Please welcome Ron D Voigts (@RonDVoigts) to the blog today!
What
name(s) do you write under? If you write under a pseudonym, what helped you
choose that name?
I write under Ron D. Voigts. I seldom go by my first name “Ronald” and
prefer just Ron. The initial from my middle
name got stuck in there when many years back, I wrote a column in a
magazine. The editor put my byline as
Ron D. Voigts, and I’ve kept it like that ever since.
What
is the name of your most recent or upcoming release?
My most recent release is Strigoi: The Blood Bond.
Can
you give us an idea of what the story is about?
On the verge of suicide after his wife left him,
Alex Regal learns he has inherited property located in a small town deep within
the Appalachian Mountains. Putting things on hold, he heads to Glade, hoping
for something positive in his life. Getting there is easy but leaving proves to
be impossible. A spell exists, keeping everyone captive, and the place is run
by a Shapeshifter called the Strigoi. Alex soon learns that the Strigoi wants
one thing from him…his blood.
What
genre is it?
Paranormal mystery-thriller.
Where
can we find it?
The book is available at Amazon for the Kindle.
What
is your writing process? Do you use an outline, fly by the "seat of your
pants" or some other method?
I start with an idea and flesh out the beginning of
the story. After getting into it for a
few chapters, the ending comes to me. Most times I write the last few chapters.
Now I fill in the in-between stuff, seeing where the characters lead me. Most times they get me there. If I had to commit to a method outline vs
“seat of your pants,” I guess I’d be a pansters.
Did
you hire or use an editor prior to publishing?
Strigoi was edited by a Madeline Jackowski, a young
lady working on her graduate degree in Library Science. She did a stupendous job and made me realize
how important it is to have your work professionally edited prior to
publication.
Did
you use a graphic artist to create your cover art? If so, what helped you decide
on the cover(s) of your books?
The graphic artist for the cover of Strigoi: The Blood Bond was Rachel R.
Colon, who has worked professionally doing webpage designs as well as cover
designs for other people. The graphic on the cover was something I found and
loved immediately. The old castle, the
tombstone, and the crow are all elements in the story. The crow holds special significance as it
appears repeatedly throughout the novel and is important to the stories
conclusion.
Who
controls a story when you write; you, your characters or a combination?
The direction of my stories is somewhat
collaboration between me and the characters.
I know where they are going but let them take me there. In the ending of
Strigoi, the main character Alex stayed true to his values and character, even
when faced with life and death decisions.
Kirby, another character at the story’s finale, surprised me and turned
out to be far more heroic than I had planned.
Do
you have any projects you’re working on now?
My next book is due out March of 2015. This is
another paranormal mystery. A investigative reporter, mentally disturbed
psychic, and Goth type witch are on the trail of murderer.
Social Media Links
Strigoi:
The Blood Bond
Tales
of the Strigoi
Book
1
Ron
D. Voigts
Genre: Paranormal, Horror
Publisher: Night Wings Publishing
ASIN: B00LQRJBZ6
Number of pages: 231
Word Count: 72,000
Cover Artist: Rachel R. Colon
Book Description:
On the verge of suicide after his
wife leaves him, Alex Regal learns he has inherited property located in a small
town deep within the mountains. Putting things on hold, he heads to Glade,
hoping for something positive in his life. Getting there is easy but leaving proves
to be impossible. A spell exists, keeping everyone captive in this hidden
place.
The town of Glade is run by a
Shapeshifter called the Strigoi. The creature needs to drink human blood to
survive. In folklore, taking the form of a man or an animal, the Strigoi became
the basis of stories about vampires or werewolves. Now Alex must discover a
dark secret before he becomes the vampire's next meal.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/8wo4l7U-Xm4
Available at Amazon