Steampunk Granny's Interview of The Soulless Star, Jason Propst

                                                          

I had the honor of meeting Jason at the premier of The Soulless Part One a few months ago. Jason plays one of the lead characters in this apocalyptic film directed by Christopher Eilenstine. He plays the part of David Peterson, father of Nicole Peterson. Nicole was played by three different actresses over the course of the film starting with Carlee Iannone in the opening scene, Kaylin Iannone at age 12 and finally Jennifer Teska as Nicole age 24. Join me now as we learn more about Jason Propst.

Marie Gilbert:  Jason, please tell my readers a little bit about you.

Jason Propst: I was born in Detroit, though moved to Florida at a very young age and lived somewhat transiently with my mother and brother - throughout the state - until I moved to NYC at about 17 years old.  Back and forth from Florida to NYC, I eventually moved to Italy for a couple of years, then various cities throughout Europe, working in the fashion business.

 

                                                                       

Marie Gilbert: You were in the fashion business?

Jason Propst: Well, one day while I was in New York, someone from the Ford Agency stopped me and asked me if I wanted to model. I wasn’t completely interested, but then he followed up with would you want to go to Italy in January? Of course that sounded exciting and so I ended up going to Italy and got involved with modeling. I went to Milan for the first show season, did some shows and ended up staying in Milan. Italy is incredible. Then I met some other agents and went to Germany and Paris, just traveling Europe a little bit. It was a very exciting time in my life.

After Europe I moved to Martha’s Vineyard, then Vail, CO.  I worked as a bartender and carpenter and went back and forth, seasonally, several years until moving to San Diego. After 2 years-ish in San Diego, I moved back to NYC for another year or so, then floated around between Vail, FL, the Vineyard, Boston, NYC, and a brief stint in Paris, some time in Huntington Beach, Los Angeles… I’m sure I’m forgetting a few others.  You get the point… restless bones.  Although I loved all the places I’ve been, they never really felt like home.  At some point I decided Vail would be my home, perhaps triggered by the birth of my daughter, and now that I’m back here I’ve never been happier.

I now own a business selling/installing design conscious building products.  Designing and building have always been a passion so I’m fortunate to have found something that encapsulates those components.  Building a brand is a special feeling.  It’s your own creation, not so different from a child, though also very, very different.  It’s another type of love.  So I’m no longer working… I’m living.  It’s an extraordinary sensation.

 

                         Jason Propst with actress Kaylin Iannone in The Soulless                                 

Marie Gilbert: No father in the picture?

Jason Propst: No father, but I did find him when I was twenty-one for the first time, but opted not to meet him for various reasons.

Marie Gilbert: Are you married? How many children?

Jason Propst: I’m not officially married but I have two kids, Jezebel and Saunder and live with my partner, Gabrielle. Jezebel just started kindergarten and Saunders starts next year.

Marie Gilbert: Were you always interested in acting?

 

Jason Propst: I’ve always been interesting in writing.  I love developing characters and visualizing locations and events.  It’s invigorating to invent situations and put it down on paper.  I get bored very easily though and there’s always a better story just beyond the one I begin - so finishing hasn’t been my strong suit.  However, there is a character that’s been with me for years.  Lately, she’s all I think about when I go to bed.  I have hopes of sharing her someday.

As far as acting goes, I’ve been drawn to it since my first trip to NYC.  I went to HB Studios, then from this recommended coach to that one.  Every town I went had a coach to inspire me.  I went to quite a few acting schools… several in California, several in NYC and one in NJ.  It was always a lot of fun, but I was young and insecure and auditions never went well.  I gave up acting after yet another nauseating audition in LA.  I didn’t want to feel sick to my stomach anymore.  I was well into my 30s before I felt comfortable with myself and fell back into Community Theater.

                                                          

Marie Gilbert: What drew you to work in the Soulless?

 

Jason Propst: I did a play with an actor, Steve Hirsekorn, who was also filming a movie at the time.  Steve asked me if I’d like to play a short role in his film and I was thrilled.  Chris Eilenstine was filming that movie.  Shortly after that, Chris called and offered me the role of David Peterson.  There wasn’t a formal script, so I was a bit nervous going in.  I wasn’t sure who the character would be.  But the opportunity to work on the craft was exciting, a zombie film? Awesome. A father? I’m a father… what a great tool to grow.  There were many factors… and most of them thrilling.

