Marty Roppelt was born and raised in
Cleveland, Ohio. His original profession was acting on stage, in local
commercials and training films and in film. This means that he has experienced
life through a wide variety of day and night jobs, from barista to waiter and
bartender to security guard, amongst many others. He lives in Illinois with his
wife, Becky, and their eccentric cat, Fritz. Mortal Foe is
his debut novel.
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About the Book:
A picture is worth a thousand words… But what if that image
can only be seen through the lens of one camera? What is the snapshot can only
be seen by a select few? What if the photo has its origins
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What’s inside the mind of a paranormal/thriller author?
I can only speak for this author when I say God. Without the
gifts I'm given, I can't do anything. So I try my best to do work that honors
Him. I won't write sex scenes stronger than Song of Solomon which, by the way,
is pretty intense. And the spooky stuff? What's spookier than piles of dry
bones reconnecting and coming to life? Or a living mist killing tens of
thousands of sleeping soldiers in one night? The Nicene Creed states a belief
in "all things, seen and unseen," so I keep an open mind when science
can't explain something. I once put my hand through a "cold spot," generally
regarded as a paranormal entity. It was weird, moving my hand horizontally from
a warm area, through a distinctly colder area, then back to warm on the other
side. Air temperature doesn't work that way, or shouldn't. And I've never heard
a satisfying scientific answer or explanation.
What is so great about being an author?
Having control over the creation of a place or time, and
creating the characters that inhabit those places is a real kick. Deciding what
those characters do and crafting a story out of all of it is a challenge. And
if you don't like what a character is doing, as that character's creator, you
can change it. But outside of writing I'm not a control freak. I recognize that
life is the polar opposite of what I've just described. Not only do I have no problem
with not being in total control, I'm glad. Life without surprises would be
incredibly dull. But writing, storytelling, is almost a kind of high for me,
with something to show for it in the end.
When do you hate it?
When I don't have the time I'd like to devote to writing, I
get frustrated. It's not that I hate the writing itself. I don't think I ever
hate it.
What is a regular writing day like for you?
It depends on the day. When I'm working my day job, I write
what I can before work, on ten minute and half hour breaks, and then after
work. On days off, I'll do whatever marketing needs to be done, then I'll just
get lost in whatever writing project I'm working on. When my wife is next to
me, I won't listen to music. But when I'm alone, I'll usually catch some jazz
on YouTube, some Dexter Gordon or Stan Getz. There's never as much time as I'd
like, though. If I could, I'd write from sun-up to sundown.
How do you handle negative reviews?
I say to myself, "Bummer, but it's one person's
opinion." I try my best not to let them get me down.
How do you handle positive reviews?
I say to myself, "Cool, but it's one person's
opinion." I try my best not to let them puff me up.
What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance
that you’re an author?
More often than not, I'll get an excited "Wow,
great!" Every once in a while, though, the eyes glaze over a bit before
they mumble "Wow, great."
What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do
you force it or take a break?
I'll peck at the keyboard when I'm dry of ideas, and will do
that until one of two things happens. Either something will pop and I get
something accomplished, or if after an hour or so I'm still blocked, I'll hang
it up for the day. But it's never really a case of not wanting to write.
Any writing quirks?
Nothing I'd call a quirk. I remember someone once saying
that writing is like carving an elephant. First, you get a block of
material—that's the first draft—and then you chip away everything that doesn't
look like elephant. That's how I approach writing, but it's not really a quirk.
What would you do if people around you didn’t take your
writing seriously or see it as a hobby?
I wouldn't really do much besides continuing to write and
putting my work out to the reading public. The results will speak for
themselves one way or another.
Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to
writing. Can you relate?
I suppose so, though I don't really experience the
"hate" end of the relationship myself. Joy drives me, the joy of
creating something out of nothing but an inspiration. If someone invests so
much into his writing that a negative review or slack sales devastates him,
sucks the joy of the process out of him, I think that's unhealthy. I'll work as
hard as I can, enjoy the process, and leave the rest to God.
Do you think success as an author must be linked to money?
Gosh, I hope not! Seriously, money is not a bad thing and is
in fact necessary. But if I never see big money from my writing, that's okay.
Several people have bought copies of Mortal Foe, so it's already a success
whether I sell another million copies or another dozen.
What has writing taught you?
Patience. Mostly with myself.
Leave us with some words of wisdom.
Money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is.
