The Target by J.R. Hauptman

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.

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

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

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!

"Have You Been Royally Screwed?" by Myron Bernstein

Visit Myron Bernstein at http://askmyron.net/


HAVE YOU BEEN ROYALLY SCREWED?
By Myron Bernstein

Haven’t we all been taken advantage of or been sold a bill of goods with respect to a product, good, or service that wasn’t what it seemed? We all have. Over the past 35 years, an ordinary man, with a little persistence and time spent, has been able to obtain from many companies what was originally promised. It is full of real life anecdotes that we have all experienced at one point in our lives with specific direction on how to get what you paid for in the first place. This is a book that will show you how to protect your rights and properly use the legal system, consumer protection agencies, and insurance commissions. You will see, for example, how to handle company’s so-called customer service departments. So, if you are looking for a read that will make you laugh and say, “Hey, I’ve had that happen to me,” then this is the book for you.
_________________________________________________________________
Myron has, over the past 35 years, found himself frustrated with people and companies selling him a bill of goods about their services and warranties.
Being just like any consumer he often didn’t know where to turn or how to fight large companies to get what was due him. It took a lot of learning to understand how to use the consumer protection agencies, insurance commissions and courts, when necessary, to get people and companies to perform.
At first it was slow going because no matter how he tried it seemed like he was hitting a brick wall, but with a little perseverance and asking many appropriate questions it started to get easier every time he tackled another problem. All of his thoughts and collective ideas have made Myron successful in getting a favorable resolution better than 95% of the time over the years.

Read a review:
http://bookreviewsbydebra.com/index.php/reviews.html?review=1836-Have-Your-Been-Royally-Screwed

The Wolves' Keeper Legend by Silvia Weber

About the Author:

Sylvia Weber was born in the twentieth of June 1968, in a small town in the heart of Portugal. Until 1973, she grew up in a farm, in the shores of the river Tejo, in an environment in which the traditions, and the respect for Nature exerted a very strong influence in what concerns the development of personality. At the age of five, she moved to Abrantes, where she received the first multicultural perceptions from her neighbours, emigrants from Angola. In 1979, her parents left to Lisbon, after the bankruptcy of Metalúrgica Duarte Ferreira, but Sylvia stayed in Abrantes, living at Lady Annatia’s home and learning all the secrets of growing the most extraordinary roses. At the age of eleven, she was studying at a Christian nuns’ college, where she had her first steps on Christianity, but also lived side by side with legends, the same legends present in her stories.

In 1980, at the age of twelve, she moved with her parents to Lisbon, in the suburban Amadora, yet the second largest city of Portugal. The cultural confrontation with the cosmopolitan life was very deep, and it was definitively what made a writer out of Sylvia. The age of adolescence was a time of growing ideals and of commitment in the construction of a fairer society and of a better world. In the teenage years, Sylvia discovered the pleasure and the freedom of writing and she spent her every moment writing. At this time, her ideal was Leonardo da Vinci, and Sylvia wanted to learn everything about everything. So, she studied all the subjects she could get her hands to and all those allowed by the Portuguese legislation, within the areas of Literature and Science.

In 1987, she was admitted in the course of Modern Languages and Literature of the Universidade Nova of Lisbon, specializing, after five years, both in Education and Investigation. Thanks to her outstanding results in Linguistics, she was invited to participate in the elaboration of an International Dictionary, at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. At the time, it was heavy to the choice the fact that Sylvia was already feeling in her blood the need to know the world. . Possibly, having immediately accepted such an offer would have taken her to a life of success and opportunities, which she hasn’t had in other way. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Scientific Investigation was closed for lack of funds.