Marie Gilbert: Were you a zombie fan before starring in The Soulless? Did you watch a lot of zombie movies?

Jason Propst: No, there was a movie a while back called Body Snatchers, which I liked.  It had a Rock & Roll style to it.  It wasn't exactly zombies, but a similar type of thrill.  But that was ages ago, maybe 1993... beyond that, I wasn’t into that culture at all. 

Marie Gilbert: Was it hard doing a zombie film? If no then why and if yes...why?

 

Jason Propst: Zombie films are amazing b/c there is a large demographic of incredible people enveloped in this culture.  They bring things to the table that other genres of movies could never dream of obtaining.  For example, if Chris posted a call for zombies, he could have a dozen to fifty show up – half of them in full gear; waiting for makeup at 8am in 25 degree weather.  Try that with a romantic comedy and you’ll be standing in the cold, with only your best friends – if they had the time for you.  And this culture doesn’t stop at “cut.”  They take it home with them, they go to shows, create zombie dolls… it’s truly unique to horror.

 

All that being said, I’m not sure I would say it was hard, specific to a zombie film.  Characters have definitely come easier to me than David Peterson.  But it was more about raising a daughter in an apocalyptic world, than about zombies.  In that sense it was challenging.  The zombies were just color.

Marie Gilbert: Now that you’ve been in an Independent zombie movie that’s going places, are you now looking at other zombie movies and shows differently? 

Jason Propst: Yes, quite a bit. Well like I said, I really didn’t have any experiences with zombie films, but lately I’ve started watching “The Walking Dead” through Netflix. I’ve heard a lot about the show while I was filming this movie and I thought it would be interesting to watch... and it is. It’s a bit addicting and I love the show.

Marie Gilbert: Oh yeah. I write the weekly recap of “The Walking Dead” for Biff Bam Pop and yes, it’s addicting.

Jason Propst: Yep and beyond that I’ve watched World War Z when it came out. The similarity within The Soulless and “The Walking Dead” is the drama involved. The fact that there is drama involved gives it that addictive tone, whereas with movies like World War Z, it’s almost exclusively about the adventure.

Marie Gilbert: With the zombies in World War Z, you don’t identify with them like in The Soulless.

Jason Propst: Right.

Marie Gilbert: What was it like to work for Director Chris Eilenstein? 

 

Jason Propst: Chris has something that I’ve seen in very few people; the tenacity to push forward regardless of the obstacles.  That is something I strongly admire about him.  He had this vision (albeit an amorphous vision at times, which is why we now have a trilogy on our hands) to communicate. 

 

                                                                   

And his drive to lay this vision on film was strong enough to push his family, his actors, his crew and producers to over a year of work.  I, myself, had committed to quitting several times because it was taking a tremendous amount of time; way longer than anticipated (another reason we now have a trilogy on our hands).  In the end, one of the factors that kept me going was his tenacity and will to succeed and, of course, the story.

Marie Gilbert: You had to work with three different actresses who played the part of Nicole Peterson, I’m not sure of Kaylin’s little sister’s name, but you worked with her, Kaylin Iannone and Jennifer Teska. Was it hard to adjust to their different acting styles?

 

                                                                   

Jason Propst: My first scene was with Kaylin.  We never even spoke.  We were thrust into this ice cream scene on Z Day and I had no idea how to relate to her.  It was completely awkward for me.  It took a while to get comfortable with her.  I couldn’t say exactly when it happened, but our relationship eventually developed into a boisterous friendship.  So unruly, in fact, that at times I longed for the good old days when it was just awkward. So riotous, actually, that I had to move almost 2000 miles away to retain my sanity.  And now that it’s getting drudged up again I may need to call my therapist.  I love her.

 

                                                                  

Jennifer.  So easy to relate to and work with her.  From the first scene I realized that she was going to make it much easier for me.  Although I have yet to see that scene, it created the type of father-daughter relationship we would have throughout the film; the bond that we would share, in spite of the characters we stumbled across; and the way we related to the rest of the cast and crew.  There was no adjustment… it was immediate chemistry.

