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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Thank you RaeBeth McGee, for my Author Interview!

I was honored to be a guest on RaeBeth McGee's blog page. Check it!.

http://raebethmcgeeswriting.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

SHAMROCKS-N-SIRENS READERS EVENT COMING TO YOU MARCH 5th-17th MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

A Crime Book Event!
  Why... In honor of the great many Irish-Americans who served as street cops in early Twentieth Century America- and for all those who've served since.
 In some Irish-American families, generation after generation of Police Officers have helped keep America's streets safe.  Thank You!
When?...
March 5th -17th, 2012 
(Mark your calendars)
                              SHAMROCKS -N- SIRENS  
Readers Event!
    For Crime Novel Lovers!

Author Interviews! 
Contests! 
Excerpts!
Giveaways!   (Whole sets!) 

What... 
  Cop/Crime based books that also fall into any of the following GENRES-
           Psychological Thriller
      Crime Thriller
     Science Fiction
     Mystery
     Police Procedural
Military
Psychological Suspense
   Where...
 Right HERE on THIS PAGE!


 

Who...
 
Twelve authors who love to write novels gushing with suspense!

Michael Lorde
Deborah J. Ledford 
Kenneth Hoss
D.S. Graystone
Andy Holloman
Carolyn Arnold
J.J. Toner
Dixon Bennett Rice
Jennifer Chase
Pat Bertram
Helen Hanson
Wendy Cartmell

 12 Days!
12 Authors!
12 Awesome Books!

If you've been looking for exciting, clean and professional quality crime novel reads, you won't want to miss this event! 

Try your  
Luck 'O the Irish 
for a chance to win prizes!!! 
Our pot of gold?... A mug set.  That's right, a SET of Four different Mugs, each donning a cover from one the of these 12 books. 
 Top O the mornin to ya, and hope to see you there! 






 
 
                                                  

Monday, February 20, 2012

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR JULIAN GOLD





M: I'm interviewing Author Julian Gold, about his book ‘Life Is Simple‘. 

Hi Julian.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy day for this interview.  Tell me about yourself. 

J: Well I’m forty-something going on fourteen. I was born in Edinburgh but consider myself an honorary Englishman now, having lived south of the border for longer than in Scotland. I studied Astronomy at University, but through a bit of a random walk through career paths ended up writing video games and, more recently, other computer software. I’ve got a lot of diverse interests though: I play drums and write music (prog rock / metal); I also do laser shows for a Pink Floyd tribute band. I have one wife, two kids, and no gods. And I like puns, especially bad ones.

M: When did it really dawn on you that you’re an author.  Was is a specific thought or experience?  How did it affect you?

J: I don’t think of myself as an author per se. I write down what I think is worth preserving, and when I have a light-bulb moment I organize that writing into coherent material. More like a shepherd of words. I do have a passion for expressing difficult ideas in ways that other people can comprehend, and agree muchly with the idea that if you can’t explain something simply to someone else, you probably don’t understand it. The human endeavour is all about ideas, after all. If we can’t communicate ideas to anyone else except experts then we’re in a bit of trouble. Which we are, of course.

M: What prompted you to write this particular book? Was there a 'moment' that the plot came to you, or did you think on it for a while?  Or you had a dream, perhaps?

J: A few decades back, I briefly dabbled in a culty organization that took a lot of my cash whilst making sit in a room with lots of other people and exploiting my resulting headaches. It wasn’t all bad though: the central lesson being expounded was basically the core of what psychologists refer to as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It was a simple model of what brains did, and it struck me that it was not so different from what science does. Could it be that science and so-called “spirituality” had more in common than was commonly portrayed? Well yes, as it turned out. Religion – and I include the New Age and Post-Modernism in that bucket – has tried to own spirituality and morality, but the trouble is that by associating those with hocus-pocus, they have rather denigrated them. This makes me angry on a number of levels! ‘Life Is Simple’ is a distillation of my experiences in a number of fields which I’ve studied or worked in, fuelled by a strong desire to use my anger to right some wrongs which have stood for far too long.

M: I’d like to find out about what's happened since you began writing. Is there an experience you’ve had since publishing your books that sticks in your mind perhaps a person or place that you’ll never forget that you only got to experience  because of your decision to write?

