Interview with Daniel Klock, author of Fraud at Snowfields

Today at Shelf Full of Books, I'd like to welcome Daniel Klock, author of Fraud at Snowfields. Fraud at Snowfields is his debut novel. Daniel writes during his spare time. His regular job is a trauma surgeon. Join me now in welcoming him here and finding out more about him and the creation of his book.

Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

The most unique thing about me is probably that I wrote this book at all. Because my real job is trauma surgeon – so a far cry from being a book author.

What do you do to relax? 

Actually I wrote this book for relaxation. I started with the basis of the story while I was still studying and it was a pleasant form of relaxation for me after hours of learning dry facts about anatomy or biochemistry to create such a wonderland of fantasy. Only when it got to the real self-publishing it was not relaxing any more, when I had to do all the editing, proofreading, endless corrections and revisions, creating the cover and getting a grip on all the legal and administrative aspects. The writing was the fun.

Tell us about something about yourself that you would like to share. 

All said, after mending bones and implanting joint replacements day and night, working on the book still brings much pleasure to me. The other side is that there just is not any time left for extensive hobbies or such. Though I do like to travel when I can get holidays and I like to do all my own planning and booking to try to get good deals. Actually I was so successful – like flying first class to Australia on a real good deal – that people asked me about some tips and tricks, and so I put them all together in another book “Luxury at the cheapest price“ by Dr. Daniel Klockenbrink – that is my real name, but rather difficult to pronounce in English, which is why I published “Fraud at Snowfields“ with the abbreviated penname.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

One aspect was, as I mentioned, that I found this a wonderful way to relax while I was studying. Another reason was that I am quite a keen reader, especially fantasy and science-fiction. So of course I read all the classics like Lord of the Rings, David Eddings and of course Harry Potter. And especially with Harry Potter, though I liked the story, I always thought that there are so many good books with great stories out there, but often they are so dark and violent. And I thought there should be a way to create a just as exciting story, but not so dark and violent, but instead joyful and full of wonder, while still with some mystery.

Where did you get the idea for Fraud at Snowfields? 

It is always nice to claim that it was just my own idea. And of course it was. But I read a lot of other books and stories so probably much of these had an influence on creating the story – and of course I cannot deny some comparability to Harry Potter – though, as I said before – I wanted to create a “nicer“ story and a modern adventure, but not so dark and violent.

Will there be a sequel to the book? 

Definitely yes. While I am currently working on the German translation I am already jotting down some very nice ideas for the second book.

Are you working on another book project at the moment? 

Just the German translation. And of course keeping “Luxury at the cheapest price“ up to date with new tips and tricks as I discover them.

What books have influenced your life/writing most? 

Well, Harry Potter was the basic kick-off I think.

Fraud at Snowfields

By Daniel Klock

Publisher: Dr. Daniel Klockenbrink

Published: Sept. 29, 2013

ASIN: B00FJC2QVU

Amazon Synopsis:

Bluerorcs! Six, seven, a dozen? He cannot tell because the tiny bright blue explosions of light keep blinding him. Will, running as fast as he can. Flashes of blue, flashes of yellow, brilliant flashes of blue and yellow together like fireworks—Will is as frightened as he has ever been. He keeps running... 

Only a short time after a strange nightmare Will again feels like he is caught in a dream—but this time the best dream he has ever had. For Mr Chevalier visits him at his parents' house to invite him to join the White Christmas Organisation—the secret organisation that handles the production and delivery of the Christmas presents and that is headed by Father Christmas himself. Will had always been a firm believer in the magic of Christmas and now he is on his way to be part of it all as he begins his job training at Snowfields. And—while traveling with the amazing cloud-based delivery system—he has no idea what other wonders he is going to see or what he is getting himself into... 

For just as he is having the time of his life with his new friends at his new school with amazing subjects as well as hard hands-on training, he is caught up in the biggest conspiracy Snowfields has seen in decades. 

Book Links
Amazon  *  Goodreads