Chatting with Author Chris Hernandez

Now that my book is published, and part of my dream came true, it’s time to bring down the jubilation and reflect on my writing journey. 

For over two years, I have struggled with this task, fumbled with prose and did away with most adjectives, swallowed my pride in face of honest critique - brutal at times, and somewhat isolated myself professionally and socially to get to this point. I relied heavily on the unwavering support of my family and friends, and the genuine feedback from fellow writers. Among them, author Chris Hernandez, who allowed me to dig deeper into the mindset of an American veteran. Despite the fact that we don’t agree on many issues, and are actually at opposite ends on some, we shared a common ground when it came to writing.

Chris Hernandez’s books are military fiction, and although that’s not usually my cup-of-tea when it comes to choosing a book to read, I learned a lot from his first novel Proof of Our Resolve, and had the opportunity to read ahead of time his recently released novel Line in the Valley. Chris’s books shed a light on the world of war I am not familiar with, or let’s say the world across the isle to the side I know. I had the chance to chat with Chris about his new book release and his writing.

Please introduce us to Chris Hernandez, the author: Background and a little history.

I’m a husband, daddy, granddaddy, former Marine and U.S. Army combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m also an almost 20 year cop. I’ve got no degrees and no formal writing training. When I was in Afghanistan I got an idea for a story, and once I started writing it I was obsessed with finishing it. That story has now turned into three novels. Proof of Our Resolve was the first part, Line in the Valley is actually part 3, but has been published second. 

Give us a short synopsis or a blurb about Line In The Valley.

Line In The Valley is about a battle on the Texas border. Unknown attackers take over eight small towns, infantry sergeant Jerry Nunez and his soldiers are ordered to take one of the towns back. And everything goes wrong. Nunez and his men find themselves in a worse situation than any of them ever imagined.

Line In The Valley is your second published novel. Why did you write this story? And in your heart, how does it compare to your first novel Proof Of Our Resolve?

I wrote this story to answer a question: what’s the worst thing a soldier can face in combat? And I came up with an idea. It was inspired by the no-win wars we’ve fought since 9/11, and the endless moral quagmires they generate. Proof is very close to my heart because it so closely mirrors my wartime experience, but Line In The Valley is a better book.

How would you describe your journey into the publishing world?

Oh, geez. In a word? Frustration, anger, determination, fury, resignation, compulsion, and finally, limited success. I pitched to many agents at conferences, sent queries, and kept looking into literary agencies. I had several close calls with success, but nothing worked out. Then one day I was watching Fox News with my wife, and Tactical16 CEO Erik Shaw was being interviewed about their search for veteran writers. I immediately looked them up and sent an email. Less than a month later I had a contract for Proof. I still tried to get LITV published through the mainstream literary world, but a conversation at my last writers conference convinced me it’s not even worth trying. A very honest agent talked to me about LITV, told me it sounded extremely interesting and that he’d love to read it, but he was sure his agency wouldn’t be interested. Because literary agencies are looking for stories that appeal to the average book buyer: a liberal, educated woman. My subject matter wasn’t right for the target audience.

At a conference I met an agent who expressed a lot of interest in my story and background, praised my writing sample, gave me their personal email addresses, asked for my full manuscript, promised they’d be in touch as soon as possible, and then I never heard from them again. I had another agent tell me the dialogue in LITV was wrong; cops and soldiers don’t talk like that. I’m a longtime street cop, a two-time war vet, and this agent tells me I don’t know how cop and soldiers talk. She also told me to remove the entire first third of the story. Another agent told me LITV was too unrealistic, and that I should make Jerry Nunez more like James Bond. Because James Bond is such a realistic character.

After that, I quit wasting time with the publishing industry. If I have any success, it will come from independent publishers like Tactical16, and word of mouth. 

What advice can you give a writer who wants to get his or her work published?

If they just want to get published, write about zombies, vampires, young adult fantasy or a combination of all three. Or self-publish. But if they have principles, if they have a story in their heart that they want to stay true to, then they need to dig in and prepare for a long, painful road. Give up any stupid fantasies about overnight success, go to critique circles, go to conferences, get as many test readers as possible, and dedicate years to getting it right. And even then, there’s no guarantee of success.

How do you handle negative criticism, feedback and peer critique?

I welcome all of it. For a short time after I started writing, I had the “my writing is great and if you don’t think so then you’re wrong” attitude, which I think most new writers have. Fortunately, I’m a pretty humble guy, so that attitude didn’t last long. Plenty of peer readers, volunteer test readers and critique circle members have torn my writing apart, and I’ve made lots of changes based on their (and your) feedback. I’ve had some criticism I didn’t agree with, but when I see four out of five readers saying the same thing, they’re right and I’m wrong. I’ve also had some great critique from my blog readers, and my stories are better because of everyone who has taken the time to help me become a better writer. Thanks to all of them, and to you.

Thank you, Chris for sharing your thoughts.

Readers can find Line In The Valley on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Line+in+The+Valley+by+Chris+Hernandez

Lilas Taha is a novelist, winner of the 2017 International Book Awards  and is the author of Shadows of Damascus and Bitter Almonds.

Shadows of Damascus is released!

My debut novel Shadows of Damascus is now available on Amazon. This is a very exciting time for a new author.

Check it out on this Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Damascus-Lilas-Taha-ebook/dp/B00HUZUG8Y

Two More Days!

Two more days for the electronic book release of Shadows of Damascus on Amazon, two more days for the complete story of Adam and Yasmeen to be told.

