BLURB
Shapeshifters
Control Our Lives!
The frightening power of vampires, werewolves,
and lycanthropes has lived within our nightmares for centuries, failing to be
reasoned out by the rapid advances in science and technology. The truth is that
they are very much a part of our reality. However, they are merely the
genetically inferior offspring of a more powerful race, known as doppelgangers,
who evolved alongside humankind. These shapeshifters adopted a secretive yet
manipulative approach when dealing with us, feeding off the sexual desires of
men to sustain their society…until desperate times forced a new order.
Christopher
Sands, a rising investment banker, was just another victim in a long list of
doppelganger schemes. Framed for a crime he wouldn’t commit and watching his
family fade farther and farther from his prison bars, Chris makes an
unbelievable discovery; shapeshifters aren’t the only race with supernatural
abilities. Can he find the strength to accept an even worse fate than prison to
not only save his son, but all humankind? Will Michael Sands be able to control
the spirits that haunt him to finish what his father cannot?
Amazon
Author Interview
What inspired you to write this
book?
I keep a laundry list of book ideas that come
to me during my daily, desert commute. None of them seem worthy enough to
center an entire book around. However, I found that by combining these ideas I
build a story that is enticing and unique. For The Doppler Affect it started with the ending of my first book,
where a mythical doppelganger had taken over the identity of a key character. I
began to wonder what a modern-day, science-based doppelganger would look like, how
it would act and what its motivation would be. I knew it wasn’t enough to build
a story from, so I let it nest in my mind for almost a year. Then one day I
toyed with combining it with a spirit-walker idea I had a couple of years earlier.
If I say anymore it would be a spoiler, but trust me when I say it makes for an
exciting story.
Can you give us an interesting
fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?
The
timeline of the book is purposely disjointed, with the novel even containing
two stories separated by twenty years. It was a challenge to piece together,
but also a lot of fun. Perhaps the most critical point is that the book was written
for the broken timeliness, meaning it wasn’t just jumbled about after the fact.
I’m curious to hear what readers think.
How did you choose your title?
I was hoping you would ask this question, as the nerd in me is dying to
explain it. Many of my colleagues think
I mixed up my homonyms, but it was carefully chosen. The Doppler Effect is a
scientific principle where sound or light frequency changes when the source and
observer are not in equal motion (e.g., one hearing the speeding up of an
ambulance siren as it approaches). The book title is a play on both the words
and the principle. The Doppler Affect is the influence (affect) doppelgangers,
or dopplers, have on humankind; this affect being more pronounced as they get
closer and less pronounced as they move farther away. Incidentally, each
chapter title was built in this same vein.
Tell us about the cover and how
it came to be.
Now, that was a funny and very
humbling experience. My original idea was to have a picture of a woman morphing
into a man. I worked with a graphic artist to turn my vision into the book
cover. When finished, I polled friends and strangers to see if they liked it.
The responses were fantastically….horrible. People were disturbed, confused, or
embarrassed for me. Luckily, a friend suggested that I meet with a local tattoo
artist. I initially rejected the idea, but it grew on me as I really had no
other options. A few weeks later I met him at a restaurant and described a
critical scene in the book, and then left him to create. When he came back with
the drawing, I was stunned at how perfectly he captured the scene while also
creating an incredible cover. I give Cliff Gregory all the credit, and will be
working with him for years to come.
Did you self-publish or publish
traditionally and why?
Self-published. When I self-published my
first book it was because I received 44 out of 44 canned rejection letters
(deservedly so). Six years ago it was a stigma to self-publish, but I took my
lumps and accepted the only path available to me. I learned so much by
publishing my own book that I’m glad I had no other choice. With The Doppler Affect, I worked hard on the
query letters and received over a dozen requests for more information and even
three follow-ups for the full manuscript. Two agents were still reviewing it
when I decided to move forward with self-publishing (I’m not very patient). The
process of creating your work, working with an editor, developing a book cover,
publishing, printing, getting reviews, marketing/advertising and selling books
is exciting. The self-published author controls it all, which can be good or
bad. Now, would I say no if an agent came back with a good deal? Probably not
as I still have a demanding full-time job and two young boys that keep me very
busy.
What do you consider the most
important part of a good story?
Oh. So many things are zipping through my mind. Well….it’s a close call between
a creative plot and well-crafted characters. I guess I would have to say
well-crafted characters, as I need the reader to believe in their existence in
order for the story to move forward. In fact, when I sent my book out to Facebook
friends across the country for pre-screening I put together a questionnaire. In
it I described four types of characters. The first was the page character,
being two-dimensional in traits and usually lasting less than a page. The
second was the cartoon character, who was not a main character but would appear
enough times in the book that she needed to be memorable. Her character traits
were limited in number but over-expressed in order to be memorable. The third was
the antagonist(s), who also had over-expressed character traits but possessed a
multitude of complimentary character traits. The last was for the protagonist(s),
who not only had a multitude of complimentary character traits, but often grew
or changed as the story progressed. The last is the most challenging, but also
the most rewarding if one can get it right.
