Books: Interview with Greek Romance Author Charis Mavros (Χάρης Μαύρος)

Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to Charis Mavros. Find out more about this talented Greek writer in the interview below.

Where are you from and what's your background?

I come from the beautiful city of Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. I could refer to my studies or to various distinctions, but I do not think that these are the ones that define the background of a man, but his family, his friends and his relationships in general. As for the last part, I was fortunate to grow up and be loved by an excellent family and to meet people with a pure soul.

That’s the best background one can have, full of love. When did you realize you wanted to write and when did you start writing?

I started writing when I was a child. The process became more systematic at the age of fourteen as a need for expression and mental decompression, resulting from various difficulties of that period.

Writing is indeed a great form of expressing oneself. What genre do you write and what's your target audience?

I believe that the genre of my books is primarily romance, with some elements of thriller.  I think that genre is not representative of a writer who has too many things to say. Personally, I use it as a vehicle to examine, on a psychological level, social behaviors and the human soul in general. 

Check out his short story Everywhere with you, available in English on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Everywhere-you-Charis-Mavros-short-ebook/dp/B01498H9OS

How many books have you published so far? Have you been published in any other publications or journals?

I have written two books so far, "Up to Four" by Thermaikos publications and "Love is not buried on Tuesdays" by Savvalas publications. My first novel concerns the sexual relationship of four people, two men and two women who simultaneously conclude an erotic quartet. While they are four, they seem to be a simple pair of two.

My second novel is titled "Love is not buried on Tuesdays" and concerns the relationship between a middle-aged woman and a man who is half her age, during the economic crisis in Greece. The story examines how two different generations face the crisis with the background of a karmic, majestic love.

That sounds interesting, and it’s great that you were able to incorporate the contemporary situation of Greece in your writing. Do you have a favorite quote?

I don’t have favorite quotes. Life cannot be defined by a few phrases. Just as a novel consists of many different opinions that many times overturn one another, so is life itself. Moreover, something that is functional for someone may be dysfunctional for someone else.

Good observation. Do you have a favorite author? Has this author or his book(s) influenced your writing in any way?

My favorite author is Doris Lessing. I consider her writing to be special and distinctive. I try not to be influenced by writing styles, but subconsciously the books we admire affect our writing, as all things we love are being absorbed to become part of us.

She’s a great literary influence. If you could be a character from any book, who would you like to be? Why?

No one in particular. I do not envy the lives of others, whether they are real or products of imagination.

What are you working on now?

Having finished my third novel and waiting for it to be released, I have started my fourth novel. It is a novel that will strip off the family institution and Puritanism that still characterizes our society.

Looks like you’re very busy writing and publishing. Where can we find out more about you and your writing? 

 

You can find out about me on my blog “www.onlinegreekbook.wordpress.com”, on my facebook page as Χάρης Μαύρος - Charis Mavros, on my instagram as “charismavros” and you can ask any questions about my books at my email mavroscharis@gmail.com

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

I would only advise them first to live and then to read.  Thank you.

Thank you so much for your time! We wish you success in your writing career and hope your books will be available in English soon!

Follow Charis Mavros at:

Blog: www.onlinegreekbook.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charismavros/

Email: mavroscharis@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charismavros

Books: Interview with talented author Larry D. Shackelford

Today, we're interviewing talented writer Larry D. Shackelford. Read on to find out more about his books and how he became a writer!

Larry, please tell us a little about you. Where are you from and what is your background?

I was raised in southwest Missouri where I received my college degree, but I received my education after I graduated and began working in a maximum-security federal prison.  After spending two years behind bars, I continued my law enforcement career as a criminal investigator, residing and working in eight states and two foreign countries.  I retired from law enforcement after twenty-five years of service and currently reside in Salt Lake City with my wife and cat.  I have continued to work a second career in healthcare.

How interesting! When did you realize you wanted to write and when did you start writing?

I started writing approximately ten years ago, before my retirement.  Over the years, I had met some

memorable people and found myself in some pretty insane situations.  I began writing mostly to entertain myself, and discovered I truly felt a passion to tell stories; I wanted to humanize law enforcement officers and also give victims a voice.  While working in Utah, I met a young woman who inspired the character "Ruth" in The Keresa Headdress.  Like Ruth, this woman was able to leave a polygamous southern Utah community and fulfill her dream of marrying the man of her dreams and basically pursue a normal life that average Americans take for granted.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that writing fiction stories was not only fun, but also therapeutic.  In many respects, writing fiction is very similar to completing a criminal investigation.  You have pieces of a unique puzzle, and you are tasked with putting them together in a fictional story with unlimited possibilities.  But, I believe it is important to be adventurous; not afraid to take chances with the plot and characters, as long as it's believable.