J: Not really, no! Boring answer, but a truthful one. This modern age means we can go from idea to final copy without getting up off the sofa. Which is great in a way because I have a nice sofa.

M: Who is your greatest inspiration, who’s your greatest supporter, and do you have a mentor?

J: Inspirations – the late Carl Sagan; David Beckham (I like the way he dealt with adversity); Oscar Wilde (too many great quotes to single out); Florence Nightingale (where would the world be without pie charts?);Socrates – who taught people to think rationally for themselves.

M: How do your life’s experiences carry over into your writing?

J: Lots! I had a tough childhood, and it incubated a strong sense of justice and truthfulness in me. If ‘Life Is Simple’ is about anything, it is about truthfulness, and how it empowers us. However: it would have been impossible to write without a deep understanding of science, maths and computing – as well as philosophy (which I did as a module whilst at university) and also my religious upbringing. I was born into a poor, liberal Jewish household – an interesting combination. It led to what is often referred to as “Pick’n’Mix” religion, where the palatable elements of a faith or culture are selected whilst the less appealing ones are rejected. That seemed bizarre to me, even as a child! Also the attempts by the Jewish community to indoctrinate me by teaching me to recite Hebrew without comprehending its meaning just did not wash with me. As I said,  it is ideas that make Humanity special – this was hiding bad ideas, anachronisms, behind ritual. That does nothing for us in the 21st Century. So you can see how my life might have led up to writing ‘Life is Simple’.

M: Would you like to leave the readers with a message from you today?

J: Question everything. Even the stuff I write. If you find yourself with a desire not to question something, or discomfort when trying to, question it even more. When you take nothing for granted, everything in life becomes more important, more meaningful, and more honest.
Please share with me any links to your website, blog, video, twitter, or any others ways you connect with your fans, so they can find and follow you?
You can find me on Facebook:


M: Thank you for sharing your time with me here today, Julian. I'd love to interview you again for your next book. Are you up for it?

J: Absolutely!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARITY PARKERSON- AUTHOR OF THE SIZZLING BOOK 'WICKED SINNERS'

 

It's my pleasure to post an interview today with the very talented Author Charity Parkerson.  Charity has written numerous books which can be purchased in digital eBook form, paperback and hardback.  Today's featured book 'WICKED SINNERS', is the perfect Valentines Day Gift for your favorite reader.




M:  Hi Charity.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy day for this interview.  Tell me about yourself.

C:  I am a married mother of two very rambunctious boys.  I am also the award winning author of 5 novels, and several flash-fiction pieces. I’m best known for my “Sinners Series” that won Best Book by in an Indie author in 2011.

M: When did it really dawn on you that you’re an author.  Was is a specific thought or experience?  How did it affect you?

C: I think when I received my first fan letter it really hit me that people were reading my books and making a connection with my characters. 

M: What prompted you to write this particular book? Was there a 'moment' that the plot came to you, or did you think on it for a while?  Or you had a dream, perhaps?

C: It was a dream.  I could see Julien so clearly and I knew that he was not necessarily “good” but he had a story to tell.  His character continued to grow from there, and he was not satisfied until it was all down on paper. Yes, I know that I sound crazy, but I think that most writers can relate to what I am saying.

M: I’d like to find out about what's happened since you began writing. Is there an experience you’ve had since publishing your books that sticks in your mind perhaps a person or place that you’ll never forget that you only got to experience because of your decision to write?
C: The most wonderful thing that has happened to me since starting my writing career is the awesome people that I have met. I’ve made so many great author friends along the way.

M: Who is your greatest inspiration, who’s your greatest supporter, and do you have a mentor?

C: My husband is by far my biggest supporter. Without him, I would have never tried for publishing.  He stayed on me until I finally took a chance, and to my surprise, I was published on my first attempt.

M: How do your life’s experiences carry over into your writing?

C: I’m going to be very secretive on this one. I have written about my life already, my readers just don’t realize it, so now you have to get my books and try to figure out which one.

M: Would you like to leave the readers with a message from you today?

C: I love my fans. They are the best in the world. I’ve been so blessed with wonderful readers who leave glowing reviews, and I love them for it. I’ve been moved to tears by some of the reviews and comments that I’ve received. 

M: Please share with me any links to your website, blog, video, twitter, or any others ways you connect with your fans, so they can find and follow you?

