‘Debut Author Spotlight’ is a new feature here at Book Chick City. We will be showcasing a debut author each month from the genres of horror, urban fantasy and paranormal romance. We will give you all the relevant book information as well as an insight into the author.

AUTHOR BIO

I am a freelance writer living in eastern Washington state, USA. I divide my time between writing for a fitness industry magazine, writing the sequel to POD, and with the remaining time, being a husband and father.

I don’t bother with sleeping—it takes too much time! I have published short stories for kids and adults, taught tennis for many years, worked as a marketing director and graphic designer at a health club, and enjoy any sport that uses a racquet or kicks a ball.

10 FUN FACTS ABOUT STEPHEN WALLENFELS

1. I’m left-handed, and proud of it. This is a big deal with me and it drives my wife crazy. I point it out every time I see a famous person that is left-handed (like president’s Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts). I know it’s annoying but I can’t help myself. It’s the way my brain works!
2. I like to cook, and therefore I have a weakness for cookbooks. I fall for anything with an alluring photo of pasta in sauce on the cover. I probably have enough Tuscan soup recipes to last three lifetimes, but you can bet there is always room on my bookshelf for one more.
3. I have a weakness for romantic comedies. This better not get out because it will ruin any hope I have of owning a Man Cave. My top three favorites in order of preference: Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and Notting Hill. But if someone asks me in public what my favorite movie is of all time, I’ll say, “Alien” every time.
4. My favorite place to be if I want to be alone—on the second pitch of a rock climb in Leavenworth, Washington. The climb is called Scary Canary, and there is a perfect ledge to sit on with your legs dangling over the side, back against the cool granite, and way down in the valley below I hear the whisper of the Icicle River.
5. The book I have read the most times would be The Hobbit. I read it twice in high school, once in college, and once to my son when he was ten. It is, in many ways, the perfect book. Second on that list would be a tie between The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, and The Road, by Cormac McCarthy.
6. If I could do any profession (outside of writing books and screen plays) it would have to be professional beach volleyball. To be paid to play at the beach all day—how could it get better than that? But of course if I had to pick between pro volleyball and successful novelist, I’ll go with spending endless hours inside a windowless room, in front of a computer screen, any day.
7. My pet of preference, if I had one, would be a Bengal Cat. They are known as a “man’s cat” and have special powers. Unfortunately I live where coyotes are common and they eat cats like M and Ms.
8. When I write I have my lucky writing clothes. These include my writing glasses, which are held together with tape on one side with scotch tape. My lucky sweatpants, socks, and sweatshirt. If at least 3 out of 4 items are not in place, I might as well read because the creative juices won’t flow.
9. My least favorite part about writing is hearing the voices in my head. I’m always working on dialog and quizzing my characters to see how they would react to random situations. I’m convinced you can’t be a good writer and not be just a little bit insane.
10. My favorite part about writing are the characters in my head. When they start talking on their own, and start to make sense, writing is one of the most rewarding things I will ever do, outside of being a devoted father and a husband.

THE BOOK: POD

POD tells the story of two main characters that are in separate locations and witness the same catastrophic event: a massive alien invasion from the sky. PODs uses fearsome beams of light to destroy any human not in a house or building. After the initial attack they remain stationary, while the humans trapped in their buildings, have to survive as best they can depending on where they happen to be at the time.

Josh, a 16 year old boy, is stuck in his house with his increasingly OCD father and the family dog. Megs, 12 years old, is trapped alone in a hotel parking garage in Los Angeles, and must find ways to survive while being hunted by some bad guys that have taken over the hotel. While the alien invasion provides a background of tension, the real story is in the characters and what they are willing to do to survive. Published by Templar.

STEPHEN WALLENFELS ONLINE

Website | Trailer

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