7 Questions with #YA #Author J R Tague @JR_Tague #AmReading

1) What scares you the most?

Failure. Not really the small failures. Those are necessary, just a side effect of trying things and taking chances. But I guess I’m most afraid of ultimate failure. Of not accomplishing everything I want to accomplish throughout the course of my lifetime.

And that relates to writing quite a bit. I think I didn’t try writing a novel for so long because I was worried I couldn’t do it. And then where would that leave me?

2) What makes you happiest?

Being ridiculous! I have a lot of simple pleasures: food, video games, cuddling w/my cat, watching terrible action movies, hanging out in sweat suits. Any combination of those things is aces as far as I’m concerned.

3) What’s your greatest character strength?

I think I’m pretty open-minded. There are always good sides and bad sides to every trait. But I think this is overall a very positive thing because it helps me to be flexible and to learn and improve.

4) What’s your weakest character trait?

I’m a terrible procrastinator. I’ve gotten ever so slightly better about it as I’ve gotten older. But I still have a LONG ways to go.

5) Why do you write?

I write because I want to know how the story ends! I’ll get an idea in my head, and I’ll even have a rough idea of what happens. But I have to write it to make sure.

6) Have you always enjoyed writing?

Off and on, yes. As a kid I always loved writing and making up stories. I was a big reader. Then I got away from it for awhile. But when I came back around, and wrote my first novel, it seemed very fitting. When I turned 30 and realized this is what I want to do with my life, it just made sense.

7) Who is your favorite author?

Stephen King. For sure. I’ve been reading his books since I was 12. I always loved his character development – even before I knew what that meant. He could take you to strange, fantastical worlds, and still be totally believable. Because of his character development.

Max McKay gets a second chance at life when, after a bizarre accident on his sixteenth birthday, he is reanimated as a new breed of thinking, feeling zombie. To secure a spot for his eternal soul, Max must use his video game prowess as well as the guidance of Steve the Death God to make friends and grow up. As if all that weren’t hard enough, Max discovers that he’s not the only zombie in town. 

As he enlists the help of his new friends, Adam and Penny, to solve the mystery of their un-dead classmate, Max discovers that he must level up his life experience in order to survive the trials and terrors of the upcoming zombie apocalypse. And, even worse, high school.

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Genre – YA

Rating – PG

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Website http://jrtague.wordpress.com/

7 Questions with #Author Carlos Aranda @losman1976 #Christian #NonFiction

1. What movie do you love to watch?

I love a good comedy.

2. How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing?

I personally use both every day. I believe that they are a great way to connect with people from around the world.

3. If you could do any job in the world what would you do?

I would like to do one of two jobs. The first is in Marine Biology, getting to work with sea creatures. The second would be an Imagineer for the Walt Disney Corporation.

4. What are you most passionate about? What gets you fired up?

Watching people lives change for the better, because of my outpouring of the knowledge that I have gained in my life. Most of it came at a price but was well worth it, seeing people succeed.

5. What is the most embarrassing moment in your life?

I would say it was when I was a kid. I was running around in front of a grocery store and wasn’t watching where I was going and ran straight into a pole, knocking both my front teeth out. This incident made me want to wrap my own children in bubble wrap when they were little.

6. What makes you angry?

When you get to the bathroom and you find that there is only one square of toilet paper left on the roll.

7. What’s your next project?

My next project that is ready for production is another book similar to my current one. I am calling it “My deeper conversations with God”, it is a continuation of the first though more in-depth and deeper insight into our situations. I feel that each book should be a little more than the last. You can’t grow if you are on the same information with nothing more to really get your deeper.

This book is a biblical perspective on how God wants us to see and get through the trials that life brings our way. It is a book of conversations and things brought to our attention that we may not always see and how through scripture God wants us to get through them.

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Genre - Christian Living

Rating – G

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Website http://carlosaranda.tateauthor.com

Supernatural Hero (#Action & #Adventure) by Eran Gadot @erangadot #AmReading

1-

"Of all the kids, I’m the only one who doesn’t get invited to birthday parties. Or picked for a partner at school. Or sit with a bunch of friends at lunch. I’ve never been popular. I'm a nerd."

2-

"I once had an imaginary friend named Victor. I talked to him about everything under the sun, even the most secret things. I also talk to Grandma, especially since she died. But I love my Grandpa more than anyone in the whole world. He’s the only one who understands me."