Sylvia started, in 1992, an extraordinary teaching career, marked by the creativity and innovation which the pupils like so much. This career lasted sixteen years and provided wonderful and unforgettable moments. Even today, she keeps a friendly and supportive relationship with pupils of every year, which is significant of the trust and cordiality raised in her classes. During her career, Sylvia met many people from different nationalities and learnt how precious the difference is. She worked with Mozambican artists and accompanied the East-Timorese community in Portugal, in the very moment when they achieved Independence. She also studied with people from Angola, Mozambique, East-Timor, Cape-Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe Islands, Guinea and Italy, which was one of the most interesting experiences in her life. Then, she tried to work at the Camões Institute, but she was refused, as she didn’t have the same goals – she didn’t see the use of a fancy car with a driver, a house with a swimming pool and air conditioned, working in countries where people starve to death. She would go there for the pleasure of teaching children who are eager to learn and to help communities to grow. A Mozambican poet used to say: “We don’t want you to give us the bread, but instead to teach us how to seed.” As a teacher, her most remarkable and unforgettable project was the Day of Peace, among many others.

In 1993, she married for the first time, but this relationship was marked by violence and suffering, having ended in a tragic way. But as in every storm there is always a ray of sunshine, Sylvia had in 1994 a wonderful son.

Sylvia never lost the interest and the enthusiasm for her intellectual development and she went on studying and creating, year after year. Thanks to her work she gathered a remarkable collection of certificates and diplomas.

In 2002, she lived her first happy love story and she married the artist Robert Weber. In 2004, she had two little twin girls.

In 2006, she moved from Cascais to her home town, looking for the paradise of her childhood, but as times and mentalities change, this world was already lost. What she found was a world of preconceptions, and this was the stone in the water to her decision of leaving to England.

A whole series of tragic happenings, which started with her father’s death, due to a dilatory and inefficient Justice, and proceeded with the fact of being refused to her husband the possibility of applying for Nationality, without any reason, made her decide to look for new horizons. The choice was pending, then, among USA, Canada, Ireland and UK. At the time, the UK was the most receptive, due to the fact that the GTCE approved her application for QTS in the seventh of May, and the work proposals were raining.

In September of 2007, she left to England with her husband, taking only a van loaded with essential goods (music, photos, books and clothing), a handbag of documents and a heart full of hope.

The start wasn’t easy: without work or references, renting a house was a true drama. After having travelled up to Scotland with her husband and having slept several nights on the road, Sylvia returned to Essex, where she finally could find a generous heart who opened the doors to her.

The first job she had in UK was in a prestigious Care Home, but the procedures and the absence of Love she found around her made her give up after two months, even though she had a very affective relationship with the elderly people she cared for. Then, she started teaching, but the agent who used to find the placements for her left the company and there was no more work.

In February of 2008, she found a job in a supermarket chain, doing the night shift. After eight months of very successful work at night, she was given a day shift, at her own request. She was deceived with promises of a brilliant future, “Sky is the limit”, and suddenly Sylvia realized that she had no perspectives. Then, having acquired a deeper and deeper knowledge of the business world, she decided to study Management Accounting, an interesting course which represents an adequate challenge to her intellectual ability.
Visit her website at http://www.wolveskeeperlegend.com/



About the Book:

".... From the beginning of time, it seemed that rivalry between man and wolf was at the root of man's dislike for the animal, discovered only too well by Sealgair. Was his fate forever to be condemned to isolation, to see terror and hate in the eyes of the once he once loved? All he could see in his mind was the last pictures of Awena's beloved face, which he carried in his heart for all his life.

Was the only way out to discover the special secret held by the papyrus-pearls in the stone pot - what secrets could this hold? And which stone pot could keep that precious secret when there were so many of them?

Seanns' quest to find the pearls and uncover the secret ended with tragic consequences, resulting in him not only discovering the truth of his birth and who his real mother and father were, but the realisation that his father lived among the wolves..."

Here's an interview with the author:


Could you please tell us a little about your book?

The Wolves’ Keeper Legend is the story of a young boy, Seanns, who lives in a small seaport. Seanns is an average teenager who is discovering the world around him. He is curious, independent, he likes to have fun...

One day, he is confronted with the shocking reality of his own story – the cursed love of his parents and his mysterious “mission”. This story is about a quest – his quest for the papyrus-pearls, which hold the secrets of the past.

