GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Sheep Interview: 'Mercury Rises' author Robert Kroese + giveaway! | I Smell Sheep

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Sheep Interview: 'Mercury Rises' author Robert Kroese + giveaway!


The Sheep welcome author Robert Kroese apocalyptic writer of the humorous novels Mercury Falls and Mercury Rises. Check out all the fun below and stay tuned till the very end for your chance to win both books in paperback!




Katie: Welcome to I Smell Sheep Robert! Can I just start by saying…NOR CAL IN THE HOUSE!!! Woot to a fellow Nor Cal human. How are things in Ripon this time of year?

Robert: Dry. Dusty. Other than that, quite pleasant. I live about 40 miles south of Lodi, which is notable as the hometown of Karl the Antichrist.

Sharon: Having an Antichrist so close is kind of convenient, for parties and stuff.


Katie: For folks that don't know about you or your book Mercury Rises can you give them a little info?

Robert: Mercury Rises is the sequel to Mercury Falls. Mercury Falls is about an angel named Mercury who is supposed to be helping out with the Apocalypse but gets distracted. Mercury is a smartass with a short attention span and a problem with authority figures. He may or may not be loosely based on me.

Sharon: And my teenage daughter!


Katie: One of the many things I like about your writing style is the corky off beat sense of humor these characters have. I mean really, Angels throwing workers off pyramids?! That's good stuff! Tell us why you choose to write your characters this way?

Robert: I'm not sure I do choose it. They just do this stuff. I try to get them to behave, but they insist on doing their own thing. Tiamat just loves throwing people off the ziggurats and I can't seem to stop her. I put Mercury in some very serious situations and all he does is make jokes. They are out of control.

Sharon: There is always medication...I'm just saying...


Sharon: I saw you have an “Ask Me Anything” feature on your website…what is the weirdest thing someone has asked you?

Robert: I get a lot of questions about the bright yellow t-shirt that I was wearing in my Twitter and Facebook profiles for a while. It says "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am." I bought it because I had to go to a client meeting for my day job and my boss didn't think my shirt was nice enough. So I went to Wal-Mart and bought that one to put things in perspective for him.

Katie: Did you still HAVE a job after that?

Robert: For a while, yes. Surprisingly. I get fired a lot. I'm used to it.


Katie: What did you do for Halloween?

Robert: I went as Eddie Pratt, the long-suffering narrator of Mercury Falls and Mercury Rises. He mostly sits in a bar and writes.


Katie: If an Angel came down from the Heavens right now, what do you think it would say/do to you? And why?

Robert: Depends on which branch of the Heavenly bureaucracy the angel works for. If he works for the Mundane Observation Corps, like Eddie, he wouldn't be allowed to let on that he's an angel. The MOC may only observe, not interfere. The other problem is that any time an angel interacts with a human being, there's a lot of paperwork to fill out.

Sharon: Have they moved into the digital age? Be quicker...

Robert: Heaven is very slow to adopt new Mundane technology. Hell is just a little quicker.


Sharon: If someone turned your first novel, Captain Bill and his spaceship Thee Eagle, into a movie, who would you want to play the lead?

Robert: That's an excellent question. I think someone manly and handsome with a prominent chin dimple, like 1960s Kirk Douglas.

Sharon: How many people do you think are now trying to google your first novel ;) We will know who bothers to read your author bio on your website

Robert: I wish I could find that damn thing. It was quite the epic.


Katie: This is a VERY important question Robert, many things lay upon your answer. So get ready. *long intense pause* Will you write a story about sexy vampires?

Robert: Never, ever. Not even as a joke. Never. No.

Sharon: So...shifters out of the question?

Katie: I love how you jumped right on that one Sharon!


Sharon: What type of writing environment do you prefer? Music? Morning time?

Robert: I write whenever I can, usually with the most vulgar, cheesy music playing. As I type this, I'm listening to Night Ranger.

Sharon: Hell Yeah! *sings to self* I remember we learned about love in the back of a Chevrolet. Well, it felt so good to be young. Feels like yesterdaaaaaaay!

When you close your eyes, do you dream about meeeeeee!

Katie: Right, lets talk about that medication again shall we?


Katie: If the apocalypse took place tomorrow what would you do today and why?

Robert: Probably listen to Night Ranger. Why not?

Sharon: BAM! 10 Cool points for you!


Sharon: Let’s say Katie and I happened to be in the neighborhood, and you left your window open. What would we find in your DVD player before the cops came to take us away?

Robert: I'm catching up on Dexter right now. Other possibilities include The Transporter and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Sharon: I couldn't stomach Dexter. I know, right:!

Katie: Wow! *looks at Sharon* You just assumed we would go right on in and make some Kool-Aid maybe have a little snack to go with it! Ok, we totally would. Carry on.

Sharon: We've done it before, we will do it again!

Katie: Ixnay aboutway ethay eakingbray andway enteringway Aronshay!


Katie: Now you have another book coming up in 2012 called Mercury Rests what little tid bits of juicy goodness can you give us ahead of time?

Robert: Mercury is going to need a rest after this one. So far, he's had his ribs broken and his shoulder dislocated and he's been shot in the head, and the book isn't done yet. Honestly, Mercury Rests is turning out to be my favorite of the series. Everything is getting tied up in a very satisfactory way. I think it's going to be a fitting end for the trilogy.


Katie: We like to do a fun round of Rapid Fire questions during our one of a kind interviews. So sit back, clear your mind, and answer with the first thing that pops up. Ready?….Set….GO!


Katie: Space Cowboy or Vampire Ninja

Robert: Zombie Baby.


Katie: Pink or Purple?

Robert: Magenta.

Katie: Me thinks Robert is going to keep picking his own answers….


Sharon: Corn Hole or Lawn Darts?

