Interview with William R. Potter

About the author:

"I was born in the late 60's in a suburb of Vancouver, Canada called Burnaby, and haven't moved far from home over the years.

My very active childhood imagination and knack for making up stories often got me into trouble. Perhaps this is where all writers get started? Shortly after watching the first remake of King Kong, around the age of ten or eleven, I decided to write a "book." I remember something about a monster crab attacking Vancouver.

Throughout my teens my mind was in a state of unrest and I used poetry to journal the ups and downs of those difficult times. Later, my work was published in a poetry anthology.

I returned to my love of storytelling in my twenties, writing numerous short stories; and now at forty, I am re-working two full-length novel manuscripts for publishing. Many more book ideas are at the researching and outline stage, keeping me busy at the PC.

When I'm not writing or working I am playing with my two children, aged three and five."

You can visit his website here.

I had the opportunity to ask the author some questions. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Thank you for having me on Zensanity.
Lighting the Dark Side is an anthology of fiction featuring three novellas and three shorter works. They are about human nature and how our darker side can impede our ability to cope with hardships. The book opens with a novella called "Bent, Not Broken" where we meet Dwayne Johnson, a man beginning a new relationship even though he is plagued with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). A police procedural called "Prominent Couple Slain" is also included. Detective Jack Staal is disillusioned about his career after he takes a nosedive from big city homicide investigator to small town detective. Desperate to prove himself, he ignores protocol to work a case that is not his to solve. The book closes with the largest piece, "Surviving the Fall," a tale about James Goodal, a man who spent his entire life avoiding uncomfortable situations. This safe and easy existence has left James lonely and facing divorce. Everything changes when he takes in a young street girl named Ashley. The pair finds comfort in their unorthodox friendship until her violent world returns, forcing James to fight for Ashley and for his very survival. In the three remaining stories you will find average people, however flawed, struggling to overcome their weaknesses in order to escape extraordinary situations.

What made you decide to publish this as 6 stories, instead of publishing the 3 novellas separately?

I considered publishing the novellas separately; however, when I decided to go the self-publishing route I realized that asking a reader to pay fifteen dollars for an eighty-five page novella was a bit much. Plus the cost to self-publish a single novella is the same as for a full book.
Do you have any rituals that you follow when you finish a piece of work?

When I’m writing I struggle to get the story out of my head for even a few minutes. This is extremely annoying for others to be around as I can be distant at those times. So when I finish a piece I need to step away completely for a few days, weeks, or sometimes even longer.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I’m influenced by authors, musicians, and artists who like me have full time jobs, families, and friends and yet can’t deny their imagination and passion for creating in their chosen medium.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

Inspiration for the book came from everywhere. Sometimes it was from my own life experiences like the birth of my children or the end of my first marriage. Other times it was the stimulating imagery of books, television, movies, and the Internet. Whatever the source, if it stirred up emotions, whether sadness, anger, pity or joy, there was a good chance it would get some new ideas moving around in my brain and get into a story. The stories represent where I was as a writer during the last eight years.

Who is your biggest supporter?

That would be my wife, Erin. I get up most weekends at 5 AM to write and then stumble around the rest of the day sleep deprived. She worries about me, but somehow she understands or simply tolerates this practice. Erin is an editor, reads everything I do and lets me know what she thinks.

Your biggest critic?

This will sound lame, but I would say I’m my biggest critic. It’s common for me to throw my hands up and say, "Who am I kidding—I can’t do this!" at least once during every project and then abandon writing for a while.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I have always loved animals. In my late twenties I volunteered at a shelter that took in unwanted and neglected exotics like parrots, pythons and alligators. I miss working to help animals and hope to get involved again in some capacity when my kids are older.

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

I’m learning that less is more. An editor at a small press told me he wouldn’t touch a manuscript if he could cut anything and not change the meaning. The rule of thumb is second draft equals first draft minus ten percent. I keep this in mind as I am currently reworking a novel. I’m cutting as much as I can and, so far, am happy with the results.

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

I again thank Zensanity for having me.
Self published writers and their books often get a bad rap. There are many wonderful, well-written books out there by self-published and unknown authors and I invite readers of Zensanity to give one a chance.

About the book:

Lighting The Dark Side is an anthology of short fiction including three novellas and three shorter works.

The Stories

Bent, Not Broken.

An obsessive compulsive man falls in love; however, his disorder puts a severe strain on the relationship. Jealousy, low self-esteem, anxiety, and an increasing sense of violence engulf him until he pushes his new love away and falls into old habits of avoidance.

In the Gray.

A seemingly mundane phone call between a grown son and his mother uncovers the reality of one man's life. Tragedy interrupts the call seconds before the man can speak his truth and free his mind of decades of bitter animosity.

Prominent Couple Slain.

A former big city police detective is weary of the horrors of homicide investigation. A few weeks after transferring to a small town police service he faces the brutality of murder once again when a prominent couple is found dead.

May 18, 2010.

