Zensanity

Interview with Lady Colin Campbell, author of "Daughter of Narcissus"

2009-10-28T19:58:00.001-05:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lady Colin Campbell is a highly successful and prolific author of several books, including London and New York Times bestsellers, and has been a prominent and often controversial figure in royal and social circles for many years. She perhaps is best known for her international bestselling book Diana in Private, 1992, and her subsequent extended and revelatory biography of the Princess of Wales, The Real Diana published in 2004. She has written books on the Royal Family, been a long term columnist and appeared numerous times on TV and radio as an experienced Royal Insider and expert on the British aristocracy. In 1997 she published her autobiography, A Life Worth Living, which was serialized in The Daily Mail. Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, she was educated there and in New York, where she lived for seven years. She is connected to British royalty through common ancestors and marriage. She has two sons and lives in London.

You can visit her publisher online at http://www.dynastypress.co.uk/.

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Daughter of Narcissus is a memoir of my family’s struggle to cope with and move on from my mother Gloria’s narcissistic personality disorder.

NPD is not an easy disorder to deal with, but by being as frank as I could be, I hope I have provided some insight for the reader into what one’s choices and options are, as how one can recover from an NPD parent and go on to be a happy, fulfilled and productive individual.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Something specific did indeed inspire me to write Daughter of Narcissus. I was staying with a great friend in New York and we were discussing our NPD mothers when one of America’s most respected psychoanalysts suggested that I write a book on the subject using my family’s personal experience as the vehicle. She said that she believed I had the ability to do justice to the subject. This in itself was highly complimentary, as she is such an eminent psychoanalyst that a vote of confidence from her, especially on a subject like as complex as NPD, was worth anyone else’s recommendation a hundredfold.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

The eminent American psychoanalyst Dr Erika Freeman was the inspiration for Daughter of Narcissus. When she first suggested that I write about how my family and I survived our mother’s narcissism, I recoiled at the prospect of violating my mother’s privacy. But Erika convinced me that since Gloria was dead, and my family’s experiences might help or inspire others, I almost had a duty to share what I had been through with others. Upon reflection, I thought her point of view had merit, and when it became apparent that my sisters had no objection, I decided to go ahead.

Who is your biggest supporter?

I have never had any one person who would qualify as my biggest supporter. However, I have always had several people who are supporters. In my early days as a writer, Barbara Taylor Bradford was particularly helpful. Later on, the Australian journalist/author Catherine Olsen stepped into Barbara’s shoes. Other friends who are not professionals and might therefore not want their names mentioned have also been supportive over the years.

Your biggest critic?

My biggest critic is fortunately dead. His name was Nigel Dempster, and he was a vicious, poisonous gossip columnist who waged vendettas against a variety of people, including Sir James Goldsmith, the Aga Khan, and Queen Noor of Jordan, for no reason at all except that he was full of hatred and loved hating. When he was retiring – he died of a rare neurological complaint – the Daily Mail in London compiled his Hit List. I was No. 2 on it, immediately below Jimmy Goldsmith. People used to say that I should take being in such hallowed company as a compliment of sorts, but that was scant consolation for the vile and evil things that he used to say.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

The cause I am most passionate about is civil liberties. I think that we in the West are in danger of seeing our supposedly democratic governments erode many of the freedoms our forefathers spent nearly a millennium acquiring, starting in 1215 when the Magna Carta was signed.

When I was a student in New York in the late 60s we were taught that Thoreau was wise indeed when he said that ‘the least government is the best government’ and that ‘civil disobedience’ could be something admirable. That does not mean that governments should not be responsible and that they should not provide services, but it does mean that they should not be regulating our lives to the extent that the government in Britain does, nor that the US government should violate international treaties such as the Geneva Convention, or use the threat of terrorism to suspend habeas corpus and hold people with charge, trial, or legal representation. We must as a civilization realize that MILLIONS of people died to achieve the freedoms we took for granted for the second half of the 20th century. Do we really want to throw a victory to haters of liberty, whether they come draped in exotic garments or in pin striped suits in Westminster and Washington?

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

My children are by far the most important thing in my life. I cannot envisage ever putting anyone before them, but that does not mean I spoil them. Indeed, one of the lessons I learnt from having a narcissistic mother is how important it is to NOT spoil your child. I believe in praise when it is deserved and scolding when that is appropriate, and while I would hardly say I am a perfect mother or that my boys are angels, they are pretty good guys who can see through the rubbish that is so prevalent in every day life.

What are you currently working on?

I never start one writing one book until I have finished promoting my last one, but I am already contracted to edit and write the foreword for an 18th century memoir dealing with the French Revolution, after which I will be doing a book on the social skills that secure success.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

I think my greatest achievement as a writer to date has been producing the only contemporaneous biography of the Princess of Wales that have stood the test of time well enough for all its contents and conclusions to have been proven to be factual. It took quite a lot of courage to let the world know that Diana was not a saint or an angel, but a complex, contradictory woman with both virtues and vices. When I wrote Diana in Private, I was roundly lambasted – indeed, some of my critics were so hysterical that you would have thought I had said she was Joseph Stalin in drag. As the well-known English anchor, Richard Madeley, had the good grace to admit on his television show, “You were right and we were wrong”.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

I will rely upon the opinion of Dr. Anna Brocklebank, who feels that Daughter of Narcissus is set apart from other books in its genre by virtue of being a “penetrating and insightful examination of a serious subject in the form of a memoir which actually raises that medium to new heights”.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

The most important lesson I have learnt so far is that what ultimately makes one’s life worthwhile isn’t what happens to one, but what one does with what has happened. I believe that the ancient alchemists lost their way when they thought that we can convert base metal into actual gold, but the principle of alchemy nevertheless applies in spiritual terms, and all base metal can be converted into spiritual gold if you have the right attitude. In Daughter of Narcissus I show how my mother had every gift God could have given anyone, yet she ended up a bitter, twisted, miserable human being because she never assumed responsibility for herself and her fate.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Daughter of Narcissus is a stunning analysis by Lady Colin of her own dysfunctional family positioned at the heart of upper class Jamaican society from the middle of the 20th century to the present day. Covering the end of the British Colonial Age and the rise of a liberated generation, whilst addressing the narcissistic personality of her mother, the author brilliantly interconnects the sociological, political and personal. As she dissects the family dynamics lying beneath the appearance of wealth and power, Lady Colin’s understanding of personality disorder is revelatory: compelling the reader to comprehend the destructive and tragic reality concealed by rational language and behavior.

Set against a backdrop of glamour, wealth and fame, this compulsive book is both a fascinating history of one socially prominent family, and a uniquely detailed analysis of narcissism, its manifestations and how to survive them in order to lead a purposeful and affirming life.

Interview with Carol Sue Gershman, author of "The Jewish Lady, The Black Man, and The Road Trip"

2009-10-21T19:06:00.001-05:00

Constantly reinventing herself, Carol Sue Gershman attened the Miami Dade College Memoir Class and decided that she would turn her two and a half page "Adventure in Love Story" into a book. Never having written before, it was passion that drove her each day to write.

After spending 25 years in New York City, she was one of the first to arrive into the new phenomenon of Miami Beach (South Beach) She is presently writing her next book while working on laws to ban smoking in residential buildings.

Now at 73 she will take her completed book back on the road re-living the cities and states visited on the road trip. You might just see her driving her hot yellow mustang convertible packed with books, hats and what it takes for life on the road.

Interview:
Could you please tell us a little about your book?
My book is primarily a sizzling love story between a passionate, fun loving, interracial , late 60 year old couple. It is a story about life; marriage, children, grandchildren, race, sex, travel, obsession, dormant talents, facelifts and birthday parties, all told in flashbacks. Long over due, I candidly tell what it took to cross the racial boundry at 69, and passionate late life sex.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
Yes, my lover walked out on me and I wanted him back. I was obsessed with that thought and it kept me glued to the computer for 9 months morning noon and night. I wanted to shock him with the book, realize our mistakes and go back together again.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?
Unquestionably, he was.

Who is your biggest supporter?
At the beginning it was one of my class mates. Then my girlfriends supported me all of the way never tiring of listening to my writings and critiquing them.

Your biggest critic?
my ex- husband....great feedback

What cause are you most passionate about and why?
Banning smoking especially in condo buildings where residents are helpless in their own homes. I had to leave my beautiful home that I owned in Miami (still own it) because of my up stiars neighbor who moved in after me and smokes. I tried everything, pleading with him, fans, diffusers, living behind closed doors and giving up the beautiful Miami fresh air and nothing worked; my chest and lungs hurt and I would wake up hoarse from his night time habit. I had to move. In the end, he is the looser. I left him to destroy his lungs each day.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?
Yes, public speaking. My biggest fear was to get up in front of an audience and speak. I was terrible at it. All I thought about up there was ME and what the audience was thinking of ME. I did not relate or connect at all. I joined Toastmasters on my daughters suggestion, a wonderful organization, and now....... give me an audience and I will speak. I watch the audience closely to see if I am holding their attention. If I see anyone glancing at their watch, I change my tone quicky.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work? Yes, What's next?

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?
My teacher and class mates at Dade County College; also two friends.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?....
Promoting my book till it reaches the big screen or something profound comes out of it.

What are you currently working on?
Promoting, promoting, promoting and promoting; It is taking me to the unknown; everyday is something new in achieving my goals..

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?
For writers; my advice is to keep writing, get your message out there. Unfortuantely one will never get rich from writing sans a national author. I find myself constantly going through swinging doors and the challenge is to open one.

For Readers, contacting the new author and critiquing good or bad is a wonderful gift.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?
I cannot say so, although during the time I was finishing my book, Eat, Pray and Love was the best seller and I ate, prayed , and loved mine would be too.

What are some of your long term goals?
Well, I would like to become famous. Yes I would. Nothing would make me happier than being on national tv, or giving continued lectures on inspiring women and a few good men to live agelessly and passionately. Then of course selling the movie rights.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?When people tell me I have inspired them to change something for the better in their lives.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?
Perfection in achieving my goals. I am unstoppable and find it difficult to take no for an answer. Sometimes I have to restrain my self so to keep the door open for another time, rather than being tenacious as I can easily be. . I am not shy about knocking on doors.

Biggest weakness?
Promoting myself on the internet. That is why I am talking to you.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?
It tells the truth and that sometimes is not easy. I am candid in my writing escpecially about what it took to cross the racial boundry having grown up in the 50's... It tells the truth about passionate rewarding sex between two 60 year olds. Too many young people do not think that older people have sex.... Yes we do, I tell them.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island.† What book would you bring with you and why?
The dictonary. Can you imagine how my vocabulary would be increased when I left the island.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?
The day my mom collapsed in my arms. and passed away weeks later.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago?† In what way/s?
Oh my goodness yes. On the race issue alone; I no longer see color. I date both races now and have well crossed over the racial boundry. I worte a book. Who would believe that? As I said in my book, I started out as a daisy and have grown into a giant sunflower and all in five years.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?
To be compassionate; to tell the truth. I was never a person that lied, but I would be shy or embarressed to say what I meant or reveal much about myself. I have learned to open up and walk my talk and say what I mean; once again I could slow down a bit in that department and keep my mouth shut at times. Who wouldn't?

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?
I regret not making more investments in South Beach in Miami, which became my home. I was given the opportunity to be a very wealthy woman because I was there first. I was fearful of loosing money that I did not have. Had I borrowed, WOW. I would have had untold wealth. Looking back on it, nobody lost. It was a sure bet. I guess the lesson is to take the opportunity when it is given to you in life. Opportunities are hard to come by. I regret not staying closer to my parents and not being nicer to them. Who knew, that they were so precious.

What is your favorite past-time?
oh well, now? the computer, sending newsletters about my book, getting responses from reader and answering them.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Live your dreams and do not listen to your friends if they try to stop them!

About the Book
A late 60 year old, interracial, innovative, passionate couple travel from Miami to Montreal in a hot yellow mustang convertible visiting family and friends that takes the reader far past the turns of the road.

Cleverly written in flashbooks, this memoir is about life: Marriage, children, grandchildren, race, sex, guilt, loneliness, birthday parties, facelifts, travel, and obsession.

When her lover walked out, it was obsession that drove her to write. Carol Sue Gershman took all of her negative energy and pain and turned it into a book. She hoped that she would shock him with their story; they would read it together, realize their mistakes and go right back together again. She describes her obsession at this age not to be any different from when she was 14 years old.

This book is long overdue; Having grown up in the 50’s she holds back nothing about what it took for her to cross the racial boundary. She details older people having passionate sex telling the younger generations, YES WE DO.

In this page turning and sometimes humorous memoir, she lives agelessly and passionately. Women and a few good men will learn that THEY CAN TOO, if they do not pay any attention to how old they are!

Explore your own passion and purpose as you read this sizzling memoir.

Interview with Kathleen Cunningham Guler, author of "A Land Beyond Ravens"

2009-10-18T14:46:00.001-05:00

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

A Land Beyond Ravens, as all the other books in the Macsen’s Treasure Series, is a historical spy thriller set in fifth century Britain. It continues the story of master spy Marcus ap Iorwerth’s efforts to keep the country free from oppressive Saxon dominance and to aid in the fulfillment of Myrddin Emrys’ (Merlin) prophecy that a great king called Arthur will one day take the crown. In this, the final installment, Marcus discovers the emerging Christian church is gaining enough power as an independent faction to dangerously shift control of Britain. At the same time, his beloved wife Claerwen, gifted with second sight, is plagued with strange dreams that connect inexplicable doom to both Arthur and a long lost grail sacred to Britain’s high kings. But as Marcus struggles to distract the church, he and Myrddin also set up the very doom Claerwen sees. It seems they accidentally set things in motion that will send a lot of folks off chasing something called a grail…

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

The period of fifth century Britain is unfortunately bleak in offering facts for the purpose of writing historical fiction. While I don’t write alternative history, I do ask a lot of “what if?” questions to try to fill in those glaring blanks with logical explanations and motives. The original barebones sketch for A Land Beyond Ravens required the story to include a grail sacred to the high kings, a sense of the growing influence of the Christian church in Britain, and that Arthur would finally become high king. A few other notes floated around involving the main characters of Marcus ap Iorwerth and his wife Claerwen, as well as Myrddin. That, and the framework that history and legend provided as a backdrop, was all I had when I started writing. The main “what if?” turned out to be: what if the seeds of the quest for the Holy Grail were planted long before the adventure began? What if those seeds were planted on purpose? What if it was by accident?

Who is your biggest supporter?

The critique group I’ve belonged to for the last eleven-plus years supports my efforts more than anyone. They are a talented and diverse bunch, fearless in offering advice, constructive criticism and encouragement.

Your biggest critic?

Ditto the previous answer. Good, solid, complete criticism is more constructive than any praise.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I love seeing kids enthusiastic about reading (thank you Harry Potter!) and would like to see illiteracy wiped out for good. It’s time to get away from useless, mind-numbing, time-wasting, beer-drinking, so-called entertainment that makes “Screaming Mimi’s” out of people. People do have intelligence—they just need to learn that an activity like reading can provide far better entertainment if they use their minds! Just my two cents.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I learned how to create my own book video! It’s posted on my blog: http://kathleenguler.blogspot.com

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Most writers never feel their work is truly finished. There’s always one more word change or another thought that comes to mind after it’s been sent in. James N. Frey, author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel, wrote “You will know when your novel is finished. You will feel like throwing up whenever you look at it.” When I get to that point, I set the manuscript aside for two to four weeks, let my mind rest, go do something else, then come back to it with (I hope) fresh eyes. I will read the entire piece out loud to myself. Sometimes I’ll record it and listen back to it to flush out anything else that needs tweaking. Then I take to the post office, gaze at the envelope like it’s my kid going off to kindergarten, maybe even give it a light kiss (the clerks think I’m nuts), and send it off to my editor with a silent prayer to the gods she will like it.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently re-editing Into the Path of Gods, the first book in the series. Since it came out more than ten years ago, my writing style has matured and my editor asked me to update the book. The whole series will be re-released in electronic form next year and possibly trade paperback as well. I’m also in the beginning stages of researching my next project, which will be a novel-length work of several interconnected stories, each set in a different time period.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

To writers: I would say, if your characters are telling you to go in a different direction, listen to them. They are probably right. Marcus has often dragged me around kicking and screaming where I’d never planned to go. When I gave in and followed him, the pieces of the story finally made sense. I had been trying to force him into situations he never would have gotten himself into. Sometimes I think he’s smarter than I am. In fact, I’m sure of it.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

I’m not afraid to throw out something that doesn’t work. When I drafted my second book, In the Shadow of Dragons, I dumped the last third at least six times before I felt it was right. I also threw out eight chapters in the beginning of the third book, The Anvil Stone, and started over. The first chapter was good, but I hated the plot line after that. So I restructured it (listening to Marcus again) and found the direction that ultimately paid off. I believe there are many aspiring authors who refuse to revise. It’s an essential part of writing, just like research, and can be as enjoyable and satisfying as the initial writing itself. It’s where the craft of writing becomes art.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

A Land Beyond Ravens creates a completely different voice for fifth century Britain. The Arthurian portion is on the fringes of the main story, which is a combination of historical fiction and spy thriller. I never wanted to do another retelling of the legend because that’s been done over and over.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

Stubbornness can be a good thing. It can be bad too, depending on the scenario, but if you want to achieve a goal in this tough world, persistence is key.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

In some ways I wish I’d had the guts to pursue a career in archaeology. I love the exploration of the physical remains of history and trying to puzzle together what it all means. It would have also given me the opportunity to travel and possibly live in other countries. I have an art degree, which I don’t regret at all, and probably have enough work in history and literature to have earned degrees in both of those as well. I can’t say I truly regret anything in my life—I love this journey of writing historical fiction and hope to continue on it as long as I my mind has sense.

What is your favorite past-time?

Hiking the beautiful Rocky Mountains that surround the place I live in northwest Colorado. If only I had more time for it!

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Just that I’ve been blessed with a good life and along with it the gift of writing. I’ve learned to run with it, not squander it. It was meant to be.

And please know I appreciate the opportunity to chat with you today.

About the Author

Novelist Kathleen Cunningham Guler is the author of the multi-award winning Macsen’s Treasure Series. Drawing on a long background in literature and history as well as her Welsh and Scottish heritage, she has published numerous articles, essays, reviews, short stories and poetry. The author is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the International Arthurian Society and participates in various writing organizations.

You can visit her website at KathleenGuler.com

About the Book

No one in 5th century Britain knows more secrets than master spy Marcus ap Iorwerth, and that makes him a dangerous man. It also makes him a hunted one. For nearly three decades he has manipulated stubborn, irascible kings and warlords in a quest to not only unite them against foreign invasion but to stop them from destroying each other as well. And along with his beloved wife Claerwen, he has followed a greater, even more perilous pursuit—to forge a clear path for the fulfillment of Merlin the Enchanter’s famed prophecy that one day a great king will take command, the king known as Arthur of the Britons.

Now, with Arthur at last on the brink of adulthood and already showing great promise as a leader, Marcus discovers that the emerging Christian church is gaining enough power to dangerously shift control of Britain. At the same time Claerwen, gifted with second sight, is plagued with strange dreams that connect inexplicable doom to both Arthur and a long lost grail sacred to Britain’s high kings.

As foreboding mounts, Marcus struggles to prevent the church from crushing Arthur’s chances of becoming an effective king. But how he goes about it sets up the very doom that Claerwen sees. Will she be able to stop him? Or will her visions send Marcus to his own doom as well?

Interview with Joy DeKok, author of "Rain Dance"

2009-10-15T21:25:00.001-05:00

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Rain Dance introduces readers to Jonica and Stacie and asks this question: Can a Christian, pro-life, infertile woman and an atheist, pro-choice women who chooses abortion become friends?

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband, Jon.

Your biggest critic?

Myself. I’m tough to please and often doubt my own abilities.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

I do. Jon and I go to our favorite restaurant in Rochester, MN – Michael’s. He celebrates my accomplishments and I thank him for his support.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

My faith – although it’s different than it used to be. It’s far more personal and I’m far more certain of God. It’s this deep mysterious faith – the kind that doesn’t have all the answers and doesn’t need to.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

To writers: write your heart. To readers: read writers who write from their hearts.

What are some of your long term goals?

Right now, one of my other dreams is coming true – I’m a certified life coach and I’m specializing in author coaching. One of my clients is very close to publishing her first, second, and third books. Her success is as exciting as my own! I’m going to do some micro-conferences in my new office – 8 writer’s max – where I can concentrate on their dreams.
So, I hope to write and publish many more of my own books and see my clients write and publish even more.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Readers. Women who love the novel and tell me their stories. I am honored and enriched by them all.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

The ability to see greatness in others.

Biggest weakness?

To see only my weaknesses.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?
There no easy answers for either character. Their circumstance and choices leave permanent scars. They are flawed, strong, and real.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

The Bible. It’s full of history, romance, science, intrigue, love, forgiveness, and hope.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

I’d let my husband ask me to marry him. I asked first and he had these great romantic plans. He was only days away from asking. So, I’d wait.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

When you have someone who believes in you – you start to believe in yourself. Then, you have the privilege of passing this on by intentionally believing in others so they can believe in themselves. Then you do this again and so do they.

What is your favorite past-time?

This varies greatly with my mood. Lately, it’s journaling – my pen moving across the pages. I enjoy using color, fun pens, and getting real with myself and God. What an adventure!

Join Joy DeKok, author of the contemporary women's novel, Rain Dance (Sheaf House, August '09), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in October on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joy DeKok and her husband, Jon, live in Minnesota on thirty-five acres of woods and fields. Joy has been writing most of her life and as a popular speaker shares her heart and passion for God with women. In addition to writing novels, she has also published a devotional and several children’s books.

Visit Joy online at: http://www.joydekok.com/, http://www.believe4kids.com/, and http://www.gettingitwrite.net/.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jonica is infertile. Stacie chooses an abortion. One is prolife the other prochoice. Both are suddenly alone in misunderstanding, facing hypocrisies in their belief systems, and grieving – one the death of a dream and the other the death of her child. As their hearts break where in the world will they find healing and grace? Can shattered dreams be part of the plan?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT RAIN DANCE!

"This book is a must read for all women. Although it is a fictional story the author has brilliantly captured the many issues that women struggle with and offers hope that can only be found in Jesus. She also shows how looking beyond our own circumstances can bring blessings into our lives and the lives of others. I’ve ministered to broken women for over twenty years and I’m thankful for resources like Rain Dance that will reach women who are hurting and give them hope." - Sue Liljenberg, International Director, Healing Hearts Ministries International

"Rain Dance is truly a prodigious book...a must read." - Ane Mulligan, Editor, Novel Journey

EXCERPT:

Chapter 1

Jonica

Life as I knew it ended.

In the waiting room I sat in the front row, hoping the chair next to me would remain empty. A year ago, when we first came to the clinic, hope ruled. The receptionists smiled and welcomed me with friendly small talk.

It didn’t bother me that the infertility department was in the same section of the clinic as OB/GYN. I loved watching new moms cradle their little ones wrapped in soft blankets, toddlers by their sides.

Once, while a woman nursed her fussy newborn daughter, I sat on the floor and played Hot Wheels with her three-year-old son. When the nurse called his mom, he grinned at me and said, “Tanks!” as we collected his cars from the floor and put them in his bag. He grabbed his mom’s outstretched hand, curling his fingers around two of hers. The reach pulled up his red Pooh T-shirt, and his little belly button peeked out. I yearned to feel my child’s hand hold fast to mine.

Painful tests, frequent invasive exams, nauseating drugs, terrible periods, and embarrassing questions became my reality.

The gals at the desk no longer chatted with me. Instead, they accepted my appointment card and directed me to sit down. The air filled with baby sounds and smells now made me sick. Bile burned my aching throat.

I clenched my jaws and begged the Almighty silently, Please don’t let anyone ask, “How far along are you?” I’m tired of telling women with swollen stomachs that I’m here for infertility testing.

I buried my nose in a magazine that Ben, my husband, had received in the mail and wanted me to read. As I browsed the first few pages, my mind wandered.

I’d made this appointment to tell Dr. Steele we no longer wanted medical intervention to help us conceive. It cost too much in every way. Our health insurance didn’t cover any of the testing, and we’d paid more than ten thousand dollars with no end in sight. Putting a dollar amount on the changes inside our marriage proved impossible. Our intimate life revolved around my temperature. Charts and a thermometer took the place of candles on the nightstand.

Each month when my flow started, our failure to conceive was once more confirmed. Every cramp slammed the truth home. No success again. Will you always betray me? I accused my body. I chastised myself: You keep messing up. I defended myself to my internal tormentor: It isn’t my fault.

Then the cycle started again with the silent hope . . . maybe next month . . . easing its way back into position.

I didn’t want to disappoint Dr. Steele. His raw passion for the work inspired respect and his stern demeanor intimidated me. I longed to be one of his success stories instead of admitting defeat. A high voltage man specializing in in vitro fertilization, he focused his energy on finding an answer. He didn’t consider quitting an option.

I lifted a silent cry to God. Infertility is harsh and relentless. Where are You in all of this?

I stiffened my spine and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. I ordered my tears to stay put. This wasn’t the time or the place.

I regretted not calling his assistant and leaving a message. Why did I have to see his furrowed brow and hear his certain criticism?

A still small voice said, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you.”

I knew the Voice but was in the mood to argue. I was so fragile and broken I was sure that nothing I said could possibly help anyone.

Pick someone else! My heart screamed.

He didn’t.

