tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8769328053706980252024-03-14T06:27:37.263-05:00Shut Up & ReadShe reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live. -Annie DillardSheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.comBlogger1251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-84129044424385386552022-10-22T16:52:00.001-05:002022-10-22T16:59:28.673-05:00Send Her Back and Other Stories by Munashe Kaseke<span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkCCi8yxUc2BqsTeLw2znRht3uZ7pHaaLES6CZ8IYAvRCw0uSFGmrHlAgMzesCndd7_ach6ETjVyDKwLbIVmB08TN7aJXZ6qfWlhhZ9Y3CTWUXtLEVfKcznJ9JjQignVBVRocnKB3MzKjvUp7U4AW0O8-MyN-j-er3rtCOsNnOSLacgekPJjDYod_/s365/60178750.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="255" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkCCi8yxUc2BqsTeLw2znRht3uZ7pHaaLES6CZ8IYAvRCw0uSFGmrHlAgMzesCndd7_ach6ETjVyDKwLbIVmB08TN7aJXZ6qfWlhhZ9Y3CTWUXtLEVfKcznJ9JjQignVBVRocnKB3MzKjvUp7U4AW0O8-MyN-j-er3rtCOsNnOSLacgekPJjDYod_/w140-h200/60178750.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60178750-send-her-back-and-other-stories" target="_blank">Send Her Back and Other Stories</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22169180.Munashe_Kaseke" target="_blank">Munashe Kaseke</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4909046647?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">⭐⭐⭐⭐<br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Send Her Back and Other Stories by Munashe Kaseke is an interesting look into the lives of immigrant women both in the United States and in their own countries. Each of the stories in this book are from the woman's perspective and tell their stories of hope, struggle, sacrifice, success, and failure.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I enjoyed the open, honest writing style and the no-holds truth these women faced in their everyday lives. The author addressed difficult issues relevant to immigrant women. Each story was unique and interesting in its own way. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to expand their horizons.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I listened to the audio of this book. The narrator was engaging and authentic. I enjoyed listening to it</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786?shelf=reviews">See allof my reviews</a></span></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-73512338544694389652022-10-22T16:48:00.004-05:002022-10-22T16:59:47.272-05:00The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris<span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-rcHBLy4q0ZVzgN6f84nhbo3iI3hu5Xogy_od0jCDWZb6nTzTQbuG6VYkuqsynYzFet8gqC0l61mGtRUQyNUGNMaK1B9jS_o-HB0EHXQPgZG1P3CmT6MX4VG51hi8kD1VUTM_y1SKDFhLt6nnzwani_JrPezO1Owb5P1bbrvnL3TUhqSz9zA0CP8/s2475/60119146.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-rcHBLy4q0ZVzgN6f84nhbo3iI3hu5Xogy_od0jCDWZb6nTzTQbuG6VYkuqsynYzFet8gqC0l61mGtRUQyNUGNMaK1B9jS_o-HB0EHXQPgZG1P3CmT6MX4VG51hi8kD1VUTM_y1SKDFhLt6nnzwani_JrPezO1Owb5P1bbrvnL3TUhqSz9zA0CP8/w133-h200/60119146.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60119146-the-ways-we-hide" target="_blank">The Ways We Hide</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4384611.Kristina_McMorris" target="_blank">Kristina McMorris</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4795409587?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">⭐⭐⭐⭐</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been on a WWII kick lately. I love reading about the every day people who went above and beyond to help their to become unsung war heroes. It gives me hope for humanity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Ways We Hide is a historical fiction story based around true events. Fenna had a good, but hard life. She went through many hardships and overcame them to do great things. Her story is one of love and loss and courage to endure. I enjoyed her story, her tenacity, and her unwillingness to give up on those she loves.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This was my second book by this author, and I've come to enjoy the writing style and storytelling.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786?shelf=reviews" target="_blank">See all of my reviews</a></span></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-88067794764974385522022-10-22T16:44:00.005-05:002022-10-22T16:59:52.144-05:00Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson<span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyZZcr8CkazvXcfYQHMKAKg8Mh8f0xQGZdDvnHZ8gnCs3XtjJyEeg6KKJgNdpSAER8fMtFEpzF_75VQcoiC7R8b6iwkndbs56UGwzBzfdkgtBmjNV4OimlklAAW_aCnLaCDjaf86WF4W9cf_T2wCBikg6FJvYn5holEIlk8gaXFb-IadpLTVdZY5t/s675/58505877.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="435" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyZZcr8CkazvXcfYQHMKAKg8Mh8f0xQGZdDvnHZ8gnCs3XtjJyEeg6KKJgNdpSAER8fMtFEpzF_75VQcoiC7R8b6iwkndbs56UGwzBzfdkgtBmjNV4OimlklAAW_aCnLaCDjaf86WF4W9cf_T2wCBikg6FJvYn5holEIlk8gaXFb-IadpLTVdZY5t/w129-h200/58505877.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58505877-run-rose-run" target="_blank">Run Rose Run</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/144067.Dolly_Parton" target="_blank">Dolly Parton</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3780.James_Patterson" target="_blank">James Patterson</a><br />My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4636599861?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">⭐⭐⭐⭐</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I chose to read this book partly because I love James Patterson and partly because I love Dolly Parton. I was quite intrigued by the matchup of these two and felt I had to find out what this duo could produce.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Run Rose Run is the story of a young, talented singer trying to hide from her past. I loved the characters, and the story was quite charming. This was a quick, easy read. Somewhat predictable, but entertaining nonetheless. Overall, I would probably read more books from this pair of authors.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Kelsea Ballerini and Ms. Dolly Parton herself, and I have to say, the narration was my favorite part of the book. If I had been reading a physical copy, it would not have been nearly as engaging.