Interview with Carl Franklin

Today I'm happy to welcome Carl Franklin to my blog His latest release is called Bloodlines. Let's give him a warm welcome. :)

Hi Carl, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have you here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Ahh the dreaded question everyone awaits. What interesting details are there to divulge about ourselves, myself in particular, that would spare the boring details and keep the mildly entertaining… I’m 23. I grew up in a house rampant of zombies; my writing skill has been in my blood since I had the ability to write my name. I conjured my first comprehensible sentence at the age of 10, and by 13 I had my first published poem. I’ve written freelance for several teen magazines while I was in my modest school years.

Bloodlines is your debut novel, can you tells us a little about it and the series?

Bloodlines is one in its own, although it does have an upcoming sequel shortly coming by the year’s end. Bloodlines follows the life of a man named Kyle Montana whom is an angel in human form put on earth to witness the calamity that occurs in his daily life and those around him. Overcoming his obstacles, he moves to further successes and finds his life’s true purpose is to live and love.

What is your writing day like?

I awake usually at 9 pm and I turn on my Pandora radio. I scour Facebook and catch up on the happenings concerning my friends and my profile, then I turn to Microsoft Word where I’m greeted by a slew of gnomes whipping me into place as I put together that night’s deadline. About 3 am rolls around, and I turn to my friend Monster Energy and then hammer at my keyboard further to discover I’ve met my night’s goal and I step timidly into a large bathtub where I’m whisked away by Calgon and a good book that doesn’t stem from my imagination. =)

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read?

I read a variety of Genres and I have no major preference. As long as it doesn’t get too political.

Which Authors have influenced you the most?

The first Author to influence me into writing professionally was Dean Koontz, as I entered the 6th grade. My mother handed me a book from her shelf, unaware if it would be of any interest in my class book report, and it sure did! “Mr. Murder” became my first and favorite adult book when I was a kid, when other’s of my age would just begin to read Goosebumps and Babysitter’s Club!

What has been your favorite part of getting your book published?

My favorite part is seeing it online and displayed publicly. The best aspect is entertaining a group of people (my reader-base) and seeing reviews come in as people enjoy the book. It’s excruciatingly painful to get feedback of any kind, but I still live for it. Because as with my influences of Koontz, Sparks and my local author friends, there leaves a great deal of room for learning lessons and improvement from Book 1 to each book thereafter.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?

First- Pepsi and lots of it!!
Second- Music, I hardly ever can write in a quiet atmosphere. Music is my inspiration ALWAYS!
Third- Patience and a clear head. I have to listen to my characters and be open to what they tell me. As a writer, I rely on my characters to help me develop the stories. My books aren’t ever my story, it’s theirs and I’m just the “middle-man” trying to please my characters and adapt to their needs. You could call me a literary slave, but I know I’m not the only author who listens to their characters!

What type of research did you do for the book?

Well I do all sorts of research from location specific attributes to scientific facts. Like for example, did you know that sticky sap from Elm trees is called Lanesterol- and it helps deter bugs and preserve leaf lifespan?

Are there any real life people that have inspired the characters in your book?

As with almost any author in the market, I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t use any personal details, fact or experiences in my literature. Every writer has done it, and we continue to. Although any fact or detail has been converted fictitiously and also exaggerated to a certain degree! For almost every writer, myself included, we utilize our work as a therapeutic mechanism. It’s only human nature! =)

What is up next? Is Bloodlines a stand-alone novel or is it gonna be part of series?

The sequel Legacy is coming soon by the year’s end. So you’d better get to reading Bloodlines, so you can be prepared for Legacy.

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BLOODLINES
By Carl Franklin

Join Kyle Montana, reserved humanitarian, on his journey through tribulations of his tumultuous life through self exploration and the seeking of acceptance in a loathsome society, in this eye opening self narrative novel. Being a man of several talents and touching the lives of many, Kyle struggles to find solace from nearly everything life throws at him. He stares death straight in the eye, faces rejection from every direction he turns, and bears witness to several wicked measures.Kyle moves on to further successes after living through abhorrent conditions and finds reasoning with his life's true purpose. This is a tender story of epic morals not only intended for simple reading pleasure, but also a profound view of real-life scenarios



Where to buy:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle

Carl has partnered with Smile Train, and a percentage of each book sale will go towards the worthy organization that corrects cleft palates. (Press Release) To learn more about Carl and his books you can visit him at his Website and on Facebook.