And now, for October, something almost completely different: Author Guy Christopher Moore interviews his victim friend, Michael Spradlin.
Chris Moore: So before you wrote The Tiny Templar did you ever practice any medieval combat?
Mike Spradlin: No. And the book is called The Youngest Templar.
Chris Moore: Whatever. Did you ever bash anyone in the head with one of those spiky things on a chain?
Mike Spradlin: A mace?
Chris Moore: I guess. Whatever!
Mike Spradlin: No. But when I was six I did shoot one of my sister's boyfriends in the butt with my Robin Hood Bow & Arrow set. Does that count?
Chris Moore: Was he severely wounded?
Mike: No. Well, I had removed the suction cup tip from the arrow so I imagine it smarted pretty good.
Chris Moore: Cool! So what is the Tiny Templar about?
Mike: It tells the story of a young orphan boy who becomes a squire to a Templar Knight and during a battle in the Holy Land.
Chris: Do people get their heads bashed in?
Mike: Um. Yes. But you see during this battle in the Holy Land the young squire is given the Holy Grail....
Chris: And he uses it to bash someone's head in!
Mike: Well. No. He doesn't do that. He's ordered to return the Grail to England for safe-keeping.
Chris: And he takes the Grail and bashes in Richard the Lionheart's head?
Mike: No. But Richard the Lionheart is in the book.
Chris: Who else is in the book?
Mike: On his trip to England he is rescued from bandits by a young archer who hails from Sherwood Forest near the shire of Nottingham. Later they meet up with a girl who is a member of Al Hashshashin, a Muslim warrior cult. They team up with Tristan.
Chris: Does the girl warrior happen to carry one of those spiky things on a chain? I love a chick with a spiky thing on a chain.
Mike: No, but she does carry twin daggers.
Chris: Awesome! So there's lots of battles and explosions and head bashing.
Mike: Yes. And it ends in a pretty terrific cliff hanger. The Youngest Templar is the first book in a trilogy.
Chris: Does the main character die?
Mike: Well, it's the first book of a trilogy so...
Chris: How about this? Have readers send you $1 and he lives, $2 and he dies?
Mike: Um. Well. Sure, I could think about that I guess.
Chris: Where can readers find your book?
Mike: Visit my website www.michaelspradlin.com or www.theyoungesttemplar.com but it's available wherever books are sold, including through Mysterious Galaxy.
Chris: What about www.thetinytemplar.com ?
Mike: Um. No website there. Sorry. And the book is called THE YOUNGEST TEMPLAR: KEEPER OF THE GRAIL by Michael P. Spradlin.
Chris: Good luck!
Mike: Thanks!