Champagne Musings: January 2020

Get to Know Michell Plested, One of the Authors of Jack Kane

1. When and why did you begin writing?

I really started writing in about 2001. I’d always wanted to write a book but prior to that I never thought I had enough life experience to really have anything interesting to write about. What kicked me into gear then was my job. I was feeling a bit trapped and decided to finally learn how to write a book and maybe build myself a new career.

Once I figured out I could actually write a book I started to have fun with it. I’ve now written more than a dozen novels. Jack Kane and the Kaiser is the ninth one to be published.

2. Tell us your latest news.

Jack Kane and the Kaiser, which I co-wrote with JR Murdock, is now available! It is book two in the Jack Kane steampunk series and was a LOT of fun to write. I expect it will be fun to read too.

I also have the first novel in a brand-new series coming out soon from Champagne Books – The Goddess Renewed. That book is a classic fantasy novel that I am VERY excited to have coming out.

3. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I started to consider myself a writer when I typed “The End” on my first book after seven years of working on it (while I took a correspondence writing course). Like many writers, I still felt like I was a fraud as I told myself I was a writer. There are still moments of doubt in that dark tea-time of the soul. J

4. Do you have a specific writing style?

My writing is very character-centric. I love developing characters readers can identify with. I also like to include elements of humor in my writing – even serious books can use smatterings of humor.

5. How did you come up with the title?

The first book in the series is Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty. We wanted to continue the series titles in a similar fashion and, since our hero Jack comes up against Kaiser Wilhelm, it was a natural fit. The question you need to ask yourself is, will the Kaiser be the bad guy or just a guy?

6. Is there a message in your novel you want readers to grasp?

Jack Kane and the Kaiser is intended to be a fun steampunk novel with elements of romance, superheroes and of course, detective work. Not really a message except to encourage the reader to be entertained and, of course, come back for more. The one thing that I DO put in most of my books is a sense of wonder and hope. I

7. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Finding the time to write everything I want is probably the biggest challenge. I probably have a dozen books demanding to be written. There is also my interest in trying new things. That has led me to write several different series in different genres. At last count I was writing five different series ranging from horror to YA adventure to steampunk to fantasy to science fiction.

8. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

JR and I wrote this book as a team. The toughest part was bringing everything together and ensuring continuity. We did the writing in a slightly different way from some collaborations: he wrote the protagonist (hero-side) and I wrote the antagonist (villains). That makes our slightly different writing styles work quite well.

9. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

The writing stems from my love of reading. I was always reading books and comic books. I’ve had stories percolating in my mind for…well, a very long time. To name how long would be dating myself.

10. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned we have a couple more in the story arc. I was also reminded how much fun this series is to write and read.

11. Do you have any advice for other writers?

I started writing novels late in life because I didn’t believe I had enough life experience to be interesting. The truth is, we are all unique and have things to write about that others will want to read. So, don’t wait. Just write, express yourself and keep trying to get better.

12. Do you have anything specific you want to say to your readers?

This was one of the most fun books I’ve ever written (Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty was the other one). Give the books a chance – you won’t regret it. Oh, and keep watch for the next one. Things will just keep getting more and more exciting!

13. What inspired you to write your first book?

I was a reader from the time I was five-years-old digging through my parent’s science fiction novels. I drove them crazy asking what various words meant. But that reading gave me a deep love of books that I wanted to carry on with my own writing.

14. Can you share a little of your current work with us?

The explosion caught him half a step short of safety. The initial detonation was relatively small but the tunnel was filled with sewer gas which immediately ignited. The small burst of fire from the bomb swelled and struck Lenny’s back with the force of a freight train, lifting him off his feet.

He slammed into the oak door that Squiggy held in front of himself like a shield and pushed the door, his partner and his passenger down the tunnel like wind-swept paper.

They finally came to a rest against the glazed brick wall of a junction in the tunnel almost a hundred yards away from where they started and lay in the calf-deep filthy water trying to regain their senses.

Lenny’s ears rang from the deafening sound. At that moment he know what an anvil must experience whenever a blacksmith hammered it. He shook it to ensure it was still connected. It didn’t fall off which was a good thing. Not so good? There was something loose flapping on the left side of his head.

He reached up to locate the flapping. His hand came away bloody.

Squiggy stumbled to his feet and seemed to be trying to say something. At least, that’s what it looked like. His lips moved, but Lenny couldn’t quite make out the sounds.

“What? What are you saying, Squiggy?”

This is a scene where the book’s villain is experimenting with explosive elements. It features his henchmen, Lenny and Squiggy who provide some of the comedy elements in their actions. Their boss, Felonious Fenduke Filtcher the Fourth is a crazed Dr. Evil sort of character who was enormous fun to write.

15. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I do write from personal experiences, but also from what I see. People tend to react to situations in several predictable ways that often are reflected in my writing. Since I haven’t ever been to a steampunk world, I extrapolate from what I know to what I imagine. It’s fun and makes for a more relatable.