Walker's Vale - Book Tour and Giveaway

​ The Devil is in the Details  

Walker’s Vale
Walker’s Vale Book 1
by John J. Zelenski
Genre: Faith-Based Supernatural Thriller  

​ James Cooper moved his family to Walker's Vale, Pennsylvania, in search of the ideal life. What he got was the just opposite. As this small town's eerie history is revealed and repeated, it's clear the devil is in the details...and he's waiting for the Cooper's young daughter.

When the FBI come knocking at his door, James quickly realizes that his ideal life may come with a steeper price than he thought. This story of faith, deception, and horror will captivate readers as one man fights for his family's safety and embarks on a journey toward redemption in this suspenseful supernatural thriller.


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The Journal of Ezekiel
Walker Walker’s Vale Book 2  

 In the fall of 1945, just after World War II, Ezekiel Walker has returned home on a furlough from his Civilian Public Service Unit. As Ezekiel tries to adjust back to life at the farm, strange and unexplainable events begin to occur at the homestead and Ezekiel begins to experience visions and bizarre sightings.

When a stranger suddenly arrives with promises to rebuild the small town of Walker’s Vale and befriend the young Ezekiel, a portal to the supernatural is opened and lives will never be the same. With seemingly no one at his side, Ezekiel is forced to become the man he doubts he can become and to finally understand his part in the war between the angelic and the demonic.

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 Author John J. Zelenski currently resides in beautiful northeastern Pennsylvania with his wife and two children. Besides writing, John works as a VA Certifying Official for the oldest distance-learning school in the United States. In his spare time (which is scarce) he enjoys collecting and selling sports cards and memorabilia and playing bass guitar, and video games.

John was inspired to write “Walker’s Vale” in part from some of his own experiences in the realm of the supernatural when he was a child. He is a born-again Christian and attends a Pentecostal church in his area. John is an admirer of the life and teachings of Smith Wigglesworth and William Branham. He cites Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti as essential influences on his writing.


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Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
My name is John J. Zelenski, and I am from beautiful Northeastern Pennsylvania, where I get to watch the four seasons pass with my wife and two teenage children. I think I became an author at an early age, but never started putting my stories to paper until around fourteen years ago. What I mean is that I’ve always been a storyteller at heart, even from a younger age developing and cultivating stories in my mind.

What is something unique/quirky about you?
I am a huge Chuck Norris fan and I love heavy metal music – specifically Christian heavy metal. In a dream come true of sorts, my friend Les Carlsen, former lead singer of Christian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Bloodgood, graciously wrote an endorsement on the back cover of The Journal of Ezekiel Walker.

Tell us something really interesting that's happened to you!
As a child, our home was witness to strange and otherworldly experiences when my family and I first moved into that house. Only after our then pastor blessed each room in the house, did the manifestations cease.

What do you do to unwind and relax?
Silly, but, when possible, I love to soak in a hot tub and read.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!
Christian, loyal, funny (I think)

Do you have a favorite movie?
Any of the Alien films will do.

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Actually, I am truly blessed to say that Walker’s Vale is presently optioned to be developed into a film. Walker's Vale - Production & Contact Info | IMDbPro. We are in the early stages but getting closer each day!

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
An orange rhino – orange is my favorite color!

What inspired you to write this book?
My own supernatural experiences as a child.

What can we expect from you in the future?
I have a completed manuscript titled, “The Fourth Chamber,” and I am working on the third and final installment of the Walker’s Vale series, titled, “Red Sky at Morning.”

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Journal of Ezekiel Walker?
A young Ezekiel Walker is a young man who is caught between heaven and hell – literally.
He is searching for his own identity in a world that is rapidly changing all around him.

His father, Johnas Walker, is a man struggling to keep his town and his church afloat after the devasting after affects of World War II. He is driven by the physical forces around him, and not necessarily the unseen realm at his very doorstep.

Simon Tremblestone is the very smoke of hell incarnate.

How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
The Journal of Ezekiel Walker is the prequel to Walker’s Vale, although it was released after Walker’s Vale chronologically. It is all from the viewpoint of Ezekiel Walker in a diary like format.

I decided to go back in time to tell the story of how the small, eerie town of Walker’s Vale came to be. The characters came alive to me when writing Walker’s Vale as I saw the past taking shape in the background.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I truly felt the anguish of Ezekiel at certain points in the book. Although bitter, I was happy that I could connect on such a deep level with the main character and was excited and hopeful that my readers would also.

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?
I wanted a name that would imply a small, out of the way, rural town where things are not always as they seem, and secrets are really just lies. After many close calls, “Walker’s Vale” was born.

Who designed your book covers?
My publisher, Peasantry Press, namely Zig Thiessen the graphic designer

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
I am constantly learning new things when writing. The most prominent things I learned are about myself. The pages seem to reflect character traits, failures, shortcomings, and successes back at me when writing.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
I just hope the reader is entertained, blessed, and finds their inner faith. Also, feel free to reach out via email or my web contact page. I will answer anyone will writes to me.

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
In Walker’s Vale, I might spend some time with James Cooper as he attempts to rearrange the new furniture to just the right spots. He is a perfectionist, and I think we’d either get along very well, or end up in a brawl.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Totally imaginative.

Have you written any other books that are not published?
When I was much younger, I wrote a “book” titled “Money For Sale” in which I advised the reader on how to turn a profit on sports cards and memorabilia. It never quite made the bestseller list for some reason.

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
Burgundy leather with a tinge of patchouli and a smidge of forest green.

Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?'-type tidbits about the author, the book or the writing process of the book.
I have a general idea of where the story is headed, but other than that, I let the characters lead the way and I follow them to where they take me. I can’t wait until I see how the story ends.

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
The Bible in various translations
Wuthering Heights
This Present Darkness
Too many others tied for the rest.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
Some develop out of nowhere and surprise even me.

Do you see writing as a career?
I would love to make writing my full-time profession.

What do you think about the current publishing market?
It’s a great time to self-publish, but still extremely difficult to be traditionally published especially with a niche genre. With some persistence, this can still be accomplished, however.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
When I can. It is mostly supernatural / thriller / suspense/ horror.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
I can write in either, but I would take the silence if given a choice. I hear my thoughts bounce around better in the quiet place.

Do you write one book at a time, or do you have several going at a time?
One at a time please. Although there are exceptions to everything.

Pen or type writer or computer?
Computer

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.
Ezekiel Walker from both The Journal of Ezekiel Walker and Walker’s Vale. His motto is “Not everything in this life can be explained.” I tend to agree with him.

What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?
I’ve always been a storyteller, so I think being an author just seemed to fit my personality.

Advice they would give new authors?
So many people tell me they are going to write a book, but then never follow through for whatever reason. I would encourage the potential writer to just go for it. Keep going and don’t stop. Even if you need to take a break for a short while. You can do this!

Describe your writing style.
I tend to write very descriptively. I’ve been told my stories make the reader feel like they are right there in the story. That is what I prefer. Can you smell the smoke, or taste the humid morning air on your upper lip? I hope so.

What makes a good story?
So many things do ultimately, but I’ve found that passion plus persistence equals success in the long run.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?
A little under a year if all goes right. Maybe six to eight months if all goes wrong. Seriously, on average, I would say 12-15 months.

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