M. Andrew Sprong -- Author

I love to write just about everything, but for years I had a story idea sitting in the back of my mind. When the idea about gateways to other worlds was novel a few decades ago (see C.S.Lewis), it created a great deal of buzz. These days, stories about doorways to other worlds are a dime a dozen. Why then did I decide to write such a novel? "Haley Cork and the Blue Doors" is not really about the portal itself, but instead is about a little girl's struggle to remain human in the presence of immense power. I thought about writing the story ages ago, but only recently decided it should be the first one I'd put into print.

I am also working on four other novels which may beat my debut novel to the presses. Nevertheless, I am determined to find a publisher for it -- must be the stubborn Scottish blood in me.

If and when you get the chance to read "Haley Cork and the Blue Door" you will understand why I fell in love with the idea, and why I chose to make it first.

I spent the last twenty years working to develop technology. Though rewarding in some ways, I never received the sort of fulfillment you get after writing a novel. I experienced a great deal of disappointment in writing software, which would never see the light of day, and targeted at a very small set of clientele. I actually did better in the stock market than any of the jobs I ever worked at. Recently, I became ill and no longer able to travel very far from my house. My sister suggested I try doing something different and when I assessed my skills along with my needs, writing kept popping up to the front.

For the last three decades, I have been filling notebooks with stories and poems only to have them molder in closets or get lost in moves. My failure to publish was due primarily to my longstanding fear of rejection and a general insecurity over finances, but fears are meant to be overcome, as are the people who induced them. Coinciding with my recent decision to change careers, I set myself up on facebook.com and my old friend from Boulder Creek, California, Chronus McGee contacted me. When I was still living there, I used to go to poetry readings. One time I read a story about a boy with twenty-four bodies and he liked it so much he asked if he could read the whole thing. Last month he sent my one of my old notebooks with twelve chapters of The Clockwork Soul and I recently posted it online to my wordpress account. Thanks, Chronus! If you want more chapters - you know what to do.

He has been showing my poems to family members in Dublin, Ireland, which when I think about makes me a little self-conscious, since they were not complete or edited to my satisfaction. There is a whole family somewhere in Dublin waiting for the release of "Haley Cork and the Blue Door" and I'm still looking for an agent - go figure! I try very hard to write about local cultures. Haley, for instance, lives on a world founded by Dutch immigrants, while François' in "The Clockwork Soul" is a mingling of twenty-four different cultures.

I am writing a mainstream novel about a boy in a small town whose family is beset by a monster from Indian legend. Titled "The Electric Mystic," it is probably the novel, which will sell first, given the huge market and natural appeal for such works.

Another novel I dredged out of the notebooks was an enjoyable little novella called "The Adventures of Earl the Misplaced" which I may extend to a full-length novel if I get some first chapter interest. It's not a portal experience either, although the first chapter gives that impression - a bit of deception on my part to get the ball rolling. I do the same sort of thing in "Haley Cork and the Blue Door" where I mislead the reader about her location and the Blue Door's true motivations.

Writing is supposed to be fun, enjoyable, and rewarding, and despite being in perpetual physical pain, I am enjoying the experience very much.

In the the spirit of Halloween and because I've always been interested in alternative cuisine, I've published a recipe on how to cook my least favorite meat.

Finally, because it's the election season -- and since I despise all politicians -- I present my own opinions about the rascals.