      
      
      
An Interview
With
Ariana Overton
ER!-Ariana,
hi! I've been over at your website at http://www.angelfire.com/ms/ariana/ , checking out the many
different hats you wear and everything that you've been
up to. You are one busy woman! Let me see if I can
get your books correct first:-) You're published by
Clocktower fiction in a number of different genres.
TRAPDOOR, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, and DRUID are all
murder mysteries. TAPESTRY was a finalist in the
first professional contest for ebooks, the EPPIES.
What an accomplishment! Can you tell us a little
about this book?
AO-
Tapestry is the second book I wrote, after Trapdoor.
The idea came out of the blue, so to speak. One day,
while doing some research on the Internet, I found an
article about a PET machine. This thing is used in
hospitals to electronically track things inside the
human brain. It intrigued me, to say the least. Well,
that set me off and running and my imagination seized
the reins and went with it. Combined with what
I’d learned about a real ongoing research
project where the ‘God Module’ in the human
brain is being analyzed and my lifelong fascination
with the paranormal, I created PESTER, the machine
used in my book to attain time travel. But the
biggest element to the story was having heard, over
and over for years now, how many people would like to
go back and redo their lives. That’s how
Tapestry was born.
ER!-There's
also your paranormal thrillers: Glass House, A Glass
Darkly, and Looking Glass. Is this a trilogy?
And of the three books, tell us about the one that is
closest to your heart.
AO-
Yes, it is a trilogy about Australian mythology. It
combines Aboriginal myths about Dreamtime, scientific
study about modern mysteries and the beautiful
geography of the Australian mountain range, called
the Glass House Mountains. Of the three, I’d
have to say my favorite is the third book, Looking
Glass. In fact, I’m still working on it. This
final episode in the story combines all the
characters, research and cultural diversity of the
first two books, Aboriginal in Glass House and Native
American in A Glass Darkly, and adds some new people
and new information. In the first two, I researched
many things in order to make sure most of the story
COULD be true. That is my style. I especially love
the technology in A Glass Darkly. Christine Spindler
and her husband are both Physcists. They very
generously helped me to create the laser in the
story, VOX DEI [Voice of God]. It stuns me to think
that this machine could be real and what people would
do with it is certainly real. That is the
‘feel’ I try to get into all my
books…reality. But, I’d have to say that
the last book promises to be the best of all three.
What really stands out for me is the opportunity to
research and write about an ancient land in ancient
times. In Looking Glass, my characters have their
final showdown and resolution in Australia’s
past. They have to go back in time, to the time of
when mankind was still new and confront the evils of
this age when they, too, were beginning. It’s
kind of a Jurassic Park with Marsupials instead of
Dinosaurs. I am truly enjoying writing this final
chapter in the trilogy.
ER!-You're
also the author of a number of children's stories: A Gift
For Roo, Green Eggs For Roo, Roo & Stumpy, Roo &
The Easter Bilby, and A Gecko In My Orange Juice.
Who is Roo? What inspired you to write her?
AO- Roo
came to life while I was living in Queensland,
Australia and as a direct result of a true event that
touched me deeply at that time. My husband is a
Biologist/Zoologist and, at that time, he was working
at the University there and finishing up his PhD on
Tropical Butterflies. He often brought home eggs,
caterpillars and butterflies to show me. One day, he
showed up with an egg from the Cairns Birdwing, a
huge beautifully green, yellow, red and black colored
Butterfly that is indigenous to Queensland. He wanted
to take a series of photographs of the egg, hatching
caterpillar, pupae and emerging butterfly in order to
document the entire life cycle of that species. The
egg, attached to a cluster of leafs and stem,
remained on my kitchen counter throughout this cycle.
I got to see it hatch into a tiny, black, fuzzy
caterpillar that instantly captured my heart and my
attention. Soon, eating what seemed like tons of food
leaves, it grew into a huge caterpillar then pupated
into its chrysalis. I sat up all night for two nights
in a row in order to be there and awake when it
finally came out into its final form, a butterfly. We
took photos of the entire thing. It was like watching
a baby being born and it moved me. What truly gave
birth to the story, though, was what happened after
it pumped out its wings and was ready to fly away. I
very gently took it in hand and transported it into
our front yard. It waited on my hand for a few
minutes then took flight. It circled me, landed on my
shoulder and lightly touched my cheek with its feet
and antennae before flying off. Almost instantly, a
male butterfly caught sight of the butterfly I’d
named ‘Little Max’, after my husband and as
a joke. She flew away. But, the next day, while out
in the yard gardening, she came back. I know it was
she because they have very distinctive markings on
the wings, like human fingerprints. She flew to me
and landed on my shoulder once again. Then she flew
onto a vine plant I knew was her food plant and laid
one single egg before flying away again, never to
return. That night I told Max about it and showed him
the egg. He was amazed. He shook his head and said,
“They never do that. They always lay several
eggs when they find a food plant.” He was truly
puzzled but I knew and smiled. That is how the Roo
series began, with this story. I hope the ones that
follow do as good a job of showing the wonder of
nature, even tiny things we take for granted, that I
feel when such things happen. The whole point, for
me, is to show children that even the smallest of
things have big value and should be protected and
cared for. I hope I accomplished that awareness with
the Roo book.
ER!-What
genre did you start writing in and is there one that you
prefer?
AO- My
first book, Trapdoor, is a murder mystery. I have to
say this is my favorite genre and one that I’m
now settling permanently into with my Jake Daniels
mystery series.
ER!-Your
book covers are fabulous! I understand that you designed
all of them. Uh, is there anything you don't
do?<g> How do you manage everything? What's
your day like?
AO-
Thank you! I love doing the cover but I am not an
artist, just someone who likes to play at it.
<g> And, yes, there is plenty I cannot do! My
day is very busy, as you can imagine. I work a full
time job, which I’m hoping to supplant one day
by living off my book sales, I have two grandsons
that I spend some time with, along with my daughter
and son in law and I have a husband I adore. Between
those and my work at Clocktower and writing my books,
I stay very busy indeed! I am quite proud of my
covers though. Every one is true to the story inside
and that is something I’ve worked very hard to
do. If you want to see all my covers and some I did
for other Clocktower authors then visit my personal
site and click on the icon at the bottom that goes to
my PhotoPoint page. In there, you will find my
personal covers and many of the Clocktower covers as
well. I’m hoping that someone out there thinks
enough of them to nominate and vote for one or two
for the EPIC Spectrum Cover Art Award this year. Or
you can go there directly at this URL http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1249748&a=9249820
ER!-Is
there a book out there that you're just dying to write
but for some reason haven't?
AO-I
can honestly say that I am writing what I want to
write. Maybe one day I’ll try for a biography
but, until then, I’m happy with what I’m
doing.
ER!-What
would you say has been your biggest writing challenge?
AO-Time!
Not enough time in the day to do all I want to do, or
to write all the books I want to write before I
can’t do it anymore.
ER!-Is
there anything out there that you'd like to do, but
haven't yet been given the opportunity?
AO-I’d
love to travel some more, to soak up other cultures
and write about them. So far, I’ve been lucky in
that I have been to Australia and New Guinea but I
hunger for more. Again, maybe one day…
ER!-Is
there a book that you've written, but we'll never see?
Why?
AO-No,
I can honestly say that I’m not holding any of
the books back that are in my mind. And, believe me,
there are a lot of them!
ER!-If you
weren't a writer, what would you be doing?
AO-I’d
be an actress. I love the world’s we can create
within our minds but being able to actually act them
out would be glorious. One of my dearest wishes is to
see one of my books made into a film and be able to
have a part in it…definitely a Stephen King
thing here.
ER!-Of all
the character's you've written about, who would you say
is most like you? And why?
AO-I’d
have to say Briana Kilmer, my heroine in my first
book, Trapdoor. She is middle-aged but still vibrant
and willing to stick her neck out in order to achieve
her dream of being a writer. In the process, she
encounters stumbling blocks that would stop most
people. She doesn’t stop; she fights back.
That’s me all over the place.
ER!-What's
the non-writing world like for you? Is there a husband, a
boyfriend, slaves hidden in the basement? Children?
