My guest today is paranormal romance author G.D. (Guy) Ogan. Guy says he's a relatively new paranormal romance author, and if you'd told him a few years ago what he'd be writing today, he wouldn't have believed it! Guy is in his third career; he's retired from the U.S. military, and also retired as an Associate Clinical Psychologist from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Please welcome author G.D. Ogan!
Jana: Where did you get the idea for your novels?
Guy: I have an extremely active imagination and since this is the second novel in my currently three book series it followed right along from the first book. Added to that, the characters in the first book kept after me (with great vigor) to continue telling the story!
Jana: Why did you choose this genre (romantic paranormal with vampires)?
Guy: Since the first book started from a true life event that happened to my parents, it was logical that visiting the scene of that event would lead into the world of the paranormal.
Jana: What do you mean by that? What was the true life event that happened to your parents?
Guy: In the first book I wrote that after the death of Gary Logan's mother he had the task of disposing of all his late father's files with everything from sales receipts to personal correspondence from as far back as the late 1930s. In the last filing cabinet he found an envelope. Tearing it open, a photograph fell out and when he picked it up he saw his father as a younger man in his early 30s standing in front of a very unusual looking building that had an extremely large clock face showing behind his father. Turning the photograph over he saw the words "Prague, Czechoslovakia" written on the back, clearly in his late father's bold script. However, below that in a feminine hand, was written "I will always be waiting here." Gary then decides to visit Prague to see one of the many places where his late father had worked while assigned overseas.
Well, in reality it was I who experienced finding that photograph. What I didn't say in the book is that when I saw that handwriting on the back, it brought back childhood memories of things MY MOTHER said when I was far too young to understand their significance: "He is over there with THAT woman" and "He has had a child with that woman!" THAT, in fact, is what caused me to write the first book in the series...perhaps as a cathartic exercise. But once I started writing I couldn't stop the developing stories. Gary Logan's actions throughout the stories are really just reflections of my own experiences and knowledge (on numerous topics). But it was finding that photograph and recalling what my late mother had said, all those decades earlier, that caused me to write the series.
Jana: What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book (the one you want to promote in this interview)?
Guy: That the best laid plans of mice, men and even good vampires are not guaranteed in a world in which change and challenges are a common occurrence.
Jana: If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?
Guy: I would reduce the "heat level" of the first book as it has some rather shocking (to my relatives) erotic content!
Jana: Do you have any words of advice to beginning writers?
Guy: Yes...write what you know about...if you are well versed in the world of automobiles, write about them or else write about a topic you have done a lot of research about. Start small, sending articles about local car shows or "killer recipes" to local papers or magazines willing to publish articles from readers. Don't get discouraged...keep improving your writing and submitting.
Jana: How many books do you have under the proverbial bed? Will they ever see the light of day?
Guy: I have at least three more books in the current series "banging around in my head" and I have already got the covers for each of them. I'm just waiting for the first three books to gain more readers before putting them down on paper.
Jana: Tell us a bit about you.
Guy: I'm a retired Air Force Major and also retired from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as an Associate Clinical Psychologist. My wife and our wonderful Pomeranians live in West Texas and our son, his wife and our four grandchildren living a couple hours away. My daughter is currently enrolled in an RN Program in the Houston area. She is extremely smart and a very strong woman. It will take a man confident in his own self to keep from feeling inferior around her! Sadly, most men don't seem to be able to handle that level of brains and ability in a woman.
Jana: How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for writing?
Guy: I wrote a great deal while in the military and also in psychology while working for the prison system. Much of my life experience and training come out in my novels.
Jana: Do you have any pets? Are you cat person or a dog person? What do you like best about your pets?
Guy: We have had cats that we have greatly loved and grieved mightily when they have passed. We have had up to six Pomeranians five from the same litter, counting the mother and father...but we are down to the last of that litter plus another Pomeranian from a different litter. What I love most about our pets is each has had his or her own personality but we have always enjoyed great affection with them. In my novels I state my belief that "Dogs are God's gift to mankind to teach us about love and loyalty and they deserve our love and loyalty in return." While it may seem odd to have dog rescue as a theme in paranormal novels, my novels are anything but traditional!