What is your writing process?
I start with an excessively-detailed outline (the scientist in me), and
then switch personalities to where I rapidly slap the keyboard for hours and
hope it makes sense. This style means that intensive editing is required, but
it fits who I am. I can’t slow down long-enough to craft the perfect sentence
(and am jealous of those who can).
How long have you been writing?
I wrote my first scientific journal article when I was twenty-two, but I
don’t think that counts. I’ve been writing non-science based works for about
nine years.
How did you get started writing?
Nine years ago I had turned down a contract to write a book on
nanomaterials after my boss asked me to take on a new leadership job. I was
torn even after the decision, and only realized later that it was because I
wanted to write. The new job was intense, so my long commute to work became a
time to create stories in my head. When I got home I would write down my
thoughts, and a few years later I had completed my first novel. It was not only
a great way to unwind, but has become a healthy addiction.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
This question makes me think of the Aesop’s Fable about the scorpion
that stung the frog who was carrying it across the river. My nature is to be a
pantser, but my scientific training and daily work with hundreds of engineers
has made me understand that I must have a certain amount of structure in order
to focus my pantser nature. I’m sure it’s no surprise that if I’m exhausted or
exited the pantser dominates.
What part of the writing process
is the hardest for you?
Setting the scene. Being a pantser and
impatient means that I want to jump right into things. It was one of my biggest
criticisms from my first book (ok, one of many), so often times I have to go
back and rewrite those parts of my chapters.
What tips can you give on how to
get through writers block?
I really believe its personality driven. For
some it’s going to a peaceful place, others need to get away and focus on
something else. For me it’s a combination of long drives and working on another
story, as I need to keep writing.
What kind of music do you like to
listen to while you write?
None, unless I’m writing a romantic scene. Then I’ll put on rock ballads.
Who is your favorite author?
Is it sad that the answer hasn’t
changed since I was a teenager? It’s
Piers Anthony, and I often go back and reread books from the Xanth series. Second up these days is Hugh Howey.
Who is your favorite character
from a book?
Ender
Wiggin, hands down. As a boy I could relate to the character, and dreamed of going
to the stars. It surely ties into why I became a rocket scientist.
What is your favorite book?
Talion: Revenant by Michael
Stackpole. It may seem strange, but for a self-published author’s first book,
it captured me from beginning to end. I believed in his main character and felt
the internal struggles as his beliefs were turned upside down.
Read anything good lately?
The Martian. The main character is the perfect sarcastic,
intelligent engineer. Hey, did I mention that I’m surrounded by hundreds of
engineers every day? If you really want to be bored, I can expound on the
differences between a scientist and an engineer. No? Ok, next question.
What do you like to do when
you're not writing?
I’m a professional exerciser, which really
means I am not very athletic but enjoy physical activity. I like to run, hike,
lift, do martial arts, and camp. Oh, and watch football…way too much football.
What advice would you give an
author just starting out?
I’m only on my sophomore book, so I still
have a lot to learn. But at this stage in my writing career I would say keep
learning and applying the knowledge you gain. Whether it be a book you read,
advice from a workshop, or reader reviews. It all will make you better at your
craft.
Have you had anything else
published?
Yes,
my first book, Dillon’s Dream: Water and
Earth. I have to admit that I’m a little embarrassed by the quality of the writing.
However, I’m proud of the storyline, the depth of characters, and the crafting
of the numerous meditation routines that are embedded in the book.
What's your next project?
I have two that I’m working on. The first is the sequel to The Doppler Affect, and is called Perfect Shape. The second is titled, Darkened Demigod. A story about the
first modern-day deity, and how a diminutive libarian helps him with his
internal demons. That one started when I had writer’s block on The Doppler Affect.
Shawn
Phillips wrote his first book, a young-adult fantasy novel titled Dillon’s Dream: Water in Earth, in 2009
before following it up with his adult paranormal fiction novel, The Doppler Affect. In addition to the
sequel to The Doppler Affect, he currently has two other projects in
progress, which he plans to complete in 2015.
He spent his younger years living in
southern Michigan farming communities before moving to Holland, Michigan to
pursue a chemistry degree at Hope College, which he completed in 1992. After
relocating to California, he continued his chemistry studies and obtained his
doctorate degree in 1997. After a brief yet enjoyable stint at DuPont, he
signed on as a civil servant for the United States Air Force. He has spent more
than fifteen years conducting and directing propulsion research at the historic
Rocket Lab, located on Edwards Air Force Base.
