What's Next? Libby Chats with Robert Gleason

What do a descendant of an Apache war-shaman, a journalist, and a rogue Russian general have in common? They are all characters from Robert Gleason's upcoming novel, End of Days. Robert was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about his books and writing career. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy our conversation! You don't want to miss the opportunity at the end.

Your book, End of Days, will be released August 30th. It is a thriller about a nuclear Apocalypse. Can you introduce us to some of your characters and share their dilemmas?

The End-Time is here. Now only three people can save the world.

Lydia Lozen Magruder—the great granddaughter of a female Apache war-shaman, she has seen visions of the End since childhood. Carving out a worldwide media empire, she has constructed a massive ranch-fortress in the American Southwest, which she has stocked with everything necessary to rebuild a civilization. Now if she could just track down her rebellious daughter . . .

Kate Magruder—Lydia’s gorgeous, globe-trotting journalist-daughter. She and her former lover—John Stone, a Hunter Thompson-style gonzo reporter—have stumbled onto the story of a lifetime: The End of Days. Unfortunately, Stone has vanished, captured by the twin middle eastern princesses known as . . .

The Sin Sisters—Blindingly beautiful, they are richer than Croesus and bent on torturing—as well as seducing—the truth out of Stone. How does he know about their plot and who are his sources? The only person scarier than these sensuous sirens is . . .

Vlad Malokov—a rogue Russian general obsessed with Nuclear Armageddon. He too has disappeared . . . as have eight or more of his Russian subs, armed with nuclear-tipped missiles. Is he the driving force behind the Final Fire?

And . . .

The Chaplin—a demented prison minister who doubles as the jail’s torturer; Cool Breeze—the legendary Yankee catcher now doing triple life in the Chaplain penitentiary; Ron Lewis—the shock-jock hate-talk radio host, who will find himself on the receiving-end of violence and spite; Sara Ann Friedman—captain of the Space Station Odyssey who may be humanity’s last best hope; Thucydides—the space station’s omniscient artificially intelligent computer who cannot fathom humankind but who is falling in love with Sara; Frank Sheckley— a physician who mastered his trade healing bullet-ridden victims in Third World war zones but who will now face the greatest challenge of his life; Sailor the Rat—whom PW described as “a massive red singing rat, the book’s true her”— may be the noblest of them all; Sister Cassandra— the singer-songwriter-radio-TV star, who envisioned the End-Time in blacked-out Cuban torture cells and who now sings about that vision for a fanatical global audience.

These and many more characters will take you through to the very end, to the . . . End of Days

When author Gary Jennings passed away in 1999, you teamed up with Junius Podrug to continue Jennings’ work. What’s it like writing with someone else?

Junius was and is great, but then we were already terrific friends. We basically divided the books up according to personal interest in those sections of the books.

You have quite an impressive resume – working as an acquisitions editor for such big names as Tor/Forge Books, Simon & Schuster-Pocket Books, and Playboy Press. How has your professional editorial experience helped your writing career? How has it hindered it?

My writers made me a writer. Everything I’ve learned about writing they taught me. Several of them inspired me to research my novel—to write books that required enormous research in fact—all of which enriched the plots and characters. They also taught me a vast array of plots and setting and endless writing techniques. Sometimes in brainstorming plots with them for their books, I got ideas for my own.

What is the one thing writers should be prepared for when seeking publication?

Go through book stores and search for the kinds of books which you want to write but which are also popular and will make money. You want to write a good book in a commercial area.

Go to writers conferences, seek out established writers and ask them to read your ms with an eye toward blurbing it. Don’t be shy. If they like it, ask them to recommend an agent. For a young writer an agent is indispensable. The new writer will never get his ms to the right editor, and the agent will be your first professional editor.

Can you give your readers 5 adjectives that describe you - the writer?

Big, violent, multi-viewpoint, wild and above all ballsy. How else do you describe a writer who nukes most of the homo sapiens off the face of the earth in such excruciating detail? Also I try to be original but that’s six.

Want to learn more about Robert and his books? Check out his websites:

www.RobertGleasonbooks.com    www.RobertGleason2012.com

Thanks for joining us today! Robert would like to offer a copy of End of Days to ONE lucky winner. Interested in entering this giveaway? Please read the following rules:


1, You must be a fan, follower, or subscriber to Author Exposure (thanks for your support!)
2, You must be a resident of US or Canada
3. Post a comment to this post and don't forget to include your email address -- that's your ticket to this giveaway...no email address, no entry


ATTENTION: This giveaway closes at midnight on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st.