Hi Max. Welcome to Fallen Angels. It is very nice to have you here and I appreciate you taking the time to speak with us.

Thank you Amanda. It is great to be here and to have the opportunity of talking to everyone.

Your books The Golden King and Lion of Scythia have been very well received. Can you tell fans that have not had a chance to read them what they are missing out on?

Lion of Scythia is the first book in a trilogy, with The Golden King following on the action. The trilogy is set in the times of Alexander the Great (325-323 B.C.). As Alexander conquered the Persian Empire and moved on toward India, he left behind small garrisons to manage huge areas of hostile territory. This is the story of Nikometros, a young cavalry officer in the Macedonian army, who is captured by a marauding Scythian tribe. Inducted into the tribe he works his way up the hierarchy, becoming blood brother to the chief and becoming romantically involved with the priestess of the Mother Goddess, Tomyra. As he does so, however, he earns the hatred of the chief’s son and other Scythian nobles use him to further their own agendas.
In The Golden King, war erupts among the tribes along the Oxus River and Nikometros finds himself torn between assuming the role of chief and returning to his own people.

How does if feel to have not only one but multiple works be EPPIE finalist?

Actually, rather wonderful. You try your best to craft an interesting story for your own satisfaction but at the end of the day you have to ask yourself if your readers are happy. The EPPIES are one way of measuring your success. I love feedback from my readers too, and I respond to it. Several people remarked after reading Lion of Scythia that the names were hard to pronounce. So when I was editing The Golden King I inserted a few pages on the characters and how to pronounce their names.

From the looks of things, you have been very busy. You are not only a solo author, you also co-authored books with Ariana Overton. Is there a difference when writing alone as compared to working with another author?

Writing a story is a very personal thing. I feel like part of me is in it, so sharing it with another person can be traumatic. Writing by yourself is like walking alone in the woods – you can wander where you will, take a different path, look at what interests you. Writing with another person means having to take another person’s wishes into consideration. It means you no longer have complete freedom but this loss is made up for by the different insights and perspectives.

I was lucky in that my co-author was my wife and soul mate. Ariana introduced me to fiction writing in 1999 and basically taught me to write, editing my first efforts with gallons of red ink. I learned and developed my own ‘voice’. My first effort at co-authoring was Glass House. Ariana wrote most of it while I limited myself to plot advice and a few passages. By the second book in the trilogy, A Glass Darkly, I was writing whole chapters and by the third book, Looking Glass, I did most of the writing. Our ‘voices’ are different but they mesh well. I wish I could write some more with her but at least I will be able to finish off some of her incomplete novels.

Your work covers more than one genre; do you find your writing style differs with each category?

I think so. When I’m writing historicals, the historian part of me is uppermost and I model myself on the glorious stories of ancient Greece by Mary Renault. When I write about the Australian mysteries, the scientist in me is at the forefront. Inevitably, I tackle the different times and cultures in different ways and I believe it alters my writing style.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of completing and publishing a book?

The sense of wonder and achievement. When I held my first book in my hand, my name on the cover, I guess I felt like a new mother must feel with her firstborn. Then finding out that people actually wanted to read my story.

Of all your stories, is there one you would consider your favorite?

I think my favorite would have to be the Glass House trilogy, in particular the third book, Looking Glass. I love the paranormal and the enduring mysteries of the Australian Aborigines and prehistory. To be able to work these together into a novel was very satisfying.

As a successful author, is there any advice you received or can offer that you feel plays a key part in your career?

In a word, perseverance. If you think you have a story, stick with it, do your research, write it down. Find yourself a good teacher and be prepared to learn. Writing is a craft and takes practice to perfect. Anyone can write words down on a piece of paper, but doing it well enough to persuade a publisher to accept you is another matter. Learn the rules of writing. It takes time, a humble attitude and a good editor.

You have had the pleasure of traveling the world extensively; do you feel that this contributes to your writing?

I don’t believe anyone can sit down and write convincingly about something they know little about. We all research our subject thoroughly before we start, whether by books, the internet, or travel. I was lucky in that my parents took me around the world when I was young. I lived in Malaysia, England, Belgium, Germany and Jamaica before settling down in New Zealand. Since then I have added Australia and the United States. While I may not have much in the way of solid facts from some of these countries – I can hardly remember Malaysia and Belgium, for instance – the experience has opened my mind to other cultures, other ways of looking at things. I believe this contributes to my writing.

If you had to select one trip or place as your favorite, what would select?

That would have to be Jamaica, but I would have to say the Jamaica of 1959 to 1962. I have friends who have been there recently and from what they say, it has changed for the worse. When I was there I could, as a 12 year old, wander alone with a butterfly net without fear of harm. It was a land of wonder for me, a tropical paradise.
Or tropical Australia with its laid-back lifestyle, wonderful warm climate, sun, sea and rainforest. Gorgeous butterflies and wonderful animals. Then there is New Zealand, a country I regard as my home. Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud, the Shaky Isles, Godzone, Middle Earth, land of rugby, beautiful birds and plants, fascinating geology, incredible scenery and friendly people. I hope to retire there.

As a writer, do you also take time to read other works? If so, do you have a particular author or style of book that you enjoy?

I read as much as I can. Often they are books that touch on some aspect of a book I am writing, so I suppose it is a form of research, but other times I will just pick up a book for sheer enjoyment. Some of my favorite authors are Mary Renault, Larry Niven and Julian May.

What else would you like to accomplish in your career?

Well, if I’m dreaming I’d say writing a best-seller, a book that everyone will talk about. On a slightly more realistic level I’d be overjoyed if Glass House was made into a movie. There is a possibility of that as Ariana co-wrote a screenplay and Profeta Pictures has signed up to make it. On a more down to earth level I’d be happy if I could write all the stories I have bubbling in my head at the moment.

Your book Funeral in Babylon will be coming soon. How soon can fans expect a release?

I am currently working with my editor to get it whipped into shape. He hopes to get it to the typesetter by October 12. After that, correction of galley proofs and printing. I would expect it by December.

Can we get a hint about the story?

Sure. Nikometros and Tomyra leave Scythia and join Alexander the Great’s court in Babylon. Intrigue and assassination, love and death, war and games.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Readers may be interested in some of my works in progress. I have a paranormal thriller that deals with serial killers in Wal-Mart, a new trilogy on ancient Egypt set in the time of Tutankhamen, a futuristic murder mystery and a series of short stories about a 12 year old butterfly hunter in Jamaica. I also hope to be finishing off some of Ariana’s novels about a paranormal murder mystery and an erotic space romp (the sequel to her successful ‘Portal’).

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. I know I will be counting down until your new book is released.
Readers, visit Max’s website to see what new and exciting things he is bringing our way.

Interviewed by: Amanda