 

                                                                         

Carlee and I only had a few scenes together.  The only adjustment I had to make was to rise to her level of commitment.  She was incredible and brought me to tears on our first scene (I think it was our first scene) together.  Then, in the park scene it was easy to think of her as my daughter.  She was so adorable.  Although, in the last few days of our association I recall a little Kaylin coming out in her and I fear for people.  Seriously… 2 of them?!!  Forget zombies.  There are Iannones out there!   I love them.

Marie Gilbert: If this film is picked up by a Network, would you be willing to travel to the filming location, especially if it’s a hit?

 

Jason Propst: There’s a whole lot of ambiguity in that question given the sacrifices I’ve made to get where I am now.  Certainly if everything fit I would love to work with everyone again and would welcome the opportunity to hone in on David Peterson with even more depth and insight.  I’ve made a lot of commitments here and I so love it.  It would be tough.

Marie Gilbert: Did you do MacGuffin before or after The Soulless?

Jason Propst: I did it before The Soulless. I was in Community Theatre ever since we came back to the East coast and I was doing a play with the writer/director of MacGuffin, Steve Hirsekorn. He had seen one of the earlier plays that I did and we talked about a mutual collaboration early on and I can’t remember if MacGuffin was before or after the play we did, but inevitably I did do a scene in the movie. It was fun. The girl playing opposite of me was Rebeca Spiro and I actually pulled her into a little short film that some friends of mine were doing later on. So yes, there is a community. It’s a circle.

 

                                                                             

Marie Gilbert: Are you doing any acting in Colorado?

Jason Propst: Vail is a ski resort but there is a theatre that I contacted when I moved here, the Vail Valley Theater Company.  I just missed auditions for Chicago, which is probably for the best since my singing voice really only shines in the shower and the occasional karaoke bar. I can audition when the next show comes up, but it’s only one and it’s not like New York or New Jersey where they are everywhere and you can just call up anytime you want...so there are limited opportunities as far as that goes. I have aspirations to act, but no time. There is just too much going on in Vail in the summer… rafting, hiking, wakeboarding, SUPing, biking, skating… on and on.  The kids are so happy and I’m so exhausted. 

Marie Gilbert: What are your feelings about Independent Films?

Jason Propst: I love independent films.  I generally prefer them because I love watching talented people I’ve never seen (or have seen very little).  There are so many gifted actors, directors, writers, etc. and the more I experience, the better my life… in acting, writing, creating, or what have you… also it’s important to support independents if only to embolden those would-be creators to go for it.  I like a good blockbuster as much as the next guy… but I feel special when I’m watching an independent.  I feel like I’m a part of something that the masses are not.  Independents make me feel ever-so-slightly more unique… don’t ask me why that matters… conditioning perhaps… but that’s the effect.

Marie Gilbert: You mentioned earlier that you were interested in writing. Could you tell us about the story you’re working on?

Jason Propst: The story that I’m working on is science fiction with a strong helping of drama and existentialism. It's another world entirely.  Architecture is different, transportation is different... even varying degrees of gravity, which changes innovation and technology, as well as politics, mentality, strengths and weaknesses... virtually everything is affected.  That is why it's been such a mainstay in my creative warehouse.  I can change anything.  Then I learn to recognize how those changes affect everything else.  It's a barrage of epiphanies and excitement.  I have a few chapters written, but they are incessantly changing.  I took a Creative Writing Class to help me extrapolate the main character and develop her more in the story.  Positive feedback makes it even more exciting.

Marie Gilbert: Do you have a title for the book, yet?

Jason Propst: The working title is “The La La Room.  It delves into a father-daughter relationship much like The Soulless, but there is also a son… and they may not be entirely related.  I guess you’ll have to wait and see.  That is to say, I’ll have to wait and see.

Marie Gilbert: That is so great and I’m wishing you luck as a writer and if you ever want me to read it for my point of view, let me know. Are you thinking of joining a writer’s group in Colorado?

