Win A Private Phone Call With “Archangel” From ‘Airwolf’…

HAWKE… THIS IS ARCHANGEL…

 

If you want to win a private phone call with “Archangel” actor ALEX CORD all you have to do is enter this new contest! To enter all you have to do is like his Facebook Page, Follow him on Twitter or buy a copy of his new book “The Man Who Would Be God” and send a copy of your receipt to alexcordnews@gmx.com

We also have several runner-up prizes including copies of “The Man Who Would Be God” and autographs.

The lucky winner of this contest will win a private conversation with Alex via Skype or phone. This is a competition you can’t pass up the chance of winning…

 

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War in the Pacific: A Rob Morris Interview

Rob Morris is a high school teacher and military historian who lives in Ammon, Idaho. His first book, ‘Untold Valor: Forgotten Stories of American Bomber Crewmen over Europe in World War II’ (Potomac, 2006), is now in its fifth printing and remains a popular book in the genre. Morris next co-wrote ‘Combat Bombardier’ with 95th Bomb Group bombardier Leonard Herman in 2007. In 2012, his seminal history of the WWII 95th Bomb Group, ‘Wild Blue Yonder and Beyond’ (Potomac, 2012), commissioned by the Group, was published. 2013 had been a busy year for Morris, as his writing credits include ‘Untold Valor: World War Two in the Pacific’ (Fonthill); ‘The Battle of Gettysburg’ (Instinctive); ‘Presidents of the United States’ (Instinctive); and ‘The Civil War Chronicles (Instinctive).

This interview is one of the first Rob Morris has given this year. It’s an exclusive, and I think you will enjoy it!

Good morning, Rob. Thank you for agreeing to undertake this interview.

Good morning.

I want to start by asking what inspires you?

A) When ordinary people dig deep and do extraordinary things.  I find inspiration in people that have that spark–the real and universal. I am most interested in the way human beings rise above themselves and their surroundings to do things that turn them into something greater than the sum of their parts.

Who is the most inspiring individual you’ve ever met?

I’ve met many as a WWII military historian, but my most inspiring individual was my grandpa, Herman. His mother and father immigrated from Austria to Idaho in the 1870s and homesteaded just off the Nez Perce Reservation. Herman only got to finish the 8th grade, but he was a self-made man whose imagination and talent seemed limitless. In his lifetime he was a telephone lineman, an auto and motorcycle mechanic, a farmer, a telephone company owner, a movie theatre owner, and a historian. He’s still my hero, and he’s been gone for 40 years now.

So, when did you first consider yourself to be a writer?

When I wrote and illustrated my own stories as a four-year-old. Before I could write, I narrated the words to my mom or dad, who would neatly inscribe them under my illustrations. I wrote a 50-page book at age 9 that I thought was pretty good and decided I like to put my stories on paper whether anybody else enjoyed them or not.

How many times have you started a story without finishing?

Rarely. I am a writer of the old school, who believes writing is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. When I start something, I finish it.

What is the greatest writing aide a writer can have?

People who inspire in some way.

How does a cover present itself? Where do those ideas come from?

As an author who has had several books published by large publishers, I have enjoyed the times when I was given artistic input. My first cover, on Untold Valor: Forgotten Stories of American Bomber Crewmen Over Europe in World War Two, was from a William Phillips painting I saw on the wall of the airplane’s bombardier while visiting the bombardier’s home in Worcester, Massachusetts. I knew it had to be the cover, so I tracked the author down and got his permission. The cover of my book The Wild Blue Yonder and Beyond: The 95th Bomb Group in War and Peace, came to me in a dream. It tells the story of the American bomber group in England, complete with planes taking off, the old Norman church of Horham, Suffolk in the background, and some English children waving at the planes. The cover of my latest, Untold Valor: The Second World War in the Pacific, was designed by the publisher, but I really like it, because it shows young Marines on Okinawa hunkered down in an artillery shell hole trying to stay alive.

When you sit down to write a book, do you go through a lot of drafts?

Yes. Editing is the key to good, tight writing. As is practice. The more ways you try something, the more likely you’ll get it right.

How did you find your writing style?

I just wrote a lot, and it found me. I don’t consciously have a style. I just write in words that feel and sound right to me. I pride myself on being accessible. My favorite writer quote is by Ernest Hemingway. Paraphrased, it is “Why use a twenty-dollar word when a twenty-five cent word will do?”

What is a “writer’s” heaven?