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

No, nothing specific. It started with small pieces, in my teenage years, and was shaped into a puzzle which grew with me.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

I found lots of inspiration in my life. First of all, the dazzling Nature. Then, my grandfather, who was an exquisite storyteller. He had an extraordinary imagination and a deep culture, enriched by his journeys. At last, my pupils, year after year; the most brilliant teenagers, who taught me a lot.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband, who helped me to find a Publisher, who took care of the Design, who sent the book everywhere, who gives me guidance and inspiration.

Your biggest critic?

My son, a teenager who doesn’t like very much to read, except in what concerns Science. He liked my book and this was the best critic for me.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

My cause is Peace. Everything comes with the Peace and it depends on everything; I mean Freedom, Justice, Equality ... Every war, even if it is a small conflict, has terrible consequences to this world and to Humanity. War makes no sense and we all must give our best to finish it.

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

I am improving my writing skills day by day, always trying to break down my own psychological and the physical boundaries. On the other hand, I’m learning Management Accounting, and I intend to proceed to other levels, because I believe seriously that Economy can be put at the service of people.

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

No rituals. I pray a lot. Pray and wait.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I could say Milan Kundera, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Paulo Coelho, Lobsang Rampa.

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

My family. I do anything for them.

What are you currently working on?

I’m researching for my next book, The boats of the Northern Star. I have another unfinished book, which I found in old archives, but its title isn’t defined yet.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

I have the same advice I gave, year after year, to my pupils: the only world where we all can be truly free is in books. Read as many as you can. Try different ones; open your horizons.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

Unfortunately, no. I was twelve years old. But the author of my childhood, the one who inspired my passion for reading is Enid Blyton.

What are some of your long term goals?

I would like to be a teacher, as I always was. I would like to be a good writer, one that people read with pleasure. I would like to have a job where my knowledge and experience could be beneficial to improve other people’s lives.

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

I have another vision of the world, my horizons have certainly become wider. I can communicate with people from all over the world, which is fascinating. I have a word, and I feel that I can make a difference. This is quite an achievement.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

The ability to get up when I fall, and to see light even in the deepest darkness.

Biggest weakness?

My heart. I have such a huge faith in people that I keep being taken advantage of.

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

The sensitivity of its vision; the delicious characters; the writing style, which is not poetry but is a poetic prose. It has some features of History and some others of Science fiction.

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

I would take the Earth Children sequence of Jean M. Auel. It’s hard to chose only one; they are all so good. I keep learning every time I read them.

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

The day when my father died. Me and my husband, we had gone shopping and we couldn’t prevent him from killing himself. Even though he wasn’t alone, I feel that I should have stayed with him twenty four hours a day, and I would have carried him on my lap. I think he knew that.

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

My life changed a lot. I’m no longer a teacher, I’m not as passionate about my job as I was. I live with all kinds of financial difficulties, and therefore my perspectives are much more objective. But I’m much more a fighter for what I believe and I have this blessed freedom of speech. I’m building and improving and I have different dreams.

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

I have learned to leave everything behind (which was quite hard) and to follow. Follow dreams, ideals, pursue knowledge and aggrandisement.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

Circumstances of life didn’t leave me much of a choice, unfortunately. I don’t think I can look back and regret much.

What is your favorite past-time?

Definitely, writing.

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

The only thing I can share with you right now are my blogs, where I write the same articles, aiming a different kind of readers. In these blogs I talk about people, happenings and places which marked my life (and some, like the President Obama, the lives of thousands). There, I talk about ideas and ideals and I try to find an echo in the silence of this world.

Word Press: www.rockthexcage.wordpress.com

Blogger: www.rockthecage.blogspot.com

Gracious Living on Social Security by Valerie Kent

About the Author:

At eighty-eight, Valerie Kent is the survivor of a long lifetime spent adjusting to dramatically evolving worlds. She moved from Britain to the United States in 1933. Valerie began at the age of forty-six the drawn-out process of education - seven universities - that would generate, initially, a career as a drug and alcohol counselor for troubled women, then a decade as a celebrated college teacher and - ultimately - a final, exultant marriage. This is her story.

