It's always fun when an author joins us to tell us about a new book. Today we are welcoming Michael J. Bowler. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book, Michael.
MJB: The main character is fifteen-year-old Alex, an orphan boy who’s been in a wheelchair all his life with an unusual form of spina bifida. He also has the innate ability to heal every ailment known to science and possesses an intense empathetic nature. In Book 1, he learned that he is a figure of prophecy known as the Healer because of his supernatural power and found himself the target of a doomsday cult with paranormal connections. Despite his learning disabilities, Alex’s strong willpower and intense desire to protect his friends have so far triumphed over those who would use him for their shady purposes.
SC: Hmm... curious as to why he can't heal himself, but that's all part of the mystery. Speaking of mysteries, do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?
MJB:I do believe in the paranormal in large part because everything has an opposite. If there is the natural world, there must be the supernatural world. I do recall an incident when I was a teenager. I was home alone and taking a shower. I heard a door slam quite loudly and thought someone must’ve come home, and maybe they were angry? I turned off the water and called out, “Who’s there?” No one answered. Now there was only silence. So, I dried myself off and slipped on my robe. Stepping out of the bathroom into the long hallway, I looked both ways. All the doors were open except the one leading into the garage. I padded down to that door and opened it. The garage was empty, which I thought was odd because of the door slam I’d heard. I wandered throughout the entire empty house, but every door was open, and every window closed, so wind could not have been the culprit. Feeling unnerved, I hurried back to the bathroom and locked the door so I could dress. To this day, I wonder who or what slammed that door.
SC: Thanks for sharing your experience with us. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?
MJB: I’m putting the finishing touches on Book 3 of The Healer Chronicles, which releases in July. I’m also writing the third in my Film Milieu Thriller series that combines characters and story threads from the first two books into a mystery/thriller set during the filming of a movie based on the first book called I KNOW WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO DIE. It’s a tricky conceit, especially juggling all these elements and characters, but I think it will be a fun book if I can make it all work.
SC: Cool! We'd better let you get back to it. Thanks for joining us today.
Excerpt:
He studied his silent brother, staring upward as though hypnotized.
“You okay, Andy?”
Without dropping his gaze in the slightest, Andy said, “You dreamed about Teacher too, didn’t you?”
Alex flinched, his breath momentarily on hold. “Yeah.”
Now it was Martin who looked confused. He shifted position on the chair and that’s when Alex noticed the gun strapped to his belt. Martin studied them both in the dark, his face hidden in shadow. “What are you guys talking about?”
When Andy remained silent, Alex pulled his gaze from his brother’s back and faced Martin. “A teacher we both had. She’s part of the group that’s trying to get me. She says she’s gonna find me no matter where I go.”
Martin’s expression turned from grim to resolute. “I’ll protect you.” He patted the gun in its holster.
Alex eyed his brother once more. “She…she said you belong to her, Andy.”
Alex thought he saw his brother recoil, but the moon wasn’t completely full, so he couldn’t be sure.
“I won’t be in a cage ever again,” Andy said quietly, his voice almost a whisper, as though talking to himself. “I told that to Teacher and I meant it.”
Martin leaped to his feet, startling the boys.
Alex whirled to face him. “What?”
Martin threw a finger to his lips and reached down, pulling out the gun and pointing it over Alex’s head.
Now Alex heard it. Movement. The sound of people trying hard to be quiet, but a slight crunch of gravel gave them away.
Martin waved the boys behind him and darted in front, gun aimed toward the house.
A red light rounded the corner and before Alex could even think of the red light that had killed Juan back at the church, Martin fired his weapon. One pop, muffled, like he had a heavy sock over the barrel. The red light spun crazily and then toppled to the grass.
Alex glanced at Andy with wide eyes. They’d been found!
After that, everything happened so fast Alex could barely process it. Another figure rounded the corner with a gun and fired. A tiny burst of light accompanied the pop of a gunshot, and then Martin grunted, collapsing to the lawn.
“Martin!” Andy dashed around Alex’s chair and knelt by the unmoving form of their protector.
More figures rounded the corner of the house and bore down on them. Alex backed up, but suddenly Andy grasped his hand. Alex felt the rush of power surging through him—just as it had at the church when they’d brought Roy back to life—heavy floodwaters that meant their combined powers had been activated. He looked down at Andy, still kneeling beside Martin’s body.
Andy whispered, “Death, to me!”
Alex stiffened, his vision growing dim, his mind filled with a gray nothingness that terrified him.
As though from miles away, he heard Andy hiss, “Death to them!”
Great interview
ReplyDeletethis is a great excerpt
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great excerpt and interview. The book sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I enjoyed reading the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover, I enjoyed the excerpt and Shifter sounds like my kind of book! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a splendid day!
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very interesting. Thanks
ReplyDelete