Danita Minnis

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Nicole Givens Kurtz will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

Nicole Givens Kurtz Interview

1. How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?

Star Trek® and Stephen King are probably directly responsible for my love of speculative fiction. Until about 15, my life was devoted to horror and urban stories. In college, I discovered Toni Morrison, Sue Grafton, and Octavia Butler, and I was never the same again. All three women wrote very different genres, and soon my stories began to incorporate bits of all three genres into one story.

I wrote Fabricated because I wanted to tell a story about the complexities of being in law enforcement, about wrongful incarceration, and the lingering effects of death violations [murder] to those who survive.

2. Writers write what they know and must observe the world. Are you a firstborn, middle, or last child, and how does this shape your view of the world?

I am the firstborn, and I was the only child for almost seven years. Being the oldest and having so much time with my parents to myself, I have qualities that only children have, and also the added layer of responsibility bestowed on the eldest.  For these reasons, I often assume responsibility and lead, especially if no one else wants to do it. Over time, I’ve had to learn to let others help me and to delegate, but it remains a difficult action to do.

3. Where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place to write is in my bedroom. That’s been my safe place, my place of comfort and seclusion for many years. This probably stems from my early childhood when I was an only child and spent time in my room entertaining myself. By the time my brother arrived, I already had a set personality and mindset around being in my room and playing alone. That didn’t change as I got older. I never had roommates, preferring to tough it out paying all the rent and utilities in my apartment.

4. How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?

I definitely kill my darlings, especially if it makes the story stronger. I keep the remains, placing them in a document labeled PIECES. Sometimes, I take out the pieces and see if I can pull them together in Dr. Frankenstein fashion to produce new work.

5. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?

My favorite author is Sue Grafton, and one burning question I must ask her is how does book Z go?

6. Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.

Whew! This is a tough one, because I’m fairly open about things I feel comfortable being open about. LOL! Okay, here’s one thing that no one knows. I do not like black-eyed peas.

7. You are stranded on a deserted island with only a backpack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?

The three items in my backpack are water, a cellphone battery, and beef jerky.

8. If you could have one superpower in your existence, what would it be?

If I could have any superpower in existence, I would choose telekinesis.

9. Favorite snack?

Ramen! I also enjoy salt and vinegar potato chips.

10. Indy 500 – Do you know how to get where you’re going, or do you drive the speed limit?

I know how to get where I’m going! I rarely drive the speed limit.

FABRICATED

Nicole Givens Kurtz

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GENRE:  SciFi  Mystery

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BLURB:

Cybil Lewis, a private inspector in futuristic D.C., now The District, begrudgingly works with the Territory Alliance agents to track down an escaped violator, Nico Mars. Almost immediately, Cybil is tossed into the District’s gritty underbelly of political ambition, drugs, and betrayal. This case will take her and Jane deep into the reaches of The District’s notorious Sector 12, where life is cheap and currency is king. When her investigation leads back to those responsible for protecting citizens, Cybil discovers she’s in danger. She’s reminded once again that everything can be fabricated.

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Excerpt:

If it’s one thing I’ve learned in my nearly forty years is this—trust your gut.

If I had, things would’ve gone much more smoothly.

Who am I?

I’m Cybil Lewis. Private Inspector licensed in The District Territory. July felt like an oven left on high. The sun’s rays rebounded off the pavement, fiberglass, and metal, back into people’s faces. An energy nightmare, certain neighborhoods suffered frequent electrical and computer grid breakdowns, leaving thousands stranded without air conditioning, automatic doors, and other necessities. Bots stopped working. Generators and recyclable batteries helped. Still the more tech-rich you were, the greater the potential for damage.

Venture outside at your own risk. Summer snatched victims into its greedy hands and swallowed them whole. Each year an ever-increasing number of people died because they became trapped in their residences without cool air when the grid responsible for controlling the electric crashed or when the generators melted.

Which was why I was leaning over the air conditioning unit when the doors to my office yawned open. In walked two women, one whom I recognized the moment her sleek, dark blonde hair crossed the threshold. I got up to meet them before they came too far into my lobby. Midwest Territory Alliance Agent Lynn stopped. Despite wearing make-up, pockmarks spoiled her attempt at flawless. Cold blue eyes stared out. She grinned, calculated, and cool.

We had a complicated history due to a shared case not too long ago. She tried to get me shot, killed, and sent to the cradle for violations I didn’t commit. The entire experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

You can imagine my joy at seeing her again.

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Nicole Givens Kurtz Bio and Links:

Nicole Givens Kurtz has been called “a genre polymath who does crime, horror, and Science Fiction and Fantasy (Book Riot).” They’ve named her as one of the 6 Black SFF Indie Writers You Should be Reading, 30 Must-Read SFF Books by Black Authors, and The Best of the West: 8 Alternative History Westerns (Sisters of the Wild Sage). She’s a two-time Atomacon Palmetto Scribe Award winner. With over 20 years in publishing, She’s written for Pseudopod, Apex, Fiyah, White Wolf, The Realm, Baen, Subsume, and MV Media.  Nicole has over 50 published short stories, including her story, “The Way Home,” in Marvel®’s Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson anthology from Titan Books. Nicole is the author of the Cybil Lewis and Death Violations cybernoir series as well as the Kingdom of Aves fantasy mystery series.

She has conducted workshops for Writer’s Digest Online, Clarion West online, SAGA, and is the owner of Mocha Memoirs Press. She’s the editor for the groundbreaking SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire and co-editor of Blackened Roots: An Anthology of the Undead anthology. Nicole is professional level member of SFWA and HWA. You can find her at www.nicolegivenskurtz.net.

 

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