M.L. Rudolph's Blog
January 31, 2013
About Facing the Son, a novel of Africa
A few questions and answers about my first book which takes place in north Africa. I hope you find it inescapable and take the journey.
1: Where did the idea for the book come from?
I wanted to go back in time to the west Africa I traveled in the early eighties. It was a different place than today. The risk to white, western, or European travelers was not so pronounced. The US State Department didn't warn to stay close to the main cities and never travel alone. Such as it was, I was able to get around without the sense that my mere presence would incite trouble.
Plus I wanted to tell a story about a father trying to find and repair his relationship with his son, a subject close to my heart.
So I set the story in a place and time that was familiar to me and struggled with the father's journey not only though the countryside but through his own feelings and past behavior.
2: What genre does your book come under?
Let's say Adventure, or possibly Family Adventure.
3: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I could see Jeff Daniels as Matt, the midwestern father in search of his son. Maybe Chris Rock as Jean-Louis, the angry concierge. Mary Steenburgen as Melanie, Matt's ex-wife, organizing the trip to force the two men in her life to come back together.
4: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Matt Reiser fulfills his ex-wife's request to travel to west Africa in search of their estranged son, and upon arrival he is drugged, robbed, and left penniless and paperless in an Abidjan slum.
So starts the book and Matt's journey of discovery.
5: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
My book is self-published. And I plan on self-publishing all my books, even if I get lucky and one turns out to be a hit. I like the independence. And I will remain a GREAT fan of all independents.
6: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took about eight weeks. Revision can take me many months more, depending on how much time I have to devote to remake and rework the story, the characters, and the language throughout. And I reworked this story at least a dozen times over the course of eighteen months.
7: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I just wanted to write the kind of book I like to read. Plus I really missed my son, and writing about those feelings a father has for his son allowed me to feel closer to him, even though not physically closer.
8: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Take a look at the headlines coming out of north Africa. My characters are amalgams of some of the people I met and got to know over the course of my travels through the territory. There was always a tremendously strong and prevalent feeling about the former French colonists, and this I noticed and felt constantly. There was and still is a seething animosity toward that chapter of history. It's not surprising to see that historical and cultural resentment flare up as it has recently.
If you're interested in looking deeper into the territory through the eyes of fictional characters then this is the book for you.
Now! Let's get to know this other great new novelist:
1: Where did the idea for the book come from?
I wanted to go back in time to the west Africa I traveled in the early eighties. It was a different place than today. The risk to white, western, or European travelers was not so pronounced. The US State Department didn't warn to stay close to the main cities and never travel alone. Such as it was, I was able to get around without the sense that my mere presence would incite trouble.
Plus I wanted to tell a story about a father trying to find and repair his relationship with his son, a subject close to my heart.
So I set the story in a place and time that was familiar to me and struggled with the father's journey not only though the countryside but through his own feelings and past behavior.
2: What genre does your book come under?
Let's say Adventure, or possibly Family Adventure.
3: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I could see Jeff Daniels as Matt, the midwestern father in search of his son. Maybe Chris Rock as Jean-Louis, the angry concierge. Mary Steenburgen as Melanie, Matt's ex-wife, organizing the trip to force the two men in her life to come back together.
4: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Matt Reiser fulfills his ex-wife's request to travel to west Africa in search of their estranged son, and upon arrival he is drugged, robbed, and left penniless and paperless in an Abidjan slum.
So starts the book and Matt's journey of discovery.
5: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
My book is self-published. And I plan on self-publishing all my books, even if I get lucky and one turns out to be a hit. I like the independence. And I will remain a GREAT fan of all independents.
6: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took about eight weeks. Revision can take me many months more, depending on how much time I have to devote to remake and rework the story, the characters, and the language throughout. And I reworked this story at least a dozen times over the course of eighteen months.
7: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I just wanted to write the kind of book I like to read. Plus I really missed my son, and writing about those feelings a father has for his son allowed me to feel closer to him, even though not physically closer.
8: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Take a look at the headlines coming out of north Africa. My characters are amalgams of some of the people I met and got to know over the course of my travels through the territory. There was always a tremendously strong and prevalent feeling about the former French colonists, and this I noticed and felt constantly. There was and still is a seething animosity toward that chapter of history. It's not surprising to see that historical and cultural resentment flare up as it has recently.
If you're interested in looking deeper into the territory through the eyes of fictional characters then this is the book for you.
Now! Let's get to know this other great new novelist:
June 10, 2012
Pasadena Payback - Check out the new cover and tell me...
is the first in my series of Pasadena Crime Novels.
CrispÃn Gomez Diaz runs cash between Pasadena and Nogales to pay off his missing brother’s debt. He has family in Los Angeles and in Sinaloa, and he does what he’s told to keep his family safe.
