Interview with Jeff O’Handley, Author of Powerless

What’s the story behind the story? What impressed you to write down Powerless?

I had the primary flash for this story whereas driving to choose up my daughter at her good friend’s home—throughout a hurricane. The highway crossed a small stream, and the stream was completely boiling by means of the culvert beneath. An picture popped into my head of the highway being fully flooded and I assumed, “What if I couldn’t get my daughter back?” The first thought after that was, “That would be horrible!” The subsequent was, “That would make a great story!”

At the time I had this concept I used to be engaged on one thing else, and so I’d sometimes give it some thought, and it simply didn’t work. ‘Family trying to get their daughter back during a crisis’ didn’t do it for me. One day I discovered myself questioning what was occurring within the different home, the one with the additional child within the disaster, and that was it. That was the story I needed to inform. It appeared rather more attention-grabbing, and issues took off from there.

If you needed to choose theme songs for the primary characters of Powerless, what would they be?

Oh, no! I’m horrible with this kind of query! I by no means actually have character-specific songs or music in thoughts. I can also’t let you know who I feel ought to play my characters if my books ever grow to be films or TV exhibits!

What’s your favourite style to learn? Is it the identical as your favourite style to write down?

I have a tendency towards literary fiction, although I’m much less drawn to style than I’m to topic, if that is sensible. I’ll learn absolutely anything if it sounds attention-grabbing to me, although I suppose I favor character-driven tales. As far as what I write, I’ve lengthy struggled with categorizing it. There’s a bit of a speculative or post-apocalyptic slant to “Powerless”, however I’ve additionally written coming-of-age, household drama and what I feel of as “economic fiction.” Style-wise, I shade towards literary.

What books are in your TBR pile proper now?

Things we do within the Dark, Jennifer Hillier; Doc Down Under, Francis Nolan, MD; Fairy Tale, Stephen King; Last Bid for a Dying Earth, Mike Wyant, Jr.

What scene in your ebook was your favourite to write down?

Can I do that with out spoilers? Probably my favourite scene(s) was the lead as much as a monster combat between Kevin and Monica Barton. At that time, I might see far sufficient forward within the story to know that I wanted a sure one thing to occur, however I had no thought how I used to be going to make it occur. There’s volatility, cluelessness, and child-like innocence concerned, and a key second hinges on a verbal slip-up.

I actually loved exploring the vary of feelings within the characters in that scene. I sat on the sting of my seat once I wrote it, and I hope readers reply the identical approach.

Do you might have any quirky writing habits? (fortunate mugs, cats on laps, and so forth.)

I don’t have any actual superstitions or something. I take heed to music as I write and can generally discover myself typing in time to the tune or doing little keyboard thrives alongside with the music. It most likely seems to be humorous.

Do you might have a motto, quote, or philosophy you reside by?

Be sort. It’s not all the time straightforward, and I’ve a penchant for sarcasm, which isn’t an particularly “kind” kind of humor. I attempt to keep in mind that the individuals I encounter have their very own lives outdoors of the place our paths cross and that I do not know what’s occurring with them.

If you could possibly select one factor for readers to recollect after studying your ebook, what would it not be?

While Powerless will not be actually “about” this, I’d say we should always all keep in mind that a lot of our world is constructed upon very complicated, interconnected applied sciences which are additionally very fragile. I feel individuals who learn and luxuriate in this ebook won’t ever take a look at an influence failure in fairly the identical approach!