Author Interview - MD Neu

This is a first for me. I haven't had the pleasure of doing an Author Interview before, and now I think I might do a lot more of them.  But before I get too far ahead of myself, I'd like to introduce you to a friend.

I had the pleasure of inviting MD Neu over, for a cup of Tuma (read his books to find out what this is), and to ask him a few questions about his new release, Conviction, A New World #2, which is published through NineStar Press and coming out today, March 25, 2019!

For those of you who don't know MD, he's a prolific Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer with several works published with NineStar Press.  I had the pleasure of first meeting MD on the writer's forum Scribophile, where we quickly became good friends. MD makes his home in the San Jose area of California and lives with his husband.

Here's a look at MD's newest book (Cover and Artwork by Natasha Snow: http://natashasnow.com/)

JP Jackson: "Hi, MD! Thank you so much for coming over. I have so many questions for you, so let's get started. Tell me, your first book in the A New World series, Contact...how'd that go over?"

MD Neu: "You know, the reviews were actually pretty good! 4.04 on Goodreads and 4.6 on Amazon, so I can't complain."

JP Jackson: "And you shouldn't! Those are fantastic. I have to tell you, I read Contact and absolutely loved it. It's a fun read, and your main character, Todd, he's so relatable, I felt like I was reading about myself. But tell me, I know that every author goes back over old works, rereads them and then has those 'cringe' moments. What was that moment for you in Contact?"

MD Neu: "I think I would have expanded more on the relationship between Todd and Brad. Flesh it out a little more. Their brotherly relationship was really on the rocks, and I don't think I spent enough page time showing that or telling their history."

JP Jackson: "I really hated Brad, and for the record, I still don't trust him."

MD Neu: "Oh, he's not that bad. You know, family dynamics and sibling rivalry and all that. Give him a chance."

JP Jackson: "No promises, but I'll try.  Okay, now tell me, what was the most surprising thing you heard from a reader of Contact? As authors, we all want our stories to stick with people, and we hope our books leave an impression, so did you have a reader say something that shocked you? Or perhaps was there one reader who just really 'got it'?"

MD Neu: "There were several, but I guess the one that really stood out was from one reader who said they were really happy that through my novel, I was able to address issues around immigration and refugees, and how important it was to highlight those topics given the world we live in right now."

JP Jackson: "Oh I can definitely see those threads in Contact. And I couldn't agree more. It would seem our world is a little messed up at the moment. I think people forget that even though we're fortunate enough to live in the countries we do, and how free we are to do whatever we'd like, that's not the same for everyone else around the planet. It's hard for us to imagine what it would be like to have to leave everything behind and flee in order to survive. I don't think most of us in the US or Canada really get that, in a heartbeat, the stability that we have become so used to could be completely turned on its head. You really captured that in Contact. It was one of the things I quite liked...that sense of tension, panic and impending chaos. Can you imagine...Aliens are coming?"

MD Neu: "Which is exactly what I was going for!"

JP Jackson: "You nailed it! But I have to ask you...The Nentraee species in Contact and Conviction are bipedal. They're very humanesque. Why did you go with aliens that were so close to humans? Why not something more...well, alien?"

MD Neu: "I toyed with that, but in the end, it's hard to tell a story about human relationships and making contact with another species without them being at least relatable to what we are ourselves. It's not to say that there aren't other aliens out there who would be more...dissimilar to our own form, but for this tale, I needed the aliens to be more similar to us than not."

JP Jackson: "That's fair. I would think too that the less humanoid the aliens, the less likely we'd be to accept them. But then that says a lot about us, doesn't it?"

MD Neu: "It absolutely does."

JP Jackson: "So, tell me, how many books are there in A New World series?"

MD Neu: "I have four planned out."

JP Jackson: "Awesome! I can't wait to see how this all unfolds. Okay, one last question about the books...What do you want readers to walk away with after reading Contact and Conviction?"

MD Neu: "I'm hoping readers will see the potential we have as a group of people when we put all the stupid stuff aside, the racism, the bigotry, the ideologies. We have the ability to create such beauty and wonder if we just got out of our way. You know what I mean?"

JP Jackson: "Completely. Something for us to look forward to, right?"

MD Neu: "We can hope!"

JP Jackson: "Okay, rapid-fire question time. You ready?"

MD Neu: "Oh god, I didn't sign up for this!"

JP Jackson: "You'll be fine. Okay, What's your 'go to' food to munch on while writing?"

MD Neu: "Chips."

