Interview with Roland D. Yeomans

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend.
Today, as winner of the Knights of MicroFiction, Roland D. Yeomans is here to answer some questions on his life and writing.  I can't wait to learn a little more about him.

Thanks so much for joining us Roland.  Let's get started.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

     I was born in Detroit, but I left quite young so my only memories are of knee caps and hub caps!  My Lakota mother taught me that my mind was my best weapon against the dark, so I decided to become a teacher.  I saw so many students bruised by life that I decided to become a counselor.  When my mother contracted Cancer, I emptied my savings and started my own book store so that I could take time off to go with her for her treatments.

     When she died, the reason for my store died.  I made friends with the personnel at the local blood center, so I switched to being a rare blood courier.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. It's wonderful that you supported her and cared for her through her ordeal.  

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

     When as a child, I was quite ill in a basement apartment during an ice storm in Detroit, Mother made up tales of Hibbs the bear with 2 shadows and the cub with no clue to keep her and my mind from how close to death I was.  I could actually see the hulking form of Hibbs, the guardian of all hurting children, at the foot of the bed during that long night.  I grew to believe that my shivers were from The Turquoise Woman whose touch was cold but whose heart was warm.

     Mother's tales made me believe that magic was in my room.  Against all odds, I survived the double pneumonia.  I decided I, too, wanted to cast back the darkness with the weaving of magical words.  I later elaborated on Mother's tales in my THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS.

Sounds like your mother was a wonderful and unique woman, you were lucky to have each other. And now she lives on through your books.
Speaking of books, I see you have like 17 books out! WOW!  How did you manage that?

     I compose on the road, speak out dialogue, and write when I drag back in at night.  I thought how in World War II, there were many theaters of action and many heroes, civilian and military, who helped win that war.  I thought how much fun it might  be to write of a global supernatural world war with several heroes in different times and places all fighting the same villain.   

     So I created the immortal DayStar (a supernatural Hannibal Lector believing he is Lucifer) against whom my cast of heroes would fight.  END OF DAYS is my take on THE AVENGERS MOVIE in which most of my heroes fight against an array of enemies, all set to trigger the TWILIGHT OF THE GODS.  A major 
victory was won then at terrible cost but the war still goes on.

You must not sleep much. I love the concept of all your heroes coming together to fight off a super bad guy.

With all these great characters do you have a favorite that you've developed?

     Samuel McCord, the undead Texas Ranger, is the BATMAN of my linked universe of stories.  His personality (albeit he is much more heroic) is most like mine.  Hibbs, the bear with two shadows, from my mother's tales has a warm spot in my heart.  He appears both in THE BEAR WITH 2 SHADOWS and in END OF DAYS.  Victor Standish, the son of the angel of Death, makes me laugh.

I would say you're pretty heroic for all you did for your mom and what you continue to do for others. You're an inspiration. What inspires you to continue battling the darkness with your characters?

     The memory of Mother casting back the night, the fever, and my fears with her tales.  I want to do that for someone out there in the shadows, reading to force back the darkness threatening their peace of heart.

What a wonderful reason to write.  
What are you working on currently?  Can you tell us a little bit about it?

     I have just finished a collection of short stories, BRING ME THE HEAD OF McCORD! 

     http://www.amazon.com/dp/

B008ZM9B8M#_

     Many people have emailed me with questions such as: Why does an undead TEXAS Ranger live in a jazz club in New Orleans?  How did Samuel lose his parents?  How did he get silver hair as a child?  Why does the vampire, Abigail Adams, hate him so?  When will you write another story of Hibbs, the cub with no clue?  What was Victor's and Alice's first Christmas after Katrina like?  What was Blake Adamson, my hero who is the clone of Jesus, like before his orphanage burned?

     I answered those questions and another fun one: What if our world was invaded by aliens and it was left to Evil to defend it?

That sounds like it was a lot of fun to write and I'm sure it will be a lot of fun to read as well.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you?

     Finding time for it all.  As a harried rare blood courier, I have so little free time.  I will be working 7 days straight now, half of that on first call all night after a long day at work.  Whew!  I need for my books to take off so I can rest!!

I hope the do take off for you!  Finding time is my biggest challenge as well.  There are never enough hours in the day.  
  
How long have you been blogging and what is the best part about it?

     I have been blogging for nearly 3 years.  And the best part about it is meeting nice folk like you and Jess!

*Blush*  Awh thanks, Roland.  That's my favorite part too.
Do you have any big goals for this year?

     I would like to finish the next Victor Standish YA urban fantasy, THREE SPIRIT KNIGHT.  But that will be a challenge!

Well good luck.  Victor sounds like a fun character.  
You must read a lot to get new ideas.  What books have influenced you the most?

     Roger Zelazny's LORD OF LIGHT.  Clifford Simak's TIME IS THE SIMPLEST THING.  Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS.  Christopher Moore's LAMB.  Raymond Chandler's THE LONG GOODBYE.

I haven't heard of those, I'll have to check them out.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?

     I love to read: fiction (S.F. Fantasy, mysteries, comedies - I love Thorne Smith's THE NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS), essays (Mark Twain's and Gore Vidal's), psychology, and philosophy texts.

Oh I love Mark Twain.  
Is there anything else we should know about you?

    I am enriched with each friend that I have made in the cyberverse.  Friends are the only true wealth in this world and the only treasure we can hope to find in the next.

Thanks so much for being here Roland, it was great getting to know you a little better.

Head on over to Roland's blog and check out all the fabulous books he has to offer.
Hope everyone has a happy Monday.

Kathy :)