I have four on Amazon: One written some years ago, Murderously Incorrect (Crime and Again Press), a trade paperback. As publishing seems to have become democratized, the other three are Indies for the Kindle. My latest is The Plot Against Marlene Dietrich --- I hope some people will become familiar with that. The other two are The Principal of Rivington Street, which has done quite well, and The Chooser
Free Book Reviews
What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?
Henry F. Mazel
Well, I'll speak to The plot Against Marlene Dietrich, which is the most current and some of my best work. It's notable in the sense it's historical fiction and the backgrounds are very accurate. The research took considerable time. And on top of that -- it's a good yarn.
Free Book Reviews
Have you acquired any good anecdotes surrounding this book? Did researching and writing this book teach you anything or influence your thinking in any way? If so, could you share one?
Henry F. Mazel
First, I guess (according to English profs) it's a novelette, but I dislike the terms. It's a long short story. I was very surprised to what lengths Marlene Dietrich went to rescue people from Nazi Germany, and the more I read the more I needed to read. It slowed down the writing process, that's for sure. Sometimes I get caught up in process.
Free Book Reviews
What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?
Henry F. Mazel
I'd like readers to say that The Plot Against Marlene Dietrich is a good read, and it's historically accurate -- and a pretty fair detective story to boot. There's also a subtext -- about race and ethnicity. That would be great, if readers told others about some of these points. I'd rather have quality readers that are figuratively on the same page as I am.
Free Book Reviews
Can you suggest one question readers might find interesting to discuss, concerning you, your writing in general, or this book?
Henry F. Mazel
Well, the ending is ambiguous, I like to do that, so the reader can draw his or her own conclusion. I'd very much enjoy readers discussing that, or the small details of the period might provoke discussion.
Free Book Reviews
How can readers help you promote this book?
Henry F. Mazel
Shout about it from the rooftops! I certainly hope people would tell their friends, blog about the book, and write some reviews. They don''t have to be long or academic -- just thoughtful. I hope that's not asking too much; I realize most folks don't have so much time.
About You: Henry F. Mazel
FROM HENRY MAZEL: I'm writing mostly historical fiction these days, with a Jewish flavor; but certainly accessible to all. Two additional stories are now available for Kindle: The Principal of Rivington Street and The Chooser.
HENRY MAZEL ON AMAZON AUTHORS AND BOOKS:Never before have so few been exposed to so many at so affordable a cost.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Henry F. Mazel has written for The New York Times, and has published numerous stories and articles in his twenty-year career. His novel, Murderously Incorrect, won the OLMA award for first time mysteries. A play, Life and Other Games of Chance, was produced on Theatre Row in New York City.
He is a member of the Writers Guild of America and The Mystery Writers of America. He is also past professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at The City University of New York.
Free Book Reviews
Why do you write?
Henry F. Mazel
I suppose the stock answer is because I have to. But in reality it's slightly different. There's an old joke about a psychiatrist: A patient is on the couch and says he has a brother who thinks he's chicken. The psychiatrist asks. "Why don't you have him committed?" The patient responds, "I can't I need the eggs." So I guess the answer to your question as to why I write is, I need the eggs.
Free Book Reviews
What is your greatest strength as a writer?
Henry F. Mazel
I suppose dialog. I'm good at that. I used to write screenplays for a living, so I'm very visual as well.
Free Book Reviews
What quality do you most value in yourself?
Henry F. Mazel
Integrity. I do try to get it right, and I'm considerate of the reader. I don't write down.
Free Book Reviews
In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?
Henry F. Mazel
I suppose I could say film. And I can't leave out love. Love comes first. It's important to share life's curves with someone, both the good curves and the bad. My characters are always searching for where they stand in the firmament, certainly that's a theme in all my work.
Free Book Reviews
What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?
Henry F. Mazel
It's hard to pin down one thing. Besides the obvious - family. In the writing world, My play Life and Other Games of Chance had a good run off-Broadway. I'm very proud of that.
Free Book Reviews
Is there any new or established author whom you feel deserves more attention, and what is it that strikes you about his or her work?
Henry F. Mazel
I'm going to go back on this one. Aldous Huxley is not read as much as he used to be. His characters, too, were in search of themselves. He once said, "An intellectual is a person who's found one thing that's more interesting than sex." Now that's a great line. Also Kafka has faded. When I taught college classes, most of my students never heard of him. That's a great pity.
Intrigued by this interview? Then hop on over to Henry F. Mazel's blog or grab his book at the following:
Amazon
iTunes
Smashwords