Website~ http://www.charityparkerson.com
Publisher Website~ http://www.punkandsissypublications.weebly.com
Blog~ http://charity-thesinners.blogspot.com
Twitter~ https://twitter.com/#!/CharityParkerso
Fanpage~ https://www.facebook.com/authorCharityParkerson
Goodreads~ http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506281.Charity_Parkerson 

M: Thank you for sharing your time with me here today, Charity. I'd love to interview you again for your next book. Are you up for it?

C: Sure, I’d love to.  Sinners 3 should be releasing sometime in 2012, but no firm date has been set yet.




Sunday, February 12, 2012

A WORK OF PURE LOVE AND CARING

 
I am glad to announce that today I am posting an interview with Matthew and Danielle Drake of Kourageous Kids Storybooks.  I am one to support great causes.  This one stands out in my mind as one above many.    






Q: Where are you located?

A: Washington State.
  
Q: Tell me about your company and what you do?

A: We write stories for children with terminal illness, in which they are depicted as the hero/heroine.

Q: What prompted this program?  How did you get the idea to begin it?

A: A friends son was undergoing surgery and we wrote him a story. We knew his mother personally, so we asked what he liked, and made him the hero in a story perfectly tailored for him.

Q: Was there one experience you’ve had since beginning it that was the most gratifying? Perhaps one specific event or conversation that you’ll never forget?

A: Honestly, I think each and every one has a pretty powerful impact on our lives. The hardest, to date, are the ones in which the children have passed and moms and dads want a ‘finding their way home’ story.

Q: How can others get involved in order to help support this program?

A: Well, anyone can volunteer anything from artwork, inspirational short stories, or poetry. All tweets, shares and word of mouth helps and Donations are very welcome, since financial help is the hardest to find.  

Q: Is there a place where folks can go to make contributions?

A: Yes, our site, http://www.wix.com/kourageouskids/storybooks#! has buttons for both volunteers and donations.

Q: Who’s the one person who’s helped you out the most in getting things up and running?

A: Oh, goodness. Um, Betty Dravis, Sue Palmer was a huge help, Fiona Mcvie, book junkies (A facebook group) and most of our facebook friends.

Q: What message would you like to share with the families you write for?

A: Don’t ever stop fighting. We are rooting for you!

Q: You have been writer’s for a while.  What have you written in the past, before starting this great program?

A: A handful of books, but we’ve pulled them all down to focus on this. We don’t really have time to worry about other projects.

Q: Do you have links to your website, blog, video, twitter, or any others you’d like to share with folks so they can find you and follow you?

A: Sure, we are on twitter: @KourageousKids facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KourageousKidsStorybooks and of course, our site http://www.wix.com/kourageouskids/storybooks#!

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful information with me.  I admire the work you do, and appreciate the time you took away from your busy schedule in order to do this interview.   

Much blessings to you and your projects for the kids.  



Friday, February 10, 2012

My interview with Author Zoe Saadia on her books 'At Road's End' and 'The Cahokian'

I'm interviewing Author Zoe Saadia today, about her book ‘At Road’s End’. 


 

M:Hi Zoe, nice to have you here for my net interview.

Z: Hi Michael, thank you for taking your time to interview me. I’m delighted to be here.

M:Tell me about your writing. 

 
Z:Well, I'm the author of novels 'The Cahokian' and 'At Road's End'.  Both novels deal with pre-Columbian North and Central Americas, a topic greatly overlooked by historical fiction, as far as I can judge.
The history of the Ancient Americas has been extremely misinterpreted. As a firm believer in the written word, I hope to rectify this matter by many more novels to come.
http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/blank.gif



M: What started your interest in writing in this genre?
Historical fiction has fascinated me since I was a young girl. I used to devour this type of literature any time I could lay my hands on such a book. I’ve always been fascinated with Native American’s various nations, since I can remember.  So when I was able to combine my love for history and my love for writing, I knew what the main bulk of my books will be about.  Sadly, this theme remained strangely neglected when, a few years ago, I started focusing on my writing career. It's horribly wrong that nothing was written on one of the largest continent’s history prior to its discovery. But at least it’s worked well for me.

I think history is a fascinating subject, but not the way it's taught at school. I think the best way to teach people history is to offer them the most captivating moments of it, presented interestingly and alive.