A couple of chairs down, two women talking interrupted my internal babbling. “This blotchy upholstery makes me dizzy. Of course, it could be the morning sickness.”

The other huffed as she pushed on her side. “This one won’t keep his foot out from under my ribs!”

When a nurse called the woman with the rib tickler, she stood up with a soft grunt and followed the nurse, one hand on her back, the other resting on the mound of unborn baby under her maternity top.

I had dressed in comfortable clothes for the appointment: jeans and my favorite soft pink sweatshirt. The loose fit sometimes hid my flat stomach. In this room I was an oddity—a true outsider.

In a flurry of color and energy, a woman stood in front of the chair next to me. Shiny, jaw-length, jet-black hair and jade green eyes sparkled in the clinic lights. Her flat stomach caught my attention and I wondered if she was like me.

“Hi! Is anyone sitting here?” she asked.

“No.”

She sat down and crossed her jeans-clad legs. Her purple silk blouse and short, clear-lacquered nails glistened. The scent of jasmine swirled by, then seemed to waft back to her as if unable to bear the separation.

She pushed her hair behind her ears, and dangly silver earrings twinkled. “I’m Stacie.”

“My name’s Jonica.”

“Pretty name.”

“Thanks.”

She pulled a book out of her bag and asked, “So, how far along are you?”

I gave my new answer, “I can’t have children.”

The statement sounded clipped and whiny, so I added, “We’ve been coming to the infertility clinic for months, but now I’m here to terminate medical intervention.” Instead of confident, the words sounded defensive.

“Can’t, but still want to, huh?”

“Yes. But not this way.”

She raised a sculpted eyebrow. “I’m here to terminate something too—a pregnancy.”

She rushed on. “I’m new in a local law practice. My goal is to be a partner one day, representing women and children damaged or wronged by men. A pregnancy right now could hold me back or even halt my advancement. I need to establish myself first. There’s time for a family later—much later. I’m glad we can choose if or when to complete a pregnancy.”

She took a deep breath and exhaled, then tightened her lips and turned to her book, flipping it open. The light danced off a silver-trimmed boot as her foot began to swing slightly.

Tingles of shock pricked my fingertips and toes. My lips went numb, and my throat constricted. I took a deep breath and looked down. Her offensive made me want to defend life, but I didn’t have the strength. I needed to conserve my energy for my meeting with Dr. Steele.

I turned a page in my magazine and stopped. Every muscle in my already stressed body tensed. The photo in front of me showed the tiny hand of an unborn baby resting on a surgeon’s finger. The doctor had performed corrective surgery in vitro when pre-natal tests confirmed spina bifida.

God, give me the courage to show this to Stacie.

The nurse stepped up to the microphone and called my name. I closed the magazine, offered it to Stacie and said, “I’m done with this. You might find it interesting.”

She looked up briefly, took the magazine, and tucked it into the outside pocket of her purse. “Thanks. Nice to meet you.”

“Same here.”

I followed the nurse down the hall, watching her waist-length auburn braid swish against her straight back and thinking I’d just lied. It wasn’t nice to meet Stacie. I could have lived my whole life never having heard her pro-abortion dissertation.

The nurse indicated the examination table. “Dr. Steele will be right in for your consultation. Just have a seat.”

While I waited for the doctor, my dread increased. Dr. Steele was confident we could conceive with a little help from a friend: him. Photographs and thank you letters lined the walls. Smiling parents held babies and celebrated birthday parties. Happy faces beamed from family pictures.

I remembered the questionnaires we had filled out about our health, motives, and ability to pay. The doctor invited us to add a page about anything we wanted. Ben and I wrote about our faith.

Dr. Steele read it and commented, “I feel much like a creator myself.”

Ben said, “We believe in only one Creator.”

Our physician shrugged and diverted our attention to the first test. He kept all conversations professional from then on despite the intimacy involved in our circumstances, even when disappointment moved me to tears in front of him. I guess that made it easier for all of us.

I gripped my damp, cold hands in my lap, while my thoughts tip-toed back to the woman in the waiting room. I decided it was time for a pity party.

How could this happen today of all days? I’m saying goodbye to a dream and she sits next to me? There’s nothing wrong with her goals. All the things she wants to do are good, but she is willingly sacrificing her baby on the altar of achievement. Does she think that because abortion is legal all women agree with her? Who was she trying to convince—herself or me? It’s not fair. Why can she conceive and I can’t?

Before I could battle the subject out further, the door swung open on silent hinges and Dr. Steele entered. His short, bristly gray hair stood straight up. Hazel eyes with amber flecks smiled from behind gold-framed glasses. His yellow smiley-face tie softened his starched shirt, creased trousers, and shiny shoes. A stethoscope hung around his neck.

“Hello, Jonica.”

We shook hands, and he sat in his desk chair.

“Where’s Ben?” he asked, as he slid a brochure on in vitro fertilization toward me.

His chair creaked when he leaned forward. “We can start anytime you’re ready.” He paused for a moment anticipating an affirmative answer.

A Godzilla-sized cramp squeezed my stomach.

I heard myself say, “Ben and I are done. Our insurance doesn’t cover the financial end of it, and the emotional costs are far too expensive. We don’t want to face the moral and ethical dilemmas that heroic medical methods involve.”

All my practice in front of the mirror at home hadn’t improved my verbal delivery here either.

He snapped his chair into the upright position. His eyes lit with a golden fire, and his lips drew a straight line across his face. He ran his hand through his hair, and let out a loud, slow breath.

“I can’t believe an educated and intelligent couple like you and Ben can’t see the future in medical science. Why let some outdated religious beliefs keep you from realizing your dreams?”

“God is the Creator of science. He knew you before your conception and gave you life as well as your incredible abilities as a doctor. He is the One who leads Ben and me in all areas of our lives. We’re uncomfortable with frozen sperm, harvested eggs, and test-tube babies. We don’t want to deal with three to six microscopic embryos—which we believe are human beings—inserted into my body and possibly losing them all. Each time we lost one, we’d grieve. We’ve decided to focus our love on the children already in our lives.”

“That’s quite a sermon.”

Suddenly short of breath, I couldn’t get a single word out. Cool air crossed over my tongue so I knew my mouth was open. The sensation caused a reflex action, and I pressed my lips shut.

“I’m sorry you feel this way. My confidence is in human abilities and science. Many Christian couples come to me for help and are grateful for our methods.” He flipped my file shut and continued, “What makes you superior to them?”

“We’re not better than anyone else—and if it works for others without guilt, I’m happy for them. It just isn’t right for us. I’m sorry I sounded so defensive. I hate it when I get that way. We made this a prayerful decision. I hoped you’d accept our choice. I didn’t want it to end this way.”

“This is goodbye then. I wish you the best in your life.” He rose to leave.

“Do you ever wonder if you’re wrong and God is real?” I asked, also standing.

He held the door open for me. “I don’t need to hear about your beliefs. I read your forms, and other Christians come here. I’ve heard it all before.”

I reached into my purse. “I’d like to give you a small gift as my thanks for your effort to help us.”

“Clinic policy doesn’t allow us to accept gifts from patients.”

“Maybe you’d like to borrow this book from me then.” I handed him The Case for Christ.

“This is a new one,” he muttered, glancing at the back cover.

“I know you’re disappointed and so are we. Please know we appreciate your knowledge and the time you spent with us. I’d love to be able to send you a photo of a little girl who looks like me or a little boy who looks like Ben celebrating a birthday or Christmas. Without divine intervention, that’s not going to happen.”

The lump in my throat warned me I was close to tears, but I managed to say, “Goodbye Dr. Steele.”

The golden flames in his eyes receded. “Good-bye.”

I watched him walk away. For all his gruffness and disbelief, I would miss him. He wanted to help us conceive and couldn’t. In a way, we’d both just lost. I walked down the hallway in the opposite direction. It was over.

When I returned to the waiting room, I heard the receptionist call, “Stacie Cutter.” Stacie got up and followed her out of my sight down the other hall.

I wanted to run and considered finding the stairs. Instead I paced while the elevator made a slow climb to my floor. A man on crutches and a woman in a wheelchair shared my descent and got off on different floors along the way down.

I dug the keys out of my purse while I speed walked to the parking ramp. Shaking, I missed the lock on my car door and the key scratched the paint.

I got into the car. Yanking on my seatbelt, I grabbed my payment stub from behind the visor. The tires squealed as I took the tight ramp corners a little faster than usual.

Hold on until you get home, I commanded my tears.

I paid the smiling man at the booth, then three red lights and two stop signs later pulled into our driveway. I ran up the sidewalk, unlocked the back door, and threw my purse on the counter.

I stood in the middle of the kitchen with both fists clenched so tightly that my fingernails gouged my palms. My mind registered the pain, and then I pressed harder.

I sobbed out loud, “Lord, I’m angry! Why us? We waited for intimacy until marriage. We did what You asked. We love children. We tithe, we pray, we go to church. We believe in You, and we always will. Please tell me why You give children to women who will throw them away. Father, I feel so empty!”

Only the ticking clock answered my cry.

God said no. Our dream died, and Ben would always come home to only me.

Interview with Carol Zelaya, author of "Emily Waits for Her Family"

2009-10-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

Read Emily Waits for Her Family and follow the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl, from first meeting to leaving, from new life to old friends. This story is told in a timeless, three-part series, with an easy-reading rhyme, and is certain to delight and touch your heart.

Could you please tell us a little about your book?
The 1st book is the springtime book, when Emily builds her nest, waits for her eggs to hatch, and feeds her chicks until they are able to leave the nest on their own. The 2nd book is the summertime book that teaches children how to take care of the birds in their yards by providing food, water, shelter and a birdbath. The 3rd book finds the little girl in the story moving away to a country home and going through an entire winter missing her little friend Emily, wondering if she will ever see her again. The following spring provides a big surprise.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
Yes, this is a true story, and I was inspired by a chickadee repeatedly making her nest in the flowers outside my window. I was able to witness the entire process of her building her nest and caring for her young firsthand.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?
The mother chickadee who I named Emily, of course!

Who is your biggest supporter?
My biggest supporters have always been my friends and family, who without their constant support and encouragement during the entire 7 year process (yes, seven years!), I might have not have seen this project through to the end. My late husband was one of my biggest supporters.

Your biggest critic?
My biggest critic has always been me.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I absolutely love all animals and support no kill shelters. I am passionate about children with cancer and other life threatening diseases, for they are our heroes.
In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills? My three books were all published last year, and since then I’ve learned a lot about the necessary marketing and media.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?
I go over and over it a hundred times myself first and then ask family and friends for their opinions and that of their young readers as well…how did their grandchildren like the story?

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?
Every book I have ever read has had some small influence on me as a writer.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?
The most important thing in my life right now is family. Keeping close with my grown daughter, son and all my family have become even more of a priority to me since losing my husband to a fatal heart attack in November of “08. Family is everything.

What are you currently working on?
Marketing and promoting my three children’s books, which were all published and released last year.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?
If you get an idea, put it down on paper, rather than relying on memory alone. Keep a writing journal. Most importantly, always listen to your own inner voice.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?
Maya Angelou has inspired my own poetry.

What are some of your long term goals?
To have my children’s books handed down to future generations and withstand the test of time. To leave behind a little part of me and something that I have contributed to this world. Eventually, I would like to write and publish a book for adult readers too.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?
To have a parent write to me telling me how much their child loves Emily’s story and that they want to read my three books over and over again!

What do you feel is your biggest strength?
I never give up, no matter how great the obstacle is.

Biggest weakness?
That I sometimes don’t know when to give up.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?
The fact that it is a true story from which children can learn about nature really sets it apart. Children are taught to interact with nature through observation, never interference. The back of each book has a log where children can record their chickadee findings. The rhyming also helps children learn to read. The art in these books is also realistically depicted, down to the tiniest detail of a bird or flower.
You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island.

What book would you bring with you and why?
A blank notebook and a pen to write my own book.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?
The day my husband died, I wish that I would have been able to get him to a hospital right away, as soon as his symptoms started. Because we were in a Mexico, it took 15 minutes for paramedics to arrive at our hotel room. Had I known that it was our last day together, I would have never left his side for a moment. I regret that there was no opportunity to say good bye. I would not have gone to the beach to read my book while he was resting in our room that afternoon. I would have told him that I loved him.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?
Yes, five years ago I didn’t know anything about building a house or publishing books. I have knowledge and experience now that I didn’t have 5 years ago.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?
Never assume anything. Say and do everything now while you have the opportunity, because your life can change in an instant.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?
I have no regrets because everything in my life, good or bad, has led me to become the person I am today…the university of Carol Zelaya.

What is your favorite past-time?
I love to be with my four little dogs, read when time allows, see a good movie, share a good meal with family or friends, and travel. Reading a good book on a beach would be my favorite thing to do on vacation.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Yes, in my dreams Emily the Chickadee is read world wide and even becomes a favorite movie character of young children, like Disney’s Tweety Pie!

Carol Zelaya lives and writes in the Portland, OR area. She has written Emily’s story in hope of educating children about nature’s precious gifts that are all around us when we take the time to notice.

Zelaya is touring the Pacific Northwest in 2008 and is donating signed copies of her book to several low-income neighborhood schools and libraries to share her love of reading and nature.

You can visit Carol online at http://emilythechickadee.com/about-carol.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol Zelaya is a former nurse, recently widowed, and mother of two grown children. She grew up in the Chicago area, where she eventually met and married her husband and where they raised a family. Having relocated to Oregon in 1996, Zelaya began her love affair with nature and its beautiful creatures. Inspired by her surroundings, she started taking pictures and writing. Writing poetry led to writing three children’s books, of course, in rhyme. Zelaya’s Emily the Chickadee books are the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl and the true meaning of family.

Carol is now moving to the San Diego area to be near her children. You can visit her online at http://www.emilythechickadee.com/.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Read Emily Waits for Her Family and follow the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl, from first meeting to leaving, from new life to old friends. This story is told in a timeless, three-part series, with an easy-reading rhyme, and is certain to delight and touch your heart.

Interview with Avi Perry, author of "72 Virgins"

2009-10-13T12:56:00.003-05:00

I was lucky enough to get Avi to agree to an interview with me. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

72 Virgins is a novel about Jihad terrorism and the security agencies’ struggle to thwart its stratagem and trounce the perpetrators. Abu Musa is an Islamic Terrorist with an agenda, a ticking bomb inside the US. Arik Golan is an Israeli who tries to bring him down and pull the plug on his terror organization. Stanley Cramer is an FBI agent on a hunting mission, seeking to place both Abu Musa and Arik within his crosshair. The FBI, the Israeli Mossad, the US-based Iranian clandestine terror network, and the Islamic Jihad fraternity are engaged in a timeless conflict, playing out to a crescendo that comes to a head before the dramatic conclusion.

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge – there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is—will the next one be stopped before it’s too late?

72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

Although 72 Virgins is a suspense-thriller, focusing on a countdown to a terror attack on US soil, it is, nevertheless, highly instructive. The story and its associated subplots are fiction, but the setting is real, the places where conspiracy is instigated are fictional, even though they're based on genuine events; the characters are deep and distinctive, while at the same time, they embody their unmistakable cultural heritage. Ronald L. Donaghe, winner of the 2008 Jim Duggins out-standing Mid-Career Novelist Award., characterized it best—"Perry was able to combine reality with fiction in a way that has made the book—one to remember. Perry's style and approach, makes for a great, entertaining read, in addition to being suspenseful and intriguing, from start to finish".

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife

Your biggest critic?

My wife

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

There is a global misunderstanding when it comes to explaining the reasons behind suicide bombing. The media and many people in the Western democracies believe that suicide bombers are desperate people committing desperate acts. There is nothing more distorted than this characterization. Muslims who choose martyrdom as the final heroic act of their lives are selfish people. They commit this crime believing that they will be rewarded with 72 Virgins in heaven, sitting next to Allah’s throne, enjoying all heavenly benefits promised to them by their mentor manipulators who coldly view them as instruments for achieving a political objective. My latest thriller provides some clues (among other qualities) into that true characterization.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

Definitely yes. Writing is like running. Practice makes it perfect. Furthermore, the two editors who thoroughly reviewed my early and late drafts taught me a few things that I implemented in my latest novel and would do so in my future ones.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Not really

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

My audience has been the most influential throughout my career as a writer. When I worked as a Vice President at NMS Communications (hi-tech company), I managed customer trials as part of my job. When the trial was over I wrote “trip reports.” These reports became “best sellers” within the email forwarding universe within the company. They were filled with humor, great lively descriptions of the scenes and general edutainment value. People told me that I had a great talent for writing, that I should pursue a career in that field. I also noticed what part of my writings turned people on. It was the special style, the humor filled descriptions of people and situations, the internal dialogs between persons and the other side of their brains, revealing their thoughts and their dilemmas. I used what I learned in my book writing.

What are you currently working on?

It’s probably a boring answer, but right at this moment I am trying to maximize the exposure for my latest novel. I am also plotting (in my head) a sequel that would take care of some unfinished business described in 72 Virgins.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Advice for writers and would be writers: Many people believe that they have a book inside their head. If they have never written one, chances are they have one great idea, which may fill no more than one to five pages. Most people do not understand that simple truth. Before committing to writing a book, make sure you have enough material and a strong drive. It’s not a short journey; it’s a serious long-term commitment.

Advice for readers: Be selective. Not every best selling author deserves that title. I have read books by best selling authors, which I deserted way before hitting the midpoint. They suffered from one or several symptoms that turned me off. They were badly written, boring, juvenile, too predictable, not believable—all or some of the above.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Many people from different parts of the world have thanked me personally (via email) on what I had done in writing my engineering book. Many of them claimed that buying it was one of the best decisions they had made. It helped them get a new job; it helped them perform better on their current job; they enjoyed the style and the easy-to-understand explanations. I felt like I had contributed to improving quality of lives in different corners of the world. I hope my latest book provides similar satisfaction.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

I believe that my writing style is unique and captivating. I feel that the story conveyed in 72 Virgins is not bounded by its entertainment value; it is enlightening at the same time. I believe that the many twists and turns would keep the reader interested from start to finish. The romance, love and lust spice up the book while being essential to the plot.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

I would bring a book titled: How not to get stuck on an island, and if you do, then here is how you get unstuck…

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

The day they almost killed Hitler, but failed. I would want them to be successful.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

Life is too short, and as you get older it becomes shorter. Everyone seems to know that, but when you are young, you just say it, you don’t really feel it. Mortality is for old people to worry about, and many young people fail to see that they are headed in that direction and quickly. There is no time to waste even (and especially) when you are young.

Avi Perry grew up in Israel. As a teenager and throughout his college years, he was a professional musician. He financed his student life with numerous gigs, playing with his Israeli band, writing songs, playing the various keyboard instruments, and enjoying listening to his performances on the Israeli radio (there was no MTV in late 60s Israel). He still plays and writes music, but as a hobby (at home), rather than as a line of work. During the Six-Day-War in 1967, he served in the Israeli military, in the field intelligence unit, and gained valuable and relevant experience in covert communications technology and a variety of spy craft and methods.

He has spent the past four decades in the US, first as a Ph.D. student, then as a professor at Northwestern University, a Bell Laboratories – distinguished staff member, and finally as Vice President at NMS Communications. He signed for early retirement in 2004 with the intention of writing a technical book. The title Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering was published by Cambridge University Press in 2007 and became very popular. Readers praised the book for its thoroughness and for my refreshing, unique and entertaining writing style, atypical among technical writers. Throughout Avi’s tenure at NMS, he wrote many short (humor-packed, peppered with company culture) satires, technical reports, white papers (published on company website), press releases, and more.

One may find more information on his websites (www.aviperry.org and www.aviperry.com ).

Avi’s latest book 72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

72 Virgins is a novel about Jihad terrorism and the security agencies’ struggle to thwart its stratagem and trounce the perpetrators. Abu Musa is an Islamic Terrorist with an agenda, a ticking bomb inside the US. Arik Golan is an Israeli who tries to bring him down and pull the plug on his terror organization. Stanley Cramer is an FBI agent on a hunting mission, seeking to place both Abu Musa and Arik within his crosshair. The FBI, the Israeli Mossad, the US-based Iranian clandestine terror network, and the Islamic Jihad fraternity are engaged in a timeless conflict, playing out to a crescendo that comes to a head before the dramatic conclusion.

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge – there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is—will the next one be stopped before it’s too late?

72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

Although 72 Virgins is a suspense-thriller, focusing on a countdown to a terror attack on US soil, it is, nevertheless, highly instructive. The story and its associated subplots are fiction, but the setting is real, the places where conspiracy is instigated are fictional, even though they're based on genuine events; the characters are deep and distinctive, while at the same time, they embody their unmistakable cultural heritage. Ronald L. Donaghe, winner of the 2008 Jim Duggins out-standing Mid-Career Novelist Award., characterized it best—"Perry was able to combine reality with fiction in a way that has made the book—one to remember. Perry's style and approach, makes for a great, entertaining read, in addition to being suspenseful and intriguing, from start to finish".

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge – there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is—will the next one be stopped before it’s too late?

72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

Although 72 Virgins is a suspense-thriller, focusing on a countdown to a terror attack on US soil, it is, nevertheless, highly instructive. The story and its associated subplots are fiction, but the setting is real, the places where conspiracy is instigated are fictional, even though they're based on genuine events; the characters are deep and distinctive, while at the same time, they embody their unmistakable cultural heritage. Ronald L. Donaghe, winner of the 2008 Jim Duggins out-standing Mid-Career Novelist Award., characterized it best—"Perry was able to combine reality with fiction in a way that has made the book—one to remember. Perry's style and approach, makes for a great, entertaining read, in addition to being suspenseful and intriguing, from start to finish".

Interview with Scott Gale, author of "Your Family Constitution"

2009-10-12T20:33:00.001-05:00

What prompted the book? Who is the inspiration behind it?

I originally created my family’s first constitution out of sheer necessity. My wife and I had been struggling to stay on top of things, as we were out of synch and had no clear vision for how to proceed. My kids were frustrated and confused because our rules were reactive and subject to change based on circumstance. On Mother’s Day 2007, my nine-year-old son and I got in an argument that ultimately resulted in me taking a twelve-mile hike home from Laguna Beach to cool off. I knew at that point something had to change.

In the weeks that followed, I received a constitution outlining the rules of my fantasy football league, which I modified to spell out new boundaries and structure for my family. It worked well and we steadily improved over the next couple of years. When my friends kept emphasizing what a special tool I had created, I decided to share it with other parents through this book.

Who is your biggest supporter?

As you might guess, my family has been my greatest support. Although they all initially had concerns about having a Family Constitution, they now appreciate the impact of clarity and consistency.

Who is your biggest critic?

My wife, Karen, was my biggest critic. When I started to write the book, she had concerns about me sharing personal information and stories about our family. In the end, we both learned that many other families shared our challenges, which ultimately made her feel much better.

What causes are you most passionate about? Why?

Although I don’t know if it qualifies as a cause, I am extremely passionate about encouraging kids to enjoy an active lifestyle. I have real concerns about the passive habits that kids fall into when no one takes the time to show them how fun sports and outdoor activities can be. I coach baseball and try to give the kids an outstanding experience so that they will want to come back the next season and play again.

As far as real causes go, I support the American Cancer Society. I have a dear friend fighting liver cancer and my sister beat ovarian cancer at the age of fifteen. I donated book revenue from my launch party and would like to continue to support the organization in the future.

In the last year, have you learned or improved any skills?

I am a big believer in continual improvement, both as a parent and a person. I have learned to slow down and appreciate my blessings. I work from home now, so get to enjoy my kids a lot more. I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to work from a remote office again after that experience.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Since this is my first piece of work, I suppose it is a ritual in the making. We celebrated by going to Dave & Buster’s to enjoy a night of fun with the kids.

Scott Gale is an author and instructor at University of California Irvine. His passion is helping families communicate and re-connect in spite of today’s hectic lifestyle and increased demands. Scott’s new book, “Your Family Constitution: A Modern Approach to Family Values and Household Structure,” inspires readers to increase togetherness and progressively improve by leveraging clarity, consistency and commitment.

For more information on his book or to learn how to create your customized Family Constitution visit: http://www.yourfamilyconstitution.com/ or e-mail: sgale@yourfamilyconstitution.com .

Your Family Constitution Helps Busy Parents to Create Manageable Family StructureJust in time… a formerly stressed-out dad’s perspective provides a common-sense playbook to reach family harmony. As today’s parents cope with scores of competing obligations and responsibilities, raising kids with good core values is an extreme challenge. Combine this perpetual struggle with the effects of technological distractions, societal lack of discipline, and failures to communicate, and it is not hard to understand why so many parents throw up their hands in defeat and accept mere survival.

Author Scott Gale refused to settle for chaos. Instead, he designed a powerful tool that allowed him to alleviate family challenges through the thoughtful application of clarity, consistency and commitment (the “3Cs”). Your Family Constitution tells his story and provides a step-by-step process that parents can follow to balance schedules and produce time they never before had, improve family communication, relieve pent-up frustration, and wrap healthy boundaries around core values; applying rewards, consequences and accountability standards to maintain them.

A stressed-out parent downloaded the first chapter and replied, “You are easy to read, easy to understand and easy to identify with. It seems that intentional parenting has gotten lost, and you've provided a blueprint for creating a family with positive family values, ideals and rules to live and grow by. So, thanks for your courage to detail your own experience and offer personal insights for the benefit of frustrated, busy and untrained parents.”