JP Jackson: "What time of day do you find yourself doing your writing?"

MD Neu: "Morning or early afternoon, or in the middle of the night."

JP Jackson: "Oh your husband must love that. Okay, how about this... When you're writing, do you prefer silence or music?"

MD Neu: "Oh, that one depends on my mood."

JP Jackson: "Fair. I have to have music. Silence is too...quiet...and then the demons come out and start whispering. Moving along...who is your favorite author and why?"

MD Neu: "Stephen King.  Because his books got me into reading for fun."

JP Jackson: "You find Pennywise fun? Damn, MD, that sheds a whole new light on you! Alright, how about this, if you could sit down and share a cocktail with anyone, who would it be?"

MD Neu: "Easy. Queen Elizabeth II."

JP Jackson: "Really? I didn't take you for a Royalphile. But I bet she would have many tales to tell. Tell me, I know you and your husband like to go to Disney, and let's face it, who wouldn't if you lived that close - but what's the furthest you've ever been from home?"

MD Neu: "Seoul, Korea."

JP Jackson: "You're gonna have to tell me that tale one day."

MD Neu: "Okay, deal."

JP Jackson: "Sweet or Salty."

MD Neu: "Yes."

JP Jackson: "HA! I get that. Okay, serious question. If you could hold one precious thing in your hand, what would it be?"

MD Neu: "Love"

JP Jackson: "Awww...see? That's why you're a nicer person than me. I never would have come up with that! Great answer. Last question, are ghosts real?"

MD Neu: "YES!"

JP Jackson: "Oh, see, there's another story there too isn't there?"

MD Neu: "Quite possibly."

JP Jackson: "MD, that's the last of the questions! Thank you so much for dropping by. But how about you give the readers out there a little tease...what's next after Conviction? Care to let us know the title of the third book in the series?"

MD Neu: "Oh, I don't know if I should. Should I?"

JP Jackson: "Oh yes, you most certainly should."

MD Neu: "Okay, here you go.  The next book will be called, Conspiracy."

JP Jackson: "Well that just opens up a whole bunch of more questions. Hey - would you come back and talk to us about that?"

MD Neu: "Sure! I'd love to."

JP Jackson: "Great! I'll have my people call your people."


There you have it! Hope you had fun getting to know MD. He's such a great guy. Be sure to pick up Contact if you haven't read it yet, and then there's Conviction...released TODAY and now we can wait with eager anticipation for Conspiracy!

Oh, and before I forget, here's a contest below to help promote MD's book Conviction where one lucky winner will receive a $10.00 NineStar Press Gift Code!. Follow the instructions and go get MD's book, and enjoy!

Giveaway!

Cover Reveal: Conviction by M.D. Neu

Title: Conviction

Author: M.D. Neu

Release Date: March 25, 2019
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Publishing House: NineStar Press

The Reveal:

Blurb:

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It's home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs, and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice.

Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends and a husband.

After the attack on San Jose, Todd is appointed to Special Envoy for Terran Affairs by the Nentraee, a position many world leaders question. Undeterred Todd wants to build bridges between both people. However, this new position brings with it a new set of problems that not only he, but his new allies Mi'ko and Mirtoff must overcome. Will the humans and Nentraee learn to work together despite mistrust and threats of more attacks by a new global terrorist group, or will the terrorists win?  Will this bring an end to an already shaky alliance between Nentraee and humans?

Add now to your Gooreads TBR list:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44244370-conviction

Blogger's Note:

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I said M.D. Neu's new novel was coming? Well, here it is folks! I cannot wait to get my paws on this. 

If you haven't read anything by Neu before, I highly encourage you to do so, and what better than to pick up the first book in this series Contact. And if you enjoy Urban Fantasy go get his book The Calling, or the novella A Dragon for Christmas.

You won't be disappointed!

Meet the Author:

M.D. Neu is an LGBTQA Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man, he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric, his husband of eighteen plus years.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Review: Contact by M.D. Neu

Title:  Contact

Series: A New World #1

Author: M.D. Neu

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: January 21, 2019

Heat Level: N/A

Pairing: N/A

Length: 255 pages

Genre: Sci-Fi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43539808-contact

Synopsis:

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It's home to seven billion people - with all manner of faiths, beliefs, and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding - who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world unless they had no other choice. Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends, and a husband.