M: Zoe, I couldn’t agree more. I think perhaps there are readers out there who veer away from historical fiction, simply because they think that the entire book is a history book. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Historical fiction books often have deep characters and meaningful story lines, as I found when I read this book. Have you been to the Americas and able to see anything that contributed to this particular book?

Z: Well, I've traveled the Southwest, mostly Arizona and New Mexico, but it was a while back, way before I thought of writing a novel about the Ancient Cliffs Dwellers (Anasazi). I was completely taken by the mysterious Mesa cliffs and the enormous and vast desert as far as the eye can see. I hope I managed to re-create some of this in ‘At Road's End’. The main character of this novel is of an outsider himself, coming from his distant pre-Aztecs lands, so I guess I could relate to him.  Not that we had anything else in common.  Me - a fascinated tourist, awed and gaping around; him - an arrogant Jaguar Warrior glancing at his new surroundings with an open contempt.

M: What prompted you to write this particular book? Was there a 'moment' that the plot came to you, or did you think on it for a while?  Or you had a dream, perhaps?

Z: No plot is ever obvious to me. I can imagine the general gist of the story I want to develop, but it always evolves as I go. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to write about Anasazi, being one of the most prominent cultures in ancient Americas, along with the Mississippians and the Great League of the Iroquois. The last two I covered in my first book, 'The Cahokian', so it was Anasazi's turn.

My goal is to present as many pre-contact North America's cultures as I can. People tend to think there was nothing worth notice on this continent before the Europeans came. Well, this impression is so horribly wrong, I can’t even begin to explain how (the peaceful or the bloodthirsty nature-loving nomad and all that, ugh). This continent had flourished with so many different agricultural cultures one can lose his/hers count. Empires, confederacies, farmer's communities, royalist, democrats - you name it and pre-Columbian Americas has it. 

M: It fascinates me to think about how different cultures must have viewed one another back in those times. I found your interpretations of those cultures explained in such an interesting way in At ‘Road's End’. It seemed entirely realistic and factual enough to draw me completely into the storyline, but your book was really about the characters. I found your character's names interesting as well. How did you select them?

Z: Oh, that was easy, once I figured a way to create a poll of names. One of the problems with such distant history is the names, of course. I used to envy those who wrote contemporary fiction for their ability to pick any name from people around them.

When I wrote on the Iroquois I couldn't even use the few names I was able to find. The names are the Clan's properties, so I couldn't just pick one.
Then it dawned upon me. Our names are usually just words, even if in another language (look at all our popular names here in US - so many of them are of Greeks or Romans origins, or they come from the Bible, and those are usually just a word or a combination of words in an ancient language).
So what I do now is make a list of as many words as I can found in the language or languages of the people I'm writing about, then just a pick the mostly nicely sounding words. For example, the name of the main pre-Aztec character in ‘At Road’s End’ came from the my list of Nahua words (Aztecs' and pre-Aztec’s group of languages), while the name of the Anasazi girl was just a word in the language of Hopi Pueblo’s people. Tecpatl means - a flint knife in Nahuatl, and Sakuna is a Hopi word for squirrel. 

M: That's brilliant. Their names are so unique. Tecpatl' is my favorite character in the book.  And I see his name as quite fitting.  I’d like to find out about what's happened since you began writing. Is there an experience you’ve had since publishing your books that sticks in your head? A specific event, person or conversation that you’ll never forget?

Z: Actually Tecpatl was more attached to his obsidian sword than to his flint knife. I wish I could find a Nahua word for that one.
As for the writing vs publishing, it took quite a while to progress from one to the other.  I wrote my first novel more than seven years ago. Since then it was the struggle to get it published, but I’ve learned and grown as a writer in the process. My first novel (about the Great Peacemaker of the Iroquois) taught me quite a few things before it was tucked deeply and hopelessly into the back drawer. I learned how to write and not to over-write, how to avoid too much description; I also learned not to mess with the prominent historical figures but rather to create fictional characters to set into historical setting.
Then it was 'The Cahokian'. I expected the publishers to fall all over each other in an attempt to grab it. Well, they didn't. The novel was good, but they didn't like the setting. Those who liked it, indicated they wished I wrote something similar in Victorian England. They said Europe sells better. They were prepared to settle for Tudors, maximum Stuarts periods, but not Ancient Americas.  That one was not sure to sell. 