Interview with Kathy Macias, author of "My Son John"

2009-10-11T19:38:00.001-05:00

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

This book was a long time in the making, which is unusual for me. I am currently writing about three or four books a year, but I started My Son, John about twenty years ago. At the time it had a different storyline but the same message of unconditional love and forgiveness. It wasn’t until I talked with the publisher (Joan of Sheaf House) that we decided to revamp the story but keep the same message. Once I did that, we got it finished and published in short order.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter (and critic!) of my writing is my husband. He still remembers when we were about thirteen or fourteen and we were walking home from school one day when I announced that I would be a writer some day. He reads everything I write and does so with a critical eye—which I appreciate. He doesn’t just rubber-stamp it and tell me it’s great. He gives me his honest opinion, and I listen. But he also supports every aspect of my developing career, and I appreciate that more than I can say!

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

My number-one ministry passion is supporting the underground Church. Modern-day martyrs of the faith are my heroes! In fact, I am currently working on a four-book series called the “Extreme Devotion” series, which will release between April 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011. Each book is set in a different country and loosely based on the true life story of a modern-day persecuted (and/or martyred) believer.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

I write fast and fairly clean, but I always finish my first draft and then set it aside for a few days/weeks before beginning the final editing/rewrite process. I know I will be able to do so then with a fresh eye, so I catch things I would never have seen if I’d read it right away. Then I pass it to readers for their input as well.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

My advice is to be willing to “earn your spurs.” I spent a lot of years writing for free (or close to it), and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. I also advise writers to get some journalism training. That was one of the wisest moves I ever made! It taught me to write on time, on target, and on focus—no such thing as writer’s block in my life!

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

OK, I know this is obvious, but the Bible is my first pick. I read/study it daily. It is always fresh, always new, always speaks to me where I am today. There simply is no other book like it, since there is no other book authored by the Master Author Himself.

What is your favorite past-time?

I’m the classic “busman’s holiday” example. If I get five spare minutes, I’m immediately reading—cereal boxes, books, whatever. I’m a word person, period. Can’t resist reading whatever my eyes land on, though aside from the Bible, I prefer a good novel above all else.

About the Author:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley. You can learn more about her and her books/speaking engagements at www.kathimacias.com or http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/

Interview with Sheila Roberts, author of "Angel Lane"

2009-10-09T08:56:00.001-05:00

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

I love this book because of the message behind it: be a good neighbor, be a good friend, build a good community. My husband and I live in a small, lakeside neighborhood and I love it because people are involved with each other and watch out for each other. And in my fictional town of Heart Lake I have three friends who decide they need to bring this kind of old fashioned community involvement back in style. Here’s what it’s about, in a nutshell:
Heart Lake is beginning to lose its friendly, small town feeling, so Sarah Goodwin, who owns the town bakery, Jamie Moore, owner of The Chocolate Bar, and Emma Swanson of Emma’s Quilt Corner decide it’s time to find a way to help everyone feel more connected. Their solution: random acts of kindness. And not just from them. The women sponsor a town meeting, encouraging the few people who turn out to start a movement. This not only results in people all over town extending kindness to each other in heartwarming small ways. Soon the three friends are coping with lost cats, mixed signals, business challenges, and unexpected romance. A fun read and some great recipes, too!

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband. He brags about me to all his friends and when we’re out meeting new people he’s the one who always gives out my business card. When my book ON STRIKE FOR CHRISTMAS was re-released last year he got into my address book and e-mailed everyone about it. I was mortified.

Your biggest critic?

Me.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I want to encourage women to live their lives to the fullest. Does that count as a cause? I hope so. I’m passionate about living a life that counts for something and encouraging others to do the same. We have such a short time here and I don’t want to waste it. I think God gave me this desire to write, so I try to use it to write books that will both entertain my readers and leave them pumped and ready to take on the world. And in my spare time I try to make a difference in my own little world, being a help to family, friends, and neighbors.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs. These three women have always been there for me, with encouragement and sage advice. Much of how I manage my career I’ve learned from them.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

I have been writing since I was a little girl. Wrote my first story in the fourth grade. My first “book” was titled TOPEKA, and it was about a horse because, of course, I was totally into horses and had read every horse book on the planet. So, who knows? Maybe my first inspiration was Walter Farley, author of THE BLACK STALLION books.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Probably dialogue. Maybe I should write movie scripts!

Biggest weakness?

I’m bad on description. I’ve gotten better over the years, but you’ll never see pages of description in one of my books. I don’t like to read a lot of it so I don’t write a lot of it. I want to get on with the story!

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Good question. Maybe a reader who enjoys it will e-mail me the answer.

What is your favorite pass-time?

I enjoy doing a lot of things: dancing, playing volleyball (not well, but I still love to play), reading, going to movies – but I think my favorite is playing cards or parlor games with friends. I love to throw a party where we get to do something fun! Maybe, when I retire from writing I’ll become a party planner!

Sheila Roberts lives in the Pacific Northwest. She's happily married and has three children. Writing since 1989, she has had 24 books published, both in fiction and nonfiction under different names and in different languages. However before she settled into her writing career, she did lots of other things, including owning a singing telegram company and playing in a band. But writing and helping others to find ways to make their lives better are her greatest passions.

Her down-to-earth wisdom and quirky upbeat sense of humor make Sheila a popular speaker to groups large and small. Her books are becoming perennial hot sellers. Her book Bikini Season was a Bookscan top 50, a Target Breakout Novel pick and an Amazon Beach Read pick. On Strike for Christmas will be released this year for the third year in the row and has been optioned for film. Her new release Love in Bloom has been chosen as a Reader’s Digest Condensed Book. Now… if she could just get on “Dancing with the Stars”!

You can visit her website at www.sheilasplace.com to find out about her latest women's fiction novel, Angel Lane.

The small town of Heart Lake is beginning to lose its friendly, small town feeling, so Sarah Goodwin, who owns the town bakery, Jamie Moore, owner of The Chocolate Bar, and Emma Swanson of Emma’s Quilt Corner decide it’s time to find a way to help people feel more connected. Their solution: random acts of kindness. And not just from them. The women sponsor a town meeting, encouraging the few people who turn out to start a movement. Soon people all over town are extending kindness to each other in heartwarming small ways. But as the three friends cope with lost cats, mixed signals, business challenges, and unexpected romance, they learn that no good deed goes unpunished. Most important, though, they learn that the only way to get a better life, a better town, a better world, is to give your heart.

Interview with Stella Mazzucchelli, author of "Silk Flowers Never Die"

2009-10-07T19:26:00.003-05:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stella Metaxa Mazzucchelli was born in Athens, Greece and married, aged eighteen, Riccardo Mazzucchelli, the famous Italian businessman. During their twenty two year marriage, they lived in Zambia and London, where she became a well-known figure on the social scene, and had a brief and successful modelling career at the unusual age of 28. Fedele is their only child. After their divorce, Riccardo married Ivana Trump in 1995, though the marriage was short lived. Stella now lives in Athens where she brings up her grand-daughter Katerina. As well as being involved in the property and renovation business, which ensures she maintains connections with London, she is also a tireless campaigner for the better understanding of schizophrenia and mental illness. Silk Flowers Never Die is her first book.

You can visit her publisher online at http://www.dynastypress.co.uk/.

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

My book is based on my son's mental condition which is schizophrenia and the devastation it entailed to come to terms with an illness I knew nothing about. I did not write the book as the strong person I am today, but having my own demons to deal with which were alcohol related, I was emotionally crippled when I had to cope with the heart-wrenching revelation. The first half of my book deals with schizophrenia and my alcohol dependency. The second half is dedicated to my son's marriage, the birth of his daughter and his wife's death from terminal cancer.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Overcoming my drinking problems in order to raise my granddaughter, I found that I had become a much stronger person. Yet, the memory of the lonely journey I had to endure to reach where I am today prompted me to wonder, how all those families who lived a similar fate managed to stay afloat. I felt the need to reach out to them and through my book hoped I could offer them encouragement as they battled their lonely task.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

My son is definitely the inspiration behind my book. He nursed his wife for a whole year without giving thought to his own needs. I was amazed that during that year he manifested very few symptoms of schizophrenia. I concluded that while his focus was directed at giving and receiving love his illness somehow fell into obscurity. It made me wonder....

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is the charity SANE whose founder is a very capable and dedicated woman: Marjorie Wallace. I have followed her work over the years and believe her cause, so much so, I have donated all the royalties of 'Silk Flowers Never Die' to her charity. I am aware that my offer is but a small drop of hope dispersed into a chasm of pain.

Your biggest critic?

My biggest critics I would say are the people who do not want to be reminded that mental illnesses exists. They do not want to taint their perfect picture with sadness and guilt. Guilt for knowing that millions of people are suffering while the world shies away ignoring their pleas for mercy and understanding. There is a phrase I’ve heard that sticks in my mind: “To me stigma is the fear I see in other people’s eyes, their back's turning, the sound of a door closing.”

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am very passionate about alleviating the stigma attached to mental diseases. I get very angry that people have to live the anguish of coping with an ongoing torment and instead of being able to share some of their pain, they have to hide and endure this forbidden infliction in silence. It is time that society becomes educated on the subject, because it is through ignorance that they automatically associate schizophrenia sufferers as dagger throwing individuals. The media always highlights the trigger man as a psychopath in capitol letters, yet we find out later (as an afterthought) that the individual had manifested signs of violence in the past and nothing was done to protect themselves or society. Why? It would be refreshing to hear more about the talents, be it painters, writers, singers etc. that these sensitive people possess, instead of the one off highlighted tragedies which could have been avoided with better care and attention.
In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

During the last five years while bringing up my granddaughter and concentrating on my writing, I gave little thought to my inner self, I thought that I was stagnating. It was only when I jotted down the last word to 'Silk Flowers" and closed my manuscript that I realized how richer I had grown through the love received from my granddaughter and the experience of sharing my life through my book. I feel ready, with more of me to spare to fight towards campaigning to alleviate the stigma attached to mental diseases. In other words, I have grown stronger with more to offer.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

When I finished writing 'Silk Flowers' I felt as though I had just given birth and had to hand over my baby. There was a void between 7am and 11am which were my writing hours. Although my fingers were itching to type and my mind was buzzing I was not ready to write anything serious. When I caught Ceaser my poodle looking at me inquisitively as I paced the floor instead of being seated at my usual place behind my desk, I decided to write a humorous, fluffy recount of his life. I find it refreshing after all the anguish that has down poured onto my computer's screen over the last five years. By the way, Ceaser who thinks of himself as a Doberman is definitely a most loving dumb blond.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Nobody. I think that I owe my ability to write through observing people and retaining detail. It is not intentional, I just do it automatically, therefore scenes are easy to describe; I just retrieve them from my memory bank. I try not to tire my reader with too much detail and move at a fast flowing pace.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

To raise my granddaughter to the best of my ability, alleviate the stigma of mental diseases and hope that my son will continue to cope with the loneliness inflicted upon him as he battles his torment.

What are you currently working on?

Promoting my book.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

If you have a story to tell, do it. You never know what could come out of it.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

No. I do not want to sound presumptuous, on the contrary as a first time writer I avoided reading any books for five years while writing 'Silk Flowers' in case I was tempted to 'steal' another author's style. I had to find my own and stick to it.

What are some of your long term goals?

I need to stay healthy as I still have a long way to go bringing up my granddaughter who is only thirteen. I had not realized how adolescence differed between girls and boys. Girls are far more complicated, mature quicker and have a difficult time during their transition into womanhood. I would like to live long enough see a change in society's attitude towards the mentally affected.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Finishing my book.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Finding it. We all have it, we just have to trust that it is there. It might be a dim light in a haze, but if we open our eyes we can find it.

Biggest weakness?

Having to battle with negativity. It is always ready to pounce on me.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Whoever has read it tells me that it is written with 'heart'. I totally expose myself without remorse or shame.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Unless I could take a library with me, none. I would prefer to write. Reading a book takes up no time at all, writing can take years. It depends how long I have to be stuck there.

Interview with Joanne Sundell, author of "Meggie's Remains"

2009-09-24T20:44:00.002-05:00

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

A: Meggie’s Remains is a love story—a romantic suspense in which the heroine struggles with far more than meeting the man of her dreams. In fact, she’s scared to death when she does. Why? That’s the question I hope to answer in this novel. I hope to peel away the pretty layers in classic, romantic theme and character, and show the not-so-pretty events that can happen—the dark, complex, emotional path a heroine’s life can take, suddenly, without warning, and with no guarantee of survival.
~Afraid of men, afraid for her sins, afraid for her sanity, and right now afraid for her life, Meggie McMurphy flees Boston once the fiendish terror so long stalking her in nightmares surfaces in the light of day. She escapes west to Denver, in the wild Colorado Territory, hoping to lose herself among the multitude of townsfolk. The year is 1874.
Twenty-five years old, alone, and near penniless, Meggie struggles to find honest work and to keep the dark secrets of her past just that: secret. Not so easily done when the handsome, formidable westerner Ethan Rourke stumbles upon her on a snowy Denver street. Why it’s as if he’d stepped right out of the pages of her beloved novel, Jane Eyre! Safe to encounter such a man on the page, it is certainly unsafe, even deadly, for her to encounter such a man in the flesh. Men belong . . . six feet under, six feet away . . . where to stay safe, the devil must stay!
Hired as a teacher, not in Denver, but in an isolated mountain town in rugged Ute country, Meggie is determined to make a home for herself in Hot Sulphur Springs. There she keeps up her masquerade as Rose Rochester, yearning for a normal life, for companionship and even love—all the while knowing it’s only a matter of time until the monstrous changeling from her nightmares will find her, killing any possibility of a life at all. ~

What is the inspiration behind this book?

A: Meggie’s Remains, my first completed manuscript and fourth sale, is near and dear to my heart. The title changed from Columbine Captive—for obvious reasons—to Day Dreams ~ Haunted Nights, but at the end of the day, became Meggie’s Remains. You might ask what this means, and well you should. Is Meggie dead, buried six feet under, never to take another breath, or is Meggie so shattered, it’s hard to take the next step in life? Number two is closer to the truth. My focus and interest rests solely in the nineteenth century, the Victorian Era. For the average romance heroine, life wasn’t easy. I can’t imagine the challenge to have lived and tried to love during such a restrictive, repressive time. When I first thought of writing romance, I thought of Jane Eyre and its classic romantic themes, wanting to pay tribute to this quintessential romance novel. What makes us root for Jane? Why do we care about her, and about Edward? How did the pair overcome impossible obstacles and find their happy ending?
Living in the West, in the Colorado Rockies, I realized the beauty all around me was a character befitting any romance novel. My first heroine would have to be a woman trying to make it in the rugged west. I decided to bring Jane Eyre to the American West and see what might happen if I took Jane’s situation and made it worse … and then worse. Ever curious about how a nineteenth century heroine might have dealt with sexual trauma and upset, I wanted to peel away the pretty layers in classic romantic theme and character, and show the not-so-pretty events that can happen—the dark, complex, emotional path a heroine’s life can take, suddenly, without warning, and with no guarantee of survival. In Meggie’s Remains, Meggie’s life mirrors Jane’s in many respects, but the mirror shatters when Meggie’s life takes a turn away from romantic conflict, toward dangers that Jane Eyre never faced. Beyond the suspense, I wanted to capture the romance, the moment when passion ignites between heroine and hero. Such is the stuff of which romance novels are made!
My love of old-fashioned theme and character led me to create my heroine, Meggie McMurphy, and her hero, Ethan Rourke, stumbling upon each other on the streets of Denver, Colorado Territory, October, 1874. Their path to find true love is most definitely not an easy one.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

A: Charlotte Bronte`, of course. After Ms. Bronte’, I’d have to say the wonderful romance writer, Judith McNaught. Every one of her books is magic.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

A: Confidence that the story “will come” and that I “can” finish a manuscript on time.

Biggest weakness:

A: Focusing on all I haven’t done instead of all I have accomplished.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

A: The author, moi`. I say this because we, as authors, are unique. Our voice is unique, unlike any other. My literary voice and style is what sets Meggie’s Remains apart from others … I can only hope.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

A: Can I have two? The day my father died, and then my mother.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

A: That I have a lot to learn. The day I stop questioning and think I know it all is the day I’d best throw in the towel on writing.

Anything else you’d like to share?

A: Please … Don’t Stop the Zensanity! This has been too much fun. I really appreciate this opportunity to visit.

My very best,

Joanne Sundell

Born in a tiny hospital in rural Virginia, tucked snugly away in a bureau drawer, Joanne ever cherishes her country beginnings. Fond memories of toddling along after her older sisters along the Appalachian Trail, catching tadpoles in the local creek bed, chasing after lightening bugs, or falling asleep to the evening hum of katydids, remain with her still, despite the family move to more urban Arlington where Joanne spent her formative school years, and then on to Richmond for college. Though nursing was her chosen vocation, her chosen avocation has ever been the romance novel. Joanne grew up reading romance, falling in love with heroes and heroines from Regency England to the American West, from London’s pubs to Colorado’s ski slopes, loving that moment when the hero and heroine meet and fall in love. That moment to Joanne is the moment when Jane Eyre meets Edward Rochester, when Elizabeth Bennett meets Mr. Darcy—that’s the heart-stopping, passionate moment for Joanne in romance. That moment is what led Joanne to attempt traditional, old-fashioned, historical romance. Her first sale was in 2005 and since then, she’s sold five more historical romances to Five Star-Gale, Cengage Learning, in their Expressions line. Her books have been reviewed nationally by such notables as Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, and Romantic Times. With her three children grown and off on their own adventures, Joanne now lives part-time in Colorado and in California with her husband and their entourage` of felines and huskies. Joanne’s writing groups include Romance Writers of America, Colorado Romance Writers, Los Angeles Romance Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Women Writing the West. You can visit her on the web at http://www.joannesundell.com/.

Meggie's Remains is a romantic suspense unlike any other. Meggie struggles with far more than meeting the man of her dreams. In fact, she's scared to death when she does. This story could happen to any woman, in any time. It is you. It is me. It is private ... but must be told.

Afraid of men, afraid for her sins, afraid for her sanity, and right now afraid for her life, Meggie McMurphy flees Boston once the fiendish terror--so long stalking in her nightmares--surfaces in the light of day. She escapes west to Denver in the wild Colorado Territory, hoping to lose herself among the multitude of townsfolk. The year is 1874.

Twenty-five years old, alone, and near penniless, Meggie struggles to find honest work and to keep the dark secrets of her past just that: a secret. Not so easily done when the handsome, foreboding westerner Ethan Rourke, stumbles upon her on a snowy Denver street. Why it's as if he'd stepped right out of the pages of her beloved romance, Jane Eyre! Safe to encounter such a man on the romance page, it is certainly unsafe, even deadly, for her to encounter such a man in the flesh. Men belong ... six feet under, six feet away ... where to stay safe, the devil must stay!

Hired as a teacher, not in Denver, but in an isolated mountain town in rugged Ute country, Meggie is determined to make a home for herself in Hot Sulphur Springs. There she keeps up her masquerade as Rose Rochester, yearning for a normal life--for companionship and even love--all the while knowing it's only a matter of time until the monstrous changeling from her nightmares will find her, killing any possibility of a life at all.

Return to Your First Love by Teresa Jones

2009-09-23T19:29:00.002-05:00

About the Author:

Teresa Jones is a writer for the Neighborhood Writing Alliance (NWA), which publishes the award-winning Journal of Ordinary Thought (JOT). Teresa is a member of Toastmasters International and the National Association of Female Executives (NAFE). Teresa is faithful member of the Apostolic Faith Church, where she serves as a prayer counselor for the Prayer Line Ministry. She and her husband, Alexander, have been married for 16 years and have two children. You can visit Teresa R. Jones website at www.teresarjones.com. You can contact Teresa at teresa.jones@revelation2-4.com.

About the Book:

Return to Your First Love is not the typical self-help/relationships book filled with anecdotes and quotes from experts. Readers are invited to sit in the front row to experience actual events that dig deep and expose carnality and misconstrued ideas about Christianity, which will in turn guide them to a path of true intimacy with God.

Author Teresa Jones walks readers through decades of her life, and share valuable lessons that have been both beneficial as well as costly. Her life experiences will speak to anyone no matter the stage of life. Return to Your First Love is a timely message that edifies, exhorts and encourages in times of uncertainty. Readers will be compelled and encouraged to seek a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

2009-09-16T22:10:00.002-05:00

About the Author

Gwen Cooper is the author of the novel Diary of a South Beach Party Girl. A Miami native, she spent five years working in nonprofit administration, marketing, and fundraising. She coordinated volunteer activities on behalf of organizations such as Pet Rescue, the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, the Miami Rescue Mission, and His House Children’s Home. In conjunction with Hands on Miami and Barnes & Noble, Gwen initiated Reading Pen Pals, an elementary school-based-literacy program in Miami’s Little Haiti. Gwen currently lives in Manhattan with her husband, Laurence, and her three perfect cats—Scarlett, Vashti, and Homer, who aren’t impressed with any of it.

You can visit Gwen online at http://gwencooper.com/.

About the Book

Once in nine lives,
something extraordinary happens...

The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.

Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever,” never as playful or independent as other cats. But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo, a tiny daredevil with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease and leapt five feet into the air to catch flies in mid-buzz. He survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night.

But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that inspired Gwen daily and transformed her life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized Homer had taught her the most important lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.

Homer’s Odyssey is the once-in-a-lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. It celebrates the refusal to accept limits—on love, ability, or hope against overwhelming odds. By turns jubilant and moving, it’s a memoir for anybody who’s ever fallen completely and helplessly in love with a pet.

I was lucky enough to get Gwen to agree to answer some questions. Here's what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Homer’s Odyssey is a memoir about my blind cat, Homer, named for the blind Greek poet. It’s a look at the incredible things that Homer, despite his blindness—or maybe because of it—is able to do, and also at the ways his courage, loyalty, and love changed my life and the person I became.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

In addition to all the incredible things Homer does every day (I always say that he has “superpowers”), he’s also chased off a burglar who broke into my apartment, he’s a 9/11 survivor, he helped me find the love of my life who I married just last year. It occurred to me one day that all the adventure, danger, romance, and general ups and downs of our life together would make for a great story. So I decided to sit down and write it.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Well, one of the main things—and this is in no way a spoiler!—is that this is the rare pet memoir with a happy ending. It ends with a wedding. Nobody dies in this book!

Also, most of the pet memoirs I’ve seen have focused on one pet. I have three cats—my other two are named Vashti and Scarlett—and so even though Homer is very much the “star” of the book, Vashti and Scarlett are there as crucial supporting characters.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

In a very general sense I would say service to others, whether formally through volunteerism or less so by, say, offering to help a friend—even if it’s a casual acquaintance—who you know could use the assistance.

Not to get too political, but one of the most shocking things I always see during an election cycle are the people who are opposed to certain policies, even if those policies would benefit them, because the policies would also incidentally benefit some who they think are undeserving of being helped. So there are people willing to hurt themselves in order to avoid seeing others helped.

Even from the perspective of pure self-interest, I find that a short-sighted and destructive world view. In the entire history of history, no civilization has ever crumbled because its citizenry was too happy, too healthy, too secure, too well educated, and too well fed. When a large enough percentage of people are scared, sick, and hungry, that’s when we all need to worry.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I used to hate crossword puzzles intensely, and about a year ago I suddenly fell in love with them. I think that when you’re going through the general anxiety of writing a book, editing a book, and then waiting for it to be published, there’s something incredibly soothing in having small, discrete “problems” you can solve. I’m at the point where I can now get through a weekday New York Times crossword in about 15 minutes, although the Sunday one still takes me the better part of a day.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Far and away my marriage. Up until a few years ago, my career was the driving force in my life—and I think that, when you’re young, that’s the way it almost has to be. You’re trying to build a certain kind of life for yourself, and you have to focus on what it’s going to take to make that happen. But eventually, career has to shift from being your life to being the thing that enables your life. I work hard and push myself so that my husband can go to sleep at night without worrying about our future. And he does the same for me!

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Getting published! It’s rough out there for writers right now. Arguably it’s always been tough for writers, but the last few years seem to have driven the barriers to publication even higher. I know—no matter what happens with this book—how fortunate I am simply to be in print, and I’m grateful for it every day.

Magnificent Man by Randall Lang

2009-09-09T13:16:00.006-05:00

About the Author:

Randall Lang grew up in the tough coalfields of southwestern Pennsylvania where nothing comes easy. It is a world of limited opportunity and few roles to follow. Dreams are quickly vanquished in the shadows of necessity and creativity is usually buried beneath an avalanche of cynicism. However, epiphanies come in all shapes, sizes, and in a wide range of locations. In the dark and quiet world of the underground worksite, the stories within him began to take form. Years later, Randall Lang is the author of eight books of erotic stories published by Renaissance E Books, has contributed to two erotic anthologies, and the recently released Magnificent Man, an erotic romance published by Midnight Showcase. Randall’s erotic works include the five volume Trailer Park Nights series and three books of erotic short stories. These are available at http://shop.renebooks.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=120. His newest release, Magnificent Man, is available from Midnight Showcase at http://www.midnightshowcase.com/MagniMan.htm.

Visit Randall’s website, The Worlds of Randall Lang, www.randalllang.com.
Or his blog, The Mind of Randall Lang, www.randalllang.blogspot.com. It’s a strange place to be.
Randall now lives historically on an historic island in Wheeling, West Virginia.

