Author Interview - Candice Lemon-Scott @CandiceLSAuthor

What makes you happiest?

Spending time with my family.

Why do you write?

Because it makes me feel good to write and I just have to get those ideas out of my head and down on paper.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Yes, it was my favourite thing at school and I always enjoyed and did well at creative writing.

What books did you love growing up?

I loved anything by Enid Blyton. I also liked mysteries like the Trixie Belden books and Sherlock Holmes.

What book genre of books do you adore?

I actually really enjoy young adult fiction.

Are there any books you really don’t enjoy?

I don’t really go for ‘trashy’ novels, mainly because the editor in me can’t help noticing clichés, poor grammar or word repetition. I prefer something that makes me think and question or that really hooks me in.

How did you develop your writing?

I began by writing a children’s story then I discovered I needed to learn some more formal writing skills to improve. I enrolled in the Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing and Editing) and learned so much during that time. I still get involved in workshop groups and attend seminars and workshops to continue learning. Over time, from reading and writing more, I think my skills develop more as a writer. Like anything, the more you practice the better you get.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everywhere. It can be a conversation I’ve heard, a place I’ve visited, something I’ve experienced, a news story, or an event. The more I get out and see and experience things the more inspired I am.

What is hardest -- getting published, writing or marketing?

I find marketing the hardest because I’m not all that comfortable with self promotion. I don’t really like to talk about myself but I’m working on that as I’ve discovered people are genuinely interested in my work and what I do.

What marketing works for you?

I like to get out and meet readers and potential readers through writing events and I’m always pretty proactive through social media.

Do you find it hard to share your work?

I used to when I was first writing and was a lot less confident. My writing course really helped me with that because we had to workshop our writing constantly. Now I love it, even though there’s always a little of that that niggling self doubt, where I wonder if people will like my work or not.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

Yes, definitely. They make it all worthwhile. My husband is my biggest fan and promoter and I always read everything I write to him first. My friends are always so encouraging too.

What makes you happiest?

Spending time with my family.

Why do you write?

Because it makes me feel good to write and I just have to get those ideas out of my head and down on paper.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Yes, it was my favourite thing at school and I always enjoyed and did well at creative writing.

What books did you love growing up?

I loved anything by Enid Blyton. I also liked mysteries like the Trixie Belden books and Sherlock Holmes.

What book genre of books do you adore?

I actually really enjoy young adult fiction.

Are there any books you really don’t enjoy?

I don’t really go for ‘trashy’ novels, mainly because the editor in me can’t help noticing clichés, poor grammar or word repetition. I prefer something that makes me think and question or that really hooks me in.

How did you develop your writing?

I began by writing a children’s story then I discovered I needed to learn some more formal writing skills to improve. I enrolled in the Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing and Editing) and learned so much during that time. I still get involved in workshop groups and attend seminars and workshops to continue learning. Over time, from reading and writing more, I think my skills develop more as a writer. Like anything, the more you practice the better you get.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everywhere. It can be a conversation I’ve heard, a place I’ve visited, something I’ve experienced, a news story, or an event. The more I get out and see and experience things the more inspired I am.

What is hardest -- getting published, writing or marketing?

I find marketing the hardest because I’m not all that comfortable with self promotion. I don’t really like to talk about myself but I’m working on that as I’ve discovered people are genuinely interested in my work and what I do.

What marketing works for you?

I like to get out and meet readers and potential readers through writing events and I’m always pretty proactive through social media.

Do you find it hard to share your work?

I used to when I was first writing and was a lot less confident. My writing course really helped me with that because we had to workshop our writing constantly. Now I love it, even though there’s always a little of that that niggling self doubt, where I wonder if people will like my work or not.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

Yes, definitely. They make it all worthwhile. My husband is my biggest fan and promoter and I always read everything I write to him first. My friends are always so encouraging too.

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Genre - Literary fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Author Interview–Adrian Powell

What do you do to unwind and relax?
I like to unwind by listening to music. I relax by enjoying the moment. Often I found myself preplanning the future but I have found it both refreshing and comforting to just enjoy all that I have accomplished thus far in life.
If you could leave your readers with one bit of wisdom, what would you want it to be?
At this present moment, you have more than enough to accomplish anything you want in life. All you have to do is trust yourself, plan, and execute.
Are you reading any interesting books at the moment?
Currently whenever I am in a bookstore I make sure to find time to read at least one graphic novel. I am planning on publishing my own series of graphic novels soon so it excites me to see the comic book genre get revitalized. I often times find myself reverting back to childhood memories as I get lost in action packed stories that I once knew.
What are your current writing projects now?
Currently now I am in the development stage for another picture book for children ages 4-9 involving self-beauty. I have just begun talking with an illustrator on collaborating on a graphic novel series that I am extremely excited about. I also hope to release a collection of short stories later this year under a pen name.
Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor?
I believe a lot of people are my mentors even if they are totally unaware of it. I feel that we can learn a lot from the clues people leave behind on their personal trek to success. So I observe anyone who is at a certain level in life that I aspire to be at one day.

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Genre - Children’s Book, YA

Rating – G

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Constantinopolis by James Shipman @jshipman_author

His father! Mehmet stewed when he thought of him. His father had never shown him any real affection or spent significant time with him. He was not, after all, originally the heir to the Sultanate. He was a second son and only became heir when his older brother died. Mehmet had been forced from then on to endure a frantic and often harsh tutoring process. He was just beginning to grasp his responsibilities when at the age of 12 his father had retired and named him Sultan. He had done the best he could to govern, but in short order Grand Vizier Halil had called his father back to take over the throne. The Sultan felt Halil should have helped him, should have supported him. Instead he had watched and reported Mehmet’s shortcomings to his father, betraying him and leading to his humiliation.

From then on Mehmet had bided his time. He had learned to keep his thoughts and emotions to himself, to trust no one. He had studied everything: military art, languages, administration, and the arts. He had worked tirelessly so that when he next ruled he would not only equal his father but also exceed him. He would be the greatest Sultan in the history of his people, Allah willing.

His chance came when Murad finally died only two years before, as Mehmet turned 19. Mehmet quickly took power, ordering his baby half brother strangled to assure there would be no succession disputes, and set to organizing his empire. He had learned to be cautious and measured, leaving his father’s counselors and even Halil in power to assist him. From there he had slowly built up a group of supporters. They were young and exclusively Christian converts to Islam. These followers, many of whom now held council positions, were not nearly as powerful as the old guard, but they were gaining ground. They were the future, if Halil did not interfere.

Halil. His father’s Grand Vizier and now his own. He had always treated Mehmet with condescending politeness. He was powerful, so powerful that Mehmet could not easily remove him. So powerful it was possible he could remove Mehmet in favor of a cousin or other relative. Mehmet hated him above all people in the world, but he could not simply replace him. He needed Halil, at least for now, and Halil knew it.