Growing pandemonium over the approach of an earth-grazing comet called Ivan is the backdrop for a man who is given numerous chances to make amends with his loved ones.

Blessing or Curse?

Who wouldn't enjoy winning the lottery? One man's million dollar windfall becomes a curse when his son is abducted and held for ransom. Along with three friends, he takes up arms in a frantic effort to rescue his kidnapped child.

Surviving the Fall.

A man with compassion for desperate souls meets a young street girl. Sickened by her life story, he impulsively offers her his couch for the night and then feels unable to send her away. The comfort the two find in their unorthodox relationship is short-lived; shattered by violence as the girl's past catches up to her.

THE LIGHTING THE DARK SIDE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on November 3 and end on November 26. You can visit William's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in November to find out more about his latest book!As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced on November 30!

A Full House-But Empty by Angus Monro book spotlight and author interview

Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 25, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0595437192
ISBN-13: 978-0595437191

Book Synopsis:

A Full House – But Empty by Angus Munro

The author was born during the Great Depression in Vancouver, Canada. His father was from a prosperous farming family in Saskatchewan. When he married, his father leased farmlands for him to get established so eventually he could become independent. Unfortunately, when he received payment from his first wheat crop, a wild poker game was ensuing at the local grain elevator. He later arrived home with only one can of strawberry jam to present to his wife.

Angus’ father decided to throw in the farming towel and moved to Vancouver. The Great Depression had started and sometime later the grandfather died and left all of his estate to his other son. As the Depression deepened, Angus’ father went back to Saskatchewan to seek financial assistance from his brother. He received nothing and returned home unexpectedly one evening finding his wife in bed with a cheater. The cheater jumped out of the nearest window and he pointed the front door for his wife to leave. Thus, the father became a single parent to Laura, age 6, Angus, age 3 and Marjorie, an infant. The following day, Angus was rushed to the Vancouver General Hospital with acute appendicitis.

Needless to say, with a horrible Depression and three small children, the father had his hands full. However, near the end of the Depression and the beginning of WWII they lived with another family. A father with five children and he had been from a farming family and his marital problems were similar to Angus’ father. They spent four wonderful years together.

At age thirteen, while in the seventh grade Angus was wrongly accused of an incident that took place. Angus was extremely upset and refused to study. He played sick at every opportunity to avoid attending classes. He failed and had to repeat the seventh grade and he dropped out thereafter.

At age seventeen, Angus was working in a sawmill tossing lumber ends off of a conveyor belt – a total dead-end position. At that time, his father was an outside foreman for a large oil and coal company. He worked hard and highly respected at work and in the community. However, he had that penchant for poker games and/or parties of which occurred in their home frequently on weekends and either one lasting all night.

One Saturday evening, a group from his father’s pub club arrived bringing a young theological student from the University of British Columbia. George, apart from studying theology, was very active in working civic pursuits – such as teen town organizations, etc. He and Angus became good friends. One quiet evening, during the week he stopped by and delivered a Dutch uncle speech to Angus. He informed him that he had above average intelligence and wondered why he was working in a dead-end job that had no future options. Angus informed him that he was a total failure and an uneducated grade-school dropout with no skills.

His response was, “You need to get off of your ass and get moving!” He further challenged Angus’ comments by saying he wanted to discuss his potential not the unfortunate circumstances relating to leaving school. He further stated that Angus needed to enroll at a local high school taking evening classes in typing and accounting to acquire some basic skills. Additionally, Angus needed to immediately seek a white-collar job at an entrance level that would have future promotional opportunities. His rhetoric was so compelling – Angus did exactly what he suggested.

To summarize, Angus eventually spent nine years in the petroleum industry in both Canada and the USA and he was being groomed for a junior executive position. He decided to change fields and spent thirty-nine years in hospital administration in both California and Alaska. As a director, his staffing complements were from fifty-five to seventy employees.

I was lucky enough to be able to ask the author some questions:

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

This is my first book. In terms of content, my greatest influence was my father.

Do you write every day?

When I was writing this book – usually every day.

What has been your greatest achievement as a writer?

To receive 5-star reviews!

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?

As a grade-school dropout – survival was my key focus.

Are you currently working on anything?

No. I am working mainly on promoting my book. However, I am mentally gathering thoughts for a new book down the road.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

I am an old movie buff. In my library, I particularly like Bob Thomas, Anne Edwards and Adela Rogers St. John. I think Ellis Amburn has great writing skills too.

Is there a particular author who you feel don’t get the recognition they deserve?

Not offhand; however, I assume there would be many.

What is your favorite book?

Thalberg, written by BobThomas. I have a signed copy that I treasure.

What is a book that has been highly acclaimed but you haven’t liked?

I cannot think of one.

What word or phrase do you feel is overused?

Wrongly used, “ Like I say.” Instead of “ As I say.”

A FULL HOUSE BUT EMPTY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on September 2, '08 and end on September 26, '08. You can visit Angus' tour stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in September to find out more about him and his new book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner will be announced on our main blog at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com/ on September 26!