To learn more about Valerie and her book, visit http://www.treefarmbooks.com/.

About the Book:

Gracious Living is an easy-to-read decade-long journey that offers tips and suggestions on how senior citizens can stretch their dollar and get the most for their money. Eleven chapters cover every important aspect of living together, from the wedding preparations to where to live. Key considerations follow each chapter for quick reference: considerations like where and when to buy clothing, choosing a place to live and juggling your finances. Artist Jeff Nitzberg adds his unique touch with original drawings introducing each chapter.

Excerpt:

We all aspire to the many extras which supposedly make our lives more enjoyable. For some, the list is headed up by second cars, designer clothing, even dining out regularly in expensive restaurants. Where cash is scarce, it demands real discipline to examine spending patterns and determine just what we truly need, then prioritize whatever we merely want. Because money is one of the central issues in any marriage, retiring on a fixed income is likely to increase rather than reduce unavoidable tension over it. Careful planning and thoughtful shopping can help. This can reduce costs (even if our economy worsens) and thereby free up funds for luxuries further down everybody’s wish list. The discipline to follow through with a mutually-agreed-on plan, once made, is tough, but rewarding.

All this requires an investment of time: time, our most available resource. It is hard to change old habits, and an exertion of will is sometimes required to pay attention to details you never bothered about before. Joint planning, joint responsibility and joint action are vital now that you will be spending much more time together. Having that “we” approach is more important than ever to insure graceful living.

Our working years could certainly have benefited from this prescription for a happy life together, but the pressures and urgencies of raising a family and establishing a career often leave couples living quite separate lives. Each partner has had his or her own areas of responsibility, and in practice true collaboration is often lacking. Being forced to strengthen the bond of “we” during a financial squeeze may significantly improve living together in retirement by forcing the reconsideration of older, sloppier patterns.

One of the most difficult tasks is settling on those more urgent, less avoidable priorities. Dealing with the money forces decisions as to whose preference will prevail and facilitates true compromise. Inevitably somebody’s preference gets bumped off the budget. Thos fulfilled golden years are impossible without new level of mutual respect and open communication.

The author was gracious enough to do an interview with me. This is what she had to say:


Could you please tell us a little about your book?

This book came out of an awareness that two middle-class people, who later in life found themselves largely dependent on Social Security income, could build a gracious, productive life. The essence of the book is a series of strategies to accomplish this.

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

Yes. Close friends kept remarking about our wide-ranging and gratifying lifestyle and wondering how we brought it off in a modest income.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

Ultimately, a very happy remarriage late in life made everything else possible.

Who is your biggest supporter?

Each of us would certainly identify the other.

Your biggest critic?

See answer 4.

What cause are you most passionate about?

It has always seemed important, especially after a bitter mid-life divorce, that women be well qualified and well recognized for what they do.

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

Certainly writing this book was very useful. This was a chance to apply the principles of English and Journal Writing taught over the years to adult students at Eckerd College.

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

It’s always wonderful to celebrate with a bottle of good wine and a gourmet meal.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

A course taken soon after arriving in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the well-known poet and essayist Peter Meinke, has exerted an influence to the present moment.

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

A recent medical setback makes getting well soon primary.

What are you currently working on?

A course to be taught at the adult center, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College, with Rick is scheduled to begin in October. The lesson plan is under development.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

It is important to keep journals and notebooks and train yourself to focus on details.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

An important early influence was Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own.

What are some of your long term goals?

It would be wonderful to recover complete vigor and return soon to teaching and writing.

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

It was very important to epitomize the way in which the lessons of a lifetime can help through good times and bad. Gracious Living on Social Security bristles with our secrets.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Vitality, sensuality, and an open and curious mind.

Biggest weakness?

Sometimes headstrong.

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

It is very conversational and at the same time very specific, so that the reader can easily pick up hundreds of valuable clues useful for upgrading his or her life.

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

Recently impressed greatly by Jane Fonda’s My Life So Far, which is richly textured with a mature understanding of life’s ups and downs.