This dilemma was the primary reason for Mehmet’s nighttime wanderings. He needed time away from the palace. Time to think and work out a solution to the problem. How could he free himself from Halil without losing power in the process? He could simply order Halil executed, but would the order be followed or would it be his own head sitting on a pole? The elders and religious leaders all respected and listened to Halil. Only the young renegades, the Christian converts who owed their positions to Mehmet were loyal to him. If Halil was able to rally the old guard to him, Mehmet had no doubt that the result would be a life or death dispute.

Mehmet needed to find a cause that could rally the people to him. The conversations he had heard night after night told him this same thing. The people felt that his father was a great leader, and that he was not. If he could gain the people’s confidence, then he would not need Halil, and the other elders would follow his lead.

Mehmet knew the solution. He knew exactly what would bring the people to his side, and what would indeed make him the greatest Sultan in the history of the Ottoman people.

The solution however was a great gamble. His father and father’s fathers had conquered huge tracts of territory in Anatolia and then in Europe, primarily at the expense of the Greeks. Mehmet intended to propose something even more audacious, to conquer the one place that his ancestors had failed to take. If he succeeded he would win the adoration of his people and would be able to deal with Halil and any others who might oppose him. If he failed . . .

The Sultan eventually made his way back near the palace, to the home of his closest friend, Zaganos Pasha. Zaganos, the youngest brother of Mehmet’s father in law, had converted to Islam at age 13, and was Mehmet’s trusted general and friend. He was the most prominent member of the upstart Christian converts that made up the Sultan’s support base.

Zaganos was up, even at this late hour, and embraced his friend, showing him in and ordering apple tea from his servants. Zaganos was shorter and stockier than Mehmet, a powerful middle-aged man in the prime of his life. He had receding dark brown hair. A long scar cut across his forehead and down over his left eye. He looked on Mehmet with smiling eyes extending in to crow’s feet. He smiled like a proud uncle or father.

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Genre – Historical Fiction

Rating – PG

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Website http://james-shipman.com

Nobody Has to Know by Frank Nappi @FrankNappi

Nobody Has To Know, Frank Nappi’s dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to expose him. NHTK is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.

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Genre - Thriller

Rating – PG-13

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Website http://www.franknappi.com

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sandy Nathan @sandyonathan

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sandy Nathan

I’m not a well-known author, so you probably don’t know much of anything about me. I’ll fill in the blanks.

1. I am old. This may seem like a suicidal thing to say in an industry that considers authors kaput at thirty-five. I’m pushing seventy. I’m supremely happy and comfortable in my skin, more than I’ve ever been. I couldn’t write what I do when I was younger. I didn’t have the depth of understanding or the ability to immerse myself in a story. I for sure didn’t have the writing skills. I’ve spent about eighteen years in two writing groups and being coached/mentored by my editor. My creative mind is as sharp as ever, though my short-term memory is a bit wonky. (Who did you say you were?) And––I just got a new horse, a gorgeous gray Peruvian Paso mare. We’re in love. So don’t fear aging, it’s not so bad.

2. I was born in San Francisco and lived either there or on the San Francisco Peninsula most of my life. That area came to be known as Silicon Valley. My dad was the President and CEO of what was the 9^th largest residential construction company in the United States in its heyday. I know what powerful, successful men and women are like, and I know their energy. I also know how social systems work in very prosperous places. They’re brutal. This knowledge is most relevant for my Bloodsong Series, which takes place in the late 1990s to the contemporary era, but it’s also relevant for the Earth’s End Series. The economically segmented world, in which Jeremy Edgarton and his friends live in (in The Angel & the Brown-Eyed Boy) is drawn from my childhood.

3. I lived in a golden bubble of prosperity until I was eighteen years old. When a drunk driver ran into my father’s car head on, my wonderful life was ripped from me. My dad was horribly maimed and died after three days of agony. I went from a golden princess to someone living close to poverty level. Boy, was that ever a character-building experience. I developed myself as a result and learned to stand on my own feet. I’m very different than I would have been had my dad lived, but I do miss the bubble sometimes.

4. I went to school a lot. I love learning and it was part of my salvation after my father was killed. I’ve got an MS in Economics and an MA in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling. (I was doing a career change.) I also spent a year at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in their PhD program. This convinced me that I did not want a PhD in Economics, but it opened the door to a twenty-year gig coaching negotiations for one of the professors. I loved this: just me, a video camera, and two MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) students in a small room. There, I bludgeoned them into being able to listen non-judgmentally. The skill probably lasted two minutes after they walked out of the room, but I consider it my contribution to making the world a better place.

5. I have worked a lot. I’ve worked three gigs as an economist. I was project economist on two studies—one a year long and the other a year and a half. The studies were managed by the Planning Department of Santa Clara County (southern part of Silicon Valley). The second one was a big deal, funded by the National Science Foundation and jointly conducted by the SCC and the RAND Corporation. I got to play with the really bright boys there. Later, I was the Economic Analyst for Santa Clara County. I gave it all up to get my MA in counseling––and to be a mom. I had my two daughters right about then. I’ve done other stuff, too. We owned a furniture store. I went back to school (again) and studied interior design. I worked as the principle designer in our store for ten years. Out of the blue, our family was consumed by a horse addiction. We were all smitten by Peruvian Paso horses and ended up breeding them for twenty years before retiring. So, be glad if you’re old and not lazy, you can cover a lot of ground.

6. I had my first visionary experience as a young teenager, riding my horse through the redwood groves of the Coastal Range down the spine of the San Francisco Peninsula. Much later, getting my MA in counseling, I learned it was a “unitive experience.” The redwoods with their motes of light and the soft dust of the trail, the gurgling brook surrounded by ferns, my warm horse with his gentle breathing, and I merged. I couldn’t tell one from the other. It was a glimpse of the way the world should be, or could be. Peaceful. Ecstatic. Sacred. I’ve had those experiences ever since, usually when something rotten happens.

7. Because of the tendency for tragic and traumatic events to throw me into ecstatic states that turn into books, I say that I write “literature through disaster.” The Earth’s End Series came to me after a transcendent experience following my brother’s death. You can read more about it the Author’s Note at the front of the book. Something even worse produced the Bloodsong Series. (It’s in the Author’s Note of that series, as well.) These glimpses of the divine that give me my books punch a hole in the universe and allow me access to higher realms of being. The hole stays open after I’ve spit the initial book out. With Earth’s End, I wrote The Angel & the Brown-eyed Boy at warp speed. When I was done, Lady Grace & the War of a New World was there. When I was done with The Lady, pop! The Headman & the Assassin flowed in. The way I get my books is through a gestalt of meaning, I don’t have trouble finishing them. Whereas before the experience of creating the Bloodsong Series, I couldn’t finish a limerick to save my life; afterward, I finish pretty near everything, eventually.

8. I’ve always written, whether academically or professionally. I thought I was a good writer. I was, for those fields. That means nothing in terms of writing publishable fiction. So I participated in two writing groups and worked with my editor, turning into a pretty good writer. I’m tougher on myself than anyone else is, which is a good thing. Clean up those participles! Sponge those redundant phrases!

