Enigmatic Tales: An Interview with Rick M. Clausen, author of The Unnatural Order of Things

Rick M. Clausen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business, which led him to a career in international marketing with a number of high-tech companies in the renowned Silicon Valley.

Mr. Clausen is also the author of three books in non-fiction regarding untold archaeology in Mesoamerica; his Norse connection in Scandinavia; as well as drawing on his experiences in a small leafy country previously at war with itself, called Vietnam.

A former U.S. Marine, he has a keen pleasure for writing, auto racing, the arias of opera, and struggles to keep his score below a hundred on the golf course.

A well-traveled strap hanger, Mr. Clausen takes delight in his globe-trekking. He lives with his wife in California, where they share a home with a certain impish but beloved cat.

You can buy The Unnatural Order of Things here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title represents this all-inclusive collection of short stories. Written in the supernatural genre, it showcases how the supernatural could affect the situations of people who encounter strange and unnatural phenomena in their lives. The title and cover art depicts that intimate and uncharted realm where the order of things find their unnatural place.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I have written and published three non-fiction books and thought it was time I wrote fiction. I have always admired and been inspired by Rod Serling and H.P. Lovecraft. There are other good authors in the similar vein, but the general question for me was always, “What if…?”

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

Retired now, I have a degree in marketing where my background ushered me into a multi-company career in Silicon Valley. I have worked on research studies, focus groups, graphic design, trade shows, film production, as well as other aspects of marketing. I am also listed on the Marquis Who’s Who in America registry list for 2020-2021.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

There are nine distinct stories in the book, therefore I could see nine individual musical themes. My apologies to all the great composers of the cinema, because there is a wealth of musical interpretation that could fold themselves into these tales. For your query, and in no particular order for the sake of a spoiler alert, I hear:

“Against the Wind” – Bob Seger

“Goodnight Saigon” – Billy Joel

“I Am… I Said” – Neil Diamond

“Magic” – Olivia Newton-John

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – U2

“As Long as I Can See the Light” – John Fogerty

“We’ve Got Tonight” – Bob Seger

“Gabriel’s Oboe” – Ennio Morricone

“When All Is Said and Done” – ABBA

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The genre is supernatural and therefore relies much on the reader’s imagination. The endings leave a void for the reader to fill in—an illusory, if you will, to what final direction the protagonist or antagonist might follow.

You can buy The Unnatural Order of Things here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.