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About the Author
Mark Haeuser was born and raised in the beautiful farm country surrounding Fountain City Wisconsin.
A graduate from C-FC High School in 1983, he attended WWTC in La Crosse and graduated with a two-year associate degree in Police Science.
After working ten years in law enforcement he decided to pursue other interests. Mark began writing in 1997 when he grew frustrated with what he felt was a lack of realistic action books available. As a former police officer, SWAT team member, SWAT sniper and a recognized expert in tactics and firearms he decided he would try to write his own stories. Using over twenty years of martial arts training and his police experience he set out to write the first book which grew into Battleground USA "The Beginning".
Mark intends to write twelve to fifteen books in this exciting action packed series. He has currently published two of the books with Iuniverse and plans another for the spring of 2002. He has five of the books completed and plans for number six is in the works. He also writes fantasy and his current book with Iuniverse is "The Second Coming Trilogy". This is the first book in the trilogy titled "The Protectors"
Mark can be seen on such web sites as Zinos.com and Authorsden.com. His new series of short stories "Memoirs of a Rogue" is highly popular on the Authorsden site. He is also involved in co-authoring a book with the romance novelist Kristie Leigh Maguire.
Mark currently lives in La Crosse and is working on more Battleground USA books as well as a western titled "Deacon Cade", and a crime story titled "Black OPS". He plans on putting together his "Memoirs of a Rogue" for publishing in the near future. You can visit Mark at these sites:
http://markhaeuser.tripod.com/markhaeuser
About the Book
Hunters of the Shadows:
What creature lurks beyond the shadow-rim of imagination, beyond known wickedness? What unspeakable dark force could be so powerful as to unite old foes, one good and one evil, in a quest to subdue it and save a world.
Come closer my friend- step in. Traverse the boundaries of time and space to glimpse one possible fantastic future.
A future of staggering proportions! Contemplate, as prophesy of old unfolds to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting, the unwary, us!
The seconds tick by..... Reader beware!
The time has come..... His time!
When did you first start writing?
I started to write in 1997. I was complaining to a friend through email about the lack of books for guys like us, hardcore action fans. He suggested that I try it myself and use the years of knowledge I had in martial arts and tactics. That was how the original Battleground USA began. I sent him email chapters and he told me what he thought. It grew from there. That is also why you see the lead character’s name is Mark. It was all a joke in the beginning.
Why do you write?
I find writing to be the perfect outlet for my overactive imagination. I am constantly watching television or reading books and telling myself; Wow that was good but they could have done better. That is what I know aim for; to do better than the mainstream.
What sort of books to you like to read?
I read mostly action or fantasy. Jennifer Roberson is one of my favorites. I have read everything she has written with her characters Tiger and Del. I also read some of Stephen King and just finished Blackhouse. I was a bit let down though as I found it slow and sluggish. I like to kick back and read any western genre that I can.
Who is your favourite author or who has influenced your writing?
I would say my favorite author would be Stephen King. I select him because of what he has accomplished and the power he holds in the publishing world. I get a thrill when he dictates to the publishing world instead of allowing them to control him. I think it would be great if more authors had his power. I also admire Rowlands for her ability to take the world by storm. I can’t wait to see if she has the staying power of King however.
If you could meet a character from a book, who would it be and why?
That is easy! I would want to meet up with Roland from King’s Dark Tower trilogy.
What are you doing at the moment?
I am currently working on several projects. The fifth Battleground USA book titled "No Mans Land." And trying to get Memoirs of a Rogue whipped into shape. I am also writing a western titled "Deacon Cade" and a law enforcement title "Black Ops".
What have you found to be the best way to promote your books?
Promotion is such a tough subject for the POD author. I have tried about everything I can think of. One suggestion is the writers groups on the internet, if you can find a good one. I know the one I belong to now, NUW, is that type of group. I find to many of them to be self serving and the members will do little to help anyone but themselves. I also like places like authorsden, Zinos, and other sites where you can post your work and get the word out. I have just recently found that you can create lists on Amazon for favorite books. This is good because your name and title gets listed for free along with others of the same style, genre, etc.
What advice would you have for beginning writers?
As far as advice goes it is simple; write- write- write! Learn to promote yourself. Do not think that the publishers are going to do all of the work for you. Unless you are signed to a major deal off the bat you will get little help in marketing. Authors like King, Rowlands, Strauss, Clancy are very rare. If you write a manuscript and sit back waiting for the glory to come to you I fear you will have a long and lonely wait. Being published is attainable but you have to show them you have something to offer. Get out there and show them!