While CrispÃn is leaving on his final run, joyriding barrio boys swipe his backpack not knowing that it carries a small fortune hidden among the contents. CrispÃn has thirty-six hours until his appointment in Nogales. If he shows without the cash he’s dead; if he doesn’t show, his family is.
Meanwhile, Crispin’s undocumented status becomes a behind-the-scenes issue in a local political contest. The gardener no one noticed suddenly becomes popular when he needs to remain invisible until he tracks down his backpack.
Dirty debts, raw ambition, and old loyalties collide in this fast-moving tale of honor and payback.
CrispÃn Gomez Diaz runs cash between Pasadena and Nogales to pay off his missing brother’s debt. He has family in Los Angeles and in Sinaloa, and he does what he’s told to keep his family safe.
While CrispÃn is leaving on his final run, joyriding barrio boys swipe his backpack not knowing that it carries a small fortune hidden among the contents. CrispÃn has thirty-six hours until his appointment in Nogales. If he shows without the cash he’s dead; if he doesn’t show, his family is.
Meanwhile, Crispin’s undocumented status becomes a behind-the-scenes issue in a local political contest. The gardener no one noticed suddenly becomes popular when he needs to remain invisible until he tracks down his backpack.
Dirty debts, raw ambition, and old loyalties collide in this fast-moving tale of honor and payback.
April 14, 2012
FREE Day on Kindle. Sunday, April 15. What You Got to Lose?
Former Number One at Kindle Action and Adventure.
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
Free all day Sunday. Load up a great summer read.
The Best Choice in 2012, March 15, 2012
By Cat mom (LI NY) - This book is different from my usual Kindle choices.... It was absolutely outstanding. I found the African setting interesting. The father's search for his son drove the exciting plot. The novel was worth many stars.*
I loved this book, March 12, 2012
By Jim Brumm - I can't believe that this wonderful book is as inexpensive as it is. It is a great read of a father's quest to find his son in Africa to deliver a letter from the boy's dying mother. But it's so much more than that. It is a saga of cultures clashing, of regret, redemption, and adventure, all told with great writing. There aren't enough good books that are set in Africa. This is one of the best. I would have been happy to pay $10 for this book.
Captivating! March 5, 2012
By BookAddict (FL) - I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end. The plot is multi-layered, with mystery, suspense, drama and adventure. The characters are unique and have many dimensions. They made me care and I wanted to crawl inside the story with them. The dialogue is realistic. The ease of the descriptions immersed me in African countries and cultures. I did not simply read this story. I experienced it.
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
Free all day Sunday. Load up a great summer read.
The Best Choice in 2012, March 15, 2012
By Cat mom (LI NY) - This book is different from my usual Kindle choices.... It was absolutely outstanding. I found the African setting interesting. The father's search for his son drove the exciting plot. The novel was worth many stars.*
I loved this book, March 12, 2012
By Jim Brumm - I can't believe that this wonderful book is as inexpensive as it is. It is a great read of a father's quest to find his son in Africa to deliver a letter from the boy's dying mother. But it's so much more than that. It is a saga of cultures clashing, of regret, redemption, and adventure, all told with great writing. There aren't enough good books that are set in Africa. This is one of the best. I would have been happy to pay $10 for this book.
Captivating! March 5, 2012
By BookAddict (FL) - I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end. The plot is multi-layered, with mystery, suspense, drama and adventure. The characters are unique and have many dimensions. They made me care and I wanted to crawl inside the story with them. The dialogue is realistic. The ease of the descriptions immersed me in African countries and cultures. I did not simply read this story. I experienced it.
February 18, 2012
My First Amazon FREE Day! Sunday, February 19
BREAKING -- (as they say in the news business)
JUST PEAKED AT NUMBER ONE IN KINDLE ACTION AND ADVENTURE.
Rush over to Amazon for my first free promo on KDP Select. Load your Kindle with a wild journey through the African countryside.
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
And thank you for making the trip.
JUST PEAKED AT NUMBER ONE IN KINDLE ACTION AND ADVENTURE.
Rush over to Amazon for my first free promo on KDP Select. Load your Kindle with a wild journey through the African countryside.
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
And thank you for making the trip.
February 6, 2012
Follower Love Giveaway Hop - Feb 7th to 14th
A father’s enduring love for his estranged son propels him on a mission to West Africa.
The trip misery piles up but nothing can deter Matt Reiser from locating his son. Except his son.
Use this code: RD36Z. Expired...
Go to for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
Or for a 99 cent copy click .
The trip misery piles up but nothing can deter Matt Reiser from locating his son. Except his son.
Use this code: RD36Z. Expired...
Go to for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
Or for a 99 cent copy click .
