Dishing it up with J.H. Bogran

Today, I have the pleasure of dishing it up with J.H. Bogran. José, born and raised in Honduras, is the son of a journalist and he ironically prefers to write fiction rather than fact. José is the author of TREASURE HUNT, the first in the series of a professional thief who goes by the handle of The Falcon. Other works include short stories THE OUTPOST and LOVE ME TWO TIMES, published by Red Rose Publishing. The novel HEREDERO DEL MAL, is a thriller published by Editorial Letra Negra.


He’s a contributing editor to The Big Thrill magazine; co-screenwriter for two TV serials and writes movie reviews for Honduran newspaper La Prensa and is also a member of the International Thriller Writers.

JET: José, can you tell us about Treasure Hunt?

José : For starters, the story is set in the late 90’s, so don’t question the absence of blackberries or ask for The Falcon’s twitter account. :-)

During the late 70’s Bill Porter hijacked a jetliner, demanded ransom and made a narrow escape to a small country in Central America. Twenty years later, he’s about to be released from prison and hires The Falcon to retrieve the stolen money. However, Bill’s former cellmate, Jack Davis, is after the money, too.

Additionally, I wrote a short prequel, Absolution Withheld that introduces the characters of The Falcon and Father Daniel Weiss.

JET: What drew you to thrillers?

José : The excitement, the thrills, the insurmountable odds against the main character; all of these drew me to thrillers led by the Clive Cussler, Ken Follett, Robert Ludlum among others.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

José : To learn the craft enough to get a sympathetic publisher who was willing to take me in.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

José : The first e-mail from a reader; and my spam filter almost takes it away from me! To read a stranger’s liking to my writing was a wonderful experience.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

José : During my teens: Arthur Connan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Mario Puzo. During my twenties when I first decided to write: Ken Follett, Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler and Robert Ludlum; the made it look so easy.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

José : I’m always been sort of a story-teller, but it was during my mid-twenties that I seriously considered writing for more than just fun.

JET:What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

José : While researching for my next novel, I wrote an email to a museum requesting them to let me sit on the seats of a plane they had on display. They refused politely, so I’ll have to go on imagination.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

José : At the risk of sounding much like a cliché, I don’t have a favorite. Honestly, it is like asking me who of my three sons I love the most.

JET: Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

José : Don’t give up the dream. Keep writing, submitting and most important, learn from your mistakes.

JET:All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with: Paper or Plastic?

José : Paper.

JET:Steak or Tofu?

José : Steak. Has anybody ever answered Tofu?

JET:Beach or Mountains?

José : Mountains to live, Beach for a day trip.

JET:Country or Rock-n-Roll?

José : Rock-n-roll, baby!

JET:Horror or Comedy?

José : Both!

JET:Top 10 best seller or Unknown Back Shelf Find?

José : Dangerous Fortune, Gone with the Wind, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, The Godfather, Sahara, The Bourne Identity, The Road to Gandolfo, Travesuras de la Niña Mala, Cien Años de Solidad.

JET:Paper or Digital?

José : Undecided.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

José : Either is fine, depending on the company and current mood.

JET:2012 Mayan Prophecy Believer or Ain’t Gonna Happen?

José : Come on! It ain’t happening!

JET:Coffee or Tea?

José : Coffee, except when I’m visiting Buckingham Palace and I accommodate for the Queen.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

José : I have one thriller shopping around for an agent/publisher. I have another one in the early stages of first draft, and last but not least, I hired an editor to polish a short story collection. My goal is an early December release—you know, in time to make a superb Christmas present—but still in the air.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about J.H. Bogran and his work at the following places:

http://www.jhbogran.net/

www.facebook.com/jhbogran

Twitter: @JHBogran

Feel free to drop him a line at jhbogran@gmail.com



Next week I’ve got Toni Dwiggins on tap for Manic Monday and George Everyman set for next Friday.

Until then,

Ciao.

JET