Jason Propst: Well, you know I just started a business out here and we haven’t actually opened yet. We’re getting a lot of our products from Italy, so things take a while to get to the showroom and it’s a work in progress designing the showroom and that’s taking up most of my time.

But, that is a great idea and I will probably join soon.

Marie Gilbert: Because then you won’t feel isolated in your writing and I felt that joining a writers’ group was the best thing I ever did.

Jason Propst: Yeah and it motivates you to prepare something for the group as well. It gives you deadlines.  That helps me quite a bit.

Marie Gilbert: Tell me more about your business?

Jason Propst:  My partner and I sell design conscious building products. We sell Italian kitchens, doors, floors, appliances, windows, hand-crafted carpet – almost everything one needs to finish a home or space. Our floors are from Norway, German carpet, Italian windows and cabinets… modular homes from Finland, etc.  We aim to find the products that have value and aren’t offered anywhere else.

Marie Gilbert: You’re products are different?

Jason Propst: Yes, our kitchens for example… there is one other company in the U.S. that provides these kitchens - located in Miami.  And, with our doors, the only other company that provides these doors is located in New York.  So, we source these amazing products, get exclusivity in our market and the products sell themselves.  The Vail market is high-end… but we’ve noticed that people aren’t looking for brands as much as value.  Our products are the best in the world, but many aren’t established brands yet.   Therein lies the value.

Marie Gilbert: That’s awesome and I wish you the best of luck.

Jason Propst: Yes it’s going tremendous even before we’ve opened up our doors. It’s just a rocket ship.

Marie Gilbert: Do you have a Web page that I can share with our readers?

 

                                                                  

Jason Propst: Yes, it’s www.yournewbox.com

Marie Gilbert: I’ll share the link so people in your area will read this. Whenever I’ve seen cabinets, floors and buildings from Europe, I just feel that they’re made better. There is no wasted space.

 

                                                                          

Jason Propst: They are miles ahead of us as far as design goes and as far as craftsmanship goes, when you touch and feel it, it’s just worlds apart. We do offer domestic cabinets and commodity products so people can see the difference.

Marie Gilbert: I’m so excited for you, Jason, and I’m wishing you the best with your business and your writing.

Jason Propst: Thanks Marie.  I wish you all the best as well.

 

Steampunk Granny's Interview with J. Keller Ford

                                                            

Yep, it's time for an interview with another author featured in our group's new anthology, Reading Glasses. J. Keller Ford's story is "The Passing of Millie Hudson.

                                                                           

I’ve been following J. Keller Ford’s blog for some time now and I truly enjoy her writing. Ms. Ford is a Young Adult and New Adult fantasy author, freelance editor and book reviewer. Her short stories, “The Amulet of Ormisez” (Make Believe Anthology) and “Dragon Flight” (One More Day Anthology) are published by J. Taylor Publishing. Two of her non-fiction short stories, “Baby” and “Five More Minutes”, won reader’s choice awards at www.midlifecollage.com. Her first YA fantasy novel, In the Shadow of the Dragon King—the first installment in the Chronicles of Fallhollow trilogy— is complete and seeking representation. You can find J. Keller Ford at these sites: www.j-keller-ford.com Blog: YA Scribbles and Scoops Twitter: @jkellerford.

                                                            

   

Marie Gilbert: Jenny, I’m so happy to have you as a guest and I would like to jump right in with the interview. Welcome and would you tell us a bit about yourself. What is the inspiration that drew you to writing?

J. Keller Ford: Where do I begin?  Would it make sense if I said I was born writing?  I really can’t pinpoint one thing that inspired me to write. It’s always been a part of me like breathing.  I can’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. Of course, my parents influenced me a lot.  My mom always read to me and my dad would tell me fantastical stories of brave and gallant knights.  Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been around books.  In fact, one of my favorite outings as a child was going to the library (shh, it still is).  Being surrounded by books has always been a magical event for me.  There wasn’t a single place I couldn’t go, whether to a deserted island, a space colony, or up and down the Mississippi River on a riverboat. I spent time with a certain Velveteen Rabbit. I discovered the well kept secrets of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. I soared high with Jonathan Livingston Seagull, saw the future in 1984 and I shipwrecked on Treasure Island.  Of course, living in Germany and traveling around to all the castles contributed to my love for fantasy and dragons. I guess you could say my inspiration for writing comes from everywhere: my own experiences, my family, life, and the deep-down desire to tell a tale that hasn’t yet been told.