9. My primary purpose in writing is to raise my readers to that higher plane I touch every so often. Do I want to change the world? You bet. Do I want to save the world? If it’s possible. No matter how grim, grisly, violent, bloody, sexy, or beautiful my writing is, every word is there for one reason: to wake people up and get them to think. To inspire them. Life is so short and transitory; we need to savor every minute. As my father’s death showed me, everything can be gone in a moment.

10. You don’t have to know all this stuff about me to read my books, but it will fill in the blanks and give you an indication of what shaped my words.

I hope you’re moved to read my work and I hope you find it valuable if you do. Thanks so much for walking this way with me. It’s been a privilege to share my life with you.

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Genre – Metaphysical Science Fiction

Rating – R

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In Love With My Best Friend by Sheena Binkley

1

Camille

How did my life get so complicated? One minute, I, Camille Anderson, was living a pretty normal life in which nothing ever happened to me, and the next I'm practically being hauled away from the premier wedding venue in Houston, The Corinthian, by security because of my sudden outburst to the groom.

I should have known I was setting myself up for disaster, but I had to do it. I had to tell my best friend that I'd been in love with him since I was thirteen.

I really didn't expect the scene to unfold the way it did, especially while Trevor was getting married, but I couldn't hold my feelings in much longer. I felt he was making a terrible mistake, because he was marrying the wrong woman. He should have been marrying me.

I guess I should backtrack to when Trevor and I first met. It was seventeen years ago, when the Williams family first moved into the house next to ours. I was outside waiting for my friend Tia Simmons to come by when I first noticed Trevor. He was absolutely gorgeous as he stepped out of his family's SUV. He had that "boy next door" look, with wavy black hair and smooth ivory skin. He looked over at me and gave me a huge grin, which I greatly returned.

After that day, not only did we become friends, but our parents became great friends as well. We always went by each other's homes for dinner or for game night (until we were too old to appreciate hanging out with our parents on a Friday night).

We were practically inseparable during our high school years, and many of our friends thought we would eventually get married and have lots of kids. When anyone mentioned that to Trevor, he would shrug it off and say, "We're just friends, and it will stay that way until the day we die." Usually those words would tug at my heartstrings, but being the shy person I am, I never let my feelings show.

As we went to college, Trevor and I went into the same major, public relations. That was when he met Chelsea Parker, who was also my roommate. At first I liked Chelsea because she was basically a sweet person, but when she set her sights on Trevor, I quickly disliked her. Not because she took Trevor away from me, but because she became a different person.

If only I could go back to four weeks ago, or even seventeen years ago, I would be with the man I loved...

~

Four weeks ago....

"I don't know why you dragged me to this," I said as I looked at my friend Tia. The two of us were inside the Aventine Ballroom of Hotel Icon waiting for our friend Trevor and his fiancée, Chelsea, to arrive for their engagement and welcome home party. The two had announced their engagement to everyone a while back when Trevor was visiting his parents before going back to Dallas. Not only did he announce his engagement, but he also said that he had accepted a new position at a prestigious PR firm and was moving back to Houston. Although I was happy that my best friend was moving back, I was not thrilled that he was getting married.

"For once, why can't you be happy for Tre? He and Chelsea are finally getting married."

I gave Tia an evil stare as I looked toward the revolving door to the ballroom.

"You know how I feel about Trevor and Chelsea getting married."

"Oh please, Cam, when are you going to get past the fact that Trevor found someone? I told you to admit your feelings to him, but being the person you are, you decided not to."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You felt you would have been rejected if you told Trevor your true feelings."

"If I remember correctly, in high school when Charles asked him why we never hooked up, he said, and I quote, 'We're just friends.'"

Tia rolled her eyes at me and started to stare at the door as well. This was not the first time we'd had this conversation about my feelings for Trevor, so I'm pretty sure Tia was tired of hearing it.

Tia was my other best friend and the complete opposite of me. While I was quiet and reserved, Tia was wild and carefree. She always did what she wanted and didn't care about the consequences. People always thought we were sisters, with our caramel-colored complexion and long, dark-brown hair. But that was where the similarities ended. I looked down at my black sequin dress that went above my knees, wondering if I was dressed appropriately for the occasion; but as I looked at the hot-pink dress Tia was sporting, I figured my outfit was perfect.

"So how are things between you and Eric?"

"Finished; I broke up with him a couple of days ago."

"I'm assuming because he's not Trevor? Cam, you have got to move on."

I sighed as I noticed two figures coming through the door. I started to breathe slowly as I watched my friend walk in with his fiancée. Trevor always was attractive, but tonight he looked really handsome in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and blue and white striped tie. His black, wavy hair was cut short, bringing out his beautiful brown eyes. He walked hand in hand with Chelsea, the woman I wish I'd never met, who was positively glowing in an ivory-colored empire dress. Her reddish brown hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and her makeup was flaw- less. Although I was completely jealous of Chelsea, I had to admit the two made a stunning couple.

Tia gave me a frown.

"You OK?"

"I'm cool. Let's just get this over with."

While the crowd of family and friends were clapping and whistling for the happy couple, all I could do was just stand in my place, looking at Trevor as if he was the only person in the room. He gave me a smile that showed the deep dimples on each of his cheeks. As he went to greet a couple of his family members, I took a deep breath to control any tears from flowing.

I shouldn't have come tonight.

~

Trevor

"Why did we plan a huge engagement party? Everyone knows we're engaged," I asked my fiancée, Chelsea, as we were walking hand in hand down the corridor inside Hotel Icon.

"Sweetie, I just wanted everyone to celebrate in our happiness and what better way than a huge party?"

I sighed as I continued to walk, not realizing how frustrated I was becoming.

Chelsea was the love of my life. I instantly knew I wanted to marry her when I first laid eyes on her in Camille's dorm room. The two were roommates their junior year at University of Houston, which was great for me, considering I was able to see my best friend and my girlfriend at the same time. Although Camille and I were really good friends, I got the sense that something had been bothering her since I'd been dating Chelsea. Call me crazy, but it seemed as if Camille was jealous of our relationship. I hope not, because Chelsea loves Camille and considers her a good friend.

As we walked into the ballroom, everyone from our family and our friends were clapping and cheering for our arrival. We started to wave at everyone as we entered. Once I turned my head toward the center of the room, I had to stop and admire the person staring straight at me. My heart jolted several beats at the beauty who was giving me a dazzling smile. Camille Anderson had always been a beautiful woman, from her caramel-colored skin to her deep chocolate eyes; she definitely stood out in a crowd.

Just looking at her long hair flowing around her face and the black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places made me feel sort of embarrassed, because I shouldn't have been looking at her in that way. I always considered her my best friend and nothing more, so why was I looking at her differently now?

Chelsea turned her attention to me, wondering what was wrong.

"Is everything OK?"

I suddenly realized I was staring a little too long as I turned to Chelsea.

"I'm fine," I said as I squeezed her hand.

I gave Camille a huge grin as I walked over to talk to a nearby guest. I snuck another peek at her; she was talking to our friend Tia near the bar. I don't know what was going on with me, but hopefully this feeling I was having about my best friend would go away soon.

That's if I want it to.

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Genre - Contemporary Fiction

Rating – PG13

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Website http://sheenabinkley.wordpress.com/

Author Interview – Reagan Chesnut @reaganchesnut

Tell us a bit about your family.

