. He considers his masters much to their consternation. Yet when the proverbial poop hits the fan it is Gary's extensive military knowledge and out of-the-box thinking that allows the cavalry to arrive in time to save the day! Were it not for the fact that Gary's character is actually that of the author (myself) I think Kolukov might win out on favorite character.
3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?
When I was...what shall we call it..."transcribing" the first book (my muse was busy dictating the storyline and telling me all about each of the characters), I considered it a "kick-ass" action story. It was an editor who told me what I had was a "paranormal romance" (who knew?!). I bowed to his judgement so I call it paranormal action or his choice, paranormal romance (since that is one of the more normal categories).
4.) What are you working on now?
I've been toying with the idea for a book to be read to children about time-travel back to the age of dinosaurs. My six-year-old granddaughter is crazy about dinosaurs so I have a portion of a book drafted that puts her (and myself) in the action of helping a paleontologist friend design and construct a time-machine. Lots of action in this, even before an unexpected event causes the machine to whisk the three of us back in time. (that is as far as I've gotten to date). I have a good amount of research already done on which epoch we will visit and what proto-dinosaurs we will see before we move forward in time into the Jurassic...then there will be more action of the running and screaming kind I feel sure! (-:
5.) What got you to start writing?
I'm sure you've heard of "Writer's Block." I have the opposite problem, an over-active imagination (along with that "out-of-the-box-thinking") so I've always been day-dreaming and started writing down some of my thoughts fairly early. Being involved in long-distance running, I would submit articles about the events and these were routinely published in magazines like "The Long Distance Log" and my interest in automobiles had me writing for "Cruisin' Style Magazine"...I'd rather WRITE than speak, so I've gravitated to jobs that allowed me to do a lot of writing. Procedural writing in the military, including what to do in various emergency situations. I wrote treatment programs and then performed psychological intakes in a couple of my jobs with the Texas Prison System.
6.) Where do you get your ideas from?
As mentioned above, my overactive imagination forces me to filter out the MANY ideas and scenarios fighting for attention and inclusion in my writings. With my military background as well as what is happening in this country and around the world, ideas are always popping into my consciousness, plus I do a lot of reading in diverse scientific and technical areas, as well as historical books to go along with my love of the paranormal genre. I'm just finishing up reading "Berlin Diary, The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent..." Being a student of history, with a love of reading about the causes of the madness of World War Two, this book helps fill in some of the missing events, glossed over by the large historical tomes. Granted, it is just one man's opinions of what went on; however, since he was working as a correspondent in the various capitals of Europe as the war-clouds gathered, the book provides an almost daily view of where the failures occurred and whose fault it was.
7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?
I think my strong feelings of patriotism come out in my writing; however, I'm very libertarian in many areas, especially in what I call "explicit togetherness," which I feel is a nicer term for "sex." I consider my series to be for "Open-Minded-Adults" (especially the first book, "Immortal Relations". http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G
8.) Do you have any special talents?
Well, I used to be a fairly good long-distance-runner; however, too many miles on the legs forced me to give that up in my advancing age. I also was a fair shot with rifle and handgun, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be, although I can still cover seven shots on a target shot at 21 feet using my Custom1911 Colt .45 with a silver-dollar, using bullets I've loaded myself.
9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?
Well I'll leave out the expletive, but I was told "Write what you like and don't let the b 's get you down!"
10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?
Sir Winston Churchill, I'd love to listen to him talk in detail about his part of WW-II. I firmly believe without his "bulldog" like tenacity and leadership, England and perhaps most, if not all of the civilized world would have fallen to the dictators in Germany, Japan and Italy. Dictators are on the rise around the world (and close to home) again and I'd certainly talk to him about that as well!
11.) What song would you say describes your life?
While I think everyone goes through hard-times at some points in their lives (I know I have) but overall I would think Debussy's "Ode to Joy" is mine!
12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?
One of our Pomeranians, we have loved those dogs like they were our own children and they have given us equal if not greater love in return!
Immortal Relations Coming Out continues the Immortal Relations series. After saving mankind from a war with the potential of going nuclear, as well as other potential disasters, the guardian vampires consider the positives and negatives of "coming out" to humans. But unforseen events make the discussion moot and threaten the existance of the guardians from several quarters. Just when all seems lost, a greater threat presents itself, providing our good vampires an opportunity to prove their worth once again to possibly change peoples views that vampires might not all be an evil threat.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=G.%20D.%20%20Ogan&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank
While now a "senior citizen," I'm somewhat of a novice when it comes to writing fiction. However, I wrote a good deal during my 20+ years in the service on military procedures, and during a second career in the field of psychology, as well as writing for automotive and running magazines (for fun).
Tell us about your latest release.
"Immortal Relations Coming Out" is the third in my paranormal romance "Immortal Relations" series. While each book stands alone, I think it's best to read the second to get the most out of the third, since there is so much action in the second book that relates to the third. My guardian vampires, having saved mankind from nuclear war as well as two potential ecological disasters in the second book, are discussing "coming out" to the human population (telling them that vampires really do exist and its been these good vampires who have saved mankind). Being sworn to protect innocent humans from the blood-thirsty type of vampires as well as criminals and evil politicians, our good vampires set up a new coven in Southern Canada to monitor an evil regime that appears dedicated to destroying America. This same regime, has reason to believe that this group setting up shop in Canada was involved in defeating the Communist Chinese invasion of Siberia, so they are showing signs of being willing to attack the group in Canada. Things get "fast and furious" from this point forward, yet there is time for a good deal of love.
Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.
1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?
Vlad Dracula is normally portrayed as the ultimate villain in vampire books; however, in my novels he has been reformed (by his lovely wife of course) and is now a champion of the vampires seeking to safeguard innocent humans.
2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?
That is a close one! I love Vladimir Kolukov, who in the first book is the leading General Officer in the Russian Federation and later becomes a Field Marshal. In the second book, he is suffering from terminal cancer but accepts the offer tendered by our good vampires to "change" him in order to save Russian Siberia from a Chinese invasion. He quickly becomes the President of Russia when terrorists wipe out the Russian government. To watch him in action is to grow to love him! However, I have a vested interest in Gary Logan, the human who fell in love with a lady vampire and thus volunteered to become one himself in order to stay with her throughout eternity. Quirky and with thinking that is definitely "outside the box," Gary is often laughable in his efforts to please the two ladies who changed him. He considers his masters much to their consternation. Yet when the proverbial poop hits the fan it is Gary's extensive military knowledge and out of-the-box thinking that allows the cavalry to arrive in time to save the day! Were it not for the fact that Gary's character is actually that of the author (myself) I think Kolukov might win out on favorite character.
3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?
When I was...what shall we call it..."transcribing" the first book (my muse was busy dictating the storyline and telling me all about each of the characters), I considered it a "kick-ass" action story. It was an editor who told me what I had was a "paranormal romance" (who knew?!). I bowed to his judgement so I call it paranormal action or his choice, paranormal romance (since that is one of the more normal categories).
4.) What are you working on now?
I've been toying with the idea for a book to be read to children about time-travel back to the age of dinosaurs. My six-year-old granddaughter is crazy about dinosaurs so I have a portion of a book drafted that puts her (and myself) in the action of helping a paleontologist friend design and construct a time-machine. Lots of action in this, even before an unexpected event causes the machine to whisk the three of us back in time. (that is as far as I've gotten to date). I have a good amount of research already done on which epoch we will visit and what proto-dinosaurs we will see before we move forward in time into the Jurassic...then there will be more action of the running and screaming kind I feel sure! (-:
5.) What got you to start writing?
I'm sure you've heard of "Writer's Block." I have the opposite problem, an over-active imagination (along with that "out-of-the-box-thinking") so I've always been day-dreaming and started writing down some of my thoughts fairly early. Being involved in long-distance running, I would submit articles about the events and these were routinely published in magazines like "The Long Distance Log" and my interest in automobiles had me writing for "Cruisin' Style Magazine"...I'd rather WRITE than speak, so I've gravitated to jobs that allowed me to do a lot of writing. Procedural writing in the military, including what to do in various emergency situations. I wrote treatment programs and then performed psychological intakes in a couple of my jobs with the Texas Prison System.
6.) Where do you get your ideas from?
As mentioned above, my overactive imagination forces me to filter out the MANY ideas and scenarios fighting for attention and inclusion in my writings. With my military background as well as what is happening in this country and around the world, ideas are always popping into my consciousness, plus I do a lot of reading in diverse scientific and technical areas, as well as historical books to go along with my love of the paranormal genre. I'm just finishing up reading "Berlin Diary, The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent..." Being a student of history, with a love of reading about the causes of the madness of World War Two, this book helps fill in some of the missing events, glossed over by the large historical tomes. Granted, it is just one man's opinions of what went on; however, since he was working as a correspondent in the various capitals of Europe as the war-clouds gathered, the book provides an almost daily view of where the failures occurred and whose fault it was.
7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?
I think my strong feelings of patriotism come out in my writing; however, I'm very libertarian in many areas, especially in what I call "explicit togetherness," which I feel is a nicer term for "sex." I consider my series to be for "Open-Minded-Adults" (especially the first book, "Immortal Relations". http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G
8.) Do you have any special talents?
Well, I used to be a fairly good long-distance-runner; however, too many miles on the legs forced me to give that up in my advancing age. I also was a fair shot with rifle and handgun, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be, although I can still cover seven shots on a target shot at 21 feet using my Custom1911 Colt .45 with a silver-dollar, using bullets I've loaded myself.
9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?
Well I'll leave out the expletive, but I was told "Write what you like and don't let the b 's get you down!"
10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?
Sir Winston Churchill, I'd love to listen to him talk in detail about his part of WW-II. I firmly believe without his "bulldog" like tenacity and leadership, England and perhaps most, if not all of the civilized world would have fallen to the dictators in Germany, Japan and Italy. Dictators are on the rise around the world (and close to home) again and I'd certainly talk to him about that as well!
11.) What song would you say describes your life?
While I think everyone goes through hard-times at some points in their lives (I know I have) but overall I would think Debussy's "Ode to Joy" is mine!
12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?
One of our Pomeranians, we have loved those dogs like they were our own children and they have given us equal if not greater love in return!
Immortal Relations Coming Out continues the Immortal Relations series. After saving mankind from a war with the potential of going nuclear, as well as other potential disasters, the guardian vampires consider the positives and negatives of "coming out" to humans. But unforseen events make the discussion moot and threaten the existance of the guardians from several quarters. Just when all seems lost, a greater threat presents itself, providing our good vampires an opportunity to prove their worth once again to possibly change peoples views that vampires might not all be an evil threat.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=G.%20D.%20%20Ogan&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank
Thanks for having me on today Barbara! I hope someone will comment as I love to discuss writing in general or my stories in particular with readers.
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