A chat with veteran book critic, Alan Caruba

Today we chat with Alan Caruba, who has been reviewing books for more than forty years. I submitted my novel, Greco's Game, for Alan's consideration only to hear back that he was unable to accept because of time constraints.

So it made me want to know more about Alan. I mean, there are two sides to this complex dance between author and critic. Mine as the author is that I've worked for a year on this one project. In other words: I've had tunnel vision while toiling to profile, outline, create, and edit, edit, edit the manuscript into a finished product that I hope impresses not only my publisher, but the Alan Carubas of this world, who in turn will publish a review that makes people who don't know me from a stump want to order my book (as well as reinforce the loyalty shown me by those friends and fans who do know me from a stump).

Then there is Alan's side of the story as he gets hit by an avalanche of requests from authors like me.

So I asked Alan what it was like being, well, Alan Caruba. And Alan was gracious enough to share a window peek into his life.

1) Okay, seriously, Alan: how can one person do so much? Not only have you provided editorial services to think tanks, public relations and public affairs agencies around the nation, but you’re a published journalist and novelist who’s been profiled numerous times as the nation’s expert on boredom and its impact on individuals and society. You also founded The National Anxiety Center as a clearinghouse for information about scare campaigns designed to influence public policy and opinion on a wide variety of issues. You write a daily column, “Warning Signs” (http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/), that’s disseminated around the world. You’re a frequent guest on radio shows throughout the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. You’re a daily contributor to Canada Free Press (http://canadafreepress.com/), an influential news and opinion website, where you regularly examine issues such as national security, politics, education, immigration, Islamic fundamentalism, and popular culture. You’re also a founding member of the National Book Critics Circle, and you maintain a monthly book review site, “Bookviews” (http://bookviewsbyalancaruba.blogspot.com.au/), which examines the best in new fiction and non-fiction. What is a typical day for you, and are copious amounts of coffee required?

The short answer is that I am 74 years of age and what you describe are aspects of a long life spent putting my interests and talents to work on things that interest, amuse, or evoke serious concern on my part. I write a commentary of about 1,000 words or so every day because I am a polymath, interested in a broad range of topics from politics to science, environmentalism to education, Islam to history, and much more. I do so with considerable ease insofar as I began as a reporter in the early 1960s and one acquires the necessary skill to research topics rapidly and write about them against deadlines.

(2) The fact that you have reviewed books for over forty years presupposes a love of reading. How did it begin for you? Was there someone in your life who was instrumental in fostering that love of reading?

I grew up in a home where books filled the rooms. Both my parents were avid readers, and my Mother wrote three books as an international expert on haute cuisine and wines. They also read the newspaper daily. Reading for me has always been pure pleasure. I read at a rapid pace and retain much of what I read. 

(3) The fact that you’re a veteran writer enables you to bring an experienced eye to the review process. Focusing for the moment on fiction, what do you look for in a novel? 

Oddly enough, I have never been a big reader of fiction. What I want, frankly, is a story that grabs me from the first page and never lets go. I want well-formed characters and a story that tells me something about people and cultures I have not otherwise encountered. Lots of people write novels these days. Few have the God-given talent to do it well. 

(4) I know time constraints require you to refuse many review requests. How long does it take to review a book? 

I read the books in the My Picks of the Month section of my monthly report, Bookviews.com, though some are included because they are entertaining or unique and get a brief perusal. The books on history and serious topics get read cover to cover. Since my reviews are brief, it doesn't take long. The rest of the report is based on experience and a perusal of the book to determine that it is well organized, offers useful information, and can prove helpful to the reader. 

As a reviewer, the growth of self-published books has put a strain on many in my trade, largely because many are quite poorly written. That said, there are a lot of books from publishers, large and small, that make me wonder why they bothered. The switch to digital books is one I will not make for reasons of age and preference to hold a book in my hands. In addition to history and science, I have a fondness for coffee table books that are big, full of art and photography, and delight the mind and senses. 

(5) Have the demands of reviewing books diminished your simple love of reading?

No, reading for me is far more fun that mindlessly watching TV. I do watch, but it's usually something educational or news. I like to watch boxing as a sport and diversion, but not other sports. I will ignore the Olympics for the most part.

(6) Do you ever read just to relax, and if so, what kind of books do you read?

For me, reading is not about relaxing. It's about learning. The world is a very complex place and I am forever trying to understand it and the history of nations, cultures, etc. That said, I find reading very relaxing.

(7) You’re a charter member of the National Book Critics Circle, which was founded in New York in 1974 with the purpose of honoring outstanding writing and fostering a national conversation about reading, criticism and literature. Is there a particularly rewarding moment in your association with the NBCC that allowed you see the impact you’re having?

