Interview with Teresa Geering, author of "The Eye of Erasmus" and "Shasta Summers"...

		Today, in the Forum, we have a   charming and comical writer, Teresa Geering. She’s here to talk about her novels “The Eye of Erasmus” and “Shasta Summers.” As always, I intend to dig for other fun stuff from her past and present as well as find out what she might be cooking up next. So, let’s get started J
Tim Greaton: I’ve heard you have a fascinating volunteer pastime when you’re not busy entertaining all of us. Could you tell us a little about it, Teresa? Teresa Geering:  Hello, Tim. Firstly, can I say thank you for inviting me to appear on your show!  What a wonderful audience, if I may say so.  When I'm not writing I work as a volunteer for the Kent County Police where I live. It was several days a week until recently, but it was beginning to encroach on my writing time so I’ve now cut it down to one day. I've done this for twenty years now and enjoy every moment of it. I have done the 'graveyard shift' many times until the early hours and enjoyed the experience. Yes I have been in the car with all the lights flashing and sirens blaring. The irony being that you hear none of that inside the car. You are just aware of vehicles clearing a path for you. It has its dark side of course when you attend sudden deaths or road accidents. It certainly opens your eyes as to what the police deal with in their day to day job. Let’s not forget that they are also ordinary men and women with families of their own.  Tim Greaton: Since I live in a Maine City by the Atlantic, I’d love to hear about your seaside hobby and any others.  Teresa Geering:  Oh well now let me see. I do love beach combing I have to admit, with my head down battling against the wind. Who knows what little gem you may find washed up by the might of the sea or left behind by a visitor? Also you can sometimes find the prettiest shells right there in front of you. What else? …. Oh yes I enjoy candle making with a friend for the local markets. We ran out of containers to pour the wax in on one occasion and we rummaged in her cupboard to find something unusual and yes we found something. It was a 'rubber item' which was intact so we suspended it in a jar and filled it with the wax. It got longer and longer until it hit the bottom of the jar. It was so successful we eventually made several and sold them all! Plus we were asked if we were taking orders. Mind you we had drunk a couple of glasses of wine between us.  Tim Greaton: I hear wonderful things about your writing, but I know you’re not one to tout yourself too loudly. So, let me ask this way, what are readers saying about your work?  Teresa Geering:  Hmm, a difficult one to answer to be honest. I would much prefer to promote someone else’s work. One of my reviewers said, “If (The Eye of Erasmus) … is Teresa Geerings' debut novel then welcome to the new Jean Auel.” I felt that was an immense compliment. Another compared my writing to J.K. Rowling and also stated, “…like the Harry Potter novels, it is a book that will be read by all age groups, and I know that I will read it time and again.” Unbelievably, another reader made comparisons to the Chronicles of Narnia which completely blew me away. Those are very humbling compliments.  Humbling but deserved, I’m sure, Teresa. So what can you tell us about your current novels and upcoming projects? While we’re talking about it, I’m also curious if you might have bypassed any stories or books…and if you plan to revisit them? Teresa Geering:  Two of my books out now are parts of a trilogy. The first book is “The Eye of Erasmus.” It’s about a time travelling lover with attitude until he falls in love with a woman from his future. It was in fact the second book of the series but by popular demand it was released first. The second book, “Shasta Summer,” comprises two books which my publisher felt should be released as one. The first story tells of a young girl who discovers that she has a past heritage as a benefactor of a village. In the second story, Shasta regresses to her past life with the idea of changing her lovers’ fate. Does she succeed? Well you would need to read the book of course.  I have also been writing the last book in the trilogy, along with another book which also involves time travel but with a much more modern twist.  Hidden in my drawers are several short stories that I have been working on with another writer. Yes they will eventually see the light of day. Maybe not just yet, though :-)  Tim Greaton: Do you think of yourself as a particular type of writer?  Teresa Geering:  Initially I considered myself to be a fantasy 'fluffy' writer for young adults, but as I got halfway through “The Eye of Erasmus,” I discovered it was becoming a much darker novel. I approached a couple of young adults who were avid readers for their opinion and was told, in no uncertain terms, the darker the better. Relieved, I allowed my natural writing style to come through and am pleased with how the novels have turned out.  Tim Greaton: If one of your current novels makes it to the big screen, what kind of a monster would be in the film? And which actor or actress would you have battling it?   Teresa Geering:  Ha ha. Well, King Kong and the Empire State Building instantly come to mind. However I would have a twenty foot robot of Bertie Bassett the sweet and have him walking down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace (aka The Pillsbury Dough Boy in Ghostbusters). The hero (Jim Carey) is supposed to eat Bertie before he makes it to the Palace where he intends to kill off the Queen and her Consort. The hero gets side tracked though by the heroine (Lisa Kudrow). After a quick love session in the middle of The Mall, they attack Bertie Bassett with gusto. Both of them trying to cram as much of him in their mouths as possible. The only back up they have are the mounted horse Guards in Horse Guards Parade.  Will they manage to completely eat him before he gets to the Palace and do the foul deed, or will the Horse Guard soldiers have to help them out? … I could be here all day at this rate, Tim, getting sillier and sillier.  Tim Greaton: I’m sure it would be a movie many of us would love to see, though it would probably be hard to hear the dialog with everyone laughing. Okay, so let’s say you had an unlimited advertising budget, how would you “get the word out” about your latest release?   Teresa Geering:  Oh that's easy peasy. I would pay Richard Armitage (a well-known English actor of stage and screen) to act out novel scenes on TV and during the previews to theatre movies. I would co-star as Shasta (in the commercials, mind you). Are you saying you know someone who would fund this ad campaign? Because, I’d be willing to make as many millions as that other fantasy writer…you know, the one who invented a school called Hogwarts, or something like that :-)     Tim Greaton: I probably should mention you’re grinning right now. We don’t want the Potter fans coming after you J.  So, let’s say JK’s fans realize you were kidding and let you live well past 125 years; when you finally do find rest, what would you like written on your tombstone?  Teresa Geering:  How about *Here lies Teresa Geering, International Best Selling Author = Veni Vidi Vici*  Tim Greaton: I have to say, it has been a blast having you today, Teresa. It would be great if you could share your website/blogsite and links to where our audience could directly communicate with you and purchase your stories.   Teresa Geering:  Yes it was a lot of fun, Tim. My blog site is: http://tgeering.blogspot.com    “The Eye of Erasmus” and “Shasta Summer” can be found as follows:  Erasmus Shasta and Merlin The Movies --  http://relaxatnight.blogspot.com/2011/10/20-second-movie-pitch-erasmus-shasta.html “Shasta Summer” -- Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B0054RWUKW Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0054RWUKW “The Eye of Erasmus” --  Amazon US:   http://amzn.com/B003VS0DR8  Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VS0DR8 Tim Greaton: Thanks again for spending time with us, Teresa. I heard you are as fun in person as in your novels, and I’m willing to bet many of our readers think so, too. Many of them are likely getting ready to click on your links right now. Teresa Geering:  Can I just say thank you, Tim, for inviting me along. This has been a wonderful experience. However, I’m not used to so much excitement so should probably go for a long lie down to recuperate J