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786?shelf=reviews" target="_blank">See all of my reviews</a></span></div></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-85202614405718369972022-10-22T16:39:00.002-05:002022-10-22T16:53:07.285-05:00Little Thieves by Margaret Owen<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017820-little-thieves" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017820-little-thieves" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D6-lZpNTnj4MUQdWZWk4D_ir5b8A8B2G-pWkcNVuRDZdm6BpwNM6596-90N8Z9MQejQjZaWFKJjsUwgIuYHq430v3a4gL1hlqIdDtQB9nGNZG_wITkeaWa9LBKK13N0bHU2wRaiIPXCOmJmt-BOyQNs5eyQEbczoPjKskI_SXoivElIAAWfBa9jm/s2775/54017820.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D6-lZpNTnj4MUQdWZWk4D_ir5b8A8B2G-pWkcNVuRDZdm6BpwNM6596-90N8Z9MQejQjZaWFKJjsUwgIuYHq430v3a4gL1hlqIdDtQB9nGNZG_wITkeaWa9LBKK13N0bHU2wRaiIPXCOmJmt-BOyQNs5eyQEbczoPjKskI_SXoivElIAAWfBa9jm/w133-h200/54017820.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4196396499?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Little Thieves</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17272080.Margaret_Owen" target="_blank">Margaret Owen</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4196396499?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">⭐⭐⭐⭐</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I read the description. I love the idea of an antiheroine, a girl who started with nothing and stole her way up to the top.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Vanja is a great character. You want to root for her even though you know, and she knows, what she is doing is wrong. The rest of main characters are eccentric and fun, which makes for a great story. I would have liked the curse to be a bit more of a main plot in the story, as it seemed to just be sort of an afterthought, but overall, this was a great read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the first book I've read by this author, but if they are all this well-written and entertaining, I'll most definitely be reading more.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786?shelf=reviews" target="_blank">See all of my reviews</a></span></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-43442481358078413102022-10-22T16:31:00.001-05:002022-10-22T16:32:26.217-05:00Mickey7 by Edward Ashton<div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53296879-mickey7" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53296879-mickey7" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKJTv6Ulvu3YpnIv4C6K1u__hrs6Ic4wqU5wbaCaoOqk5bCJQLcxjwueIHlUSxNuQ_2oYk_3SuSMUrer8Ra4MZNSJyEWftOqBhor2H8MN6-GYMWzEeXgYc4O0m0-wYboZq-Fck6zAA-UtchaOa9mMoQanmzLrohhekQ28mabf9kwc8cxiFPY9qZSt/s475/53296879._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKJTv6Ulvu3YpnIv4C6K1u__hrs6Ic4wqU5wbaCaoOqk5bCJQLcxjwueIHlUSxNuQ_2oYk_3SuSMUrer8Ra4MZNSJyEWftOqBhor2H8MN6-GYMWzEeXgYc4O0m0-wYboZq-Fck6zAA-UtchaOa9mMoQanmzLrohhekQ28mabf9kwc8cxiFPY9qZSt/w132-h200/53296879._SY475_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53296879-mickey7" target="_blank">Mickey7</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10864410.Edward_Ashton" target="_blank">Edward Ashton<br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4274866554?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">⭐⭐⭐⭐</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10864410.Edward_Ashton"><br /></a><br /> Mickey is an Expendable. His job description literally is to be expendable. I love the idea of this and the reasoning behind it. There are some jobs machines just can't do as well as humans, but these jobs could be potentially dangerous for said humans…so, what do you do?<br /> <br /> I liked Mickey as the narrator of the story. He's a bit quirky, funny, and a loyal friend. My only question is what happens next? I love a good standalone, but I really want to know what happens to Mickey and the colony on Niflheim.<br /> <br /> I love that this book is set so many years in the future after so many advances in science and technology, but the basis is just humans doing what humans do best…Hostile takeovers, killing anything that they don't find useful, and destroying beautiful worlds to fit their own agenda. It's humanity.<br /> <br /> I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786-sheri?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=review">See all of my reviews</a></span></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-7667595857850011612022-10-21T21:00:00.001-05:002022-10-21T21:00:54.978-05:00All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGsgxl5ZGZetaDipw0KaEDEy4BNwpsXzXy5NILY-ORIuK6GEE5K1WFVtKXeJ1hGJmFeQnRYVd8xetiiO3kglACNU-DT7ACPheqdvsbGKAj4RvdpZjEA0PgBO5oMsn9vG6KqhOiavjUnskEnjBOi-OqtcQu_7cCCnoQYHbc02-K1RvJ-ySZomWayTZ/w131-h200/60142750.jpg" width="131" /></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60142750-all-good-people-here">All Good People Here</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19830282.Ashley_Flowers">Ashley Flowers</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19830282.Ashley_Flowers"><br /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating:<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4699957193?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1"> ⭐⭐⭐⭐</a><br /><br />All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers is a quick, easy read. I looked at this book initially because I listen to the author's podcast, but the premise caught my attention and I decided to give it a try.<br /><br />The book started slow for me but picked up quickly. I enjoyed following Margot as she delved into a cold case everyone seemed to want to forget. Dealing with her personal issues while trying to work and find out what really happened to her childhood friend was challenging, but the author wrote it in well. The ending was a surprise for me, so that's always a bonus. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers.<br /><br />I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786-sheri?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=review">See all of my reviews</a></span>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-55178768652891447352022-10-21T20:54:00.006-05:002022-10-21T20:54:32.143-05:00Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivK5fqFWet6nTsvkUd6NJONvsfiCsJLlOpe8unkD9Z69QahXbXh25ybGSFSybIB85EKgzFKBsVIGNIOkK7Xz_iPzf3W9tTkQ2uw8jFedd5FRcctu1eSvcCLZuP5hXvkRtraEI9Rc6RnCI7ZGYOxcQxwEVu7TIzqimIIqGHLdMiwIm8SPzK9KYuacus/s2850/59807954.