I come from an awesome family.  My dad is a nuclear radiologist and my mom is an advocate for refugees in the community.  I have two high-achieving brothers, one is a musician and linguistics major and the other is an engineering student.  I’ve just recently started a family of my own.  I have an amazing husband, Glen, who is an actor and stay-at-home dad, and a little boy named Beckett, who just turned one.  We also have a very large Alaskan Malamute puppy, Belle.

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

I just get on with my life.  I have self-doubt a lot, but there’s really nothing I can do about that.  I just have to do what I’m gonna do to the best of my ability.

What scares you the most?

Spiders.

What makes you happiest?

My family.  And really good parking spots!

Why do you write?

I write because I have to.  It’s my outlet for self-expression.  It’s my best form of communication.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Since I was a little girl.  Writing has always been easy for me, when I had to work very hard at public speaking and interacting with crowds.

What motivates you to write?

The finish line!  I work well with deadlines.  I find it hard to write for writing’s sake.

What writing are you most proud of?

My first play, Kyrie, is the first full-length creative piece I’ve ever done.  That was a big deal for me.  I also have to say, I’m very proud of my Masters dissertation.  It is 16,000 words and it was a beast!

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

My son.  He’s quite the kid.

What books did you love growing up?

The Velveteen Rabbit, Ender’s Game, The Happy Prince, The Hobbit.  There are more, but those ones shaped my reading preferences.

Who is your favorite author?

There are so many!  I need to pick two here – one author and one playwright.  My favorite author is probably Terry Pratchett. He is so intricate with the Discworld novels that you can re-read them indefinitely in any order imaginable and you will discover something new every time.  I suppose I should say my favorite playwright is Samuel Beckett, since I did name my son after him, but in terms of sheer enjoyment and fascination, my favorite playwright is Martin McDonagh. The man is a genius.

What book genre of books do you adore?

I am a huge epic fantasy buff, especially when those books come in series.  I like to be able to spend time with characters and follow their development.  I guess I feel cheated when a book ends and that’s the last I hear from that world.  Terry Pratchett and Brandon Sanderson are great for this – you get to know their worlds so well it’s almost like you’ve lived in them.

What book should everybody read at least once?

Stiff by Mary Roach.  It’s fascinating, and I think it really speaks to our Humanity in a light, but respectful way.

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

I like to say I grew up everywhere.  I was born in Portland, Maine, but my dad was in the Air Force, so we were re-stationed about every three years.  I lived in San Antonio, TX, Clovis, NM, York, PA, Newport News, VA, St. Louis, MO, and Ada, MI.  I got to experience a lot of different cultural pockets in America, and the experience gave me the travel bug.  After college I spent six years living in Ireland, where I studied playwriting.  The literary culture there is so rich, it has definitely influenced and encouraged my work.

How did you develop your writing?

I took a lot of writing classes in high school and college, then I went on to do a Masters in Theatre and Performance at Trinity College, Dublin.  While I was in Dublin, I worked as a script reader for Fishamble Theatre Company.  I worked very closely with the literary manger and read 2-4 unsolicited scripts weekly.  Reading developing work is probably the most useful thing I’ve done to improve my writing.  You start to recognize things that are effective, ineffective, and the things you are doing in your own writing.

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Genre – Children’s

Rating – G

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Connect with Reagan Chesnut on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.reaganchesnut.com

Author Interview – Moira Katson @moirakatson

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

For me, learning to cope with self-doubt is a bit like strengthening a muscle. If I concentrate really hard, I can tune out that voice for a little while, and the more I persevere through it, the better I get! When all else fails, I remind myself that editing is where a lot of the magic happens.

Why do you write?

I write because I have to, which sounds very dramatic, but it’s true. If I try not to write, it builds up and builds up until I stay up for a whole night, typing away. You could find bits of stories in every notebook and planner I’ve owned. I often have napkins with paragraphs on them, stashed in my purse!

What books did you love growing up?

I was a huge fan of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede, and the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. Both of them featured feisty characters who did not allow anyone else to determine their life story, and the books had a good sense of humor, too! I had no patience for books that seemed designed only to depress me.

How do you feel about self-publishing?

It’s a mixed bag. As you might expect, I do not believe that self-publishing is ruining the industry. I think there are a lot of really incredible books that are being self-published, that the traditional publishers could not accommodate for whatever reason. I will say that self-publishing will give you an appreciation for the intricacies of the business. Whether you’re trying to do everything yourself, or hire freelancers, there are a LOT of details that you are responsible for getting into line. It’s not an experience that would make everyone happy. Every author has to choose the best path for them, and for their readers.

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

Well, I now live with my husband and a roommate in a rambling sort of house on the outskirts of the twin cities, but I grew up in a very small town in Western Massachusetts, surrounded by gorgeous farmland! My parents are both ministers and geeks, and so I grew up in a house filled with books: Anne McCaffrey, Madeleine L’Engle, Orson Scott Card, and all sorts of books on theology. We had no TV, so I read a lot.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I think inspiration is a bit like dreaming. It’s everything you see, from news to books to videogames to sunrises, all muddled together and sent back in a different arrangement. The problem is, there’s no way to know when your subconscious will spit something back! I’m lucky – right now, it feels like inspiration is everywhere! (Sometimes, of course, it feels like I cannot think of a thing to write.)

What marketing works for you?

At the start, I reached out to a lot of book bloggers to get those first few reviews, and that spread the books to a lot of people, but perhaps the biggest response has come from getting onto a “book of the day” list – that was what helped propel Shadowborn up through the ratings enough that people found it.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?

Everyone is very supportive, which is wonderful. People check in to ask how writing is going, and tell me that they’re reading my books! It’s great. Also, I have the best group of beta readers ever, so that’s amazing.

What else do you do to make money, other than write? It is rare today for writers to be full time…

I work as a financial analyst, actually. Excel spreadsheets, and all that.

If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?

Well, last time I studied economics, focusing on international trade and labor. I got into neuroscience right at the very end of my degree, and didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to explore that. In addition to being completely fascinating, it has a certain mad-scientist-y flair to it!

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

I write a lot in notebooks at coffee shops and on the bus (and my lunch breaks), and then transcribe that onto my laptop while curled up on the couch at home! I recommend it as a strategy, because there’s a built-in first round of editing.

Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry?

I have made a few friends in the industry since I started writing, but most of my friends are avid readers, not writers!

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?

My family and friends have really been wonderful. My parents were incredibly supportive, and nurtured my love of storytelling before any of us knew where it was going—our house was always full of books! My husband and my friends have been so involved in beta reading and listening to me ramble on about plot points and talking me through some moments of awful self-doubt. Of course, my fans have also been incredible—it means more than I can say to have someone reach out and say they liked your books!

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Genre - Fantasy

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with Moira Katson on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www. moirakatson.com

Author Interview - Roby Rose @robynrozeauthor

Tell us a bit about your family.