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

Go to college sooner – not at 48, I was lucky to enroll as a non-traditional student at Ohio State.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what ways?

In general, since remarrying over a decade ago, life has stabilized and become a lot more productive.

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

Stick with your principles and be prepared to work hard professionally and personally to build a life.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

A difficult early marriage prevented important self-realization until later than it should have.

What is your favorite pastime?

Reading about and talking about politics.

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

“To thine own self be true….”
Discover your dream and follow it.

For a fuller treatment of Gracious Living on Social Security as well as the life of Valerie Kent, check out the Tree Farm Books website, www.treefarmbooks.com.

Gauntlet by Richard Aaron

About the Author:

RICHARD AARON lives in a cold, northwestern city with his wife, four children, and various dogs and cats. He has a university degree in mathematics and a masters in law. Neither have anything to do with his burgeoning career as a writer. He worked in the real world for two decades before realizing that he was actually meant to be a writer. Gauntlet was produced soon thereafter.

About the Book:

Six hundred sixty tons of Semtex is detonated in a massive explosion in Libya – the last of a deadly stockpile. The operation seems to have gone smoothly, but within minutes of the explosion, CIA agent Richard Lawrence discovers that one shipment of the explosive was hijacked en route to the destruction point. Days later, a glory-seeking “Emir” broadcasts to the world that he is planning a massive terrorist strike against a major U.S. landmark. And he gives a timeline of one month.

Now a desperate chase covers four continents, as the men bent on attacking the United States use every weapon at their disposal to evade the American authorities. Time and again they prove willing to destroy anything – and anyone – standing in their way.

But Hamilton Turbee, an autistic computer mastermind at the secretive and newly created TTIC agency, discovers a way to follow their tracks. His flawed genius gives the nation its only chance at stopping the attack … if the American leadership will listen. As the enemies near their destination, and an attack becomes imminent, it is up to the TTIC team, still without a true leader, to stop the massive explosion that could destroy the lives of millions.

As the world watches in horror, the President asks TTIC two questions …Where will the attack be?And can it be stopped…

Unfortunately I was unable to get an interview but I have something you might be more interested in. A LIMITED FIRST EDITION SIGNED COPY!!!!

I will be drawing the winner on July 4. To enter, here are the details:

• Comment below and enter once

Multiple Entries for the Giveaway:

• Post about a giveaway on your blog and include the link with your comment and you’ll be entered again.

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GOOD LUCK!

The New IQ by David Gruder, Ph.D.

About the Author:

David Gruder, PhD, DCEP, is perhaps the world’s only clinical-organizational psychologist specializing in integrity development. Known as "The Integritizer," he is the leader in transpartisan nondenominational strategies for solving the massive integrity deficits that have caused today's vast social, economic, and political challenges. Dr. Gruder founded the "Integritize America Campaign," an integrity stimulus plan for renewing personal, relationship and societal integrity so we can finally co-create sustainable solutions to today's most challenging issues. His latest book, "THE NEW IQ: How Integrity Intelligence Serves You, Your Relationships and our World," is the world's first step-by-step guide to attaining personal, relationship, and career fulfillment during difficult times without sacrificing ethics and integrity. It has won five book awards in the areas of "social change," (book of the year), "current events in politics and society" (honorable mention), "health & wellness" (book of the year), "self-help" (bronze medal) and "metapsychology" (book of the year). A professional speaker and trainer for almost three decades, Dr. Gruder speaks, trains, consults worldwide on how to "Integritize" citizens, government, communities, businesses, health care, education, religion, journalism, advocacy groups, and leadership. His clients have ranged from family-owned businesses to American Express work teams, from the Sanoviv Medical Institute to the San Diego Office of Education Management Academy, and from local politicians and executives to World Trade Organization ambassadors. His main website is http://www.thenewiq.com/.

About the Book:

From the White House, to the board room, to the privacy of our own bedrooms, and virtually everywhere in between, integrity deficits are destroying our personal lives, our businesses, our economy, our healthcare, our society, and our planet.

