BooksChatter: ℚ♫ The Moment Between

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Gareth J Frank to talk about The Moment Between (25 January 2019, Three Women Press, 300 pages), a Psychological Thriller.

"I could not put [The Moment Between] down. I read it in line at the grocery store, in the bathtub, while walking the dog. My social media friends thought I had dropped off the face of the earth. I lost some serious sleep telling myself, 'Just one more chapter'." ~ Jennifer Wilson, Reader Views

"All the more impressive when considering that The Moment Between is author Gareth Frank's debut as a novelist, his genuine flair for character and narrative driven storytelling in this compelling psychological thriller. A simply riveting and unfailingly entertaining read from first page to last." ~ Small Press Book Watch

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Gareth J Frank; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

Here at BooksChatter we love music, so Gareth J Frank has shared with us his music playlist for The Moment Between - enjoy!

What was the inspiration for The Moment Between?

"I think Stephen King said it best.

"(The writer's) job isn’t to find ideas but to recognize them when they show up."
For me, the idea for my novel showed up in the mail. I received a Christmas card that mentioned the death of a friend's brother and alluded that his wife was the murderer. A very strange Christmas card, indeed. I couldn't stop thinking about it. When I called my friend and asked what had happened, I found out that, as they say, fact was stranger than fiction. I used the women in question to create one of my characters. Some people think I created a monster. The truth is, real monsters are often real people.

But, the nugget of a storyline wasn't the only inspiration. A novel needs a theme as well. I have always been interested in near-death experiences and the almost unlimited capacity of the human mind. Those are the backbone of my novel."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Every short story and every novel that I write is an opportunity to do and write something new. I purposely try to go somewhere I haven't gone before, either with respect to genre, story line, or research. That doesn't mean that I don't put something of myself into each new piece.

My first novel was historical fiction about the Vietnam War protest movement. I included a ton of my own childhood in it. My short stories include: a fantasy about a Navajo skin walker; an artist who goes blind and paints his own self portrait; a man, a drought and a pig in 1875; and a hillbilly with alien hand syndrome.

My current novel, The Moment Between, is a psychological thriller. I am not a brain surgeon, as is the main character. I have not died as does James in the first chapter. Yet I am there, the skeptic who is fascinated by near death, neuroscience and popular physics.

No matter what we write about, authors can't help but including something of themselves."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Moment Between - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I love my cover. I wanted the potential reader to be struck at a glance. I wanted it to be unique, but still obvious in terms of genre.

I went through ideas right and left, dissatisfied with the results. Finally, a design came through. J. Shan incorporated a Hercules moth, the largest moth in the world, in his cover design because my main character is a moth collector, and the framed moth hangs on his living room wall.

He conveyed suspense using a blood splatter, and he used a background of broken glass which has meaning in the story and also reinforces the impression that this is a thriller."

Why should we read The Moment Between and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"I have been told that the novel is easy to read, exciting and even educational in certain ways. I address death and the afterlife while keeping faith with reality. At the same time, the imagery is breathtaking and imaginative. I also weave neuroscience and popular physics into the book without missing a beat of the story or leaving the reader behind.

There is lots of evidence in this world that death may not be what it seems, few people think about it, but I hope that The Moment Between changes that, at least a little. The novel also keeps readers on the edge of their seats with a plot driven narrative and exceptional characters."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Moment Between, its story and characters?

"I believe in flawed quirky characters.

Doctor Hackett Metzger is a brilliant neurosurgeon, but he is also socially awkward outside of work. As a child he suffered from mild autism, and as an adult, his pursuit of women is a little childlike.

His best friend, Ella Mae, is a charge nurse, who looks a little like a fire plug or a bulldog. She tells it like it is, damn the consequences. Sarah, Hackett's new love interest, is hot, self-serving and murderous."

Who would you recommend The Moment Between to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"This is a book for adults. There is a little sex in it, but it is not erotic in an overt way.

If you like suspense that makes you think, this is the book for you."

If you could / wished to turn The Moment Between who would be your dream team?

"Paul Giamatti would play Hackett, Kate Winslet as Sarah, Kathy Bates as Ella Mae.

The director would be Ridley Scott.

It would be set in Washington, DC and the Hill Towns of Tuscany, as it is in the book."

What is your writing process?

"Writing and publishing/marketing tend to be competing needs. For the last six months, my writing time has suffered greatly. In the good old days, when I had the luxury of focusing on writing, I would do so every weekday and some weekends. I spent anywhere from two to eight hours a day writing. It sure is great to be retired. I can't wait to get back in that groove. I have another novel to finish.

Getting more into process, I am a writer who can't outline a novel before I have written most of the scenes. Writing helps my creativity, that's how I understand where a story needs to go and who the characters are.

The other big habit I have is constant review and editing. By the time I finish my first draft, I have read and read, edited and reedited, over and over until I am sick of each scene. Then when I finish the "first draft" I start editing again.

Outlining is a tool that I use later in the process to help me see the bigger picture and understand what's missing and what doesn't fit."

What is in store next?

"As I said, I am always looking to expand my writing horizons. I am getting close to finishing my next novel. Although it is similar in style, its characters inhabit a totally different "world."

Torn Skin is the story of Jonny Pirpal, a punkrockin, freight train hopping loner with a history of ego and anger issues. Back in the nineties, he achieved a moment of rock and roll fame but his world fell apart and he lost everything in a single day. Syierra Antalek is a mystic who quite literally saves the lives of strangers but couldn't save her own family. After years of dedicating herself to others, she, too, has become a lonely traveler, but for very different reasons. Their paths cross as Jonny's history is about to catch up with him.

One of the things I love about writing Torn Skin is that I have gotten the opportunity to write lyrics to Jonny's songs, both as a punk rocker and a vagrant."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?