Exiled on Earth, naive angel Gabriel and amoral demon Lucifer, in the human guise of "Gabe Horn" and "Lou Cypher", form an unlikely partnership as private investigators in Las Vegas. Their adventures take them across the seven heavenly realms, into the nine levels of Hell, through the dream realm of the Dreamscape, and even through time to Camelot. Along the way, the pair encounter a wickedly funny assortment of angels, demons, witches, warlocks, vampires, and other supernatural creatures.
Darrell has devised some of the most imaginative characters in contemporary fantasy, including an intriguing array of protagonists (Miss Twitch, a Salem witch; Emma, a British schoolgirl and witch in training, and Morgan Summers, a Dreamwalker) and antagonists (sadistic witch-hunter Nathaniel Thornhill, a golem, a Paiute Shaman, the corporate vampires of Nosferatu, Inc., trampires, gangsters, and demons). Some of the vampires include Sharon - she's Jewish, crosses don't bother her; Pandora - trouble follows her like a shadow; Claude - he's too claustrophobic to use a coffin; and Artemus - a 10-year-old boy who's been a vampire for 457 years. But the real stars are the ultimate odd couple, Gabriel and Lucifer, whose comedic banter and improbable escapades will amuse and thrill readers and leave them asking for more.
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What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?
Keith B Darrell
The format. Paved With Good Intentions is different from most books you may have read. It’s written in a style I call episodic fiction. Each chapter is a complete story but the chapters build upon one another, composing a larger story. There are also Interludes, brief stories that serve to flesh out minor characters, or fill in gaps or backstory as a prelude to an event about to occur. Some Interludes center around the interaction of two minor characters. The Interludes enhance the reading experience, but the overall story would be unaffected by their absence.
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Did researching and writing this book teach you anything or influence your thinking in any way?
Keith B Darrell
I’ve written both nonfiction and fiction, and I was surprised how much research is involved in writing fiction. I’ve had to research sword fights, weaponry, mythological creatures, the origin of words, autopsies, poisons, Japanese fighter planes… for one book, I found myself mired in Newgate Prison and 18th century molly houses. When I was a kid, I had a book entitled “A Book of Useless Information” or something like that, and had it not already been written, I could write it with what I’ve learned from my research. Often, researching one topic will lead to something fascinating but unrelated.
I don’t think researching for book material has ever influenced my thinking. My education and life experiences had already established my thinking and belief systems long before I started writing books. However, there have been times when my research has caused me to change what I was writing, In Paved With Good Intentions, I set the second story in Las Vegas and planned it to have a gangster theme. Midway into the story, my research into Las Vegas led to the discovery of a little-known Indian tribe and my story took at turn into Native American shamanism. I ended up writing my planned gangster story as the third chapter.
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What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?
Keith B Darrell
To buy it. Seriously, I know authors who spend obscene amounts of time and money on publicists, advertising, book trailers, blogging, Twitter, and premiums (bookmarks, magnets, brochures). But the only true path to success for a book is word of mouth. There has to be a buzz about it, and that requires two things: First, the book has to be good; and second, people have to spread the word that it is. All the marketing in the world can’t compete with a friend telling you, “Hey, this book Paved With Good Intentions was really good; you have to read it!”
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Can you suggest one question readers might find interesting to discuss, concerning you, your writing in general, or this book?
Keith B Darrell
About Paved With Good Intentions, readers have been discussing the episodic fiction format, which at first they find somewhat disjointed and nonlinear but then express amazement when everything that at first appeared disjointed is pulled together as the novel draws to a close. One reader wrote: "At first I didn't get where he was going... then, when he tied it all in, well, like, I was all OMG! WTF this is impressive!"
About my writing in general? I’m a cross-genre writer, which means I write Speculative Fiction, Flash Fiction, Fusion Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fiction, Sword & Sorcery, Science Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Horror, Slice of Life, Political & Sociological Fiction, Humor, Drama, Gothic Mystery, Children’s Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, and Nonfiction. One overseas reader wrote me “This last story is just amazing, because you are able to jump from one genre to another in a very easy way. And from the Middle Ages the reader find himself in science fiction. What can I say?” I have a number of short stories slated to appear as e-books and in my two short story collections. The latest collection, Shards, is 542 pages and will be published in August.
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How can readers help you promote this book?
Keith B Darrell
Buy it. Link to it on your blogs and websites. Talk it up on Facebook and Twitter. Become an Amazon Associate (it’s free) and place an associate ad on your blog or website for the book and Amazon will pay you a commission on each copy sold. Suggest it to your book club. Leave copies in waiting rooms. If you’re a blogger, hold a contest and give away your copy as a prize.
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Is there any new or established author whom you feel deserves more attention, and what is it that strikes you about his or her work?
Keith B Darrell
This is a great question and one that deserves a better answer than I can offer right now. Most established authors receive plenty of attention, and a lot of newer authors are disappointingly derivative of better authors or pandering to the flavor of the month. I recently read Jane Yolan’s “The Maiden of Fire” and was blown away. (That’s how far behind I am on my reading; it was in the July 1977 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction sitting in my To Be Read pile). I’ve read some reviews of Mike A. Lancaster’s new book Human.4 and it will definitely be on my reading list. And, I’m adding a feature to my blog, http://keithbdarrell.blogspot.com , called “Good Books” that will spotlight older books that readers should include in their libraries.
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