Angus Munro's virtual book tour is being brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.


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Irene Watson Book Spotlight and Author Interview

Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Loving Healing Press (July 16, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1932690670
ISBN-13: 978-1932690675


Book Synopsis:


Irene Watson's pretentious life could go no further until she faced her past. Her moving and inspiring memoir begins at the end, in a recovery center, where she has gone to understand a childhood fraught with abuse, guilt, and uncertainty.


Two distinct parts of the book look at abusive child rearing and the process of recovery years later. This story shows change, growth, and forgiveness are possible. It gives hope and freedom to those accepting the past and re-writing life scripts that have been passed down for generations. It's never too late to change your life, never too late to heal.


I was extremely fortunate to be able to ask Irene some questions about herself and the book. Here goes:


How did you come to the point in your life where you decided to write "The Sitting Swing"?


I’m pretty much a classic author – I knew I had a story to share. After being in recovery for a number of years and seeing that people parallel to my life, I decided to write my story so readers can look at themselves and know there is hope and freedom from past negative experiences.


Could you describe your relationship with your parents, and whether they ever saw the pain you were in?


The relationship with my mother now is okay. My father passed away this past spring. However, it only became “okay” after I decided to divorce my self from them and re-write my life scripts. I no longer have them influence my thoughts, behaviors, and actions.


Who is the most influential person in your life, and why?


It would be Margie, my best friend as a child. I write about her in “The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference.” She was the only stable thing in my life growing up and I dedicate my stability as a child to her.


What are your greatest fears?


Right now? (Laughs) One of the things I “worked” on and still am is fear. Although I’m to a point in my life I can turn fear into love, I still have to be conscious every moment that I don’t get tied up in fear and allow myself to wallow in something that is virtually non-existent.


What do you hope to accomplish with this book?


My biggest hope is to have readers find healing within themselves after reading my book. So far, from the reports I get I’ve succeeded.


What is the greatest gift life has given you?


Ahhh, what a great question. At this moment I am so grateful for my life as it is now. I love what I’m doing, how I feel, my family and friendships, and most of all my connection to a Higher Power. That is such a gift to me.


How did you feel after "The Sitting Swing" was completed? Any regrets?


Oh my goodness, no regrets at all! In fact, I felt I peeled another layer of the onion because while I was writing the book, I was also releasing more of my “stuff.”


What is the greatest feeling in the world?


Hummm….wow. At this moment I would say happiness. At one time in my life I wasn’t happy at all, and it lasted for a long time. Now I am truly happy.


Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?


Oh, sure, as I child I remember wanting to write. I tried several articles for a newspaper but got rejected. Feeling defeated I gave up trying until I started writing my book. In the meantime my life took me on many career paths and experiences.


Are you currently working on anything?


I am working as a co-editor putting together a book about publishing. Aside from that I’m concentrating on my book review and author publicity service as well as being active in the Higher Power Foundation, Inc. We give scholarships to people needing financial assistance in attending spiritual life-transforming workshops or retreats.


About the author:

Irene Watson, author of award winning The Sitting Swing, was born and raised in a tiny hamlet of Reno in the northern area of the province of Alberta in Canada. It was a farming community, mostly settled by immigrants from Russia, Ukraine and Poland during the early 1900s.

Two books that had the deepest impact were Change me into Zeus’s Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss, and, Lost and Found by Babette Hughes. Reading both books inspired Irene to write about her own life’s journey, from growing up in a semi- abusive home to finally accepting that experience as a path to a spiritual understanding of life. She now shares her story in The Sitting Swing.

Irene is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team of reviewers carefully reads each book and posts their honest opinion.

Irene received her Bachelor of Liberal Studies, Summa Cum Laude, in Psychology from Saint Edward's University in Austin and her Master of Arts, with honors, in Liberal Studies: Psychology, from Regis University in Denver.

Today, Irene lives beside Barton Creek in Austin, Texas with her husband Robert of 42 years, and their Pomeranian, Tafton; their calico cat from a rescue shelter, Patches; and their cockatiel, Clement.


THE SITTING SWING VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on September 2, '08 and end on September 26, '08. You can visit Irene's tour stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in September to find out more about her and her new book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner will be announced on our main blog at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com on September 26!

Irene's virtual book tour is being brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.

Suzanne Woods Fisher Book Spotlight

Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: Vintage Romance Publishing (May 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981559204
ISBN-13: 978-0981559209

To Purchase, click here.

Book Synopsis:

On a summer day in 1945, Louisa Gordon receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. Her young cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau, a concentration camp, and Louisa is her only remaining relative.

Determined to go to war-torn Germany to retrieve her cousin, Louisa is also on a mission to discover the whereabouts of Friedrich Mueller, a Nazi sympathizer who fled Copper Springs, Arizona. What Louisa never expected was to meet the man she had once loved. And now hated.