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivK5fqFWet6nTsvkUd6NJONvsfiCsJLlOpe8unkD9Z69QahXbXh25ybGSFSybIB85EKgzFKBsVIGNIOkK7Xz_iPzf3W9tTkQ2uw8jFedd5FRcctu1eSvcCLZuP5hXvkRtraEI9Rc6RnCI7ZGYOxcQxwEVu7TIzqimIIqGHLdMiwIm8SPzK9KYuacus/w132-h200/59807954.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59807954-other-birds" style="font-family: arial;">Other Birds</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> by </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/566874.Sarah_Addison_Allen" style="font-family: arial;">Sarah Addison Allen</a><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">My rating:</span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4639029210?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" style="font-family: arial;"> ⭐⭐⭐⭐</a><br style="font-family: arial;" /><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">Other Birds is an enchanting story about love, loss, and finding yourself. Zoey is an 18-year-old following the memory of her mother out into the big world, truly on her own for the first time. She finds it's not always easy, but along the way of finding out who she wants to be, she meets up with an engaging cast of characters who love her just as she is. This is a gem of a book I'm glad I had the opportunity to read. The writing is whimsical and the setting of the book was magical. I want to go to Mallow Island and see it for myself!</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">This is my first book by this author, but I am definitely going to check out her others. I would recommend this book to everyone.</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><br style="font-family: arial;" /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786-sheri?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=review" style="font-family: arial;">See all of my reviews</a>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-82742352836035659342022-10-21T20:20:00.006-05:002022-10-22T16:53:52.542-05:00I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDMdQc-pGOLwEugCIyJ-Jzj3nEuYYyfVYD9k6nixhwxdid-2_gTSA9Ku9uAXWAi6SVhZWOchjDZ18l2VU71ti0eKkx__3UUpaGwIi7JgfoiWqvqcQaFXEFU4c6n9-sccPQA6xMT4JsanG7oT5sHXRLTzonr1C2iN6iZOE22MJJ0ieKYV5xYe4COli/s475/59364173._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDMdQc-pGOLwEugCIyJ-Jzj3nEuYYyfVYD9k6nixhwxdid-2_gTSA9Ku9uAXWAi6SVhZWOchjDZ18l2VU71ti0eKkx__3UUpaGwIi7JgfoiWqvqcQaFXEFU4c6n9-sccPQA6xMT4JsanG7oT5sHXRLTzonr1C2iN6iZOE22MJJ0ieKYV5xYe4COli/w134-h200/59364173._SY475_.jpg" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59364173-i-m-glad-my-mom-died" target="_blank">I'm Glad My Mom Died</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15457334.Jennette_McCurdy" target="_blank">Jennette McCurdy<br /></a>My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4917100863?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">4/5 stars</a><br /><br />My oldest daughter grew up with iCarly and Sam & Cat, so I've seen most of the episodes. I always thought they were entertaining and fun, something we could watch together. It's sometimes hard to remember while you're being entertained by the TV that those are real people with real lives and real problems. I chose to read this book partly because I love biographies/memoirs but also partly because of Jennette McCurdy and her tie to those shows.<br /><br />It's heartbreaking to see how she grew up and the love she had for her mother who was so obviously (to anyone on the outside looking in) abusive. She was a great actress, but absolutely hated it. In this book Jennette was open and honest about her childhood, teens, and early adulthood. She managed to take this horribly sad and disturbing story of her life and turn it into something positive for herself. I'm sure she will always struggle with her body image, but she's come a long way and has so much to look forward to in the future.<br /><br />I listened to the audio of this book. Jennette read it herself, which made it all that more amazing. Thank you Ms. McCurdy for sharing your story and for being an encouragement to others going through similar struggles. I wish you all the best. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786?ref=nav_mybooks">See all of my reviews</a></span></p>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-73128248106706986322022-10-21T20:00:00.002-05:002022-10-21T20:07:27.611-05:00You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow <p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56621648-you-d-be-home-now"></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlZ4_GNcjMu2XdDOOAKiLM4p0QhmzHCMRKm5vay5eYAIcmobg-4ZoIUODZbtGtlupejdOgyNTlm1LDBGXvfwPjfX9yFYBZY5IB-QnIWlmfU0o8yb4ejJ4gHy0olCrDw5AhXPXY4QlN_xaUOQk7PzUrDAA9CMg2_nUcXod85i09BLLQ1lPl1EkW12X/s2550/56621648.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlZ4_GNcjMu2XdDOOAKiLM4p0QhmzHCMRKm5vay5eYAIcmobg-4ZoIUODZbtGtlupejdOgyNTlm1LDBGXvfwPjfX9yFYBZY5IB-QnIWlmfU0o8yb4ejJ4gHy0olCrDw5AhXPXY4QlN_xaUOQk7PzUrDAA9CMg2_nUcXod85i09BLLQ1lPl1EkW12X/w133-h200/56621648.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56621648-you-d-be-home-now" target="_blank">You'd Be Home Now</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13479611.Kathleen_Glasgow">Kathleen Glasgow</a><br />My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4123380388?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">4 of 5 stars</a><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;">What are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This book was much more emotional and real than I had expected. I laughed…I cried. Seriously. I don't remember the last time I cried with a book.<br /><br />This was the story of Emory, but also of her brother Joey. Their lives are so intertwined that Emory can't seem to separate them. As she watches him go down the road of addiction and everything that comes with that, as his life unravels and everything it touches, all she wants is to be able to fix him, fix herself, and be seen. Maddie, her older sister is the perfect one, Joey is the bad one, and Emory is the good one, the invisible one.<br /><br />What I took away from this story is that addiction is hard on everyone, not just the one addicted. Life is hard. We mess up. Sometimes a lot. But we have to pick ourselves back up and try again. Because in the end, it doesn't matter that we messed up, but that we didn't give up.