That's a pretty interesting comparison. What genre do you write and what's your target audience?

I mainly write crime, action adventure, science fiction, and romance novels for readers 13 to 90 years of age.  I especially enjoy writing stories with strong female characters, because I believe the fiction market is saturated with male characters depicted as the hero.  I have had the privilege of working with many outstanding female law enforcement officers and professionals.  I really believe that women have a special intuition, and this is an invaluable attribute, especially in law enforcement investigations.  I also believe it is important to have strong, interesting characters of all ages and explore how these characters interact with each other in fast-paced, stressful situations.

How many books have you published?  Do you have a favorite?

I currently have four books published, and my fifth release, The Quincunx Quarantine, is scheduled to be released this summer.  Without question, my favorite manuscript is The Keresa Headdress because it was enjoyable to show readers a different side of law enforcement, and to introduce them to the unique worlds of archaeology, polygamy, and illegal artifact trafficking.  I also enjoyed researching the historical and technical nature of the narrative.  My goals were to accurately reference archeological terms, time periods, and cultural aspects while staying true to the discipline of archaeology and oral traditions.  I was also concerned with showing reverence to the American Indian culture and heritage.  Looting sacred burial sites for financial gain is a systemic problem on public lands, and I wanted to bring this to the attention of the reader.

You're definitely sparking my interest in your character! What is your favorite quote, and who wrote it?

My favorite quote is by Sir Winston S. Churchill:

"Sure am I this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance.  As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us."

This quote is displayed next to my work desk computer.  Seldom has a day gone by that I have not reflected upon his words.  I admire this quote because his poignant words are applicable to the journey of life.  We cannot be successful in this world as individuals; we all need to care for each other and stop competing against each other.  We all win together or we all lose together.

Do you have a favorite author?  Who?  What's your favorite book?  Has this author or book influenced your writing in any way?

I admire authors whose writing inspires a wide range of emotions regardless of the genre or time

period the story is written. For example, I recently finished Mary Anne Yarde's The Du Lac Chronicles and the Novella, The Pitchfork Rebellion. I enjoyed her manuscripts, and many of my co-workers have also read her works. One young woman in my office was so moved by Mary Anne's first novel that she has committed to writing her first novel. The woman stated that Mary Anne's story brought back many fond memories of her youth, friends and family, and she wanted to emulate Mary Anne's passion in her own writing. To me, this example illustrates the epitome of inspirational writing, and my favorite authors will always be those who inspire and move people.

I love the classics and my favorite book will probably always be Moby Dick, by Herman Melville.  I thought the story was incredibly well written and the allegoric references to "good and evil" were very detailed and realistic.  Arguably, "Call me Ishmael" will probably be remembered as one of the most famous opening sentences of any book.

Are you optimistic/hopeful/romantic?

I am a romantic at heart, and I love a great romance story!  What can be more endearing than the hopeless, socially incompetent guy and the homely, lonely gal falling in love and living happily ever after...but of course, not without a substantial amount of controversy before the happy ending?

What are you working on now?

I am one of those stranger-than-normal authors who works on several manuscripts at a time.  I am nearing the completion of another archaeological crime/romance thriller, and an urban science fiction action/adventure.  I have also started on a young adult fantasy inspired by my own personal experience of having a child diagnosed with cancer.

Great, looks like there will be lots of intriguing books coming from you soon! Where can we find more about you and your work?

My books may be found at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=larry+shackelford&sprefix=Larry+Shackelford%2Caps%2C992&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Alarry+shackelford

Larry, is there anything else you would like to share?

I would be negligent and irresponsible if I did not confess I am one of those authors who is a cat owner, drinks lots of coffee, and sips on bottom-shelf, rotgut bourbon late at night while writing.  Maddie, my faithful cat, is always near me when I am writing.  Maddie rules the castle, but she fell into bad graces during a recent, routine visit to the vet.  Maddie apparently took exception to the thermometer and called the veterinarian evil names before tinkling all over the vet's arm.  The doctor was not impressed with Maddie's shenanigans and she placed a large "A" in Maddie's health record which means "aggressive".  So now, I am not only a crazy cat person, but my loyal writing partner earned the forbidden "Scarlet A"...with pride, I might add!

Thank you for telling us a little bit about your work and your books, and we wish you much success in your literary career!