Excerpt from the book:

I’ll never forget that summer night. Our last vestige of normalcy. One evening we sat down to dinner, and by the time we finished, our lives would never be the same.
It was a beastly hot night in early July, 1945. We were celebrating William’s seventh birthday with his favorite dinner: hot dogs and baked beans.
“You’re not eating, Louisa. I hope you’re not sick,” Aunt Martha said, peering at my face to discern an ailment, probably worried it might be contagious. Aunt Martha belonged to my husband, Robert. It was whispered among the church ladies that she hadn’t smiled since the Hoover Administration. Just the other day, I overheard one woman asking another if the preacher’s aunt had been baptized in pickle juice.
“I’m just not very hungry tonight,” I told her.
“That’s certainly not like you, Louisa,” said Robert, glancing up at me, looking a bit concerned.
It was true. I wasn’t one of those women who scarcely ate. I never missed a meal. I brushed Robert’s cheek with my hand then deftly changed the subject. “Time to open the presents.”
William ripped off the newspaper wrapping of the present I had handed to him. “Junior Spy Kit,” he read slowly, in his thick sounding pronunciation, pressing his small finger along the lettering.
“A spy kit?” Robert’s eyebrows shot up. “Why on earth would you give a spy kit to a boy already blessed with an overabundance of curiosity?”
“Exactly because of that, Robert,” I reassured him. “He can practice his reading, his writing, his observation skills, his attention-to-detail. He’ll be learning as he plays. I’ve been reading a book that encourages deaf children to develop their awareness of life around them. It’s a good thing for him.”
“He’ll be spying on everyone in this town!” complained Aunt Martha. “No one will be safe.” She pursed her lips in that way I deplored. “You’ve been telling him stories again about being a resister.”
“A Resistance Worker, Aunt Martha,” I corrected her, frowning. She had never fully understood the role I played working with the Resistance Movement in Germany. To her, it seemed like child’s play. But I took my experience as a Resistance Worker very seriously. Very, very seriously. It was a dangerous but important job.
Well, mostly, I delivered messages to other Resistance Workers. Written messages. In sealed envelopes. While on assignment, I wasn’t even permitted to talk. My colleagues seemed to be under the impression that I was too outspoken. Dietrich, my friend and mentor, often remarked that he was sure I would get myself shot if I dared to open my mouth.
So I didn’t.
Even still, the Gestapo started following us, tapping our phones. Everywhere I went, an agent watched me, not caring if I saw him or not. Over my objections, Dietrich decided I should leave Germany, at once, and wait out the war in the United States. Before I knew it, Dietrich whisked me off in the dark of night to the Swiss border. After a rushed goodbye, I was in the hands of Resistance Workers, passed like fragile baggage from contact to contact.
One month later, I had arrived in Copper Springs, Arizona, to stay indefinitely at the home of Reverend Robert Gordon, courtesy of our mutual friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The two men had attended the Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1931 and became friends. They had kept in touch over the years. When Dietrich asked if he would sponsor someone for safekeeping, Robert readily agreed, assuming it would be a young man. The surprised look on his face when I stepped off that train will forever make me smile.
Once or twice I have wondered if Robert would still have agreed so readily had he known all that decision would hold for him.
William was studying the bubbles in his root beer bottle. He looked up at Robert. “Mom was brave.” Even though William wasn’t really my son, the bond between us was as strong as any between a mother and child.
“You’re right, William,” Robert said. “She was brave.” He stole a glance at Aunt Martha and noticed she was peering into a pot on the stove. Satisfied she was preoccupied, he leaned over and kissed the violin curve of my neck before getting up to refill his glass of iced tea.
Was I brave? Not really. I never felt very brave. But I never doubted I was doing the right thing. I was a Resistance Worker because I couldn’t help myself. The war had to be stopped. Hitler had to be stopped.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Robert went to open it and found Ernest standing solemnly on the porch. “Come in and join us! We’re celebrating William’s birthday.”
“Thank you, but I’m here on official business, Reverend. I have a telegram for your missus.” Ernest handed the telegram to Robert and abruptly left. I looked at Robert, puzzled.
He shrugged. “Open it. It’s for you.” He held it out to me.
I tore open the envelope, not having any idea about its contents or who might have sent it. But as I pulled the thin yellow paper out of the envelope, our lives irrevocably changed.

To read my review visit Amateur de livre.

About the author:

College, marriage and small children...in the midst of those busy years, Suzanne started free lance writing for magazines, most frequently for Christian Parenting Today, part of Christianity Today, International. She eventually became a contributing editor.

Serendipitous, as her grandfather had been one of the first publishers for Christianity Today magazine,started by Billy Graham and his father-in-law, Dr. L. Nelson Bell, back in the 1950s.
Suzanne contributed to the award-winning Praying for the World's 365 Most Influential People by David Kopp (Harvest House), a book chosen to be placed on the breakfast table settings for the National Day of Prayer in Washington D.C.

