Gary Ballard

http://amoralbridge.blogspot.com

The Know Circuit

http://www.amazon.com/Know-Circuit-Gary-Ballard

Q: How did you come up with your story?
In the mid-90’s, I started designing a role-playing game set in a cyberpunk/sci-fi world. The backstory I created for that world eventually became a series of novels I wrote but was unsuccessful in publishing. In order to generate positive buzz for that series, I serialized a prequel novel set in that universe with a different character and published it over a 6-month period on a blog. That novel was called Under the Amoral Bridge, now known as the first in the Bridge Chronicles series. The main character, Artemis Bridge, is an amoral fixer in Los Angeles in the late 2020’s, and he serves as a “bridge” character between the events in the backstory and the events in that original series of novels. The Know Circuit is the second book in the series, and has just been released in paperback and eBook like the first.

Q: Who or what inspired you to become a writer?
My earliest influences were comic books. I absolutely loved comics as a kid and to this day, and was led by their imaginative stories into science-fiction and fantasy. After reading Tolkien’s The Hobbit which led me down the path of enjoying role-playing games, which led me to writing my own campaign materials. It’s a short stroll from there to writing fiction.

Q: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? Why?
My day job is as a web site designer for an advertising company, so I’d likely be doing that. I enjoy the process of design, the exclusion, inclusion and arrangement of elements that make up a web site.

Q: Favorite genres to read?
History/Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Noir, Paranormal, Sci Fi/Fantasy

Q: What are your pet peeves?
I despise intolerance, especially religious intolerance. Nothing can light my backside on fire more than the need for religious zealots to discredit others’ beliefs to make their own seem more acceptable.

Q: What is something most people don’t know about you?
Despite my stereotypical geek appearance, my love of video games and technology, I absolutely abhor fax machine and cell phones. I am fluent in most types of tech, but those two things really drive me to drink.

Q: Where else can we find you, other titles, or anything else you’d like to share?
Both of my novels (Under the Amoral Bridge & The Know Circuit) are available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Smashwords.com, indiependentbooks.com and serialized on the Bridge Chronicles blog, http://amoralbridge.blogspot.com.