INSIDER AUTHOR INTERVIEWS

An Interview with Author Stuart Clark - Project U.L.F. Reacquisition

April 2010

The Insider is a Silver Leaf Books sponsored feature that allows the readers to gain additional information about the authors, books, and projects. This section will consist of live interviews with the authors, and their direct responses.

This Insider interview is with Stuart Clark, author of the recently released, Project U.L.F. Reacquisition.

SLB: Before we get into the new release, why don’t you share with us some of your experiences from Project ULF?

CLARK: Well, first of all, it’s been a thrill to have been published. Once the book came out I knew I still had a lot of work ahead of me in terms of promotion so I’ve done a lot of book signings at stores, attended some conventions and talked at schools and panels. At every event I’ve done I’ve met a lot of great people and the reception has been great.

SLB: Was that you I saw on the Tyra Banks show? The all new, hip, chic, geek?

CLARK: Yeah. That was another promotion opportunity that was too good to turn down. They were doing a show on “Chic Geeks” and saw my picture on my website and thought I’d be good to have on. The day of filming they had some technical issues and things kept getting delayed and delayed so in the end I spent all day backstage on the Tyra show for only about a minute of air time. It was a lot of fun though. I guess there goes one of my fifteen minutes of fame!

SLB: How has the response been from your readers? Have you gotten good feedback?

CLARK: Some readers have been kind enough to write to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the book and that’s always nice. As an author you put your work out there and never really know how it’s being received unless people take the time and trouble to contact you, so I’m always grateful when readers get in touch.

SLB: It's always great to get those kind of correspondences. Very fulfilling. Does Book 2 pick up with Wyatt and Kate right where Book 1 left off?

CLARK: The events in Book two take place five years after Book one. I don’t want to say anything to spoil anything for people who haven’t read the first book but let’s just say Wyatt and Kate have moved on with their lives. They think they’ve left the IZP behind, but events are about to transpire that show them that the zoo isn’t done with them yet.

SLB: But will readers see the survivors from the end of Book 1 in the sequel?

CLARK: Yes. Chris and Bobby both have big parts to play in the sequel and there’s a whole host of new characters to get to know.

SLB: Why don’t you tell us a little about Project ULF Reacquisition?

CLARK: Well, as the title suggests, in this book the characters aren’t focused on trapping alien life but on reacquiring it. A fanatical group have broken in to the zoo and released the alien exhibits into the city of Chicago. Wyatt is required to coordinate the effort to recapture the exhibits and protect the people of the city, only there’s plenty of places for the aliens to hide and plenty of mischief they can get up to.

SLB: If Book 1 was on an alien world, and Book 2 is here on Earth, does that leave any room for a Book 3?

CLARK: Absolutely. The Project U.L.F. series was originally pitched as three books. The third book in the series is well on the way to being complete and will comprise some action here on Earth and some off-world adventure.

SLB: I see Henning (Ludvigsen) did the cover again. Do you work with him to make sure the characters and scene comes out just the way you want?

CLARK: I’ve been very fortunate as an author to be able to work with an artist of my choice and to have Henning be that artist. I really love Henning’s work and he seems to instinctively know the kind of thing I am looking for. When I was writing book two in the Project U.L.F. series I knew very early on which scene I wanted depicted on the cover. When I work with Henning I initially send him a sketch of the kind of thing I’m looking for and some reference pictures and then he pretty much goes to work. If you’d like to see how the artwork came alive step-by-step then you can see the process on my website at www.stuartclark.net/artwork.php

SLB: What’s happening on the cover? Looks like something nasty is trying to ruin their day!

CLARK: The cover depicts a scene where one of the U.L.F. trappers, Travis Jacks, and a civilian are fleeing from an alien called a puglion. The puglion has been released into the sewer and is growing at a frightening rate due to the plentiful supply of food. Travis has been sent into the sewer to isolate the alien, but getting a large creature to do what you want is easier said than done. Sometimes you’ve just got to know when to run!

SLB: Do you have any events planned where people would be able to meet you and get the new book?

CLARK: Well, the book has just come out so I’m starting to ramp up promotion efforts. I’ll definitely be arranging some book signings and try to attend some conventions. Any events will be posted on my website. www.stuartclark.net.

SLB: We'll also obviously post anything for our readers in the News section under Author Appearances. What’s the next book project you’re working on?

CLARK: The third and final installment of the Project U.L.F. series. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of the third book has already been written so I’m hoping to have it completed sometime this summer.