3-

"Mom is in the middle of a long, involved telephone conversation with a woman from her office at the insurance company. They’re talking about a big claim someone has against their company and she’s saying that she isn’t sure that the client is telling the truth. It seems that adults lie much more than kids do, but if I were to tell her that I can talk to grandma, she wouldn’t believe me. She would be sure that I was making it up. And she would never have such a long conversation with me about it."

4-

"Then I hear a sweet voice, maybe the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard. “Is everything okay, Andy?” Very slowly I lift my head and I see her. She has the deepest and most beautiful blue eyes in the whole world. She used my name! She actually knows my name! Yes! I shout, but silently, deep inside – luckily they can’t hear how loudly I shout inside myself. My silent shout would probably shake the whole building. The main thing is that Zoe knows my name. Now I don’t feel so bad."

5-

"Mom and Lynn are sitting in the kitchen, talking about the hunk in the other class who smiles at Lynn in the hallway at school. How much time can they spend talking about smiles at school? If I calculate the number of hours they sit and talk about the hunk, I’ll get to several days, maybe even a week."

*LONDON BOOK FESTIVAL 2013 - HONORABLE MENTION*  

Don't try to be someone else, be yourself!

Reading this book will make you see that being yourself is the only way for success, all you need is to believe.

Andy is the nerd everyone makes fun of. He's really skinny, wears glasses and talks to himself, but he falls in love with the prettiest girl in the class. One day Grandpa dies and turns into a ghost. Then, Andy discovers a new power, he can see ghosts and talk to the dead.

Join Andy's journey and find out how a nerd can become a hero.

Supernatural hero is a great Children's Book with an outstanding story, for Teen & Young Adults.

Take an adventure! This book will stay in your heart forever.

*Supernatural hero and the witches (2) coming soon...

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Genre - Children's book, YA

Rating – G

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R.J. Blain on The Cost of Procrastination @rj_blain #WriteTip #AmWriting #Fantasy

“Just five minutes,” I murmur to myself, eyeing the episode of Mythbusters I haven’t seen yet. “Just five minutes, then I’ll stop watching it, and go back to writing.”

Forty minutes later, the episode is coming to an end, and I haven’t written a word.

Enter the procrastination demon.

It happens to all of us now and then. Without fail, something more interesting than our work comes along, and it captures our attention and doesn’t release its hold until that something more interesting goes away. Sometimes it takes the form of research. What should have taken five minutes took you an hour, cutting away at your writing (or editing) time until you have gotten nothing done.

Then you’re behind on your deadlines.

The procrastination demon has won this round. But it doesn’t always have to be that way. It’s possible to beat procrastination, if you’re willing to put in the work and exercise a little discipline.

That won’t happen overnight, though. Like any habit, it takes practice and effort to overcome the procrastination demon. Sometimes, no matter what you do, he’ll win. What really matters is that you win more frequently than he does, and you get your work done.

Put down the…

Whether it’s a tv remote, sketching pencils, your camera, or even the internet, put them down until you get done a minimum amount of work. Set mini goals for yourself and reward yourself with the things you like procrastinating with. That way, when the procrastination demon tries to take a nibble out of you, it’s much easier to resist – you’ll get to do that thing you want to do soon enough.

If you must procrastinate, do something useful.

Some people just get more done when they procrastinate. If this is your personality type, make certain you procrastinate by doing other work. Focus how you procrastinate. When I do this, I get tired of doing the make work (usually cleaning) and go back to what I should be doing. Yes, I’m procrastinating from the other work I set out to do. It works surprisingly well for me, especially during crunch times.

Reward Yourself

Breaking the procrastination habit isn’t easy. Reward yourself when you reach milestones, obtain goals, and yes, when you resist the procrastination demon. The trick here, however, is to make sure you don’t reward yourself early. If you aren’t rewarding yourself for your successes, but whenever you want, this method just won’t work. Rewards need to be reserved for when you earn them, or you may just be feeding your procrastination habit.

The Cost of Procrastination 

Now that I’ve given you some ways you can help beat the procrastination habit, why is beating the procrastination demon so important?

Procrastination is the art of not getting things done. You’ve probably heard it so many times you’re sick of it, but writers write. If you aren’t writing (IE, you’re procrastinating) then it’s hard to call yourself a writer, isn’t it?

