K.S. Hello and welcome to the blog. I am very excited to have you here. Why don’t we start off with a small introduction? Tell us a little about yourself.
R.W. Thank you. It is a pleasure to be featured on this blog. My name is Roger Wilson, and I’m originally from Brooklyn, New York. Though I’m a first-time author, I have written short stories, poems, and song lyrics since I was a child. I also pride myself on being a gentleman, a Christian, and a leader who never follows.
K.S. Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?
R.W. I can easily visualize whatever I write, as I am fascinated by the human mind. So I tend to write my stories very detailed and in a screenplay-like format, so readers can visualize it like they are watching a movie. I imagine the story in my mind, and then write it.
K.S. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? What sparked the desire to pen your first novel?
R.W. Since I was seven or eight, I’ve always had a vast imagination and wrote whatever stories I had dreamt about, and many people said that I should become a writer. So, the passion was always there. My first novel Phantom Four was based on characters my brother and I created 20 years ago, so this series holds sentimental value to me.
K.S. What genre do you write?
R.W. I write action and paranormal horror, but with elements of comedy, romance, and mystery.
K.S. What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career? Or, who is your favorite author and why?
R.W. Stan Lee was my inspiration to writing, as I was originally shooting to become a comic artist and writer. I grew up reading X-Men and others. Comics are unfairly prejudged as childish, but they actually have great stories. I also like Oscar Wilde, and one of my favorite writers is R.L. Stine. His Goosebumps books were riveting, especially the ones where you choose the scare.
K.S. What does your family think of your writing?
R.W. They were the first to believe in me, and have expressed how proud they are of me. They support me 100 percent. What I am most proud of is when my nieces and nephew told me how proud they were of me, calling me awesome. Words can’t express how meaningful that was.
K.S. What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book/s?
R.W. I’ve learned that not everyone will appreciate you trying something new and different. I wrote Phantom Four in a screenplay-like format and most reviewers loved it. They thought it was innovative and easy to read, and that was the idea. But others unfortunately didn’t really give the story a chance because of the format. It’s not easy being a trailblazer.
K.S. What inspires you?
R.W. Innovation and originality inspires me. Whenever I watch a movie, read a book, or play a video game, I always look for something that isn’t ordinary or mundane. I get inspired to create stories that no one has ever done. In life and as a writer, I always take the road less traveled.
K.S. Can you tell us a little about any of your novels?
R.W. Phantom Four: Children of the Grave is a story about four brothers who suffer an “accident” at an early age, and somehow reemerge twenty years later with no memory of their past or family. They also discover they have amazing powers of darkness within their souls. However, those powers are heavily cursed and they must suffer from this curse in the most painful ways possible. Rex, Kevin, Paul, and Oscar are slowly evolving into true creatures of the night, but also into heroes.
The four brothers come to realize quickly that they must battle Satan and his minions from the underworld. Hell has opened their gates wide and New York City will experience inevitable doom unless these four stop them. Meanwhile, the brothers attempt to live a life as normal as possible, but it becomes increasingly difficult. They try to hang on to their girlfriends by demonstrating their love for them. The loving hearts of their women are the only thing that is keeping them from losing their sanity.
Can the brothers save the Earth from Armageddon? Will they ever learn about themselves and their past? Join the brothers on the road no one has ever traveled as they embark on this dangerous and exciting quest to discover their purpose. This story contains adult language, heavy violence and gore, and sexual content. It is not intended for children. It contains non-stop action, detailed fight scenes, mystery and suspense, unique personalities, bone-chilling horror, hilarious comedy between the brothers, and heartfelt romantic moments.
With no boring chapters, Phantom Four is designed to keep you reading. You will be able to easily visualize what is happening. I guarantee it is like nothing you’ve ever read before. In a way, you’re not reading a book. You are “watching a movie in your mind.” I am currently working on the heartbreaking sequel. Their tale of darkness in this story is only the beginning…
K.S. Where can we buy your novel?
R.W. Phantom Four: Children of the Grave is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other websites for $14.95 (paperback). There is also a hardcover version, but that price will be lowered than its’ current price. At the homepage, you can also purchase an eBook/PDF version for $10.00.
Barnes & Noble:
Home Page: http://www.outskirtspress.com/phantom4/
K.S. Do you have a website, fan site, or Blog that we can visit?
R.W. Yes, there is. You can visit the Official Phantom Four Website at http://phantom-4.blogspot.com. It features four and five-star critiques from reviewers, and the video trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxcMIdExLQA). Phantom Four also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phantom-Four/155982737759173.
K.S. Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?
R.W. Whatever your goals and dreams are in life, work hard to achieve them, don’t give up, and don’t let the naysayers stop you. Also, be original. Show them who you are as an individual. There are a lot of writers out there, but only one you.