Creating sustainable integrity-centered solutions to today's vast array of major challenges requires us, as individuals and as a society, to take a fresh look at what creates life fulfillment. It requires us as citizens to develop a new integrity-centered vision of what we need to require from our leaders in government, business, advocacy groups, community organizations and the media.

The New IQ is the world's first road-tested guide to integrity-centered living, working, loving, and serving. Hailed as a "once-in-a-generation book," it provides the first step-by-step road map for restoring the vanishing virtue of integrity... for the sake of our loved ones, our communities, our businesses, our society, and our own personal well being.

Going far beyond being a self-help book, this critically acclaimed five-award-winning action plan offers a socially responsible way to attain personal, relationship, and career fulfillment during difficult times, without sacrificing ethics and integrity. Here at last is your complete guide to "personal development that serves us all.

The author agreed to an interview. These are his answers:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

I’d be glad to. The New IQ provides practical answers to the five biggest challenges of our time:

1) Why have we allowed severe integrity deficits to damage virtually all parts of our society?
2) How did so many of us adopt the insane belief that life fulfillment, wealth accumulation and a comfortable lifestyle require sacrificing integrity, people and social responsibility?
3) What do the few who succeed without making these sacrifices do to create happy fulfilling integrity-centered lives?
4) How can the rest of us easily learn to do on purpose what these rare folks do intuitively?
5) What profound improvements will we see in the world as more and more of us shift toward integrity-centered living, loving, working and serving?

The New IQ’s way of reconnecting the dots among integrity, life fulfillment, love, abundance, businesses, and social responsibility, has resulted in it being:

* Endorsed by over fifty leaders across a wide range of fields
* Embraced across the political and faith spectrums
* Honored with five book awards in the unusually diverse categories of:

* Social change

* Current events in politics & society

* Health & wellness

* Metapsychology

* Self-help

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

Oh, yes. Absolutely. As surprising as this might sound, my original inspiration for The New IQ was the infamous Woodstock music festival in 1969, which I attended as a fifteen-year-old. However, it took two profoundly traumatic experiences decades later to cause me to realize that I could no longer put off writing this book. The first was being in the New York City area when 9/11 occurred, and for the ten days after following that history-shifting event. The second was my own personal twin towers falling six months after 9/11 when my first wife ended our marriage in early 2002. The events surrounding 9/11 made it clear to me that I had to bring to the widest audience possible the things I know about how we lost our way with integrity. Recovering from a divorce I would never have predicted brought into focus some key pieces about integrity I hadn’t known were crucial to a complete understanding of integrity. The profound gifts I harvested from these two traumas gave me the final pieces I needed in order to finally write The New IQ.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife, Laurie, whom I married in 2006. I live in perpetual gratitude for her love, heartfelt support, and personal integrity. She stood by me not only while I was writing The New IQ, but through the countless late night and early morning media interviews since its release, and my regular travel in the U.S. and abroad to give my integrity education keynotes and workshops based on The New IQ.

Your biggest critic?

I would have to say marketing experts. Even though my material about reconnecting integrity with life fulfillment and abundance is universally embraced, marketing experts are constantly telling me what I need to be doing differently to get the word out in a bigger way. Believe me, I’m grateful for their advice even when I am not always able to implement all of it!

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I recently launched a public service project called the Integrity Stimulus Plan: a five ingredient action plan anyone can use to help restore integrity anywhere you want to have impact. I can’t find words to express how excited I am that this plan is being embraced across the political and faith spectrums. Go to www.IntegrityStimulusPlan.org to read the Integrity Stimulus Plan and complete your Integrity Pledge. Then join Facebook’s Integrity Stimulus Plan Promoters Group.

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

Absolutely. I feel like I have been in a relentless crash course on all aspects of marketing, from how to give a great interview, to upgrading my website, to strategies for expanding internet visibility, and much more.