I have been a member of the NBCC since its founding, but have never taken an active part in it. I keep up with what it does, the books it awards prizes to, etc., but much of what passes for reviewing is a self-congratulatory exercise in demonstrating one's intellect and often one's biases. That part of reviewing doesn't interest me. Sharing news of interesting new books does.

(8) Who serves the best pizza and what is your favorite topping?

I am from New Jersey where they take great pride in making pizzas. I like a slice on occasion, but it's not a food of choice for me so I really don't have a favorite topping. 

(9) What is one item on your “bucket list”?

Having traveled extensively throughout the U.S. in the 1980s, I have visited all its major cities, but I have never been overseas. If I had the money, I would like to visit other nations. It won't happen. I live in a beautiful upscale apartment complex just minutes from the home in which I've lived for 62 years. It was and is a good life, a comfortable routine, and one via the Internet that allows me to interact with people from all over the world. 

ABOUT GRECO'S GAME:

Colonel Aleksandr Talanov -- the “ice man” -- is married to a woman he wishes he could love. But he can’t, and it's an ugly consequence of his training with the KGB. Even so, no one should have to experience what Talanov experiences: the brutal murder of his wife in front of his eyes.

Wracked with guilt and suspected of plotting her death, Talanov spirals downward on a path of self-destruction. He should have been killed, not her.  He was the one whose violent past would not leave them alone. Months tick by and Talanov hits rock bottom on the mean streets of Los Angeles, where he meets a hooker named Larisa, who drugs and robs him.

But in the seedy world of prostitution and human trafficking ruled by the Russian mafia, this hooker made the big mistake of stealing the ice man’s wallet. In it was Talanov’s sole possession of value: his wedding photo. Talanov tracks Larisa down to get that photo because it reminds him of everything that should have been but never was, and never would be because an assassin’s bullet had mistakenly killed his wife.

Or was it a mistake?

The answer lies in Greco’s Game, a chess match played in 1619 that is famous for its Queen sacrifice and checkmate in only eight moves. In an unusual alliance, Talanov and Larisa team up to begin unraveling the mystery of what Talanov’s old KGB chess instructor regarded as the most brilliant example of how to trap and kill an opponent.

The question is: who was the target?


More information, along with sneak peeks and the entire first chapter, can be found in the Books section of James Houston Turner's website (www.jameshoustonturner.com). More information can be found on the official Greco's Game Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GrecosGame). James and his wife, Wendy, live in Adelaide, South Australia.

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

Okay, so maybe I dramatized the title of this post just a wee bit. After all book reviewer Daniel Cann is not exactly a skin-clad, bull-necked Neanderthal pursuing his next meal, only to discover the sabre tooth tiger he's been tracking is actually tracking him for exactly the same reason. At least I hope that's not how he viewed this interviewee's request to interview the interviewer. (Did I just over "view" that?) Besides, my cuspids are not nearly that big.

I decided to interview Daniel because Daniel just posted his review of my latest Aleksandr Talanov thriller, Greco's Game, and what better way to get back at him! Seriously, after reading his review, I began to wonder what made Daniel click. What motivated him to become a reviewer? I mean, think about it: reviewers, bloggers and critics read huge amounts of material and then write equally huge amounts of articles about that material, which in Daniel's case includes reviews of books, film, travel, and his favorite sport of boxing. As you can tell, he's a typical underachiever! Hence, it seemed only natural -- and fun -- to turn the tables and let you catch a glimpse of the real Daniel Cann.

This blog will be divided into two parts. Part One is my interview with Daniel. Part Two are Daniel's additional remarks about Greco's Game and what led him to make the comments he did about my book. To set the stage, you can read his review of Greco's Game here -- http://bit.ly/INWKBG -- and his interview of me, the author of Greco's Game, by clicking here: http://bit.ly/JDPl6L.


PART ONE

JHT: You're a prolific writer. You review books, film, boxing, and travel destinations. How do you do it? Dangerous amounts of caffeine? Guarana? Tequila??? Seriously, how do you manage to produce so much witty, informative, incisive material and still have a life beyond the borders of your Daniel Cann Independent Review site? What's your daily routine?

DC: Thank you very much Jim! My website is an eclectic collection of things from my past and present. So the travel section documents places I have visited a few years ago in all their quirky and entertaining glory. I want to share my experiences with my readership so they can have an idea how I felt to see a sunrise at Uluru (Ayer’s Rock), a sunset at the Grand Canyon, or what it was like to swim at the Great Barrier Reef. There were so many great memories from my travel diaries that I had to serialise them: Surfing and White Water Rafting in Australia, jet boating, glacier climbing and whale spotting in New Zealand, exploring the ruins of Mexico and trying to capture the majesty of Niagara Falls and what it felt to go right up to the Falls in the “Maid of the Mist.” Travelling broadens your outlook and makes you realise how small and insignificant you are next to the awe-inspiring and beautiful planet we live on.


