MEET AN EXCELLENT AUTHOR -- MIKE DELLOSSO

One of the best authors I’ve found yet.

by Molly Noble Bull

http://www.mollynoblebull.com 

As my friends will tell you, I am a hard-hitting writing partner and contest judge when I put on my critique hat. But every once in a while, I find a novelist that meets all my expectations. Mike Dellosso does. We are privileged to have him visit us today. 

Great to have you here, Mike. (Applause) Take it away.  

Mike: 

Wow, thanks, Molly. I’m sure I don’t deserve that kind of introduction. As you know we writers are our own biggest critics and often teeter on a thin edge of insecurity. Thank you for the kind words.

Molly: 

Mike lives in Pennsylvania. But I would like to learn a lot more than that. So, Mike, tell us about Mike Dellosso.

Mike: 

I'm a husband, father, and follower of Christ trying to write the best stories I can, stories that inspire and encourage and maybe even convict. I also love talking about what God's done in my life and teaching writing to all age groups.

Molly: 

Mike writes what is called Speculative Christian Fiction. In other words, his Christian novels are pretty scary. Tell us more about Speculative Fiction, Mike, and about all of your books.

Mike: 

Molly, my stories are grounded in the real world in real time (no fantasy or sci-fi here) but have elements of the supernatural involved. Sometimes it's the spirit world, that unseen reality that operates in another realm, sometimes it's giftedness, supernatural abilities, powers, knowledge, and sometimes it's just the intervention of God into our daily lives. I try not to get too far-fetched by always asking myself, "Is this possible?" Not probable, but possible. If I can convince myself that indeed the supernatural element is possible, then I go for it. That may make some readers who have read my books raise their eyebrows but I only need to convince myself, and I have a pretty open mind.

I have published five novels and one novella to date. My first The Hunted, is about a man who returns to his childhood home to help look for his missing nephew. What he finds is a secret that has been buried for decades and has only now been revealed, bringing with it a reality so terrifying no earthly power can stand against it. 

Scream deals with the reality of hell. When Mark Stone hears screams not of this world on the phone death is sure to come calling. When his estranged wife is abducted, natural evil clashes with supernatural evil to push the stakes higher than they've ever been before. In Darlington Woods, light and dark meet head-on in the town of Darlington, MD. A boy is missing and a father won't give up. But the only truth to be found is within himself. Darkness Follows takes place in Gettysburg, PA and mixes historical elements with psychological suspense. It deals with the question, how deep can true love reach into the depths of darkness? 

My latest novel, Frantic, focuses on a small boy with a supernatural gift. The speed is relentless and has kept readers turning pages into the early morning hours. My novella, Rearview, is part of the 7 Hours series which I wrote with six other authors (each of us writing a book). It focuses on Dan Blakely, a professor who has it all until a false accusation strips him of everything. In desperation he decides to do the unthinkable.

Molly: 

Let’s talk about Scream. After mentioning all the other things I like about Mike’s writing, what I liked best about Scream was the fact that the book talks openly about the existence of Hell. Many preachers today refuse to mention that topic in their Sunday sermons. But Mike’s book brought it right out into the open. Tell us your thoughts on Hell personally, if you feel comfortable doing that, and also as it relates to Scream. Then talk about any other thing you would like to discuss regarding that novel.

Mike: 

Personally, I don't like the doctrine of hell. I've wrestled with it, debated both myself and others about it, questioned its reality and eternal existence, and argued with God about it. How can a loving God create such a place? To me, it just doesn't jive with the God I know and serve. But—and  it's a big but--it's  really not about how I feel about it, what I think, or what my mortal idea of fairness is. Time and time again I return to the Bible and what I find there, whether I like it or not and whether I agree with it or not, is a hell that is very real, very horrible, and eternal. Period. I can dislike it all I want but I have no argument against it.

In Scream I simply want to get the reader thinking about hell, about the reality of the place, about the gravity of it. I want him or her to face the question: If I died right now, where would I go? Most people never think about eternity or they've convinced themselves that everything will be okay in the end. But that's not the picture we get in the Bible. It teaches there is a place called hell and all mankind is on the road there unless we accept Jesus' offer of salvation.

For reasons beyond my knowledge, Scream has been my best selling book by far. I think it has something to do with the theme, something to do with the characters, and something to do with how the two are blended. It's routinely used by others as an example of how a faith message can be woven seamlessly into a story plot and avoid being "preachy."