 

Marie Gilbert: What type of stories do you like to write and why?

J. Keller Ford: I’ve written tons of stories, but I seem to gravitate toward Young Adult, primarily fantasy, whether it is urban or epic, or as is the case with The Passing of Millie Hudson, paranormal.  I think my brain goes that direction because after dealing with the realities of life on a daily basis, I want to write something that is in no way connected. I have always wanted to create my own reality, my own spaces where things work out the way I want them to.  I also like the Y.A. aspect because I can finally vicariously do all the things I wanted to do as a teen through my characters and settings.  It gives me a chance to let go of that ‘conservative’ side of me and just let go.

Marie Gilbert: I checked your website and see that you’ve been published in a few anthologies, what are your plans on future publications? Do you have a novel in the works? If yes, give us a brief synopsis.

J. Keller Ford: Right now, I’m putting a hundred percent effort into my Y.A. Chronicles of Fallhollow trilogy.  The first novel, IN THE SHADOW OF THE DRAGON KING, was just picked up by Month9Books for publication in the Spring/Summer 2016 and I am currently writing on books 2 and 3 in the series. What is the first novel about? 

A seventeen-year-old squire with knightly ambitions reluctantly joins forces with a sixteen-year-old overachiever to slay a dragon, save a realm from ultimate destruction, and maybe even win the forbidden girl in the process.

Marie Gilbert: I enjoy reading your blog and would like your opinion on why blogging is important for writers in all stages of their career?

J. Keller Ford: Blogging is a great way to connect with people.  I am amazed sometimes when I think of all the people my blog has touched all over the world.  I love talking to people.  I love sharing things with people.  So many times I see people flip out on Twitter or Facebook when a well-known author answers questions posed to them on a blog, website or social media.  I see comments all the time like “OM Gosh, I didn’t think you’d really answer!”  The 30 seconds of time the author took to answer that fan or reader does amazing things for the author and his or her ‘brand’.  That reader will now go and tell everyone about that personal interaction, and we all know what word of mouth does.  There is no better way to grow an online presence or create a brand than by helping others and being nice.  That’s why you’ll see a lot of cover reveals, blog posts by other authors, and book reviews on my blog.  Blogging isn’t all about yacking about ourselves.  It’s about connecting on a personal level with others.  Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we succeed.  The main thing to remember is to be yourself and have fun.  The rest will follow with time.

Marie Gilbert: What convinced you to join our kickstarter?

J. Keller Ford: One of my fave author buddies and dear friend, Jennifer Eaton, told me about the anthology. She’d read The Passing of Millie Hudson before and suggested I submit it, seeing as the SJWG had opened up the submissions to everyone.  Since Millie Hudson is one of my favorite short stories I’ve written, I thought, “Why not?” I was thrilled when Amy and Jessica informed me that it had been accepted for inclusion out of close to a hundred submissions.

Marie Gilbert: Do you belong to a writers’ group? Why if yes, Why if no.

J. Keller Ford: I belong to a local writers group and also to a writers group at Scribophile.com called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pens.  Both groups are awesome in different ways.  The local writers group is set up in such a way that everyone reads from their latest work in progress and gets immediate, live feedback.  It’s a great way to meet other authors, personally get to know them.  Put a name to a face.  It’s live interaction. It’s positive, and it helps to grow a local fan base.  It’s a great way to team up with other authors for meet and greets, book signings, panel discussions, etc.  The online writer group is filled with the most supportive group of women I’ve ever known.  They are all in different stages of publishing. Some have been published by big name publishers, some by Indies, some self-published. We all pour out our hearts over achievements, disappointments.  We rant and rave over personal and professional issues.  There is a wealth of information and some of the best beta readers EVER!  And if you think you don’t need beta readers, think again.  These gals have been through the publishing scene with professional publishers.  They know what to look for. They aren’t just writers to me.  They are my friends. I have already met one in person and plan on meeting many more.

