They are giving away E-book in the rafflecopter to the right of the page. The giveaway will last all Oct long. So lots of GREAT items for a AWESOME giveaway!
We are all very glad you came here to JBR.
Can you tell us a little about your self?
I was born in Tehran, Iran, to a Persian father and Russian mother. At the age of nine, I was sent to school in England because, according to Dad, “that boy needs some good-old British discipline.” I guess I was a bit unruly. Anyway, ten years later, the family moved us all to America. After floundering there for a while, I entered college to study journalism but was sidetracked. Medicine beckoned. Fourteen years later, I was a board-certified surgeon, an assistant professor at Albany (NY) Medical College. After being recruited to the University of California, I moved to Laguna Niguel (CA) and settled into the academic life of a university surgeon. For the next twenty years, I wrote over 200 scientific articles, numerous chapters, and co-edited two medical textbooks. As a tenured professor, I became - he said with unabashed pride - well known in my field of hepatic (liver) surgery. Even had an operation named after me. Okay, so much for the bragging. Then my original passion, writing, took hold. I retired and embarked on my second career.
I have been happily married for thirty years, thanks to my lovely bride, Sharon. We have three children: Jill, Jennifer, and Colin. Oh, and two lovely granddaughters, Peytie and Zoe.
What genres do you write?
My first six novels were in the medical mystery/suspense genre. Then I switched to literary fiction.
As a reader I love all genres but my followers want to know what to except from your books. Action, adventure, romance, sex, magic??
From the first six novels, you can expect mystery, adventure, and romance. From my seventh novel, expect none of the above. Instead, read about the vicissitudes of growing up, the tragic moments and the joyous moments, and all the shades of gray that go in between.
Who is your favorite character(s) from your books?
My favorite is Greg Dostoyov, the shy, plodding surgeon who is wrongfully accused of malpractice. He is the MC in my novel, The Final Victim.
What is your newest release? can you tell us a little about it?
Musa will release my newest novel, Beyond the Third Garden, in August. It is the tale of a middle-aged woman and a ten-year-old orphan: both Iranian, both shattered souls running away from horrific events in their past. She chances upon the starving, shivering boy in a rain-drenched forest at the foothills of the Alborz Mountains, and the remarkable, often stormy relationship begins. My 80,000-word, work of literary fiction ends in a stunning climax that reveals the secrets of their repressed memories. The resolution clears the way for the woman and orphan to seal their bond, to help each other mend their devastated lives. Set in 1950s Iran and western England, Beyond the Third Garden explores the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in an intolerant era when PTSD was variously labeled and dismissed as behavioral disturbance in children, neurosis in adults, and battle fatigue in soldiers.
What about future projects? any hints?
I am currently working on the umpteenth revision of From the Ashes of Strife. It is the tale of a Persian family’s journey from the chaos of revolution in their homeland to the challenges facing them as émigrés in America, at a time when anti-Iranian sentiment is pervasive. Set in both countries, the 70,000-word novel follows the struggles of the family: Rostam Vessali, a former general, now an embittered exile; his spouse Shireen, a woman sickened by the anti-feminism of Iranian culture; their son Sohrab, a confused youth, an outcast seeking his identity in a foreign land. Father and son flounder, Rostam because he feels no longer relevant, Sohrab because he feels like an outcast. And in floundering, they become estranged from one another. Contrary to Rostam and Sohrab, Shireen thrives as she quickly assimilates into the new culture. How the three resolve their personal crises is the theme of the plot, which explores the Iran-America conflict through the eyes of a family caught in the crossfire of the Islamic Revolution.
Can you give aspiring authors any advice?
Read, write, submit, persist. Read, write, submit, persist. Read, write…
How about some "fun" personal stuff!
I play the guitar - actually, it paid my bar bills throughout college. If you want a sample, here’s a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnpBqrE4C4
What book have they read that touched you deeply? and why? (yours or someone elses)
The most influential book for me was The Citadel by A. J. Cronin. It inspired me to enter medicine.
Favorite past time activity?
Traveling with my wife of thirty years, Sharon, watching my grandchildren grow, and socializing with my two daughters and son.
a favorite book or author you can recommend (not your own)?and WHY?
Dr. Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, moved me deeply, much more so than any other novel in recent memory. His work inspired me to write From the Ashes of Strife. His writing style, and the complexity of his characters and plot are exceptionally vivid and gripping.
Favorite place to travel to?
London and Cheltenham, England.
What kind of music do you listen too?
Golden Oldies, classical country, and Mozart. Quite eclectic, don’t you think?
And finally where can we find your books?(please include any links you want including buy links)
All of them are listed on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and half of them are listed on Smashwords. My website describes each novel: www.ijsarfeh.com.
Well I know I learned a lot and have added to our TBR list. I hope you all have had fun as well as well. Thanks you again Jim for coming and talking with me here on JBR. I hope you had fun and I hope to see you again. Good Luck and wishing you lots of success!
Julie Ramsey ADM JBR
Julie, it was entirely my pleasure. Hopefully soon, I'll get my blog act together and invite you to my e-place for a chat.
ReplyDeleteJim
looking forward to it
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