January 12, 2012
Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop, January 13 � 18
Ever dreamed of taking a trip to Africa, say West Africa, say Abidjan, Ivory Coast?
What would you do if you woke up in the middle of a grim city slum without your passport, your money, your luggage? Matt Reiser had to figure that out. He woke up staring into a group of onlookers, unable to communicate, and not sure where he was. All he had planned to do was fly in, hand deliver a message to his estranged son, and fly out. He lost the handwritten message with everything else.
Use this code PL54X for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son, go to
What would you do if you woke up in the middle of a grim city slum without your passport, your money, your luggage? Matt Reiser had to figure that out. He woke up staring into a group of onlookers, unable to communicate, and not sure where he was. All he had planned to do was fly in, hand deliver a message to his estranged son, and fly out. He lost the handwritten message with everything else.
Use this code PL54X for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son, go to
December 29, 2011
Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop
A Giveaway is a great opportunity to add to your digital library.
Use this code: UN45B.
And for a free e-copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
1979. Matt Reiser travels to West Africa in search of his son. He's mugged upon arrival and loses everything. He is thrust into sudden poverty, unfamiliar territory, language, and culture, as he struggles through cities, slums, jungle, and desert. On the way, he forms friends and enemies and meets a world he never wanted to discover. The new experiences force him to reevaluate his broken relationship with his son until they meet and face one another as never before.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son , go to
Use this code: UN45B.
And for a free e-copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
1979. Matt Reiser travels to West Africa in search of his son. He's mugged upon arrival and loses everything. He is thrust into sudden poverty, unfamiliar territory, language, and culture, as he struggles through cities, slums, jungle, and desert. On the way, he forms friends and enemies and meets a world he never wanted to discover. The new experiences force him to reevaluate his broken relationship with his son until they meet and face one another as never before.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son , go to
December 26, 2011
Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop
A Giveaway is a great opportunity to add to your digital library.
Use this code: UN45B.
And for a free e-copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
1979. Matt Reiser travels to West Africa in search of his son. He's mugged upon arrival and loses everything. He is thrust into sudden poverty, unfamiliar territory, language, and culture, as he struggles through cities, slums, jungle, and desert. On the way, he forms friends and enemies and meets a world he never wanted to discover. The new experiences force him to reevaluate his broken relationship with his son until they meet and face one another as never before.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son , go to
Use this code: UN45B.
And for a free e-copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa .
1979. Matt Reiser travels to West Africa in search of his son. He's mugged upon arrival and loses everything. He is thrust into sudden poverty, unfamiliar territory, language, and culture, as he struggles through cities, slums, jungle, and desert. On the way, he forms friends and enemies and meets a world he never wanted to discover. The new experiences force him to reevaluate his broken relationship with his son until they meet and face one another as never before.
Or for a 99 cent copy of Facing the Son , go to
December 2, 2011
Book Lover’s Holiday Giveaway Hop
For this Holiday Hop Giveaway, add an adventure to your new Kindle or other e-reader.
Use this code SP88Z at to get your free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa.
See previous posts for excerpt and for background on Ouagadougou and other places the story takes you.
Take your first international trip to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and upon arrival get mugged, lose everything, and wake up on a hard pack street in a grim city slum. What do you do? You can’t speak the language. Your pockets are empty. You’ve come to find your son as a last request from his dying mother.
Get up. Soldier on. Discover why you really came.
Use this code SP88Z at to get your free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa.
See previous posts for excerpt and for background on Ouagadougou and other places the story takes you.
Take your first international trip to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and upon arrival get mugged, lose everything, and wake up on a hard pack street in a grim city slum. What do you do? You can’t speak the language. Your pockets are empty. You’ve come to find your son as a last request from his dying mother.
Get up. Soldier on. Discover why you really came.
November 13, 2011
Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop, November 17th to 27th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & All-Consuming Books
Use this code JE96M on the site below for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
What is a giveaway hop?
Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers to hop easily from one giveaway to another.
For followers this means lots of chances to win free books.
For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors.
It's a win-win!
Each participating blog will host their own giveaway. There is no requirement on the minimum or maximum value of the giveaway, which can be books, swags, Amazon gift cards, or anything else that an author, reader or blogger would enjoy.
All participating blogs will be linked up through a Giveaway linky.
Click here for free offer:
Return to Hop Here
Use this code JE96M on the site below for a free copy of Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa
What is a giveaway hop?
Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers to hop easily from one giveaway to another.
For followers this means lots of chances to win free books.
For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors.
It's a win-win!
Each participating blog will host their own giveaway. There is no requirement on the minimum or maximum value of the giveaway, which can be books, swags, Amazon gift cards, or anything else that an author, reader or blogger would enjoy.
All participating blogs will be linked up through a Giveaway linky.
Click here for free offer:
Return to Hop Here
