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Author Interview

Janet Smith Interviews Christopher O’Brien

Welcome to the realm of the "paranormal" with Christopher O’Brien.

Christopher first began his writing career quite by accident in the early ‘90’s with a series of articles for a local newspaper. The articles were related to his investigation of unusual paranormal activity in the San Luis Valley of south central Colorado. The findings of his investigation resulted in the publication of his first book, The Mysterious Valley (St. Martin’s Press – Sept. 1996). The subject and material were so wide-spread and plentiful that he wrote a second book, Enter the Valley, which continued along the same subject lines as the first book – UFO reports, unusual and strange animal deaths, Native American legends, crypto zoology, secret military activity and the folklore of the San Luis Valley. He is currently researching and writing the third book of his Mysterious Valley series, along with many other projects.

Venture forth . . . if you dare, into the life and worlds of Christopher O’Brien.

TZ: What first attracted you to investigate paranormal events in the San Luis Valley?

Christopher: The San Luis Valley may be America’s most anomalous region. What my neighbors were experiencing in the early 90’s (and the history of unusual events in the area) needed investigating and the results of this process needed to be communicated out to the public. This task fell into my lap rather serendipitously, for no one else seemed compelled enough to investigate the events occurring nightly around south central Colorado and north central New Mexico. When I began writing my first series of articles for our small local newspaper, I realized immediately that the subject matter was too dense and extensive to be covered in that forum and it needed to be in book form.

TZ: Have you always been interested in the paranormal?

Christopher: Yes. And for good reason! One spring night in 1963, when I was six years old, I was followed around my Belleview, WA neighborhood by four non-human entities I described as “stickmen carrying spears.” My parents dismissed my 3 AM experience as “sleepwalking,” but I knew without question the incident was real. I had even designed an ambush under a streetlight to get a better look at the three-foot tall creatures carrying small glittering spears as they followed me around from house to house. Prior to this experience, I was not allowed to watch TV or go to movies and (to my knowledge) had never seen any images that could have somehow triggered my experience. It wasn’t until later that I first became aware of UFOs and so-called “aliens.” Years later, after becoming involved in researching the subject, I found out a series of these visitations happened to residents of the two towns on either side of Bellevue that same spring of 1963. This nocturnal sighting was the first of numerous events I have experienced that I cannot explain and this has prompted me to read well over one hundred books on the subject.

TZ: Do you have nightmares?

Christopher: Almost never. When I do, they are usually about politicians  <grin>.  After ten years of investigating off-the-scale weirdness, nothing rattles me enough to cause sleepless or nightmare-filled nights. I sleep like a baby.

TZ: How did you go about finding an agent to represent you and have your first two books, The Mysterious Valley and Enter the Valley, published with St. Martin’s Press?

Christopher O’Brien: I never attempted to find an agent as I was referred [to my first literary agency] by a writer friend who recommended me to his agent. She is a well-connected, fast-talking LA schmoozer that calls everyone “honey.”  She assigned me to her top agent who successfully shopped my first book proposal. At the time (1993) UFOs and the paranormal were fairly hot topics generating hundreds of rejected proposals per week. I was told by St. Martin’s that my proposal was selected because they considered my book to be unique enough to potentially become a “mainstay.” A mainstay is a book that stores sell out and then re-order so they always have a copy on their shelves. Seven years after it was published, The Mysterious Valley is in a fifth printing, so maybe they were right.

TZ: When can we expect your third book of the Mysterious Valley series to become available?

Christopher: I’m still researching and conducting interviews for two other books. Part 3 probably won’t be ready for my new agent to shop for another year or two.

TZ: When writing non-fiction books, how much time and work go into the research?

Christopher: Of course it depends on the subject matter, but generally a majority of your work is centered on a researching process that can become quite time-consuming and involved.  In my case, I scoured clean the local newspaper archives of material related to my investigation and read countless books on the subject to learn the languaging, history and nuances of the subject. I find the best place to start is by locating and befriending the people who have already done similar research and compiled archives of information relating to your subject. It makes sense to cherry-pick the work of others for leads on where to go and what to look for. This will save you a lot of time and focus your efforts.  In my case, I contacted three investigators who had been actively investigating the San Luis Valley since the early ‘70s; two journalists whom had written many articles about unusual events in the valley and a local college professor. I also interviewed a famous experiencer who was willing to point me in the right direction for important source material.

 TZ: Would you like to write fictional stories about extraterrestrial beings and other worlds?

Christopher: I’ve never considered writing literary adult fiction in this genre. I think riveting non-fictional subject matter is far more compelling than most ET-inspired fiction. I have a partially completed children’s book, Ziggy: The Spider From Mars, that centers around an immigrant spider and his two housefly friends, Buzzby and Guy. The book is written with the laws of modern physics left intact. In other words, when a flyswatter sizzles through the air faster than the eye can see and thwacks the counter, to the fly it appears to move in slow motion and sounds like a chorus of angry ghosts. I have also co-written a dramatic screenplay inspired by my investigative work that could be called a cross between China Syndrome, Iran-Contra, Close Encounters and Indiana Jones. It finished runner-up in the 1998 Southwest Screenwriter’s Guild Contest.

