Meet Tim Marquitz, author of the Demon Squad Series, Dawn of War (Blood War Trilogy), Inheritance (Heir to the Blood Throne), Prey, just to mention a few of his amazing tales.
Thank you, Tim Marquitz for allowing me to probe into your
personal and professional life. I totally enjoyed our time together. This
interview took place back in March of this year. I apologize for the lengthy
delay in getting our interview posted. You have been a gentleman Tim, thank you
for your patience. J
Quinn – Hi Tim, please tell us a little about yourself. Are you
married? Do you have any children? Not only an author, you are an editor as
well. Would you tell us about the different professions (skills) that you have?
Whatever you’d like to share would be awesome.
Tim – Hey, Quinn. Thanks for having me. Well, I’m pretty boring.
I write horror and dark fantasy and am working my way toward doing it full
time. I’ve a wonderful wife and daughter, both of whom ensure I get as little
sleep and alone time as possible, which I’m sure was in the contract the wife
keeps telling me about though I haven’t actually seen it.
I do editing on occasion, but I definitely prefer writing.
The editing is part of the modern publishing role, an effort to get better at
my own writing and further my goal of being visible enough to make a living at
writing. As for skills, I’m kind of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I’ve
done a ton of jobs over the course of my life, from retail to fast food, to
bouncing to grave digging. At the end of the day, I like making stuff up best.
Quinn - You are very good at making stuff up Tim, I do believe you
have found your nitch :) And editing, that is an excellent skill for a writer
to process. Unfortunately it’s not my forte but I’m striving to get better
which will be a necessity once I launch my new venture into publishing. Belfry
Press should be up and running by the end of this year. Grave digger, now
there’s an atmosphere that could send a writer’s imagination into overdrive.
LOL At what age did you realize you
wanted to be an author and why?
Tim - I think I’ve always wanted to be one, but I wasn’t blessed with anything
resembling determination early in my life. I used to write stories when I was
younger, song lyrics, poetry, and whatever else, all the time, but I was never
focused. I don’t think it was until around ’95 that I really took a step back
and put some serious thought into the idea that I really wanted to write.
As for why, there’s something
primal, something exciting about creating a world, a handful of lives you
control in absolute terms. Further still, there’s something fulfilling about
having other people enjoy the crap you’re making up. It drives me to keep doing
it.
Quinn – I agree whole heartedly Tim, it’s a great feeling to know that people
enjoy our fanciful imaginations. How many books have you written/published?
What genres do you write in?
Tim – Damn. I wasn’t expecting a quiz. J I think I’ve fourteen books
published, at this point, and a handful of short stories floating around out
there. I write horror and dark fantasy, with more of an emphasis on the fantasy
lately.
Quinn – This is just the tip of the iceberg Tim, I have lots more questions! J Are there any recent
works (books) that you admire?
Tim – Definitely, but way too many to mention them all. I’m
enjoying the new wave of darker fantasy offerings out there, many of which are
through Night Shade and Angry Robot. Folks like Chuck Wendig, Mark Lawrence,
Jeff Salyards, Zachary Jernigan, Courtney Schafer, Theresa Frohock, and like I
said, way too many more to mention and not forget folks.
Quinn – That’s an impressive line up of authors Tim, who is your favorite author?
Quinn – In your
opinion, are there similarities between you and your Clive Barker?
Tim – If you’re asking if we’re both weird and twisted, then yes.
Stylistically, I’m not very much like Barker. I write differently. I don’t
write the flowing, poetic prose Clive does, but I’m definitely influenced by
his originality and willingness to step beyond the boundaries with what he
writes.
Quinn - What is a
typical working day like for you?
Tim – I assume you mean writing. As such, I’m a pretty simple
guy. I sit down and write. I don’t set specific word counts or firm deadlines,
and I write as I feel like it. I’m fortunate that I write reasonably quickly
and my work is relatively shallow (when compared to a lot of folks) so it
doesn’t usually take me more than a month or two to write a novel.
Quinn – Oh, come on
Tim, I certainly wouldn’t describe your writing as shallow. What kind of
research do you do for your books?
Tim – Not much at all. I’ll look up a thing or two here and
there, but I’m not one for aggressive research. My focus is usually on
characterization, and there’s not much need for heavy research with that.
Quinn – True, there isn’t really any research that will aid you in
characterization. That’s a good thing to focus on because without good
characterization, in my opinion, you’re looking at book that’s bound to fail. As a writer you can most surely weave an internal struggle
into your storyline and the reader may not realize it until the end. That's
when your audience has that sudden realization; Oh yeah, I didn't see that
coming. Do you know what I mean? Is that something you do often? A writing
style you prefer? Or are your stories an “open book” so to speak?
Tim – I think, sometimes, as an author, I’m just as surprised as
my readers. As I’m writing, things pop up that I hadn’t factored in or even
thought of. Unlike the reader, however, I’ve the benefit of being able to go
back and alter the course of the writing. I get to have my moments of
realization and then work things in as if I’d meant them that way all along.