<br /><br />I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br /></span><p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3772786-sheri"><span style="font-family: arial;">View all my reviews</span></a></p><div><span face="Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12px;"><div class="authorName__container" style="display: inline-block;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-64678055977907711572019-07-11T18:19:00.002-05:002019-07-11T18:19:51.343-05:00Book Beginnings: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller<div style="margin: 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.rosecityreader.com/" target="_blank">Rose City Reader</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.<br /><br />You can find more information and how to participate on your blog <a href="http://www.rosecityreader.com/search/label/Book%20Beginnings" target="_blank">HERE!</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"My father was a king and the son of kings. He was a short man, as most of us were, and built like a bull, all shoulders. He married my mother when she was fourteen and sworn by the priestess to be fruitful."</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623848-the-song-of-achilles" target="_blank">The Song of Achilles</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Madeline Miller</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd75PszgVKpt0C3YT9cuTSTTjW9DbhfA_nxpMuDUKqv5woBhdtnr9A6a3nKYhny9J41dJ4u29I_QmCy2tTM_HW7vQlzeLO_S4SMnxBFacO5xglA2A4uZfhiEO8SQhbSsJoNRzbPsK3Ff0/s1600/13623848._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd75PszgVKpt0C3YT9cuTSTTjW9DbhfA_nxpMuDUKqv5woBhdtnr9A6a3nKYhny9J41dJ4u29I_QmCy2tTM_HW7vQlzeLO_S4SMnxBFacO5xglA2A4uZfhiEO8SQhbSsJoNRzbPsK3Ff0/s200/13623848._SY475_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the second book I've read by Madeline Miller, and I highly recommend both (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35959740-circe" target="_blank">Circe</a> was the first!). I love stories about the Greek gods, and this one was captivating. </span></span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-65119610985332928142019-07-10T21:35:00.000-05:002019-07-11T18:22:53.681-05:00Teaser Tuesday: Life Will Be the Death of Me:...and you too! by Chelsea Handler<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teaser Tuesday is a weekly Meme hosted by </span></span><a href="http://thepurplebooker.com/" target="_blank">The Purple Booker</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">where you share two “teaser” sentences from your current read.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Find out how you can participate <a href="http://thepurplebooker.com/" target="_blank">Here!</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I define me. No event or person does this. I define me. I decide who I am and how I’m going to behave, and I choose to be better. To look more carefully, to trudge deeper. To think about other people’s pasts and not judge someone for doing or handling something differently than I would. To understand my limitations, my shortcomings—that is my growth edge."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Title: Life Will Be the Death of Me:...and you too!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Author: Chelsea Handler</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a haze of vape smoke on a rare windy night in L.A. in the fall of 2016, Chelsea Handler daydreams about what life will be like with a woman in the White House. And then Donald Trump happens. In a torpor of despair, she decides that she’s had enough of the privileged bubble she’s lived in—a bubble within a bubble—and that it’s time to make some changes, both in her personal life and in the world at large.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At home, she embarks on a year of self-sufficiency—learning how to work the remote, how to pick up dog shit, where to find the toaster. She meets her match in an earnest, brainy psychiatrist and enters into therapy, prepared to do the heavy lifting required to look within and make sense of a childhood marked by love and loss and to figure out why people are afraid of her. She becomes politically active—finding her voice as an advocate for change, having difficult conversations, and energizing her base. In the process, she develops a healthy fixation on Special Counsel Robert Mueller and, through unflinching self-reflection and psychological excavation, unearths some glittering truths that light up the road ahead. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thrillingly honest, insightful, and deeply, darkly funny, Chelsea Handler’s memoir keeps readers laughing, even as it inspires us to look within and ask ourselves what really matters in our own lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>My Thoughts</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chelsea Handler's books will keep you laughing...at her or with her! In this book, she shares some very personal stories and opens up about a tragic event that shaped her life. </span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-6668868347513569242018-04-26T02:00:00.001-05:002022-10-21T21:13:54.028-05:00Q & A with Christina Weigand <div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joachim banishes Brandan to prison island of Hyogo. His
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With Brandan declared dead and his son missing Joachim sinks into despair and
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can Maeve save her country and her husband from the tentacles of evil pervading
the land</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>ebook, 362 pages</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Published February 7th 2014 </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/199912-palace-of-the-twelve-pillars" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Dragons-Palace-Twelve-Pillars-ebook/dp/B00IA4UWK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524260851&sr=8-1&keywords=Sanctuary+of+Nine+Dragons+christina" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Christina%20Weigand%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> * <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/christinaweigand" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">April 26, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZldhlHWNsHC-gchIs9bt8MaH3QtBTOGr6H3MRqnnE8eTqzaKLSYTWNVEsXVYbGOmI2pyvdzoi3cheIdcnKSm6E_QhBHPWv9s81ax30U_swPYznNHAgnLS3OVJxKOK9gJQ99U444LhaA/s1600/4121476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZldhlHWNsHC-gchIs9bt8MaH3QtBTOGr6H3MRqnnE8eTqzaKLSYTWNVEsXVYbGOmI2pyvdzoi3cheIdcnKSm6E_QhBHPWv9s81ax30U_swPYznNHAgnLS3OVJxKOK9gJQ99U444LhaA/s200/4121476.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three
grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three
granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in
Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington.
Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through
her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old
to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a, Bible Study, ,
volunteering at her daughter’s school helping the children develop a love for reading
and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her
writing. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Connect with Christina </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4121476.Christina_Weigand" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="http://www.weigandchris.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/CAWeigand" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://www.facebook.com/caweigand" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="text-align: start;">Q & A with Christina Weigand</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">King Brandan: King Brandan returns to the Palace of the
Twelve Pillars even more cocky and sure of his place than when he disappeared.
He makes some bold, selfish moves that will get him banished from the palace.
We see even more of his disdain for his brother and wife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As he travels on the prison ship the beginnings of a
different perspective begin to emerge in his field of vision, but when his ship
is wrecked and he is presumed dead Sidramah is able to fully infiltrate his
person and a Brandan who is wholly evil emerges. He is worse than Waldrom he
makes Waldrom look like a nice person as he ravages the lands starting with the
Mantion, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">King Joachim: The kidnapping of his infant son and the
disappearance of his brother finally pushes Joachim over the edge. As he sinks
into despair he rejects Asha and his family. He embarks on a journey to find
his son in spite of the odds against a successful journey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He rejects Asha and his family swearing that he can and will
do it on his own, leaving Maeve to rule the country.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that
process like for you as an author?</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My publisher MuseItUp has cover designers working for them.
Charlotte Volnek was the wonderful artist that designed the cover for Sanctuary
of Nine Dragons. She stepped in when the artist of the first two books left the
company and did a wonderful job of matching the cover to the first two books in
the series.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shortly after I signed the
contract I received a Cover Art form and an Author Info sheet. With these two
pages the publisher and artist were able to create a cover for the book. Once
it was designed then it was sent to me to approve or make suggestions for
changes. I was amazed at how well the artists were able to capture the essence
of the story without actually reading the book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Describe your ideal writing spot.</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That’s a hard one to nail down. A few times I have been
fortunate enough to go on a writer’s retreat. While there the writer’s stayed
in cabins in the woods and when writing we had the choice to write outside in
nature or inside one of the many buildings that were on the properties. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love to write outdoors in the woods or in a
park and unfortunately don’t get to do it very often, so I settle for my
Dragon’s Lair or if I’m lucky a nearby Starbucks or library.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>What is the best advice you have been given?</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read and Keep Writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started out wanting to be a nurse, but after seeing the
movie Jaws and having nightmares I decided that it wasn’t for me. My next idea
was a journalist. I always enjoyed writing and thought that it would be a good
fit for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I really have no preference and will read either one
depending on what is available.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>If you could have any supernatural power, what would you
choose and why?</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teleporting and Reading minds. So I could get to another
place quickly and so I could know what someone is really thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>What book are you reading now?</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace, Shivers by Heather Beck and Angels
and Patriots </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Salina Baker.</span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-89603108623795582292018-04-18T20:36:00.001-05:002022-10-21T21:13:18.887-05:00Q & A with Effie Kammenou<div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVRg92r3WPtwcfMbQQQGNZm3jV1MoY6nKyfYrHoQxi5ehsrKBWPMBCDgT6wXc7wwyTywtxHOg8MisrwaQZIKz7GFfaHxB8jgzdETKKbIHZsQb7-jwEE25gQcxoOMcrEOLq0kF86LcpUQ/s1600/33819288.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVRg92r3WPtwcfMbQQQGNZm3jV1MoY6nKyfYrHoQxi5ehsrKBWPMBCDgT6wXc7wwyTywtxHOg8MisrwaQZIKz7GFfaHxB8jgzdETKKbIHZsQb7-jwEE25gQcxoOMcrEOLq0kF86LcpUQ/s320/33819288.jpg" width="207" /></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waiting for Aegina </b></span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Gift Saga #2</b></span></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>by Effie Kammenou </b></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Book Two in The Gift Saga: The continuation of Evanthia’s
Gift … </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">In 1961, five little girls moved into a suburban neighborhood and became
inseparable, lifelong friends. They called themselves the ‘Honey Hill Girls,’
named after the street on which they lived. As teenagers they shared one
another’s ambitions and dreams, secrets and heartaches. Now, more than thirty