Robert: Pass.

Sharon: You do know what Corn Hole is, right? Bean bag toss game :)

Robert: Of course.


Katie: Sexy Librarian or Sexy Nurse?

Robert: Oddly business-like Hooters waitress.

Sharon: I see how this is going to go :)

Katie: Someone is reminding me of Gini Koch and how she plays this game….hahaha


Katie: Odin or Thor

Robert: Loki.


Sharon: Pepsi or Coke?

Robert: Dr Pepper.

Katie: Ok, if you HAD to pick one or the other which would you choose? We have a Coke vs Pepsi war going on….

Robert: Pepsi. Diet Pepsi, since I'm old.


Katie: Sweet and Sour or Curry

Robert: Curry. What, I love curry.


Katie: Flame-bladed Sword or Executioner's Sword?

Robert: Light saber.

Katie: I can't get mad over this one due to the awesomeness of the nerd response.


Sharon: Basket of puppies or Basket of Naked Mole Rats?

Robert: Either, as long as they are cooked all the way through.

Sharon: BAM! 10 more coolness points for you, best answer EVER!

(note to followers: no puppies or Naked Mole Rats were hurt during this question)


Katie: Nerds or Dorks?

Robert: Norks.

Sharon: oops! your nerd is showing ;) I mean Nork...


Katie: Skipping or Swinging?

Robert: Skipping. But only because I have a daughter and we like to skip together. It's TOTALLY NORMAL.


Sharon: Touch tongue to frozen pole or to electric dog collar?

Robert: I would like to touch the electric dog with the pole.

Sharon: Okay, now you are just being silly...

Robert: Now??



Katie: Thanks again for stopping by to have a chat with us Robert, anything you'd like to add before we wrap up?

Robert: Everybody should buy all of my books because they are great.

Katie: *pounds gavel* Hear! Hear!



***GIVEAWAY***


Robert's been kind enough to offer up a paperback copy of both Mercury Falls and Mercury Rises. This is a US contest only. So in the comments below make sure to list BOTH things to be automatically entered to win. DOUBLE entries for followers!


1. Your Email Address

2. What music would you listen to during the end of the world?


Contest ends November 20th at midnight.

Good luck!



16 comments:

  1. Great interview! It'll sound sad but Lady Gaga to see the world out, least it'll be upbeat and may let you forget!

    ceciliajansink@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another great interview. I think my end of the world soundtrack will have It's The End Of The World by REM, maybe Welcome To The Jungle by GNR (Old GNR not that new weird group), Whatever else I have on my MP3 player.
    GFC:AmyS.
    truebloodfan AT rock DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great interview, couldn't stop laughing at the answers :)

    I guess the one song I'd have on repeat would be One Winged Angel (Final Fantasy)

    Follower of FB, GFC

    drakenfyre75[at]msn[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am reeling from the awesomeness revealed in this interview. I have given it a lot of thought and have decided to salute our bovine brethren for my son to keep me going during the apocalypse! The song I have chosen is Cows with Guns by Dana Lyons. Thanks so much for the giggles and the opening of my eyes to the for apocalyptic play lists, which I feel is definitely an important issue to address so we will all be prepared.
    Follower GFC / FB.

    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. That was a very funny interview! I would listen to closing time by semisonic, it just kinda fits. If not probably something Britney Spears, if the world is ending I might as well listen to something I can dance around in my underwear to!

    alwalters625@gmail.com and I'm a follower!

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  6. Great choices guys. I will have to go with some pink! And Ke$ha cause I am going to dance too, but at my age I will keep my clothes on :)

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  7. Unlike Sharon if the world was ending I would dance butt booty naked down the street and finally not care what anyone thought. ;)

    My music choice would have to be some hard hitting Dubstep. Maybe Deadmau5

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  8. My email is singingndreamin@yahoo.com

    My music choice would be some good ol' Linkin Park. Especially "In the End" >:D

    ReplyDelete
  9. My email is jlam0503@yahoo.com

    And I'm also a sheep followerer! Baaa...

    Anyway,my music choice would be some good ol' Linkin Park. Especially "In the End" >:D

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would most definitely blast some Nightwish for the end of the world. Probably their "Century Child" CD. Or some songs from "Nemo". Or just a whole big mix of their songs.

    GFC follower

    gamergirconfessions at gmail dot com

    (And LOVE the Cows with Guns suggestion!)

    ReplyDelete
  11. "It's the End of the World As We Know It"!! Of course!!! After that would be anything by Blake Shelton - I have eclectic taste in music:)
    GFC follower

    jwitt33 at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. My email is emms1emily@gmail.com

    Toottaalllyyy a sheep follower! (:

    And I think I would blast Men in Tights from Robin Hood: Men in Tights!!! Well that song and Nice Guys by Chester See!!! Great... Now I have Men in Tights stuck in my head.... (:

    ReplyDelete
  13. Awesome interview!! A new (to me) author and series - thanks for sharing.
    WildAboutBones {at} gmail {dot} com

    GFC follower

    Hmmm music at the end of the world ... OK Led Zepplin, or wait Bone Thugs and Harmony or maybe some Babyface or uhmm Darius Rucker oh shoot ... maybe I'll just read a book.

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  14. Thanks for the interview. I'm sad to say that Robert is a new author to me but I can't wait to read this series. Thank you for the giveaway!

    I think that I would be listening to some AC DC or Motley Crue. If I'm going to go I want to have one heck of a time doing so.

    gfc - jbronderblogs
    jbronderblogs at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. This contest is now closed! Thank you to everyone who entered and a BIG thanks to Robert for taking the time to chat with us. :)

    The winner is: WildAboutBones!

    You will have 5 days to respond to the email I send you. Stay tuned everyone more winning coming up!

    ReplyDelete