About the Book:

Life has not been easy for former beauty queen Cassandra Taylor. Abandoned by her worthless former husband, she is a single mother struggling to hold a home together for her teen-aged daughter and her mother with health problems. An ad in a Hollywood fan magazine offers her the hope of beginning anew with a more financially secure life and the glamour of Hollywood. She spends her meager savings chasing this dream only to have it dashed by an offer she must refuse. When her car breaks down on a desert highway, it leaves her alone, desperate, and at the mercy of strangers. She is rescued from a life or death encounter by a large, handsome man who rides the desert on a motorcycle. He agrees to take her home, but she is suspicious of him. To her surprise he calls her ‘my lady’ and treats her as if she were a queen and he, her knight escort. It is during this long and convoluted journey of adventure that she finds herself falling deeply in love with Coyote, the spirit rider. Although he resists, he also becomes helplessly in love with her. She quickly comes to realize that she could not survive in the harsh desert world where he is loved and respected, and he could not survive in the modern world that he does not understand and which will not accept his anachronistic ways. They seem doomed, as the sun and the moon, to always be apart even though their love bonds them helplessly to each other. Join Cassandra on the journey of a lifetime with her strange desert knight, her Magnificent Man.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to answer some questions. Here is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Firstly let me thank you for inviting me here today. Magnificent Man is the story of Cassandra, a desperate single Mother, who takes a chance to better her family’s future. On the way home she is rescued from dangerous thugs by a large, handsome man on a motorcycle. He agrees to take her home after he completes his work at reservations and small villages in the southwest. It is during this journey that she realizes what a special man Coyote is. Coyote and Cassandra resist the ever-growing attraction between them, but ultimately they surrender to their love.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I am anachronistic by nature. I believe in courtesy, civility, respect, and contributing to society. Many of those values seem to be passé in today’s world. I am a man clinging to what are probably considered outdated ideals. Sound familiar? One of my strongest influences is Don Quixote. That carries through in this book.

Who is your biggest supporter?

I have been blessed with several supporters during the writing of Magnificent Man. One of my strongest is Jane Carver, my editor at Midnight Showcase. Writers talk about editors like they are fire-breathing, gin-swilling monsters who chew up pristine manuscripts and generate vanilla. Jane is such a sweetheart and she greatly improved my work. I must credit Morgan Ashbury also. She has become a friend and she helped me transform Magnificent Man away from erotica and into romance.

What are you currently working on?

In early 2009 I finished two full-length novels and contributed to two erotic anthologies. The muse is tired, the imagination is exhausted, and the fingers are sore. At the moment, I am concentrating on promoting Magnificent Man before moving to another project. I have been asked about a sequel for Magnificent Man, and that is a possibility. There is a strong character named Frank Sancho who has been very well received by readers and may be worthy of his own novel.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

I believe that every reader is a potential writer. Readers know what they like and demand a quality product. That has been the inspiration for many readers to become writers. “If you want something done right...”. Well writing is not that easy. It interferes with life and leaves you in a perpetual tug of war between family time and writing time. Once you do generate a product, then you must locate someone to publish it. And finally you must convince someone to buy it. But if you have the drive to actually write something, then set your goal and pursue it.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

My strongest influence was a man that most people have never heard of. Homer Hickam Jr. is the Author of Rocket Boys, the book that later became the movie October Sky. We share a coal mining heritage and I had occasion to meet his Father and to visit his home town, where the movie takes place. He writes of simple people and their daily lives, but he communicates in such a clear and basic way that reading one of his books creates a flow of images. I had assumed that a writer had to have a PhD in literature and speak five languages before being qualified to write a book. The required reading I had in school forced me to keep a dictionary nearby for the obscure ‘sixteen cylinder’ words that some of those authors used. Homer showed me that a writer could tell a story clearly and smoothly using ordinary language. I have seven of his books but he only has one of mine. I need to catch up.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

To date, Magnificent Man is my greatest accomplishment. I started out writing erotica and continued for about 10 years. I have some GOOD erotica out there. But when I joined the chat loops with other writers, I would remain in the shadows while they discussed writing romance, sci-fi, paranormal, mystery, etc. With the release of Magnificent Man I feel that I have more legitimately joined the community of writers.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

An absolutely fierce dedication to proper language. Every day I see blatant misuses of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization by published authors. TOO is not the same as TO; DO is not the same as DUE and certainly not DEW; there are apostrophes in contractions and possessives; and, GOD is a proper name. Writers should be held to a higher standard, this is not YAHOO.

Biggest weakness?

A lack of imagination. I am a nuts and bolts guy by nature and I can make a Buick out of tin cans and duct tape. I just do not have the imagination and artistic ability of some of the amazing writers out there.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

The male perspective. The vast majority or romance is written by women. Women like men in kilts, and ballrooms, and castles, and heather on the moor. Magnificent Man is different from that. It’s more rugged and straight forward. One of the lines I use is ,”This is my attempt to show that a straight man can write an emotionally charged romance story without turning it into a Chuck Norris movie.” If she reads this book, she will read romance. If HE picks up the book, he will read action and drama and never see the romance.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

January 10, 1958, I would stop my Father from getting into his car.

What is your favorite past-time?

I have several. I enjoy bicycling, kayaking, and a few I will not discuss. My island allows me to park the car and travel by bicycle.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Just my appreciation and gratitude for inviting me here today.

Football is For Lovers by Bob Brooker and Kay O'Dougherty

2009-09-09T06:37:00.004-05:00

About the Author:

Bob Brooker and Kaye O'Dougherty have been adventuring together for a lot of years now. They first met at a recording studio on 42nd Street. Yes, that 42nd Street. They recorded a commercial for E.J. Korvette's, who went out of business soon thereafter.

Bob is an old saloon singer who, as Bobby Brookes, recorded for Victor and Capital back in the day. Kaye has trouble carrying a tune in a bucket. Nevertheless, over the years, as Brooker and O'Dougherty, the two have collaborated on a variety of theater projects, performing, writing, directing, managing, and producing. In keeping with the changing times, they have even created a cyber alter-ego named eBobb.

Recently, Bob and Kaye both took long-overdue turns at being rather mature college kids. Kaye now holds a Bachelors Degree in the Humanities from St. Peter's College in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Bob was graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State University with a BA in Theater, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

You can visit their website by going to FootballforLovers.com.

About the Book:

Can learning about football be sexy? According to Football is for Lovers, when it comes to your love life, football can be better than oysters.

The good news is that Football is for Lovers makes the basics so . . . well, so basic that learning the game is easy as eating an ice cream cone. And just as much fun.

With anecdotes, illustrations, and a lot of laughs, Football is for Lovers not only makes it easy to understand the game, but also shows you how to put an end to the TV clicker wars, improve your relationship, and spice up your love life.

It just takes looking at the game of football a little bit differently.

Then again, since Football is for Lovers contains references to football great Jerry Rice in a pink tutu, images of paintings by French artist Jean Dubuffet, an alert about the dangers of speaking Northeastern Mandarin, an explanation of the value of M & M's in a relationship, and a Burma Shave sign, to say it looks at football "a little bit differently" may be something of an understatement.

But if your football-obsessed partner has been making you a 'football widow' from August NFL pre-season through the February Super-Bowl, thus convincing you that you hate football, this little book may be just the 'different look' you need to discover that, after all, Football really is for Lovers!

I was lucky enough to get the authors to agree to tell me a little more about themselves through some of their favorites. Here's what they had to say:

Bob Brooker and Kaye O'Dougherty have been adventuring together for a lot of years now. They first met at a recording studio on 42nd Street. Yes, that 42nd Street. They recorded a commercial for E.J. Korvette's, who went out of business soon thereafter.

Bob is an old saloon singer who, as Bobby Brookes, recorded for Victor and Capital back in the day. Kaye has trouble carrying a tune in a bucket. Nevertheless, over the years, as Brooker and O'Dougherty, the two have collaborated on a variety of theater projects, performing, writing, directing, managing, and producing. In keeping with the changing times, they have even created a cyber alter-ego named eBobb.

Recently, Bob and Kaye both took long-overdue turns at being rather mature college kids. Kaye now holds a Bachelors Degree in the Humanities from St. Peter's College in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Bob was graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State University with a BA in Theater, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

You can visit their website by going to FootballforLovers.com or their blog by clicking here.

Can learning about football be sexy? According to Football is for Lovers, when it comes to your love life, football can be better than oysters.

The good news is that Football is for Lovers makes the basics so . . . well, so basic that learning the game is easy as eating an ice cream cone. And just as much fun.

With anecdotes, illustrations, and a lot of laughs, Football is for Lovers not only makes it easy to understand the game, but also shows you how to put an end to the TV clicker wars, improve your relationship, and spice up your love life.

It just takes looking at the game of football a little bit differently.

Then again, since Football is for Lovers contains references to football great Jerry Rice in a pink tutu, images of paintings by French artist Jean Dubuffet, an alert about the dangers of speaking Northeastern Mandarin, an explanation of the value of M & M's in a relationship, and a Burma Shave sign, to say it looks at football "a little bit differently" may be something of an understatement.

But if your football-obsessed partner has been making you a 'football widow' from August NFL pre-season through the February Super-Bowl, thus convincing you that you hate football, this little book may be just the 'different look' you need to discover that, after all, Football really is for Lovers!

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

We thought it was a shame that a cool game like football was apparently causing conflict in a lot of relationships. For example, although Val, our favorite bank teller, admitted she knew very little about the game, she nonetheless declared that she hated football. So, obviously, if she didn’t know what the game was about, it couldn’t really be football that she hated, now could it? A brief discussion of the subject revealed that it was being ignored by her boyfriend from August pre-season through the February Super Bowl that was putting a strain on their couplehood. And we were pretty sure Val’s relationship was not the only one in jeopardy. So we wrote Football is for Lovers as an antidote to what seems to be a rather common problem here in the USA: football widowhood. In the book, we not only make understanding the game as easy as buttering toast, but also we give you the tools to make football work for your relationship, not against it. In Football is for Lovers, we show you a whole new way of looking at football that can end the TV clicker wars, spice up your love life, and maybe even get you some M&Ms into the bargain. Not bad, huh?

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Indeed it did. Over the years, our writing had mostly been in the entertainment field - songs, skits, scripts, stuff like that – because, besides writing, Bob had always been a performer. A singer mostly. But also an actor and director. But then, when Bob had a stroke a few years back, his life upon the wicked stage was cut short. One week, we were getting ready to go into a recording studio to finish up a new album. The next, we were in a local hospital figuring out some basic stuff like walking and talking. Even so, there was no way we were going to give up writing. Or entertaining. Only now, we realized we’d need to do it sitting down and with our mouths shut. A book seemed like a good idea. So we wrote one.

Who is your biggest supporter?

Bob is Kaye’s biggest supporter. Kaye is Bob’s biggest supporter. Hey, it works for us!

Your biggest critic?

We bet you can guess this one! But we’ll say it anyway: Kaye is Bob’s biggest critic. Bob is Kaye’s biggest critic.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

We hope you won’t show this to Joe the Plumber! Actually, it’s the words that seem to make the problem. If we call it what it is – redistribution of the wealth – it seems to create an absolute panic. Even from the middle class and the poor, who have seen wealth being redistributed on a constant upward angle for the last thirty years. The gap between rich and poor has grown to the point that our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves. From the very beginning, they feared precisely this upward redistribution and the larding up of the nation’s wealth in the hands of the few. They considered this the key to what they saw as the downfall of Europe, and in fact the very reason for founding this brave new world. But if our Founding Fathers feared this, then surely it is not, as guys like Joe would have it - an unpatriotic idea. We think the problem is that it needs rephrasing. How about changing the ‘redistribution’ thing to ‘ensuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all our citizens’? It’s the same thing, really. Think about it.

What are you currently working on?

We’re working on another humorous non-fiction book with the working title He’s Not the Guy (God Didn’t Do It!). It bothers us when we hear those stories about things like, say, a building collapsing and ninety-nine people being killed. Then the sole survivor says, “It was a miracle! God saved me!” So - uh – exactly what does that mean? God killed the other ninety-nine? We think not. And we intend to set the record straight.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Working together. It’s . . . boy, how to say this without sounding tooooo corny? Anyway. It’s made each of us more as individuals. And, as a team, it’s made the sum of us greater than just our two parts.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Life is change. So of course we’re different. Everybody is. Just some more so than others. In our case, the change for Bob has been pretty enormous, so he’ll speak to this question.

As we told you earlier, I had a stroke. But five years ago, I was still what I had been for most of my adult life: an entertainer. . . although Kaye and I had also made the time to go back to school to get our college degrees. It was just three months after my graduation from Montclair State (Kaye interrupts here to say: he graduated magna cum laude), on the Sunday before I was scheduled to go into that recording studio, that I had the stroke. My left side – including my left vocal chord – was paralyzed. What had been my life – what, in fact, had been me – was just that quickly changed. I had always been proud of the clean, clear notes I could hit as a singer. (Kaye interrupts again: and could he ever hit them! Damn, he was good!) Now, I had to go to a speech therapist to learn how to talk again. When I tried to sing, it sounded more like a frog croaking. So change had definitely come. The only question was: change to what? As you can see, the answer we came up with was to become Bob and Kaye, the authors of Football is for Lovers. Soon to be followed by many more books. And hey: I can still whistle.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

Keep going.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Yes. Keep going!

Distant Thunder by Jimmy Root Jr.

2009-09-07T18:33:00.002-05:00

Jimmy Root Jr., has served as an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God since 1982, including service in Nebraska, Missouri, and a seven year term as a missionary in Colombia, South America. Jimmy is the lead Pastor of Family Worship Center of Smithville, a growing suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. Married to his wife Jean for twenty-nine years, the Roots have three grown children.

Root is a 1981 alumnus of Central Bible College of Springfield, Missouri where he majored in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Theology. He is also an alumnus of Southeastern University, Lakeland Florida, where he majored in Intercultural Studies.

A lifetime student of Biblical prophecy, Jimmy is also the Professor of Eschatology, The Study of End Times, for Berean University through the Northern Missouri District School of Ministry. He is a featured speaker at Churches and other venues, and is the host of “The Bible Uncensored” radio broadcast heard on radio stations around the country.

His writings, both in book form as well as his blog, are purposed to be a wake-up call to a sleepy American church that seems to be losing a truly Christian World View. Distant Thunder and its sequels, A Gathering Storm and Then Comes Lightning, will reveal to the adventure/thriller aficionado the reality of the coming fulfillment of Biblically prophesied events. You can visit his website at http://www.lightningchronicles.com/ or his blog at http://www.prophecyalert.blogspot.com/. Connect with him on twitter at www.twitter.com/JimmyRootJr and Facebook at http://facebook.com/jimmyrootjr

The unthinkable has happened. Iranian terrorists are poised to strike the United States and Israel with tactical nuclear weapons. How will the world respond? More importantly, how will a sleepy suburban Church in America respond?

Ty Dempsey is a young American pastor who finds himself in a trial of grief after the loss of his younger brother to the war in Iraq. During his darkest hours, God brings to life a series of passages in the Bible that Ty had always considered allegorical in nature. They aren’t. With a strong sense of urgency that the message must be preached to his congregation, Ty dares to go beyond anything he has ever done before. Most of his people are intrigued, but others begin to stir trouble. The result is a church conflict that threatens to destroy his ministry. His only reprieve is found in a budding romance with talented and beautiful singer, Blake Sieler.

Meanwhile, Moshe Eldan is an Israeli F-16 “Lightning” pilot who is faithfully doing his duty to protect his increasingly beleaguered nation. But things have gotten more complicated than normal. Beyond the fact that Hizbollah fighters are administering their cyclical rocket attacks across the border of Lebanon, neighbor nations are beginning to act provocatively, even after a Palestinian State has been formed. Worse, his wife confronts him with a startling prophecy from the Bible that seems to be coming true ten thousand feet beneath his wings. Never one to be anything other than a secular Jew, Moshe is forced into a journey toward faith. Then, his Lightning jet is shot down by a Russian Mig 29, and things get suddenly complicated.

Strangely, these two men, from totally different backgrounds and cultures are connected in ways that can only be orchestrated by God. This fast plausible, paced thriller never stops moving, and the end will be shocking.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to answer some questions. Here is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Distant Thunder is the first book of a Prophetic Fiction trilogy called The Lightning Chronicles. The story poses a question that I believe needs to be asked: What would happen if radical terrorists somehow got their hands on tactical nuclear weapons, and then used them against both America and Israel? It is a frightening scenario that is becoming more and more plausible in light of current world events. But in the midst of unimaginable terror and tragedy, two unsung heroes rise to extraordinary heights as they begin to understand that everything has been prophesied.

Two main characters form the storylines of Distant Thunder. Moshe Eldan is an Israeli F-16 “Lightning” fighter pilot who is doing his best to defend his country against the latest cycle of attacks. Unbeknownst to him, the greatest horror imaginable is waiting in the form of a nuclear tipped missile. Moshe finds himself in an unlooked for journey toward faith as he attempts to save his people.

The other character is a man named Ty Dempsey. His story is a bit closer to home. He is a suburban Kansas City pastor who, in working through the grief of losing his younger brother to the war in Iraq, has begun to discover the ancient prophecies of Ezekiel. So enthralled is he by the information that he preaches the prophecies to his congregation. Some of his people listen and are interested. Others, however, do not want the status quo of their comfortable lives challenged by something they consider allegorical in nature. A good old fashioned church conflict ensues. Ty decides to stay the course in face of tremendous opposition and is ultimately vindicated when nearby Kansas City is the target of a terrorist attack. Moshe and Ty become connected throughout the story in strange, spiritual ways that will only increase as the series progresses.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I am a life-long student of Bible prophecy. It is stunning, not only in its predictions, but in the fact that prophecies are being fulfilled in the light of current world events. I wanted to demonstrate that the Bible is much more than a devotional, religious document. It is one hundred percent accurate, and one hundred percent true. With that in mind, I took another great passion, the military thriller genre, and blended the two into a relevant, fast-paced story.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife, Jean, is my most faithful, as well as prettiest supporter.

Your biggest critic?

That would be me. I show no mercy, give no quarter, and am absolutely ruthless in self-criticism. But that is not in the form of a self-image or perfectionism problem. I simply want to do the very best I can in every area pertinent to my life.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I am light years ahead in my understanding of grammar. My sentence formation has improved dramatically. This is especially true in the concept of making them short and powerful.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

The most important thing in my life will always be found in fulfilling my calling as a Pastor. My motto is: Serve God first, and everything else will find its proper place.

What are you currently working on?

I am multi-tasking. The second book of the Lightning Chronicles, A Gathering Storm, is in the editing process. That is keeping me occupied. Plus, I am nearly half way through the final book of the series. Throw in the publicity work for the release of Distant Thunder and you can see I am extremely busy.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Absolutely! Never, ever give up your dream. Persevere even when it feels hopeless. Hone your craft. Tell your story. A door will eventually open if you beat on it long enough.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

My favorite authors are Clive Cussler, Dale Brown, David Hagburg, and Joel C. Rosenberg. All are fiction thriller writers that have kept me sitting at the edge of my chair for years.

What are some of your long term goals?

After the Lightning Chronicles trilogy is complete I have a strong desire to write an extended series based on the life and times of Daniel the prophet. It would be strictly classified as historical fiction, but with all of the action germane to the sixth century B.C.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Getting the word out about how current world events align with Biblical prophecy has been the greatest achievement. That is also the purpose behind Distant Thunder and its sequels.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Stick-to-itiveness. I will not give up.

Biggest weakness?

I probably enjoy football a bit too much. I am an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan and an absolute freak when it comes to Nebraska Cornhusker football.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Other books in the genre, like Joel C. Rosenberg’s recent series, are designed around the world of geo-politics. Distant Thunder was created to demonstrate that ordinary, unsung heroes are really the ones that make things happen for the good in this world. Though their deeds may go unheralded, they are incredibly valuable none-the-less.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

The Bible. It is filled with action. Every human strength and weakness is found in the stories. It is packed with wisdom, and it is the message of life. I would need nothing else.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Absolutely. If you are not growing, you are stagnant. Difficulties and trials come our way to build character and integrity. I am certain that those two ingredients are continually being refined in my life.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

It is actually a Bible verse, and a great one it is. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

What is your favorite past-time?

Beyond football I love to fish, hunt, and take advantage of the great outdoors. I am also a gardener and a carpenter.

"Indigo Awakening" by Janine Talty

2009-09-03T05:43:00.002-05:00

Janine Talty, D.O., M.P.H. Is board certified in Family Medicine by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. She specializes in clinical biomechanics, orthopedic medicine, and Osteopathic manipulative medicine. She holds two masters degrees. The first in the field of Public Health, double majoring in Health Resources Management and Community Health Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health and the second in Clinical Biomechanics from Mic higan State Universi ty, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Talty attended medical school at Des Moines University and completed her internship and residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Clinical Biomechanics at Michigan State University.

Dr. Talty is the medical director of the Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Watsonville California and is an assistant clinical professor in the department of Manual Medicine at Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing Michigan. Her practice focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal diagnostic dilemmas of the spine and extremities, sports medicine, pain management, prolotherapy, Lyme disease and natural hormone balance for women and men.

She is the author of Indigo Awakening; A Doctors Memoir of Forging an Authentic Life in a Turbulent World. What makes her uniquely qualified to write a book on the lesser known phenomenon of the Indigo person, is that she is one.

For more information, please visit: http://www.indigoawakening.com/

Dr. Janine Talty, today a successful osteopathic physician, as a child found herself bewildered by a world full of challenges that she could not understand. She felt isolated, unable to cope with the regular life issues that other children managed easily. She could not comprehend math or spelling—yet she could see energies that others could not see, and had levels of awareness than no-one around her possessed. She exhibited unusual artistic and healing talent. She spontaneously remembered and drew pictures from “old memories” of places her family had never visited. Only as she grew into adulthood, painfully learning to cope with her challenges, did she realize she was an "indigo," one of a generation of people with unusual talents and abilities, yet who rarely fit neatly into societal roles.

This book is the inspiring story of how she overcomes these challenges, finds her voice and identity, and discovers a channel for her healing abilities as an osteopathic physician. She speaks directly to the experience of fellow indigos, and shows them that some of their biggest challenges can be their most powerful gifts. She reveals that much of our personal physical suffering is actually clearing the way for human transformation, and that there is meaning and purpose to the events in our lives—even when we can't see this. Indigo Awakening is one of the first books to be written by an adult indigo, telling the experience of indigos from the inside out, and showing how their puzzling and painful experiences are paving the way for the emergence of a new way of being, in harmony with self, other, the world and the universe.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

This is an inspirational true story that will touch the heart of any reader – Indigo or not. It speaks to the place in all of us where the desire to be understood burns eternal. A new spin on the old theme, but this time, this “new being” has never been seen before. This is the first book written that takes the reader inside the experience of an Indigo growing up and living in a world that does not yet recognize the new consciousness. This evolution of our species has been foretold by hundreds of ancient shamanistic cultures prophesy scheduled to arrive in the few years just before the galactic alignment of 2012 where time as we know it will change forever. These beings are here altruistically to help transmute the remnants of the past 26,000 years of man-kind’s miss-giving’s and miss-adventures and help recreate a new way of being here on this planet. This story will demonstrate what it feels like to communicate telepathically, rely on remote viewing, experience psychic phenomenon and naturally tap into the knowledge held in the Akashic Record.

This book is a full-fledged expose` intended to act as a reflective mirror for the yet un-awakened adult Indigo person who has suppressed their extraordinary gifts and traits always feeling “different” and trying to fit in. It is a call for all Indigo warriors who are fighting their most personal battles of connecting to and accomplishing their “mission” here on earth.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Throughout my life I had many unanswered questions that inspired me to search far and wide in order to understand why I saw the world and how I fit into it so differently than those around me. As I advanced toward accomplishing the tasks that were set out for me in my initiation process I realized that I was being groomed for major work that combined all my past life remembrances’ with what I was doing today. Soon the two worlds coalesced into drawing in experiences that my scientific mind could no longer explain away. One synchronicity after another in lightning fast sequences brought me to Britain where I discovered what my body, mind and spirit had been groomed for. I was called upon to help medically revive David Icke who had passed out on my flight back to the US. The only difference was as we were loosing him using conventional methods, an energy came crashing through my physical neurologic circuitry that not only revived his physical body, but allowed his spirit to re-enter in safety.

David and I had a two hour trans-Atlantic telephone conversation where by describing the mechanism by which this energetic phenomenon had taken place essentially answered all of my mysterious life’s questions, including the most profound of all, “For what purpose was I born?”

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

By discovering who I am, an adult Indigo, compels me to connect with the thousands of others who are asking the same questions, experiencing the same phenomenon occurring in their lives and have no context by which to understand. This discovery for me has allowed for a validation the likes I have never experienced. I want to share that validation with others and call them to come out of their hiding, rejoice in who they are, use their magical powers and step into the light with me. Just like President Obama says, (he himself an adult Indigo according to Dr. Richard Boylan who I reference toward the end of the book), “We need all hands on deck right now.”

It is time, we have chosen to be here, we each have taken on monumental tasks and this is the moment to celebrate and compare our “differences.” Together, we are not “out of the box,” but creating a new space free of boundaries and boarders. It is big work, and we need to support each other through the most challenging times yet a head.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

The most important thing in my life now is to disengage from physical possessions and to downsize. We are not our “stuff.” In the Western world we have been conditioned to believe in unabashed consumerism. It has not led us to happiness now has it? It only requires that we work hard to obtain it, and harder to maintain it. The most precious commodity in my life right now is “free time” to enjoy the people and places that bring me heart-felt joy.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

To walk into a room with a patient who has read the book and they would rather talk about their experience with the story versus their pain complaints. I have discovered since writing the book, that about ½ of my patients are what I am calling “derailed Indigo’s.” Because of our resonate bio-electromagnetic-photic field attraction toward each other a bond is created that is unique between doctor and patient. It feels very powerfully familial. Inherent trust is exchanged and the patients feel perhaps for the first time in their sometimes arduous journey through the medical system heard and validated.