Marie Gilbert: Would you consider the route of self-publishing one of your books? Why if yes, why if no.

J. Keller Ford: At this time, the answer would be no.  For one, I don’t have the funds and it can be quite expensive to produce your own book.  Another reason is I’m simply not marketing savvy.  I’m learning but I’m such a novice, I wouldn’t know where to begin.  I don’t have the connections to get me where I want to be.  I dream of NYT best-seller lists.  I dream of movie deals for my novels, with action figures.  I don’t know how to do any of it except set up blog tours and promote book covers.  Besides, I like having my work vetted by publishers.  It’s so easy to think our work is awesome and amazing.  It adds a whole new level when a highly sought after publisher likes your story enough to pick it up and say they want to publish it.  For me, that makes me very, very happy.  That’s not to say that someday I won’t publish a book of my poetry or a collection of my short stories, but for now, I’ll leave the publishing and marketing to the big guys so I can focus on writing the best stories I can write.

Marie Gilbert: I want to thank you for your time, Jenny and I know our readers will love your story just as much as I did.

You can find my book, Roof Oasis, the first in an apocalyptic tale with a twist on Amazon. com and on kindle.

                                                                      

 

You can find Reading Glasses on Smashwords, for Kindle, Nook, iBook downloads and more.

Steampunk Granny Reviews The Drop

                                                          

                                     

My husband and I love the late and great James Gandolfini. We were big fans of The Sopranos on HBO and never missed a show from its start in 1999 to its finale in 2007.

                                                                  

 Dan and I enjoy gangster shows especially over the edge gangster shows. For our thirty fifth wedding anniversary, we decided to go see The Drop which is directed by Michael R. Roskam and stars Tom Hardy as Bob, Noomi Rapace as Nadia and James Gandolfini as Cousin Marv.

We were not disappointed in the film which tells about the sequence of events after a neighborhood bar is robbed by two masked bandits. This was no ordinary bar but a place where the mob’s money is kept until it can be moved or laundered.

                                                                    

Cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) has to make up for the money stolen from the cash register with his own funds. The Russian Mob is way nastier than the Italian Mob ever was. There is no loyalty with this new breed of mob leaders and Marv and his bartender cousin, Bob (Tom Hardy), fear for their lives as they try to make things right.

                                                                   

The situation is made more impossible when the quiet and introverted Bob finds an abused pit ball puppy in a trashcan belonging to a waitress with a dark past. Nadia (Noomi Rapace), like the puppy, have been brutally abused and the abuser has been recently released from prison. Bob’s tender care of the injured puppy and his friendship with Nadia is the focal point of the film as all hell breaks loose.

                                                                  

The acting is superb as is the script. This film is a “sit on the edge of your seat” drama that catches you by surprise and takes you to the dark side, but the ending was totally unexpected. I give it a five star rating. So let me make an offer that you can't refuse! Go see the film. Capish?
                                                                    

                              You'll be missed James Gandolfini 1961-2013

Steampunk Granny's Interview of Bruce Capoferri

                                                             

 

                                 

As you all know, I've recently published my first book, Roof Oasis. It's the first of a series and it's a love story that takes place during the apocalypse. As one of my friends from the South Jersey Writers' Group, James Knipp explained during a book signings for our group's first anthology, "Marie's story is Romeo and Juliet meets "The Walking Dead" done by Jules Vern." 

 

                                                                             

 

But I'm not the only one with good news! Hypothetical Press which was edited my Amy Holiday and Jessica A. Walsh has published their first anthology, Reading Glasses. Hypothetical Press is the publishing arm of The South Jersey Writers' Group and I'll be interviewing all the authors featured in Reading Glasses here on my blog.

 

My first guest is Bruce Capoferri. Bruce Capoferri sells automobiles, but enjoys writing stories and songs in his spare time and is currently working on a novel. He has four autobiographical stories published in Primo Magazine and one in Buona Salute. He lives with his wife, Barbara, and cat, Krikat.

                                                             

Marie Gilbert: Thank you, Bruce, for taking the time to do this interview. I’m happy to meet you and we have a few questions for the people out there. What got you started in writing? What was your inspiration to take pen to paper? What authors inspire you?