On the home front, she and husband Steve raised their children (two boys and two girls) in a number of different locations: Houston, Seattle, Hong Kong. Each time, they returned back to California where Steve’s consumer products company was headquartered. One of her favorite memories is sitting in a 44-story high rise in Hong Kong, overlooking the South China Sea, and writing articles—sent via the newly-hatched-and-full-of-kinks Internet—back to Christian Parenting Today or Marriage Partnership or other magazines.

So, after returning back from four years in Hong Kong, Suzanne found she had lost her “writing wind.” There was a lot going on in family life—her dad was starting to show symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease, her kids were acclimating to life back in the states. The older two were starting to drive (oh dear, oh dear, oh dear); college was looming on the horizon for her eldest. A lot at stake, it seemed.

Out of the blue, Suzanne's niece sent her the book If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, first published in 1938. Just the needed "oomph factor!" She had an idea for a novel... and just started to write. And write. And write. And re-write.

That story? Copper Star, published by Vintage in June 2007. Its sequel, Copper Fire, will be released in May 2008.

All in all, she’s grateful to the Lord for giving her a love of words, and The Word.

COPPER FIRE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on August 4, 2008 and continue all month. You can visit Suzanne’s tour stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in August to find out more about her and her book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $25 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they come available. The winners will be announced on this blog on August 31!

Lisa Jackson Book Spotlight and Author Interview

Book Synopsis:

NOTHING'S MORE TERRIFYING...
One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piece, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can't yet see the beauty in his work--but soon, very soon, they will...

THAN BEING LEFT ALONE...
In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come...

TO DIE...
When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she's trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she's grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she'd be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting...watching...poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim...

To read my review of this book, please click here.

I was fortunate to be able to ask this New York Times Bestselling author some questions...what a treat!


Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer? In what way?

My sister got me started. She had the wild idea that we could write romance novels. Originally I thought she was crazy, but we gave it a shot. I was influenced more by inner ambition and the need to keep the wolf away from the door than any one person.

Do you write everyday?

Almost every day. Depends on where I am in the book and what else is going on in my life. But yes, especially when I'm under deadline, then it's almost round the clock.

What has been your greatest achievement as a writer?

As a writer? Hmmm. Maybe hitting the #1 New York Times position. It's been a real thrill.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?

I wanted to be a writer, but thought it was a pipe dream. I was an English major in college and worked in banks. I thought I'd be a teacher, but that didn't work out and the writing thing took precedence.

Are you currently working on anything?

I'm finishing my next hardcover, MALICE, for Kensington Publishing. It's the sequel to LOST SOULS and features one of my most popular characters, Rick Bentz of the New Orleans Police Department. After a near-fatal accident, Bentz believes that his dead first wife is alive. MALICE will be available in April 2009, right after WICKED GAME, a romantic suspense novel I co-wrote with my sister, Nancy Bush.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

I read my sister, Nancy Bush, Tami Hoag, Dan Brown, Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Stephen King, Sue Monk Kidd, William Lashner, John Grogan, whatever or whoever strikes my fancy.

Is there a particular author/s (yourself excluded) who you feel don't get the recognition they deserve?

I don't know.

What is your favorite book?

I've got several: The Stand, by Stephen King, MARLEY AND ME by John Grogan, FATAL FLAW by William Lashner, REBECCA by Daphne duMaurier, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and most of Harlan Coben's stand alones, THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini was incredible. I look for anything that lasts a long time on the bestseller lists.

What is a book that has been highly acclaimed but you haven't liked (I know, this is a tough one to answer)?

Not tough at all for me. WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte. . . never did "get" it. Loved JANE EYRE by her sister Charlotte.

What word or phrase do you feel is overused?

"Like" as "Said." For example, "He was 'like' "no way."

Growing up in the era you did, do you have a favorite song that reflects on your beliefs/feelings?

What? Are you kidding? Just about every protest song. "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" is great or "Blowin' In The Wind" or "Turn, Turn, Turn." I also think "Forever Young" has a great message. Yeah, that would have to be it. Incredible lyrics. However, these are not my favorite dance tunes.

Is there a show on tv that you feel is really must see?

LOST!! Love the characters and I'm not into sci-fi!

Is there a character in a book or movie that you can relate to?

Oh, lots, but I love Jane Kelly in the Jane Kelly Mystery Series . . . written by Nancy Bush, my sister.

If you could trade spots with anyone and live the life they lived, who would it be?

No one.

75 books...WOW! Do you have any hobbies?

I'm old. Been doin' this a while. Hanging with friends, crossword puzzles, dogs, walks.

Do you work on more than one book at a time? If so, is it difficult to keep the stories straight?

I write one book at a time but sometimes plot others. It's very difficult to keep all the characters straight.