Procrastination is the leading cause of writers not finishing their novels. Some of you might be thinking about writer’s block being the leading cause, but in my opinion, writer’s block is something that can be defeated through hard work and persistence.

Writer’s block – or when a story just gets difficult to write – leads to procrastination. Words aren’t being written when you’re busy procrastinating. So, put away those distractions, sit down, and write. When the going gets tough, hang in there.

You’ll get through it if you keep on writing.

Kalen’s throne is his saddle, his crown is the dirt on his brow, and his right to rule is sealed in the blood that stains his hand. Few know the truth about the one-armed Rift King, and he prefers it that way. When people get too close to him, they either betray him or die. The Rift he rules cares nothing for the weak. More often than not, even the strong fail to survive.

When he’s abducted, his disappearance threatens to destroy his home, his people, and start a hopeless and bloody war. There are many who desire his death, and few who hope for his survival. With peace in the Six Kingdoms quickly crumbling, it falls on him to try to stop the conflict swiftly taking the entire continent by storm.

But something even more terrifying than the machinations of men has returned to the lands: The skreed. They haven’t been seen for a thousand years, and even the true power of the Rift King might not be enough to save his people — and the world — from destruction.

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Genre - Fantasy

Rating – PG - 13

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7 Questions with #Author Belinda Vasquez Garcia @MagicProse #Suspense #Romance

 Are you reading any interesting books at the moment?
I’m reading a book about King Henry VIII.

What contributes to making a writer successful?
The tenacity to not give up, the ability to accept rejection yet still believe in yourself, the ability to work hard, a passion and love of writing, the talent to write exciting books and to write well and finally, imagination.

Do you have any advice for writers?
If you want to succeed, hang in there. It’s not an easy business and requires long hours and a lot of work. Ernest Hemingway once said that those who talk about writing, talk. Those who write, write. If you don’t think writing is fun, then you shouldn’t be trying to write a book.

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you for supporting writers everywhere.

What do you do to unwind and relax.
I take Zumba, a Latin dance exercise. I walk and listen to my iPod. I go to the movies and try to unwind by watching a movie on television or a series I’m following. I try to get off the computer by 8:00 in the evening but don’t always succeed.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
Seeing my books in print, be it paperback or digital is a dream I never even imagined, though nowadays I close my eyes and imagine a new book, or several books that I’ve already designed the covers for. My dream cover is a book I’m writing this summer. I’ve made this cover the background of my PC so that I constantly know what I’m working towards.

Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us?
I’ve been invited to the Latino Book and Family Festival in San Bernardino, CA that’s taking place on May 3rd. I will be in the Award Winning Authors Pavilion signing books.

If you could leave your readers with one bit of wisdom, what would you want it to be?
Stay thirsty, my friends, for knowledge. Try to laugh every day. Dance, even when people are looking. Try to have some fun every day and play, no matter your age. Never grow up but look at the world as a child might, as if everything is brand new and you just woke up from a long, satisfying nap.

When you wish to end your career, stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?
I hope to never end my career or stop writing. I have so much fun writing, living in my imagination, and entertaining myself. I prefer to look forward rather than backward. It seems I’m always chasing after myself. If I look back, I might just stumble and fall. Besides, what good is it to look back on your life? You can’t change the past, and giving yourself a pat on the back might break your arm. If your head grows too big, it may explode.

The last thing Miranda ever expected was to see her brother's ghost at the fallen Twin Towers.

It's bad enough survivor Christopher Michaels scares her with claims that if one dies violently, his ghost will haunt the place that holds his name. And to top it all, one of those thousands of ghosts follows Miranda to her hotel. The only certainty is the ghost grabbing her under the covers is not Jake.

Their parents' deaths separated Miranda from Jake when they were kids. Michaels insists Jake brought them together and it's no coincidence that of thousands mourning at Ground Zero, it's his best friend she bumps into. Some best friend. Michaels is more like a moocher. The cheapskate never has money, just a blood-stained wallet he broods over. Miranda has no choice but to hang out with the weird Michaels in order to unravel her brother's past.

As Miranda spends time with Michaels, she begins to wonder who he really is. Against her better judgment, Miranda becomes emotionally entangled with Michaels, a bitter alcoholic with a secret linked to her brother and that blood-stained wallet.

I Will Always Love You is part mystery, suspense and romance, a novel that will keep the reader turning the pages!

