Author Interview w/ Dave Becker

Hey everyone! Today I am here to share with all of my wonderful readers a interview I have done with author, Dave Becker. Dave has written a new young adult, paranormal thriller that was recently published on March 15, 2012. I will be sharing info about his novel, The Faustian Host and my author interview. I hope my readers will enjoy leaning more about his book and meeting the man behind the words. 

Please help me in welcoming, Dave Becker to Bittersweet Enchantment!

The Faustian Host

By Dave Becker

Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who's to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.
After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

 1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?


I'm an artist with over 20 years of graphic design and marketing experience. That makes me a very creative liar. Outside of advertising, the only other place society condones creative lying is novel writing. Every other time I do it, people seem to get upset.


2. What was your inspiration for your book?


I hear so many people (especially teens) complain about reading or studying various things with the mantra, "When am I ever going to use this?" I wanted to write a book that celebrated learning - especially learning just for the sake of learning. To do that, I felt like I had to create a completely unique school environment with eccentric teachers. For conflict, I drew on the approach of 2012 and all the end-of-the-world craziness. Put those two concepts together, and you have the skeleton of THE FAUSTIAN HOST.


3. Do you have a favorite scene or character from your book?


I really like the scene where Tony's foster parents give him his Christmas gift. It's the thing that ultimately breaks through Tony's shell, and shows him growing as a character.


4. Where do you do your writing? Is there anything you need to have with you while you write?


On my laptop - wherever I am. I'm not terribly neurotic about needing certain things to write. I'm neurotic about other things - like getting anything on my hands, keeping my food from touching, arranging the bills in my wallet least to greatest, or generally alphabetizing everything.


5. What was the most challenging part of writing your book, The Faustian Host?


Not getting too deep or advanced with the various lessons at Kalos Academy. It's a school for gifted kids, so I had to make it more challenging and interesting than public school, but the kids there are still kids. I had to reign in some of my information so it wasn't on a post-college level.


6. Do you have a favorite book or author that you’re always recommending to others?


Asking a writer his favorite book or author is like asking an artist his favorite color. I have a very eclectic taste in books, and I like them all for different reasons. At any given time, I'm usually reading a classic (something written before 1900), a non-fiction work (usually related to history or science), and a current novel. It would be easier to name the books that I hate, but I won't do that here.


7. Just for fun: Would you prefer to be turned into a zombie or changed into a werewolf?


I've never been a big fan of zombies (I find them dull - probably because they're brainless, despite all the brains they ingest). My wife calls me a werewolf because my internal body temperature seems to be 10 degrees hotter than hers. I could get into transforming into a hairy beast once a month and wreaking havoc on my town.


8. When writing a book do you plan it out before you start or do you just begin and see where the story and characters take you?


A little of both. I had large chunks of THE FAUSTIAN HOST (and future books in the APOCALYPSE SIGNS series) planned before I ever wrote one word, but there are always things that happen once the characters begin to come alive. For example, when Tony first arrives at Kalos Academy and Erika bounds up to him, I unconsciously wrote that she had blue hair. I have no idea why, but it immediately became clear that she was an artsy girl who changed her hair color all the time. That wasn't planned, but little things like that are fun.


 9. How long on average does it take you to write a book?


Including research, writing, and editing - about a year.


10. What age groups do you recommend for the readers of your novel?


The main characters are in ninth grade, so anyone 15 and older would enjoy it. Younger kids probably won't understand a lot of the school lessons and references.


11. What are your plans for the future? Any other awesome ideas for books that you can share with us?


I have an adult, psychological thriller coming out in November entitled MINDFRONT. After uncovering a universal code in the brain waves of all living things that could revolutionize psychology, Martin Keller wakes one morning to find himself covered in blood, surrounded by his butchered family. Convinced he’s being framed by a diabolical organization set on stealing or sabotaging his work, he dodges a multi-agency manhunt that pursues him from the seediest corners of DC to the highest offices of government. Struggling to stay alive and find his family’s killer, Marty soon finds himself lost in a maze of conspiracies and paranoia, and eventually begins to doubt his own sanity. How can he find the truth when he doesn’t know what’s real?


The sequel to THE FAUSTIAN HOST will be out next summer.


12. Do you have any closing thoughts or final remarks you’d like to share with the Bittersweet Enchantment readers?


Chad and Romania have the same national flag design. So do Indonesia and Monaco. That information probably won't save your life, but you could use it to impress your friends later this year during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.

Thank you for being here today, Dave. Your book sounds great! 

Below is more info about Dave and where to buy his novel.

Dave Becker is an author and artist living in Pennsylvania, trying desperately to avoid all plagues, curses, and monsters. THE FAUSTIAN HOST is his first novel.

Find Dave Becker @

Website | Facebook | Amazon | B&N

Thank you for reading! Have a awesome week! = )