TZ: What guidelines and rule-of-thumb tips can you offer non-fiction writers who are trying to get their books or articles published?

Christopher: Keep in shape––write every day. Find subjects with the widest possible appeal. Find a fresh, original angle and/or approach to your subject matter. Believe in your motivations and ability. Dazzle a well-connected agent and cultivate professional relationships––It’s not “who ya know” but whom your agent knows that owes them a favor. Be persistent and don’t be dissuaded by rejection of any kind. Persistence alone is omnipotent. Don’t be afraid of being controversial and back up your facts religiously. Offset dry material with humor and always look for irony. Perfect your interviewing technique. Dig, dig, dig and then find a bigger shovel and dig some more.

Here are my suggested rules of investigating the paranormal in the order I realized them (as found in both my books):

Rule #1
Controversial subjects generate polarized responses in the average person.

Rule #2 
Record or write down everything as soon as possible, no matter how inconsequential or insignificant it might seem at the time.

Rule #3 
Always credit your sources and respect requests for anonymity.

Rules #4
Always be ready for anything, anytime. Look for coincidences when investigating claims of the unusual. Often, there may be a synchronistic element at work. 

Rule #5 
It is impossible to be too objective when investigating claims of the unusual.

Rule #6
Always assume there is a mundane explanation until proven extraordinary.      

Rule #7
Appearances can be deceiving. There is always a possibly of more happening than meets the eye.

Rule #8 
If you publicize claims of the unusual, choose your words wisely for your "spin" may have tremendous influence.

Rule #9 
Media coverage of the unusual, because of its sensational nature, is often inaccurate and cannot be accepted as totally accurate by the investigator.

Rule # 10 
The human mind, when faced with the unknown, reverts to basic primal symbols to rationalize its experience.

Rule # 11 
When investigating claims of the unusual, one cannot reach conclusions based on intuition alone. 

Rule #12 
There is a possibility that the (sub)culture itself may co-create manifestations of unexplained, individually-perceived phenomena.

Rule #13
We must be extremely careful not to perpetrate our own beliefs, suspicions or actual experiences into the minds of those who want desperately to have a "special" event happen in their lives.

TZ: Can you tell us a little bit about your work with mayasites.com and the setting up of educational tours of the Yucatan–Home of the Maya?

Christopher: My brother and his girlfriend spent two years visiting the major and many of the minor Mayan archaeological sites of the Yucatan and Chiapas regions of Mexico. Three years ago they established Mayasites Travel and have four of the top Mayan archaeologists leading their tours. I handle the 1-800 phone line here in the U.S. and help clients plan their adventure. I am also helping produce an educational DVD that will reveal compelling new information about Mayan cultural practices. We are presently in pre-production and slated to begin shooting in the late summer.

TZ: What do you like to read for pleasure?

Christopher: UFOlosophy (Jacques Vallee, John Keel, etc.), spy thrillers  (Tom Clancy, Richard Marchinco, etc.), historical fiction (James Clavel, Gary Jennings, etc.), rock and roll biographies, cutting edge science theory, philosophy, books on prophesy, religion, magical working, history, etc. I usually have 4 or 5 books going at once. That way I can always select a book to read depending on my mood at the moment.

TZ: What are your favorite past times?

Christopher: In no particular order: Being inspired by the muse. Reading, writing, arguing politics with my ‘net buddies, composing digital art in Photoshop, writing and recording synthesizer music, producing bands, going to movies, UFOlosophizing with my mentors, exploring roads I’ve never traveled, fishing, golf, listening to the radio, skywatching, hiking, getting a massage, drinking beer while watching football, yelling at the TV while watching corporate news’ (so-called) coverage of world events, blowing peoples minds with facts about life’s hidden mysteries . . . .

 TZ: Being a professional keyboard player/music-producer, do you write song lyrics?

Christopher: Yes. Here’s one about a Wall Street yuppie on the verge of a breakdown . . .

Instant Coffee Karma   (1995)

Instant coffee, sugar if you please nine to five gonna bring you to your knees 
Rise and shine 'cause you ain't done yet
Bet the cellular portion of your intellect 

Big money, information
Rise & shine you ain't done yet
Big monies temptation
Rise and shine you ain't done yet 

Wall street calls in standardly poor index rising you can't be sure nasdaq surfing they'll take your bet buy on time if you ain't bought yet

Rise past the sleepers walk past the zeros move past the risers run past the walkers walk past the movers  drive past the runners  run past the walkers  ride past the limit

Instant coffee karma
Big money, information
Rise & shine you ain't done yet
Big monies temptation 
Rise and shine you ain't done yet 

Wall street potion bring you to your knees, mutual funds night's decadent sleaze, everywhere you go the bells will tease cure the temptation, lure the disease 

Instant coffee karma instant coffee karma instant coffee karma instant coffee karma
Instant coffee karma instant coffee karma instant coffee karma instant coffee karma

TZ: Thank you, Christopher, for taking the time to answer these questions in full and share your song, Instant Coffee Karma. T-Zero readers are sure to enjoy this candid and most informative visit with you.

Continued success in all that you do!

To learn more about Christopher and his work, visit http://tmv.us
To find out more about Maya Sites, visit http://mayasites.com