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Mary Burton Book Spotlight and Author Interview

Book Synopsis:

HE’LL TASTE THEIR FEAR…The first kill was easy. The second much easier.No guilt, no remorse, just a rush of adrenaline surgingthrough him as each life drains away, and thepleasure of knowing that their deaths help hisbeloved Lindsay. And there are so many morewho deserve to die…

HEAR THEIR SCREAMS…The first twisted gift to Lindsay O’Neil arrives hiddenin a bouquet of flowers. When her estrangedhusband, Detective Zack Kier, is assigned to the case,Lindsay’s past comes back with a vengeance.Because only Zack knows the dark secret she liveswith—or so she thinks. Now nothing can prepare herfor the nightmare to come…

AND WATCH THEM DIE…Everything Lindsay’s stalker does, every life he takes,is for her. But when Lindsay spurns his gifts, she andthose she loves most become targets of a depravedmadman whose rage is growing, and who is waiting,watching, closer than she ever feared…


It's always an honor to be able to ask authors questions. I have recently read Dead Ringer and it was excellent (for my review visit Amateur de Livre).


Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Cathy Maxwell. She’s not only a friend but she taught me a great deal about writing and story telling.


Do you write everyday?

I write five days a week, Monday through Friday. And when I’ve finished a book I don’t like to take more than a week off. I like to stay in the habit of writing.

What has been your greatest achievement as a writer?

I’m doing what I love and getting paid for it. I consider that a great achievement.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?

I really didn’t consider writing until my late twenties. It never occurred to me when I was growing up that I could be a writer.

Are you currently working on anything?

I’ve got a suspense novel out in November called, DEAD RINGER and a novella out in November in the SILVER BELLS collection with Fern Michaels. And my latest work in progress will be out next year. For more details, visit my website, www.maryburton.com.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

I just finished Joanne Bourne’s SPYMASTER’S LADY and I loved it. I’m also a sucker for cookbooks. BIRTHDAY CAKES by Kathryn Kleinman is beside my desk right now.

What is your favorite book?

Most memorable is Nancy Drew’s MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE by Carolyn Keene. It got me hooked on suspense at a very young age.

What word or phrase do you feel is overused?

Every book I work on seems to have a word that I overuse! And there is no rhyme or reason why a word gets stuck in my head. I’ve learned that it takes me seven or eight drafts of a book to weed out overused words and phrases.


Interested in reviewing a book, or interviewing an author in the future? Let's talk! Contact me for more details.

Thanks again to the wonderful people at Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Cody McFadyen Book Spotlight and Author Interview

Book Synopsis:

A sixteen year old girl holds a gun to her head at the scene of a grisly triple homicide. She claims "The Stranger" killed her adoptive family, that he's been following her all her life, killing everyone she ever loved, and that no one believes her. But Special Agent Smoky Barrett does. Her team has been hand-picked from among the nation's elite law enforcement specialists and they are as obsessed and relentless as the psychos they hunt; they'll have to be to deal with this case.

For another vicious double homicide reveals a killer embarked on a dark crusade of trauma and death: an "artist" who's molding Sarah into the perfect vicitim - and the ultimate weapon. To catch him, Smoky is going to have to put her own fragile, once-shattered life on the line. For The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too determined. And when he finally shows his face, Smoky had better be ready to face her worst fear.

I was fortunate enough to be able to review this book...WOW! To read that review, hop over to Amateur de Livre. I was also able to ask Cody a few questions, so we can learn just a little more about him.

Questions for Cody:

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

My influences are continual, but immediate ones that come to mind are: Stephen King, James Michener, Robert B Parker, Joseph Wambaugh, and more recently, Greg Isles, John Connolly, Tess Gerritsen, and Karin Slaughter to name a few.

Do you write everyday?

When I'm writing I write every day unless it's absolutely impossible. Or unless it would seriously piss off someone in my family for me to take the time to do so (but sometimes even then)

What has been your greatest achievement as a writer?

Wow. I think getting published in over 15 countries was the first. We lose sight of that too easily sometimes,in the race towards that top 100 amazon ranking (I'm still racing). It becomes something to take for granted, and while that's necessary to a degree - you can't rest on your laurels - sometimes you have to step back and acknowledge it. Being published is like winning the lottery. That aside, I've had a few letters/emails from readers that made me feel really good. One was from a fan who said he'd been abused as a child. He was, I believe, 40 now, and he's spent 30 years in therapy, trying to learn how to cry again, unsuccessfully. When he was reading Shadow Man, he told me he found himself weeping. Another was a letter I received from a woman, who told me that she'd been raped and disfigured by her attacker a decade ago. She thanked me for my portrayal of the heroine in my series (who is a victim of rape). I was humbled by that. The idea of actually touching a reader in a non-fictional way, however slightly, is pretty amazing.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?

I always wanted to be an artist of some kind. Writing is what it shook out to in the end (can't dance, can't act, can only sorta sing)

Are you currently working on anything?

Right now I'm working on the fourth installment of the Smoky Barrett Series.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

Almost too broad a question. I love reading in general, and so long as I'm able to suspend disbelief and get drawn into the story, I'm happy. I just finished reading a slew of books that I enjoyed, by the following authors: Meg Gardiner, Kathryn Fox, Karin Slaughter, Brett Battles, Cormac McCarthy, Michael Connelly, Brent Ghelfi, Tim Maleeny, Linwood Barclay, Joseph Wambaugh, Martin Limon and Simon Kernick.