I’m married to my high school sweetheart and have two teenagers.  We also have a six-year-old rescue dog that is definitely the baby of the family.  I work from home as an accountant and juggle that with writing, providing taxi service for my kids and spending time with my husband.

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

I simply imagine how I will feel if I buckle to those insecurities.  We all have them, but I’d rather try my best knowing that the outcome may not be what I wish, and that’s okay.  To me, pushing ahead in the face of self-doubt is far better than giving up, only to look back wondering—what if?

What scares you the most?

Not having enough time to do all of the things I still want to do.  That includes writing more books, traveling with my husband and seeing what kind of adults my kids will become and the adventures they will have as their lives evolve.

What’s your greatest character strength?

Recognizing my flaws.  We all have them, and I’m certainly no different.  However, over time, I’ve learned to cut myself some slack.  And in doing so, I’m more tolerant of others, as well.  It’s not easy to change and sometimes you just have to accept yourself the way you are.  When you do that, you have more compassion for other people.  At least that’s been my experience.

Why do you write?

That’s easy—it’s fun!  I’ve always enjoyed reading and it’s even more rewarding to create characters, places and stories.  In real life, we don’t have nearly the control over people or events that we believe we have.  As a writer, I have complete control over what happens in a story, and it feels empowering.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Yes, always.  I loved writing when I was a kid.  I even won some creative writing awards in school.  However, in time, the responsibilities of adulthood overshadowed my writing interests and I shelved them for a very long time as nothing more than childhood dreams.

What motivates you to write?

The desire to live my dream is what motivates me.  I’ve told my kids to count themselves lucky in life if they are able to do something they love, because that means they will never work a day in their lives.  Of course, I mean ‘work’ in the sense of drudgery.  I have never worked harder than since I began writing, networking, marketing, and self-publishing—but I love every minute of it!

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

My marriage.  I’ve been married for over 25 years to my high school sweetheart (known him for almost 35 years) and we are still best friends.  No one else can make me laugh the way he does and the older you get, the more laughing you need to be able to do—trust me.

What books did you love growing up?

I loved Sidney Sheldon.  Rage of Angels was the first book that I immediately reread the instant I finished the last page.  In general, I have always liked books with strong female characters.  Barbara Taylor Bradford’s book A Woman of Substance is another example and a classic as far as I’m concerned.

Who is your favorite author?

Okay, it’s impossible to name only one.  It depends on my mood.  So here are some of my go to authors:  James Rollins, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Lisa Renee Jones, Kendall Grey, Carl Sagan and Neil Degrasse Tyson.  As I said, it depends on my mood.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Women’s Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Romance

Rating – R

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  Robyn Roze on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.robynroze.com/

Birth of an Assassin by Rik Stone @stone_rik

Jez turned his head and saw jeeps stacked up one behind the other, coming at him. They were equipped for combat with mounted mortar cannon and sub-machine guns rigged on the integral bases behind the front seats. The heads of soldiers bobbed behind mortar blast protectors as the vehicles maneuvered over snowdrifts. He couldn’t tell how many vehicles, but seeing them fan out and fire, the number no longer seemed relevant.

He ran. He wanted to drop the ski jacket to quicken his pace, but he’d lose his weapons. The only thing he could do was wind in his head and race flat out. WHUMP! A mortar shell exploded 50 meters forward and to the right of his position. Shrapnel whizzed by, and though he could hear it, he felt nothing. He hadn’t been hit. He crouched lower, but the rabbit-skin hat fell off. No time to pick it up. Stop for nothing. With the rifles set to automatic, they traced straight black lines in the snow on either side of him and then swept horizontally across his horizon – Kalashnikov AKMs. They didn’t quite have him in their sights, but they would get there soon enough.

Not safe running in a straight line, he zigzagged, sacrificing distance for evasive tactics. Even so, it wouldn’t take them long to get a bead on him. He looked ahead for anything that might impede his progress, and saw a murder of crows take to the air on the opposite side of the nearest hill. If only he could join them, he thought. Instead, he ran a short distance to the left and then a longer distance to the right, on occasion reversing the strategy so as not to reveal a pattern.

WHUMP! WHUMP! One after another, mortar shells exploded; and while Jez’s evasive actions proved successful, progress slowed. The jeeps occasionally stopped to drop-blast their mortar shells more accurately, but it didn’t stop them gaining ground.

Clearly, while the snow slowed him, it had no such effect on the pursuit vehicles. They would catch him before he could get to the hills. He had to make a stand. WHUMP! A shell exploded 30 meters ahead. That would do, fight from the mortar’s footprint, die like a soldier. He ran towards it. The jeeps closed in. WHUMP! Another explosion – and it was in the same hollow he was headed for. He ran in the opposite direction to make them realign their weapons.

The aim moved. Shells exploded away from the crater, so he veered back and got close enough to jump. Any other time of year the landing would have been soft, but now solid ground jarred his bones as he made contact with the fissure’s base. The earth moved and rumbled, feet banged against brittle crust that cracked and broke beneath him. A thin layer of earth had been all that remained after the two explosions and Jez crashed through the crater into another hole.

He dropped the depth of the first hollow and through into the hole below. But he couldn’t see out to shoot. If his life hadn’t been about to end he might have laughed. Too low to make a stand, he would have to… but just a minute, what was that? He wasn’t in a hole, but a pothole, a chance, a slim chance, but a chance.

He pulled the landfall aside, squeezed through and scrambled along the tunnel in a direction in line with the hills. The cave got bigger. He could stand up straight. He started running again, and half a minute carried him 100 meters in. WHUMP! Grit and soil blasted along the chasm behind him, stung his legs, back and buttocks as fragments struck. They’d realigned a fix on the crater too soon. It had to be Mitrokhin up there. The regular army weren’t that good.

With adrenalin pumping, he gave that extra push, but the channel narrowed and lowered. Lack of headroom forced him to his hands and knees. Movement slowed. The ground shook. Tremors shuddered through his arms and legs, and then a blast was followed by a rumble.

The channel collapsed and fallen earth charged towards him. Rapid breathing, his heart raced, but he had to steady his thoughts. He couldn’t lose control, but the ground rumbled, ever closer.

Still on his hands and knees, he pushed his back hard against the roof. Earth fell around his feet and legs as the miniature cave fell in. But his body remained rigid, acting as a stanchion. His part of the crown hadn’t fallen, but ahead and behind, the rumble continued and the fragile earth crashed down. The structure of the hollow folded, and when it stopped he’d become entombed. Panic engulfed him. There was no way out.

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Genre – Thriller, Crime, Suspense

Rating – R

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Connect with Rik Stone on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://rik-stone.simdif.com

The Color Pink by Parker Paige

Can wearing the color pink attract true love?

That is the question Summer Jones intends to answer.

In her early thirties, Summer Jones thought that she had found the perfect man, the man she planned to marry until she learned that he still had feelings for his first love. Now, at age thirty-five, Summer is ready to fall in love again. After she hears that wearing the color pink can attract true love, she sets out to do just that–and finds more than just true love.

Follow Summer as she journeys into the world of color magic and find out how she uses that magic to help her choose between one man from her past and another man who is destined to become her future.

