Interview with Rami Ungar, Author of VIDEO RAGE

Congratulations on the publication of your latest book, Rami. What is Video Rage about?

Video Rage is the sequel to my first novel, Reborn City, and the second book in the Reborn City series, a science fiction trilogy I’ve been writing since high school. The series follows the Hydras, a street gang in the futuristic city-state of Reborn City, a Vegas-like metropolis. The Hydra leaders have strange powers, and the origins of these powers are tied in with the mysterious Parthenon Company that rules Reborn City.

In Video Rage, the Hydras are currently on the run from Parthenon and its cruel CEO, Jason Price. They’ve been branded terrorists and are being hunted across the North American continent. They also have to deal with internal struggles and strife, which leads to some really interesting drama among the characters. It’s a very dark time for the Hydras, and they’ll have to band together if they have any hope of finding a way out of their troubles.

Tell us a little about your main characters. Who is your favorite?

My protagonist is Zahara Bakur, a Sunni Muslim teenager from New York who found herself becoming a member of the Hydras by pure random chance. She’s the exact opposite of a gangster: she’s shy, modest, and timid, which makes her reluctant to take part in most of the Hydras’ activities. Despite this, she grows in confidence and courage throughout the books and establishes herself as an essential member of the Hydras, changing them and their outlooks on life as well. I really love her as a character, though I do have to put her through a lot of stress for the sake of story.

My other main character is Rip, a Hydra leader who’s a bit of a parody of the quiet and stern bad boys we see teenagers go crazy for in fiction these days. He’s tough and intense, but he can be too stubborn for his own good sometimes, and he actually has a phobia of talking too much, especially with people he doesn’t know. He has his own growth arc through the trilogy, mainly revolving around letting go of his earlier beliefs about the world and his place in it, as well as learning to open up to others, especially Zahara.

Why will readers relate to your characters?

I think readers will relate to my characters mainly because they may have been in similar situations to the characters. The Hydras have lived through violence and loss for all their lives, and many of them have been under the impression that they’re only meant for violence and loss. Zahara is a Muslim in a world that can be hostile to her faith, and has experienced horrible discrimination. Rip has struggled with drug addiction. They’ve lived hard lives, and even people who haven’t experienced these problems can identify with the characters, and with their hopes that things can change and improve.

What about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think that, at its foundation, Reborn City and Video Rage are sci-fi adventure stories. The books are filled with fights with superpowered beings, futuristic technology, gunfights, shadowy government figures. The characters are also lots of fun to get to know, and their journey and struggles are believable and real. I think there’s a lot here that will draw in readers and make you want to find out what happens in the story.

What is your goal for the book, ie: what do you want people to take with them after they finish reading the story?

While I didn’t originally have this in mind when I started writing the trilogy, I think what I want people to come away with is that just because people say you;re good for only one thing or you may believe that about yourself, doesn’t mean it’s true, or that you can’t be something better. The Hydras have erroneous beliefs about themselves, but Zahara challenges those beliefs when she joins their gang. She’s had people think the worst of her for years, but she’s never let those ideas shape who she is, and that’s something to the Hydras. I think that message is going to resonate with a lot of people, and I hope they take it to heart.

What was the most difficult part about writing the book?

Finding the time! I was able to write Reborn City through two years of high school, when my audience was family and friends and teachers, and I didn’t have a deadline or anything to make me write faster. But then I hit college and started to build an audience. And then I started publishing books, and Reborn City proved to be the most popular of my work. And readers wanted a sequel, which is difficult when you have a busy college schedule and a part-time job to do. Somehow though I did it, and I’m finally getting Video Rage out. Here’s hoping the third book doesn’t take as long to get out as the previous two did!

Who designed your cover?

The cover of Reborn City I designed myself on Createspace with a photo I took myself as artwork. I did the same thing with the cover of Video Rage, except I had my friend and fellow novelist Joleene Naylor do the artwork. She did a fantastic job bringing to life one of the scenes from Video Rage. I think I might have her do the final book’s artwork as well.

If your book was made into a TV series or movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters?

I’ve thought a lot about this, but I’ve only been able to match two actors to two characters. Firstly, I would like Tyler Possey from Teen Wolf to play Rip. He looks very close to my vision of the character, and he has the range to play the character. I also would love for Jason Price to be played by Samuel L. Jackson. In fact, I based the character on some of Jackson’s performances. So if either of them somehow find this interview, I hope they would consider helping get this book to the big screen and playing the characters I mentioned!

Have you written any other books?

I’ve published a collection of short stories called The Quiet Game, and a thriller called Snake. I’ve also written two more novels, and I’m compiling another collection of short stories. I’m a busy, busy guy with more stories than I know what to do with it!

What are you working on right now?

I’m going to edit another of my already-completed novels. Then I’m going to probably work on some short stories till November, when I plan to start writing the final book in the trilogy for National Novel Writing Month. With any luck, I’ll have that book out before I’m thirty!

Where can people learn more about your books?

All of my books are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo. If anyone reading this decides to read them, I hope you like what you read and that you find a way to tell me if you do. Positive or negative, I love hearing from my readers.

Blog: https://ramiungarthewriter.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RamiUngarWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RamiUngarWriter

See also:
Rami Ungar, Author of “Snake”
Rami Ungar, Author of “Reborn City”
Rami Ungar, Author of “The Quiet Game: Five Tales To Chill Your Bones”

Rami Ungar, Author of “Snake”

What is your book about?

“Snake” is about a young man (and I mean young) whose girlfriend is kidnapped over the phone. Later events cause him to have a break with his sanity and he becomes a serial killer, determined to hunt down every member of the mafia family that has his girlfriend. It’s a very dark thriller, and it’s very unusual to have the serial killer as a protagonist. I’m hoping that will allow people to enjoy the story more, though. Fingers crossed, at any rate.