When they read the book, they understand why they feel the way they do and want to share their stories of strife, hard-ship, always feeling different and overcoming their own personal demons. Almost every one starts with, “I just could not put it down.”

For me personally, my biggest accomplishment was to learn how to read due to being dyslexic, then to write, then to have this opportunity to share the experience through the lens of the Indigo experience. I am convinced that I have had this amazing life so far solely to share it and inspire others.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

This is the first book written by an Indigo adult who is bold enough to admit it. Let’s face it – up until very recently no one else has been qualified to diagnose you but yourself. Being a licensed, board certified physician allows me the unique opportunity me to consider all the signs and symptoms along with the differential diagnosis and come up with a determination of cause and effect.

This unique story is told from the insider’s perspective of an awakened adult Indigo. All the others in this genre are non-Indigo adults describing the traits and characteristics of the Indigo kids or the problems the adult Indigo’s are facing since many have been “derailed” from their missions and are suffering psychologically.

The Right to Know by Jacqueline Klosek

2009-09-02T07:06:00.002-05:00

Jacqueline Klosek is a Senior Counsel in Business Law Department of Goodwin Procter LLP, where she practices in the Intellectual Property Practice Area. Her practice focuses on advising clients on various issues related to data privacy and security. She also drafts and negotiates various technology agreements and advises on different aspects of the law related to intellectual property and technology.

Jacqueline is a frequent writer and lecturer. Her most recent book is The Right to Know: Your Guide to Using and Defending Freedom of Information Law in the United States. Her prior books include: War on Privacy (Praeger, 2006); The Legal Guide to e-Business (Greenwood Publishing, 2003) and Data Privacy in the Information Age (Greenwood Publishing, 2000).

Jacqueline (along with James R. Silkenat and Jeffrey M. Aresty) is also an editor of the recently released 3rd edition of the ABA Guide to International Business Negotiations: A Comparison of Cross-Cultural Issues and Successful Approaches.

Jacqueline is a Certified Information Privacy Professional, Ms. Klosek is on the Advisory Board for The Privacy Advisor of the International Association of Privacy Professionals , and is the co-chair of the International Working Group of that organization. She is also an active member of American Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the International Association of Young Lawyers.

Jacqueline has been recognized for her professional expertise. In 2004, Ms. Klosek received NJBiz magazine’s “40 Under 40” award, given annually to the top 40 achievers in New Jersey with an established record of leadership who have taken on key decision-making roles at an earlier-than-usual stage in their lives. She was also the recipient of the Telford-Taylor Fellowship in Public International Law.

She is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels (LLM, European and International Law); Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (JD, Law) and New York University (BA, Psychology)

For more information about the book and author, please visit http://www.jacquelineklosek.com/

The Right to Know is a resource book for citizens seeking to understand, use, and defend their right to know their rights under the freedom of information laws in the United States. It educes practical lessons from dozens of case studies of how the reader can use our freedom of information laws in order to protect the environment, public health and safety and to expose governmental and corporate crime, waste, and corruption.

I was lucky enough to get Jacqueline to agree to an interview. Here are her answers:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

The Right to Know is a resource book for citizens seeking to understand, use, and defend their right to know their rights under the freedom of information laws in the United States. It sets out in plain language freedom-of-information best practices for ordinary citizens, activist organizations, journalists, bloggers, and lawyers. It educes practical lessons from dozens of case studies of how the reader can use our freedom of information laws in order to protect the environment, public health and safety and to expose governmental and corporate crime, waste, and corruption. Finally, it shows American readers how their right to know is being progressively curtailed, why the trend is so dangerous to American democracy, and what they can do to help reverse the alarming trend.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I first witnessed the power of the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) in my professional capacity while I was working on pro-bono cases. In my law practice, I began representing clients who were seeking political asylum in the United States after suffering persecution in their homelands. I quickly found that the FOIA was an effective tool to garner and confirm a variety of facts that helped me pursue their cases. This prompted me to learn more about the FOIA and how it could be used to bring important information to the public light, and, ultimately, achieve social change in important areas, such as environmental protection and the advancement of human health.

Who is your biggest supporter?

Fortunately, I have a lot of support from my parents, my brothers, Jason and Michael and my Aunt Mare. My boyfriend Tom and his mother Roseann have also been incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. Support of family and friends is key to the successful completion of a book. However, in addition to support, is important to have critical feedback. As such, it is ideal to seek feedback from friends and family members who will be honest with you.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I have been a vegetarian since I was about 12 years old and am very passionate about animal rights and environmental protection. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have pets in my life and now, I have a dog that is very important to me. Beyond my own companion animals, I value all animals and place a great level of importance on ensuring the protection of wildlife and their habitats. I endeavored to share this passion and promote these causes through The Right to Know. For example, the books shows how the FOIA is being used to protect circus elephants from abuse and to preserve the dwindling number of polar bears.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

I usually breathe a huge sigh of relief and tell myself that I will not attempt another book for a while. Then, within a few days - sometimes hours - I am thinking of the next project.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a new book on health privacy. This past summer I taught a law school course on the privacy of health information and this has helped to re-ignite my interest in this very current issue.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

A lot of authors have written about the freedom of information. However, in this book, I endeavor to help people understand how they can exercise their rights under the law and obtain information from the government, while also sharing detailed information about important revelations that were achieved through freedom of information laws. I feel that this is a rather unique approach to the topic.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

The best way to feel better about yourself is to do something for someone else.

What is your favorite past-time?

I enjoy a wide-range of athletic activities. I run a lot and also train people who wish to begin running. I also enjoy surfing, Pilates and yoga. When I can find the time, I love to travel and explore new places. Above all, I love spending time hiking and swimming with my yellow labrador, Brian. All of these activities help me to keep my body strong, relieve stress and clear my mind so that I am well-equipped to tackle professional challenges.

Double Out and Back by Lisa Lipkind Leibow

2009-08-31T20:04:00.004-05:00

About the Author:

Born and raised in Leominster, Massachusetts, Lisa had a flare for drama. As a child, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she answered on any given day anything from airplane pilot to zookeeper. She left her home town in 1984 to attend George Washington University in Washington, DC. She studied radio-television communications where she loved writing, directing, and performing, as well as public policy and regulation of mass media and telecommunications. After college she sought a "practical" career by going to law school.

Prior to pursuing the literary dream of novel writing, Lisa practiced law for over a decade, drafting legal briefs and memoranda much like the young attorney in her debut novel. This professional environment was the inspiration for the characters and settings in Double Out and Back.

After being stuck at her office on 9/11, a month-long siege on metro Washington, DC by a sniper, and discovering that the other parents at her twins’ preschool thought her au pair was her sons’ mom, Lisa could hear these words echoing in her ears. "If I knew this was what it was going to be like to have it all, I would have settled for less." (Lily Tomlin: The Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe)

Lisa didn't really settle for less. She settled for different, and traded the billable hour lifestyle for fiction writing. Making up stories is much more fun than negotiating contracts, attending hearings, and deciphering statutes and regulations for clients. More than that, it has given her an excuse to pretend to be anyone from airplane pilot to zookeeper!

Lisa's work can be seen in the Pisgah Review. Her debut novel is scheduled to release in 2009 by Red Rose Publishing (mainstream fiction).

Lisa lives and writes in Northern Virginia with her husband, three children, a couch potato of a dog, and two red-eared slider turtles.

You can visit Lisa Lipkind Leibow at www.LLLeibow.com and http://www.lisaleibow.blogspot.com/

About the Book:

Not every woman who rides the fertility treatment roller coaster winds up like Octomom!

Who will find friends, family, and fertility?

Three women’s lives are intricately intertwined, as Amelia Schwartz and Summer Curtis struggle with the complex dynamics of intrafamily embryo adoption, and Chandy Markum strives to make her patients’ dreams a reality.

After more than a decade, of mourning her parents’ deaths, anal-retentive Amelia Schwartz decides to take control of her life, pursuing single motherhood via embryo adoption. While her fertility doctor, Chandy, is preoccupied with the destruction of the cosmopolitan Cape Town of her youth and her first love in apartheid-torn South Africa, believing all is lost, her niece, a young, married, overachieving attorney Summer Curtis, juggles zealous career ambitions, demanding bosses, and friction with her husband over family and fertility issues. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings.

Thrown all into this is one story that can make or break. Are you up to it?

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. Here's what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Sure! I’m happy to share a blurb about Double Out and Back.

Not every woman who rides the fertility treatment roller coaster winds up like Octomom!
Who will find friends, family, and fertility?
Three women’s lives are intricately intertwined, as Amelia Schwartz and Summer Curtis struggle with the complex dynamics of intrafamily embryo adoption, and Chandy Markum strives to make her patients’ dreams a reality.
After more than a decade, of mourning her parents’ deaths, anal-retentive Amelia Schwartz decides to take control of her life, pursuing single motherhood via embryo adoption. While her fertility doctor, Chandy, is preoccupied with the destruction of the cosmopolitan Cape Town of her youth and her first love in apartheid-torn South Africa, believing all is lost, her niece, a young, married, overachieving attorney Summer Curtis, juggles zealous career ambitions, demanding bosses, and friction with her husband over family and fertility issues. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings.
Thrown all into this is one story that can make or break. Are you up to it?

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I'm fascinated by the way construction of family-units is changing through technical advances in reproductive medicine and through evolving societal norms. When I was putting the finishing touches on this book and preparing to shop it around, Liza Mundy’s non-fiction work, Everything Conceivable came out. I was excited, because Double Out and Back explores from a literary perspective many of the same issues she examined as a journalist. Apparently, my publisher, too, was intrigued by these issues. I hope readers will enjoy the read.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is my husband. He has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I agonized over leaving my law practice a few years back. He reminded me that nothing is a permanent decision. If I left and changed my mind, I could always go back. While he has always supported my writing efforts, respecting the time it takes from other pursuits, he used to view my writing as a hobby, likening my time at writer’s workshops and retreats to his poker nights and occasional trips to Atlantic City. I suppose, in a way, he was right, because he enjoys poker. Now that I have had some success, and my work has appeared in literary journals and the tremendous excitement over the publication of my debut novel, my biggest supporter is celebrating with me and urging me to keep writing.

Your biggest critic?

I am my own biggest critic. I could write and re-write the same story for my entire lifetime if left to my own devices. Every time I read one of my stories, I see ways to make it better, to tweak it, to enhance a character, a setting, to improve a phrase.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

Over the years, American Heart Association, Susan B. Komen and Avon Breast Cancer Research, Parent Teacher Association, City Year For a Day, and causes that impact women, youth, family, and the environment, through volunteer efforts, walks, road races, servathons, and donations. However, in conjunction with my debut novel and its close ties to those dealing with infertility, I’d like to point readers to an organization called RESOLVE. It is a support group and information source for couples and individuals dealing with infertility. If you would like more information about how you can help, or how this organization can help you, please visit their website www.Resolve.org

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

One ritual I follow when finishing a piece of work is to record myself reading the piece aloud and then listen back to it. When I live with the prose day in day out for months (sometimes years), I become so close to the text, that reading aloud at one stretch helps me to slow down and find room for improvement. The added step of listening back to it helps to hear repetitions, adjust rhythm and pacing of the prose—that is, once I get over being annoyed hearing my own voice. After that, I persistently fuss over the text, obsessing until my editor tells me it’s time to let go.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

The wonderful writers in my critique group have influenced me throughout my career as a writer. They inspire me, push me to improve my craft, give me great ideas to add to my writer’s toolkit, and amaze me by bravely sharing their own early drafts with me.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

My family is the most important thing in my life right now. After all, my husband and children are the ones I feel most guilty about neglecting when I get so lost in the fictive dream that crafting a novel induces that we wind up with take-out for dinner!

What are you currently working on?

I have several projects at varying stages of development. I am perpetually almost finished with a second novel. It’s a tale of modern feminism beginning in pre-revolutionary Iran—a land of contradictions, where mini-skirted women with college degrees face arranged marriages. In addition, the first draft of a young adult fantasy novel is awaiting my attention, and two or three other concepts are in the research phase, which means I’m reading everything I can on the subjects, conducting interviews, and visiting locations.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

My advice to writers: Focus on learning the craft, first. If you are writing fiction, have a completed manuscript, before you even think about approaching an agent or publisher. You have to write because you love to write. Very few ever can quit their day job for this.

I would also advise them to write some short stories, too. Not only will it help to have a smaller palette to work on and a chance to complete something on a smaller scale. It will also allow a writer to hone her craft. It’s a great lesson to learn that every word must count. Every detail focused on in the plot should serve a purpose. Learn to read like a writer.

If a writer starts to lose momentum on her marathon of novel writing, take a workshop, read a book about writing style, plotting, and character development – anything to get creative juices flowing again.

I advise any aspiring novelist to take the time to analyze the novels she loves. Deconstruct them to learn what makes them work.

Join a critique group. Not only will you benefit from gaining feedback on your writing and learning from other writer’s challenges as they tackle their own plots, but it will enforce a regular deadline to have another chapter or excerpt completed. It will help you to keep up the momentum. AFTER you have a completed manuscript or story, then and only then test the waters in the publishing world. You can’t market a novel manuscript you haven’t yet written.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

I’m heavily influenced by what I love to read. I have so many literary heroes, I could write volumes on the subject. I’ll share a few with you here.

I’m in awe of Alice Munro’s ability to sum up an entire lifetime in a sentence. I love the quirky characters of John Irving , the vivid, detailed descriptions of Ayn Rand, and the strong, pithy dialogue of Ernest Hemingway. I admire the character driven fiction of Julia Glass and the expertly plotted tales of Steven King. I admire the boldness of Barbara Kingsolver to tackle multiple, first-person points-of-view in one novel, and Amy Tan’s ability to carry me to a time and place I’ve never been and make it seem real to me.

What are some of your long term goals?

I have four novels in various stages of development, from percolating idea, to research and development, to manuscript-in-progress. My long term goals include completing these novels.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

So far, the completion and publication of Double Out and Back is my greatest achievement as an author. Crafting a novel is a marathon.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

During critiques of my works in progress, critique partners have been impressed with and complimented the vividness of my characters. Likewise, when I’m asked to provide feedback on another writer’s work, I usually can pinpoint areas where the prose can become more specific to the character being portrayed, and make suggestions to improve the narrative to reveal details about a character’s observations, and inner-world. So, I’d have to say that character development is my biggest strength.

Biggest weakness?

Early drafts of my work tend to contain too much evidence that I am a recovering attorney. Crossing over from writing legalese, to writing fiction proved challenging. I kept providing too much detailed information—drawing conclusions for the reader after showing a plot point in an active scene. I work hard to weed out these spots where I spoon-feed information to the reader and trust that the active scene speaks for itself.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

What’s striking about Double Out and Back is that it explores from a literary perspective, some of the social issues faced by a generation that has more options than ever when it comes to starting a family. What fascinates me is that when it comes right down to it, even with the technological advancements in reproduction and healthcare, families still must rely on one another to thrive.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Recently, my answer has changed to this question. I used to think I would bring my copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. But now, so long as I could rig some kind of generator to keep the battery charged, I would bring my Kindle! I would load it with not only the above volume, but with an entire library. The world of reading is changing. I’m ready for it!

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Definitely. Five years ago, I had just left my law practice, was struggling to get a handle on being a stay at home mother, finding a new community, and discovering that writing fiction was just the creative outlet and intellectual stimulation I needed. Today, I am rooted in a writer’s lifestyle, loving the flexibility it gives me to be a part of my children’s lives on a day to day basis, and finding success placing the stories I have written.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

The most important lesson I have learned from life so far is that :
Do whatever you can to achieve your goals, but realize that some things are beyond your control. This is the meta-message or theme of Double Out and Back.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

“Regrets? I’ve got a few. But then again, too few to mention…” Oh, sorry. That was a quote from Man of LaMancha. However, it is fitting for the way I view my life. I am an eternal optimist. I’m the kind of person who takes responsibility for my own happiness. I do have a bad day every once in a while, and I often wonder what my life might have been if I had chosen a different path. But, I can’t, with honesty, call these wonderings regrets. Instead, I see them as fodder for fiction.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

You can purchase Double Out and Back at http://www.RedRosePublishing.com and other and other e-book outlets, like Book Strand, Mobipocket, All Romance, My Book Store and More, Barnes and Noble, Fictionwise, and Amazon. Distribution of Double Out and Back is still in what I’m calling its “Sneak Preview,” e-book phase. The print book is coming soon. If you would like to learn more about me or my writing, visit my website at http://www.LLLeibow.com There you will find links to my individual blog, Lisa Leibow’s Fodder for Fiction, and my group blog, The Roses of Prose, and buttons to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Mr. Darcy Vampyre by Amanda Grange

2009-08-24T19:40:00.003-05:00

I was fortunate enough to get Amanda to agree to answer a few questions. This is what she had to say:

1. What is the latest book or movie that made you cry?

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Even though I knew what was coming it still made me cry.

2. What fictional character is most like you?

I would like to say Lizzy Bennet but I think I’m more like a cross between Hermione and Bridget Jones – sometimes very organised and capable but sometimes the complete opposite!

3. What is the greatest album ever?

Perfecto Fluoro - Paul Oakenfold. I love the way he puts very different pieces of music together, it’s inspired.

4. Ok, Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter?

Well, let’s see now. If I have to pick just one series overall it would be Lord of the Rings, but if I can pick individual films it would be Lord Of The Rings 2, Star Wars 4, Harry Potter 1, Star Trek 1.

5. What is your ideal brain food?

Fish and chips. It’s a traditional food in England and we have chippies everywhere. Very tasty as well as being good for you. Well, the fish is good for you anyway, not so sure about the batter and chips!

6. What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Being able to knit, because it took me ages to learn.

7. You want to be remembered for....?

. . . ever.

8. Of those who've come before, the most inspirational are?

My inspirationals are all writers, Jane Austen, the Brontes and Shakespeare. I love the way they put words together as well as the things they make those words say.

9. The creative masterpiece you wish bore your signature?

Pride and Prejudice.

10. Your hidden talents are?

I can make the hand sign that goes with “Live long and prosper”.

Coming For Money by F.W. Vom Scheidt

2009-08-24T06:53:00.000-05:00

About the Author:

F. W. vom Scheidt is a director of an international investment firm. He works and travels in the world’s capital markets, and makes his home in Toronto, Canada. He is also the author of a new book, Coming for Money (Blue Butterfly Book Publishing), a remarkable and provocative novel about the world of international finance and the human quests for success, understanding and love.

You can find out more about his book at http://www.bluebutterflybooks.ca/titles/money.html.

About the Book:

How much money is too much? And how fast is too fast in life?

International investment firm director and author F. W. vom Scheidt, writes from his first hand-hand experience of the world of global money spinning with candor and authenticity in his remarkable literary novel Coming for Money.

As investment star Paris Smith steps onto the top rungs of the corporate ladder, he is caught between his need for fulfillment and his need for understanding; trapped between his drive for power and his inability to cope with his growing emptiness where there was once love. When his wife disappears from the core of his life, his loneliness and sense of disconnection threaten to overwhelm him. When he tries to compensate by losing himself in his work, he stumbles off the treadmill of his own success, and is entangled in the web of a fraudulent bond deal that threatens to derail his career and his life.

Forced to put his personal life on hold while he travels nonstop between Toronto, Singapore and Bangkok to salvage his career, he is deprived of the time and space necessary to regain his equilibrium.

In the heat and turmoil and fast money of Southeast Asia, half a world from home, and half a life from his last remembered smile, he finds duplicity, friendship and power --- and a special woman who might heal his heart.

A talented author, vom Scheidt has confidently crafted a fast-paced, highly readable and intelligent novel. His details are fascinating. His characters are real, and not easily forgotten. A deeply felt story about the isolation of today’s society, the prices great and small paid for success and the damages resulting from the ruthless exercise of financial power, Coming For Money is a taut literary page-turner about a man who refuses to capitulate to the darkness in his journey into the light.

I was lucky enough to get the author to answer some interview questions. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

In summary, Coming For Money is a novel about the world of global finance and a human quest for success, understanding and love.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

How I came to write it is much like a montage of photographs, all taken of the same subject, but all taken from several perspectives.

I have always written.

Following the adage of write from what you know best, I wrote from my first hand-hand experience accumulated as a director of an international investment firm. I wrote as truthfully as possible of the world of international finance — not with the over dramatization so common in film and television, but with an intimate telling through a first-person narrative ... of what it can be like to labour in the world of money spinning ... of how the money’s immense leverage for triumph or disaster doesn’t so much corrupt people as corrupt the way they treat each other ... of how the relentless demands of the money so often deprive you of sufficient time and energy to live through the events of your emotional and interior life.

In addition to this witnessing of the world of international finance, Coming For Money is also a provocative literary novel.

That flows, I think, from the fact that, throughout my life, I have always sought to maintain my integrity in a struggle with questions that have no answers.

So the novel flows from some of the questions I continually ask about life. The plot advances along questions arising from how we relate to our careers: How much money is too much? And how fast is too fast in life? And the central character advances along deeper questions in his own life: How do we cope with love and loss?

Moreover, because our societies equate financial success with a successful life, we are often blind to the inner stories of countless people in all endeavors who, in their desperate search for inner happiness, endlessly repeat a formula for financial success even while remaining deeply unhappy due to unresolved emotional and psychological issues at their core. I wanted to bring one of these inner stories to life.

The result is a deeply felt narrative about the isolation of today’s society, the prices great and small paid for success and the damages resulting from the ruthless exercise of financial power.
I also wrote the Coming For Money to be a good story well told.

The story is event-driven. It follows Paris Smith. As he steps onto the top rungs of the corporate ladder, he is caught between his need for fulfillment and his need for understanding; between his drive for power and his inability to cope with his growing emptiness where there was once love. When his wife disappears from the core of his life, his loneliness and sense of disconnection threaten to overwhelm him. When he tries to compensate by losing himself in his work, he stumbles off the treadmill of his own success, and is entangled in the web of a fraudulent bond deal that threatens to derail his career and his life.

Forced to put his personal life on hold while he travels nonstop between Toronto, Singapore and Bangkok to salvage his career, he is deprived of the time and space to mourn the absence of his wife and regain his equilibrium.

In the heat and turmoil and fast money of Southeast Asia, half a world from home, and half a life from his last remembered smile, he finds duplicity, friendship and power --- and a special woman who might heal his heart.

As much as I want to write a literary novel, I wanted to write a story that was fast-paced and highly readable.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I sat down at the keyboard. Although I have always been a literary writer, I had no idea how I would capture my experiences in international finance in literary fiction. Without thinking, the first sentence came to me. I typed it. Then I looked at that sentence for a long time.

Instinct told me that the sentence had risen from something that was deeply absorbing me, and that it was something I had to tell. I knew I had to find some way to tell it truthfully. From that point, I knew there was no way out . . . except to construct the novel.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife.

Your biggest critic?

Me.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I was fortunate to come from an environment that valued reading and education. As a result I absorbed a broad spectrum. Having the experience of so much writing from so many writers was a far greater influence that any single author.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a new novel; and on bringing a new institutional investment fund to market.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

For writers … write.
For readers … read whatever interests and entertains you regardless of what it may be, but never stop reading.

What are some of your long term goals?

Value the gift of each new day by working at what I love, learning something new, being grateful for those in my life; and, before the day runs out, somehow becoming a better human being than I was yesterday.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Being able to see what I want to paint on the canvas of my life while it is still blank.

Biggest weakness?

Succumbing to the seduction of working too much.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

At last count, I was not aware of many literary novelists coming from the international investment industry. I imagine I bring a unique perspective to a unique setting for storytelling.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

The collected works of Shakespeare, to populate my world with characters and stories.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

If we are not here for each other, then we are only here to die.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I was thinking the other day about how I came to writing.

When I was in the eighth grade our history studies focused on how colonists came from England to settle in Canada. It was mentioned that some immigrants came as indentured servants, working on farms for several years to pay off their passage; and it was pointed out that some of these indentured servants were the same age as we were in the eighth grade. Our assignment was to imagine that we were indentured children newly arrived in the Canadian colonies, and to write a letter to our families left behind in England.

It was assumed we would write about clearing the land, planting crops, building farm houses and everything else from our history lessons.

When I began the assignment, the first words I wrote were: “Dear Mother and Father, it is with great regret that I write to tell you that my sister, your daughter, died of typhus on the ship to Canada.”

I went on to express remorse over not sharing food with her and to describe the loneliness of the dark winter nights without her.

Later in the day, when the teacher was reading the assignments, something happened without expectation or warning.

The teacher took me and my assignment to the principal’s office.

The principal demanded to know what was wrong with me.

It was generally accepted in the eighth grade that the ultimate calamity was to be dragged to the principal’s office. And worse than that was to be asked by the principal to explain yourself when you had no explanation.

As I sat between the principal and my teacher, and resigned myself to the misery of their demands and derision, it occurred to me that I was the only one in my class who had caused so much trouble with something I written ... and maybe I had something that the others didn’t have.

Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay

2009-08-19T06:40:00.000-05:00

About the Author:

Linwood Barclay is a former columnist for the Toronto Star. He is the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including Too Close to Home and No Time for Goodbye, a #1 bestseller in Britain. He lives near Toronto with his wife and has two grown children.