Travel writers like Pete McCarthy of “McCarthy’s Bar” and “The Road To McCarthy” and Bill Bryson both had a huge influence on me in the way I wish to capture my experiences. What I like about that duo is they are clearly very intelligent, curious and enthusiastic but also self-deprecating and witty. This style ensures repeat reading and over the years I have lost count of the times I have re-read their books. And yes, I have to admit it. I am a compulsive reader. As soon as I can remember I have had a book in my hand. My parents told me that when I was a toddler I once held a book and pretended to be reading it!

I grew up on Robert Louis Stephenson, Walter Scott and Mark Twain: Lots of books about adventure and exploration, rites-of passage stories that all had a big impact on my imagination and personality. My Grandpa would tell me stories about his days as a soldier serving in India, Burma (he was awarded the Burma Star) and Egypt. He then spent most of the 1950s working at the mines in Africa and his stories of his exploits, the places, the people he met and the cultures that were introduced to him fascinated and captivated me, so from an early age I always wanted to try to emulate him or at least try to see as much of the world as possible. It also helped that he told me about pirates, smugglers and miners in Cornwall (where he lived) so when the family took a holiday and we visited our grandparents it was not long before my young imagination was fired up!


As for boxing? I have always had a passion for it. My father took me to a few amateur shows as a boy and in the 1980s when I was growing up Barry McGuigan’s fights were being beamed into every living room in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the night he won the world title was unforgettable. Needless to say the whole Cann household were on their collective feet that night cheering him on! I like to keep up to date with the sport, but I am also fascinated by its history and have read countless autobiographies and books of fighters from the past. Many of them have been reviewed by me on my website in the “Books” section. I will continue to follow boxing and my thirst for information on its practitioners and characters involved in it will never be fully satisfied.


I have always been a film buff. My Dad took me to see a Star Wars double bill as a boy and I found myself totally immersed in the escapism, the sweeping music score, the special effects and the sheer spectacle of it all. From that moment on I have been totally hooked by films. Obviously your tastes evolve as you get older but I enjoy films from all genres and eras. For an emotional punch and powerful life journey I found “The Hurricane” to be a fascinating and moving biopic. But I also enjoy feel good comedies and am equally at home with the likes of “When Harry Met Sally” or “Groundhog Day.” I still find myself angered and appalled by the downbeat ending of “Easy Rider” and also enjoy the oldies from the 1940s and the bleaker films of the 1970s. Once you start to delve into things a little more there is a treasure trove of styles, themes and ideas to explore. So don’t just watch the Summer Blockbusters people! So films and books are a way to express so many things – you cannot watch a film or read a book passively, and I hope my reviews bring out my honest and heartfelt thoughts on them.


I must admit I don’t really have a daily routine as such. I can be laid back at times then burst into frenetic activity. Before my website www.danielcann.com existed I had boxes of unfinished projects and reviews that may have never seen the light of day had it not been for the World Wide Web! So you can blame my current and continuing work output on the internet!


JHT: What inspired you to become a critic?

DC: I see myself as more of a “reviewer” than “critic” as I don’t gleefully take things apart like a lot of “critics” tend to do. One of my pet dislikes is people who delight in rubbishing someone’s hard work, casually dismissing it with no thought of what actually went into it. I like to be as fair as possible and even if I don’t like what I am reading or watching, I at least try to see what the writer or film director was attempting to communicate, then I will add constructive thoughts on how it could have been better (in my humble opinion). I remember writing a few reviews for my University magazine after some encouragement from a few friends. There was a gap of a few years until recently I launched my review website and here I am finally doing what I really love.


When I studied law, one of the tenets of natural justice was to "hear the other side" and I believe that this is the job of a reviewer. Try to think who the piece is aimed at? Who would like to read this book or see this film? What would appeal to them?


JHT: What do you do to relax?

DC: I enjoy walking a lot as that usually clears my head as well as giving the body a good workout, so sometimes I walk in the surrounding countryside near my home other times I like to explore Dartmoor. I enjoy watching rugby, particularly the Exeter Chiefs so I go to as many games each season as I can. I am also a fan of boxing, especially its history so I watch and read up a lot on that. If I really need to unwind I listen to music and try to go somewhere else in my head. Otherwise I just enjoy catching up with friends and family.


JHT: Do you have any quirks or peculiar habits?