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Genre – Suspense, Mystery, Romance

Rating – PG

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Connect with Belinda Vasquez Garcia on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://belindavasquezgarcia.com/

7 Questions with #Author Will North @WillNorthAuthor #Women #Fiction

Tell us a bit about your family.

I am recently married to a very talented and delightful Englishwoman who keeps me on my toes, and I have both a splendid son and grandson.

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

I can’t afford self-doubt. I just push right through it.

What scares you the most?

Right wing “Tea Party” Republicans, but you probably don’t want to mention that…

What makes you happiest?

A great sentence I’ve just written, a face-lick from my dog, sun on the beach where I live, still having a pulse…

What’s your greatest character strength?

Relentless persistence and perfectionism.

What’s your weakest character trait?

See above.

Why do you write?

I write to pay the mortgage. It’s my job.  It’s also my “work”—that is, the thing I am meant to do.  I have always written for a living and have been writing and publishing books for thirty years, nineteen of them so far. Before I turned to fiction, I ghost-wrote books for people like Bill Clinton, Al Gore, several famous mountaineers, a team of dinosaur hunters, among others.

Every summer for generations, three families intertwined by history, marriage, and career have spent “the season” at their beach cottage compounds on an island in Puget Sound. Today, Martha “Pete” Petersen, married to Tyler Strong, is the lynchpin of the “summer people.” In childhood, she was the tomboy every girl wanted to emulate and is now the mother everyone admires.
Colin Ryan, family friend and the island’s veterinarian, met Pete first in London, years earlier, when she visited his roommate, Tyler. He’s loved her, privately, ever since. Born in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, son of a bar owner, he’s always been dazzled by what he sees of the sun-kissed lives of the summer people.

But this summer, currents strong as the tides roil: jealousies grow, tempers flare, passions clash. Then, on the last day of the season, a series of betrayals alters the combined histories of these families forever.

As in previous novels, The Long Walk Home and Water, Stone, Heart, with Seasons’ End, Will North weaves vivid settings and memorable characters into a compelling tale of romance and suspense.

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Genre – Women's Contemporary Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Website willnorthonline.com

7 Questions with #Author M.J. Kane @MJKaneBooks #Romance #Fiction

1.       What makes you happiest?
When a character invades my thoughts with an idea for a scene from their novel. Being able to learn from them as they connect with my Muse, then sitting down with pencil, paper, and music is so calming. I love that creativity!
2.       Why do you write?
I write to keep sane, crazy right? But life can throw things at you that can be stressful. Channeling that frustration into a creative form is as much of an escape for me, the author, as it is for the reader who reads the story to escape.
3.       What writing are you most proud of?
Oh wow…all of my stories are near and dear to my heart. But I would have to say, Jaded, the second novel in The Butterfly Memoirs Series, has characters with the greatest part of me embedded into the story, especially the male lead, Zachariah Givens.
4.       What are you most proud of in your personal life?
My family. I’ve been blessed with a husband, whom I’ve known since high school, and four wonderfully talented children with artistic gifts of their own. I can’t wait to see were their talents take them in life.
5.       What books did you love growing up?
You’d think I grew up reading romance, but no. My favorite stories were sci-fi, mystery, suspense, and fantasy. But when I decided to write, my heart guided me to a mixture of Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Interracial Romance.
6.       What book genre of books do you adore?
Science Fiction, without a doubt. I like to read what I don’t write so that I’m not influenced in my own stories.
7.       Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you live now?
I grew up on the outskirts of the big city, or the boondocks, as we used to call it. My neighbors weren’t very close and my mother liked to keep me nearby. I am also an only child, so I spent a lot of time playing by myself. My imagination and creativity were channeled into my dolls and stuffed animals. As an adult, that active imagination has found its way into my characters.

The consequences of past decisions can ruin your future.

Instead of planning her wedding, Kaitlyn Rodgers is facing motherhood alone, the pressures of a new job, and caring for her rebellious younger sister. What should have been the happiest time of her life turns into one stressful event after another.

After watching his father struggle to raise a family by himself, auto mechanic Antonio Rodriguez refuses to follow his father’s footsteps…even if it means a lifetime of loneliness.

When Kaitlyn’s car breaks down, though, Antonio goes beyond auto repairs to take care of her needs. An unexpected friendship begins, allowing them a glimpse of happiness…until the father of Kaitlyn’s child returns, ready to offer her marriage and a future. But at what cost?

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Genre - Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Interracial Romance

Rating – R

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Website http://mjkanemedia.com/