Though I've been looking forward to it basically all week, I can't believe another weekend is upon us already. I'm typing this up at 2:40AM, thanks to my clumsy son keeping me in the ER all evening. Sigh... I really hope I get to sleep in this morning!
But now on to much more interesting topics, namely, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio! Steve is stopping by today while on his blog tour to answer a few questions so we can all learn more about his amazing novel and his amazing self :-).
But now on to much more interesting topics, namely, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio! Steve is stopping by today while on his blog tour to answer a few questions so we can all learn more about his amazing novel and his amazing self :-).
Be sure to enter the giveaway following the interview for your chance at your very own FREE ecopy of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum!
Stephen Prosapio
Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum
GL: Good morning, sir! Please give us your intro/blurb.
Steve: Forced to work with a rival TV ghost hunting show, a paranormal researcher—who is himself possessed—investigates a 19th century asylum and uncovers as many dangerous secrets as he does spirits.
GL: What was your inspiration for this book?
SP: I really fell in love with the TV ghost hunting shows, and thought it would be great in a novel to get behind the scenes of them. All of those “WHAT WAS THAT?” moments would be captured in the novel. Also, the character of Zach grew over the course of about a year or so just in my brain, so by the time I started writing the book, I knew him rather intimately. And lastly there was the story of Rosewood and the history of the spirits who inhabited it. Those came to me as the story developed similar to the way it does for the readers.
GL: Is there a real Rosewood?
SP: There is a real Rosewood Asylum in Maryland, but the Rosewood in my book is a fictional place shrouded in the very real historical neighborhood of Pullman, Illinois. The entire town actually is a Historical Landmark and most of the old buildings are still standing.
GL: Which character’s personality most closely resembles your own?
SP: Great question. I’m reminded of that movie (I won’t name it so that it doesn’t ruin the film for those who’ve not seen it) where the characters are all shards of someone with multiple personality disorder. They’re really all fractions of my persona at various ages or stages of development. Zach: the good kid trying to follow his passion. Ray: the big athletic guy who’s cool and funny. Wendy: loves history. Sara: ambitious and smart. Rebecca: struggling to develop her talents. Matthew: having to fight to get what he wants. Angel: insecure but loyal. Hunter: wise and centered. How’s that for not really answering the question? LOL
GL: Wait, what was the question again??? :-)
GL: Was there a character or situation you had an extremely difficult time developing?
SP: Not in Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum. Compared to my other two novels, the characters and the story came together amazingly quickly and smoothly. I ran into some problems in the book I just completed, the next book in the XPI series: The Atchison Haunting (avoidance so thick that I even skipped ahead and answered two of the next questions avoiding the second half of this question before forcing myself to come back to it!). There is an important flashback in the 2nd book to a scene with Zach visiting his mother for the last time (She’s already dead at the opening of the first book so there’s no spoiler here). That “goodbye” scene was extremely difficult and emotional to write and then to edit and rewrite.
GL: Do you actually believe in ghosts?
SP: Absolutely.
GL: Have you ever had a personal experience with a ghost/demon?
SP: Not with a demon and I wouldn’t want to. I honestly don’t know that I’d be strong enough to face one. Ghosts, yes. I don’t share too much on that because I use my experiences in my writing and it might impact a reader’s enjoyment of the books.
GL: Do you have any unusual evil-repelling practices or superstitions? (For instance, I have slept with a Bible under my pillow to keep away bad dreams. J)
SP: Oddly, although I seem to write quite a bit about them, I’m not a particularly religious person these days. However, on the wall next to my computer, I have a Psalm quote Bono said before the most powerful performance I’ve ever seen (“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.”). Below it, I have the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel used often by Zach and XPI. Also, I’m careful not to drink alcohol or stay up late writing extremely dark scenes. I stay as cleared and centered as anyone would need to be to actually face down evil. Just to be on the safe side.
GL: Do you watch ghost reality shows on television?
SP: Well, believe it or not, I currently don’t own a television! I watch things online so it’s not like I deprive myself, but I’ve not seen too many of the modern ghost hunting shows. I watched them religiously (all of them) for a period before during and after completing Ghosts. Oddly, though, I’d already completed the first draft of the book before I learned of Ghost Adventures and Zak. Some people have asked if I modeled Zach after him and he’s one that I didn’t.
GL: I don’t know much about them. I try not to watch them if I can help it. They usually just make me giggle…
GL: What other work do you have published?
SP: I ePublished my first novel Dream War. It’s a SciFi tale which presupposes the CIA developed the technology to connect to our enemies’ dreams and extract information. Unfortunately, it was just a matter of time before they took things a little too far…
GL: What are you working on now?
SP: I mentioned the follow up novel to Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum. I hope people don’t get the impression the first book didn’t really end. I hate when authors do that. It’s my intention that each book could be read individually. Each book is a new case.
GL: What book(s) have you read that really surprised you?
SP: It’s really hard to surprise me in a book or novel. My mind tends to figure things out pretty quickly…which isn’t always a good thing. When something does surprise me it’s nice. The 6th Sense really got me. That was great. I saw a couple of the twists coming in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but they were so well done that they did surprise me and affect me on an emotional level.
GL: Mmmm…I love Harry Potter!
GL: Favorite scary movie?
SP: I’d put the original Jeepers Creepers up there. Also The 6th Sense.
GL: What would you choose for your last meal?
SP: Interesting question in that I recently considered this having just read “In Cold Blood” for the first time and considered it as they talked about the killers’ last meals. I guess I’d go with a nice salad, lasagna and as much wine as they’d let me have!
GL: Mine would have to be my momma’s biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon… Yum!
SP: Thanks so much for having me! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book!
Thanks for hanging out with us today and for sharing your book with me! I’m glad I enjoyed it too ;-)…even if I had some trouble sleeping some nights.
Dream War is available on Amazon FREE for a limited time. So, while you're over there snatching up your copy of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum, make sure you grab that one too!
Here's where you can find Steve:
Buy the book:
B&N
GIVEAWAY!!
Stephen is offering up one ebook to a lucky reader, as well as a signed bookmark and postcard (Hey, I want one of those!)... All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form OR leave a comment below with your email address! Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