DC: None that I am aware of but maybe my friends and family have noticed some?!! I can be a very compulsive person really getting into one subject or project. I have been told at times like these I am like a dog with a bone! I can be very laid back and then spring into action, an all or nothing person really. I am always up for a laugh and don’t need much persuading to try new things. Going to Newquay with a football team all dressed as Morrismen and going to Ireland to watch a goat crowned King are two spontaneous events from my life that I enjoyed and are typical of me (both episodes can be found in the “Travel” section of my site.
Ultimately I have a light outlook and approach to life and believe that nowadays people put too much pressure and expectation on themselves to achieve and become “the next big thing” and forget to relax and step back and enjoy the more quirky, fun aspects of life. In this celebrity obsessed era a lot of people really beat themselves up if they are not seen to be achieving something. I don’t understand that. Life is to be celebrated and enjoyed and if you are not the best then you can still live vicariously through sports, film or music. Have your own goals pertinent to who you are and remember to have fun!


JHT: What is one “yet-to-do” item on your bucket list?

DC: To write a novel or travel book of my own, and I still want to see more of the world. There will always be another project to do and another place to explore.

PART TWO

JHT: Now, to Greco’s Game. You describe the book as “emotional” and “gritty”. What scene(s) in particular struck you personally in that regard?

DC: Right from the start the book pulls the rug from right under your feet when you discover Andrea, Aleksandr Talanov’s wife, anchor and love of his life is dead and he has hit rock bottom.

Lots of things hit home, Talanov is in a very bad place emotionally and physically but the prostitute he befriends through circumstance resonates well. Her story is such a painfully familiar one these days of someone who has nothing and is being manipulated by lies and false promises then drawn into a terrible situation.

“Greco’s Game” may be a suspense thriller but it is not a typical one, rather it highlights a very real contemporary problem: the plight of the many innocent and unwitting women who fall victim to human trafficking across the globe.

All I can say is when people read this they should expect their jaws to clench [and] their knuckles to go white. . .

There are many scenes in the novel that jar and hit you in the stomach. I don’t want to spoil it for other readers but let’s just say that by the time Talanov is aware of Larisa’s plight and decides to “get involved” you are willing him on to do as much damage to the network of criminals who are ruining so many lives as possible. He really is like a modern day knight who is going to do all he can to save and avenge the oppressed.

He is also dealing with grief, guilt and self-loathing. The novel is very raw in that respect and you can feel his fury and rage pulsing from the page. That made it more exciting for me as this is not a case of a cool, calm operative going about his job, but rather an angry and vulnerable man who wants answers and is willing to risk all to bring the wrongdoers to task. All I can say is when people read this they should expect their jaws to clench, their knuckles to go white and above all to think “Go get them!”


JHT: What was a favorite scene of yours from the book?

DC: I enjoyed the exchanges between Talanov and his old friend Bill Wilcox. It is clear they have a friendship going back some years and it is one ray of sunshine that the otherwise pretty dark novel needed. James Bond had Felix Leiter, Sherlock Holmes had John Watson and Aleksandr Talanov has Bill Wilcox as his trusted friend and ally.
There is a lot going on here, Talanov can be contemplative and analytical and he can also be like a force of nature as he tears into the opposition, but there are some tender moments with Larisa and I think it is a case of two damaged souls coming together and helping each other which truly appeals.

Talanov can be contemplative and analytical, and he can also be like a force of nature as he tears into the opposition.

There is one scene in particular that is a favourite and it may surprise you Jim as it is not a frenetic action scene with your trademark chaos ensuing. I loved the scene where Talanov is stood with his arms folded across his chest, his hand thoughtfully stroking his chin whilst all around him are running around in total disarray unsure of what to do next. The US authorities mistrust him and are clearly reluctant to work with him and yet here he is standing in the middle of all that pressure and madness, the eye of the hurricane and yet he remains stoic and calm. The perfect example of why he was known as the “Ice Man” back in the day.


Sherlock Holmes had “deductive reasoning” and Talanov has “inverse logic” and any scene that illustrates his brain power is every bit as thrilling as the ones packed with action.


JHT: What do you like best about Aleksandr Talanov?

DC: He is one of us. He does not belong to any organisation and is independent of any paymasters. He is not the establishment; rather he is a well-placed civilian who, thanks to his KGB background and training as well as his unrelenting physical fitness regime is an asset to whoever needs him. Although he is from the Cold War era and from a regime that did not celebrate the individual, he has very strong independent traits and personal beliefs. He is clearly for the “little guy” and despite being nicknamed “Ice Man” I don’t think he is as cold as we are sometimes led to believe!


What is interesting in the Talanov series is his interaction with others. You introduce so many colourful characters and I really enjoy how they bounce off him. They often provide the lighter flourishes that the novels have for some much needed humanity.

He is clearly for the “little guy”.  He is one of us.