Molly: 

Your descriptions in Scream were as good as it gets. I felt I was actually there. Tell us how you learned to write such detailed descriptions, and more about your ideas on the craft of writing. Where do your ideas come from? How do you get started—the works?

Mike: 

I observe a lot and read a lot. I love watching people, how they dress, how they talk, how they move and interact with each other. And when I read other novels I read not just for the enjoyment and entertainment of it but I read to learn. I’m constantly taking note of how other authors use description and pacing and dialogue. I’m constantly learning and improving my own craft.

Molly: 

Clearly, you are a devout Christian. Tell us about your Christian walk.

Mike: 

Sometimes I feel like my Christian walk is more of a Christian stagger, a series of stumbles and falls. I’ve endured some hardships in life (stuttering and cancer) and they have allowed me to see God and experience Him in a way most people don’t get to. I’ve grown as a person, matured, but continuously fail. I’m far from getting this Christian walk thing down. But by God’s grace I wake up each day and go at it again.

Molly: 

Why did you decided to write what some might call Stephen King look-alike novels—Frankenstein meets Jesus Christ. What message or messages are you trying to send in your books—other than a good read?

Mike: 

I want readers to experience God the way I have, as a God of light who conquers darkness and consoles and comforts His children. I want them to be encouraged that darkness can be banished if we only surrender to God. I want to use the medium of story to convey messages of hope and courage and love. I write supernatural material because we not only serve a supernatural God but we are everyday engaged in a supernatural battle against evil and the darkness where it resides. This is real stuff and worthy of spending my time writing about.

I take my writing and storytelling very seriously. I’m not out to just write a good story, I want to write a life-changing story. I believe God has blessed me with the ability and opportunity to publish novels and I don’t want to waste it. I need to make it count.

Molly: 

Tell us more about your current novel and a little about your novels coming up in the future, and please include all your contact information.

Mike: 

Well, I have two current novels. The first, Frantic, released back in February and is a fast-paced tale of a young boy with a very special gift. The protagonist, Marny Toogood, just wants to do the right thing but finds himself caught in a triangle of evil so sinister it seems there is no way out. Here’s the back cover blurb:

Can a deranged serial killer be stopped before it’s too late?

For gas station attendant Marny Toogood it s just another day on the job when an urgent message from a young girl in the backseat of a car draws him into a daring rescue attempt. Now on the run with the girl and her brother, Marny begins to realize he must conquer his own past and surrender all to Christ.

As they face kidnapping, underground cults, and other evils, can Marny trust the simple faith of a child and stand his ground against a power so twisted?

The other is my 7 Hours novella, Rearview. 7 Hours is a collaboration of seven novellas by seven authors.

In each installment, a character is visited by the enigmatic Thomas Constant, who makes a heart-stopping statement: “You are about to die. But you may choose from one of three options: Live seven more hours, travel back in time and relive seven hours, or accept the inevitable and die now.”

My story is about Professor Dan Blakely, a man who has it all . . . until a false accusation leaves him in financial ruin with nothing to fall back on and little hope.

In a moment of desperation, he decides to do the unthinkable. But when he loses control of his car and careens down the side of a mountain, his plans take another turn.

Trapped beneath the frame of his mangled vehicle, Dan is visited by a mysterious stranger who offers him three choices. Filled with regret, Dan makes a decision . . . but little does he know that his troubles have only just begun.

Readers can find out more about my suspense novels at www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/mikedellosso.

In October of 2012 we’ll release my first novel in a new genre, contemporary drama. The novel is called A Thousand Sleepless Nights and will be published under my pen name for this new genre, Michael King. Readers can find out more about the book and Michael King at www.michaelkingbooks.wordpress.com.

Molly: 

Thanks for stopping by, Mike. I know we will want you to come back soon.

Mike: 

Thanks for having me, Molly!

Molly: 

To learn about all Mike’s books, write Mike Dellosso in the search slot at online and walk-in bookstores. To download and print out the first part of Scream for free, click below.

http://charismahouse.com/images/stories/pdfs/dellosso-scream_ch1.pdf

Click again to see videos from three of Mike’s books.

.   Darkness Follows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahSrGR1JXUM&list=UU1oIjCQf04MoN_gWtokHcHg&index=22&feature=plcp
.   Scream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcyMel-9ylA&feature=related

.   Darlington Woods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvaRGqt0EuM&feature=related   


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And check out Molly's first non-fiction book, The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities by Margaret Daley, Ginny Aiken, Jane Myers Perrine, Ruth Scofield and Molly Noble Bull. 
To find all Molly's books, write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot at online and walk-in bookstores.