Interview with Cornell Deville

Looking for a great read? A TALE OF TWO HEARTS, by Cornell Deville, is available now!

Summer in Morro Bay can be boring when you're thirteen. But when Grant Parker and his friends discover a mystery that's been buried for over 300 years, suddenly summer isn't boring any longer. The chest they've uncovered has an eerie and cryptic warning engraved on the lid. Matt is convinced it contains a pirates treasure. But April isn't sure. She wants to put the chest back where they found it and not take any chances. When curiosity gets the better of them, they find an ancient spell book inside the chest. One of the spells seems fairly simple, but things don't turn out as they expect. And there's only one way to change things back to the way they're supposed to be. The three friends set out on a dangerous adventure that leads them deep inside Morro Rock. They discover a lot more than they expect. And something even more unexpected waiting for them at the end of the dark tunnel.

I've had the honor of interviewing the author recently. Join me as we get to know him better.

Welcome to We Do Write! Glad to have you with us. I'd love to hear more about A TALE OF TWO HEARTS. How did the idea of the story come to you?

My wife and I made a trip to California a few years ago. We flew to San Francisco and then drove down the Pacific Coast Highway and along the Big Sur Coast. On the second (or third) day, we arrived at Morro Bay. It was lunch time so we stopped and had something to eat. I had done some research on the internet and wanted to see Morro Rock before we left the town. When I drove to the shore and looked out at it, a spark of an idea came to me. I took some photos and continued to think about that idea until we got home. Shortly after that I started writing it.

Here's a book trailer for A TALE OF TWO HEARTS!

Your new project, CANNIBAL ISLAND, sounds interesting as well. Can you tell us more about it?

I'd love to. Cannibal is my longest novel to date. It's written in the Steampunk style, set in the turn of the century. The whole story centers around a legendary Golden Disk that is supposed to be a time travel device created by the ancient Incas. The adventure begins when an old sailor, Angus Callahan (who owns a small and ingenious monkey), arrives in the town of Southampton and enters the Emporium of Nautical Charts (where our hero, Richie Armstrong is employed.) Angus is trying to sell his treasure map. During the conversation, Richie's archenemy, oily-haired Hans Von Hisle enters and overhears the conversation. From there it's a race to get to the uncharted island. Richie's father (recently deceased) owns a steamship company, and Hans' father owns a dirigible manufacturing plant. The quest takes them from Southhampton to Africa, from Dakar to Rio and around the Horn until the reach Lima. There's lots of adventure and intrigue along the way. And, of course, Richie's sweetheart, Wren Remington, gets hoodwinked by the Von Hisles into coming along as a hostage of sorts. It's fast-paced once it gets going and my beta readers tell me it's a real page turner.

Here's the book trailer!


Exciting! Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

It depends. I have used a professional editor on one occasion for a book entitled Lost in the Bayou. I haven't done anything with it yet, but it's a thriller that has a lot of scary scenes in it. I think it will be very popular among the middle grade and young adult readers. It's ready to print, but I'm holding off on that one for now. I also use both of my sisters for editing and catching typos. One is a writer, the other is a reader. And my wife acts as the final proofreader.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

That's a great question. I think the hardest part is simply getting started on a new story. Once I get the first chapter finished, the time flies and I thoroughly enjoy the time I spend with my characters. But it's getting past that initial hump and getting the story going that's the obstacle.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

That's easy. Dr. Pepper.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Invisibility.


Ah, I see. Or ... I don't! LOL

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: laser, clock tower, and tutu.

Oh, my goodness. How's this?
It wasn't an easy task to conceal the laser in the pink tutu while she climbed the clock tower steps, but she was a clever monkey, and she made it to the top door without anyone noticing.

Awesome! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

The first thank you has to go to my wife, Rosie, for her patience in putting up with my writing for so many years. My sisters, Melody and Sharon for reading everything I've ever written since I was six years old and telling me they loved loved every word of it. To all my Facebook writing friends. To all my Twitter friends who retweet my posts. To all my followers on my blog. To the members of Absolutewrite who offer such great advice. And to everyone who has read A Tale of Two Hearts, Scary Night Music, and Star Wishes, and to all my reviewers who have left such kind words.

Where can we find you online?


I can be found at my blog at http://cornelldeville.blogspot.com
I can also be found at http://treasureofmorrobay.weebly.com (This site is solely for The Treasure of Morro Bay trilogy books.)
I'm on Twitter as Sixtiesguy and on Facebook as Cornell DeVille (and Michael Broadway)

Anything you'd like to add?

Yes. I have only recently discovered a site called Kickstarter.com which is the largest funding site on the internet. It's an opportunity for artists and writers to get their favorite project funded. I have a project on there for a hardbound collector's edition of Cannibal Island. I just launched it, so there's only one backer so far. I'm hoping it succeeds and hits its funding goal so the project can become a reality.


And finally, I'd like to thank you sincerely for taking the time to do this interview. It's been fun.


Likewise! It's been great chatting with you, and I wish you lots of success with your books!