Is there a particular author/s (yourself excluded) who you feel don't get the recognition they deserve?

Tons. It's a tough market out there. As much as some people might bemoan a lack of good thriller books, I think the problem is the opposite. There are too many great authors writing books. One new author who blew me away recently was Brent Ghelfi, author of Volk's Game. It was one of those books I envied him for having written. Brutal, thrilling, and tragic. I was just introduced to Simon Kernick, who is a star in the UK, but I don't think has gotten the attention he deserves here in the states. He's brilliant. I read my first book by Martin Limon, who has been quietly cranking out exceptional novels for a few years now.

What is your favorite book?

An impossible question. I like different books for different reasons. For example, The Stand is probably my favorite character driven novel ever. Blood Meridian by Cormac Mccarthy contains some of the most incredible prose ever. I remember being blow away by Shogun when I was thirteen or so.

What is a book that has been highly acclaimed but you haven't liked?

I don't knock other writers and hopefully never will. We have enough to fight through without spending time cutting up each other. I will comment on books I like, but that's all.

What word or phrase do you feel is overused?

Can't think of one. I guess any word or phrase can get new life in the right hands.

Growing up in the era you did, do you have a favorite song that reflects on your beliefs/feelings?

Heh. This is similar to the 'favorite book' question. My musical tastes run from the 50's to now, and sometimes farther back than that. I grew up listening to my parents music from the 60's. My daughter has pointed me in the direction of some great stuff from her generation. Different songs mean different things at different times.

Is there a show on tv that you feel is really must see?

It's pretty mutable, by the nature of television. I find that TV can become my crack pipe if I let it, so I try to curb myself. Currently I'm enjoying Criminal Minds and Burn Notice. I'll be watching Life when it comes back on as well. I'm a long term Law and Order fan (all of them).

Is there a character in a book or movie that you can relate to?

I don't think I ever find any character I relate to as a whole. More parts of them. I remember when I read The Stand, for example, there was a character in there, Larry Underwood. He was a musician who tried to be a good guy but had this vein of hardness, of selfishness, and that resonated with me. I was fifteen, and it was the first time a book had made me look at something less than ideal about myself. It really struck me. Linwood Barclay did a very good job recently, in his book No Time for Goodbye, of making a mundane environment threatening. I related to the primary hero of the book, who was just a middle age, middle class guy trying to live a normal life in spite of extraordinary circumstances. I think it's the inertia of life that fascinates me in books sometimes. That whole, wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, do it again the next day thing. It's so easy for that routine to eat away the years, and I think I relate to books where you have characters like that who are suddenly jarred from that normality.

If you could trade spots with anyone and live the life they lived, who would it be?

Some people will roll their eyes, but I'm going to say no one. Why? Because the grass IS always greener. I can look at Michael Phelps, for example and go, wow, he's really got the world by the tail. And maybe he does? But I don't know the ins and outs of his personal life and happiness. I'm sure there are days even he wakes up and goes, man... I wish I was somewhere else. You have to learn to live with yourself and find ways to enjoy what you have. Sappy story but I'm sticking to it (maybe literally).

What made you decide to make a female the main character of your books?

It was an idea that came fully formed. I wanted a character who, when the book begins, had already gone through a period of tremendous personal loss and suffering. I didn't envision the loss as just once removed, eg, the loss of her family, but also as a personal experience. In this case, she was raped and disfigured by her attacker. All the images came to me at once, and Smoky kind of appeared in 3D. She was never going to be anything other than a woman. She's also an opportunity to explore contrasts, which I enjoy as a writer. She's small (4' 10") but she's formidable. She's a woman in a man's world, etc, etc. I've enjoyed writing her.

For more info on Cody, please visit http://www.codymcfadyen.com/

This interview is courtesy of his virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.


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Paul Kirtsis Book Spotlight and Author Interview

Paperback: 306 pages
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 17, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0595449565
ISBN-13: 978-0595449569

Book Synopsis:

Hermetica: Myths, Legends, Poems (September, 2007) is a homeric journey into the night where the world of dreams and symbols has sculpted our mythological past.

Using the language of alchemy, astrology and magic this tome seeks to reconstruct the lost bonds between old myths contained in the oral folklore of Ancient Egypt; stories which once served as the backbone of a religion centred around Osirian ritual - the cosmic cycles of death, dismemberment and resurrection.

It also contains a sequel to the popular Middle Egyptian tale, The Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor; a visual and dramatic interpretation of the passion of Osiris; an astrological allegory of the war between the heavenly bodies and a hermetic saga between a white witch and her mirror. The accompanying collection of poetry is a homage to the alchemy of love.