To me, writer’s heaven is the excitement you get when you get a new idea for a new project. Another variety of writer’s heaven is seeing one’s book in print, holding the book for the first time, inhaling the scent of paper and ink, and realizing you have given birth to a new being that is very similar to a child.

What are the things a writer “must not” do?

A writer must always speak the truth. I also feel a writer must be true to the craft by not ripping off somebody else’s writing idea because it has made money. How many Lord of the Rings or Hunger Games does the world need, anyway? Do something new.

How often have you read another writer’s book and said, “I can do better than that” to yourself?

Pretty often. Success in the writing world is similar to success in Hollywood or anywhere else—being in the right place at the right time with the right look and knowing the right people. Well, I live in Idaho, so I don’t know the right people to get my stuff published, but I do have a feeling that I’m good and that at some point that makes my odds better.

Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Be yourself. Write something true. Don’t give up. Take criticism. Expect lots of rejection on the way. If something isn’t quite good enough, go back to the drawing board. Each try makes us better.

What is your writing routine? How do you discipline yourself to keep at it?

I’m old-school. I don’t sit and wait for a muse. Muses aren’t real. I write and write and write no matter what and then edit after a full day of writing. It is easier to edit the crap out at the end rather than as you go. As a teacher, I have often written late at night or early in the morning. I have written several of my successful books by sitting at a computer terminal for eight hours a day, seven days a week, for an entire summer. I learned discipline as a long-distance runner. Only through pain can one reach glory. If it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be called “work.”

Do you write every day?

I write something every day. But when I’m teaching, I’m writing lessons. I give 100% to everything I do. The Greeks called it arête.

Do you consider writing to be a form of activism? Do you think novelists have a duty to address political issues?

To an extent. It depends on the type of book. Certainly someone like George Orwell or Ken Kesey is an activist. I am personally not interested in politicians or politics per se. I like real people living real lives and being honest and courageous in the face of adversity. I don’t see politics as an area that draws out the best in people, and I don’t like most politicians. I guess because they violate my own idea that a person should be true to himself or herself and not grovel or pander. I have no interest in writing politically activist literature. But some of my favorites are good at it, like Orwell, Twain, Hemingway and Steinbeck.

Who are your favorite authors?

I love John Steinbeck, especially Grapes of Wrath. Also anything by Hemingway. Love Ken Kesey. And Orwell. And Dickens. And Twain. And…but where to stop?

I’m a school teacher for this question. What can you offer to help me prepare 4th graders to appreciate writing, now and for the rest of their lives?

I teach writing, as a matter of fact. To 9th graders. I tell my kids that writing is a way to find out about ourselves and try to make sense of the world around us. It can take the everyday and make it incredibly sublime or incredibly heart-breaking. All life is a story, and all stories are only preserved through writing. By writing, we learn about ourselves. It makes us human.

How do you like to write? By the pool? On the bed? In the car? What’s your heavenly writing situation?

At a table, with my computer and some strong coffee, and maybe a dog snoozing at my feet for company. Ideally, if I were better-off, I’d have a writer’s cottage in a great location like a cliff on the Kerry coast of Ireland.

Do you feel supported as a writer?

It is a solitary profession. I guess the support comes from those who let you know they like to read what you write. I’ve had that. It’s validating.

Many people think it’s important to be expressive when writing dialogue. How do you feel about it?

I think it’s important to write honest dialogue and not worry if it’s expressive. If dialogue is honest, it will be expressive at just right times and not when it doesn’t need to be. Besides, expressive is a pretty wide-ranging term.

How do you think your latest book “Untold Valor: The Second World War in the Pacific” will be received by readers?

All my previous books have been well-received by critics and general readers. I think if I do my job right, my readers will enjoy anything I write. But I owe it to them to give them quality.

Thank you for your time, Rob. “Untold Valor: The Second World War in the Pacific” is available now from Amazon.

Get your copy of “Untold Valor: The Second World War in the Pacific” today from Amazon!

An Interview With Tim Flanagan On The Cord-Zone!

1. If you could work with any author who would it be?

John Wyndham. He’s the guy that wrote Day of the Triffids, The Midwich Cuckoos, and The Kraken Wakes in the 1950′s. I’ve loved his books ever since I was a child. Although, at the time, they were classed as science fiction, they were more like prophetic fiction, dealing with issues such as genetic engineering and human evolution that are still as topical today as they were 50 years ago. I want my own novels to have a sense of realism and possibility that makes your spine tingle from an underlying simmering threat that you realise could happen. Although I haven’t had the pleasure of writing with Mr Wyndham, I have been lucky enough to work with other creative people such as Dylan Gibson, the illustrator I worked with on The Curious Disappearance of Professor Brown. I’m also looking at collaborating with other artists on cover art for my future projects.