Visit Linwood's website at http://www.linwoodbarclay.com/

About the Book:

Your daughter doesn’t come home one night from her summer job.
You go there looking for her. No one’s seen here. But it’s worse than that.

No one’s ever seen her. So where has she been going every day? And where is she now?

In Linwood Barclay’s riveting new thriller, an ordinary man’s desperate search for his daughter leads him into a dark world of corruption, exploitation, and murder. Tim Blake is about to learn that the people you think you know best are the ones harboring the biggest secrets.

Tim is an average guy. He sells cars. He has an ex-wife. She’s moved in with a man whose moody son spends more time online than he should. His girlfriend is turning out to be a bit of a flake. It’s not a life without hassles, but nothing will prepare Tim for the nightmare that’s about to begin.

Sydney vanishes into thin air. At the hotel where she supposedly worked, no one has ever heard of her. Even her closest friends seem to be at a loss. Now, as the days pass without word, Tim must face the fact that not only is Sydney missing, but that the daughter he’s loved and thought he knew is a virtual stranger.

As he retraces Sydney’s steps, Tim discovers that the suburban Connecticut town he always thought of as idyllic is anything but. What he doesn’t know is that his every move is being watched. There are others who want to find Syd as much as Tim does.

But they’re not planning a Welcome Home party.

The closer Tim comes to the truth, the closer he comes to every parent’s worst nightmare—and the kind of evil only a parent’s love has a chance in hell of stopping.

I was lucky enough to get an interview with this very talented author. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Fear the Worst is about a father whose 17-year-old daughter comes to live with him for the summer while she works at a one-star hotel. One night, she doesn’t come home and the father goes to the hotel, for the first time, to find out what’s happened to her. The hotel workers have not only not seen her, they’ve NEVER seen her. So where has she been going these last few weeks? Where is she now? And why are some very bad people looking for her?

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife Neetha.

Your biggest critic?

Me.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I’m getting better and better at Nintendo Wii tennis. When I need a break away from the computer, I play a few sets, then get back to work.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

I make my desk really, really tidy.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

The one author who’s had the most impact on me, certainly when I was a teenager and in my early twenties, was Ross Macdonald, who wrote the Lew Archer series of detective novels.

What are you currently working on?

I’m doing the final revisions and page-proofing for my next book, Never Look Away.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

My novel No Time for Goodbye was the single bestselling novel in the UK in 2008.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

I deliver on time.

Biggest weakness?

I deliver too early. Gives everyone, including myself, too much time to revise.

What is your favorite past-time?

Watching Lost.

Is Your Ghost Holy? By Shay Bills

2009-08-18T06:45:00.003-05:00

About the Author:

Shay Bills is an anointed woman of God, born and raised in Paris, Texas by her late grandmother Bettie L. King. Bills and her husband Terry have three children. Recognized by many as a powerful speaker, teacher, and motivator, Evangelist Bills is truly a chosen vessel of the Lord. She shares her insightful and thought-provoking message to women’s ministries and speaks to the hearts of both young and old.

Gifted in many areas, she wears many hats well. She is a natural educator, holding a Bachelor’s degree in English, a Master’s degree in Education Administration with Principal Certification, both from Texas A & M University in Commerce. She taught high school English for eight years and has experience as an Assistant Principal. She is a Texas Licensed Realtor with Century 21 Harvey Properties and Lighthouse Learning Daycare Center owner with Directors’ Credentials from the State of Oklahoma. Evangelist Bills obediently makes full proof of her ministry and is currently promoting her newly released book, Is Your Ghost Holy? Eight Principles for Evaluating Your Walk in the Spirit.

An entrepreneur at heart, Evangelist Bills continues to support the improvement and success of her community through the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, Diversity Task Force Committee, Leadership Lamar County, Paris I.S.D. Leadership, and the Paris Education Foundation. Bills is also the founder and director of ZION Daughters of Destiny, a mentoring program for young girls ages 15-18 that seeks to Instruct, Improve and Empower Young Girls to Excellence.

You can find Shay online at http://www.shaybills.com/

About the Book:

Discover how His Word shatters residue of doubt and uncertainty. Learn how to walk in the POWER of the Holy Ghost, by applying the WORD of God and trusting His promises. His Holy Spirit will awaken and reveal the hidden crevasses of your heart, mind and soul and fill you with His wisdom. Called by some, “a spiritual journey,” Bills’ leaves no stone unturned when removing the superficial layers of spirituality. Once read, you will walk boldly and confidently in the knowledge that your inner man is holy, therefore, you are called to holiness, according to Scripture. From uncovering Truth, to understanding your Purpose, you will conclude this book having gained more wisdom, knowledge and power of the Holy Ghost that dwells inside of you.

Is Your Ghost Holy?, will transform your mind.
Is Your Ghost Holy?, will renew the right spirit within you.
Is Your Ghost Holy?, will teach you to take the road less traveled.
Is Your Ghost Holy?, will encourage you to rise up and stand firm on the Word.
Is Your Ghost Holy?, will make your heart receptive to the leading of the Holy Ghost.

Is Your Ghost Holy? is now available on Amazon.com and is soon to be available in fine bookstores everywhere, and on numerous online bookstores.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Definitely. The book is entitled, Is Your Ghost Holy? Eight Principles for Evaluating Your Walk in the Spirit. It’s a reflective writing designed to assist the reader in an effective analysis of their walk in the Spirit. The book is written in simplistic style intentionally so that the message is not lost in delivery. Throughout the book, readers will journey through chapters of love, truth and life to discover the essence of the Holy One’s purpose in their life. About five years ago, the Lord delivered a Word through me entitled, “Is Your Ghost Holy?” That message stayed with me and was so alive that I began to journal because I was seeking answers of my own as to my purpose and God’s plan for my life. Overtime, the writings grew and the Lord continued to use me. Within the past year, I received instruction from on High to publish what was once simple writings and journals and to use a Christian publishing company for this first book. In obedience, Is Your Ghost Holy? is now available to all.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. I can’t just pinpoint one place because anything can be a source of inspiration for me. For my latest book, inspiration came from the subject of a talk a few years ago that stayed with me for years. For the two books I am currently in the middle of, inspiration came from a passion of mine and from a desire to tell my story.

Who is your biggest critic?

I am my biggest critic. I have always been critical of myself. Initially it started as a way to make myself try harder or always look for ways to improve myself or my performance. Of late, the criticism has become a bit of a flaw to a fault.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am most passionate about the education of our youth. As a former high school teacher, I know the importance of education and I am aware of the educational gap that still exists among our African-American students’ verses their white counterparts. On the same note, I am well aware of how home values contribute to student success in the classroom and strive to encourage parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to get involved by promoting and encouraging good grades and daily attendance by our children.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Right now the most important people in my life are Christ, my husband and my children. Without relationships with Christ and our loved ones, nothing we do is substantial or worthy of mentioning.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Do not be afraid to self-publish your own work, especially if God has given you the green light to do so. Research the field and take your time. Publishing your first book is just like making a first impression, you only get one chance, make it a good one.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

The most important lesson I have learned in life so far is that I am not in control of anything. I used to make all of these life plans and set goals while growing up, but now I realize God is in control of all things and I’m just an instrument He uses to win others to Christ and in doing so, He promises to give me the desires of my heart.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

I regret not trusting or believing in myself enough to publish sooner. I have been writing since I was a little girl, mostly for myself about issues I was facing in life at the time, as therapy or just simply for the enjoyment writing brings.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Yes, I would like for everyone to know that they can visit me at my personal website at www.shaybills.com and order my book, Is Your Ghost Holy? from www.amazon.com, www.target.com, www.BlackCBC.com or where fine books are sold.

The Target by J.R. Hauptman

2009-08-11T06:45:00.000-05:00

About the Author:

J.R. Hauptman (pseudonym) has been a professional pilot for nearly a half century. Barely twenty years old, he began as a military pilot and for almost two years he flew combat support missions in the Viet Nam War. Upon leaving military service he was hired by a major airline and was initially based on the West Coast. His flying career was interrupted by the turmoil that racked the airline industry during the early days of deregulation. In the interim, he worked as a travel agent, a stockbroker and even trained dogs and horses. In the late nineteen-eighties, he returned to aviation, flying jet charters and air freight. He concluded his career flying corporate jets and now lives in Florida. He is completing his second work, a non-fictional social commentary and surfs every day, waves or not.

You can visit his website at http://www.caddispublishing.com/

About the Book:

More than a half-century ago, Ernie Gann authored "Fate is the Hunter" and "The High and The Mighty". There has not been a bona fide blockbuster novel about the airline industry written by a genuine airline professional since then.

“THE TARGET; Love, Death and Airline Deregulation" by J.R. Hauptman, is set in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West, and tells the tale of the tumultuous first years of airline deregulation and the effects it had on that industry and the people who worked there. There are many people today who believe it was, in large part, the rush to overall deregulation back then, that led directly to the economic chaos that threatens to overwhelm our entire economy today.

In the nineteen-eighties, Carlo Clemenza was known as "the most hated man" in the airline business, as described by some pundits. A dedicated corporate raider and union buster, Clemenza uses ruthless tactics to crush competing airlines and to bring airline workers to heel. His methods have earned him countless death threats, yet he struts with arrogance, surrounded by his cadre of security toughs.

Virtually thousands of pilots and other airline professionals find themselves forced to start their careers over or to find them at a sudden and complete end. The airline grapevine echoes daily with the cry, "Why doesn't someone kill that SOB?"

Only one pilot, angered by the deaths of his friends, takes up the chase and he makes Carlo Clemenza THE TARGET! His chase will take him to the far corners of the country as he also finds himself the object of pursuit and murder. The characters merge in spectacular action and settings and the climax of the story ultimately ends in redemption.

I was lucky enough to get J.R. to agree to an interview. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

My book, The Target, is set in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West and tells the tale of the tumultuous first years of airline deregulation and the effects it had on that industry and the people who worked there. There are many of us today who believe it was, in large part, the rush to overall deregulation back then that led directly to the economic chaos that threatens to overwhelm our entire economy today.

In the nineteen-eighties, Carlo Clemenza was known as “the most hated man” in the airline business, as described by some pundits. A dedicated corporate raider and union buster, Clemenza used ruthless tactics to crush competing airlines and to bring airline workers to heel. His methods have earned him death threats, yet he struts with arrogance, surrounded by his cadre of security toughs. Thousands of airline professionals are forced to start their careers over or to find them at a sudden and complete end. The airline grapevine echoes the cry, “Why doesn’t someone kill that SOB?”

Only one pilot, angered by the deaths of his friends in a bloody crash, takes up the chase and he makes Carlo Clemenza The Target! His quest takes him to the far corners of the country as he finds himself also to be the object of pursuit and murder. The characters merge in spectacular action and settings and the story ultimately ends in redemption.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I drew the inspiration for my book from my service in the Viet Nam War and decades of employment as a professional airline pilot and the life experiences gained by surviving those tough times, at least to this point.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife Maryanne and I will celebrate our forty-fifth wedding anniversary this week and I am in awe of her personal strength. I spent two of the first three years of our marriage in the Viet Nam War. She stood by me through those turbulent years in the airline industry and the multiple job changes that occurred in the interim. Her greatest attributes are her capacity for love and forgiveness. Her Halo is being fitted as we speak.

Your biggest critic?

J. A. Hunsinger is my friend and best critic. We are both Viet Nam veterans, we both flew as pilots for the same major airline and went through the turmoil that resulted from airline deregulation. Jerry is the author of the Axe of Iron series of historical fiction that tells the saga of the Vikings in North America. We both aspire to become respected, successful authors and he keeps me in touch with reality with brutal candor.

Which cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am most passionate about the cause to bring Constitutional Government back to our country. To begin with, that would mean no war without a sober Congressional debate and a formal Declaration of War. Next would be to abolish the Federal Reserve Bank and reestablish a stable currency system based on a commodity such as gold or silver. The first step would be to support the passage of HR Bill 1207 to Audit The Fed, which already has over 250 sponsors. Is your Congressman among them?

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I believe I have improved the most in my editing skills. When I finish a piece, I read it aloud to myself. I find it the best way to catch the tiny glitches that become invisible after a long, tiring session of writing. More importantly, it gives me a sense of the quality and tempo of a story told verbally.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

To be able to watch my grandchildren grow up safely and well educated, becominng responsible adults as they develop their own life journeys.

What are you currently working on?

My next book will be titled, Romancing The Grey Lady; Surfing the Atlantic and Greeting Life’s Certainty. It will be built around the concept of living life to the fullest in each day we are granted.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

In first chapter of A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway brings to life in less than two pages, a visual scene that spans an entire season and leads into a great personal and societal tragedy. This is the standard I aspire to achieve as a writer.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

There has not been a blockbuster novel about the airline industry written by a professional aviator since Ernie Gann wrote The High and the Mighty and Fate is the Hunter. The subplot of The Target; Love, Death and Airline Deregulation is that Laissez Faire deregulation of the airlines and the resulting concentration of that industry and degradation of service and safety, was a harbinger of the concentration and turmoil in the securities and banking industries that has brought the economy of our country to near-ruin.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

I learned from golf that success is much more difficult to deal with than is adversity. You must live in the moment, rather than for the moment. Let go of that last shot, whether a “birdie” putt or a “yipper”,” don’t project too far into the future and concentrate only on that very next shot.

What is your favorite past-time?

I love to surf in the winter in Florida and to play ice hockey in the summer in Colorado. These provide the motivation to keep this weary mind and body functioning. My best friends in both sports are known mostly by only their first names and each of their lives holds a story.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I have been blessed to have lived an exciting and interesting life and that has rewarded me with the inspiration and a story I hope will become known as a very good book. If you are a writer who is finding it difficult to write the Big Story, then begin with the small stories around us, starting with today.

Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams by Pat Williams

2009-08-10T06:50:00.002-05:00

About the Author:

Pat Williams is the senior vice president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. He is a popular motivational speaker averaging over 150 appearances a year. Williams has spent 45 years in professional baseball and basketball as a player and executive. He served as general manager of the 1983 world champion Philadelphia 76ers and managed the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.

Williams is the author of 55 books. He and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of 19 children, including 14 adopted from four nations. He and his family have been featured in such diverse publications as Sports Illustrated, Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, The Wall Street Journal, and Focus on the Family as well as all the major TV networks. Pat and Ruth recently received an award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute for their efforts in adoption.

To learn more about Pat Williams, visit http://www.patwilliamsmotivate.com/

About the Book:

Human beings are designed for teamwork, and teamwork is the only way to make seemingly impossible dreams and bold visions come true. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven consecutive times, not by himself, but with the backing of his coaches, mechanic, and teammates. Charles Lindbergh may have been called “the Lone Eagle” because of his 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic, but he assembled a first-rate team to make his dream possible.

In his new book, Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams (Center Street, July 22, 2009), Orlando Magic co-founder and Senior Vice President Pat Williams says that teamwork is the key to making extreme dreams a reality. Named one of the 50 most influential people in the NBA (National Basketball Association) after following his dream and helping to build the Orlando Magic from the ground up, Williams gives inspiring accounts of the power of teamwork—many of them personal—in a book that leadership guru Patrick Lencioni calls “the most comprehensive and interesting collection of wisdom on teamwork I have ever read.”

In Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams, Williams points out that extreme dreams are only fulfilled when teams are led with characteristics like respect, empowerment, commitment, trust and passion. “Once you put teamwork into practice in your organization, these principles will begin transforming everything. They will transform how you view the world, including our society and its problems, and the political and environmental issues we face…you’ll begin seeing the world through a lens of extreme dreams, extreme possibilities, and the power of teamwork,” says Williams.

I was fortunate enough to get Pat to agree to an interview. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

This book dares readers to uncork their imaginations and aim for the stars. What's the most far-out, impossible dream you can imagine? For Walt Disney, it was a magical theme park called Disneyland. For Danny Thomas, it was the St. Jude Children's Hospital. For me, it was an NBA franchise in central Florida called the Orlando Magic. All of these were once extreme dreams. Today each one is a reality. These extreme dreams were all made possible by the power of teamwork.

Dream the most extreme dream you can imagine, dare to set a seemingly impossible goal—then make your dreams come true through the power of teamwork!

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

Literacy. Author Rick Warren tells us that over half the world is illiterate. That’s frightening. Over three billion people unable to read. Really, there is no difference between the person who can’t read and the person who won’t.

What are you currently working on?

I’m writing a book about former NBA coach and Basketball Hall-of-Famer, Chuck Daly. Chuck had wonderful wisdom principles, and I am writing a leadership-based book based on Chuck’s various philosophies. It will be a terrific read.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Start writing. Everyone has a book in them, but it’s never going to come out until you start writing. First-time authors have got to produce the entire work to have any chance of being published. I do recommend a young publisher in Charleston who will work with you to get your book published now – he can make things happen. Get a hold of Adam Witty of Advantage Books. A great young guy who you will enjoy working with.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series, walked into my office almost 40 years ago when I was the manager of the Chicago Bulls and said, “I want to write a book with you.” it happened a few years later; Jerry and I wrote eight different books together. He’s my publishing hero.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

This book focuses on using teamwork for solving human problems. Football coach Bill Curry talks about something he calls "the miracle of the huddle." When a team goes into the huddle, the players transcend all superficial differences, such as race and class and background. None of those things matter. They are bonded together. They are focused on one goal. They are a team.

This book teaches how to transcend our petty differences and work together for the benefit of all. That's why teamwork is the ideal means of solving all the problems that plague the human race.

Teams enable people to work together and achieve goals that would be out of reach for individuals—and even for superstars. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James can't win championships by themselves. Even a superstar needs a team. Teamwork multiplies abilities and strengths. Teamwork enables individuals to complement one another and compensate for one other's weaknesses.

The heart of teamwork is synergy. When we work together as a team, we magnify each other's abilities, multiply each other's strengths, and compensate for each other's weaknesses.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Five years ago I was the same person I am today except for three things: the people I have met, the books that I have read and the places I have been. I’ve met a lot of people, read a lot of books and been a lot of places.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

Don’t waste your sufferings. Don’t wait for the storm to pass; dance in the middle of the rain.

What is your favorite past-time?

Reading.

Tangling With Tyrants by Tony Deblauwe

2009-08-06T16:38:00.004-05:00

About the Author:

During his career in Human Resources, Tony has worked through many complex people and business challenges to yield lasting results for customers. His interest in high-tech and how technology impacts people has given him insight into what it takes for people to succeed in a virtual economy.

Tony grew up in an eclectic family just a few blocks from Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. The son of Belgian immigrants, his father is a former college professor of art, language and history. His mother is an entrepreneur having worked in haute couture fashion design. Tony's exposure to several world perspectives fuel his cultural awareness and understanding.

Tony believes in collaboration of perspectives and ideas to yield successful results. He applies his expertise in human resources, organization development, and coaching to provide solutions that strengthen ways of working and achieve beneficial outcomes.

For more information visit: http://www.tanglingwithtyrants.com/

About the Book:

Do you dread going to work because of your boss? Quitting is not always an option and feeling like a victim of a bad boss only robs you of productivity, job satisfaction, and power. Career strategist and workplace expert Tony Deblauwe has spent years coaching weary employees how to be more effective with difficult bosses, and he has compiled his experiences into this indispensable guide.

Tangling with Tyrants®: Managing the Balance of Power at Work offers practical techniques that show you how to build a communication process that will turn things around to help you build successful outcomes. You’ll get guidance on addressing direct and indirect bad boss behaviors, developing the right approach, and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. By applying the techniques in this book, you will be equipped with the right tools to handle your boss and create the results you want.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to answer some questions. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Tangling with Tyrants deals with a subject that many people struggle with—how to work and communicate effectively when reporting to a bad boss. The bad boss, or “Tyrant” as I define it, is a mix of characteristics both direct (e.g. bullying, demeaning, micro-managing) as well as indirect (e.g. incompetent, absent, passive-aggressive).

The book acts as a guide to show people how to effect change in the relationship working under a Tyrant boss profile. The goal is to build a sustainable approach that reduces conflict, improves ways of working and builds mutually beneficial outcomes.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I reported to a bad boss early in my career. It was tough because it was my first real job in my field of expertise (Human Resources). The first meeting with my boss was over in five minutes. He told me he didn’t care for HR people telling him what to do and that his people and more importantly, his boss, knew he was an excellent manager.

I was shocked and upset over this meeting for a long time. I didn’t know what to do, and I wondered whether I had chosen the right career. I learned from the experience and over time developed methods that I honed coaching others in similar circumstances.

Several clients and peers suggested I put my experiences and techniques handling difficult bosses into a book and Tangling with Tyrants was born.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

I think the most important lesson I have learned is the power of collaborating with others. When you take the time to listen to people’s experiences, thoughts, and interests, you quickly learn how similar we all are. Most people have a drive to pursue ideas, foster positive change in their world, and connect with others on a genuine and authentic level.

I have enjoyed countless opportunities to collaborate with others on things I needed help with as well as be someone who helped others with their dreams. These opportunities have taught me so much about people and have influenced my thinking and approach towards how I live and work.

Who is/are your biggest supporter(s)?

My family and peer group always provide the support I need. When writing Tangling with Tyrants I had many moments where I felt the idea was fading or uninteresting. When I had these moments, my parents quickly reminded me of the many endeavors I started as a kid and had success with—like learning to play tennis. They would reassure me and help me get back on track with the book.

My peers would ask questions and suggest ideas about the book. They were eager to see me succeed and they valued my desire to create something meaningful that could help others.

Do you have any advice for writers?

For writers—remember that as clear as you are about your subject, you can always get clearer. Passion about your subject is one thing, but if the concept is vague, people might miss your message.

I had several people review my book. People in HR and consulting, managers, and employees spanning different industries and jobs reviewed my manuscript. This helped make sure I was appealing to a broad audience and providing material that people felt was useful. Combined with my stories and voice, people could connect with me and my guidance.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Even though there were challenges, I really enjoyed the book writing process. It gave me an opportunity to create material based on my expertise in the field and experience coaching others. For anyone who wonders if you have a book in you—you do—regardless of the subject matter. Take the time to zero in on your message and the story will come naturally.

Anatomy of an Information Product Launch by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

2009-08-05T19:22:00.003-05:00

About the Author:

Phyllis Zimbler Miller started Miller Mosaic, LLC to provide the services she wanted for herself for online marketing. The publication of Phyllis’ MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL in April 2008 launched Phyllis into internet marketing, including using social networking such as Twitter and Facebook to market her book.

Phyllis hired her daughter Yael K. Miller – now the chief technology officer for Miller Mosaic, LLC — and together they have created the internet marketing company Miller Mosaic, LLC that helps people promote their brand, book or business.

In April Phyllis became a National Internet Business Examiner at ww.InternetBizBlogger.com, writing articles several times a week on effective internet businesses and internet marketing. Then in June Phyllis wrote a month-long series on the steps of an information product launch in anticipation of the July 1st launch of the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program.

This article series forms the basis of the just-released ebook “ANATOMY OF AN INFORMATION PRODUCT LAUNCH: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF AN ONLINE INFORMATION PRODUCT.” In this ebook Phyllis has shared the trials and triumphs of launching an online information product.

Phyllis has a B.A in journalism from Michigan State University and worked as a journalist for several years. She also studied advertising design at the Philadelphia College of Art before earning an M.B.A. at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and working in marketing and web design in Los Angeles.

You can visit her website at www.MillerMosaicLLC.com to learn more about the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program and you can read her Examiner.com articles at http://www.internetbizblogger.com/.

About the Book:

If you had a great idea today for an online information product – something for which you’ve identified a definite niche market – would you know the steps to take to get the product launched online? Steps such as the right software, shopping cart, copywriting, and online promotion needed?

If there’s a possible online information product in your future – or if you simply want to learn more about internet marketing – come along with National Internet Business Examiner Phyllis Zimbler Miller as she explains in details the steps she took in a one-month pre-launch for an online information product.

Phyllis pulls back the curtain to reveal everything she knew and everything she had to learn to fulfill her goal. And after reading this ebook ANATOMY OF AN ONLINE PRODUCT LAUNCH, you’ll be able to use this accumulated knowledge for yourself.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

I wrote the ebook What You Should Know About the Launch of an Online Information Product to share with others what I had learned myself through much trial and error.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

My business partner Yael K. Miller and I were going through the process of launching our own online information product – www.WeTeachWebMarketing.com – and it was a great deal of hard work to figure out everything we needed (and wanted) to do.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

To make it easier for others to launch their own online information product, especially as there are so many free or low-cost Internet marketing strategies.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I’m a big supporter of many military-related projects – and I’m probably most passionate about helping get out information to people affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com and I deal with this subject frequently on our BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

In the last year I’ve worked almost 24/7 to learn as much as possible about Internet marketing. When I look back at what I didn’t know before, I’m amazed at what I’ve learned by being committed to working through frustration with new techniques and successfully coming out the other side.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Encouraging people to join my monthly membership program because I want to share my information with them in a way that is NOT overwhelming and in a way that can be easily implemented. And this is why I made the monthly membership fee very reasonable – to encourage people to learn new things that can help them promote their brand, book or business.

What are you currently working on?

The sequel to my novel Mrs. Lieutenant – Mrs. Lieutenant In Europe – which deals with living in Germany as part of an occupying force only 25 years after the end of World War II.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

For writers – be willing to always learn new things that can help your writing. I often read books of authors who seem to have stagnated. We should all try to improve our writing skills with each article, essay or book that we write.

What are some of your long term goals?