Jana: What are your hobbies away from the computer?
Guy: I enjoy driving my old cars. I have a very unique 64 Studebaker Station Wagon that I'm getting ready to take on the "Power Tour" across four states this Summer. It has been upgraded with four-wheel power disc brakes, power rack & pinion steering and 5.7 Liter Hemi engine with automatic transmission. The only car like it in the U.S. with these features and that is why I want to take it on the tour (it is a "bucket list" experience for me). In addition to the Studebaker I have both a 66 Mustang Convertible and 05 Roush Mustang Convertible...fun cars to drive but much more common than the Studebaker.
Jana: What do you like best about your hero?
Guy: He loves all of his good vampire family and does all he can to protect them along with the innocent humans and animals from evil, be it the evil from those vampires who still attack the living, human criminals and most dangerous of all, evil politicians.
Jana: What do you like best about your heroines?
Guy: They have loved and trusted Gary enough to allow him to join their vampire family and helped him find new meaning for his "life" in protecting others.
Jana: How do you choose the names and physical characteristics of your characters? Do you base them on real people?
Guy: As I've said, I have a very vivid imagination. Stories and character come to me in waking or sleeping "dreams" along with their names. Surprisingly, I've later found a few of my character's names have been historically very close to past or present living people with similar country of origin and or backgrounds!
Jana: How can readers reach you or find you online?
Guy: Info on the books in the series is at http://immortalrelations.blogspot.com Each book in the series is currently $.99 on Kindle. More information about me is at: http://www.amazon.com/author/guyogan
Jana: If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?
Guy: For those not squeamish about novels with erotic content, or as I prefer to call it "explicit togetherness" then I would suggest starting with the first book of the series http://amazon.com/dp/B006ZCBT6G titled, "Immortal Relations" as this will give you tremendous insight into the good vampires. If a reader prefers less explicit books, http://amazon.com/dp/B00A4IEHL6 titled, "Immortal Relations, Love and War" (the book discussed above) will provide a good grounding in the most important points of the first book through a conversation between two of the main characters and is chock-full of action (so much action that I believe someone who would never read a "mushy romance novel" would change his or her mind if they liked action novels)! The third in the series is more of a political thriller but still with plenty of action. It is http://amazon.com/dp/B00G5BQS18 and titled, "Immortal Relations Coming Out." Spoiler Alert: Title of my fourth book in the series will likely be "Vengeance – Immortal Relations" as the paramours of the destroyed evil vampires and minions of the evil politicians disgraced by the spotlight shown on their actions by the good vampires seek revenge against the covens of our good vampires.
When Gary Logan discovers an old black-and-white photograph of his father in Prague with a woman's hadwriting on the back, he flies there to investigate where his father worked while in Europe, only to meet and fall in love with a beautiful lady who he believes to be a vampire. In love with her, Gary is initiated into her coven of guardian vampires.
But a coven of evil vampires bent on destroying the guardian vampires and feeding on the humans at will have other plans. Gary's full vampire son helps humans to almost wipe out the evil coven, beginning the ever-increasing relationship between vampires and humans. When their nemeses make one last-ditch effort in Russia to bring all of the peaceful societies down, Gary, Adam, and the military join forces to save the human species before their enemy's plans can come to fruition.
Available from Amazon
Blurb: Immortal Relations, Love and War - Book Two
An old friend, suffering from a terminal disease is made an offer the good vampires hope he won't refuse. Saved from the deadly disease, that person suddenly is thrust into the leadership of his entire country which is under attack from terrorists and an invasion from Communist China. The good vampires must stop what could easily become a nuclear holocaust and it seems that not all those who should support an end to the conflict have their heads and hearts in the right place. Those who should be servants of the people appear to have fore-sworn their oaths in a bid to find a way to gain ultimate control over the people. But even in perilous times love will find a way.
Available from Amazon
Blurb: Immortal Relations, Coming Out - Book Three
Available from Amazon
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