Author Interview:

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

That’s a tough one! I’ve only just started out, so it’s still premature for me to say that my work has been specifically influenced by anyone. I read rather widely; from poetry and non-fiction to autobiography and fiction. Fiction is probably the genre I least read. The two books that I’ve published so far, a poetry and literary collection, have as their prime focus the ancient wisdom and philosophies of Greece and Egypt so it’s probably more correct to say what has influenced you rather than who. And the whats are rather many!

Do you write everyday?

Not really. Despite the fact that I try to carry a pen and notebook wherever I go, there are periods of dormancy where nothing comes but then there might be a stretch of two to three months where I sit on my laptop for hours on end and just write away. You can’t really plan creativity. It just comes when it wants to although I will disclose that I find it better writing at night. Thoughts and emotions just seem so much more expressive, dramatic and exaggerated during those ungodly hours!

What has been your greatest achievement as a writer?

So far it’s probably been my Reader Views literary awards for Hermetica: Myths, Legends, Poems (2007) I won in the categories of Global-Australia and Fiction-Poetry. I hope that the ball keeps rolling for me in the years to come. I guess I’m one of those people who measures success through the genuine approval and admiration of others.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you aspire to be something else growing up?

Well when I was a 10-year-old I wanted to be a builder and drive a bulldozer but that idea quickly went ashtray. Growing up in high school, I excelled in English and English Literature and always knew that I wanted to do something in those fields, though I never had a specific occupation in mind. In the few years preceding university I remember having made my mind up to be a journalist but I soon found that the extroverted and nosy personality required to be successful in that line of work didn’t really agree with me. So then I finally settled into the world of academia and the refuge of writing.

Are you currently working on anything?

Yes I am! I’m writing a memoir about my travels through Greece which is turning out to be a rather lengthy affair. Most of it is about my own personal experience of the country but the immense amount of research that I’ve had to unearth at libraries and bookshops to write this thing has been so exhausting! I’m past the half way mark at the moment. I’m also writing another collection of poetry under the rough title of Fifty Confessions. Use the creative right side of your brain to guess what that might be about!

What authors do you enjoy reading?

When I was a teenager, I loved reading horrors and thrillers. Dean Koontz, Richard Layman and Stephan King were some of my all-time favorites. Now I actually prefer non-fiction. I’ve recently become engrossed in some of theorist Graham Hancock’s books and Lobsang Rampa’s adventures in Tibet which have sent my mind racing at five hundred kilometers an hour and my imagination working overtime. There’s a lot of very interesting material out there for those who possess an open mind.

Is there a particular author/s (yourself excluded) who you feel don’t get the recognition they deserve?

Look to name one and not the others would be an injustice in itself so all I’m going to say in reference to that is that writing is a fiend in which perseverance and improvement are mandatory. The ones that gain commercial success are the ones who have most likely put in the hard yards on the writing desk, the library and in downright hardcore study. Naturally, luck plays a part in all of it too (as it does with everything in this life) but you can’t really expect too much too soon. Hell, some writers become superstars decades after their deaths though that’s probably one fate I wouldn’t wish on any poor soul. It’s nice to be alive to reap the rewards of all your ceaseless laboring.

What is your favorite book?

I can’t really answer that. That’s like asking Olympian Zeus to pick amongst his beautiful lovers, each one lovelier than the next! But two that have remained in my consciousness for at least a decade or so are Dean Koontz’s Phantoms and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. What impressed me about the former was Koontz’s ability to formulate a menacing and frightening theory that tied together events in recorded history. The latter was just a masterpiece from a literary great. Her horrific vision of the future, of a regressed, fundamentalist dystopia whose patriarchal core reduced women to child-bearing vessels gave me nightmares for months!

What is a book that has been highly acclaimed but you haven’t liked?

Um…probably The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. I can’t say I was that impressed. Many people liked this book but for me it was simply a New Age mélange of ‘follow your heart’ and spiritual alchemy. Stark in its simplicity, I don’t think the 160 pages offered anything more to the reading audience than a pretty obvious life-lesson that they already know to be true. (Especially if they’ve fine-tuned their philosophical selves.)

What word or phrase do you feel is overused?

There are a few! I hate “Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched,” “cool,” “super,” “yeah man” and “yes mate.” Get over them already!

About the author:

The son of Greek immigrants, Paul was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979. He has completed degrees in both the behavioral sciences and professional writing and currently works for drug safety services in the inner city region. His keen interest in mythology and literature began in childhood and later sprung into a full-fledged investigation into folklore and poetics. Many of his poems have appeared in periodic anthologies. He is the author of the books Origin: Poems from the Crack of Dawn (2006) and Hermetica: Myths, Legends, Poems (2007), the latter having won a literary award very recently. The release of his next book, a memoir of his many travels through Greece, is tentatively scheduled for late 2008. He regards travel, reading and fitness as his greatest passions.

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

HERMETICA VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on August 4 and end on August 29. You can visit Paul's tour stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in August to find out more about him and his book!

Paul's virtual book tour is being brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson in conjunction with Rebecca's Reads.