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

Remaining dedicated to my self-care, wellbeing, and life balance. I write in The New IQ about the three most common integrity deficits people have: with ourselves (self-integrity), with those who depend on us (relationship integrity), and with the world in which we live (societal integrity). Most people tend to neglect one of these 3D Integrity dimensions more than the other two. My lifelong tendency has been to forget myself in favor of serving others. The more popular my messages have become the more crucial it has become for me to make sure I don’t fall into my old self-neglect habits. I’m mindful each and every day that unless I am role-modeling my messages about 3D Integrity, I have no business teaching others how to embody it. Yet, this isn’t merely an act of altruism on my part. Maintaining my 3D Integrity is good for me, is good for my personal and work relationships, and helps me have the best possible impact on the world, all at the same time. This is why the subtitle of The New IQ is "How Integrity Intelligence Serves You, Your Relationships and Our World!"

What are you currently working on?

I just agreed to co-host a live call-in radio show with a seasoned veteran in the radio business. Its focus, not surprisingly, is on integrity, and I will serve as the resident integrity expert. Recordings of this live show will be available via podcast. Because the fine details are still being finalized at the time of this interview, please visit www.TheNewIQ.com to discover the show title, description and broadcast information.

What are some of your long term goals?

I will continue to write books like The New IQ that integrate personal growth and societal repair. In fact, the byline for my material is "personal development that serves us all."

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

My greatest achievement is seeing The New IQ’s blueprint for reconnecting the dots among integrity, life fulfillment, love, abundance, businesses, and social responsibility, result in it being:

* Endorsed by over fifty leaders across a wide range of fields
* Embraced across the political and faith spectrums
* Honored with five book awards in the unusually diverse categories of:

* Social change

* Current events in politics & society

* Health & wellness

* Metapsychology

* Self-help

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

There are three personal development genres: self-improvement, relationship improvement and leadership improvement. Two things set The New IQ apart:

1) It is part personal development road map, part health and wellness manual, part social change blueprint, and part staff development and leadership template; and

2) It shows everyday people to world leaders how to coordinate personal, relationship, career, and leadership development in an elegantly efficient and streamlined way.

If you know another book that does both of these things, please e-mail me about it through the contact page at http://www.thenewiq.com/

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

Oh yes. Dramatically. In 2002 my life as I had known it since 1985 came to an untimely end with the surprise demise of my supposedly divorce-proof marriage. My story is a Phoenix rising from the ashes story that transformed the most excruciating painful and disorienting experience of my life into the greatest gift of my life. This story is too long to recap in an interview like this beyond my answer to the next question. But, you can read it in The New IQ.

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

For decades I had lived and trained others in most aspects of relationship and societal integrity. But not until recovering from the untimely demise of my first marriage in 2002 did I finally discover the devastation that can occur as a consequence of self-integrity deficits. Only then did I come to grips with how huge a role my chronic self-neglect played in destroying the fabric of my life has I had known it. This was my "duh" moment with integrity: discovering that integrity is three-dimensional – one-third self-integrity, one-third relationship integrity and one-third societal integrity.

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

We got into the mess we’re in as individuals, in our relationships, and as a society, because we have believed that attaining life fulfillment requires sacrificing integrity, people and/or social responsibility. Natural developers show the rest of us, from everyday people to world leaders, the secrets to reconnecting integrity, life fulfillment, love, abundance, business profitability, and social responsibility. Please join me in helping to create the integrity revolution we so deeply need today in order to build a sustainable next chapter in humanity. I look forward to hearing from you at www.TheNewIQ.com.

They Plotted Revenge Against America by Abe March

About the Author:

Abe F. March is an international business consultant and author, living near Landau, Germany with his wife Gisela. An active retiree, he enjoys hiking and exploring the local vineyards and can also be heard singing with a regional men's choir. Mr. March's career has taken him around the world to work in many areas from his birthplace in the USA to Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

His first book, To Beirut and Back - An American in the Middle East, was published in 2006 and is a memoir of his adventures that took him to Lebanon in the 1970s. Mr. March grew up in York County, Pennsylvania on the family farm, and he served in the USAF from 1957-61. His business career got underway with the computing sciences division of IBM's service bureau where he held positions as manager of administration and operations analyst. He later joined an international cosmetic company where he rapidly achieved top distributor status and was promoted to Vice President of Sales Development and Product Marketing Management, an opportunity which took him throughout the USA and into Canada, Greece, and Germany.