2. Who is your favourite author and is you writing style similar to theirs?

The authors that I like tend to change over time, but my most favourite author whose books I have read over and over again is a guy called Michael Cox. He’s only written 2 fictional books but his first, The Meaning of Night, is a gem. It’s set in Victorian London and reminds me so much of a Dickens book. I wish I had written it. Currently I’m reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which I’m really surprised with. Considering how long ago it was written, it reads very easy withlanguage that is not too dissimilar to modern day. Although both of those books are historical fiction, the style and genre couldn’t be further from my own. My writing style has been said by many to be very visual which is a great compliment especially when you consider the market I’m aiming for – visually stimulated teenagers.

3. What’s your favourite part of a book?

I enjoy writing the beginning of a book. As you lay down the foundations of the world and its characters, you get a very privileged peek into a different world, life or event. These are very private moments between an author and their book and its like nurturing a baby and watching it grow. These times can be just as exciting for a writer as they are for the reader.

4. When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

I give the names of my characters an awful lot of thought and consideration. It’s a part of the writing process that I enjoy and find fascinating. I like to try and pick names that suit the character and reflect a part of their personality. The internet is a great place to find names which, although the meanings are not commonly known these days, I believe there is some sort of inbuilt ancient instinct in us that collates centuries of information to help you form an opinion of that person before they even open their mouth. Using Latin in a name is also quite a useful way of creating names for people and especially creatures.

5. How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

I don’t think they have. But, a lot of my personality is in my writing. Everything I write about I find fascinating and writing about them is a great way to research and learn something new.

6. What genre of books do you like to read? Do you limit yourself to only the genre that you write yourself? I read many different genres depending on what I feel like at the time. One of the best things for me, when I finish reading a book is standing in front of my book shelves and choosing what I will read next. Recent genres that I have read include Fantasy by George R R Martin, Historical Detective Fiction by Philip Kerr and Military Humour by George MacDonald Fraser. With my writing, I like to mix up genres a bit. With the Moon Stealer series, there is a bit sci-fi, fantasy, adventure and dystopian. Then another book I’ve written is a comical detective story. I like to write what I enjoyand I have a broad range of interests as I’m sure most children have. Why should they be confined to one genre? Being young is all about experimenting and finding the things you like, and I think that can also apply that to teen books, there is so much more than vampire romances out there for them.

7. Were you always good at writing?

No. I still have a report my English teacher wrote when I was about 14 or 15. In it he said that I was not going to pass my English GCSE because I wrote in short sentences. Being really stubborn, I decided to prove him wrong and set about writing a story that went on to gain the highest mark he had ever given to a student. When I was 7 or 8 I remember sitting down and writing stories during the school summer holidays in an attempt to pass the timeand I would often staple sheets of paper together to make a little book and draw some pictures to go with it. I’ve always enjoyed writing but find that I now have the motivation and dedication to stick with a story until the end, something that maybe I didn’t have so much when I was younger.

8. How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)

Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places some times. I have a little notebook that I keep next to my computer which has odd words or phrases written in it. They are just words that stimulated some sort of reaction in me that make me want to find out more. The inspiration for The Moon Stealers came, quite innocently, one morning nearly 3 years ago when I was in the bathroom. My son and I were getting readyand he just asked me to tell him a story and the idea for the creatures in the Moon Stealers arrived. He liked the idea and wanted to draw some pictures so I began writing so he had something to illustrate. When I’m thinking of a new story, I allow a few ideas to bounce around in my head in quiet places like the shower or when I’m driving. That generally gives me the start and main characters in the book. I ultimately know what the ending will need to be, but not necessarily what the journey will be to get there. At that point I start writing. I get a feel for the characters and allow the story to move forward itself.

9. What advice would you give to people who “run out of creativity” when writing?

Take a break. Sometimes the brain just gets exhausted and no matter how hard you try, you can’t get over the brick wall. Allow your brain to focus on other things, a computer game, a film, family outings. Although I don’t run out of creative juices (I always have the next two or three books percolating away inside me) I do run out of energy. That’s my cue to take a break and not write. My brain may still think about the story and it works out a way to move it forward, then usually after a week I’m desperate to get back to writingand it flows quicker than ever.