Besides growing the membership in www.WeTeachWebMarketing.com, I’m hoping for a movie of my novel Mrs. Lieutenant because the themes dealt with in the book – racial, religious, gender and class prejudice as well as the U.S. at war – are very relevant for today.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

The Jewish holiday book Seasons for Celebration that I wrote with Rabbi Karen L. Fox has touched a great number of lives. Karen and I wrote the book to be as accessible as possible to people – and apparently we succeeded.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook. It was a seminal book for me when I read it years ago, and it has just provided the answer to a writing problem I’m having with the sequel to Mrs. Lieutenant.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

How important it is to have an open mindset – to be willing to fail at something in order to move forward. Carol Dweck’s book Mindset was pivotal in my understanding of the importance of this.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

I regret not writing more actively while living in Munich from 1970 to 1972. I wanted to be a writer, so what was I thinking?

What is your favorite past-time?

Reading and writing. (FYI – Reading well-written books helps improve one’s writing skills.)

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I hope that if you have a brand, book or business that you’re not yet promoting on the Internet and you’d like to do so, you’ll consider a) joining my membership program at www.WeTeachWebMarketing.com, b) buying my ebook What You Should Know About the Launch of an Online Information Product – http://budurl.com/productlaunchebook and c) reading my almost-daily National Internet Business Examiner articles at http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com

The Missing Keys to Thriving in Any Real Estate Market by Eddie Godshalk

2009-08-05T06:13:00.002-05:00

About the Author:

Eddie Godshalk bought his first investment houses in 1987, where he was a licensed agent in the Eastern U.S. From those humble beginnings, Eddie has gained more than 20 years of real estate investment, business development and mortgage experience. Recently, Eddie gained praise for his ability to help average investors generate exceptional wealth using his revolutionary Home Value Predictor web-based real estate system.

Eddie received his MBA from San Francisco State University (SFSU) with a focus on building automated valuation models (AVM’s) and real estate finance. Using the Home Value Predictor technology, Eddie has purchased numerous properties with little money down, netting greater than two thousand percent return on equity investment per property.

After collecting more than four years’ worth of micro block data, Eddie and a team of SFSU and Berkeley PhD’s tested and back-tested algorithms. After testing more than eight mapping software applications, from Open Source to ESRI, the latest public version of Home Value Predictor was launched in mid 2009.

Eddie is committed to bringing the most accurate, reliable and relevant information to the real estate market Home Value Predictor is poised to redefine the way we think of real estate in the 21st century.

Visit his website at http://www.homevaluepredictor.com/

About the Book:

“The Missing Keys to Thriving in Any Real Estate Market - How to Create Wealth in Any Community Using Street Analysis Technology"

It is risk reduction blueprint for Investors and Real Estate professionals who want to be experts in their local market and make more sales. Readers will learn how to and where to get current accurate info and not be mislead by the media and create wealth using break-through mapping technology.

The housing crisis and financial crisis was caused by a lack of current local information. Just ask your broker or banker, what was the job growth or migration in my Zip Code (or any Zip Code) last month or quarter, and see what they say. More importantly, ask them how will these variables, or any other micro-market variable, affect price changes in the future. And see what they say.

I am a leading authority on current, local real estate info. And author of “The Missing Keys to Thriving in Any Real Estate Market”. My competition is Case-Shiller, which you can buy for a min of $250 for a few counties at Economy.com. And only covers macro markets, which has HUGE errors at the micro-market and block level. Consumers, investors, and bankers, all can benefit with current local information and forecasts, and thus, make more profits.

With the assistance of PhD’s from UC Berkeley and others, Home Value Predictor has developed Future Value changes, on over 350,000 micro-markets, forecasting out as long as 24 months, with confidence levels. We expect to launch in Aug.

To find out more go to http://www.homevaluepredictor.com/

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

“The Missing Keys to Thriving in Any Real Estate Market - How to Create Wealth in Any Community Using Street Analysis Technology" It is risk reduction blueprint for Investors and Real Estate professionals who want to be experts in there local market and make more sales. Readers will learn how to and where to get current accurate info and not be mislead by the media and create wealth using break-through mapping technology.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

In the 1980’s I perceived myself as being in a situation of medium to high distress, or which I could not leave or change. So I decided to study every book and every guru in real estate to establish my financial security so I could affect change. In the 1990’s, after accumulating enough wealth and liquid assets to “retire” I found out that an attorney embezzled my funds which led to the loss of everything, and many losses and pain of my employees. From hear I evolved and was lead to getting my MBA at SFSU with a focus on Automatic Valuation Models. But just having an accurate predictive model, and list of potential listing, does not answer the basic questions or risk and returns. Thus I have been passionate about developing an accurate prediction model and bringing current local information to everyone, so that no one else has to go through the pain that I or my fellow investors have.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

Besides the above, after searching and buying data from various vendors and having software developers write programs to capture information, I realized that some of the valuable and pertinent information is not available to Realtors or consumers. And as a salesperson (I am a licensed real estate agent), if you are going to be good in sales, you have to know your product, which for a Realtor, is knowing real estate. But ask any real estate professional any basic info that is not related to sales information, and see what they say. Ask them what was the latest job growth, migration, business growth, disposable income, or practically any local variable that will influence the future of real estate in any area, and see what they say. Ask them any economic or demographic variable that will influence prices in the future for a Census Block Group, Census Track, or Zip Code, and see what they say. And all these variables are way to many to put into any book, so I have been invested in developing my web site www.HomeValuePredictor.com which has as this information, so any Realtor can be a local expert, and anyone can make smart real estate decisions.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

Besides the history of my past, mentioned above, what drives me is knowing what I know, and knowing that very few, even smart economists and real estate “gurus” do not know what I know. And lately there have been a lot of new real estate sites, like www.Zillow.com and www.Trulia.com and www.RealtyTrac.com which provide some information to customers and people on the Internet, but they do not provide the most valuable current local information. This is darn surprising to me. In general the current Internet sites and portals just recycle the same old, same old, information from the limited MLS and title information, adding nothing really new of value. I know, with www.HomeValuePredictor.com and getting the word out, a lot more people can be helped, and make smarter real estate decisions.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

As someone who has been involved fairly heavily in real estate, and real estate investments, initially I studied the courses of many of the top real estate gurus of the time, such as: Robert G. Allen, Jack Miller, Bob Bruss, Jimmy Napier, and Bill Nickerson. But I noticed that all these “gurus” as does all academic courses in economics and valuation have very little information at the local level. So not only are the gurus missing current local information in there teaching, but so is all real estate classes and all classes taught by universities and schools. Thus my influence still boils back to finding a way to better deliver this local information and help others make smart real estate decisions.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Once you understand what is missing and what is possible, never making a decision where capital is at risk, without current local information. As long as you understand why things have not worked in the past, and what is missing, you will win. And if you have something is working, stick to it, but keep in mind, as more and more people have access to the Internet, and more and more people are hungry for the right information, things will change. My hope is that with my book and www.HomeValuePredictor.com things will change a lot for the better.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Well I emailed one of the co-authors and teachers at the seminars of Robert Kiyosaki, Ken McElroy, and he said “The timing is good for this book; the professional investor is most active when the market is down.” And I would add, that in these times, having current local information, is even more critical, since no longer can an investor or homeowner simply “luck out” and assume or just guess that their investment will go up in value. I also talked to the author of The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing, and Spencer Strauss did not even know what a Census Block Group was, nor know how to find local information. I find this sort of funny and interesting.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Well, I cannot honestly say I would bring my book, unless I could leverage it with some island beauty or something. I would probably bring one of my favorite books from graduate school, David Macaulay’s book titled The Way Things Work, since I may have to build things, and David’s book in a good explanation, with cool pictures and how to build some basic inventions. It is instructive and entertaining, and a good resource.

Shadow of Betrayal by Brett Battles

2009-08-04T07:08:00.002-05:00

About the Author:

Brett Battles lives in Los Angeles and is the author of two acclaimed novels in the Jonathan Quinn series: The Cleaner, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller and a Shamus Award for Best First Novel, and The Deceived, which was nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller. He is at work on the fourth book in the series.

You can visit Brett Battles online at http://brettbattles.com/

About the Book:

The meeting place was carefully chosen: an abandoned church in rural Ireland just after dark. For Jonathan Quinn—a freelance operative and professional “cleaner”—the job was only to observe. If his cleanup skills were needed, it would mean things had gone horribly wrong. But an assassin hidden in a tree assured just that. And suddenly Quinn had four dead bodies to dispose of and one astounding clue—to a mystery that is about to spin wildly out of control.

Three jobs, no questions. That was the deal Quinn had struck with his client at the Office. Unfortunately for him, Ireland was just the first. Now Quinn, along with his colleague and girlfriend—the lethal Orlando—has a new assignment touched off by the killings in Ireland. Their quarry is a U.N. aide worker named Marion Dupuis who has suddenly disappeared from her assignment in war-torn Africa. When Quinn finally catches a glimpse of her, she quickly flees, frantic and scared. And not alone.

For Quinn the assignment has now changed. Find Marion Dupuis, and the child she is protecting, and keep them from harm. If it were only that easy.

Soon Quinn and Orlando find themselves in a bunker in the California hills, where Quinn will unearth a horrifying plot that is about to reach stage critical for a gathering of world leaders—and an act of terror more cunning, and more insidious, than anyone can guess.

Fast, smart, sleek, and stunning, Shadow of Betrayal is vintage Brett Battles: a gritty, gripping masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that makes the pulse pound—and stirs the heart as well.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what he answered:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Quinn had previously promised his primary client that he would do three jobs without any questions to pay them back for help they gave him when he was working on a private matter. In Shadow of Betrayal, those jobs markers are called in. Quinn finds himself looking for a woman who is traveling with a child not her own, and not knowing why until a larger conspiracy begins to be revealed. It’s a conspiracy that reaches into many levels of the U.S. government, and threatens the stability of not only the United States, but also of several of its closest allies.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

Two causes are very dear to my heart. One would be the treatment of people with special needs, specifically Down Syndrome, as my own son was born with Downs. And the advocacy of adoption. Adoption has played a large role in my family, both extended and immediate. It’s a wonderful thing for all involved.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I hope so. I hope that I’m constantly doing that. That each book ends up being better than the last because of my desire to always get better.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

There have been so many, of course. Our best teachers as writers are the books we read, and, therefore, the authors who have written them. For me it’s been authors like Graham Greene, Robert Ludlum, Alistair MacLean, John le Carre, Stephen King, Robert Heinlein, and so many others. I was also very influenced by the late author William Relling, Jr. Not so much for what he wrote, but because he was my mentor and my friend, and helped me to constantly work at improving my craft.

What are you currently working on?

I’m actually working on several projects at once, each at a different stage. I’m finishing up the revisions on the next Quinn adventure. I’m in the planning stages on the Quinn adventure I’ll start writing in the fall, and I’m working on a story outside the series, though not quite sure when that one will be done.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Okay, the smart move would be to take something like The Ultimate Survival Guide, but who needs to know how to stay alive? You want to be entertained! Me, I’d probably take something like Stephen King’s The Stand. It’s an excellent, lengthy read, and when you’re done it would probably make a handy hammer.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

That what keeps us alive is the desire to keep learning.

What is your favorite past-time?

I love to travel. I love going to places I’ve never been and returning to places I’ve spent a lot of time at. Probably my favorite thing is to go someplace that is truly different from where I grew up. Everything becomes fascinating there, even down to how they cross the street or package their gum. Put me on a plane heading almost anywhere and I’m happy. Put me on a plane as it’s pulling up to the arrival gate so I don’t have to experience the multiple hours in the air, I’m even happier!

No Mad by Sam Moffie

2009-08-03T06:16:00.003-05:00

About the Book:

Sam Moffie is 49 years of age and resides in Youngstown, Ohio with his family. When not writing and marketing he enjoys walks with his dog, red wine, watching movies, reading fiction, arguing politics and being a big target for his children. No Mad is his third novel. His fourth, The Book of Eli will be published in the fall.

Visit his website at http://www.samsstories.com/

About the Book:

“No Matter where you go, there you are.” Sam Moffie’s third novel takes readers on an impromptu road trip that proves transformative.

No Mad takes a good natured look at failed matrimony, middle age, and empty nest syndrome. Moffie’s novel evokes humor and optimism as his hero embraces life’s pitfalls and learns to “roll with punches.” Often nostalgic, Moffie’s novel also proves relevant as he explores issues such as corporate monopolies, politics, commercialization and their effects on “independent thinking and acting people” – people like the main character Aaron Abrams.

Sam agreed to answer a few short questions for me - here is what he had to say:

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is my muse and live-in girlfriend: Juliette.

Your biggest critic?

It's a tie between my biggest critics. My editor Devra and ny step-father Donald. They are the epitome of the phrase "devil's advocate".

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

My cause is to eliminate the stigma of self-publishing being something that is unholy.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Kurt Vonnegut and John Irving are my biggest influences.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently writing a novel and also waiting for the editing process to be completed on my 4th novel -- The Book of Eli. Eli should be released in late October or early November.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

My biggest strength with my writing style is my humor. My biggest weakness (besides misuse of a semi-colon), is that I don't write about teenage monsters, teenage wizards, christian fiction, self-help and diet material.

Thanks so much Sam!

A Band of Roses by Pat McDermott

2009-07-28T06:14:00.001-05:00

About the Author:

Born and educated in Boston, Massachusetts, Pat McDermott grew up in a family full of music and myths that have found their way into her stories. She is a member of The New Hampshire Writers' Project, Seacoast Writers' Association, Romance Writers of America, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. A frequent visitor to Ireland, she lives in New Hampshire, where she is currently working on her next novel.

To find out more about the author and her work visit http://www.patmcdermott.net/

About the Book:

A Band of Roses is an alternate history adventure set in modern day Ireland. The "what if" premise of the story supposes that Irish High King Brian Boru survived the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 A.D. and founded a dynasty that rules Ireland to this day.

Crown Princess Talty Boru, the daughter of the current King Brian, is the heir to the throne, though she wishes she weren’t. She’d prefer to pursue a military career, but she’s resigned to her royal fate until England’s Prince Geoffrey seizes a tiny Irish island in the North Atlantic and the oil-rich ocean bed around it. Geoffrey plans to return the island to Ireland in exchange for oil wells in the Irish sea. He proposes a conciliatory treaty that would marry Talty to the unbalanced young English King. Talty agrees, as the terms demand that she relinquish her title as heir to the throne. She believes she’s free of her duties as crown princess, but a murder attempt on her wedding night turns her life upside down.

Multiple attempts on Talty’s life force King Brian to send her away to protect her, though he unwittingly sends her into further danger. From Japan to California, Talty must hide her true identity until her elders can set things straight. She can’t disguise her ingrained training as one of Ireland’s ancient Fian warriors, however.

Her recruitment into International Security Forces’ top secret Peregrine Project allows her to visit strange worlds, one an eleventh century Ireland preparing for the Battle of Clontarf. She finds romance and adventure and brings back a discovery worth more than any oil well, yet all she wants is to return to her family and her lifelong friend and protector Neil Boru, the adoptive cousin she secretly loves and can’t have—or so she thinks. Talty’s warrior cousin has a secret of his own, one that emerges as the Boru clan works with England's MI6 to thwart an invasion of Ireland and bring Talty home.

Pat agreed to answer my interview questions. Here's what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

A Band of Roses is a rollicking blend of historical fantasy, bittersweet romance, a little sci-fi, and a lot of action and adventure. The story supposes what Ireland would be like today if High King Brian Boru hadn’t perished at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 A.D. His descendant, modern day Princess Talty Boru, wishes she were anyone but the heir to her father’s throne. An arranged marriage offers her an escape from her royal duties and the chance to pursue her dream of becoming a warrior. She quickly learns to be careful what she wishes for when a web of foreign intrigue and murder turns her world upside down. A Band of Roses is the first in a trilogy starring the indomitable Talty, her staunch protector, Neil Boru, and a lovable cast of dauntless heroes and delicious villains.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I have two extraordinary aunts who are both Irish history buffs. When I was a child, they entertained me with all sorts of legends and assured me we were descended from Irish royalty—as, I’ve since learned, is everyone who’s Irish. One of the many gifts they brought me from the old country was a copper statue of Brian Boru, and I wanted to learn more about him. Everything I read stated how sad it was that Brian didn’t survive Clontarf, as Ireland would be a very different place today. So, I started thinking . . . what if he had survived?

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I’ve learned how to make paella and colcannon and furthered my education in pirate lore.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Yes, I do absolutely nothing that requires thinking for at least a week. My novels take several years to write, and I need to reboot my head to clear out all the clutter.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Doing all the things I want to do before I can’t. Sometimes I have the most awful sense of running out of time.

What are you currently working on?

My present work in progress is Salty Roses, the third book in the "Roses" trilogy. (The second is Fiery Roses.) I’ve nearly completed the first draft.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

For writers - Join a good writers' group, take classes or workshops, never stop reading, and read a wide variety of books. Don’t be afraid other authors will influence your personal style. Whether you read for pleasure or research, you’ll not only learn what makes good writing, you’ll also find new ideas that will lead to dozens of other new ideas. Don’t let armchair writers and critics derail you from your quest to become a published author.

For readers - Go out on a limb and read a book you wouldn’t ordinarily read. To paraphrase an Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, a mind stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

Not really. I admire many authors, but writing stories is something I’ve always done. Falling under the spell of the fairy tales I heard as a child made me want to create similar spells to enchant others. I did have some great teachers who taught the nuts and bolts of writing well.

What are some of your long term goals?

To travel more, for one. I’d like to live in Ireland for a year, if not forever. And, I should learn to manage my time better.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Hearing people say they couldn’t stop reading A Band of Roses until they finished it makes me ecstatic. I write to entertain, and I love knowing I’ve succeeded.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

I’m a good organizer. I can organize anything from writing a story to planning a trip to throwing a dinner party.

Biggest weakness?

I can be too organized. A little more spontaneity wouldn’t hurt.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

A Band of Roses crosses several genres. Reading cross-genre stories has always been a treat for me. Writing one was an enjoyable challenge, one I believe will offer readers an entertaining escape. One writing teacher told me that no publisher would accept a story that didn’t fit into current genre formulas, and I wondered what the ancient storytellers would have thought about that.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

The Joy of Cooking. Anything edible I find on that island, that book will tell me how to cook it. I might not have all the ingredients, but I won’t starve.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

I’ve already done this once in "A Band of Roses." No need to tempt fate!

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

My husband and I have both lost our remaining parents over the last five years. That puts us on the front line, so to speak. Gives you a different perspective of things. On a happier note, my parenting responsibilities have eased now that my two children are responsible young adults. I have more freedom now to explore new paths.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

A little kindness goes a long way.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

Not yet.

What is your favorite past-time?

Besides cooking, discovering. Whether through travel, taking classes, or meeting new friends, adventure awaits around every corner.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

For those who might be interested in reading A Band of Roses, it’s currently an e-book and is available from Red Rose Publishing either directly or through my website: www.patmcdermott.net I’d like to thank you for having me here today, Tracee. My sincere appreciation to everyone who took the time to stop by.

First Night by Tom Weston

2009-07-27T06:38:00.000-05:00

About the Book:

Alexandra O'Rourke, aged 16, is not a happy camper. It's New Year's Eve. She should be partying in San Diego with her friends, but instead she is stuck in Boston, with just her younger sister, Jackie, for company. As if that wasn't bad enough, she is being haunted by Sarah, the ghost of a seventeenth century Puritan. Oh, and there is the small matter of the charge of witchcraft to be sorted out.

Armed only with big shiny buttons and a helping of Boston Cream Pie, the sisters set out to restore the Natural Order. Can Alex solve the mystery of the Devil's Book? Can Jackie help Sarah beat the sorcery rap? And can they do it before the fireworks display at midnight? Because this is First Night - and this is an Alex and Jackie Adventure.

About the Author:

Originally from England, Tom now hangs his hat in Boston, Massachusetts; with occasional spells in such faraway places as London and Luxembourg. Tom has a degree in Computer Science, and he claims to speak three languages: English, American, and Visual Basic. Before turning his hand to fiction, Tom had a successful career as the CEO of a systems consulting company, conference speaker, and writer of industry articles and business books.

As well as the novel, First Night, Tom has also written the screenplay, Fission, based on the true story of scientist, Lise Meitner, and the race for the atomic bomb. While Fission has yet to find a home in Hollywood, it garnered enough critical acclaim, including being named as a finalist at the London Independent Film Festival, that Tom was encouraged to keep on writing, resulting in his latest work which is, of course, First Night.

You can find out more about Tom's book at Amazon!

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

In a nut shell, First Night is a ghost story, set in Boston on New Years Eve. It concerns two teenage sisters from California, Alex and Jackie, who meet a ghost named Sarah Pemberton, and agree to help her fight the charges of witchcraft that have been bought against her.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I had just written a screenplay called Fission, based on the real-life story of the scientist Lise Meitner, and the race for the nuclear bomb. Now, that story began in 1906 and ended in 1968, and included two world wars and the collapse of an Empire. It was very much in the mold of the epic or mini-series genre: quite serious and dramatic and high-brow.

When that was completed, I thought that it would be fun to go in exactly the opposite direction, and see if I could come up with a story where all the action takes place in just one day, something light and whimsical. And I was in Downtown Boston on New Year’s Eve, at the Granary Burying Ground, when I realized that Boston and the First Night Festival would make a great setting for a ghost story.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

There were a number of factors: The first being the City of Boston itself, and the First Night Festival. I wanted to write a story that paid homage to my adopted city, and I put a great deal of history into the book. Secondly I wanted to create a story for the holidays, much like a Christmas Carol, and so the book serves as an intentional homage to Dickens as well. I was so delighted to have my book compared to that great work.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife, Leigh. Not only a supporter but also my benefactor and confidant. I’m lucky to have her. I think of my work as a collaborative effort between the two of us; a lot of her input makes it onto the page.

Your biggest critic?

Same person. I share my ideas with her as I go. She’ll shoot down the more off-the-wall and idiotic ones. I’m the dreamer. She’s the practical one.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

Nothing in particular. I’m held in check by the Englishman’s fear of causing offense or embarrassment. But I do tend to get fired up by whatever project I’m working on. And I’ll talk people’s heads of with all manner of trivia that I’ve dug up during my research, to which, I’m sure, they would much rather not be subjected.

I have a number of interests and have an intellectual curiosity for all manner of things. If it was possible to be a modern renaissance man, then that’s how I would like to define myself. But as I get older, I am finding that I am becoming more interested in people, in their stories and interests. This is in sharp contract to the younger me, who was a socially inept.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

What has improved is my confidence. There was a turning point when I stopped trying to imitate the styles of other writers and just trusted myself. Whether or not this is an improvement I can’t say, and I don’t think I’ve fully found my voice yet, but at least it’s me. For example, I play the guitar and appreciate the skills of all the great guitarists, but the ones that I enjoy the most are the ones that have developed their own style of playing, and they are not necessarily the most technically proficient or talented.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Yes, we crack open a bottle of champagne. Of course, a work is never finished. It is hard to finally let go of it.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I’m a big fan of the works of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, and the American writer, Christopher Moore, who all, in their own ways, write about the absurdities of this thing we call life. Christopher Moore has stated that he is an Adams and Pratchett fan. And Pratchett and Adams have both heaped praise on P.G. Wodehouse, who is the Zen Master.

Not that I would dare compare my style to those guys, but I like their way of looking at the world; what Wodehouse called Blurry Vision. They are called quirky, but the funny thing is, you can go into any pub in the world, whether in Liverpool or in Boston or in Munich, and the room is full of the kind of dialogue that is found on the pages of their books. So to me they are not quirky, but rather astute.

There is humor in my work, I think (and hope), but it is understated, not flat out, fall down laughing funny like the aforementioned. In fact, before I turned to fiction, I was writing business books and articles and my style was to try and lighten the mood with anecdotes and absurdities. I would ask myself, “How would Bertie Wooster say this?” I found out that the business world does not have a sense of humor.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Did I mention my wife, Leigh?

What are you currently working on?

The sequel to First Night, which is called the Elf of Luxembourg. I was very lucky to live in Luxembourg for a while, and was just blown away by its charm. In fact, although the Elf of Luxembourg will be the second in the Alex and Jackie series to be published, the idea for the story predates First Night by a couple of years. I’ve replaced the ghosts with vampires, but the ratio of history to mystery is still there.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

As Polonius said to his son, Laertes, ‘to thine own self be true’: Write from the heart about what you believe in, because if you’re not passionate about your work, you can’t expect your readers to be either.

Secondly, tell people about your writing: This is not boasting – it’s time management. For example, I’ve told so many people that my next novel will be published by the autumn that I’ll look foolish if I now miss that deadline. So the more people I tell the more incentive I have to keep writing.

What are some of your long term goals?

First Night began as a screenplay, and the purpose of forming my new company, tom weston media, was as much for audio and video production as publishing. So, although I stopped work on the screenplay to concentrate on the novel, and although the Elf of Luxembourg is now taking up much of my time, the long term plan is very much focused on multi-media entertainment. Initially, we are in the planning stage of a podcast production of First Night, and after that – who knows.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Hopefully, it’s yet to come.

But, I had an email from an elderly lady, an octogenarian, who told me that she had been reading First Night in bed, unable to put it down, and at 2:00AM, when the ending was revealed, she ran around the bedroom, punching the air in jubilation. On reading that, I also ran around the room, punching the air. I wrote the story to please myself and no other. So to find that this little story has that kind of impact on someone else is just incredibly humbling and rewarding.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Being an Englishman in America, I think I automatically bring a little thinking-outside-the-box approach to everything I do. In the business world, where success comes from standing out in a crowd, this is as asset that has served me well. But I also think, to a certain degree, it is what differentiates my writing from others.