I also find the idea of a hero in his fifties far more interesting and compelling than a superhuman, indestructible, twenty-something, programmed agent. Clearly Talanov is not your typical fifty-something as he has the conditioning of someone much younger, but it is his brainpower and experience as much as his physical ruggedness that makes him so effective. I prefer reading about fallible, vulnerable and more importantly believable characters and he is definitely one of them.


JHT: Any final comments about Greco’s Game?

DC: As a child of the 1980s I can remember the last years of the Cold War and what it was like to live slap bang in the middle of two superpowers with vastly different ideologies as well as a frightening stockpile of weapons of mass destruction (we simply called them “nukes” in those days!) So to read about a hero (or anti-hero) that is not only from that era, but also an ex KGB agent now living in the West is fascinating.


I really enjoy reading James Bond and Jason Bourne novels but Talanov is not another clone, being Russian, albeit with Western tastes and ideology, he is perfectly placed to strike a balance between both cultures and provide added perspective. He has a very clinical and very Russian way of analysing and solving problems too which makes him very interesting and compelling.

. . . my jaw hit my chest.

If you enjoyed “Department Thirteen” and “The Identity Factor” you will really enjoy this one. I honestly did not see the scenario Talanov finds himself thrust in coming at all. I thought (and please don’t take offence at this Jim) that we would get another hectic espionage story where Talanov and his wife were having again to stay one step ahead of his past. So when I read that Andrea had been killed off right at the start my jaw hit my chest. A very bold and unexpected move!

I get the feeling that there are plenty more Talanov adventures to come with the surprises and unexpected turns coming thick and fast. Finally I believe one day we will say “that novel was “Turneresque”” rather than “Ludlumesque.”




WANT A COPY?
Greco's Game is available NOW for pre-order!!! Just click the link below.
Official Greco's Game launch date: September 1st, 2012.
Amazon USA
Barnes and Noble USA
Amazon UK
Amazon Japan
Angus and Robertson Australia


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For more information, visit James Houston Turner's website: www.jameshoustonturner.com.

The Paul Franco Award

Paul Franco is one of my Facebook friends...a Los Angeles-based photographer who recently told me he was traveling across Europe by train when he saw a young woman reading one of my novels. He approached her with his usual flair and swagger and said, "I know the author." Paul never made it clear whether he approached the woman because she was tall and gorgeous or because she was reading my book. Nevertheless, I decided to create an award dedicated to that moment.

Unlike the mind of its namesake, The Paul Franco Award is simple: I will give an autographed copy of my next thriller to the very first random person I meet in public who is reading one of my novels. Plane, train, rickshaw, bicycle, hover craft, skateboard -- it doesn't matter. To win a free copy of my next book, all I need to do is see you reading one of my other novels. Yes, digital eBooks count. (Please, no reading while driving your car or big-rig, although passengers are certainly encouraged to partake!)

Which brings up an important point.

With the proliferation of high-speed hand-held internet devices today, if you see me coming, you can quickly go to Amazon and order a copy of Department Thirteen clicking HERE or The Identity Factor by clicking HERE, or if you're a Nook fan, go to Barnes & Noble and purchase a copy of Department Thirteen by clicking HERE, or The Identity Factor by clicking HERE, and that simple strategic purchase could win you FREE autographed copy of my next book! Easy!

What are you in for if you do? Well, Department Thirteen chronicles a week in the life of former KGB informant Aleksandr Talanov, who discovers he has broken the first rule of survival by unwittingly falling in love with the woman he must now fall out of love with if he is to save her from a mysterious group of assassins from his past. Released in 2011 by Comfort Publishing and set in Los Angeles, Australia, Vanuatu, and Switzerland, the novel was inspired by my years as a smuggler behind the old Iron Curtain, where it was recently awarded the Best Thriller of 2011 by USA Book News. You can read the official press release by clicking HERE, or watch the two-minute trailer by clicking HERE.

The Identity Factor is a completely different story altogether. Also published by Comfort Publishing and set in Austin, Cairo, Jerusalem, Washington DC, and San Francisco, The Identity Factor is attraction versus antagonism when a headstrong, mouthy rookie profiler with the CIA competes with a charming Texas journalist to identify a phantom terrorist. The book scooped finalist awards in four US book competitions, including the National Best Books Awards and the Eric Hoffer Award.

And what is my next book, you ask? I can't tell you that right now other than to say it is the second in my Talanov thriller series. "Book X," as I am presently calling it, will be announced officially by its actual title in June at the giant Book Expo America convention in New York. Naturally, some quotes and teasers will be leaked before that time, but if you like the likes of Aleksandr Talanov, you're in for a real treat.

So, in conclusion, I wish you happy reading, and on behalf of The Paul Franco Award, I hope to see one of you soon!