At that point, I knew I'd go Indie and to hell with my yearning for the printed book. And the rest is history (the pun is intended). I’m published through Amazon and Smashwords and so far I don’t regret this decision. To build a reputation and a readership takes time and a tremendous effort, but it's also a fun. I’ve met so many wonderful authors along the way, and encountered so many wonderful books. This Indie world is amazing, and also I think it's the future of the publishing industry. 

M: Who is your greatest inspiration? Where have you found your greatest support? Do you have a mentor of sorts?

Z: Oh, I definitely have a few idols.
I mostly admire James Clavell. I can't count the times I re-read most of his novels, mainly the five of his Asian Saga. 'The Cahokian' was partly inspired by Clavell's 'Shogun'. I wanted to create a similar situation of a strong, fairly open-minded man, thrown into a completely different culture. Clavell's 'Shogun' showed me Japan with no previous interest on my part; it made me learn without intending to do so.  I wanted to catch people off guard in exactly the same way. 

Colleen McCullough is another great writer I want to emulate. She made me discover ancient Rome. We all know about the Roman Empire with their famous orgies and Caesar collapsing on the Senate's steps. McCullough made me understand Romans were much more than that; no bronze statues and big words, but very real, quite interesting people not very different from us.
Those are my idols in historical fiction field. I want to reach people the way they did. My subject deserves that.

Of course, also I draw a lot of support from the people around me, mainly my husband, my parents, even my kids  They are amazing, so supportive, so patient, so encouraging. I don't think it would have been possible to go on writing, struggling all those years without such a support. Writing is a very solitary business. A person spends days on end, working like crazy through strange hours, living in this completely other world s/he can't share before it's created and polished to its best. With no support of the closest people it would be a nightmare. 

M: I'm so glad you brought this point up. I think people are just starting to really hear about what it’s like to be writing and trying to publish. Thankfully, authors can now publish themselves and eBooks are a great venue.
In your eBook At Road's End, both of the main characters really pulled me into their lives. I found them to be strong and unique, in both their personalities and perspectives. Are there any similarities between you and your female character, Sakuna?

Z: Michael, you have no idea how delighted I was to hear that you liked this story! 

I love strong female characters who are not spoiled and can stand for themselves. As one reviewer has pointed out, Sakuna was no Cinderella.  But I'm afraid she is nothing like me.  I like her personality and I would gladly be friends with her, but while she is an introvert dreamy girl, I'm an outrageously outgoing chatterbox. I'm not sure she could stand me as a friend, given a chance. 

The writers are often thought to be introverts, but oddly enough I know quite a few who aren’t.  Aside from their writing schedules, most spend a lot of time outside with their friends. 

M: So sticking with a similar question about you, how do your life’s experiences carry over into your writing?

Z: I don't think much of my life experience is carried into my books. While people are always people, with their regular everyday desires and needs, the time periods I'm writing about are still too far removed to have anything in common with our lives.  Or maybe my life was not that extra-ordinary… nothing that would warrant a worthwhile fiction novel.
And I love it that way.  Who wants drama it his/hers life? J

M: I agree. That's why I like to read.  Alright, Zoe, what message would you like to share with your readers?

Z: My message? Well, I'm risking to sound obsessive (which of course I am).  I want our modern society to discover North America and the people who'd populated it, before the famous contact with the other continents was made. It's a large chunk of history that has been horribly overlooked. Ancient Americas had a strong history. It did not sit with its hands folded, waiting to be discovered.  That would be my message.http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/blank.gif

M:  Since I have Native American ancestors on both sides of my family tree, I can certainly agree with that.  Zoe, can you share with me any links to your website, blog, video, twitter, or any others ways you connect with your fans, so they can find and follow you?

Z: I would be delighted to.
On the more things pre-Columbian and some or other writings issues, I'd invite the readers to visit my blog http://blog.zoesaadia.com/

And Smashwords provides a very generous chunk of the book of a free sample reading
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119354

M: Thank you so much for sharing your time, your books, and your knowledge with me here today, Zoe. I'd love to interview you again for your next book. Are you up for it?

Z: Michael, thank you so much. I would be thrilled to interact again. I enjoyed this interview very much.