Finalist #9

Rounding out the list of finalist at nine is Bob Mangeot!

Tell us about your book:
A historian lured to Brussels finds a waiting criminal network convinced he's a dangerous vigilante. When his daughter follows, he must pull off the part.


Why do you want to attend Backspace?
I don’t like or even love to write. I live for it. The Backspace experience will help my game match my writing.



Are you afraid to eat lunch with a Shark?
With a Shark, no. Chummed up as lunch for a shark, yes. For the record, I'm mostly gristle.



West Side Story: Jets or Sharks?
When you’re a Shark, you’re a Shark all the way. Every time I think I’m out, they keep dragging me back in…



If you could save the life of any one fictional character who would it be and why?
Queequeg (Moby-Dick). A harpoon-wielding cannibal philosopher prince in a top hat? Best. Character. Ever. It shook me when he went down with the Pequod.



Is there a book that makes you think "If I could write one thing like that, I’d die happy."
One? It may sound unoriginal, but Catch-22 for its humor and drama blended into powerful fiction. I read it like the blown-away MTV commercial guy.



What's the most terrifying thing you've lived through?
A tornado hit where I used to work. On my birthday. While co-workers presented me with cake. You learn a lot about foot speed.



When you're published, what will you do to Pay It Forward?
No-brainer: another new voice contest. If they'd have me, dedicated time to MWA, local writing groups and young writers trading experience for editing help.