An Interview with Mark

By Kristie Leigh Maguire

Kristie: Mark, in your biography you said you grew up in Wisconsin and spent your youth roaming the hills and valleys of the 'Mississippi's driftless area'. I have traveled extensively but I don't believe I have ever heard that term used before. Can you describe the Mississippi's driftless area to me and what it was like growing up there? It sounds fascinating to me.

Mark: The Mississippi's driftless area is the part of Wisconsin that was missed by the glacier that created flat land in most of the Midwest. In my area, the beautiful valleys and steep bluffs were left behind to continue their regal vigilance on the land below. These characteristics of the land reminded the vast numbers of German, Swiss, and Norwegian peoples who would settle the area of their European homelands. As a matter of fact Eagle Bluff, just a few miles from my parents home, is the highest spot in altitude along the entire Mississippi River Valley.

It is a small farming community where the old ways are still remembered by most. It was a terrific place to grow up.

Kristie: Tell me about being a police officer and a member of the SWAT and Sniper team. I would think that this would be a very stressful job. Why did you go into this line of work and are you still in it?

Mark: I had decided in high school that I was either going into the military or police work. My parents were products of the Vietnam era and really did not want me in the Armed Forces. Instead they pushed me towards police work.

Stress? Not from the job. The stress from police work is caused by the in-fighting and politics. It is a dangerous world because those who want to be promoted will do anything to achieve it. They are far more dangerous than the criminals you face. That is why I left police work for any job I could find. Developing a stomach ulcer and a possible future of alcoholism was not worth it to me.

Kristie: In your Battleground USA Series, you said that you plan on writing fifteen books. That is a lot of books for one series. As a writer myself, I think that I would be tired of the series before I finished fifteen books. Can you tell me about The Battleground USA Series and how you plan on coming up with enough ideas for fifteen books in this one series?

Mark: Battleground USA is several things. First of all, it is a buddy story - men with a common goal and background who bond together against a common enemy. In this case I chose the Russians, Cubans and Mexicans, but in reality I could have chosen any of America's enemies. My stories are reality based drawing on my years of tactics experience. If you find any flaws in my fight scenes it is a rare thing.

I usually find my main topic for a story by things happening around me. In my mind it is easy to 'tweek' a story out of the daily newspaper.

Kristie: Did you find it a bit eerie when the events of September 11, 2001 happened? After all your Battleground USA Series is based upon America being conquered by a foreign force.

Mark: I have been preaching this sort of thing for years. We, as a country, had two fatal flaws prior to that date. First, we never expected it to happen here. Second, we believed that things such as gun control and x-ray machines would make us safe. This is where Bin Laden was smart. He used the human body itself as the weapon. How can a machine or a law stop a man committed to suicide that can operate a machine capable of mass murder? We can't even stop drunk drivers in this country.

We are still being foolish by passing laws and listening to media hype. No matter what you do in airports, the madmen will find new and better ways to attack us. They will never use a plane again.

It is eerie to me because this same sense of 'it won't happen here'is the basis of the attack in Battleground USA.

Kristie: Tell me about your latest release, Hunters of the Shadows.

Mark: It is a vampire/fantasy. I wrote it in response to a friend saying that Blade was the best vampire story ever. After I wrote it he read it and stated he had been wrong.

It is about two beings. One is human and hunts vampires while the second is his age-old nemesis. They are forced to join together to face an evil that threatens both of their worlds.

It is a book that you must read to understand. I could not really explain all of it to you. There is action, a little romance and a lot of fantasy-like magic.

Kristie: Talk to me about No Lady and Her Tramp that you are co-authoring with romance novelist Kristie Leigh Maguire. This seems to be a bit out of your field since you usually write action/adventure, fantasy and westerns. How did you come to be co-authoring a book with a romance novelist? There must be a story behind this.

Mark: It all started off with a person who thought he was being smart on a web site. He was cutting some of us down and made some very rude and specific remarks. We decided to write a book out of his idea. Funny how book ideas come along. I hope it turns out good for both of us so we can public ally thank the guy some day.

Kristie: Tell me about the difference in writing with someone else versus writing a book on your own.

Mark: I think it makes you a better writer. It gets you out of your same old style and makes you adjust to someone else's. I have found that the whole experience has helped me grow as a writer. If you find yourself in a rut or just getting tired of writing, try it. You will find that it will actually get your mind working from angles you never dreamed of before. I have been enjoying it and would suggest it to everyone. At least to try it.

Kristie: You have a series of short stories, Memoirs of a Rogue, posted at your AuthorsDen site. I love them. They are excellent but seem to be written in a different style than your usual action/adventure writings. Can you tell me how you came up with the ideas for these stories and what influenced you to try this different style of writing? Do you plan on publishing these stories? I think it would make an excellent book.

Mark: Actually it was due to co-writing No Lady. I finally found myself relaxed in another area of writing and decided to flex my newfound muscles so to speak. I have also always had a great fascination with that time period in Europe. About the same time the rest of the world was looking at a new land called America. I think the rogue side comes from my desire to live that kind of carefree and unrestricted style of life.

I do plan on putting together a collection of these short stories and having a book published.

Kristie: Is there anything else you would like to add, Mark?

Mark: Hunters of the Shadows is published by a traditional publisher, as will be No Lady and Her Tramp when it is released. However, most of my books are POD (Print-on-Demand). I want to ask your readers to give POD authors a chance. I have found that while their grammar or spelling may not be perfect, their stories are terrific! Many of the POD authors have fresh new storylines and are not trapped by run-of-the-mill publishers. I think too many of the traditional publishers like to play it safe and stay with a style of writing that they know will sell. They do not care to venture into risky areas of storytelling. I can't blame them as long as they are making money. POD authors who do venture into these dark arenas are pumping out some of the best books out there. Give them a try the next time you are looking for something new to read.

Kristie: Thank you, Mark, for taking the time to answer my interview questions. I wish you much success in your writing career.