On the cusp of the greatest announcement humankind has ever witnessed, Todd's personal world is thrown into turmoil when his estranged brother shows up on his front porch with news of ships heading for Earth's orbit. The ships are holding the Nentraee, a humanoid race who have come to Earth in need of help after fleeing the destruction of their homeworld. How will one man bridge the gap for both the Humans and Nentraee, amongst mistrust, terrorist attacks, and personal loss? Will this be the start of a new age of man or will bigotry and miscommunication bring this small world to its knees and final end?

My Review:

I'm very selective on the Sci-Fi books I pick up. I seem to be the kind of Sci-Fi fan that prefers to watch the spectacle rather than imagine the hosts of interstellar travel, new planets, and new alien species. But every now and then you get a book that is an easy chew, tender, full of flavor and a delight to eat. Believe me when I say there are a lot of intriguing intergalactic tales out there that look appetizing, but by the time you've gone through a few chapters, you're forced into learning a new language - either the dialect and customs of alien races or the mumbo-jumbo of technological terms and associated math of space travel. In other words, that meal is chewy. Some like that kind of story.

Not my bag of tea, as they say.

This novel is not that chewy meal. Not in the least. This is a scrumptious, perfectly prepared fare, full of flavour, cooked with passion and served with ambiance.

Why? It took me a while to figure that out. Now, fair warning, there is a Glossary of Terms in the back of this book - damn - there's that alien language I have to learn, and yet...it wasn't necessary (although the creativity in that Glossary! Damn.). The way Neu has interspersed new terms and alien customs was seamless. I easily picked it up, caught the intended meaning without ever having to look at that Glossary. I was able to rip through this book without missing a beat.  Cheers! And well done. That's not an easy feat to accomplish, and hence one of many reasons why I loved this tale.  It was accessible.

The story revolved around Todd. Todd is your every man. We all know Todd. Hell, most of us ARE Todd. But if not, then we all know a Todd, and you can relate to that. Yeah, yeah, he happens to be gay (which, YAY!!!! for diversity in Sci-Fi leading characters!), but Todd has a spouse, a pet, a job, a house with chores that must be done, friends, and family whom he loves and hates at the same time...it's like Neu was telling me my own damn life story.

And then Aliens arrive on earth.

Wait...WHAT? Panic! Run around the streets with complete abandon while throwing your arms around like that tortured blow-up airbag we all see at used car lots.

Nice bit of writing was accomplished in describing the strife and tension created in between the knowledge that Aliens were coming, and the actual reveal of their existence. Panic, chaos, disorder, disbelief, and other general human crappiness was doled out in perfect snippets. Personally, I'm just waiting for this day to come, and I hope to see it before I die. Optimistic I know, but I have this small hope that if we are forced as a species to suddenly come together and realize that we are not the only thing in this universe, perhaps we'd smarten up and behaved better.  To think we currently discriminate against each other because we look different, or because we love different, or because we believe in different things/ideas/philosophies - isn't that stupid? Can't we do better than that?

And that's exactly the thrust of this book, and told from not just the Human perspective, but also from the Alien's outlook on us! How intriguing to note that an Alien race might have the same or similar issue in confronting us as we would of them. To think we would have to judiciously decide how our actions would be perceived: rageful, passionate, caring, welcoming, or war-like?

How do two strangers meet, and become friends? How do we find commonality between two species?

Neu has created a story that describes our present world and translated it into an easy read that left me pondering the state of our current situation.  If Humans and Nentraee can meet in the middle and make things work, why can't we do the same in our society of today?  Rest assured the road to that middle-ground wasn't easy in Neu's tale, and there are Humans that behave just as I would have expected - with hate and violence.  Just like in our world. But the hope remains that we can, and will do better.

Accessible. Realistic. Relational, and totally believable.

The next book, Conviction, A New World #2 comes out in a couple of weeks. Guaranteed I'll be reading that as fast as I can get my paws on it.

P.S., Todd's brother is a jerk and I still don't buy his apology.

Rating:

Available:

NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author:

M.D. Neu is an LGBTQA Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he's always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D.Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man, he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

When M.D. Neu isn't writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric, his husband of eighteen plus years.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads 

Book Review: The Lion Lies Waiting by Glenn Quigley

Title:  The Lion Lies Waiting

Series: N/A

Author: Glenn Quigley

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 17, 2018

Heat Level: N/A

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 322 pages

Genre: Historical

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43178131-the-lion-lies-waiting

Synopsis:

Winter, 1780, and the solstice is fast approaching. Four months after the events of The Moth and Moon, burly fisherman Robin Shipp is preparing for his first Midwinter festival with his lover, the handsome baker Edwin Farriner. But when a letter arrives begging for help, they must travel with their friend, Duncan, to Port Knot on sinister Blackrabbit Island for a final confrontation with Edwin’s mother. Also visiting the island are Lady Eva and her wife Iris, with a stunning proposition that could change Robin and Edwin’s lives forever.

