Interview with C L Gaber

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is C.L. Gaber and I’m a Chicago journalist and the author of the new book ASCENDERS: High School of the Recently Departed,” which is the beginning of a trilogy. The book revolves around Walker Callaghan, 17, who wakes up in a new home in a different place. Her mom is there, so is most of her stuff. But something is wrong. The house is too nice. The other things in the house are far too expensive. Walker has also been enrolled in a private school called The Academy. It’s all “too perfect.” Walker and her Mom are now living in a beautiful, all Americana town that has some oddities. Everything is free – from the food to the new pairs of Levis. And the guest lecturer at the local movie house this weekend is Heath. The music teacher is a guy with blond hair, a flannel shirt and says, “Hey, I’m Kurt and I used to have this band.”

What Walker comes to find out is that she died last night. She has arrived in a special in-between for people who die young. She meets Daniel Reid, a tat-covered rebel, with his own agenda that defies the rules of this place. The rules: You can’t get hurt. You can’t die twice. But you can’t try to return to your former life in the Living Realm. There are severe and dire consequences if you even think about it.

 

2. Who are your favorite authors?  

Give me a Stephen King book and I’m hooked. I love him. I’m also an entertainment journalist for the New York Times Syndicate. I interview film and TV stars…and occasionally authors. King is as wonderful as you want him to be and an amazing writer.

 

3. Tell us a bit about your books.

Ascenders is the first in a trilogy. In the first book, Walker and Daniel are told the rules of this in-between realm that looks a lot like a Michigan town. Basically, there are no rules except you can’t try to go back – even as a ghost – to your former life. Of course, Daniel needs to go back. His entire family, except his horrendous father, died in a small plane crash. The only thing is his youngest brother Bobby, 6, didn’t arrive with the rest. Daniel knows he’s an Earth Bound Spirit stuck at the site of his death. Daniel must go back to find him…and Walker isn’t going to let Daniel do that on his own.

 

4. If you could travel back in time to any place and period in the past where and when would you go?

That’s such a great question. I’m pretty hooked on Outlander now, so Scotland way back in the day looks pretty adventurous, romantic and dangerous in all the great ways.

 

5. What attracts you to writing in your genre?

I’ve been a journalist all of my life, which is all about facts and quotes. It’s really freeing to write a fiction fantasy world where you can set the rules and tweak the dialogue. It’s also a challenge. I love fantasy because anything can happen. There is nothing better than a reader writing to you saying that they never saw something coming – and I’ve received so many of those letters with Ascenders.

 

6. Tell us a little about your books. I see you like to delve into many different genres.

I did a book called JEX MALONE with VC Stanley last summer that was about a young detective. It was great fun because we were college friends and are lifelong great friends. That book is fun, light and a joy to write. Ascenders is a lot deeper for me because of the subject matter. It also touches a nerve.  I remember when I was in high school and every single year there was that announcement that a student died last night in a car crash or a fire. There was always one or two a year. It was unbelievable because they were so young. I guess that’s been on my mind a long time because it’s at the core of the book.  In college, I lost a good friend to a workplace shooting. Again…..Where do they go? As a journalist, I’ve interviewed so many people from different walks of life including scientists who agree the human mind doesn’t fully form until age 24. Again, where do people who die young go? It’s so intriguing to me….and I’m almost done with Ascenders 2, which comes out early next year. The questions never seem to end.

 

7. Are you planning to participate in any anthologies? Any hints about your story?

I haven’t been asked to do any anthologies yet.

 

8. What do you like to do to relax?

I live in Nevada now and I love to take long drives in the desert. It’s gorgeous red rock country. I love to travel and also hang out with my husband, 14-year-old daughter and our two unruly dogs. And I write about movies, so I’m always at the movies watching something. 

 

9. What are you currently working on?

I’m deep, deep, deep into Ascenders 2 as we speak.I’m about 10,000 words from finishing the book. It will be out in March of next year.  I just got the book cover and it blew my mind! A2 picks up the minute Ascenders left off….with dire consequences. Let’s just say that the you know what hits the fan from the first page.

 

10. How can readers connect with you?

Please connect with me! Please contact me. I love to hear from readers at CLGaber@yahoo.com or on Facebook on my author’s page. You can also check out ascenderssaga.com. Thanks so much Clive. And thank you to everyone who has read Ascenders. Your emails mean the world to me 🙂