That said, I write the story that comes to me. If the story
requires a deeper, more complicated plot, then that’s what I provide. If the
story feels straightforward in my head, then that’s what I go with. I don’t
worry ahead of time about how I’m going to write a story, I just start. The
story will tell me what it needs as we go along.
Quinn – Yeah, it blows
my mind sometimes what direction my own stories take. What is your favorite
part of a book?
Tim – Sticking to the writing theme, I’d say releasing it is my
favorite part. I get to move on and create something new once that’s done. It’s
out there and nothing more can be done on the writing front, and that’s the
greatest feeling for me.
Quinn – That is an exciting time, getting it out there for your readers to enjoy
while you get to start the next book. I’m frothing at the bit wanting to get
started on the second book in my Eternally Bound Series, The UnBegotten which
picks up where The Magic of Moon Light ends. What
is the hardest part of writing for you?
Tim – Lately, it’s been concentrating on a single book. I used to
write one book, and then move on, no exceptions. However, I’ve found myself
with too many ideas and too many opportunities to process them in the same way.
I’m torn between projects and it’s damn annoying to keep the motivation up,
which is definitely the hardest part of it all.
Quinn – I totally feel your pain Tim, I too have several books in the works but I
need to concentrate on one at a time and get them finished and published. What is the best thing about being an author?
Tim – The freedom of it. While there are market and promotional
expectations I put on myself, there’s still an amazing freedom inherent in
writing what I want to write, at my pace. I’m lucky that people want to read
most of my stuff, and I’ve settled into a groove with my voice (if not style)
that translates pretty well, I think. All that makes it fun.
Quinn – That’s wonderful Tim, it’s nice when everything falls into place. Many authors listen to music while they write, do you?
Tim – I don’t. Very driven by the rhythm of the music I listen
to, I would write to it so I avoid the influence entirely. While I’m sure it would
be beneficial in sections, there are too many ups and downs in writing for me
to allow an outside motivation to override the natural flow of the story.
Quinn- I’m not able to
write while listening to music either, I find myself getting lost in the tune. What
and/or who inspires you?
Tim – This might seem to be the cliché answer, but my mother.
She’s always been there for me and my sister and our family. She worked her ass
off when we were young and still managed to raise us right. It amazes me how much
she’s accomplished on so little time and money.
Quinn – That’s not a cliché Tim, it’s very
refreshing actually. It’s nice to hear how you value your family. What question
have you always wanted to be asked in an interview but never have? And how
would you answer that question?
Tim – “How much do you enjoy the island you bought on your
billions and billions of dollars in royalties?” And I’ll let you know. J
Quinn – LOL! I am
anxiously awaiting the answer Tim. What do you consider your best accomplishment?
Tim – Again assuming you’re referring to writing, I don’t think
I’ve reached it yet. I continue to grow as an author, find great friends in the
field, advance monetarily and notoriety-wise, but I’ve yet to accomplish what I
set out to do, and that’s to write for a living. Maybe one day I can answer
that question.
Quinn – Again, I’ll be
waiting for your answer to that question. :) I’m reading Demon Squad:
Resurrection at the moment. I have to admit that at first I thought this would
be a good read for a guy, but that assumption couldn’t have been further from
the truth. You blew me away with the first sentence in the first chapter. I
just knew I had to continue. I loved getting into Frank’s head and I also
didn’t expect the diverse array of characters, brilliant if I do say so. Tell
us about Demon Squad. What inspired you?
Enlighten us about his conception and take us on the journey from that
point to the birth (so to speak) of the series. In a short synopsis, would you
please describe the Demon Squad series?
Tim – Thank you. It always amazes me when women take to the
series because it is definitely male-oriented in its humor and direction.
The DS world started as a different story, but I’m not sure
where the initial inspiration came from beyond a desire to emulate (to a small
degree) the world that Jim Butcher was creating with his Dresden books. Originally
a comedy that had Frank (then named Bob) as a minion of Death, overlooked and
underappreciated, it just didn’t work out. Once it came to me to add in the Die
Hard movie kind of mentality and action, it all snapped into place.
As for the broad range of characters, I wanted to represent
real life. A lot of stories are so narrow in their focus that it’s hard to
imagine them because you only a couple voices to relate to and if they don’t
work for you, you’re screwed. In the DS books, while Frank is the primary
voice, he’s backed up by a ton of different people, each written to play off
his attitude and create friction, often in a humorous way. That friction brings
the best out of me as I work on characterization.
The Demon Squad is all about the chaos that happens in the
wake of God and the Devil leaving existence behind and the struggles of Frank
(a close relative of Lucifer) who is suddenly cast into the spotlight with the
disappearance.
Quinn – Thanks for the enlightenment. What are you currently
working on?
Tim – I’ve three projects I’m currently working on, though I
think I’ve finally settled into which one will come first. It’s a book entitled
World War VI, and is essentially an action-drama about an immortal on the run
from a gang of cannibal bikers.