Department Thirteen

Moscow: 1983. Colonel Aleksandr Talanov of the KGB was trained to keep other people safe. It was his job. He was good at it. Unfortunately, the people he was protecting tonight were not the targets. He was. And not in a way he could ever have imagined. ~Department Thirteen. Opening lines.

James Houston Turner's latest novel, Department Thirteen, is a modern-day thriller about retired KGB informant Aleksandr Talanov, who is happily married to a woman he does not love. But when a mysterious group of assassins from his past narrowly miss killing him and his wife, Talanov discovers he has broken the first rule of survival by unwittingly falling in love with the woman he must now fall out of love with if he is to save her.

Want a taste of the adventure? View the exciting new Department Thirteen book trailer by clicking HERE.

Want to order a copy?

Go to Barnes & Noble by clicking HERE.
Go to Amazon.com by clicking HERE.

# # #

SAM WORTHINGTON, STAR OF THE BLOCKBUSTER FILMS, AVATAR AND CLASH OF THE TITANS, CONGRATULATES JAMES HOUSTON TURNER ABOUT HIS TWO-BOOK PUBLISHING DEAL.

"It all starts with the writer: film, TV, book -- it doesn't matter -- it all starts with the writer." Sam Worthington

James announces his upcoming Department 13 book tour on the glamorous online entertainment magazine, Artist Interviews, and explains why he calls it his "Too Ugly Tour."

EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW:

AI: You're an award-winning author of suspense thrillers. Your two novels -- Department Thirteen and The Identity Factor -- are about to be launched in the United States with tremendous fanfare and a nationwide media blitz. You have Hollywood celebrities supporting and congratulating you. Why call your promotional tour the "Too Ugly Tour"?

JHT: As many people know, my face is disfigured from an operation I had back in 1991. It was a low point in my life as a writer, where I felt my career was going nowhere and we needed money. So I applied for a customer service job with a large company here in Adelaide, Australia, where we live. I was refused, not because I lacked skills, but because I was too ugly. At the time, it was a kick in the guts. But it was also a blessing in disguise, because if I had been hired, I may well not have persevered with my writing to become the published author I am today. So I decided to call my tour the "Too Ugly Tour" as both a reminder of and dedication to the hard knocks of life that are actually blessings in disguise. So while I will be appearing in bookstores and doing media interviews about my novels, I will also be sharing my story in schools with the hope of encouraging students not to give up when those kind of things happen. Kids today get hit with lots of those same kinds of judgments: you're too fat, too dumb, too poor, too...whatever. If we believe those lies, we become our own worst enemy and are defeated in life much more easily. Don't fall into that trap!

AI: The highs and lows you have experienced! What enabled you to keep going through so many heartaches and disappointments?

JHT: Belief in myself and in my writing. I've worked at all sorts of jobs to support my passion to write. I've shoveled concrete, washed windows, mowed lawns, worked construction and cleaned houses. I cannot tell you how many nails I've hammered or toilets I've scrubbed. I did it because I was willing to do whatever it took to support my family while pursuing my writing. That's because I felt a sense of purpose in what I was doing...that I had beaten the odds and been spared from cancer for a reason...that my books were not just "donut novels" -- all fluff and air -- but stories with a difference...the result not just of my imagination, but my life: the emotions and pain that I've felt, as well as the triumph. Each book contains glimpses into the extraordinary people I've met -- many of them heroes, many of them victims -- and the experiences I've lived, and the places I've traveled. That having been said, my books really aren't about me; they're about my readers. It's about each of them -- each of you -- being able to count on me using every available tool in my writer's toolbox to pack each and every story full of meaty characters, provocative storylines, interesting settings and a satisfying conclusion. I know I won't please everyone all of the time. But I try hard to achieve that high standard...to give my readers something worth reading.

AI: Your international thriller, The Identity Factor, has already been adapted for film and scooped finalist awards in four international book competitions, including the National Best Books Awards and the Eric Hoffer Award. LA's the Place magazine called it "One killer of a thriller...a Jason Bourne meets The DaVinci Code kind-of mystery inside a puzzle." UK book and film critic, Daniel Cann, who loved your new headstrong action hero, Zoe Gustaves, wrote one of the most stunning reviews I've ever read. He said, "Comparisons have already been made with Dan Brown and Robert Ludlum. After reading this novel, I can see why. Turner is a master at creating tension and suspense. Ludlum, Grisham, Patterson, Child...you can now add James Houston Turner to that esteemed list." Accomplished actor, Adoni Maropis, who played the master villain, Abu Fayed, in the hit television series, 24, had this to say: "I love a great villain. Great villains demand great heroes and The Identity Factor has both. This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end."  Adoni was brilliant in his role as Abu Fayed, and if anyone knows heroes and villains and how essential they are to a story, it is he. How does all this incredible praise make you feel?