This romantic drama serves up something fun and sexy, proving that the road to love can be paved with many painful lessons and memorable moments. It’s a story about paying attention to your past so that you don’t always have to repeat it.

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Genre - Romance

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with Parker Paige on Twitter

Website parkerpaige.wordpress.com

Ramz Artso - What Inspired Me to Write My First Book

What Inspired Me to Write My First Book

Since early childhood, I’ve always been a storyteller. I’d always come up with an extra episode or two of my favorite cartoons or try to picture a day in the life of some random animal – like a rabbit, for instance, or a fox. When I turned a little older, somewhere around eight, I think, I began drawing. More often than not, my ‘masterpieces’ would consist of screenshots, if you will. Anywhere from four to twelve slots would fit on one sheet of A4 paper, and together, they would tell some simple, short story. I usually drew UFO battles and racing cars, as well as evil witches dancing around cauldrons on broomsticks.

When teenage years came knocking on my door, I began considering becoming a director. But that was a long shot, so I started reading instead. Reading made me realize that I could write down my thoughts and create worlds, and after having read Harry Potter, I got so inspired that I decided to give it a try. I had nothing to lose after all, only my dreams. It took a lot of plotting and rewriting, but in the end, I had roughly two hundred pages entitled Eldar Cornavian. For various reasons I’m not going to state here, the book never saw the light of day.

Time passed and I grew older. Writing was no longer a priority in my life, as socializing with my peers was much more exciting. But the tumult of teenage years sizzled out and it just so happened that the event coincided with my watching of Christopher Nola’s Inception. It inspired me so much, I immediately took to concocting a new plot before hitting the keyboard and bringing my ideas into existence. Sometime later, I was done writing Peter Simmons and the Sovereign, which I later split into three different books, entitled Peter Simmons and the Vessel of Time, Peter Simmons and the Sarpian Triplets, and Peter Simmons and the Sovereign. I’ve done so much thinking and plotting that it’s safe to say you can expect at least another five Peter Simmons installments. If they catch on, that is.

In addition to everything that’s been said, I also like to point out that writing is a cathartic experience for me. I have so many ideas clogging my mind that I just can’t do without sharing my stories with the world. The notion of awakening emotions within people is titillating; it’s one of the main things about creative writing that keeps me going. I love scribbling, and don’t know what I’d do without it. Storytelling is my passion. It’s my life, and I really mean it.

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Genre – Young-adult, Action and Adventure, Coming of Age, Sci-fi

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with  Ramz Artso on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://ramzartso.blogspot.com/

Birth of an Assassin by Rik Stone @stone_rik

Set against the backdrop of Soviet, post-war Russia, Birth of an Assassin follows the transformation of Jez Kornfeld from wide-eyed recruit to avenging outlaw. Amidst a murky underworld of flesh-trafficking, prostitution and institutionalized corruption, the elite Jewish soldier is thrown into a world where nothing is what it seems, nobody can be trusted, and everything can be violently torn from him.

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Genre - Thriller, Crime, Suspense

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with Rik Stone on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://rik-stone.simdif.com

Author Interview – Regan Black @ReganBlack

Tell us about your book.

Bulletproof is the result of a perfect brainstorm event between a highly accomplished romantic suspense author and a paranormal romance author searching for some overdue direction.

From the back cover:  A soldier is nothing without his honor.

To avoid a dishonorable end to his decorated military career, John Noble made a deal with the devil. He gave up his name, endured harrowing training, and accepted every mission thrown at him for one purpose: redemption.

When he accepts his latest orders, providing personal security for a reporter in trouble, he bargains hard to guarantee it will be his last job for the shadow agency he knows only Unknown Identities.

An ambitious reporter, Amelia Bennett, is about to break the story of her career, if she lives long enough to tell it. Caving to her boss’s demand, she hires a bodyguard and soon it is obvious John Noble is the only obstacle standing between her and certain death.

Just when John believes he has found someone he can trust and love, who loves him unconditionally for who and what he has become, his orders are amended: Amelia Bennett is to be terminated.

Introducing Unknown Identities: an alternative for elite soldiers and spies facing criminal charges… if they can survive the program.

I’d like to say this was something in my idea file that I knew I would write someday, but the truth is far more fun. This book, the entire new series, sprouted over the course of ‘what if’ phone calls covering everything from plot, to character, to career with my mentor and friend, Debra Webb.

Debra: “What if you try romantic suspense?”

Me: “What if I miss the paranormal, supernatural stuff?”

Debra: “What if you weave that in too?”

Me: “Hmm…” and then I’d run off to write.

A master storyteller, and brilliantly quick with an idea, Debra and I had a fabulous time dreaming up increasingly dire consequences for John and Amelia as Bulletproof came together. I learned so much in the process of this book and the experience of working so closely with someone as accomplished as Debra was exactly what I needed.

It’s my hope readers will feel that passion and excitement as they read Bulletproof and the stories that will follow in the Unknown Identities series.

Why did you write Bulletproof?

Well, the short answer is I wrote Bulletproof because my friend and mentor, Debra Webb, told me to.

Which naturally begs the follow up question: Does every author write what they’re told to write? Well, if they have a mentor as accomplished and savvy as Deb, they should!

I believe with all of my heart that authors should write the stories they love, stories they long to read. But there’s this pesky factor called ‘the market’ and that far more interesting and accessible factor called ‘the reader’.

Debra and I have known each other for years. She knew I wasn’t yet where I wanted to be in my career and last summer, when she called just to see how things were going, she realized I’d reached a point of paralysis.

My earlier books, while well received by the readers, had yet to find a sweet spot in the market. I was spinning my wheels with no confidence to choose a direction.

The tone of the phone call changed immediately. First came the in-depth review of where I’d been and where I wanted to go, followed by an honest assessment of my strengths, weaknesses, and productivity. Then came the fun part – the plan for how to get there.

Bulletproof and the Unknown Identities series is the latest step in that detailed plan.

Debra is a master of romantic suspense and thrillers. She knows I love to write fast-paced paranormal and urban fantasy romances. With her encouragement, guidance, and editorial expertise, Bulletproof became the combination of those strengths.

Working so closely with Debra this past year has been something akin to a master class in the production of writing and the analysis of marketing books. I don’t think I get a diploma, but seeing Bulletproof, Double Vision and the stories that will follow in the Unknown Identities series is even better!

Tell us a bit about your family.

I’m married to my personal hero and we have two amazing children. For the past fourteen years, we’ve called South Carolina home. Our daughter attends college in New York and our son is finishing high school at the Governor’s School for Science and Math. (Have I mentioned they are amazing kids?)

It wasn’t always easy being the lone creative type in a family of analytical personalities at various stages of development, but I persevered. (Have you ever tried to get an engineer to discuss ‘feelings’? Not easy.)

Things turned out pretty well and we are all very close. Board games, video pinball tournaments, zoo visits, and movies are just a few of the things we try to do whenever we’re together.

What I used to refer to as our ‘domestic petting zoo’ has diminished as the kids have grown up and we’re currently at an all-time low of two retired greyhounds, two cats with god-complexes, and two quirky finches.