Quinn – That’s sounds intriguing. I can’t wait to read it. Who creates
your book covers?
Tim – My first artist was Jessy Lucero, a buddy of mine here in El Paso. She’s
done the majority of my covers. She’s been crazy busy lately, so I’ve shifted
over to a gentleman I met at World Horror Con, Carter Reid, and he’s been my
go-to-guy since then. M Wayne Miller did the awesome Prey cover for Genius
Publishing.
Quinn - You've just released the fifth installment of your Demon Squad series,
has it been difficult keeping the story lines interesting or do you already
have the next in line invading your head before you're even finished writing
the one in front of you?
Tim – I haven’t had any problems writing the stories. I don’t really have
the big picture worked out like a lot of authors do, but I have enough to keep
me moving in the general direction. The DS books largely write themselves, my
voice being so close to Frank’s that it just spills out of me. I have to tweak
it here and there, but the stories are fun, which makes it so easy to write.
Quinn – Obviously you love to write and how well you are at your craft is
evident in your books. Like I said earlier in this interview, I do believe
you’ve found your nitch. Is there anything you’d like to add?
Tim – No, not really. I think I mentioned I’m boring. J Thanks for putting up with me.
Quinn – Thank you Tim for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.
I don’t think you are boring at all. You, Tim Marquitz, are a very interesting
and talented man. J
Below are links to some of Tim's books available on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Armageddon-Bound-Demon-Squad-Volume/dp/1478243600/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_4
Book Description
Half-devil and miles from anything resembling heroic, perpetual underdog Frank "Triggaltheron" Trigg is the last man standing against Armageddon.
As the favorite nephew of the Devil, Frank has led a troubled life, but he'd always had his uncle's influence to fall back on. Now, with God and Lucifer coming to terms and leaving existence to fend for itself, his once exalted status of Anti-Christ-to-be does little to endear him to the hordes of angels and demons running amok in the Godless world.
With help from the members of DRAC, an organization of wizards, psychics, telepaths, and low-end supernatural beings, Frank must thwart the pro-Armageddon forces and rescue an angel in whose life rests the fate of humanity.
Better luck next time, humanity.
Book Description
(Book 2 in the Demon Squad Series)
Armageddon averted, the world returns to business as usual. Unfortunately for Frank "Triggaltheron" Trigg, business as usual sucks.
His night out interrupted by a horde of kidnapping zombies, what could possibly be worse? The resurrection of the Anti-Christ, that's what. Caught in the middle of a supernatural pissing match between the Devil's wife, a legion of undead, and an overachieving necromancer, Frank must survive long enough to stop Hell from being unleashed upon humanity; Again.
Book Description
(Book 3 in the Demon Squad Series)
A revolt in Heaven, angels fighting angels. Who better to mediate a peaceful resolution than the Devil's nephew, Frank "Triggaltheron" Trigg?
Don't answer that.
When Scarlett arrives at his door, beaten to within an inch of her life, Frank finds himself in the middle of a war as the Nephilim arrive to finish the job. With only Eden still standing, the battle for Heaven spills over and ravages the Earth with deadly storms. Amidst the chaos, Frank must find a way to end the war before the battling hordes of half-breed angels, vampires, and lycanthropes reach Eden and bring about the end of existence.
No pressure.
Book Description
Absence makes the heart grow fonder? Not when you're the Devil's nephew.
An unexpected message gives Frank the answer he's sought for years--Where did God and Lucifer go?--but the knowledge brings its own dilemma as inter-dimensional war looms, threatening to engulf the Earth.
Tasked with the planet's defense, Frank scrounges for a plan and finds a piece of his past better left behind. If the aliens don't kill him, what he learns just might.
Book Description
Frank's woman kidnapped, a frantic chase across worlds, an inter-dimensional uprising, and all with the surly father-in-law to be in tow.
What could be worse?
How about being drafted by the Almighty?
Trapped on a strange and hostile planet, forced to deal with an alien insurrection, Frank and Longinus scramble to save Karra from the clutches of a rebel overlord bent on revenge.
All in a day's work for the Devil inherent.
Book Description
For hundreds of years, the bestial Grol have clawed at the walls of Lathah without success. Now armed with O'hra, mystical weapons of great power, they have returned, to conquer.
Witness to the Grol advance, Arrin can abide his exile no longer. He returns to Lathah, in defiance of death, with hopes to save his beloved princess and the child born of their illicit affair. He finds her unwilling to abandon her people. At her behest, Arrin searches for a sanctuary for them only to be confronted by the Sha'ree, a powerful race long thought gone from the world. Through them, he learns it is not just the Grol that threaten the land.
Empowered by a magic never before seen, the savage nations spread chaos and ruin across the realm. With Lathah under siege, and the world on the brink of cataclysmic war, Arrin must strike a deal with the Sha'ree to take the fight to the Grol, or forever lose his one true love: his family.
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