What inspired you to write this particular story?

I guess maybe it was the movie “Taken”. Yeah, there are plenty of similarities, but it’s definitely it’s own story. That’s actually what I wanted: I wanted to create a much darker story than “Taken” portrayed, though that was pretty dark in itself. I like to think I’ve succeeded in that respect. We’ll see what the reviewers say.

What was the most difficult part about writing the book?

Probably time and school work. You want to devote all your time to writing, but inevitably things get in the way, and you end up taking several breaks. In the end it took me six months to write this book, though if I’d had more time to work on it, I might have gotten it done in half the time.

Tell us a little about your main characters.

First off, we have the Snake, our very unconventional protagonist. He’s gone through a great change, and it’s why he’s the killer he is now. I purposely did not reveal his real name in the novel, because I wanted to imply that we all could become like the Snake under certain circumstances.

There’s also Allison Langland, my main character’s girlfriend. Unlike other damsels in distress, she’s a bit more proactive. She doesn’t waste away in a cell hopeless or hoping to be rescued. She’s a fighter, and I love that about her. I think that’s also why the Snake loves her, come to think of it.

Did you do any research for the book? If so, how did you do it?

I did plenty of research on New York City, where the story takes place. I also did research on serial killers and psychopathy, the better to understand what sort of character I was constructing. I even had a forensic psychologist and profiler give me his diagnosis on the Snake based on crime reports I created. All in the name of authenticity.

What about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Well, it’s an unusual story, so I think that might get people interested. And if people really take the time to check it out, I’m sure a few of them will end up enjoying the story and identifying with the characters. That’s the hope, anyway.

What are you working on right now?

I’m writing another thriller novel, as well as editing the sequel to my previous novel “Reborn City”. I’m also working on interviews, blog posts, and articles. As usual, I’m busy as a bee.

Are you writing to reach a particular kind of reader?

I guess I’m aiming for readers who like what I like. That means Anne Rice, Stephen King, and James Patterson, with a dash of manga and anime. Don’t know how many people are like that, but I’m trying to find them.

What, in your opinion, are the essential qualities of a good story?

I could probably spend hours philosophizing about that. There are many, many components that are needed to make a good story. But in brief, a good mastery of vocabulary, spelling, and grammar, a good plot and wonderful characters, and hard work will make for a good story.

What advice you would give to an aspiring author?

Read, write, work hard, and never give up.

Where can people learn more about your book?

Where Snake is available: http://www.amazon.com/Snake-Rami-Ungar/dp/1495434931/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1402622066&sr=8-3&keywords=rami+ungar

Blog: http://ramiungarthewriter.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RamiUngarWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RamiUngarWriter

Rami Ungar, Author of “The Quiet Game: Five Tales To Chill Your Bones”

Hi, Rami. Good to talk to you! What is your book called?

It’s “The Quiet Game: Five Tales To Chill Your Bones”, and it’ll be available later this year as an e-book.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

At least since I first read “Harry Potter”, though I didn’t realize it till I was around ten or so. At that age you want to be a scientist, a superhero, a firefighter, President. But at ten I realized I wanted to write, and I’ve been writing since.

What writer influenced you the most?

I’d have to say Anne Rice, Stephen King, and James Patterson. I discovered the first two when I was in junior high and high school, and they blew my mind. I knew after reading them, horror was what I wanted to focus on. I discovered James Patterson shortly before graduating high school, and I think he was the one who taught me how to write thrillers. To this day, I think of Alex Cross and James Patterson when I think about how I was able to write my thriller novel “Snake”.

How long did it take you to write your book?

I spent about a week for every short story, so about five weeks. Each story had its own challenges in writing it, but I enjoyed writing each and every one of them. I hope people enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

How long had the idea of your book been developing before you began to write the story?

I basically collected a bunch of ideas that popped into my mind all of the Fall 2012 semester, wrote them down, and then picked the five best ones out of those ideas and worked on them over winter break. I was really surprised how easily some of these short stories came to me, like “Addict”, which is about a guy trying to recover from a sex and porn addiction. I managed to get that one typed out in a day, a record for me with short stories.

Does writing come easy for you?

That really depends. Some days I can really write out several pages of work, and some days I can barely get one page down. I’m still looking for a pattern as to why some days are better than others. If I ever figure it out, I’ll let you know.

Have you written any other books?

I’ve written a science fiction novel called Reborn City and a thriller called Snake. RC is in the middle of its final edit before I put it out online, and Snake’s first draft is done, so I’ll get to looking at it soon. I’m waiting till March to edit Snake though, because I want to look at it with fresh eyes when I edit it.

Do you have mental list or a computer file or a spiral notebook with the ideas for or outlines of stories that you have not written but intend to one day?

For short stories, I usually write them on sticky notes or note paper and put them on the tackboard in my dorm room before I write them. For novels, I wirte down all my ideas on a list on my flash drive. Otherwise they’d be whizzing around my head and they might get lost in that dark abyss of a mind.

How many stories do you currently have swirling around in your head?

Too many to count!

What, in your opinion, are the essential qualities of a good story?

I’d say, make sure it’s something you’d want to read. Don’t write thinking, “This’ll be popular” or “This’ll sell well.” Write a story that makes you think to yourself, “I’d like to pick this up at a bookstore or library and spend all day and night finding out what happens.”

Where can people learn more about your books?

If you really want to know more, I’d recommend checking out my blog, Rami Ungar the Writer. http://ramiungarthewriter.wordpress.com/ It has all my writing updates for the past year and a half, and you’ll find links to short stories that have been published in magazines. I write at least three posts a week, so you’ll learn a bit more about my work if you just keep visiting and reading.

Thank you for talking with me today, Rami. Best of luck with your books!