Cosmic Dwellings explores the main character, the action and the inner turmoil of the planned 15-story crime-fighting ebook serial entitled “GOLD1E” with writer, Tony G. Marshall…
Cosmic Dwellings: With an intricately detailed nightmare, ever-growing suspense and mystery, along with issues of rape and drugs, and the presence of two sexy females – one of whom is the actual main protagonist – coupled with sexy vehicles and music, do you think “GOLD1E” has delivered in its first short story?
Tony G. Marshall: I like to think so. On a personal level, it has certainly set the bar for the premise and pace for the rest of the crime-fighting stories in the serial. Naturally, “A Purple Reign” – this first story – will always remain somewhat special. It was always my intension to maintain a certain sense of mystery in its unfolding, not only about the actual story, but the main character too. You realise how her name isn’t revealed until the very end, and it became a type of enigma in itself. It was entertaining to reveal certain aspects of the story with this approach, so I hope the entertainment value transfers over into people’s reading perceptions…
CD: Can you explain the reason for spelling the title of the serial with a ‘1’ instead of an ‘i’?
TGM: It’s a take on the main character’s car number plate, and can actually be pronounced as ‘Gold – One – E’. Therefore, I thought it appropriate to represent the character’s first name in this interpretation of the title.
CD: That brings us to her car itself – the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Special Edition painted in ‘Plum Crazy Purple‘ – what influenced the car aspect of the story?
TGM: Well, Goldie’s a skilled mechanic for one thing. I wanted to define her love of classic vehicles and that shows in this type of model of Challenger. I actually contacted a classic car dealership based in Missouri to use the copyright for the machine, so in a sense I made it an official ‘Goldie’ possession! And it’s even taken on a life of its own with the nickname of “Plum”… (interview continues below)
CD: It’s interesting how you have crafted the first story as a depiction of several elements of Goldie’s past and then utilised them into the storytelling of her current life and situation. Was this your original intention?
TGM: Not necessarily, but I found it was important to gradually introduce those past elements because those are the kind of things which have influenced her actions and thinking. Furthermore, it presented me with immediate opportunities for the other stories.
CD: Goldie would make a very good modern-day ‘Bond Girl’, did any of Ian Fleming’s original characters influence your development of her?
TGM: Yes, certainly the Fleming books were an integral part of that development. Three of Fleming’s original female characters namely, ‘Tiffany Case’ (“Diamonds Are Forever”), ‘Honeychile Rider’ (“Dr. No”) and ‘Vivienne Michel’ (“The Spy Who Loved Me”), I found were influential in the writing of Goldie. However, those kind of influences came after her initial creation and not before… (interview continues below)
CD: Goldie appears to be a multi-skilled and talented person, was it difficult to decide which way to develop her character with all these attributes?
TGM: No. I just wanted to portray a hard-working gal who had experienced a lot in her early life especially with the death of her husband and the subsequent ordeal she had to endure after that. It was her husband who inspired her to gain a skill and a qualification as a mechanic, therefore she inherited his legacy. Also, it was necessary to have her develop in such areas as the martial arts which ties in with her passion and commitment of righting life’s wrongs and so forth. The singing aspect of her nature is something she does very well, but not on a professional basis, even though she’d like to…that’s more like a hobby with the bands that occupy her social life…once again, this connection is through her late husband. Remember, she’s not any kind of ‘Superwoman’ with special powers – obviously it’s not a Science-fiction story…this is a story about an ordinary woman who has been hurt several times and aims to stop the hurting by channeling some of the more positive aspects in her life – like music and martial arts – which allow her a great deal of spiritual development.
CD: What inspired the idea for the Specialist Woman’s Organization of Retribution & Defense, otherwise known as ‘S.W.O.R.D.’?
TGM: I thought it was an interesting concept in which to allow the main character to both develop and represent. But, initially, it channels that old adage of do we really know the people we see or meet on the street? She was a victim and ‘S.W.O.R.D.’ became her channel, her forum, her occupancy in which to develop, deliver, and literally execute. But, primarily, it’s a network that indirectly renders her an ‘assassin’ against the evil in the world.
CD: And what about the sexy female leader of ‘S.W.O.R.D.’ – Jana Jurrant?
TGM: Well, the organisation needed its roots and reasons to exist, so ‘Jana’ is the perfect character for this element of the story. It was Jana who realised Goldie’s potential in becoming an operative and therefore presented her with the tools and the challenges and helped her to develop and learn the required skills to face those challenges. Their chemistry evolves around their professional relationship, but they both have a similar taste in men, a love of classic cars and martial arts. Goldie stands at a fair height of 5’8″ and Jana at a towering 5’10” and they’re both a ‘fitness’ force to be reckoned with.
CD: What made you choose the timeline of 1995 to 2008 in which to deliver the story?
TGM: Well, Goldie was born in 1968 so I thought having the story develop from the time just before her 27th birthday in 1995 was really ideal. At that point, there’s a great sense of who she is, what she’s been through, and where she’s going. Therefore, the very final story will take us to the year 2008 when she is 40 years old.
CD: The next story in the serial, entitled “The Song Remains The Same” will see her aboard The Silver Meteor heading for South Florida. What influenced this idea?
TGM: I thought it was a good idea to expand the location setting within the story. But, having her travel on the Meteor train also didn’t limit her access to the tools she requires in order to carry out the assignment, and I found it a good way to interweave the crime-related aspect into the story within the journey. I’ll continue to research other locations and travel possibilities for the remainder of the serial.
CD: There are some interesting concepts already planned, such as the 3-part story ‘arc’ entitled, ‘Harmony’s Voice’ – why was it necessary to have this type of idea within the serial?
TGM: The idea behind it was to represent the changes that have taken place in Goldie’s life at that juncture in the serial. Therefore, a considerable amount of character development is unfolding whilst maintaining the crime-fighting aspect of the storyline. ‘Harmony’s Voice’ is actually the name of a band in that story idea, so the music element is still a prominent force. (interview continues below…)
CD: What inspired the idea for the character’s theme tune?
TGM: It was a concept that allowed me to further develop the dramatic tension and action that surrounded the character’s development. So, it was purely for writing purposes but it appears to have taken on another dimension in respect of Goldie. The theme is an adapted variation on John Barry’s “The Persuaders!” theme and it’s performed by Bing Satellites. I’ve retitled it “Family Persuasion” for the story in relation to another element that is referenced throughout its timeline. Alternatively, it’s simply called “GOLD1E’s Theme” and you can listen to it at the following link: “FAMILY PERSUASION”
CD: Finally, the first story of the serial, “A Purple Reign” is available to read for FREE via this blog and Wattpad. When will the complete “GOLD1E” ebook be available for purchase?
TGM: In approximately 18 months to 2 years time. However, I’ve still yet to decide on which publishing platform it will be available from, so watch this space. The first two parts of “A Purple Reign” are now combined on this blog at this link: “A PURPLE REIGN”. And there’s also a link on there for the final part which is only available to read via Wattpad. However, the complete “A Purple Reign” on Wattpad is at the following link:
Goldie now with her very own dedicated Facebook and Twitter profiles at the following links below:
♫ COSMIC DWELLINGS ♫ 