My husband and I are discovering this empty nest thing is pretty remarkable. Primarily because our amazing kids are good enough to call frequently and let us keep our parenting skills sharp. Of course ‘empty nest’ is a relative term considering all of our pets.

What’s your greatest character strength?

Tenacity. Though my family might call it something else (stubbornness?) I think of my consistent effort to improve my craft and strive forward to reach my long-term goals as tenacity.

What’s your weakest character trait?

Impatience. As much as I work on it, I’m not sure I’ll ever master the fine art of waiting.

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Genre - Romantic Suspense

Rating – R

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  Regan Black on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.reganblack.com

Author Interview – Massimo Marino @Massim0Marin0

Please, tell us a little more about yourself as author (written in 3rd person)
Massimo Marino comes from a scientist background: He spent years at CERN and The Lawrence Berkeley Lab followed by lead positions with Apple, Inc. and the World Economic Forum. He is also partner in a new startup in Geneva for smartphone applications: TAKEALL SA. Massimo currently lives in France and crosses the border with Switzerland multiple times daily.
“Daimones” is the first volume of the “Daimones Trilogy”, and is based on personal experience and facts with an added “what if” to provide an explanation to current and past events. It is his first novel. Watch the book trailer at: http://youtu.be/gqqn0YtPrrw
“Daimones” is the recipient of the 2012 PRG Award Reviewers’ Choice in Science Fiction and of the 2013 Hall of Fame – Best Science Fiction Award with Quality Reads UK in collaboration with OB Book Tours.
The Vol.2, “Once Humans” has hit the virtual and real shelves on the 3^rd of July 2013.
He also writes short chilling, twisted, horror stories, sometimes while having breakfast.
If interested in more details about Massimo Marino, please see his full profile on Linkedin: http://ch.linkedin.com/in/massimomarino
What does your significant other and family think of your writing career?
Smiling… At first they did not say much, their gaze was more than enough, especially when they saw me at my computer writing for hours and sometimes ending at the first hours of the day. Things started to change, for the better, when the first positive feedbacks came from beta-readers, especially for the completed manuscript, the story, the surprising conclusions, and the transformation that the main characters go through till the end.

Where do you research for your books?
Everything is a possible source, but I admit I search most things online. I wonder how difficult was research to be conducted in the past before our connected society changed our habits and the way we share information.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your books?
That sometimes you cannot control what your characters do and say. The story is like planting a seed, and then the story grows, evolves, take unexpected turns, with the writer sometimes unable to tell how it will end, or what will happen if certain events were to occur. I’ve watched my novels grow in my mind, heard characters discuss and react to what happened to them, and explore different timelines and twists. Sometimes I was unable to write as fast as the images flow I witnessed. The story and the characters had a life of their own.
What do you think makes a good story
People talk about the “page turner” to describe a good story, something where conflict appears at every page, almost. There’s truth in there but it is not the end of it. I think a good story has to make you feel you are part of it, you turn the pages because you care and want to be reassured that something bad is not going to happen (or it is if you hate the character). A good story should make you laugh, cry, feel sadness and happiness, move you to tears, and lose track of time. It will not happen with every reader or at the same places in the story, but if it happens here and there, to some, even one, then the story has reached its goal to please a reader, to allow him to escape the real life and live in the same lucid-dream the writer used to create a different world.
If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?
I am writing the Vol.3 of the “Daimones Trilogy”, what happens next, after the Apocalypse has taken place, and the new human race, Dan and the others, embarked a long journey to rebuild a planet. Their age has just started, and more ancient and powerful races wait for the humans to surge again…but no one could foresee what the new race will bring to the Galaxy.
Is there anything you want to make sure potential readers know?         
I write because I must, a story simmers and then boils up: I have to put it into writing. But I also write for every single reader out there. I want to be reachable always because a book is a personal  door into emotions and sensations. I would not share them with total strangers, but people who read become part of a magical circle with the writer.

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Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Massimo Marino on Facebook and Twitter

Website http://massimomarinoauthor.com

Author Interview – Kelly Jackson

Why do you write?

I liked writing from the moment that I learned cursive writing in elementary school.  I loved the way the letters looked on a page, and then to know that I could string them all together to express the crazy thoughts in my head.  ShaZA’AM!  Off I went.

What writing are you most proud of?

It never occurred to me that I could actually write a novel, but after surviving a horrible, yet insanely comical month at an ashram to procure my yoga teaching certificate, with journal in hand…I began a story. I had the same thrill as I did when I was a kid learning that cursive writing.  This time it was my computer, but the story and the characters came spilling out of my head onto the page.  I laughed.  Parts of what I wrote scared me, which was the goal of that section, and I cried at the end…just like I was reading a book that I loved written by someone else. I am very proud of my first novel and hope that my second one, An Ear for Mirabel, will continue to amaze me as I write…what a great feeling!

Location and life experiences can really influence writing.  Tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

Growing up the dry, flat, waterless part of west Texas back in the fifties was both such a blessing and such a horrible curse.  Midland, Texas was THE place to go if you were a gambler, a wild-catter or heavy-drinking speculator…for OIL.  It’s where the Bush family came and brought all of their rich, east coast yankee pals.  My Daddy never struck it rich, because he died as a young man, leaving my Mother alone with three precocious daughters out in the middle of nowhere.  My upbringing shaped me, toughened me, forced me to have a sense of humor, and people would laugh at my stories, making everything alright for me again. The stories weren’t on paper as a child, just seared into my brain like chewing gum stuck to the hot tar on an endless highway.

I’m in my early sixties now, and because I like a happy ending in all of my stories, my sister, Sally, and I moved to the paradise that is Honolulu, Hawaii.  I packed my sense of humor, tenacity and blind ambition to ‘suck life through a straw’ (as the Italians would say about me).  It’s a short trip, and we want to live the rest of it in this magical place in the middle of the gloriously blue Pacific Ocean.

Tell us about your new book?  What’s it about and why did you write it?

My book, A Texan Goes to Nirvana, is a comic mystery set in the backwoods of Kentucky at a yoga ashram.  My protagonist, Wendy Tate, is cynical, logical and desperate to earn a yoga teaching certificate to help her start a new life post-divorce.  Her month-long stay at the ashram is filled with miscreants, societal dropouts, bliss ninnies, and those are just the people who live and work there…oh, and the head swami!  Something is not right at this ashram, but it’s not what Wendy thinks.  It’s far removed from what ANYone would suspect might be going on.  And, a very unlikely hero helps Wendy figure out how to make things right, but not before all manner of scary and hilarious events and characters transpire to block her from the truth.

I wrote this book, because I did keep a daily, cynical journal of my nutty experiences at just such an ashram, and because ‘you can’t make this shit up!’  Upon my return home from this place, I found it online at cultbusters.com.

If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?

Nora Ephron, David Sedaris, Gary Cooper, Tom Hanks, Hawkeye and Magua from Last of the Mohicans, Walter White from Breaking Bad, Nurse Jackie in case anyone got hurt or wanted a pill, Isak Dinesen to tell us stories of Africa, Beryl Markham, and last, but certainly not least, my Daddy who died when he was 38 years old.

