I am pleased to welcome fellow Hoosier and author, Bob Freeman to my blog. He is the author of Descendant, a supernatural
thriller filled with daring action, adventure, and artifice set against the
backdrop of a very familiar world – but it is a world in which preternatural
entities, clandestine magical orders, ancient bloodlines, and unholy alliances
converge within the shadowed recesses of our darkest imaginings.
Federal Agents Selina Wolfe
and Martin Crowe are called in to investigate a series of bizarre deaths in a
small rural community. What first seems to be a misadventure involving black
magic and satanic ritual soon takes on even more deleterious overtones, as the
agents become embroiled in a plot by a sinister cabal intent on unleashing Hell
on Earth.
Bob has graciously taken the time to answer a few questions for me in order for you to get to know him better.
What was the name of
the first novel you wrote? Did you publish it?
My first novel was Shadows
Over Somerset, released by Black Death Books in 2006, re-released by
Seventh Star Press in 2014.
In 2000 I got married and lost my job in the span of two
weeks. My wife suggested I write a novel to pass the time while I looked for
work. Three months later, Shadows Over
Somerset was completed. Shadows’ sequel, Keepers of the Dead was published in 2008 by Black Death Books, and
re-released by Seventh Star Press in 2015.
Where do you write?
Tell me a little about your writing schedule.
Since 2000 I've had a few unique writer's rooms. I started in the attic, then moved out to "Tyr's Hand", an old migrant shed we
moved onto our property.
Then I took up residence in a spare bedroom in the house
proper, before moving upstairs to what I call "The Aerie". "The Aerie"
is a sort of den/man cave, still overflowing with my library of occult tomes,
genre fiction, and comic books.
My son and I recently completed a pallet shack at the edge
of our property that we've named "The
Bookhouse" after the cabin headquarters of the Bookhouse Boys in David
Lynch's Twin Peaks.
We both plan to use it as a writer's getaway and I am
eagerly anticipating the first words I'll write there.
Where is one place
that you haven’t visited would you like to go?
Boleskine, on the shores of Loch Ness, Scotland, a former
residence of famed occultist Aleister Crowley, and of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page
as well.
It recently suffered from a horrible fire that nearly ruined
the place beyond hope of restoration. It was purchased by the Readdy's and the
Boleskine Foundation with the intention of opening the place up as a retreat
for Thelemites and the magically inclined.
Unfortunately, arsonists attack what remained of the
property and even more extensive damage was levied against the landmark. The Foundation is still pressing on with their attempts of
reopening the historic home to visitors. Regardless, I want to see it, in ruin or not.
What do you do when
you are not writing?
We're a close knit family that enjoy yoga and hiking
together. My son and I are also avid miniature war game and tabletop rpg
enthusiasts, both as players and designers.
I am also something of an occult detective, with an interest
in paranormal investigations and magical theory and practice. It is something I
have been enamored with and explored since childhood.
What is your favorite
writing reference book, or go-to writing book and why?
I don't think one book stands above others. I have an
extensive occult library and rely heavily on it, to be sure. Nothing beats a
good thesaurus, though.
What are the hardest
scenes for you to write?
That's a good question. If I have a soft spot, it's
"kids in peril". They always get to me in nearly any medium, so
writing those scenes myself are even more difficult, because I get rather
emotional when I write and they can take quite a toll on me.
What genre of books
do you like to read? What are you reading now?
The Occult Detective
genre and Sword and Sorcery, especially from the pulp era. My favorite author
is Robert E. Howard, without a doubt. I discovered Howard in 1976 when I
snatched up a Boris-covered copy of Conan the Freebooter in Cole's bookstore.
The first story I read was "A Witch Shall Be Born" and it literally
changed my life. I have been Howard obsessed ever since.
Right now I'm reading Unholy Alliance: A History of Nazi
Involvement with the Occult by Peter Levenda, and I'm rereading A Gathering of
Ravens by Scott Oden in anticipation of his new release in February.
Do you recall how
your interest in writing originated?
At an early age. I was a voracious reader
and loved making up my own stories. I was writing comics, short stories, and
plays in elementary, but I really think it was when I began playing Dungeons
& Dragons that the idea of writing as a vocation was birthed.
What else are you
working on right now?
My son and I are designing an RPG Campaign Setting for an
established IP that we're very excited about, and we're continueing to develop
our Occult Detective RPG, with hopes of releasing it next year.
I am also working on a follow-up to both my Cairnwood Manor series and my most
recent novel, Descendant. In Born Again we will see the two series
merge into one, with future installments beginning a new chapter in the
universe I've created.
Tell me about your
current book:
Descendant is the
second book in my Tales of the Liber
Monstrorum series, though it can certainly be read as a stand alone novel.
It is an occult detective story that follows an investigation by Agents Selina
Wolfe and Martin Crowe, two members of the FBI's elite Paranormal Operations
Division.
After they're called in to investigate a string of odd
deaths in a rural farming community, what they assumed was a Self-Styled
Satanic ritual gone wrong turns out to be something a whole lot bigger (and
darker) than either could have imagined.
I want to thank Bob for visiting today. You can find his online links below, as well as buy links for Descendant.
Author Links:
Twitter:
@OccultDetective
Website: www.occultdetective.com
Links for Descendant:
Barnes and Noble Link:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/descendant-bob-freeman/1028498347?ean=2940160816678
