Seth will be awarding a $50 Amazon/Barnes&Noble GC to a randomly drawn commenter, by rafflecopter. You'll find the link here:
I asked the author some questions, and here's what he answered:
1. What is the sweetest
thing someone has done for you?
Once
a girlfriend gave me a copy of Faeries,
signed (with a little sketch) by Brian Froud, for a birthday present.
2. What kind of music
you like?
Mark
Lanegan, Syd Barrett, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan,
Smashing Pumpkins, Celtic Frost… so much. Overall, my favorite eras for music
are the late ‘60s and the early ‘90s. There was a lot of experimentation and
innovation happening during those periods, musicians taking risks, pushing the
boundaries, finding their own voices and shaking the culture up. I like all
kinds of genres – psychedelic rock, Celtic, heavy metal, ambient, folk, punk
rock, etc. – so long as there’s some honest feeling there.
3. Do you like to
dance?
Yes.
I’ve never taken actual lessons or anything like that. I just find my own
groove. I’ll even get out on the dance floor by myself, like if I’m out seeing
a band play and I’m not with anybody.
4. Can you describe
your dream home?
Close
to a quiet lake, and sheltered by old, tall trees. Two storeys, but not too
spacious; maybe just an extra guestroom or two. Couple of wood stoves for heat.
A comfortable basement – clean, carpeted – that serves as an entertainment
space with pool table, table tennis, guitars and amplifiers, etc.
5. If you could be any
character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?
Probably
Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. His was hardly an easy or simple existence, and
yet he had a high destiny. And he’s the yardstick by which I measure honor and
integrity.
AND NOW... MORE ABOUT THE BOOK!
Blurb
A troubled young rock musician, a mystic mentor, and a generation
of lost souls longing for a new voice to emerge from the wilderness...
When an altercation outside of a performance venue nearly proves
fatal, Brandon Chane begins to realize how far his life is spinning out of
control. His efforts to channel his pain, frustration and thwarted loves into
his music may not suffice to save him. Then he meets Saul, a crisis counselor
with the soul of an ancient medicine man, and a far-reaching journey of healing
- one that may teach him how to steer away from the very edge of the abyss -
begins.
Excerpt
The Edge
I suppose you could compare it to
driving on a high mountain road. You don’t realize how close you are to
free-fall, or how sheer and far is the plunge, until you go around a bend where
one side is exposed to open air and then there it is: The Abyss.
There’s this edge that you can come
to – I imagine it’s a different place for each of us – and you just know that
once you get swept over it you won’t be coming back. By the time you’re close
enough to see it it may already be too late. You could find yourself teetering,
suddenly hearing the warnings that life had been giving you all along, knowing
that it’s become impossible to step back; because by that time, those other
forces – the ones pounding like the rapids at your back, always trying to push
you towards that edge and then over it – have grown too strong.
Tommy and I first talked about
forming a band together before either of us had learned to play an instrument.
We both perceived music – particularly, its heavy, extreme underside - as the
ideal vehicle for our personal salvation. The first guitar that I purchased, a
Fender Telecaster that I immediately spray painted black to my father’s horror,
became my refuge. It was my best friend and confidante. It gave me a convenient
excuse to avoid social situations that, more often than not, would only remind
me of how far off the beaten path I really was.
Author bio and links
Seth
Mullins draws upon the great sweep of human soul-journeying to weave his tales.
He's inspired by music, shamanism, dreams and the mysteries and miracles of our
inner life. His greatest love as a writer is for fiction that depicts a journey
towards self-awareness in the deepest sense.
"Probably
the most valuable thing that I learned throughout my spiritual journey in this
life is the importance of trusting in one's self. Many of our cultural lessons
encourage us to ignore or even fear our inner reality. And yet it is this realm
that really does hold the answers to all of our questions, and can point the
way towards the most fulfilling life experiences possible for us."
Mr.
Mullins has lived in Maine, Connecticut, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont.
(Humanity's Way Forward - his website)
(The Edge of the Known by Seth Mullins - his blog)
"What
Casts the Shadow?" (The Edge of the
Known) on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rkhffS
His Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/sethmullins
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me, Nickie :)
ReplyDeleteEntirely my pleasure, Seth!
DeleteFun interview--it's been a great tour!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)Aol(dot)com
It really has been. You noticed that this is my last stop, eh? Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your interactions over the course of it. :)
DeleteNice interview. Nice to get to know you a little better!
ReplyDeleteThank you :) A lot of the story revolves around music - it follows the adventures and misadventures of a struggling band, after all - so it was nice to have some questions that ventured into that area.
Delete