years later, they remain devoted and loyal, supporting each other through
triumphs and sorrows. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Evanthia's Gift follows the life of Sophia Giannakos. In Waiting for Aegina the
saga continues from the perspectives of Sophia and her friends as the story
drifts back and forth in time, filling in the gaps as the women grow to
adulthood. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Naive teenage ideals are later challenged by harsh realities, as each of their
lives takes unexpected turns. Now nearing their fiftieth year, Sophia, Demi,
Amy, Mindy and Donna stand together through life-altering obstacles while they
try to regain the lighthearted optimism of their youth. </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Kindle Edition, 338 pages</i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Published January 6, 2017</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33819288.Waiting_for_Aegina__The_Gift_Saga___2_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT6KLN4/ref=x_gr_w_glide_ku_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_ku_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01MT6KLN4&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waiting-for-aegina-effie-kammenou/1125473845;jsessionid=1C7C7B21F12D63A13E0815BD672B5CAC.prodny_store01-atgap02?ean=9780692825938&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">April 19, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP7xaZmWgJXmNGc4r2AJNd7-_JNnb7y9POdlE3GwPWbALeqjbrx0g-NMXurWd1icdqYSpLE2nbRw4amuvAjvlAbaqqQ857_H6kTqc9fd54bDC809xYWMfQagzmfSzF2Pu1JVK9ajULPc/s1600/14204724.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="153" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP7xaZmWgJXmNGc4r2AJNd7-_JNnb7y9POdlE3GwPWbALeqjbrx0g-NMXurWd1icdqYSpLE2nbRw4amuvAjvlAbaqqQ857_H6kTqc9fd54bDC809xYWMfQagzmfSzF2Pu1JVK9ajULPc/s200/14204724.jpg" width="115" /></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Effie Kammenou is a believer that it is never too late to
chase your dreams, follow your heart or change your career. She is proof of
that. At one time, long ago, she'd thought that, by her age, she would have had
an Oscar in her hand after a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked
in the optical field for 40 years and is the proud mother of two accomplished
young women. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br />
Her debut novel, Evanthia’s Gift, is a women’s fiction multigenerational love
story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real life
accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain
for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to
America. Her interview with him was published in a nationally circulated
magazine.<br />
<br />
Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 award finalist in the
Readers Favorite Awards in the Women’s Fiction category. Waiting for Aegina:
Book Two in The Gift Saga is Kammenou’s latest release.<br />
<br />
Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island
with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes
on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her cooking for
her family and friends.<br />
<br />
As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian
mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the
books.<br />
<br />
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.<br />
<br />
Member of Women's Fiction Writer's Association & Romance Writers of America</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Connect with </b></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Effie Kammenou</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14204724.Effie_Kammenou" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EffieKammenou/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/EffieKammenou" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Effie Kammenou</b></span></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">In the first book of the saga, Evanthia’s Gift, the main
character, Sophia, goes from her teens to adulthood. During this span of time,
the reader is introduced to her four childhood friends, who she has remained
close to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">In Waiting for Aegina, all five of these women make up an
ensemble of main characters, with Sophia being in the center of it all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Each one will have life choices to make and struggles to
overcome.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Sophia’s</b> happily ever after is challenged by revelations and
events from the past she needs to come to terms with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Demi</b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> battles her mother-in-law for her husband’s attention,
and wonders if his affection for her has dimmed.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amy’s </b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">past comes back to haunt her, threatening her marriage
and career.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Donna </b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">thought she had the perfect life when she married her
high school sweetheart. But his drinking, insensitivity and cruelty to a son
who doesn’t live up to his standards, sends her family’s life spiraling down a
tragic road.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mindy</b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> lost the love of her life when she chose a blossoming
and successful career as a dress designer over the demands of her lover.
Wondering if she’d made a mistake, she searches for love and thinks she’s found
it with a possessive and volatile man.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /><b><u>What was your inspiration behind Waiting for Aegina?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I knew I wanted to make this saga a trilogy. The first book
was partly inspired by the death of my mother. Sophia’s life was inspired by the
time period in which I grew up, and this is where Sophia’s friends came into
the plot. Amy and Mindy were based on my own speculation of the direction a
couple of my friends might have taken with their lives. They didn’t, though, and
I know this because I’m still friends with both of them. It was my ‘what if
they had gone on to do what I thought they would when we were in high school?’ theory.