Biggest weakness?

I think that it’s probably the same as my biggest strength – the flip side of the same coin. Unfortunately, when it comes to selling, the corporate mind-set tends towards the derivative; just take a look at the summer blockbuster movies. The irony is in demanding originality, only to reject it when they find it.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

From a publisher’s perspective First Night is a difficult book to categorize. It is part ghost story and part history lesson – a History Mystery one reviewer called it. It’s a story with teenagers, but a lot of my feedback has been coming from parents. “Unique - like no other book I’ve read,” said another reviewer. So where to place it on the bookshelf is a problem. They not about to create a new category called tom weston.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

This is a hard one, because I’m a book-worm and every room in the house has book cases. But, if I ignore the writers I’ve already plugged, and assume that the Complete Works of Shakespeare is already waiting for me in a treasure chest somewhere, I’d take The Code of the Woosters, by P.G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse is one of the greatest writers of all time, but The Code of the Woosters, and the follow-up, Joy in the Morning, are sublime even by his standards. Being marooned on that island, it would guarantee to raise my spirits. I tried to inject some Wodehouse type humor into First Night, but it’s not as easy as it looks. The man was a genius.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

For me, that’s the wrong question, because it implies that by changing the past we will somehow be happier or more successful. I think that it is more important to change the future. Too many people get set in their ways and then look back and say, “If I could have done that differently, I would.” – Only too follow up with, “But, it’s too late now.” It’s far easier to change tomorrow than yesterday.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Yes and no. I think that personality wise, I’m pretty much the same person, but what have changed are my priorities. Before turning to writing, I ran a consulting company. The time I spent in Luxembourg allowed me to leave the proverbial rat-race for a while. I expected the respite to be temporary, but I found that I wasn’t in a hurry to return to the office. The question is: if the money wasn’t a factor, what would I do? The answer is: I’m doing it.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

I’ve learned that I am happiest when I let myself be me. It sounds selfish, but my successes have stemmed from doing things my way; and my failures have come from giving in to the demands of others. My business colleagues and clients, I think, realized this before I did, and everyone benefited; but it was a while before I saw the correlation to my own happiness.

What is your favorite past-time?

When I’m not writing, which I also consider a past-time, I like to compose music: songs, symphonies, sound tracks, whatever I’m in the mood for. I have a little studio with guitars and keyboards, not that I have any ability, but editing software hides a lot of flaws.

I also like to cook, but no one is allowed in the kitchen when I do. It’s like writing, in that I’ve finally learned to stop being derivative, and find my own voice. Tonight will be pepper encrusted salmon with an olive sauce, on a bed of spinach and garlic.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Grouch Marx once said, “Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”

The Pursuit of Something Better by Dave Esler and Myra Kruger

2009-07-21T06:42:00.000-05:00

About the Book:

The Pursuit of Something Better tells the story of the transformation of U.S. Cellular from a thoroughly ordinary company—ranked eighth in its industry and in danger of extinction—into an organization that is loved by employees and customers alike, and a proven winner by every measure.

Even more impressive is how this transformation took place. U.S. Cellular focused on the “soft stuff” so often discredited by conventional business wisdom; values and heart; inspirational and empowering leadership; motivation by values, not fear; ethics and integrity and an insistence on always doing the right thing. Most of all, U.S. Cellular thrived by obsessively putting the customer, and the quality of the customer experience, first.

The Pursuit of Something Better is also the story of Jack Rooney, the unconventional CEO who had the vision to see the limitations of the traditional business model a decade before it imploded, and the courage to replace it with something much, much better.

About the Authors:

Dave Esler and Myra Kruger combined their 30 years of corporate communications, human resources, and consulting experience as Esler Kruger Associates in 1987. Their consulting firm focuses on culture change, organizational surveys, and executive counsel on effective leadership. They are based in Highland Park, Illinois and can be reached at http://www.eslerkruger.com/.

Lose the Diet by Kathy Balland

2009-07-20T06:09:00.006-05:00

About the Author:

Kathy Balland, an expert in the mind-body-soul connection, teaches people how to tap into their own inner power for success. Clinically certified in hypnotherapy, her publications and seminars provide deep insights into the true causes and their remedies that prevent people from achieving their goals. Balland is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

She is clinically certified by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners and certified by the American Board of Hypnotherapy. As president of Blissful Publications and author of “Lose the Diet: Transform Your Body by Connecting with Your Soul,” Balland provides information to enrich and empower people to achieve happiness and success.

You can visit her website at www.losethediet.com or visit her at Twitter at www.twitter.com/losethediet

About the Book:

You’ll discover your power to achieve and maintain a healthy weight naturally without diets. Food deprivation is uncomfortable and ultimately causes weight gain. Instead, enjoy the good health and joy that you deserve. Lose the Diet shows you how.

• Drop the diets and the weight in a healthy and natural way.
• Find out why deprivation doesn’t work.
• Learn about the mind-body-soul connection’s effect on weight.
• Discover that happiness leads to a healthy weight rather than the other way around.
• Insightful tools and information that help you to find balance — from the inside out!

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview with me. This is what she had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

First, I would like to thank you for having me here. In my book Lose the Diet I explain why diets do not work (for both mental and physical reasons) and I provide tips and tools that will help you to achieve permanent weight loss – in a natural, healthy and much happier way.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I wrote the book because obesity has become a crisis in the US. More than one third of US adults – over 72 million people in addition to 16% of US children are obese. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1980 obesity rates for adults have doubled and rates for children have tripled. And obesity has led to other health issues. Even though we know everything there is to know about calories, carbs, fats, proteins and how much we “should” weigh, the problem keeps getting worse. I wanted to talk about why that is, and what you can do about it.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

My inspiration is all of the people that are riding the dieting “roller coaster”. I want to help them understand why diets do not work, and ultimately to help them achieve permanent weight management and the resulting happiness that comes from the inside out.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is Deb Williams. She is featured at the top of the testimonials page at: http://www.losethediet.com/Testimonials.aspx. She is very happy with her weight loss experience, and is much happier in general, because she now understands the reason for the weight gain that she experienced. She has a new-found self-respect, and she is really enjoying that. As a result, she has been my biggest spokesperson.

Your biggest critic?

I had one blogger who criticized my About the Author page, saying that she thought there were grammatical errors on the page. Perhaps there are. But you know, I was not trying to win a writing contest when I wrote that page. I spoke from the heart, and am really trying to reach out to people with my message, which is: Stop dieting, and start loving yourself! You will achieve better results that way. (You can find the author page at: http://www.losethediet.com/AboutUs.aspx.)

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am most passionate about showing people the incredible power that they have within themselves to achieve their goals. The answer to the weight issue is not in a diet pill, diet food or fad diets. The power is within you! That’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

The most important thing is to get the message out, which is why I am doing this virtual book tour. I am also doing some radio interviews and speaking. (You will see me at the Ultimate Girls Getaway in Arizona in October: http://www.nadjaspajamaparty.com/Scottsdale%20Fall%202009.htm)

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Of course most authors in this genre are simply coming up with a new type of diet. However, I am approaching it from the “root” cause, which is the only way to achieve permanent results. I also want the reader to understand that happiness leads to a healthy weight, rather than the other way around. Carol Hoyer, PhD reviewed Lose the Diet and said: “Although the subject matter is not new, the author approaches weight and happiness in a new way.” You can see the full review here: http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewBallandLosetheDiet.html.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Yes. My book discusses the power of the subconscious mind, and how you can use it to achieve your goals. (The subconscious is 88% of your mind, which is where your habits, emotions and imagination are.) You can tap into that power within yourself by relaxing, and using guided meditations. For a FREE half hour guided meditation audio to help you relax and reconnect, sign up at: www.LosetheDiet.com. Also, check out the book trailer at: www.DietFreeMovie.com (To enlarge the video, click on the lower right corner of the picture.) You can follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/LosetheDiet where I like to post inspirational quotes and Lose the Diet updates. Thank you!

Virtual Vice by Jason Kays

2009-07-17T07:20:00.002-05:00

About the Author:

Jason M. Kays is an intellectual property attorney with fifteen years experience in both information technology and entertainment law. Kays is an accomplished jazz trumpet player and his passion has always been music, technology, and convergence of the two in today's digital age. This is his first novel.

You can visit Jason online at http://www.virtualvice.net/

About the Book:

In Virtual Vice by Jason Kays, readers follow disillusioned entertainment attorney Ian McKenzie as his professional life takes a decided turn for the questionable when he is hired by the charismatic and dangerous Scott White to represent Scott’s interests in his cutting edge Internet startup, Metropoleis Multimedia. Unfortunately for Ian, Scott has more in common with Scarface’s Tony Montana than Apple’s Steve Jobs, and things go from questionable to deadly in no time flat. As Scott’s confidant and consigliore, Ian soon finds himself caught between the Feds, La Cosa Nostra, and the Cali Cartel in a fatal game of corporate winner-take-all.

I was lucky enough to get the author to agree to an interview. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

In short, the book follows the rise and demise of a sociopath, Scott White, who transitions from the organized crime of the Cali Cartel to the organized crime of Wall Street. He begins his professional life as one of the largest cocaine distributors on the West Coast. When the DEA closes in, White evades apprehension and launders the drug money by founding an Information Technology startup, Metropoleis III Multimedia. Certain organized crime contingents remain silent partners in his new business. MIII is a Seattle based broadband content provider, streaming audio and video from live rock concerts to subscribers over the Internet. Although business is thriving, its CEO soon falls back to old habits, structuring MIII as a Ponzi scheme and embezzling from investors. When White is found out, he flees Washington for Arizona and mounts a similar scam. As external scrutiny, and civil and criminal suits mount, CEO White begins to come unhinged, as do his progressively more crazed and bizarre business ventures. Targeting the Sedona market, he attempts to tap into the New Age zeitgeist. After several false starts, he uses his broadband media delivery system to back an equally opportunistic religious huckster in peddling a New Age theology to the masses via the Internet. The New Age cybervangelists garner the attention of a global press for all the wrong reasons. The klieg lights quickly put White's silent partners ill-at-ease and all hell breaks loose.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Yes. The book is creative non-fiction and 85% factual. It was inspired by my representation as a lawyer of a most unpleasant client during an eighteen month period. That period was followed by five years of intermittent pro bono work with various law enforcement agencies to hold him accountable to investors he had defrauded. This effort, while saving would-be investors millions in losses, did not stop him from running his Ponzi schemes. He continues to this day, active in the Huntington Beach, California, area, having partnered with a real estate developer. Ironically, they are planning deployment of a New Age church in Hawaii.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

A real life sociopath and purported heir to the Luce Time-Life family.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My Id.

Your biggest critic?

My Super-Ego.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Are virgin sacrifices still frowned upon? None that I can discuss without upsetting my handlers.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Shakespeare and Kurt Vonnegut.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

The perfect cup of coffee.

What are you currently working on?

Another creative non-fiction book. This one about a pioneer in Internet erotica.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

In general terms, no. By that I mean do not seek counsel on what to write -- write what you feel compelled to put to paper. Write what you must; not what you think you should or is expected. Don't seek input along the way. Finish the book then hire the best editor you can afford and let the self-flagellation begin.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Causing people to view their reality in a different way, if only for a moment.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

The ability to make the perfect cup of coffee.

Biggest weakness?

Using too much cream in that perfect cup of coffee.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Its fusion of the retelling of real life events with social satire, dark humor and all that is politically incorrect.

What is your favorite past-time?

Playing jazz trumpet. Photography. Building and watercooling computers.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

That all depends on how well you tip.

I want to thank Jason for visiting my blog and putting a smile on my face this morning. Great answers that really show what a great sense of humor he has. If you're ever in Wisconsin I'd love to meet and discuss over that perfect cup of coffee you make but a word of warning - if it's too strong I will be adding cream as well. Take care!

Coming For Money by F.W. Vom Scheidt

2009-07-16T06:46:00.000-05:00

The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst

2009-07-14T06:18:00.001-05:00

An autumn evening in 1937. A German engineer arrives at the Warsaw railway station. Tonight, he will be with his Polish mistress; tomorrow, at a workers’ bar in the city’s factory district, he will meet with the military attaché from the French embassy. Information will be exchanged for money. So begins The Spies of Warsaw, the brilliant new novel by Alan Furst, lauded by The New York Times as “America’s preeminent spy novelist.”

War is coming to Europe. French and German intelligence operatives are locked in a life-and-death struggle on the espionage battlefield. At the French embassy, the new military attaché, Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier, a decorated hero of the 1914 war, is drawn into a world of abduction, betrayal, and intrigue in the diplomatic salons and back alleys of Warsaw. At the same time, the handsome aristocrat finds himself in a passionate love affair with a Parisian woman of Polish heritage, a lawyer for the League of Nations.

Colonel Mercier must work in the shadows, amid an extraordinary cast of venal and dangerous characters–Colonel Anton Vyborg of Polish military intelligence; the mysterious and sophisticated Dr. Lapp, senior German Abwehr officer in Warsaw; Malka and Viktor Rozen, at work for the Russian secret service; and Mercier’s brutal and vindictive opponent, Major August Voss of SS counterintelligence. And there are many more, some known to Mercier as spies, some never to be revealed.

HOTEL EUROPEJSKI

In the dying light of an autumn day in 1937, a certain Herr Edvard Uhl, a secret agent, descended from a first-class railway carriage in the city of Warsaw. Above the city, the sky was at war; the last of the sun struck blood-red embers off massed black cloud, while the clear horizon to the west was the color of blue ice. Herr Uhl suppressed a shiver; the sharp air of the evening, he told himself. But this was Poland, the border of the Russian steppe, and what had reached him was well beyond the chill of an October twilight.

A taxi waited on Jerozolimskie street, in front of the station. The driver, an old man with a seamed face, sat patiently, knotted hands at rest on the steering wheel. "Hotel Europejski," Uhl told the driver. He wanted to add, and be quick about it, but the words would have been in German, and it was not so good to speak German in this city. Germany had absorbed the western part of Poland in 1795-Russia ruled the east, Austria-Hungary the southwest corner-for a hundred and twenty-three years, a period the Poles called "the Partition," a time of national conspiracy and defeated insurrection, leaving ample bad blood on all sides. With the rebirth of Poland in 1918, the new borders left a million Germans in Poland and two million Poles in Germany, which guaranteed that the bad blood would stay bad. So, for a German visiting Warsaw, a current of silent hostility, closed faces, small slights: we don't want you here.

Nonetheless, Edvard Uhl had looked forward to this trip for weeks. In his late forties, he combed what remained of his hair in strands across his scalp and cultivated a heavy dark mustache, meant to deflect attention from a prominent bulbous nose, the bulb divided at the tip. A feature one saw in Poland, often enough. So, an ordinary- looking man, who led a rather ordinary life, a more-than-decent life, in the small city of Breslau: a wife and three children, a good job- as a senior engineer at an ironworks and foundry, a subcontractor to the giant Rheinmetall firm in Düsseldorf-a few friends, memberships in a church and a singing society. Oh, maybe the political situation- that wretched Hitler and his wretched Nazis strutting about-could have been better, but one abided, lived quietly, kept one's opinions to oneself; it wasn't so difficult. And the paycheck came every week. What more could a man want?

Instinctively, his hand made sure of the leather satchel on the seat by his side. A tiny stab of regret touched his heart. Foolish, Edvard, truly it is. For the satchel, a gift from his first contact at the French embassy in Warsaw, had a false bottom, beneath which lay a sheaf of engineering diagrams. Well, he thought, one did what one had to do, so life went. No, one did what one had to do in order to do what one wanted to do-so life really went. He wasn't supposed to be in Warsaw; he was supposed, by his family and his employer, to be in Gleiwitz-just on the German side of the frontier dividing German Lower Silesia from Polish Upper Silesia-where his firm employed a large metal shop for the work that exceeded their capacity in Breslau. With the Reich rearming, they could not keep up with the orders that flowed from the Wehrmacht. The Gleiwitz works functioned well enough, but that wasn't what Uhl told his bosses. "A bunch of lazy idiots down there," he said, with a grim shake of the head, and found it necessary to take the train down to Gleiwitz once a month to straighten things out.

And he did go to Gleiwitz-that pest from Breslau, back again!-but he didn't stay there. When he was done bothering the local management he took the train up to Warsaw where, in a manner of speaking, one very particular thing got straightened out. For Uhl, a blissful night of lovemaking, followed by a brief meeting at dawn, a secret meeting, then back to Breslau, back to Frau Uhl and his more-than-decent life. Refreshed. Reborn. Too much, that word? No. Just right.

Uhl glanced at his watch. Drive faster, you peasant! This is an automobile, not a plow. The taxi crawled along Nowy Swiat, the grand avenue of Warsaw, deserted at this hour-the Poles went home for dinner at four. As the taxi passed a church, the driver slowed for a moment, then lifted his cap. It was not especially reverent, Uhl thought, simply something the man did every time he passed a church.

At last, the imposing Hotel Europejski, with its giant of a doorman in visored cap and uniform worthy of a Napoleonic marshal. Uhl handed the driver his fare-he kept a reserve of Polish zloty in his desk at the office-and added a small, proper gratuity, then said "Dankeschön." It didn't matter now, he was where he wanted to be. In the room, he hung up his suit, shirt, and tie, laid out fresh socks and underwear on the bed, and went into the bathroom to have a thorough wash. He had just enough time; the Countess Sczelenska would arrive in thirty minutes. Or, rather, that was the time set for the rendezvous; she would of course be late, would make him wait for her, let him think, let him anticipate, let him steam.

And was she a countess? A real Polish countess? Probably not, he thought. But so she called herself, and she was, to him, like a countess: imperious, haughty, and demanding. Oh how this provoked him, as the evening lengthened and they drank champagne, as her mood slid, subtly, from courteous disdain to sly submission, then on to breathless urgency. It was the same always, their private melodrama, with an ending that never changed. Uhl the stallion-despite the image in the mirrored armoire, a middle-aged gentleman with thin legs and potbelly and pale chest home to a few wisps of hair-demonstrably excited as he knelt on the hotel carpet, while the countess, looking down at him over her shoulder, eyebrows raised in mock surprise, deigned to let him roll her silk underpants down her great, saucy, fat bottom. Noblesse oblige. You may have your little pleasure, she seemed to say, if you are so inspired by what the noble Sczelenska bloodline has wrought. Uhl would embrace her middle and honor the noble heritage with tender kisses. In time very effective, such honor, and she would raise him up, eager for what came next.

He'd met her a year and a half earlier, in Breslau, at a Weinstube where the office employees of the foundry would stop for a little something after work. The Weinstube had a small terrace in back, three tables and a vine, and there she sat, alone at one of the tables on the deserted terrace: morose and preoccupied. He'd sat at the next table, found her attractive-not young, not old, on the buxom side, with brassy hair pinned up high and an appealing face-and said good evening. And why so glum, on such a pleasant night?

She'd come down from Warsaw, she explained, to see her sister, a family crisis, a catastrophe. The family had owned, for several generations, a small but profitable lumber mill in the forest along the eastern border. But they had suffered financial reverses, and then the storage sheds had been burned down by a Ukrainian nationalist gang, and they'd had to borrow money from a Jewish speculator. But the problems wouldn't stop, they could not repay the loans, and now that dreadful man had gone to court and taken the mill. Just like them, wasn't it.

After a few minutes, Uhl moved to her table. Well, that was life for you, he'd said. Fate turned evil, often for those who least deserved it. But, don't feel so bad, luck had gone wrong, but it could go right, it always did, given time. Ah but he was sympathique, she'd said, an aristocratic reflex to use the French word in the midst of her fluent German. They went on for a while, back and forth. Perhaps some day, she'd said, if he should find himself in Warsaw, he might telephone; there was the loveliest café near her apartment. Perhaps he would, yes, business took him to Warsaw now and again; he guessed he might be there soon. Now, would she permit him to order another glass of wine? Later, she took his hand beneath the table and he was, by the time they parted, on fire.

Ten days later, from a public telephone at the Breslau railway station, he'd called her. He planned to be in Warsaw next week, at the Europejski, would she care to join him for dinner? Why yes, yes she would. Her tone of voice, on the other end of the line, told him all he needed to know, and by the following Wednesday-those idiots in Gleiwitz had done it again!-he was on his way to Warsaw. At dinner, champagne and langoustines, he suggested that they go on to a nightclub after dessert, but first he wanted to visit the room, to change his tie.

And so, after the cream cake, up they went.

For two subsequent, monthly, visits, all was paradise, but, it turned out, she was the unluckiest of countesses. In his room at the hotel, brassy hair tumbled on the pillow, she told him of her latest misfortune. Now it was her landlord, a hulking beast who leered at her, made chk-chk noises with his mouth when she climbed the stairs, who'd told her that she had to leave, his latest girlfriend to be installed in her place. Unless . . . Her misty eyes told him the rest.

Never! Where Uhl had just been, this swine would not go! He stroked her shoulder, damp from recent exertions, and said, "Now, now, my dearest, calm yourself." She would just have to find another apartment. Well, in fact she'd already done that, found one even nicer than the one she had now, and very private, owned by a man in Cracow, so nobody would be watching her if, for example, her sweet Edvard wanted to come for a visit. But the rent was two hundred zloty more than she paid now. And she didn't have it.

A hundred reichsmark, he thought. "Perhaps I can help," he said. And he could, but not for long. Two months, maybe three-beyond that, there really weren't any corners he could cut. He tried to save a little, but almost all of his salary went to support his family. Still, he couldn't get the "hulking beast" out of his mind. Chk-chk.

The blow fell a month later, the man in Cracow had to raise the rent. What would she do? What was she to do? She would have to stay with relatives or be out in the street. Now Uhl had no answers. But the countess did. She had a cousin who was seeing a Frenchman, an army officer who worked at the French embassy, a cheerful, generous fellow who, she said, sometimes hired "industrial experts." Was her sweet Edvard not an engineer? Perhaps he ought to meet this man and see what he had to offer. Otherwise, the only hope for the poor countess was to go and stay with her aunt.

And where was the aunt?

Chicago.

Now Uhl wasn't stupid. Or, as he put it to himself, not that stupid. He had a strong suspicion about what was going on. But-and here he surprised himself-he didn't care. The fish saw the worm and wondered if maybe there might just be a hook in there, but, what a delicious worm! Look at it, the most succulent and tasty worm he'd ever seen; never would there be such a worm again, not in this ocean. So . . .

He first telephoned-to, apparently, a private apartment, because a maid answered in Polish, then switched to German. And, twenty minutes later, Uhl called again and a meeting was arranged. In an hour. At a bar in the Praga district, the workers' quarter across the Vistula from the elegant part of Warsaw. And the Frenchman was, as promised, as cheerful as could be. Likely Alsatian, from the way he spoke German, he was short and tubby, with a soft face that glowed with self-esteem and a certain tilt to the chin and tension in the upper lip that suggested an imminent sneer, while a dapper little mustache did nothing to soften the effect. He was, of course, not in uniform, but wore an expensive sweater and a blue blazer with brass buttons down the front.

"Henri," he called himself and, yes, he did sometimes employ "industrial experts." His job called for him to stay abreast of developments in particular areas of German industry, and he would pay well for drawings or schematics, any specifications relating to, say, armament or armour. How well? Oh, perhaps five hundred reichsmark a month, for the right papers. Or, if Uhl preferred, a thousand zloty, or two hundred American dollars-some of his experts liked having dollars. The money to be paid in cash or deposited in any bank account, in any name, that Uhl might suggest.

The word spy was never used, and Henri was very casual about the whole business. Very common, such transactions, his German counterparts did the same thing; everybody wanted to know what was what, on the other side of the border. And, he should add, nobody got caught, as long as they were discreet. What was done privately stayed private. These days, he said, in such chaotic times, smart people understood that their first loyalty was to themselves and their families. The world of governments and shifty diplomats could go to hell, if it wished, but Uhl was obviously a man who was shrewd enough to take care of his own future. And, if he ever found the arrangement uncomfortable, well, that was that. So, think it over, there's no hurry, get back in touch, or just forget you ever met me.

And the countess? Was she, perhaps, also an, umm, "expert"?

From Henri, a sophisticated laugh. "My dear fellow! Please! That sort of thing, well, maybe in the movies."

So, at least the worm wasn't in on it.

Back at the Europejski-a visit to the new apartment lay still in the future-the countess exceeded herself. Led him to a delight or two that Uhl knew about but had never experienced; her turn to kneel on the carpet. Rapture. Another glass of champagne and further novelty. In time he fell back on the pillow and gazed up at the ceiling, elated and sore. And brave as a lion. He was a shrewd fellow-a single exchange with Henri, and that thousand zloty would see the countess through her difficulties for the next few months. But life never went quite as planned, did it, because Henri, not nearly so cheerful as the first time they'd met, insisted, really did insist, that the arrangement continue.

And then, in August, instead of Henri, a tall Frenchman called André, quiet and reserved, and much less pleased with himself, and the work he did, than Henri. Wounded, Uhl guessed, in the Great War, he leaned on a fine ebony stick, with a silver wolf's head for a grip.

From the Hardcover edition.
Excerpted from The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst Copyright © 2008 by Alan Furst. Excerpted by permission of Random House Trade Paperbacks, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. Now translated into seventeen languages, he is the bestselling author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, and The Foreign Correspondent. Born in New York, he now lives in Paris and on Long Island.

You can visit his website at www.alanfurst.net.