The snow-covered harbour town of Port Knot is a dangerous place. While there, Robin, Edwin, and Duncan explore the menacing rooftop settlement known as the Roost, mingle with high society in the magnificent splendour of Chase Manor, and uncover a violent conspiracy threatening the island’s entire way of life.

Old rivalries will flare, shocking secrets will be revealed, and as Duncan’s scandalous past finally catches up with him, will it ultimately destroy them all?

The men will be tested to their limits as they discover that on Blackrabbit Island, the lion lies waiting.

My Review:

I had such a good time with Mr. Quigley's first novel, The Moth and The Moon, that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second story that continues to follow the adventures of Robin Shipp. This historical fantasy set in the 18th Century revolves around a cast of characters in an age where the sexual orientation of the townsfolk isn't a scandalous item to be discussed. In other words, it's a common thing for same-sex relationships to exist. Folks are just as likely to pair with someone of the same gender, as they would be the opposite sex.

What's so refreshing about this is the total normalcy of everyone in their interaction with those bonded in a gay or lesbian pairing. In fact, it was rather hard reconciling this with my own life experience, and the book had me wishing I was living back in this fairytale type like setting. But this is just a side. The real meat of the tale is outlined below.

Quigley has outdone himself in several aspects of this book.

1.) The folklore and worldbuilding. It was pristine. I had absolutely no hesitancy in delving deep into this story as the backdrop, culture, folklore, customs, dress, speech and architecture was all so on-point that it was 100% believable.

2.) The characterization and development of each of the myriad of people in this tale are astonishing, and again, superbly crafted. The number of people dancing in and out of the story at different points and how they are portrayed, along with the changes in each leaves me exhausted as a writer. I can't imagine the amount of forethought and planning it took to achieve this.

3.) If I thought the characterization was well-crafted, then the tale itself was a masterpiece. Honestly, I'm not trying to over inflate this! This required Master Class status of skill to weave the people and their lives and make this believable. As the story bounces between two small, and often rival islands, it becomes completely possible to see how people moved back and forth between the two cities, and how lives become intertwined - even when the characters themselves are ignorant to the connections. Brilliant! My only question to the author is this: How many notebooks did you go through plotting this out?

4.) The political climate. I hate politics. Especially looking at our own world right now. It's full of hate and spite. I'd sooner climb into a deep hole than try and have any kind of debate with anyone who thinks differently than I do because today's lines between political parties are so deeply divided. But, Quigley created a city council ripe with strife and machinations, culture and history that made me turning the pages as fast as I possibly could to find out what happens next.

5.) The description of mental illness in this story left me agape. Not in a bad way. The metaphor used was utterly brilliant. I refuse to share it with you, you must read the story to discover it yourself. I honestly can't think of a more apt way to phrase how so many people in our world struggle daily. And remember, struggling doesn't mean failing. But imagine if they didn't have that extra battle every day? Well done, Mr. Quigley.  That cut me to the core, and deeply, and won't be something I soon forget.

6.) And lastly, the fact that the story was about people like me. No, I'm not living life in the 1780s, (despite how attractive Mr. Quigley made it). No, I mean the book has bearish men - like me - who are involved in loving, caring, positive relationships - like me - who are well into their forties - like me. I could make several other comparisons - but the bottom line remains this: Representation and diversity in literature is essential, because when you find stories that contain people who you identify with, suddenly the story takes on a deeper level, a stronger connection, and the tale becomes one you hold dear and close to your heart.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I like my novels with magic and horns, tails and wings. That's not this. And it shouldn't be. It's perfect the way it is.

And now I can sit back and read these two books over and over and only hope, that at some point in the future, Mr. Quigley deems it necessary to take us back to Merryapple, to continue the tale of Robin Shipp and his lover Edwin, their very close and dear friend Duncan, and their soon to be extended family with the Ladies Wolfe-Chase.

Rating:

Available:

NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author:

Glenn Quigley is a graphic designer originally from Dublin and now living in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He creates bear designs for www.themoodybear.com. He has been interested in writing since he was a child, as essay writing was the one and only thing he was ever any good at in school. When not writing or designing, he enjoys photography and has recently taken up watercolour painting.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads