Jan 11

Foal Revealed! An Inspiring Interview With Foal

A Conversation With
FOAL

Author of FOAL AND THE ANGELS—Wisdom Comes Through: A Journey of Understanding

FROM THE SPIRITUAL REALM

dreams

FOAL and the Angels is about a journey to understand the great wisdom hidden behind life. Through a series of dreams and insightful messages that provide FOAL with some pretty intensive lessons, the mystery of life unravels, and he shares these spiritual discoveries with other seekers.

*****

I would like to begin by asking where the ideas behind FOAL and the Angels came from? What was your main inspiration?

Well, you start with the most controversial question for me! Truth be told, the story of this book was given to me practically during my sleep and during meditation. And sometimes it was even whispered in my ears J by invisible friends… not joking here! If you asked me about some particular sentences that I remember well, I could even tell you which ear it was, left or right!  So I am afraid I don’t really have a main inspiration. All these incredible `teaching` dreams were the inspiration in themselves, and a gift at the same time. Yes, a gift! From whom, you ask? Well, THAT is the question, right?  But does it really matter if they were Angels or God or a Collective Consciousness or simply my subconscious? They are beautiful and so wise and they hold a huge and profound lesson of growth and potential for everyone. At least so I hope.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Honestly, I don’t know if I have a `specific` style, I have never even thought about it. I just write the only way I know!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes. And I am very passionate about this. At night, but not only at night, we do have a chance at communicating with other layers of dimensions and of course with the inhabitants of those dimensions.  If we are willing to give it a real try and keep an open heart, this is an avenue open to practically anybody because everybody dreams, right? Of course, this is not something I can prove to you rationally, but if you asked any real dreamer or OBE (out of body experience) traveller, they will all tell you the same thing.

Now, since I am really no scientist, I can speak only from some very personal experiences, but I know that with the quantum theory we are closing up the gap between science and spirituality, and am pretty sure that in a very near future, many of the so-called spiritual theories will be well vindicated by science itself.

What books have most influenced your life?

Well, I love the Bronte sisters and Daphne Du Maurier in particular, especially if we talk of writing styles.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

In this very moment of my life, I would choose Robert Moss, as I feel very close to his way of looking at dreams, astral travels, other dimensions and besides, I really love the way he writes. Pure poetry in prose.

What book are you reading now?

I am skimming a few of Swedenborg`s books right now, and just started perusing the Upanishads.  But don’t worry! I also read lighter stuff like Harry Potter, Twilight, etc!

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Entity? Do you mean a person or invisible entity? J Before the publishing of FOAL and the Angels, a few friends were very supportive indeed with all the reading/editing stuff, but more recently, Anthropology Professor Marco Pardi and inspirational author Denise Barry showed me the greatest support in helping spread the word.

However, if you`re asking about invisible entities… well, as far as I am concerned, there were very many!

Do you see writing as a career?

I didn’t start writing to make a career. Writing is something I enjoy doing, and in FOAL and the Angels’ particular case it really felt as if it was requested I shared my experience with others.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your book?

No, I couldn’t change anything. In fact, I put a lot of effort in trying not to change anything at all, and focused on reporting exactly the dreams and voices as the experiences they were for me.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I have been writing poems since I was ten, so I guess that is when it originally started.

Who designed the cover?

I really like my book cover. It was designed by professional designers at Turning Stone Press. They sent me a few to choose from, but this one was just too perfect to be true!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

To find the right ‘personal/impersonal’ thread to stitch all the dreams and messages together into the format of a fairytale, without making it too private.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

‘Learn anything’ is definitely an understatement. I learned so much I could hardly put everything in any book. But to sum it up, I daresay that it taught me how to live in a more conscious way; it taught me that every little action counts, every thought we have is of the utmost importance, every insignificant word makes a difference, and we must not let these moments pass us by unconsciously. We are here to live every moment.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Don’t ever let yourself believe you are alone in this world. Actually, there is quite a crowd indeed of, so to speak, ‘imaginary’ friends around us all the time!

You can connect with FOAL on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FoalAndTheAngels) or his blog (http://spiritualjourneyofthesoul.wordpress.com/)

 

 Ever wonder what your dreams are trying to tell you? Pick up FOAL and the Angels and explore… Available on Amazon today!

Jan 08

“Leading The Way,” Sayeth the Book Gods, “Erotica Evolved with Author Rigel Madsong.”

Rigel Madsong is an enigma. A writer of erotica who has raised the benchmark for all writers of all genres. Rigel is what I would call a “writers writer,” the kind of writer you look up to and learn from. When I first met Rigel, I was amazed by his drive and ambition. A book is only as good as the writer writing it. Rigel Madsong is as good as a writer gets. “The Taste of a Woman” is classy, erotic to the core and has those wonderful, sticky pages that keep you reading over and over again.

I know everyone is telling you their book is “amazing,” but Rigel Madsong really is a cut above. Get “The Taste of a Woman,” and if it doesn’t turn you on, let me know… I want to know what’s wrong with you.

 

Q) Rigel, as an erotic author I have to ask– what is erotic to you?

A) Whatever turns me on. I know that it’s different for different folk. For me it has to have an element of beauty to it, if only in the harsh truth it reveals. But also risking something against the impositions of society to suppress what is natural about our emotional core. Like poetry, erotic literature is about the body. You take it in through the eyes and brain, but you feel it throughout the extent of your physical being. That’s what makes it so exciting. In images I look for something spiritual, something that knocks my socks off. I don’t have to explain it to myself. If it’s right, I respond with my intellect nodding its head and emotions churning.

Q) Do you, as a writer and as a reader, believe the erotic book world needs more literature and less fluff?

A) Absolutely! Erotic literature has at its command perhaps the most precious moment of any human life: intimacy. This little treasure has to be treated with complete respect, bringing the best we have to offer in the way of literary training, psychological insight, astonishing imagery, the music of well chosen words. . . I could go on. The main point is, when given a gift make the effort worth it!

Q) How do you like to write? Are you a daytime writer? A coffee slurping morning writer or a late night typer?

A) I write all the time. If not at my desk. then in my head. If not there. then in my unconscious. When I start a piece–maybe only a few sentences to lock in the entry point–when I return a few hours later, three or four paragraphs hit the page almost instantly, indicating that my unconscious has been at work. This means I put words on the page whenever, between tasks of the day, late at night when the house is quiet, riding on a train. . . once bitten by the bug, the machine is in the on switch position with cylinders popping.

Q) How did you approach the idea of writing an erotic novel? Was it at all threatening for you?

A) Not threatening, exciting. I jumped at the chance. Writers always have to overcome their inhibitions to write anything worth a damn. If it’s not dangerous, then there’s no guts to it. That’s why it has to be taken seriously, but always courageously. If the writer doesn’t put him/herself on the page, spill the guts without being solipsistic about it, then there’s no bloodshed. Blood on the page makes for great stories.

Q) Of all the characters in “The Taste of a Woman,” who is your favorite and why?

A) Oh, my God! I love them all in their own way: the jazz bassman boppin’ his way through a sweet sexual encounter; poor Allye, so inhibited, finally finding a path to her own sensuality; the comic fellow who thought he had lost his MoJo only to find it with the help of his deceased best friend’s turned-on wife. I get excited just talking about these folks.

Q) Which nicely leads me to my next question! One of the stories in “The Taste of a Woman” is based around a jazz combo. Are you a jazz listener, and if so, did your interest in jazz music influence the story?

A) Absolutely! Listener and player. I love what jazz does to bring rhythm, intellect and the body together in one place. It was a natural for me to create the jazz-bass character and speak through his mouth, even to the point of expressing his humility, his shock at being in the focal point of a sexual triangle, all the time wailing out on his axe. Every experience I have had in my life informs my writing. Inspiration comes partly from fantasy and partly from the experience of knowing what comes from leading a full life.

Q) Where do you get your ideas from? Do you base them on things you’ve actually tried yourself, things you’ve heard your friends talk about, or just stuff you’ve thought up yourself?

A) All of the above and more. The writer always has his/her antennae up. Always listening. Always paying attention. Eudora Welty said that the saddest thing about losing her hearing was that she could no longer eavesdrop. My ideas are collected as they arrive through my antennae—things that fascinate me, hearing a conversation on a bus, picking up on someone else’s desire/dreams, spinning off from an image I find that evokes erotic feelings, people I know who have hang-ups that need fixing, failures of my own at love and the fantasies I have had to try and fix them.

Q) What did you get out of writing “The Taste of a Woman?” What really satisfied you about inking these stories?

A) Everytime I write I go deeper in to my consciousness. The writer better damn well be willing to examine his/her own life or the writing pales. What that does is to expand the narrow world we live in to incorporate a broader terrain of that great gift of consciousness we are given. I am a deeper person for having become a writer, mostly, I believe, because it calls you to lead the examined life. That’s a long way of saying I got a lot out of writing The Taste Of A Woman. As for satisfaction: Yeats said something about the sensation one has reaching the perfect end of a story you are writing as being like the click at the closing of a box. That “click” is worth more than publication, prizes, notoriety, financial explosions. . . at two o’ clock in the morning after writing long hours when you are so into it you don’t feel the passing of time, it’s actually pretty close to orgasm.

Q) Rigel, did you ever believe you would be writing an erotic novel?

A) I’ve learned not to limit my beliefs. Otherwise, I would never have done half the crazy things I‘ve done in my life, loving them each and all. 

Q) How have reviews been for “The Taste of a Woman” so far?

A) Astonishingly good. Fabulous. All 5-Star so far. I mean, I felt I was writing good stuff, stories that had the possibility of connecting with other folk, diving into their sexual wheelhouse, if you will. But I have to say I didn’t expect it to be this good.

Q) How do you approach marketing? Do you think marketing an erotic novel is easier, than say, a thriller?

A) I approach marketing by finding someone who knows what the hell they’re doing. You don’t want a watchmaker doing your brain surgery, good as he may be with his hands. My guess is that even if the book has something of a hook to it, even if it is the best damn book ever written, it still has to be pushed to get anyone’s attention.

Q) What really makes you excited about writing? Do you believe it’s possible for an Indie author to become a bestseller?

A) Totally possible. Been done. It would seem the tide is turning. Large publishing houses with all their power are like large ships in a complicated harbor. Indie houses are finding intelligent, smart ways of making their produce available. The Internet is playing a HUGE role in the process, so much so that one would be foolish to ignore it.

Q) Can you describe “The Taste of a Woman” in two sentences?

A) I’ll unabashedly do it in one sentence fragment: Great literature with a smart sensual core to it. 

GET YOUR COPY OF “THE TASTE OF A WOMAN” TODAY!

Jan 05

Meet Jana Petken! Meet Your Next Kindle Read!

Jana Petken is an author. Not just an author of any old kind of fiction– an author of high quality historically accurate writings that will entertain, interest and provide you with something a little… special for your reading pleasure. “The Guardian of Secrets” is the first Jana Petken novel and it’s one you will read and read and… read again! Enjoy this interview!

jana petken authorHow would describe “The Guardian of Secrets?”   

The Guardian of Secrets is a dark, fast paced saga and adventure. It is a fictional account of a family’s struggles, which are often heartbreaking, yet heartwarming and uplifting at times.

It is historical fiction, a genre that fascinates me and one I feel comfortable in, as far as writing is concerned.  My new, upcoming novel is also historical fiction, and I guess the following ones will be too, although I do have a completed factual manuscript on spirituality based on my own personal experiences.

I believe that any reader who has read The Guardian of Secrets can expect the same style of storytelling from me but with a completely different subject, of course.

How long have you been writing? How long did it take to write your book? And what motivated you to write it?

I began writing song lyrics in my early twenties and recorded the songs. I started writing in earnest ten years ago when the first sentence of The Guardian of Secrets was put down on paper.

It took me seven years to write the book after many drafts and breaks in between because of paralysis in my arms.

At first I was motivated to write it, in part, due to ongoing physiotherapy treatment. Typing helped me to regain feeling in my hands after I was severely injured in an aircraft accident. When the story actually began to take shape I became more passionate about it.

Is it a stand-alone novel or part of a series?

This novel stands alone. It is a large, 714-page book and has three parts amalgamated into one family saga. I toyed with the idea of a trilogy but decided that had I gone down that route, I would be in danger of losing the characters’ fluidity.

If it is a stand-alone book, would you consider making it a series? Why or why not?

As I mentioned, this is a family saga. The characters have their own stories to tell, separately and together. The prologue is in the present, and looks back at the previous 100 years. When the last page is read there are no unanswered questions about the characters or about what happened to them. Therefore, I saw no need to continue the saga.

Who are your main characters in the story and how would you describe them?

In her dying days, Maria recites her family’s turbulent past to her granddaughter, with the aid of journals. She begins with her mother, Celia, and Celia’s husband, Joseph Dobbs. Both of these characters play a pivotal role throughout the book.

Later, the story focuses on Maria and her siblings, who have their own separate stories to tell, although the family element remains immensely important.  I would have to say that all the major characters are of equal importance. They all have unique personalities, some the reader will love, hate, laugh with, and cry for.

Is there any symbolism in your book that you’d care to share with potential readers?

From my point of view, this book symbolizes all that is good and all that is evil in mankind. It relishes in the fact that weakness and lack of courage can be overcome because of love and determination to survive, in order to hold on to all that is precious. It also symbolizes that evil may be victorious in life’s battles; but in the end, it will inevitably be defeated by love and unity.

Do any of the characters resemble you? How about friends or relatives?

It pains me to say it but, yes, two of the main characters do remind me of a couple of close relatives who are no longer in my life. I will say no more and leave it up to the reader to determine which characters I may be referring to.

What is the worst thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

Fingers crossed! Great book reviews across the board so far. A well known book critic did say that some of the violent scenes were graphic and rather disturbing, but I actually saw that as a compliment – or maybe I have a warped mind!

What is the best thing reviewers or critics have said about your book?

When my publishing house editor wrote an internal letter to colleagues, saying that my book was one of the best manuscripts she had ever read in her entire career and the only one to make her shed a tear.

Have you tried submitting your book to publishers? If so, how many? Did they provide any feedback? Would you still want to work with a traditional publisher now that you have self-published?

Yes, I submitted the book to five or six trade publishers. Two provided feedback: “Not at this time.” and “Not suitable for our lists.”

One publishing house accepted the book, but I did not feel they were right for it, due to their small outreach.

The book is being exhibited at the London Book Fair in April, 2014 under the AuthorHouse banner.

I would still love to work with a traditional publisher in the hope that my book would one day sit on bookshelves in an actual bookshop.

What has been the most difficult part of your writing experience? 

I found it difficult and felt awkward saying “no” to the self publishing company when they continually tried to sell me more and more packages. I am also finding it difficult to get people to write reviews. Saying they loved it is not enough. I crave reviews, preferably honest and constructive ones.

Do any of your characters have secrets you can share with our readers?

The book is titled “The Guardian of Secrets,” so no, sorry, I’m saying nothing. What I will say is that there are many twists and turns on the pages.

If you were to be offered a movie deal, who would you like to see play the main characters?

Meryl Streep as the strong-minded Aunt Marie Osborne. That is a definite yes.

The main female characters are in their early twenties and beautiful, as are their male counterparts. There are many great, attractive and young stars coming up the ranks in Hollywood to choose from.

As there are both English and Spanish heritage here, some of the main characters would have dark Mediterranean looks, whilst others would be fair. Either way, I see the characters in my mind’s eye and would love to be in the casting team.

Because of the aging process of some of the main characters, good makeup would be needed to age them from their twenties to their mid-forties.

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, create rough synopses, do detailed biographies of the characters before starting to write?

I do none of the above, I’m afraid.

I think about a rough story, put down the first chapter and then just allow it all to unfold before my very eyes. Even I don’t know what the characters are going to do next, and in this book they simply took over and surprised me, as though they had taken on a life of their own, changing and growing with the story. I can’t explain it any other way.

I do not do a synopsis or outline because I am as changeable as the wind and so is my storytelling.

How much research do you do before starting to write?  Where do you find most of your background materials? How do you fact check?

In this book I researched a war. It had to be correct in facts and dates. I interviewed war eyewitnesses over breakfast. They were a group of very old men. I piled on the wine and beer and got some great information and facts from some Spanish Civil War survivors and will be eternally grateful to them. I had no Internet at the time. I read reference books and spent a lot of time at the library. But the actual family and their stories are purely fictional.

What didn’t you mention in the synopsis that you can reveal here?

I would like the readers to know that the book is about many colourful characters whose stories began and unfolded long before war came.

This is not simply a war novel. It is a menagerie of characters with many personal experiences.

If you had to do the experience of writing your work over, would you still write it? Would you change it? How?

I would make it longer. I was forced to cut some pages. I may have killed one other person!

How did you choose the story you wrote?

The family saga just grew out of nowhere. The first 350 pages were pure imagination on a day to day basis. The Spanish Civil War was the backdrop in part three. Fictional situations for all the characters but factual in historical terms.

How did you choose the title?

The Guardian of Secrets was my first title, and I was sure about it. I was then persuaded to change it as some people thought it said nothing about the book. I gave it another title but was never really happy with it. For four years it was called “Ghosts in the Rainbow,” until one day I decided to give it its original title back because, for me, it said everything about the book. I should not have listened to others; instead I should have gone with my gut and stuck with it.

How did you decide on the cover and did you design it or did you use a professional designer?

I saw the picture on the Internet, loved it and then designed the colour and size of lettering myself.

 

Dec 28

Review: “When It’s Love”- Emma Lauren

The Book:

When It’s Love is contemporary new adult fiction like you’ve never read it before.  Sexy from page one, this book follows college student Sydney Morrison as she tries to break away from the dark truth about who she really is. And as she unexpectedly tumbles into a torrid online affair with her professor, she exposes herself in ways she never imagined.

Then Sydney’s darkest secret begins to hunt her down just when she thinks she’s escaping it. Suddenly nothing is what is seems to be and Sydney finds herself torn between truth and love.

The Review:

Let’s be honest here. Adult novels are considered to be fluff—the stuff of lesser writers who haven’t got the talent to be thriller writers? Right? Right? Wrong.

There is nothing “lesser” about Emma Lauren; and “When It’s Love” is nothing more than pure, prime rib steak. You want a satisfying book to read? You found one.

What really makes “When It’s Love” special is not that it’s hotter, spicier or more sexual than other novels in this genre—it’s true that this book is all of those things—but the writing style really grabbed me from the off. I found myself drawn into a world that normally only applies when pro-writers like Stephen King put pen to paper. It’s the story of Sydney Morrison and her desperation to break away from who she really is. Twists, turns, and sexual encounters ensue, all leading to a conclusion that you will not easily recover from.

Praise for Emma Lauren is more in order than ever as she has put together a book worthy of your attention. A book that, although won’t be a classic, will be a bestseller; and that has already been proven. “When It’s Love” broke into the top echelons of Amazon on its first day of release, and is currently, at this time of writing, climbing again. I think for all readers who want to read something with some fire in its belly—this is the book for you.

Sex, sex, sex… Some really hot sex scenes in this one, guys and girls… Did I mention that this one has some great sex? It does…

IT DOES!

