Author Bio:
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Lamar "L.R." Giles never met a genre he didn't like, having penned science fiction, fantasy, horror, and noir thrillers, among others. He is a Virginia native, a Hopewell High Blue Devil, and an Old Dominion University Monarch. He resides in Chesapeake, Virginia, with his wife.
Favorites
1. What is your favorite color? Blue.
2. Favorite food? Any pasta dish with a spicy peanut sauce.
3. Favorite movie of all time? Oh, that's tough. I think it's a tie between THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE KARATE KID (the original...though Jaden's was fun), and BACK TO THE FUTURE. (BLADE is up there, too, because it was mind-blowing for me to see an awesome, black superhero on the screen...there aren't many.)
4. Favorite song? Wow...now this is hard. I'll try not to cheat here by naming a bunch. Maybe "When Doves Cry" by Prince. Yeah, I'll got with that.
5. Favorite book of all time? These questions don't get any easier, huh? Hmmmm....Okay, I'm cheating again. Here are four: MY SOUL TO KEEP by Tananarive Due, BLOOD BROTHERS by Steven Barnes, THE TOMB by F. Paul Wilson, and IT by Stephen King.
All about Writing
1. How did your interest in writing originated?
Growing up, there was just nothing I enjoyed more than getting lost in a book, comic book, or movie. In 3rd grade there was a Young Authors competition at my school, and I took a crack at writing an original piece call "Giant Dinosaur Inside." My story won 1st place, and I've been seeking similar validation ever since.
2. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Like many writers, I have a (demanding) day job. I tend to write in the morning before work as well as in the evening, particularly when I'm trying to hit a deadline. So, that looks like me zombie-rising at 5 AM, taking a half-hour to clear the cobwebs (a task that's MUCH harder since I gave up coffee), then about 90 minutes of concentrated writing before getting to my corporate gig. It's worked well, but can be exhausting. HOWEVER, completing writing projects and getting those projects in the hands of willing readers makes it all worthwhile.
3. Do you work with outline or just write?
Depends on the project. Now that I'm doing more contracted work, an outline becomes necessary to stay on track (especially since I'm limited to only a couple of hours per day to write). But, between contracted projects, when I'm writing without any sort of editorial supervision, I just go for it. No outline, no true sense of how I'm going to end the story. It's both scary and exhilarating.
4. What was the hardest part in writing your book? The easiest?
The hardest part is always that middle. The project is exciting in the beginning, and you get a boost towards the end because you see freedom coming, but that flabby midsection just seems to drag every. single. time. With that in mind, I guess the easiest part is starting a project. The freshness of a new piece is exciting, and there's very little doubt at that stage.
5. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Lately? Sleeping. Haha! When I have the energy, I enjoy movies, and walks with my wife. Not the most exciting stuff in the world, I suppose, but when you're strapped into an office chair for 12 to 14 hours a day, you take what you can get.
Finish the sentence
1. The difference between fiction and reality: the former is art you conceive, the latter is art God conceives. Your art will always pale in comparison.
2. Research is what I'm doing when I surf the web for 30 minutes (or an hour) before I actually write anything. The topic I'm researching...procrastination.
3. I can write better when I'm high on Sour Gummi Bears (formerly coffee).
4. Sleep is an excellent way to confuse me. "Sleep?" What's that?
5. A room without a book is a room that doesn't exist in my house.
BOOK
Title: Fake ID
Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: HarperCollins
Expected Publication: January 21, 2014
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Synopsis:
Nick Pearson is pretending to be someone he isn’t. Not high school pretending. Witness Protection pretending. And the #1 rule is “stay low-key”. But, when his sole friend Eli dies in the school’s journalism room under mysterious circumstances, and Nick stumbles upon the conspiracy Eli planned on exposing, staying low-key takes a backseat to staying alive.Newspaper Nerd Eli had a secret, an in-the-works story codenamed “Whispertown”. And it’s got a lot of folks interested. Like corrupt cops, the town’s shady mayor, and certain high-ranking government officials. Teaming with Eli’s estranged (and gorgeous) sister, Nick sets out to unravel the mystery and still maintain his cover. He’ll have to use all the deviant skills he’s gained from his racketeering dad, assassin godfather, and their Serbian gangster boss to find the truth. However, each clue brings him closer to answers he may not want. Whispertown is bigger than he could have ever imagined, and in its shadow stands a killer…a killer Nick fears may be his own father.