With international experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. March started his own importing business headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, for the distribution of cosmetics and toiletries to the Middle East markets. With an ease about him and a talent for developing business relationships, he also functioned as a locator of goods and services sought by Mid-Eastern clients before the civil war in Lebanon destroyed his successful business enterprise. Mr. March returned to the United States to start over, and was soon working on an international level once again. His subsequent work involved Swan Technologies, Inc., a personal computer manufacturer in West Germany, and back to the US to work with Stork NV, supporting a fleet of 1200 Foker Aircraft. He officially retired in 2001.

For more information please visit http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch

About the Book:

An American attack on Baghdad leaves heartbroken and angry survivors. Two different families, one Muslim and one Christian, are wiped out in the 2003 raids and their young adult progeny are determined to avenge the loss of their loved ones. An Israeli Secret Service Agent with a grudge of his own, knows just how to tap into the vulnerabilities that grief leaves, and he organizes the training of select men and woment whose desire for vengeance is strong enouh to consider a deadly covert mission in America. Trainees will learn to blend in, disappear in the multicultural mix of the US and then infest the food and water supply with a deadly flu virus capable of mutating and infecting the human population. The antidote - if it works - will only be revealed under strict demands.

As a part of their indoctrination, mission members must have a deep understanding of the causes of conflict in the Middle East. Peering through the darkness of their grief and hatred, some team members come to realize that they could ultimately be responsible for millions of innocent deaths. Their actions could break the stalemate between the Israelis and Palestinians - or bring unparalleled tragedy.

I was lucky enough to be able to interview the author. Here's what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

It is about a select group of young men and women who desire revenge for acts of terror committed against their families and country. They determine to carry out this revenge on a country that has either engaged in aggression, or supported it. These young men and women are trained to blend into the American society while they organize their act of terror with dire consequences. Romance between the players in this drama affects the outcome of their mission as well as a change in attitudes as the terrorists get to know and understand Americans. The book is based on true events and places. The characters are a work of fiction but the feelings they express in dialogue are real. The book is an eye opener for people not familiar with the ongoing events in the Middle East and the continued struggle for peace.

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

Yes. It was America’s invasion of Iraq. Having lived and worked in the Middle East, I knew the consequences of this action and that revenge could be part of the overall ramifications. It was not just the ill-conceived assault on Iraq, but it encompassed a much larger problem. I tried to weave the overall dilemma into a story that would bring the root of the problems to the attention of the American public in a realistic manner.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am passionate about peace in the Middle East. I have witnessed the suffering of thousands of displaced people and the horrors of war. The deaths caused by the continued political intransigence for a solution is tragic.

What are you currently working on?

I’m putting the finishing touches on a romance novel where the characters take a Journey into the Past. It is a change of pace from the more serious side of things. Love is certainly a better subject than hate and violence.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

Write about something you are familiar with or passionate about. For the reader, it can be a learning experience while at the same time, entertaining.

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

To be held in esteem for providing valuable insights about important issues.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

Experience.

Biggest weakness?

Being too sensitive about what other people think.

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

The book is timely and deals with the threat of terrorism in an unusual manner. Whereas people think of terrorism in terms of explosives or guns, this book deals with a threat far greater and more deadly. It can serve to help find a solution to the threat of terrorism and to be on guard against future acts of terror.

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

Since my retirement, I’ve had time to reflect on my past. Events caused me to realize that the important things in life are not centered on making money. Everything of value comes from people. Getting to know people and accepting them as they are, giving more attention to those close to me and enjoying what I have, has made my life more worthwhile.

WIN PRIZES!!!

THEY PLOTTED REVENGE AGAINST AMERICA VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on May 1 and end on May 29. You can visit Abe's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in May to find out more about this great book and talented author!

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.