The beginning of the book happens right after the five women leave their
thirtieth school reunion. I’d reconnected with a large group of friends at my
own and, because of that, I wanted to write a story about lifelong friends and
the loyalty they shared with one another.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that
process like for you as an author?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">My cover designer is Deborah Bradseth of Tugboat Designs. I
commissioned a photographer in Greece to shoot the cover photo. I was very
specific about what I wanted—five grown women on a Greek beach together. The
photo had to convey the closeness of their relationship and the lightness of
the moment. Ioanna Chatzidiakou captured the moment exactly as I had imagined
it.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">My process is to simply sit down and write. I have a general
idea in my head of the story. The details come as I begin to develop the
characters and the plot. That’s usually when my research on the finer details
begin. I’m more concerned about getting the story out of my head the first go
around. After that, I go back several times and rewrite and refine before
handing it over to my editor.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Describe your ideal writing spot.</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Where I write or the ideal spot to write? It’s a running
joke in my home. We have a home office, which I’ve completely monopolized. God
forbid my husband tells me he’s working from home!</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I keep telling my family I’d like to write the next book on
a remote Greek island in a little house by the sea, all alone and undisturbed.
Yes, I’d miss them, but when I’m at the computer I don’t come up for air!</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The best advice was to start writing. Don’t worry about the
grammar or sentence structure. After the story is down on paper (or computer)
go back and make it sing!</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I wanted to be an actor. I don’t remember ever saying I
wanted to do anything else. I went to college as a theater major. I didn’t have
the drive and nerve I needed to pound the payment and take all the rejection.
Today, although it’s still hard to break in, the opportunities are greater and
with social media it’s easier to make connections.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>If you could have any supernatural power, what would you
choose and why?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I would want to have the ability to speak every language. I
love to travel and I also enjoy speaking with people from different countries
and cultures. I would like to be able to converse in each one of their native
tongues.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What book are you reading now?</u></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I am very fortunate to have an advanced readers copy of The
Hallowed by Jaci Miller. It’s the second book in a paranormal trilogy. I loved
the first book and the second is just as compelling.</span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-35340115151666550582018-03-01T02:00:00.001-06:002022-10-21T21:15:22.760-05:00J. Boyce Gleason <div style="background-color:; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CdFx40tXZFEUlJznkT0nOUY5DPuErf_jfITbnO6vKvitqrJEBuXnkSjm_uspEBAm3wDhyYJtlD9nFp3PWRiJvg2MJAb_ME33RtaD2bnEgF8eMzLk_9KktGX78SwgTdyjs15HgZkhnFQ/s1600/18286402.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CdFx40tXZFEUlJznkT0nOUY5DPuErf_jfITbnO6vKvitqrJEBuXnkSjm_uspEBAm3wDhyYJtlD9nFp3PWRiJvg2MJAb_ME33RtaD2bnEgF8eMzLk_9KktGX78SwgTdyjs15HgZkhnFQ/s320/18286402.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Anvil of God </b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Carolingian Chronicles #1<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>by J. Boyce Gleason </b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">It is 741. After subduing the pagan religions in the east,
halting the march of Islam in the west, and conquering the continent for the
Merovingian kings, mayor of the palace Charles the Hammer now wants the throne.
Only one thing stands in his way - he's dying.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Charles cobbles together a plan to divide the kingdom among his three sons,
betroth his daughter to a Lombard prince to secure his southern border, and
keep the Church unified behind them through his friend Bishop Boniface. Despite
his best efforts, the only thing to reign after Charles's death is chaos. His
daughter has no intention of marrying anyone, let alone a Lombard prince. His
two eldest sons question the rights of their younger pagan stepbrother, and the
Church demands a steep price for their support. Son battles son, Christianity
battles paganism, and Charles's daughter flees his court for an enemy's love.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Based on a true story, Anvil of God is a whirlwind of love, honor, sacrifice,
and betrayal that follows a bereaved family's relentless quest for power and
destiny. </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback, 440 pages</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published July 26th 2013 by iUniverse</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18286402.Anvil_of_God__The_Carolingian_Chronicles___1_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1475990197/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1475990197&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anvil-of-god-j-boyce-gleason/1116274068?ean=9781475990195&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">March 1, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">With an AB degree in history from Dartmouth College, Gleason
brings a strong understanding of what events shaped the past and when, but
writes historical-fiction to discover why. Gleason lives in Virginia with his
wife Mary Margaret. They have three sons. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Connect with </b></span></span><b>J. Boyce Gleason </b></span><br />
<b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6325925.J_Boyce_Gleason" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/JBoyceGleason" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/J-Boyce-Gleason-394173584044664/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="http://jboycegleason.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with J. Boyce Gleason </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</u></b><br />I once saw an interview with John Kennedy where he was asked what it was like