Yes, this is Emma Lauren’s first book, and I’m sure there are things I could find fault with. I’m not a literary snob, just a reader, and if you want a book that has all the makings of a hot, HOT read with great characters, dialogue and some real depth, this is the one.

Worried about cold winter nights? Don’t worry—“When It’s Love” will keep you cozy and warm.

What Other reviewers are saying:

 “Enticingly erotic, WHEN IT’S LOVE will have you up all night!” – USA Today Bestselling Author Melody Grace 

“WHEN IT’S LOVE” is an engrossing story full of passion and secrets. I devoured it in one sitting.” – New York Times Bestselling Author Teresa Mummert 

“Emma Lauren is an amazing new voice that you must read. Her writing breathes fresh life into the new adult genre. I can’t wait to see what she does next!” 

-New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Lauren Hawkeye/ Kate Laurens

 GET YOUR COPY OF “WHEN IT’S LOVE” TODAY!

Dec 10

A Short Story From Bestselling Author Bruce Bennett

The following is a short story from the pen of Bruce Bennett. Bruce is one of the foremost American writers of the moment. He has released two novels– both bestsellers–entitled “Digital Air” and “Wisemen.” If you enjoy this great short, don’t forget to pick up the novels!

Bruce Bennett 123“Dr. Focarazzo, don’t you think you are taking this too far?”

“If you don’t believe in my invention, then why are you here?”

It was a fair question.  I had heard about this incredible mad scientist who locked himself in a vacant airplane hangar at the abandoned Transwestern Pipeline Company Field in Ganado, AZ.  As a reporter for the National Telegrapher, the nation’s leading newspaper of the unusual, I thought there might be a good story waiting.  More than likely, I would meet another crackpot who made my job of creating “stories” that kept American buying the rag of the checkout racks at all major box stores easy.  If there wasn’t an article waiting, I would simply scramble around the truth with some fiction and write a gripping article that would keep the cretins coming back.

I had taken Southwest’s Flight 1611 to Phoenix and rented a car at the airport.  With the accompanying Garmin, I trekked northeast to seek out the headquarters of Dr. John Focarazzo.  With a Ph.D. from MIT and numerous degrees from schools in the United States and Europe, he had been a rising star in the scientific community.  Focarazzo published multitudes of articles on magnetism and its effect on bending particle trajectories in large colliders.  His article, Einstein was 1/trillionth of a Second Wrong, brought accolades and scoffs from his colleagues.

Whatever the science behind his creations, a friend at the University of Arizona tipped me on the crazy inventor.  Like those rumors of what’s out in the desert at Roswell, small stories began to gain momentum about this hermit of Ganado.  Locals had reported seeing the professor tooling around the desert roads, shirtless, beer bottle in hand, in his old, open Jeep he kept out at the airfield.   Focarazzo was not your average genius.  He was the spooky kind that was always on the verge of blowing up the planet with some out-of-control experiment.

“Doctor, I really just need to ask you a few questions about this thing, what are you calling it?”

“It’s a time machine.”

“Right, a time machine.  I read the book, H.G. Wells.  It doesn’t look much like the one he described.”

“That’s because,” he picked up the old linens and handed them to me, “that was fiction, and this is fact.  H.G. Wells’ traveler never took anyone with him.  You and I are actually going into the past.”

As he spoke, he climbed the small platform next to the large rectangular box represented as his invention.  When he uttered his last words, he posed hand on hip, looking out through the Coke bottle lens glasses that hung askew on his handsome, tanned face.  He looked for all the world like a 1930s adventurer standing on the precipice of the Gobi desert.  Then he looked down at me and smiled a winning, toothy grin.  His dimples made him all the more like a boy who was hooking school to sail to an island on a homemade raft.

“What’s the principle behind your … invention?” I cleared my throat.

He leaned down, squinting his eyes through the large lenses of his black framed spectacles.  It was as though he was examining a fish in a bowl.  “Are you familiar with astro-physics?”

“Not really.”

“Hmm…” He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Think of it this way—all time is relative.  Einstein’s work suggested that, in a way, but later research has postulated this theory to be truth.  I took it a step further. I built a vessel that can travel through time.”

I must have looked skeptical because he stood and scratched his curly blond hair, then he continued.  “Magnetic force keeps the universe in place.  Magnetism, as it pertains to planets spinning through space, is identified by Newton as gravity.”

“Isaac Newton?”

“That’s the one!” He jumped and pointed his finger at me.  “Did you know, Mr. Wale, that when you look up and see starlight at night, that beam has taken billions of years to reach your eye?  In fact, that star might have exploded millions of years ago, but it will take another billion years before scientists see the event!  What we see when we look into space with a powerful telescope is something that is historic in nature.  But still relevant!”

“Relevant in what way?”

“Good question.” He put a finger to his nose.  “Imagine, for a moment, that space is time.  Each event is catalogued in a never-ending projection of events which reaches into the unfathomable past.” He stopped for a moment, the look on his face like Doctor Brown from Back to the Future. “Think of this, if scientists could travel at billions of times the speed of light, they could then see stars forming, couldn’t they?”

“I guess so.”

“It’s a good guess. This invention allows me to do the same thing with time.  It uses magnetic superconductors to bend time and achieve the ability to displace time and space.  Therefore, I can program in the time and place I want to travel, and this will take me there to the 1/1,000,000 of a second!”

“Don’t you have to program it into the DeLorean or something?”

“I’m glad your skeptical, Mr. Wale.” He pointed to the clothes and looked at his watch.  Then he grabbed something from the railing and held it in the air.  “I have an iPad.  That Steve Jobs, he was a true genius.  I love this thing.”

I started to put the cloak on over my shirt, but he shook his head and admonished me.  I had to take off everything but my underwear.  This was getting really weird, and I watched him from the corner of my eye as he programmed something into his computer.  When I was done, I hung my clothes over the back of a lab chair and climbed the platform to his side.

“What you are about to see will boggle the mind.  He ran his hand over the pad and the door to the box slid to one side, revealing the dark chasm within.  I squinted to get a better look.

Focarazzo stepped inside, and I followed after.  A large wooden bench, painted red and suspended by an axle which protruded through the wall, took up most of the inside of the room.  It looked as though we were inside a large rectangular room with no windows or other obvious accoutrements.  A smell of burnt batteries lingered inside the place.

The doctor sat on the bench and beckoned me forward.  Holding back a panic attack as I did not enjoy closed spaces, I tried to dispel my trepidation.  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Then I moved to his side and took a seat.  I tried to take a look at what was on the screen of his computer pad, but he snatched it up and held it to his chest, looking at me over the top of his glasses.

“What happens now?”

GET “WISEMEN” TODAY! THE FULL LENGTH BRUCE BENNETT EXPERIENCE!

Dec 02

Foal Dreams: An Interview with Foal

After the success of our first interview, I wanted to interview Foal and the Angels author Foal again. This interview is all about the importance of dreams, listening to what we are being told, and how we can learn from our subconscious. Listen, learn and become open-minded with Foal.

 

dreamsQ) Why are dreams important to us?

Dreams are more than simply important, they are actually essential to our well being, to life itself ! And now, we know for certain from scientific experiments that, if deprived of dreaming, human beings will become neurotic or will start showing very disturbing behaviors. So, you see, even if we don`t remember our dreams, we still do need to dream in order to keep our mental and emotional balance. We cannot live without sleep, or without dreams.

Q) What is the most important thing a dream has explained to you?

Emotionally and spiritually speaking, it’s difficult to choose one since there are more than I could tell. It’s a bit like having a wise man (or a jester sometimes!) by your side who is not explaining things to you in a didactic and pedantic way, but rather showing you what would happen `IF`, and so you can spontaneously make your decision on your own.

Q) Is there one dream that really stands out above all others?

YES! There is ONE BIG DREAM that stands out above the others. Three years ago I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, or rather, the dreams diagnosed me first, and they strongly ( i.e., nightmarishly!! LOL!) recommended me to have a check up. Even when doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with me and were telling me to come back in a year or so, the dreams kept pushing me till I went for a second and third opinion, and then we finally found it. So thanks to my dreams, the cancer was found at the very beginning, stage A, level 1. If I had waited a year or more as I had been told, I don’t know how things may have ended. In my heart of hearts, I know they saved my life. And one day I know I`ll have to write at length about this experience, too!

Q) Do you believe “Foal and the Angels” appeals to all kinds of people, and did you write it with that in mind?

Absolutely! FOAL and the Angels is definitely not only for the spiritually-oriented, but also for the man in the street, for just everybody with an open heart. Besides, it`s such an easy and quick read that it can be enjoyed by the young and the old , the educated and the not-that-well educated, the spiritual and the not spiritual at all. That’s one more reason why I chose the story/fairytale format. FOAL and the Angels’ contents is spiritual indeed, but in a very common sense/everyday-life way. Apart from the bits of wisdom that are there for sure, FOAL`s reactions to that very wisdom can get kind of quite hilarious, too.

Q) What do you think makes a good book?

To me, a book has to be enjoyable, in whatever form it may come—essay, dissertation, novel, short story. It has to be read with JOY. Joy that may come from a desire for more knowledge, a desire for raising awareness, for inspiration, or just for the sake of having a great time indulging in fantasies or laughter. Well, simply put, for me a book is good if you enjoy reading it.

Q) How did you know that your book was ready for release?

Well, the dreams and the story had been brewing up for quite a few years, although the moment never felt ripe yet. It was almost a fermentation process, till the moment when I could find the right thread to stitch the whole experience into a story that could make an easy, yet profound read. And, please believe me, I say this in the most humble way, since I am certainly not ever going to take credit for that. (I mean, the profound part!)

Q) Do you enjoy running your Facebook page?

Yes, I like to be in contact with people in such way. And it has made me `meet` so many wonderful people that otherwise I would have never met indeed.

Q) Do you enjoy blogging?

Actually, I started blogging only very recently, and at first I thought I would not make much of a blogger.  But as it goes, now I enjoy it greatly. When I start writing a post, I rarely know what words will be flowing out of me next. So it is such a pleasure to see how much I had in myself that I didn’t consciously know. In a way, you could say that it does help me dig out treasures I didn’t know were there …

(Please visit Foal’s blog at spiritualjourneyofthesoul.wordpress.com ~NW)

Q) When you write do you like to do it in silence? With music? What works for you?

Mostly in silence…so to speak LOL ! my head is always buzzing and soooo talking to itself that actually there is hardly any silence at all !

Q) Can you tell me what “Foal and the Angels” is about and why readers would enjoy it?

Well, it is a story told by a boy (FOAL) who has all these dreams, and through the unfolding of his dreams and the impact they have on his life, he finally starts to understand the great secrets of wisdom hidden behind the mysteries of life. It is also a story of how dreams and `messages` led me, a.k.a. FOAL, on a spiritual journey that of course is still on its way. You see, dreaming is an ongoing story, and if you dream every night—and pay attention to the intrinsic message in there–you will end up with a manual for almost all that is happening in your life! And I mean this! FOAL`s ten thousand questions get actually answered through the recounting of his dreams and his adventures with the Angels. I called it “Angels School,” but you can call it whatever you like!

Q) Do you believe that a book can change the life of an individual?

ABSOLUTELY ! I have not the least doubt ! It’s happened to me a few times before, for instance, with The Little Prince, The Alchemist and a few others. But most of all the writing/reading of FOAL itself did change my life in so many ways…in so many BETTER ways. It helped me a lot in living my life in a more `conscious` way and my greatest hope is that it may do the same for others, too.

Q) How long does it take you to write a book?

Well, this is my first book, and it took me a year and a half. But I daresay that every book has its own time of incubation, fermentation, and writing and publication. I am writing FOAL II at the moment, but I don’t know if it will take the same amount of time, and honestly it doesn’t matter to me at all. Whatever time is needed, is needed. Period. It doesn’t really matter, does it ?

Get your copy of “Foal and the Angels” today!

Nov 30

Novel Ideas is The Home of the Hits

Novel Ideas is proud to announce that we have had a week of bonanza sales… Author promotion is starting to catch fire and people are starting to realize the power of indie books!

 

Boyd Lemon #2!

Boyd Lemon hits #2 with “Eat, Walk, Write.”

 

Bruce Bennett #1111

Bruce Bennett hits #1 with “Digital Air.”

MJ Summers still #1

MJ Summers scores one of the biggest indie hits of the year with “Break In Two.”

Michael Haden 30,000

Michael Haden scores a hit supreme with “A Deal With God.”

michael haden 18!

Michael Haden charting….

Yveta Germano climbing again

Yveta Germano hits home with “Bring Me Back.”

Brian Hanley #3

"Wisemen" is charting highly for Bruce Bennett.

“Wisemen” is charting highly for Bruce Bennett.

Cliff Roberts 12,000

Cliff Roberts scores his 5th huge hit with “Conch Republic.”

Nov 28

Tom Ufert asks “Is This Heaven?”

Is this heaven?  No, it’s Thanksgiving in America. To paraphrase a famous line from one of my all-time favorite movies, A Field of Dreams, I decided to write of hope and grace that I believe is sorely lacking in this country and indeed throughout the world.  For me the 1989 movie plucks a heartstring, as it does for so many.  The momentous plot intertwines our nation’s great pastime, baseball, with a historical theme of American greatness.  Uniquely great actor James Earl Jones’ soliloquy purposefully begins with “People will most definitely come.”  This in turn recants the movie’s beginning call to action for Academy Award winning actor Kevin Costner—“Build it and they will come.”  America’s Founding Fathers had just such a dream.  On this day, Thanksgiving 2013, I challenge each and every reader of my words to take heart and believe once again in what we all know to be true in our hearts and souls.  “Build it and they will come!”  Build an unshakeable fellowship of man—move mountains and the hearts of all mankind will surely follow.

I was reminded today that Thanksgiving Day is a uniquely American holiday because of our remembrance to that historical occasion when our Native American Indians and New World colonists sat together in brotherhood to give thanks for the blessings of peace and prosperity.  Though of different cultural backgrounds, skin color, creed and social customs, humanity came together as one in thanks sharing what they had in common—a firm belief their blessings came from a higher being and could only be maintained through a unified respect for each other.  The human species could point to no finer moment in history, when despite our differences we were one family of man expressing a common gratitude to our Maker.  Therein, we embraced a common goal to care for our fellow man above all else.

On Tuesday, Pope Francis I released his Papacy’s mission statement.  The 224-page document, called Evangelii Gaudium, is the first major work written entirely by Pope Francis since he was made pontiff.  Pope Francis wrote: “Money must serve, not rule!  The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor.” (Express, 11/26/13)   As the richest nation on earth, America must take these words to heart and in the spirit of what Thanksgiving is all about. We must remember to give thanks to our Creator by loving and caring for each other.

In the United States, Thanksgiving Day marks the official beginning of the holiday season leading to Christmas Day and the New Year.  Ironically, this American celebration of giving thanks is joined on the calendar for the first time since 1888 by the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.  Being commonly referred to as “Thanksgivukkah,” this historical convergence of the secular and religious calendars will not occur again for another 79.043 years.  That is quite a remarkable event in human history, and I think a quintessential crossroad not to be taken lightly!

In addition, our nation and the world remembered the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination last week.  There were an endless number of references to the “Thousand Days of Camelot” that commonly described JFK’s remarkable words of hope and promise for the future of America and the world.  The striking tone of that presidency was earmarked by his 1961 Inaugural Address in which he said,

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.  I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.  I do not believe any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.  The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it – and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans:  ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world:  ask not what America will do for you, but what we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you.  With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

In recent years, Americans have become increasingly polarized and significantly more isolationist in our role as leaders of the free world.  No doubt this has evolved as a result of two foreign wars over the last eleven years, a shrinking confidence in our economic superiority, and a growing lack of trust in a government riddled with inefficiency, lacklustre leadership, and an apparent inability to competently handle basic services.  Therefore, we as a people have acquiesced to the false security comforts of a materialistic society and forsaken our noble obligations as informed citizens.  We have allowed ourselves to sink blindly into apathy with regards to our democracy and accepted sub-standards as the norm.  The lack of mutual respect and oblivious disregard for higher standards of personal conduct are fostered by a crumbling early education system that fails to prepare our children for the future.  Instead of instilling hard work ethics and personal pride, we tend to play the “blame game” and offer endless excuses for our perceived decline as a “beacon to the world.”   ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

I am proud to be an American—not a homosexual American; not a white Anglo American; not a physically challenged American. I AM AN AMERICAN pure and simple.  I will no longer allow the media, corporate America, or my own government to classify me into a neatly wrapped box for the comfortable convenience of others.  TAKE PRIDE AMERICA IN WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR!  In doing so, we must accept the responsibility for our fellow man because it is what defines us as Americans.  We go where others fear to tread, we dream the impossible dreams, and we accomplish astonishing achievements that change the world!

Therefore, today on Thanksgiving Day, let us raise our heads high shed the false impressions that our finest days are behind us.  Let us rise up to take the mantle God has blessed us to wear—leaders among men and our brother’s keeper.  Remember the scriptural words of wisdom, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”  As we sit down at our overflowing bountiful tables to gorge ourselves into temporary obesity, let us remember those who are not so blessed.  In the coming days as we plunge ourselves into gluttonous debt buying endless luxuries we don’t really need, let us pray to remember the homeless, the hungry, the disillusioned, the sick & dying, the lonely, the unemployed, the elderly, the poverty stricken, the mentally ill, and our wounded veterans.  They are our neighbors, our brothers & sisters, our fellow human beings to whom we often turn a blind eye because they are harsh reminders of what the future holds for each of us with a twist of fate.  We are all a heartbeat away from oblivion.  In the end, we must look into every face as if it were a cold reflection.  The simple truth is that we’re all God’s creatures and none of us is immune from having to someday walk in the very shoes of those we carelessly disregard. We are all John Does and each of us must be thankful for the adversity that builds our character.

 

GET YOUR BLACK FRIDAY SALE COPY OF “ADVERSITY BUILDS CHARACTER.”

Nov 27

Troubled Teen: Author Charles James Explains All…

Charles James weaves a story that will leave you shocked to the core with “The Tarnished Shooter.” The story begins in 1971. Frank Henry Barker is a troubled young man left in emotional turmoil after years of his father’s abuse. He joins the Marines after getting into more trouble than he can handle—just to escape a probation officer desperate to send him to a reformatory.

 
This harrowing true-to-life story will have you reeling with the punches as we follow Frank as he battles the demons that haunt him. His anger and rage only compound the problems he has with relationships and society. This book will reveal the thoughts and actions of a person who has been brought up with violence and trained to solve disputes with his fists.

 
“The Tarnished Shooter” is a compelling five star story of adversity, adventure and the consequences of choices one makes and is based on actual events. This is a story you won’t forget for a long, long time…

 

Q) What do you think the main purpose of “The Tarnished Shooter” is?

A) The purpose of the book is to tell a story about how a choice, any choice, can change a life in an instant. Too many people take choices for granted. I know I did. I had more choices than I realized, and many times I thought there were limited choices. Today I know different. Schools don’t teach about social values in a way young people can understand. There is so much pressure out there to fit in and go along with the crowd. If one follows the wrong crowd or the wrong person, bad choices are sure to come down the pike.

Q) What advice would you give to a teenager going through the same problems you went through?

A) Today is a different world from when I was a teen, but life principles are the same. Troubled teens are so vulnerable because they don’t have the life experiences to reflect back, thus allowing them to make a better choice. My advice for any teen would be to figure out what to do, or what to be and follow that path as long as it is a good path. Teens have to realize that they have a tough road ahead and to prepare for it. Actually program yourself with the idea that things are going to be tough. You will get your heart broken. Someone will let you down, and people are going to walk in and out of your life, and some are going to die. But no matter what happens, the world is not going to stop. You are here so make the best of it, and decide today that you are going to make the best of it no matter what.

Q) Do you feel it is your responsibility to help people going through the same problems you experienced?

A) No, I don’t feel it is my responsibility, but I would like to offer some hard-learned advice. Sometimes people going through problems just need an ear willing to listen. And they want to be heard without judgement and without preaching. I never felt I had anyone to hash things out with on a peer level or on an equal level with an adult. Because parents or guardians feel the need to be in control, they seem to always butt in without listening to the whole story.

Q) How did you turn your life around? What really caused you to do that?

A) I turned my life around because I had seen and spent time on the inside of jails and correctional institutions, and I didn’t want those places to become my permanent residences. They are tough, mean places where every day is a fight for sanity and survival. I also didn’t want to give everyone the satisfaction of being who they thought I was. I knew I was more than what others thought of me.

Q) Did you ever believe you would write a book?

A) When I was young, I had a vague picture in my mind about writing a book. Why, I don’t know. I always hated school and never paid any attention when it came to learning about English and language. As the years passed and more and more things happened to me, I rekindled that thought because I had something to write about. A person has to have some experiences before he can have something to say.

Q) How can your book help people?

A) I wasn’t really sure how readers would react to the book or if it would be well received. It wasn’t written in a self-help format, but I hoped that by reading the book one could get an idea of how Frank Henry Barker made decisions and how those decisions affected everything in his life. The reader, if in similar situations, can decide whether to make a better choice or follow in Frank’s footsteps. I never advocate violence, but there are times when it is necessary. The true test is to know when it is absolutely necessary to use violence.

Q) Do you think you will write another book?

A) I had planned on it. A writer never knows how the public or how readers will respond to the work. I have a few other ideas for books. I like to write about real life experiences and the effects those experiences have on people.

Q) Can you explain your experience in the Marines for readers? Why was that such a huge experience for you?

A) The U. S. Marine Corps is always considered to be the toughest service branch because of the demanding training one gets while going through boot camp. There is a sort of mystique about Marines. Before I left for boot camp, there was a guy always picking fights with me. When I saw that same guy after I came home from boot camp he avoided me and never made another remark or threat. I think he was afraid I’d teach him a Marine Corps lesson he’d never forget.

When a person graduates from Marine Corps boot camp there is no better feeling because of its reputation. A person having gone through and succeeding at one of the hardest things he/she will ever do can get a boost in self-esteem. Being in the Marine Corps was like being in the big time. Everyone knows what it takes to make it through so there is an instant respect. For a while, I liked being in the Marines and was proud to be a Marine. But people and things change—sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst.

Q) Looking back—if you could live those experiences over—would you have done anything differently?

A) Sure. Hindsight is always 20/20. The invisible forces are always there pulling with an energy most cannot explain. A thought can float into the mind, and it is up to the recipient of that thought to either follow it or discard it. Knowing what I know now I would have done things differently. I know that for sure.

Q) Let me ask you this—was writing a book an emotional experience for you?

A) At times it was because I had to relive all those experiences. I would be hammering away at the keyboard writing about an event, and my heart would start pounding, and I’d start sweating, and then I’d start to feel the adrenaline just the way I did back when the event happened. The hardest was when I was writing the scenes about my uncle and brother’s death. And I didn’t know how my family and friends would react to the story.

Q) Do you really believe education, upbringing, and social values really shape a person?

A) I do strongly believe that. Growing up in a family that supports your dreams and goals will definitely improve the odds of being successful. Society has to loosen up and stop demanding so much perfection. Perfection alone, I feel, can have some pretty negative effects. A person needs to be able to fail once in a while and then figure out what went wrong and what to do the next time. I would advise demanding parents to just back off, give a kid some room to learn things before demanding perfection right out of the gate.

Get “The Tarnished Shooter” today!

Nov 26

An Interview With Author Sarka Jonae-Miller

 

Why did you want to write a book?

I wanted to write a book ever since I was a kid. I loved when my teachers would give us creative writing assignments in school. I’d always go way over the minimum length. I thought it would be cool to write an entire book one day. Also, I always loved to read and felt very moved by many of the books I read. I wanted to write something that would move people as well. Between Boyfriends is an attempt to make people laugh , but also to get them to re-evaluate what makes them happy and how much of what they do is really for someone else. I also hoped that people would be more compassionate to teens and young adults who use a bad attitude to mask deep feelings of insecurity and unworthiness. These negative self-images are more prevalent than people think, and I believe that in a person’s early 20s is their best chance to let go of those false beliefs and become a happier person.

What makes you a great writer?

I don’t know that I am a great writer, but I know that some of the things that many writers struggle with, such as humour and dialogue, are things I write well. I may not be the best at foreshadowing or imagery, but when it comes to creating rich characters with believable motivations, that’s what I’m good at. Allowing for personal development in a slow, realistic fashion while keeping the reader entertained is where I excel.

What is inspirational to you?

Other books inspire me, especially ones with spiritual or compassionate messages sprinkled within an entertaining narrative. That inspires me to try harder and to write more. I take inspiration from people around me but not just my friends. I respect privacy, but I am be a but nosy and if I witness an interesting exchange between people or overhear something juicy, I may use it in a book.

How did you approach writing?

Between Boyfriends was written in a rather haphazard way. I got the idea in my junior year of college and wanted nothing more than to stop everything else in my life and write. Unfortunately, I was paying for college myself, which meant working 30+ hours a week while attending classes full-time. I worked summers too, generally with two jobs. So, I wrote whenever I could, an d I didn’t have time to create an outline. It was mostly sit and type and hope whatever came out wasn’t awful. This is how I wrote the book over the course of three years. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t brilliant. I did a major rewrites and several smaller ones based on feedback from agents and friends. I never really had time for anything structured. It worked out though. I tried to use an outline for the second book and went completely off course. I learned that I’m not an outline writer. I write as it comes.

