Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Interview with Peter Darrach, author of 'Tavern on the Edge of Time'



Peter Darrach has lived in New York, London, Prague, Munich and Vienna. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and a Master of Arts degree in German Literature, both from Pennsylvania State University. Darrach pursued a career in sales and marketing in fields as diverse as amusement parks and retail before moving to Europe in 1991. Since then he has worked in Eastern and Western Europe, holding a series of executive positions with blue chip FMCG companies.  Most recently he has returned to the U.S. to pursue his career as a business coach and fiction author and currently lives in Florida.

His latest book is the sci-fi, Tavern on the Edge of Time.
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About the Book:

During the year 2125, former asteroid miners Max Cody and Elaine Zhou never get a moment’s rest. No sooner have they doused the flames of war between Earth and Mars or returned from their first trip to the Tavern on the Edge of Time when they are called upon to help fit out the fledging Martian colony orbiting Jupiter’s moon Callisto. In parallel, Earth extradites the war’s fomenter, ex-billionaire arms merchant Xanthus Rex, hoping to gain from his insights into Martian teleportation technology, but he manages to turn Earth’s resources toward private revenge against Max, Mars, and the Callisto Colony. In the meantime aliens are leaking into the Earth-Mars continuum from the Tavern, whose proprietor repaired and upgraded Max after accidentally injuring him during an asteroid mining expedition. Max’s enhancements help, of course, but when strange beings with the power to animate matter—the Assemblers—find their way to Earth, Max, Mars, and humanity are sorely beset. Worse yet, the Tavern itself is becoming unstable, its acquisitive host having overstretched his considerable powers. His prospecting for collapsed neutron matter has also opened portals between continua, inadvertently adding still more aliens to the mix. That’s when the Assemblers’ overlord arrives and Max finally meets his match. Oh, and Elaine is expecting their hybrid baby. Yes, you might say these are difficult times at the Tavern on the Edge of Time.

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Thank you for this interview!  I’d like to know more about you as a person first.  What do you do when you’re not writing?

For 22 years I was a business executive.  Now I am allowing the more creative side of my personality more room, which means I’ve discovered painting, rediscovered playing music, I love to cook, and I am an active runner.

When did you start writing?

I wrote the first of my current three books as a rough draft in 2008, but didn’t actually publish it until 2012.  However, I have two degrees in literature, so I’ve been involved with the medium rather a long time—with a 22 year break to go off and be a business executive in Europe.

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

Actually seeing my first book in print was probably a bit like beholding a son or daughter for the first time...metaphorically at least.

If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why?

Geography is not important for me.  It’s more the temporal and activity spheres which are key, i.e., I need enough time and peace and quiet to be optimally productive.  At least once I have locked myself in a hotel room for three days to really focus.

If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?

Admittedly, I tend to have too many balls int he air most of the time, but I like to keep busy.  With more time, I would either be more productive on one or more of my areas of focus, or I would finally learn how to stare into space, relax, and do nothing (at least temporarily).

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?

When I finish the current SECOND SKIN SERIES which takes place in 2125 and 2126, I would like to write a historical novel or perhaps series.

Back to your present book, Tavern on the Edge of Time, how did you publish it?

Self-publishing using Createspace and others.

In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research?

No, but I have already traveled too much in my life, so I don’t really have to. 

Why was writing Tavern on the Edge of Time so important to you?

These stories have been bubbling in me for some time and I simply needed to release them. Both the formal and informal reviews have been quite positive. It’s very inspiring to have strangers tell you your that reading your books is like “dreaming with your eyes open.” Who knows, a publisher may be intrigued by the positive attention.
Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?

My ideas usually come when I am doing something monotonous which doesn’t require much conscious thought, particularly running or swimming.  Probably the activity allows me to use subconscious functions and draw associations more freely; i.e., it opens doors.

Any final words?

Well, yes.  We haven’t actually explained what the book is about...

The action begins in the year 2125. The first book in the series (SECOND SKIN) follows the asteroid miner Max Cody who is wounded and repaired with some unexpected enhancements by aliens while prospecting. He and his navigator / girlfriend Elaine Zhou face vicious ice pirates in the asteroid belt and on the enormous MARS ORBITAL SMELTER ARRAY (a.k.a MOSA) who plan to attack Mars and Earth.
In the second book (SECOND SKIN TOO) the duo is called upon to join a diplomatic effort to try and avoid war with Earth over Mars’ mining prowess, a conflict driven by billionaire arms merchant Xanthus Rex.
The latest book (book three, THE TAVERN ON THE EDGE OF TIME) brings us directly in contact with the alien who repaired Max, not to mention numerous other aliens, who frequent a peaceful place call the Tavern on the Edge of Time. Unfortunately, Earth, Mars, the Tavern, and even Mars’ poor fledgling colony on Callisto come under attack both from human and far stranger adversaries—especially the Assemblers. It looks like Max has met his match this time.
Visit www.peterdarrach.com for more details.

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