He leaned his body back onto the counter, lowered his head, and talked to the floor. “Do you know why your brother sent you to me?”

“Because you owe him your life and he asked for payback.”

“Two of us were wounded and trapped in a house in Iraq. We both owe him our lives, but he chose me to protect you.”

“We have gone through this before.”

“Do you know why?”

“He told me I would be safe with you and I trust him, but I have no idea why you in particular.”

Shadows of Damascus to be released January 15, 2014

Where Do Ideas Come From?

Recently, I was asked this question.

What better source of writing material than observing life’s vibrant cycles? Children are a great source of undiluted behavioral material.

When my son was four years old, he said something that floored me and prompted me to write something around his unforgettable words. Strapped in his car seat on the way home, after I dropped off my then six year old daughter at school, he said in his limited vocabulary:

I remember when I was big, and I crossed the street and a car hit me.  I turned into a butterfly and flew up in the sky.

Where did that come from? To this day, I have no idea. It could have been a TV cartoon show or a story book that prompted that image in his head, though I am aware of none. If I believed in reincarnation, I could have found a place for his words in my mind, could have accepted them and filed them as old soul memories. But I don’t have that belief, and I don’t subscribe to that school of thought. Hence, if I Believed in Reincarnation short piece found a place on paper, and eventually on my blog.

Dreams are another source of inspiration for me. I tend to remember many details about my dreams, and though bizarre like every dream there is, they filter through to my writing. I like to think they add flavor, seasoning, to the details of a story. In my book Shadows of Damascus, I included a couple of dreams I had before I started writing the book. I used one for the female character, Yasmeen, with slight variations, and another for the male character, Adam. Both fit nicely in the plot and I think both deepened the characters.

Chatting with fellow Author: Barbara Andrews

My good friend and multi-published author, Barbara Andrews has been tremendous help for me in my writing journey.

I would like to pick her brains about the writing and publishing process of her latest book:

Hetty’s Song: The Death Of The Skylark

Why did you write this particular book?  Any incident prompted the story?

In searching my ancestors, I found a young Mennonite girl in Singer’s Glen, Virginia, who historians reference as the greatest singer to come from Rockingham County, the home of an enclave of singers in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley.  I had to tell her story.

Give us a short synopsis or a blurb about the book.

A gifted Brethren girl, Hetty wants only to sing.  She runs away from home and becomes the new Nightingale of Cincinnati only to battle an ancient family skylark with its curse of mental disorder, heartbreak, and failure.  Will she succumb to muteness, or will she sing again overcoming harsh obstacles presented by strict family traditions, an irresponsible husband, and the outside world she does not understand.

How would you describe your journey into the publishing world as an author?

An exciting adventure in meeting challenges and finding ultimate personal satisfaction.

What advice can you give a writer who wants to get his or he work published?

Look carefully into both self and traditional publishing venues. I’ve published in both. Learn how to present your story to agents and/or social media.

When did you start writing? Any specific reason why you took that step? 

When I retired, my extensive business writing turned to writing fiction about notable men and women in early America—poignant stories which would not otherwise be told. 

How do you handle negative criticism, feedback and peer critique?         

I wouldn’t consider my stories successful unless they generated critique and reader opinions.  Negative opinions have helpful nuggets, which make stories stronger.

Let’s get a little personal: 

Favorite Book -- How Green Was My Valley tied with True Women

Favorite Author -- Richard Llewellyn and Janice Woods Windle

Favorite Movie -- The War Horse

Favorite type of music or song-- Ballads, bluegrass, gospel, classical

Favorite time of the day -- Morning

Favorite downtime activity (when you are not writing)-- Counted cross-stitch embroidery

Favorite place or vacation destination-- Any place where nature is not compromised; i.e. mountains or Newfoundland

You can connect with Barbara Andrews on her social media links:

Amazon.com/author/barbaraandrews

BobiAndrews.blogspot.com

facebook.com/BobiAndrewsWriter
goodreads.com/author/show/5328725.Barbara_A_Andrews
twitter.com/BobiAndrews

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Barbara. And thank you for all the constructive feedback you have given me during our critique sessions.

Lilas Taha is a novelist, winner of the 2017 International Book Awards  and is the author of Shadows of Damascus and Bitter Almonds.

Author Interview

Happy New Beginnings!

I am lucky enough to be featured on the Soul Mate Publishing Author's Blog today. An interview is posted on their page: Get to Know Lilas Taha

Shadows of Damascus Cover Release

Synopsis:

Shadows of Damascus is a character-driven fictional novel with an usual plot unfolding in the Middle East and America’s dairy land. The story is derived from current events sweeping Syria, and speaks of a softly developing relationship between a man and a woman, worlds apart.

Back home in Wisconsin, reclusive Iraq war veteran Adam Wegener receives a mysterious letter asking for payment of a debt. He figures the letter came from the Syrian interpreter, Fadi Jabir, who saved his life while they were on patrol in Iraq five years earlier. Fadi is one of the opposition leaders protesting against his government. Because of a brutal crackdown, Fadi is desperate to get his sister, Yasmeen to safety. How can Adam help? And what does he have to do to honor his commitment to the man who saved his life?

To escape persecution, Yasmeen is forced to make a difficult decision that lands her in America with Adam, hoping to return home once it is safe. Yasmeen quickly learns she staked her future and security on a man who is plagued by his own demons, suppressing a violent upbringing by an abusive father, and suffering from PTSD nightmares. Can Yasmeen survive life with this traumatized stranger? And will she find a way to move forward given the atrocities she had witnessed in her homeland?