What do you think a great book needs?

A great publicist. Just kidding. Sort of. The problem with defining something as a great book is you usually have to get enough people to agree that a good book is really a great one. I think there are a lot of great books out there that haven’t gotten the promotion from good to great but could someday if it resurfaces. So, I’d say for a great book you need a good book that is memorable enough and lucky enough to get people championing it. I think you need all the right elements, an interesting plot, interesting characters, and some truth people can take away from the story. I’d argue that the characters don’t even have to be relate-able as long as they are interesting and consistent.

How do you feel about the independent writing world?

I’m a big fan and think we all need to support indie authors and publishers, and not just because I went from self-published to indie published. Traditional publishing houses aren’t willing to take risks any more, which means that a lot of great voices aren’t being heard. On the flip side, a lack of gatekeepers means books held to lower standards are out there. I run a boutique PR firm for authors when I’m not writing, and one of my requirements for taking on a new client is that their book must be professionally edited. I know it is expensive, but the lack of good editing is a main reason why people, some people, look down on indie authors. That could change if more authors invested in professional editing, proofreading ,and design services.

Do you believe a book needs promotion to succeed?

I think in 99% of cases, yes. You might see a rare book that gets released at just the right time and falls into the hands of just the right people who tell their friends, who tell their friends, and so on, and a book succeeds without any real promotion. But that is so rare. I resisted the idea of having to promote my work for a long time. I adopted the naïve belief that as an artist I shouldn’t have to bother with promotion, just put out a quality product. Years later, I became a publicist. You eventually realize that there are more books out there than readers could possibly keep up with, so you need promotion to stand out.

Who are your favourite authors?

I have a lot. JK Rowling, Terry Brooks, Candace Bushnell, Sophie Kinsella, Jane Austen, George Eliot, CS Lewis, Kim Harrison, Laurell K. Hamilton, Guy Gavriel Kay, Philip Pullman, Risa Green, Helen Fiedling, Lani Diane Rich… It’s an eclectic group.

What attracts you to a book?

Pheromones? Oh my God, there’s a marketing idea I bet that’s never been tried. I always read the description and a couple of pages to see if I like the writer’s style. Usually I read women’s fiction and fantasy. If it’s a women’s fiction book, I better be laughing within the first few pages or I’m not interested. For fantasy, I usually look for a style I can immediately understand. I find some fantasy tries so hard to be creative that you have to work really hard just to understand what is going on. I’d rather know that there’s a great storyline from the description and then relate instantly to the protagonist than struggle to figure out an entire new world before I can enjoy the book.

A drop of rain falls from the sky—what do you think?

“Wow.” We don’t get a lot of rain in San Diego, so unless I’m about to drive to LA I often take a moment to enjoy the sight and feel of raindrops.

How does a cloudy day make you feel? Sometimes sad and sometimes relaxed. I think that if I’m in a good mood, a cloudy day seems like a great excuse to curl up with a book and drink hot tea, but if I’m tired or stressed a cloudy day can be depressing.

What does a bar of chocolate taste like to you?

Heaven. I love chocolate, especially sweet, dark chocolate. Bitter chocolate makes me sad. I think, “Just a little more sweetener and this could have been divine.”

How do you define your book by genre?

My book is very easily defined as chick lit. Chick lit is known for being light, funny, and appealing to women. It usually contains a romantic element, but isn’t a romance. It deals with a woman going through a change in her life and usually involves help from friends. I love chick lit because it’s told in a fun way but can still deal with issues like divorce, career changes, death, and growing up. My book is a little different from most chick lit in that the protagonist has some issues that make her unlikeable in some ways, but I wanted to write a book for most women in their 20s who do have some issues their figuring out and who aren’t perfect and sweet and lovable all the time.

How does blog touring make you feel?

It’s a lot of fun. It reminds me of when I first started getting my freelance articles published online and I could pop over to a bunch of sites and see my byline. Knowing that so many blogs are helping to showcase my novel is wonderful and makes me feel, more than anything, extremely grateful.

How many times have you rewritten a line to try and get the right feel for it?

I don’t often rewrite lines multiple times, but occasionally there is one that I wish would just write itself. I’ll rewrite a line a dozen times if I have to, and sometimes I’ve had to do that to create the exact feel I wanted.

Do you like to write with music? Does that help you concentrate?

I’ve tried it and I know it works for some people, but I really love music I can dance to and will tend to get up and start dancing and singing along, which doesn’t help my writing much. I do like to take dance breaks though during long writing sessions. It helps me recharge.

Do you feel the writing world is full of negativity or positivity?

I’m not sure that I completely understand the question, but the authors I associate with are all positive, supportive people. I’ve spoken with a lot of nice literary agents and publishing people. There are certainly a lot of mean people out there who seem to be independently wealthy because they sure spend a lot of time looking for new books to rip apart in reviews. It makes me really sad when people aren’t constructive in their criticism, but I know that has nothing to do with me or my work and everything to do with someone’s own issues.

Does promotion make you excited or scared?

Excited!

What are your expectations as a writer?

I expect to keep working my butt off until I can earn a comfortable living off my work.

Do you feel comfortable interviewing?

Absolutely. Though so far I’ve only been interviewed for blogs, newspapers, and informally on the radio. I’m terrified of a live TV interview. I’d do it though.

What is the worst thing you’ve ever read?

Well, there was this 1-star review of my book… But I don’t think that’s what you mean. If I could think of the worst book I’ve ever read I wouldn’t say what it is.

Do you find it easy to concentrate on a book?

Definitely. Writing or reading books draws me in and unless there’s an awesome dance track on it is hard to distract me. Food can sometimes do it though.

What are your hobbies outside of writing?

I study kung fu and qigong. I take my training very seriously, so it’s hard to say it’s a hobby but technically it is. I used to do a lot of yoga. I hope to get back to that soon. I do flash mobs sometimes. I used to ride horses, but when my mare got too old to be ridden and then passed away last year I stopped. I wasn’t very good at it anyway, but I’m sure I’ll take it up again someday.

Music: Dance

California: Home

Christmas: Presents

Yesterday: Forgotten

Maze: Alice in Wonderland

Blue: Dot

Diplomat: Pouch

Dreaming: Sleep

Lover: Missing

Romance: Book

Book: Romance (I think that’s just because of the word before)

Biography: Michael Jackson

July: Hot

Get your copy of “Between Boyfriends” today!