*Book Review* In the Eyes of Madness

Introducing Author... Michael Pang

Project manager by profession but modern Renaissance man by nature, Michael Pang has dabbled in many different areas in his career. From working with steam turbines to eventually switching into the world of IT. His plethora of experiences highlight his personality- he's a person always searching for more knowledge. 

Michael was born in Hong Kong in 1983. His family immigrated to San Francisco when he was three and eventually landed in Florida. After graduating from high school, Michael gained his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. Despite his demanding work schedule, Michael is very involved in activities at his local Project Management Institute Chapter where he fulfills his passion for teaching as the Vice President of Education. But, his desire to serve and help others doesn't end there, he's an avid Christian. He is very active in his local church and even volunteers at children's church in his ministry., along with his 2 daughters and lovely wife. 

He speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin and in his free time enjoys reading, writing, eating, cooking, playing music, dancing, singing, and watching musicals. His motto is "Every day you haven't learned something new, is a day wasted."

What is your favorite book?

It is very hard for me to decide on one favorite book because I have so many. Here's a list, Pride and Prejudice, The Dresden Files, Mistborn, Harry Potter Series, and Immortal Instrument Series. 

Who is your favorite fictional character? 

Harry Dresden from The Dresden Files. Harry is a character that holds dear his set of morals, however, he also has the insight to take a step back to see how his set of morals have been changing over time. I like that.

I see you are a Harry Potter fan, what house do you belong to? 

RAVENCLAW, I'm a nerd, what can I say...

What are you currently reading at the moment?

Shadow of Self from the Mistborn Series. Sanderson has an amazing way of making all his characters and the world they live in come to life like no other. 

Hobbies?

Read, Write, Sing, Dance, Cook, Watch Musicals, and Build. I have a variety of hobbies, now if only I could have 36 hour days...

If you could spend a day with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

I know, I know, most other Christians would most likely say, Jesus. But I know I'm going to get to meet Him anyway one day and will spend the rest of eternity with Him. Besides, I speak to Him daily through prayer. If I could spend one day with anyone, it would be my grandmother who recently passed away in December. She had been battling cancer for 6 months prior to her death. She had finally beaten cancer, but the chemo weakened her body so much she caught pneumonia. She was supposed to come live with me after her cancer treatment and just didn't make it. I'd love to be able to spend one more day with her. 

Do you have any hidden talents? 

Hidden like from other people? or from myself? If it's hidden from me, I guess I wouldn't know anyway. If it's hidden from other people, then I would be hiding it for a reason...probably wouldn't want to reveal it on the internet... :) (Touche Michael! 😊) 

Things you keep at your desk?

Pictures of my wife and kids, my computer, phone, tea (lots and lots of tea)!

How long have you been writing and what initially inspired you to write?

Honestly, I've been interested in writing for as long as I can remember, but haven't really sat down to write a book until 2011. It might sound strange, but...dreams. Everyone has dreams, but most people forget what they dream about when they wake up the next morning. However, sometimes you get dreams that are so intriguing that they get stuck in your mind. I have those and when I wake, I would always try and force myself back to sleep to continue the dream. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. When it doesn't, I always say to myself, "I wonder what would happen next." My mind then starts to daydream throughout the day of possible subsequent scenarios and possible endings. That's actually how my first novel, IN THE EYES OF MADNESS, came about.

What's your cure for Writer's Block?

Since dreams are usually my inspiration, I guess, I'd sleep! Although, most of my dreams that ended up as book ideas tend to be nightmares. I guess in addition to sleeping, I's have to see what I'd have to do to induce a nightmare. I know, sounds awfully dark...but I'm a cheerful person...

What motivated you to write IN THE EYES OF MADNESS?

The idea came to me in a dream one night. I was surprised that I was able to get into a deep enough sleep to actually dream. We (my wife and I) were new parents and our newborn was only a couple months old. What meant we barely slept! So, it was kind of a miracle for me to even have such a vivid and amazing dream (or nightmare, I couldn't really decide). When I woke up from it, I tried going back to sleep, but it was of no use. I couldn't get the dream to continue. In the morning, I told my wife all about the dream and we decided it made a good book idea. I was desperate to find out what happened at the end, but since I wouldn't get the dream to continue, I decided that I'd just have to write the rest myself. 

How long did it take you to write IN THE EYES OF MADNESS?

It took me about 4 years to write the book, but 2 of those years were spent editing...lots and lots of editing. 

How did you come up with the title?

It was an image from the nightmare that I had. The teen was looking at his face in the mirror and couldn't recognize who he had become. And there was just fear and madness in his eyes. That's what I wanted to capture. 

Who designed your cover?

My book cover was designed by Dip Lahkar. Who, I thought did a very good job creating what I had in mind. However, after releasing the book and getting a lot of feedback from the readers, the cover misconstrued the book to be too much of a children's book, which was not my intention. I plan on re-releasing an edition two with a different book cover sometime in the Spring.  

Are there underrepresented groups or ideas in your book that you would like to discuss?

Yes, so in the book, there is a group called the "Hunter" that was briefly mentioned. I'm in the process of writing another book series that will share the world, and as a matter of fact, some of the characters will end up crossing over. The new book series will focus mainly on Hunters. And also, the "Demons" are mentioned quite a bit in the book, so I will also have a third book series that will focus on the origin of demons. 

Are there any experiences in your book based on someone you know or events in your own life?

Nope, purely fictional! Thank God! I hope no one has to go through that!

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, logistical) you faced while bringing your story to life? 

Actually, my biggest struggle was finding time to write. With working full time and having an infant at home, I was lucky enough to find time to sleep! 

What advice do you have for new writers?

Edit and rewrite. Repeat and rinse. Maybe after the 30th time, it'll sound right to you! ;)

"The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls."                                                                                                                         - Edgar Allan Poe

A near-tragic incident at the hands of his psychotic mother left Declan Peters alone with so many questions. 

Years later, Declan is determined to find a way to be closer to his mother and takes a job at the institution where she's being held. That fateful decision will be the impetus for a chain of events so terrifying that Declan will question his own grasp on reality. 

What he finds will be more horrifying than anything he has ever experienced and more dangerous than anything he's yet known. In a place rife with demonic possessions and sadistic beings, will Declan finally be able to find the answers he's longed for before it's too late or will he succumb to the evil forces that inhabit the institution and all who live there?

To find out more about the book and about its author Michael Pang visit

 http://intheeyesofmadness.com/

Purchase In the Eyes of Madness on AMAZON

"Hell is Empty and all the Devils are Here." - William Shakespeare

            Rating 3/5

Overall my review is mixed. It was hard for me to connect with the characters and felt as though the story was being told to me, instead of being INSIDE the story. I really wanted to like Declan's love interest Keira but she came off as too preachy to be likable. But I LOVED the story behind the Nephilim and P-born children. When the origin of Declan, Tristan, and Zoe's demonic-like powers were revealed, I was completely drawn in. The story ended rather abruptly and left me with a lot of unanswered questions. I look forward to seeing where the story goes, as I feel the end of this novel is really just the beginning. 

HAPPY FRIDAY my Friends! Hope you all have an enjoyable weekend! 

Lots of love! XoXo- Cheryl