Author-Book Profile with Interview: Ichabod Temperance

Please welcome Ichabod Temperance. Let's get to know him and his book, A Matter of Temperance ..which by the way is on a promotional sale, FREE on Amazon Kindle until 6/30! 

[Helping authors promote their books.  Being profiled does not necessarily mean I recommend the book.]

Amazon | Goodreads | Website

Forty-nine-year old Native Alabama Birminghamster. Punk rock drummer, construction worker, sushi chef, Martial Arts enthusiast, Professional Wrestling referee and accidental author. With a nod towards Doyles Holmes, I am now embracing a new career as a Consulting Protagonist.

When and why did you start writing?
I did a little stunt work on an independent film. "Engines of Destiny'. The cast and crew turned me onto steampunk as a genre in film and book, and directed me to a website, "The Steampunk Empire". Here you are encouraged to create a character for yourself. From a character, a backstory comes into being. I wrote a blog adventure to support the character I was stepping into. From that the novel just sort of happened accidently. But a writing bug, that I never would have dreamed had been lying dormant, was awakened.

Is there any writer that influenced you?
I take a bit of advice from an old movie, "I remember Mama." In it, a young girl wants to be a writer. Her Mama seeks out a professional writer and asks her for advice. She said to "Write what you know."

I have chosen to follow that advice. I create a situation, and then put myself in it.

Other than that, I would have to admit to being influenced by Neal Stephenson, and Terry Pratchett. Not on purpose, it just kind of came out that way.

Which of the characters is most like you and why?
I totally picture myself as the (unlikely) hero, and my girlfriend as the heroine (Miss Persephone Plumtartt.) I often create a terrible mess for my heroes and then have to figure a way out. That is, I look around with my mind's eye and see what I have at hand to effect an escape. Or some such thing. I find it easier to just put myself in the book. I know how I would react, so I put that in the book.

Do you have a writing style?
When I set out, I wanted to write an adventure novel. But a style developed as I went. I found myself including less violence, and more humor. I also found that I wanted the kindness of my character to come through.

What has been the best part of writing this book?
I include many of my friends in cameos and small parts. I get a lot of satisfaction from that. But one of the things I most enjoyed, was bringing out some tear jerker scenes. Not by being cruel, and killing off a loved character to make you cry. But make you cry from a sweet and poignant moment. Like the movie, "I Remember Mama."

If there is something you could change about this book, what would it be?
This book was written as a stand alone novel. But I have since written a follow up. In it, I have a better grasp of my style. I am more consistent throughout. No violence. Lots of humor. A bit more innuendo. I also am fond of animals and this comes through in the books also. The one thing I would change about the first book would be to have less violence, even though there is almost none to begin with!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you Mr. Temperance for chillin' with us for a bit.  I'll have to check out that "I Remember Mama" movie.  Glad you stumbled into writing.  Hmm, I don't think I've read a steampunk book but I'll give it a shot!  Thank you for the freebie and much success to you!

In a past that never was...
The year is 1869. Earth experiences the close pass of a comet never before seen. In its wake, many of Terra's inhabitants find themselves changed. Among men, prodigies rise in unprecedented numbers, while many ordinary adults suddenly find themselves possessed of preternatural genius. Likewise, non-hominid animals become self-aware and intelligent.
Fast forward to 1875. A young “comet prodigy” from humble beginnings, Ichabod Temperance, has become the world's foremost inventor. He travels to England to deliver his latest brilliant invention to a famous explorer, until Fate intervenes. Meanwhile, a lovely young Bluestocking, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, survives an experimental accident only to find herself imbued with a power she can neither understand nor control, while dark forces and malevolent creatures pursue her, leaving a gruesome wake of death.
Yet, worse is to come. The naïve young inventor and the lovely intellectual find themselves fighting not only to save their own lives, but to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth.