Anthony Rudzki was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Spent 9 years in the USAF, married and has 2 children. With Allison and Alfred grown up and moved out of the house, he took up recreational writing after about 35 dormant years. With the camaraderie of a Fantasy_Writing group online, he wrote 100K words worth of short stories and finally managed to finish a 93K word Fantasy novel, his first, Medallion of the Undead. He currently working on a novel based on one of the characters in Medallion, as well as outlining episode 2 and 3 of the Undead Trilogy.
MEDALLION OF THE UNDEAD
Kyle is a young man who lives with his father on a farm that has seen better days. When the 20 year cycle of torrential rains come, they bring disaster to the fields and unearth a 300 year old curse. After the discovery of a valuable silver button, Kyle hunts for more to save the farm and his father. That search brings him in contact with one of three hidden artifacts. Artifacts that in the wrong hands could spell the end of mankind.
Linky Goodness:
https://www.facebook.com/MedallionOfTheUndead
Amazon Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3KNH7Q
https://twitter.com/GroupOfFour
WebPage
http://www.theundeadtrilogy.com
Q: What are your thoughts on muses and do you have one?
A: As much as I would like to think that there is a little thing clanking around in my skull providing inspiration, I can’t believe it. If she’s in there, she’s leaning on a shovel and smoking an unfiltered camel waiting for her break to end. My muse is an outline with the scenes worked out enough to get me from waypoint to waypoint.
Q: Characters have a great capacity for love, yet they’re starved. Why do you think this happens in fiction and real life?
A: Love in fiction is one of the great motivators that can be used to make your characters do any number of things, just as in real life. Love can make a character do despicable things to keep love away from others and is willing to lay down their lives in the pursuit of it for themselves. Of course, in real life many people are too afraid to open themselves up for fear of being embarrassed or hurt by that emotion.
Q: Without giving specifics, would you say you’re a “happy ending” writer?
A: Hmmm. My short stories tend to have twist endings (or that’s what I’m shooting for), but my novel is more of a mixed bag. Is that murky enough to confuse everyone?
Q: What would you like to be remembered for?
A: I would love to just have those that actually know me, smile and tell a story involving me.
Q: If you could dine with any historical figure, living or dead, who would it be and why?
A: I’d like to have dinner with Mike Rowe. I know, he’s not historical, but I really enjoy listening to good storytellers and I think he is one. And with his Dirty Jobs program, we would have plenty of things to talk about.
Q: Past, present, or future? Where does your mind dwell?
A: Present. I have so many simmering irons in the fire that I can’t dwell on the past or toss more on the fire to prepare for the future.
Q: What informs your writing most?
A: Just writing. And re-writing. When I picked up the keyboard and began writing again after many years, I was pretty rusty. But, just like any skill, the more I wrote the easier it came and the quality actually rose. I love getting feedback about what works and what doesn’t. Hell, if you wrote a little note in a comment balloon, I’d kiss you right on the mouth.
Q: Growing up in the Seventies, school kids were encouraged to think globally and act locally. Have you ever flirted with this philosophy?
A: I act very locally. I try to do simple good deeds for people that hopefully puts a smile on their face and makes them pay that forward. If enough people would do one simple kind act a day, who knows how far it would spread. That being said, if my characters look at me cross-eyed, I kill them off without a warning.
Q: Guilty pleasures: we all have them. What is yours?
A: Role Playing Games. Not the lonely wife and Geek Squad repairman, kind. Computer Role Playing Games where you solve puzzles and gain gold/experience.
Q: Your greatest victory?
A: After staying married? Getting my novel actually finished and having my beta readers say, “Okay, we want to read the next one. Where is Episode 2?”
Q: Tell us about the one that got away. Person, place, or thing.
A: Retiring from the USAF. I was in for 9.5 years and decided to get out. Looking back, it would have been wiser to stay in and get more schooling and experience.
Q: What are some of the overriding themes in your work? Do you have a favorite?
A: Good vs. Evil, of course. Also, sticking together as a team. The characters in Medallion of the Undead have numerous chances to just say “Forget It, I’m outta here!”, but they have a bond that forms from their adventures together, that makes them want to help one another out…even when their lives are in danger.
Q: Who do you admire and why?
A: Authors who can write well and are able to turn out novels in 6 months. Incredible, not just because of the quantity of words, but that there is actually a cohesive story that you want to read and turn the page to find out what happens next.
Q: Are writers fully formed works of art or works in progress?
A: Works in progress, of course.
Thank you Tony for stopping by. Best of luck with your progress….
TOMORROW: AUTHOR CHARLENE JONES PROFILES HER NOVEL THE STAIN, AVAILABLE WITH FREE DAYS BEGINNING MAY 19
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THE FUNKHAUSER ROADSHOW CONTINUES DAY 13 WITH A NEW REVIEW AT T’S STUFF, http://teresanoel.blogspot.com/
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