Wednesday, October 26, 2016

A Conversation with Paranormal Thriller Writer Molly Neely

Omnimystery News: Author Interview with Molly Neely

We are delighted to welcome author Molly Neely to Omnimystery News today.

Molly's new paranormal thriller is The Sand Dweller (Black Opal Books; September 2016 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we recently had the opportunity to spend some time with her talking about it.

— ♦ —

Omnimystery News: How would you categorize The Sand Dweller?

Molly Neely
Photo provided courtesy of
Molly Neely

Molly Neely: My stories always seem to have a lot going on. A blend of history and folklore, sprinkled over a paranormal thriller. I enjoy writing a story from several angles. That way the reader gets a broad picture of the whole world the character lives in, not just their individual tale. Because I like to create such complicated landscapes, I find myself writing very fast-paced books. That's the real challenge, to be complete without being long-winded.

OMN: When starting a new project, what comes first: a character, a storyline, or something else?

MN: I always start with a "What if?" For my current project, Prey for Charlie Temple, I asked, "What if there was girl getting bullied at school? What if she wanted to take care of the bully by framing a serial killer? What if the serial killer selected her as his next victim ?" One question leads to another and BLAMMO! I have a story.

OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?

MN: I believe every book has a little piece of their authors in them. Our personal experiences dictate what we write more than we may realize. I love movies, and I find myself basing my characters on certain characters from my favorite films. The Balthazar character in The Sand Dweller is loosely based on a character from the movie The Mummy. But I never write actual experiences into my stories … my mom reads them!

OMN: Where do you most often find yourself writing?

MN: My fabulous husband helped me convert a room in the house to a library. Wall to wall bookshelves and a big ol' green Lazy Boy. We put a desk in the closet, that's where I do my writing, then when I'm not writing I can just close the closet door. I love being surrounded by books.

OMN: How true are you to the setting of The Sand Dweller?

MN: The Sand Dweller takes place in real places and in real events in history. I didn't feel like I had a choice, the places and the events had to be accurate. There are several scenes that take place in Hell, and I of course took liberties in those chapters. When I write a piece of fiction that is running parallel to actual history, I always plan my story around the history and the people in it. In fact, The Sand Dweller started out much different than it ended up, mostly because my ideas conflicted with history.

OMN: What are some of your outside interests? And have any of them found a way into your books?

MN: I love to read (duh, right??) and I am huge fan of classic films. I sometimes base my characters off movie characters, and a significant portion of storyline in The Sand Dweller came about because I read Demonology by James I. I am a giant fan of bacon, but I haven't figured out how to write a paranormal bacon thriller yet.

OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a paranormal thriller writer and thus I am also …".

MN: I am a paranormal thriller writer and thus I am also a demon hunter, witch wrangler, Angel whisperer and absolutely not afraid of the dark.

OMN: What kinds of films or television series do you enjoy?

MN: Pre-code Hollywood films are my favorite (1920s to 1934). I'm also a HUGE The Walking Dead fan. Hmmm … Revenge of The Hollywood Bacon Zombies … I may have just figured out a paranormal bacon thriller!

OMN: What's next for you?

MN: I'm letting the first draft of Prey For Charlie Temple marinate while I begin working on a sequel for The Sand Dweller. Time to expand the world I've created!

— ♦ —

Molly Neely is a life-long reader of everything, from history, theology, and politics, to vampires. No longer settling for being just a reader, she decided to make the transition to writer! She has an eclectic style and a wide range of tastes, including (but not limited to) pre-code classic movies, punk music, and anything with bacon in it.

When she's not putting in 40 hours at her regular job, she's busy reading, writing, and preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse. She lives in the heart of the San Joaquin valley in California, with her super awesome husband, and her Whippet named Devo.

For more information about the author, please visit her website and her author page on Goodreads, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

— ♦ —

The Sand Dweller by Molly Neely

The Sand Dweller by Molly Neely

A Paranormal Thriller

Publisher: Black Opal Books

Amazon.com Print/Kindle Format(s)BN.com Print/Nook Format(s)

In the ancient mountains of the Sinai desert, a child is born. The half-demon son of the devil's greatest general, Malachi grows up with one foot in the human world and one in the darkest pits of Hell itself. Soon, a power struggle will force him to choose. Will he claim the dark heritage promised to him by Lucifer? Or will he learn firsthand just how far evil will go to destroy mankind?

Caleb Glass is a young priest with a flourishing flock and a successful church. Plagued by strange visions and a tragic past, he's also beginning to question his faith. When he's suddenly thrust into an ancient feud, Caleb must decide whether wearing the collar is a part of God's plan, or an excuse to hide from his pain.

Is it possible for a broken priest and a sand dweller to achieve redemption, or are they both doomed by circumstance beyond their control?

The Sand Dweller by Molly Neely

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Omnimystery Blog Archive

Total Pageviews (last 30 days)

Omnimystery News
Original Content Copyright © 2022 — Omnimystery, a Family of Mystery Websites — All Rights Reserved
Guest Post Content (if present) Copyright © 2022 — Contributing Author — All Rights Reserved