10. What is the most important lack in your life?

I lack enough time to do everything I want to do. Juggling a “real-world” job and family, whilst trying to get time to write can sometimes be a struggle. It’s a shame that during the 24 hours of a day we have to waste 7-8 hours sleeping. I could be so much more productive.

11. Why a fiction book? You are well known as a “non-fiction” writer—what caused you to decide to write fiction?

I wrote two non-fiction books back in 2007 and 2008 to do with my day job, but they are very specificand the market is always going to be limited, plus they weren’t really very exciting! You can learn from a non-fiction book, but a fiction book is a new world waiting to be discovered, one that excites an emotion and entertains you. Reading is a sacrifice of time so it has to be worthwhile. These days I’m usually reading a fiction and non fiction book at the same time – one feeds my mind, the other feeds my soul.

12. You are in Waterstones looking at books—you see your new book on the shelf—what do you think?

My initial reaction would be to make sure that the spine is not facing inand the front cover is clearly on display. Then I would probably point it out to my wife or children, making sure I spoke just loud enough for other customers in the shop to hear without being too obvious. There is huge satisfaction in seeing your name on the front of a book. I get a huge buzz out of it every time I have a new book released.

13. You are on a planeand someone asks if you are Tim Flanagan and raves about your new book—how do you handle it?

I have no issues admitting who I amand I would feel very humble that they enjoyed my writing. I would happily answer their questions and be grateful to have met them. We all need some sort of positive feedback to encourage us to keep writing. I had a similar experience to this at a school recently that meand my son were going to look at. A boy spotted me in the corridor and said “I’ve got your book!” I thanked him and asked him if he enjoyed it. I think my son was more embarrassed than me! Without readers and fans, our books are just lines of ink on a page. Stories only come alive when they are read.

14. You have the #1 bestseller in America—what would be your first thought?

I would have to double check first! Then ring my wife, closely followed by my mum.

15. Are you at ease when interviewing? Do you find interviews generally exciting or boring?

I’m happy to be interviewed and like giving an insight into my life and personality. For an audience to connect with a writer they need to get to know them and get to like them, and it’s the least we can do as thanks for investing their time and money in our books.

16. Are you a man with strong convictions and do those convictions shine through when you write a novel?

I’m a very moral and honest person. I have a very open mind to a lot of things but will always research things myself before making up my own mind. I don’t like being swayed by others people’s opinions.

17. What puts you off when reading a book? Bad grammar? Awful editing? Slow stories?

Slow stories without a doubt. If the story is interesting, fast paced and absorbing, your eye can easily skim over spelling mistakes and typos.

18. Is paradise self-made or can it be found? Is writing your paradise?

I have found an amazing sense of enjoyment and contentment from writing. Everybody has different aspects to their soul that need to be fed. My creative side needs to make something and what could be better than a story that no one else has read or seen until I press publish. I believe you hold your own destiny in your handsand it is up to you to move your life in that direction. It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile is. It’s not going to just land in your lap, you have to put the effort in, it’s the price you pay.

19. You’re out on a date with a womanand she tells you that she hates reading—does that end the date or do you just consider that to be her loss?

If she truly ‘hates’ reading, she probably dislikes books as objects as welland I could never live in a house that doesn’t have books. She may also be unsupportive with regards to my work. So, I think it would have to end before it went any further. Life’s too short – surround yourself with people who understand you.

20. You enter “The Twilight Zone” and find yourself in a world without books or reading. Is your first reaction to explore this new place or to leave in disgust at the illiteracy of this new world?

I would be torn between two minds. I would be intrigued to find out why there are no books, but part of me would feel empty without being surrounded by the written word.

21. Why do you think reading has become such a rarity in the UK? Do you blame video games and modern pop music for its decline?

No, cultures change and trends fade in and out, but there will always be books. Recently the change in publishing and the arrival of Kindles has made books and reading more accessible to everyone, and at a price anyone can afford. There is such a diversity of books available today, that there is quite literally something for everyone. There will always be alternative distractions like video games and musicbut there will always be a need for stories. Stories build the games, provide lyrics for songs and adventures for films.

22. Do you agree that writers have to be salesmen in the Indie world?

Totally. Once the book has been written, your journey as a writer has only just begun. Most people think the hard work has finished once they write the last line, but the hardest part awaits. Marketing your book amongst the swamp of other books is an ever growing difficulty.

Something Special For My Fans…

Hi all!

I want to share this with you. A brand new video that will pretty much take you through my whole career. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Get Your Alex Cord E-book Autographed!

Who wants an Alex Cord autograph?