AO-I am
married to a beautiful man named Max Overton. I met
and married him in Australia while researching Glass
House. He’s incredible and a well of information
for my books to boot. He’s multi-degreed, is an
author too [he wrote Lion of Scythia now at
Clocktower…a historical that will knock your
socks off] and he’s warm, loving and
doesn’t mind washing the dishes, cooking or
vacuuming if I’m at the computer…..Who
could ask for more? I also have a fantastic son in
law, daughter and two grandsons, Brandon and Jacob
that I adore. In fact, my mystery hero, Jake Daniels
is based on my youngest grandson, Jacob. I wrote the
Roo series for the boys and Tapestry for my daughter.
Druid is being dedicated to my son in law, who loves
fantasy and Sci Fi and ALL my books are for
Max….My family comes first,
writing second.
ER!-Many
readers wonder what's going on in an author's head, and
here's the part where we find out<g>.
Describe yourself in one line:
AO-Larger
than life.
ER!-(Finish
this sentence) On a Saturday night you'll find me...
AO-…at
my computer.
ER!-If I
were a cartoon character I'd be...
AO-Bugs
Bunny. Laid back, adventurous and somehow always able
to elude the hunter.
ER!-If I
could have one wish, I would wish...
AO-…for
more freedom to write. Working a full time job takes
away from my real passions, my family and my writing.
Such is life!
ER!-What
kind of car do you drive?
AO-A
Ford Taurus 4 door sedan
ER!-What
kind of car do you *want* to drive?
AO-A
Toyota Landcruiser! Or a Hummer…<G>
ER!-Answer
the following questions as quickly as possible, but feel
free to expand on any of your answers (Hey, it's not a
test).:
What's your favorite movie?
AO-I
have too many! All the Indiana Jones, Michael
Crichton movies, some Stephen King’s and the
list goes on and on…[I’m a movie lover!]
ER!-Favorite
song?
AO-again,
too many to list! I love oldies, anything by
Foreigner, Queen, Toto, Eagles.
ER!-Favorite
snack?
AO-Potato
Chips and Pepsi
ER!-Favorite
book?
AO-Oh
boy! I read everything!
ER!-Typewriter
or computer?
AO-Computer
ER!-Soup or
salad?
AO-Salad
ER!-Pre-planner
or blind leap?
AO-Both!
ER!-Turkey
burger or steak?
AO-Steak
ER!-Slacks
or jeans?
AO-Jeans
ER!-Boxers
or briefs?
AO-Whose?
LOL…briefs
ER!-Are
blondes really more fun?
AO-I
don’t know, are they? I’m not blonde but
some of my best friends are and they are very fun.
ER!-Have
you ever held anyone hostage?
AO-Of
course! Haven’t you?
ER!-If no,
would you?
AO-Yep!
ER!-Do you
believe in love at first sight?
AO-No.
I believe that love comes with time. Lust comes at
first sight.
ER!-Are
aliens real?
AO-They
are in my house!
ER!-If you
could vote members off of Gilligan's Island, who would
get the boot first?
AO-Thurston
Howell…ugh
ER!-If
Godzilla and Superman got into a street fight (no weapons
allowed), who would win?
AO-Superman!
ER!-What is
one thing about you that very few know?
AO-That
I’m 6’ tall and I used to rodeo.
ER!-What is
your greatest fear?
AO-To
die and nobody would genuinely mourn my passing. That
would be horrible.
ER!-If you
could be anyone (dead or alive) who would you be? And
why?
AO-I’m
real happy being me, but….it wouldn’t be
bad to be someone who’s accomplished more in
their life, like a doctor.
ER!-And
finally (and you can take your time on this one:-)),
what's next for you? Your next book? Writing venture?
Goal?
AO-Right
now, I’m focused on launching my Jake Daniels
murder mystery series. I started with The Devil is in
the Details where Jake and his crew are introduced
and solve their first crime. The second book, still
in progress, is Druid and the third, outlined and
waiting in line, is Deerpata. I know that most, if
not all, mysteries have pretty much been done to
death. I hope Jake and his people lend enough of a
different view on the same things that my readers
will enjoy him. I’ve taken my own experiences,
in other cities and countries, and woven them into
the series. Devil takes place in northern California
and San Francisco, Druid takes place in the outback
of Australia, in a very Celtic town that I’ve
visited, and Deerpata is set in the old gold mines of
Queensland but delves into East Indian mythology.
On top of that, I have an idea book full of ideas
just waiting to be developed…who knows what
I’ll come up with next?
Remember
to visit Ariana's Website
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