Interview Time! Deux! Kevin Hallock

So, one good interview deserves another and since Cecil was such a compelling character as the bad guy of Sojourning Souls (booo~ hiss~ *rotten tomato*). I decided to ask a few more questions. Who knows this could become a regular things!

 

Kayti: What inspired the character of Cecil?

Kevin: Honestly, I don’t really remember what inspired Cecil. I think I just liked the idea of a bad guy from the early 20th century. 

 

Kayti: What made you want to write Dead Doughboy Walking?

Kevin: Cecil was a character in Eye Spy and I wanted to learn more about him, so I started doing some research to understand more about the era he grew up in, what would have shaped his personality, and who his friends would have been. After reading several historical books about that time period, the seed for the story was planted and it grew into Dead Doughboy Walking. 

 

Kayti: Is he an easy character to write? 

Kevin: Not really. He’s a sadistic twisted character who really enjoys inflicting suffering on other people. But having said that, some parts are fun to write, like his old-fashioned vocabulary and his quirky obsession with tailored clothes. 

[Interesting, I love writing twisted characters]

 

Kayti: Will he be making appearances in any other books?

Kevin: Definitely. He’s not happy about being Johnny’d, and every body dies sometime.

[YES!]

 

Kayti: What advice would you give a new writer for creating characters?

Kevin: I think every writer is different in how they create characters. I enjoy research, and so I often spend a lot of time researching characters especially if they’re from a time or place that I’m unfamiliar with. And so if I were to offer advice, I’d encourage new writers to research their characters, including small details like what music they like, where they grew up, and other things that would make the character believable.  

 

About the Author

Kevin J. Hallock was born in Missouri, grew up in rural mid-Michigan, and currently lives in Massachusetts with his lovely wife. He’s been interested in science for as long as he can remember: collecting insects as a kid (gaining the nickname Walkingstick because he was tall and scrawny), majoring in chemistry and math in undergraduate, and earning his Ph.D. in physical chemistry. His current hobbies include reading, writing, role-playing games, Sudoku, as well as the occasional video game.

Eye Spy (Sojourning Souls #2) is available from many online retailers. For those who are curious, but not ready to commit, Dead Doughboy Walking (Sojourning Souls #1) is available for free from most online retailers.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Sojourning-Souls-Kevin-Hallock-ebook/dp/B00GZQK9X6

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Eye-Sojourning-Souls-Kevin-Hallock-ebook/dp/B00GZQK9X6/

Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eye-Sojourning-Souls-Kevin-Hallock-ebook/dp/B00GZQK9X6/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eye-spy-kevin-j-hallock/1117531318

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/eye-spy/id771127039

Kobo Books: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/eye-spy-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kevin_J_Hallock_Eye_Spy?id=j1Y8AgAAQBAJ

Sony’s ReaderStore: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/kevin-j-hallock/eye-spy/_/R-400000000000001166889

Eye Spy Review

 

The Nano Review

I spy with my little eye, something. . . sinister.

The Plot

Eye Spy is the latest edition to the Sojourning Souls series by – -. CJ is a young agoraphobic, terrified of stepping outside after his family suffered a brutal attack two years ago. Now the only way he sees the outdoors is through the eyes of other people as he travels from body to body, attempting to solve crimes, bring the bad guys to justice and give closure to the families, something he and his sister Steph are unable to enjoy.

But he’s not the only one who can travel or sense out of body travelers, there’s Cecil a serial killer born at the turn of the Twentieth century and hopping from body to body, and Melvin, a cult leader who can sense and ‘exorcise’ an out of body traveler. Both have set their sights on CJ. Both for various reasons. None of them good.

The Faves

I loved Eye Spy by – -. It was well written and engaging. It was the last I put down at night after my eyes were too tired to read one more word (Somehow I found myself reading one more chapter), and the first thing I picked up in the morning. I loved the characters CJ and Steph as well as the mechanics of his out of body experiences.

The mystery kept me guessing and the suspense kept me furiously flipping pages, or at least the e Book equivalent. I was so sad when it ended and I hope we’ll see more soon from – -.

More Please.