There’s a new and exciting event to share with Alex Cord fans all over the world. Alex can now autograph E-book copies of his books for you… That means you can have a personal autograph from Alex Cord on your E-book within moments! All you need to do is purchase a copy of “Days of the Harbinger” or “A Feather in the Rain” as a Kindle E-book and then head over to authorgraph to get your E-book signed by the man himself! This is just one of many new exciting things we are doing to try and bring Alex closer to his fans…

 

Some Wonderful “Days of the Harbinger” Reviews

A sampling of reviews for “Days of the Harbinger.”

*****

Hollywood movie star Alex Cord has created one of the most interesting books of the year. His novel “Days of the Harbinger” is one of those sticky substance books that really has you hooked from the first page.

The story concerns itself with a well loved movie star named Johnny Grant who in need of money finds himself working on a movie in Australia. Grant and some friends disappear for three days and return full of knowledge. Knowledge that could change the direction of the human race.

Cord writes with beautiful prose and has woven a story worthy of the book gods. I would not be surprised to see this one as a movie in the near future. One has to ask though… Reading through the book it does make you wonder how much of the character of Johnny Grant is Alex Cord.

Excellence from an excellent writer.

*****

“Johnny Grant is a popular actor who, despite his friendly and compassionate nature, struggles to discover the fundamental purpose of his life. He practices meditation and self-hypnosis on his quest for inner peace, but more and more, he yearns to help bring about positive change in this troubled world. He also tries to understand who he really is, sometimes feeling that he must wash off the character makeup he wears in his work to find himself beneath. He loves and enjoys his family and friends, but still feels fundamentally alone and searching, and at a loss as to why.

Accepting an offer to film in Australia will change Johnny’s life – and the lives of many, many others – in ways he could never have imagined. The twists, turns, and powerful emotions in this story will keep the reader caught in its spell until the very last page.

Author Alex Cord deftly weaves an engrossing tale of a man whose reality begins to change from the grounded and workaday to the fantastic and infinitely possible. Mr. Cord’s own career and experiences allow him to create vivid and realistic settings and characters. The story seems to live and breathe, and his unique voice draws the reader in and simply doesn’t let go.

It seems contradictory to say a novel is not only deeply felt and contemplative, but that it also takes the reader on a wild ride. But DAYS OF THE HARBINGER  does exactly that.”

*****

Alex Cord’s book, Days of the Harbinger, tells the story of Johnny Grant, a well-known and respected actor and activist who would like to change the world. He and two friends are ‘abducted’ or at least disappear for three days. Mr. Cord’s contradictive premise is that an alien has come in peace and wants to use Johnny as the conduit to help change what is happening on earth. Or WAS HE actually abducted? Mr. Cord interlocks adventure, excitement and romance to weave a fascinating story that will keep you guessing. Johnny’s friends have their own opinions about what happened to him. Even the two friends who were purportedly taken with him are convinced, and then doubt that it happened, then…
.
“Within two hours the news of the disappearance of movie star Johnny Grant and his friends was all over Australian radio and television and had been picked up by United Press International wire service.”

Mr. Cord is a master at description and characterization. He plots his story with meticulous precision and detail. He shows empathy with his portrayal of all of the characters in the story. He gives us an insider’s view of the entertainment business in the day-to-day lives of the characters and a detailed look at how something like this could happen. Alex Cord is a former actor, best known for his portrayal of Archangel in Airwolf, a well-known TV series. His acting career also included roles in Mission Impossible and Walker, Texas Ranger. His previous book, A Feather in the Rain, won the Glyph Award for best popular fiction in 2007. It will soon be produced as a motion picture.

*****

“The purpose of a storyteller,” writes Brandon Sanderson, the author of The Way of Kings, “is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.” The same is true about Alex Cord and his highly engrossing and mesmerizing novel, Days of the Harbinger. On one level, the story is about Johnny Grant, a compassionate and friendly Hollywood actor, who comes to grips with his own purpose in life following a life-defining moment while on location in Australia for a movie. On another level, the book’s message of questioning one’s own existence and purpose in life, are universal themes which resonate in us all.

Cord is a masterful storyteller, as other reviewers have pointed out, and once you start reading this book it is hard to put down. The story he weaves is just as much captivating as it is uplifting. One thing is for certain, the book’s messages of hope and salvation will stay with you long after you have finished.

Alex Cord is a world renowned movie star with noted appearances both on the stage and big screen. He currently lives in Gainesville, Texas with his wife. Alex writes in his spare time and spends much time on his Facebook Fan Page and has just started a Twitter Page.