JHT: To be compared with such A-list authors as Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, John Grisham, James Patterson, and Lee Child is an honor I find hard to articulate. It is very, very humbling. But this amazing praise came ten years after I wrote that book. That's right, ten years. Let me set the stage for you. I finished writing The Identity Factor, which plunges into the heart of Arab/Israeli issues in the Middle East, back in 2001. Hollywood had even expressed interest in it as a film. Then came the attack on the Twin Towers, and virtually overnight, no publisher wanted anything that was Middle Eastern. And virtually overnight, my book was a pariah. Another rug yanked from beneath me. But I refused to give up on the story, and in 2008, decided to publish it myself here in Australia, where it won those awards (which I felt exonerated me for not discarding it like people said I should do). Now, of course, the Middle East is a hot topic of interest and there are all kinds of TV programs, films, and books set there, which is what attracted Adoni's praise as well as the interest of Comfort Publishing, who will be launching The Identity Factor in the United States when it launches Department Thirteen (my retitled 1999 novel) at the University of Houston Clear Lake, followed by a nationwide tour to promote the books. Aussie Sam Worthington, star of the blockbuster films, Avatar and Clash of the Titans, had this to say to me at the G'day USA black tie gala in Hollywood last January, when I told him the good news about my publishing contracts: "It all starts with the writer, mate: film, TV, book -- it doesn't matter -- it all starts with the writer. Congratulations on scoring your deal. You deserve it."

Sam Worthington at G'day USA

Artist Interviews magazine is one of America's first online celebrity magazines and the winner of numerous awards. You may read the entire emotionally-moving interview with James by clicking HERE.

Keep up with all the latest info on James's Too Ugly Tour by visiting www.toouglytour.com, or by following James on Twitter or Facebook.

Additional information on James, including all the latest news and reviews, may be found on his website: www.jameshoustonturner.com.

See for yourself why people are talking! Order an eBook edition of The Identity Factor from Amazon by clicking HERE.

For all of Comfort Publishing's titles, visit www.comfortpublishing.com. 

James Houston Turner's Book Cover Photo. Which One???

Friends, Romans, Countrymen...lend me your eyes. I need help choosing an author photo for the cover of my upcoming suspense thriller, Department Thirteen.

As many of you know, I'm pretty self-conscious -- at times terrified -- when it comes to the camera. Especially the flash. Which seems to highlight the facial distortions of my 1991 cancer operation at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. But I'm alive and married to the girl of my dreams. And my publisher, Comfort Publishing, is about to bring you a series of thrillers inspired by my experiences as a smuggler behind the old Iron Curtain. So I'm not one to complain.

Nevertheless, when Comfort's Director of Author Relations, Kristy Huddle, told me I needed a photo for the book cover, I got nervous. So I mentioned this to my good mate -- veteran photographer, Bill Rich -- who has worked with many of Hollywood's A-list. Bill is an absolute genius when it comes to the camera, so we spent an afternoon together in Los Angeles doing a photo shoot. Bill knows how to provoke, coach, guide and goad subjects into giving him just the right look. And believe me, I took some goading.

Bill took over 200 images that afternoon, and together we went through them. We tossed out the lousy ones and kept eighty or so good ones, which I've edited into a shortlist, which I've posted below.

So I'd like you to vote on which photo (or photos) you think best represents me as an author. None of the ones below are vastly different from the others. The differences are subtle. I discarded some otherwise good shots because I didn't feel they were "author" shots. I know author photos are supposed to have some kind of "X" factor -- whatever that is -- and maybe one of these photos does. Maybe not. Regardless, I'd like you to help me decide which one is best. Simply click the "Like" button at the bottom of your favorite image here on the blog site. For my Facebook friends, please cast your votes here so that I can forward the stats to my publisher. Feel free to leave comments as well, as I welcome all input into this decision.

I'd also like you to share this page with your Facebook friends, to get their votes. As you can tell, I'm a little nervous about all of this. But the book -- and one of these photos -- will be going international, so I'd really like to know what people think. There's a bar of icons at the bottom for Facebook and other social networking sites. Just click the icon and post a link to your friends with a request for their assistance in helping me select which photo is best for a book cover. Thank you!!! Here is the selection:

The Fine Art of Opening Champagne

All Cool Dude Writers know the fine art of opening Champagne. Whether aste spumante, sparkling cider, or the real stuff -- there is simply no better way to celebrate a book deal.

