Fiction
Date Published: 06-07-2022
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
If Gail knew Uncle Perkins' stories were true, she wouldn't have taken her friends up that mountain.
The plan was simple. Hike, camp, and ride the zipline back down the mountain. But Uncle Perkins' stories are true, and the horrors are real. Now the simple plan is the only plan they have to get off that mountain or disappear, remaining there forever.
Zipline is an immediately gripping, fast-paced, unique story that will keep you entertained until the last sentence.
Interview with P. Anthony Michael
Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
No, not at all. All stories come from some sort of inspiration, a questions that has to be answered, or a dilemma that has to be solved.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Great question. Most names comes from people I already know or interacted with. I use their names only and not personality.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Ooo, another great question. Depends on the work. In some works they are part of the same world and I’ll use a cameo as a tongue in cheek and a wink to the followers.
What was your hardest scene to write?
In this story, I have to say the setting. What most writers do is establish the setting and forget about it. In this story, I made setting a character so I had to learn a lot about forest in terms of what you can and cannot do. For instance, did you know there are three levels in a forest? You have the canopy, then their midlevel canopy comprised of tall bushes and trees which leaves low level bushes and bramblings. Each has its own function. So I had to include this in every scene throughout the book.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each book is and will be a standalone with ties to the previous one. Now I know what you are thinking. How? You can write a story and reference key points from the previous to inform the reader why the situation is the way it is without going into a deep narrative about it. This is another way to build tension and suspense because knowing how something happens doesn’t fix the ramification of what is going on. So you follow the story to see how it is resolved.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I’ve written several full length manuscripts – unpublished. I wanted to do an exercise on word count. Can I write a complete story within a certain word count? I did it. I wrote a novella with limited word that won a silver award and several high reviews which still shocks me for a novella.
What inspired you to write?
Growing up, Television was my companion. It showed me how life could be, how it is, and how I don’t want it to be. There are so many place, people and things known and unknown to us. So I write stories of possibilities and the human experience like Peaches, where a man befriends a Great white shark. Great time writing that based off a myth.
Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in the series?
The next in the series was released last year called Aftermath. Here’s the blurb: Gail and her friends may have escaped the mountain, but now they all have to deal with the AFTERMATH. Two years later, all have entered the workforce. Neal and Gail are contentedly married, and she’s pregnant with twins on the way. But Neal is unsettled as special abilities emerge, which he has to learn to embrace. Worse yet, he’s having strange visions of gruesome murders that actually happened as if he was there. Now Neal, Gail, and friends are wondering if he is truly going rabid. As they dig deeper into the mystery, they find the truth is far worse and more insidious than anyone could imagine.
What you have planned for the future?
The next in the series to be released this year is call Hybrid. This one is being edited right now and will be out within a couple of months.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Zip Line?
Gail is the level headed one who wants to dispel her uncle’s horror stories.
Neal is Gail’s boyfriend who goes along to keep her happy
Danny is the jock who encourages Gail to go to the mountain so he could ride the zip line back down.
Paula is a girly girl who goes along to spend time with her boyfriend.
Sam is everybody’s favorite weed head who is the most observant out of the whole group.
They all just graduated from college and are going on this last trip before going out into the working world of responsibly.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The best part of the story is the journey with friends. I don’t see many books where people go out in trust and loyalty before starting a new life as they shed adolescent and take on a more adult mindset. In this story, they grow up fast with each having to live with the consequences of their actions.
About the Author
Michael received a creative writing certificate from the University of West Virginia in the late 90s. He's been running a successful writer's group called For The Love Of Words for almost two decades. When he has time, he teaches in the local library Story 101 - How to create a story. He has won in every category over a five-year period in a state-funded wordsmith competition in Poetry, Essay, Short Story, and One-Act Play.
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