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Genre – Humor Mystery

Rating – PG

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Kelly Jackson on Facebook & Twitter

Author Interview – Mark David Major & Layce Boswell @markdmajor

Mark David Major

Tell us a bit about your family.

MARK: My immediate family is pretty small these days: myself, my mom, and my aunt and uncle. My grandmother died in the 1970s and my grandfather in the 1990s. I do have a large extended family of cousins. My mother is the ‘gatekeeper’ FOR staying in contact with them.  I don’t know anyone on my father’s side of the family including him.

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

LAYCE: I decide to think positively as opposed to negatively. Also, I always remind myself that I rather fail, knowing I was making my best efforts as opposed to never achieving anything. I believe that if you keep trying, someone will respond to your efforts.

MARK: Once I’m writing, I don’t allow it to affect me. For me, self-doubt and fear manifest as procrastination. Over the years, I’ve learn that getting started is the easiest way to overcome it because then I’m in control and I can work through any problems with the writing. Inevitably, whatever I’m doing, I find it was easier than I had feared.

What scares you the most?

LAYCE: Never doing enough.

MARK: Being forgotten.

What makes you happiest?

LAYCE: Painting. Drawing. Writing. Talking. Learning.

MARK: Reading and writing, spending time with my dog Izzy.

What’s your greatest character strength?

MARK: I’m meticulous, honest, blunt to a fault, and insightful at understanding people in gross terms.

What’s your weakest character trait?

MARK: I’m meticulous, honest, blunt to a fault, and flawed at understanding people as individuals.

Why do you write?

MARK: Because I love to write and I hope someone will take something away from what I produce, whether that is a children’s book, poem, play, science fiction novel, or academic/professional article.

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Genre – Juvenile Fiction/Bedtime and Dreams

Rating – G

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Mark David Major, Layce Boswell on Facebook and Twitter

The Photo Traveler (The Photo Traveler Series) by Arthur J. Gonzalez

CHAPTER ONE

I can’t ask for a better day to be out shooting. Man, what a view. Something about how the sun’s rays press against the faint distant outline of the mountains. Sick! If it can seem so dominating from all the way over here, I can only imagine what it must feel like up close. I don’t know. It just always kind of does something to me.

I know, I know. Lame, right? But trust me, if you lived in the hellhole I live in, anytime alone is sacred. You start to appreciate all these little not-so-particular things. Yeah—even the outline of the mountains.

Carefully, I focus the lens on my Canon 7D to capture the effect of the clouds drifting across the peaks of Mt. Rose and get my shot. A few seconds later, the sunlight dims. I hadn’t realized it was so late. I glance at my watch, wondering what’s taking Melinda so long. She promised to pick me up by five, even though I knew that would mean five-thirty. It’s five-forty-five.

I call her on my cell. It rings four times, then goes to voicemail. “Come on, Mel!” I mutter. “It’s getting late!”

I’ve had a good day so far, probably because I’ve been alone for most of it, and I really don’t want another confrontation with Jet. I can still taste the faint copper tinge of blood at the corner of my mouth where he split my lip the last time around. Two days ago.

I hit redial. Straight to voicemail. “Dammit, Mel!”

I tell myself to breathe, but my anxiety is really starting to kick in. Sweat is beading on my forehead and my heart is jolting in my chest. Why does she always have to be so impossible? I don’t get it.

The moment I hear the loud thrum of an engine roaring up the dirt road, I jump up from the boulder I’ve been perched on. It’s about damn time!

She screeches up to me in her new, cherry-red Mini Cooper and slams on the brakes. I dodge around to the passenger side. Grab the door handle. It’s locked.

“Mel!” I shout. “Open up!”

But she’s sitting behind the wheel pretending not to hear me. Eyes glued to her phone, purple nails tapping out a text message. With a tiny smirk on her glossed-up lips.

I hit the window with my fist. “Stop messing around! Jet’s gonna be pissed!”

She finishes her text, sends it … and adjusts the rearview mirror so she can check out the jet-black curls at her temples. She still hasn’t given me one look. Is she really serious right now?

I pound at the window again, as hard as I can. “Open up, dammit!” My anxiety is turning into rage. And rage is something Jet’s modeled for me only too well over the years, ever since he and his first wife, Leyla, took me in as a foster kid. Mel was just six at the time, but “my sister,” which she became after they finally adopted me, was a full-fledged brat from Day One, and she’s only gotten worse.

My fist hurts. I’m afraid of what Jet will do when we get back, since he ordered me to be home by six so I can start dinner.

But as far as Mel’s concerned, I might as well not be there. I can’t control it any longer. I take a step back, lift my knee, and kick the passenger door with all my strength. The hollow metal frame vibrates against the sole of my shoe. Mel’s prized car now has a six-inch dent right in the middle of the passenger door.

I guess that got her attention. Her mouth is hanging open. For a moment, she’s so astonished that she can’t speak. She swings her door open and charges around to the passenger side.

“MY CAR!” she screams, staring at the dent. “Are you crazy?!”

“Why couldn’t you just open up?” I yell back.

“Gavin, you’re an asshole! I was just messing with you! You’re never gonna learn to use your head, are you?”

“Go to hell!”

She goes still, then raises her eyebrows with an “Oh, really?” expression. Then she hauls off and slams her fist into the right side of my face. All I can feel is the large stone of her ring jabbing into my cheek. She stalks back to the driver’s side with a wicked smirk creasing her lips and snaps, “You can walk home!”

She slides behind the wheel, slams the door, and peels off so hard and fast that the car kicks up a stinging cloud of gravel and asphalt dust all over me.

She can’t be serious. But as the Mini disappears around the first bend in the road, I realize that she is.

* * *

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Genre - Young Adult Science Fiction

Rating – PG

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Author Interview - Parker Paige @parkerpaige86

What is your new book about?
Whitley & Austin is about a woman who is bored with her humdrum life and decides to color her hair red and take on the wild and adventurous persona of her late sister and ends up becoming one of three redhead suspects to murder.
 How did you come up with the title of your novel, Whitley & Austin?
My novel takes place in a prestigious law firm and Whitley & Austin is a cross between the name of a real law firm and a made-up law firm.
What was the last great movie that you saw?
Behind the Candelabra with Michael Douglas. I have a weakness for a good drama, and this movie was just such a film, not to mention, it has one of my all-time favorite actors, Michael Douglas. How can you not love him?
What is your greatest character strength?
My love and compassion for people.
Have you always enjoyed writing?
Yes, I have been journaling since I was 13 years old. When Marcia Brady from the Brady Bunch began writing in her diary, I knew I had to have one.
Who is your favorite author?
Right now, I would have to say E.L. James. I have never before read a book that was as intoxicating as “50 Shades of Grey.”
What else do you do to make money, other than write?
I am a legal secretary for a large law firm in downtown Los Angeles.
If you could study any subject at a university, what would you choose?

I would choose psychology. I think people are the most interesting subject on the face of the planet.

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Genre - Romantic Suspense

Rating – PG-13

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