 

Bruce Capoferri: I have always been a story teller.  But I have to thank Miss Shepherd, my eighth grade English teacher, for recognizing it and encouraging me.  I wrote a short story entitled The Paradise Lost Affair that she edited and submitted to a teacher’s magazine and got published.  I wish I had gotten a copy of it, because it was the first time I was recognized for having some talent.  I must also blame - I mean, thank - my fantastic coach and brother-in-law, Glenn Walker, for coaxing me into putting my stories down on paper and submitting them to magazines. I have to thank my wonderful wife, Barbara, for introducing me to HP Lovecraft, Phillip K Dick and a host of other fantasy and science fiction writers. Barbara is a children’s librarian and constantly supplies me with a wide variety of fodder for my imagination.

Marie Gilbert: What type of stories do you enjoy writing about?

Bruce Capoferri: The first few stories I got published were autobiographical.  I truly enjoy documenting my slightly askew memories of growing up next to my Italian grandparents in Elm, NJ.  But fantasy and science fiction is right up there as well.  I guess it’s because I can make my characters say and do whatever my devious mind dreams up.  I am in the process of finishing the last few chapters of my first novel and I’m enjoying wreaking mayhem and chaos so much I’m having difficulty reaching the conclusion.

Marie Gilbert: Where did you get the inspiration for this story?

Bruce Capoferri: The inspiration for ‘The Malocchio’ sprang from the Italian belief that someone can impart bad luck upon a rival or enemy with a malevolent glance. Over the years I have also heard this curse referred to as ‘The Maloiks’ or ‘The Maloikies’.  But, no matter how you may pronounce it, my story takes this old world superstition to a more deadly level.

Marie Gilbert: Amy mentioned that you are working on a novel. Could you tell us a little about that?

Bruce Capoferri: “The Children of God and Men” sprang from a conversation I had with my cousin, Sandy Core, at a family reunion.  She mentioned that a short story I had written and shared with her titled “Hitching a Ride on Borrowed Time” reminded her of an excerpt from the book of Genesis in the Bible. It portends that Angels (known as The Watchers) were sent to Earth by God to supervise the development of man-kind.  But finding the women of men attractive, the Angels took as many of the women as they wanted for wives resulting in the births of giants and men of renown (also known as Nephilim). In my research I discovered the banned ‘Book of Enoch’ and then really became intrigued. The book allows me the opportunity to explore comparative religions and how world-wide myths and legends have shaped multi-cultural beliefs. If you enjoy reading stories about conspiracy theories, ancient alien influences and Native American prophecy mixed with apocalyptic action, you will love my book.  By the way, did I mention it is also a dark comedy?

Marie Gilbert: Do you belong to a writers’ group? If so, why and if not, why?

Bruce Capoferri: I'd like to consider myself a member of the South Jersey Writer’s Group because it is the only one who has recognized me. It will also be the first entity to publish one of my stories in a hardback book. The difficulty I have is time to attend meetings.  This is because I am a full time automobile salesman and work most evenings.  I do my best to keep in touch with what is going on, however, and read Writer’s Digest and similar publications. 

Marie Gilbert: Was this the first kickstarter that you ever participated in? What was it about our kickstarter that made you want to help out?

Bruce Capoferri: Although I have submitted my manuscripts to various contests, this was the first one of this type.

Marie Gilbert: Thank you Bruce for doing this interview

Bruce Capoferri: I want to thank everyone at South Jersey Writer’s Group and the Hypothetical Press for making my dream a reality.

 

I hope you enjoyed learning about Bruce Capoferri and in a few days, I'll be posting another interview with J. Keller Ford, another author featured in Reading Glasses.

                                                                        

 

You can find Roof Oasis  on Amazon. com and on kindle.

You can find Reading Glasses on Smashwords, for Kindle, Nook, iBook downloads and more.

Our group will be doing many book signings over the next few months. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello. We'll have plenty of books to choose from: Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey (our group's first anthology) What to Expect When You're Dead by John Farquhar, Reading Glasses (A collection of speculative short fiction by Hypothetical Press), and Roof Oasis by Marie Gilbert.