And celebrating I am, because I've just signed a contract with Comfort Publishing for my "Ludlumesque" espionage novel, Department Thirteen, which chronicles a week in the life of Aleksandr Talanov, a retired KGB informant who is happily married to a woman he does not love. But when a group of assassins from his past narrowly miss killing him and his wife, Talanov discovers he has broken the first rule of survival by unwittingly falling in love with the woman he must now fall out of love with in order to save her. It is the story of a man who is capable and suddenly incapable at the same time: fearless and afraid, ice-cold and yet struggling against the "thaw" that he did not had occurred in his protective insulation, which now makes him vulnerable. Set mainly in Australia, Vanuatu, and Switzerland, the book is based on Department Thirteen, the actual assassination and sabotage unit of the old KGB, as well as my years as a smuggler behind the old Iron Curtain.

Comfort Publishing is a mid-sized general trade book publisher in North Carolina that publishes about 30-50 books per year (similar to what Bloomsbury was for J.K. Rowling!). Department Thirteen is slated for release in mid-2011. Details about its upcoming launch and United States book tour in October will be posted soon on my website.

"What I like most about this book is its twisting, turning, completely unpredictable storyline," says Pam Tolen, Senior Vice President of Comfort Publishing's Book Division. "No wonder The Dallas Morning News called it "Ludlumesque," after the great novelist, Robert Ludlum. Not only that, Jim's novel is extremely timely in light of the Russian spies caught operating in the United States. The time is ripe for a hero like Talanov, who helped the West during the Cold War and whose experience in KGB sabotage and spy tactics makes him a valuable asset. Jim has a series of Talanov thrillers planned, and this one definitely has film potential. Studios call us regularly looking for books like this one."

Soooo, can you see now why I've been into the Champagne? But opening it the right way is a must.
I was instructed in the fine art of opening Champagne (as well as how to dance tango and cook soufflé) by a close friend of Stanley Marcus, of legendary Neiman-Marcus fame. That close friend was none other than my Aunt Hazel. Aunt Hazel was a super cool, world class, jet-setting, socialite ballroom dancer -- the original Auntie Mame -- my mom's fiery, red-headed younger sister. I still have the full-length Neiman-Marcus faux-fur coat that she bought me just after I graduated from Baker University. Eat your heart out, fluffy pink bathrobe...
But back to Champagne.

"Piper Heidsieck, of course, is the only Champagne one should buy and it is to be opened this way," instructed Aunt Hazel in the formal dining room of her luxurious high-rise apartment in Dallas, on the banks of Turtle Creek. She carefully unfastened the wire cage, being careful to keep a hand on top of the cork to prevent it from shooting out unexpectedly. She then tipped the bottle to a forty-five degree angle, grasped the cork firmly and twisted the bottle. "Remember: twist the bottle, not the cork, at forty-five degrees. This is most important. The angle allows the carbon dioxide to escape without foaming the Champagne." She paused, an empty flute in one hand, the bottle of Heidsieck in the other. "Have you got all that?"
"Yeah, yeah," I said. "Forty-five degrees."
"Are you sure? One mustn't waste a drop. This is Heidsieck, you know..."
"I'm sure," I said, nodding toward the empty flute, my implication obvious: get on with it.
She raised a skeptical eyebrow and poured.
Some weeks later, my girlfriend from Kansas City came for a visit and I decided to impress her with my newly-acquired skill. I was in my research-paper-writing-days (a skill that enabled me to wriggle out of many a test), and -- naturally -- I considered myself a Cool Dude Writer of sorts. I mean -- I wrote. I drank the finest Champagne. And none of that cheap stuff with the plastic stopper, either. Heidsieck had a cork!
Ready to impress, I filled a picnic basket with the finest gourmet items, loaded everything into my dune buggy (bright orange, no less), and to the grassy banks of Turtle Creek we went. I snapped a blanket out on the grass, and with a confident smile, spread out our Provincial feast. I then produced my prized bottle of Heidsieck.
"M'lady," I said, allowing her to inspect the label.
She nodded, clearly impressed.
Turtle Creek is actually somewhat of a misnomer. It is not really a "creek" in the traditional sense (where it's often pronounced "crick"). In truth, Turtle Creek was more of a long narrow lake, the energetic stream of bygone years now tamed and lined with thousands of shade trees and flowering azaleas. With several black swans gliding by gracefully offshore, I handed my girlfriend two empty flutes, and with the cavalier flair of the Cool Dude Writer that I was, removed the wire cage from the neck of the bottle and tossed it aside.
An instant later, the cork shot out of the bottle like a bullet, smacking me in the forehead before richocheting out into the middle of the lake. Champagne spewed everywhere as I reeled back, unable to see anything but spinning white spots. By the time my vision had cleared, a large "goose egg" had appeared on my forehead.
It's not easy being a Cool Dude Writer. I mean, Lee Child, David Morrell, Michael Connelly, Rick Castle -- these dudes have got it down pat. Me? I keep practicing all the right moves, but -- alas and *sigh* -- someone always discovers the truth.
Which is not good for a guy who tells lies for a living!