to grow up in the White House. He paused before saying that to everyone else,
Jack Kennedy was the president of Camelot and his mother was “Jackie O.” a
cultural icon. He said that to him they were just, “Mom and Dad.” I have always
wondered about the family dynamics of people of power. What happens to a family
after succession? What happens to brothers and sisters when it comes to civil
war? How do they navigate political versus personal decisions? What happens to
their relationships, their love for each other?<br />
<br />
That’s how I approached Anvil of God. Historically, it is about what happens to
France after the death of their most powerful warlord, Charles Martel. But, I
wanted to write about it from a personal perspective. Charles wanted to usurp
the throne from the Merovingian kings but ran out of time. Just before he died,
he divided the kingdom between his three sons: Carloman, Pippin and Gripho. The
only thing that reigned after his death, however, was chaos. Why did his sons
go to war? What led them to fight? Did it erupt all at once or was it little
things that built towards a conflagration?<br />
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Central to the two story arcs in the book are Charles’ widow (and second wife)
Sunnichild and his daughter Hiltrude. Secretly a pagan, Sunni raises her only
son in her faith and hopes one day he will legitimize their religion in the
face of the Church’s growing dominance. Trudi, is responsible for what has been
called "the scandal of the eighth century.” Betrothed to a Lombard Prince,
she left her father’s court in the dead of night to follow her heart with a
Bavarian rebel. Suffice it to say that neither of these two decisions went over
very well with the rest of the family.<br /><br /><b><u>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character?</u></b><br />They have to be human. Too often, authors define their lead characters as
almost superhuman. I like to see their flaws and passions and foibles. They
also have to have a strong perspective so that as their decisions unfold, they
make sense to the reader and add layers to the personalities. There are no
“good” and “evil” characters in Anvil of God. There are people who make
decisions they think are the right decisions based on their perspectives.<br />
<br /><b><u>What or who do you see as influences on your writing style?</u></b><br />Jame Clavell, Herman Wouk, Mitchner.<br />
<br /><b><u>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas?</u></b><br />All the time. I look for conflict. Or things we can’t explain. I like to say we
know what happened in history, I like to write to find out why.<br /><br /><b><u>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</u></b><br />Don’t stop. Write every day - even for an hour - even if it’s garbage. Don’t
stop.<br /><br /><b><u>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?</u></b><br />Super vocabulary.<br />
<br /><b><u>What do you do to unwind and relax?</u></b><br />Read, play videogames, go out with friends.<br />
<br /><b><u>What book are you reading now?</u></b><br />The “Expanse” series by James S. A. Corey. Although I write historical fiction,
I tend to read science fiction. It lets my mind wander.</span></span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-24476368390663956662018-02-27T02:00:00.001-06:002022-10-21T21:15:51.504-05:00Q & A with Effie Kammenou<div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmmOVhkRTRKqeop63m7lz6-E1XOWiQ3xw0fXlC1Caym9nD5WZRYvfUr1R4G4iWhCaN-8rTaLD19T9eYZfii432cO8-hBGLsmNtt64MS7KMBwQTP_iN1oJrQe2wYiSBc6xBWrMNGgOD24/s1600/26069535.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmmOVhkRTRKqeop63m7lz6-E1XOWiQ3xw0fXlC1Caym9nD5WZRYvfUr1R4G4iWhCaN-8rTaLD19T9eYZfii432cO8-hBGLsmNtt64MS7KMBwQTP_iN1oJrQe2wYiSBc6xBWrMNGgOD24/s320/26069535.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Evanthia's Gift </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Gift Saga #1</span></b><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>by Effie Kammenou </b></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">In the year 1956, Anastacia Fotopoulos finds herself
pregnant and betrayed, fleeing from a bad marriage. With the love and support
of her dear friends Stavros and Soula Papadakis, Ana is able to face the
challenges of single motherhood. Left with emotional wounds, she resists her
growing affection for Alexandros Giannakos, an old acquaintance. But his
persistence and unconditional love for Ana and her child is eventually rewarded
and his love is returned. In a misguided, but well-intentioned effort to
protect the ones they love, both Ana and Alex keep secrets - ones that could
threaten the delicate balance of their family. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The story continues in the 1970’s as Dean and Demi Papadakis, and Sophia
Giannakos attempt to negotiate between two cultures. Now Greek-American
teenagers, Sophia and Dean, who have shared a special connection since childhood, become lovers. Sophia is
shattered when Dean rebels against the pressure his father places on him to
uphold his Greek heritage and hides his feelings for her. When he pulls away
from his family, culture and ultimately his love for her, Sophia is left with
no choice but to find a life different from the one she’d hoped for. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">EVANTHIA’S GIFT is a multigenerational love story spanning fifty years and
crossing two continents, chronicling the lives that unify two families. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Kindle Edition, 559 pages</i></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Published August 7th 2015</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26069535.Evanthia_s_Gift__The_Gift_Saga__1_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013MG484M/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B013MG484M&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evanthias-gift-effie-kammenou/1122620438;jsessionid=44C5AA1B085A9A8D3B7E1832D4B66D75.prodny_store02-atgap14?ean=9780692471838&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">February 27, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP7xaZmWgJXmNGc4r2AJNd7-_JNnb7y9POdlE3GwPWbALeqjbrx0g-NMXurWd1icdqYSpLE2nbRw4amuvAjvlAbaqqQ857_H6kTqc9fd54bDC809xYWMfQagzmfSzF2Pu1JVK9ajULPc/s1600/14204724.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="153" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP7xaZmWgJXmNGc4r2AJNd7-_JNnb7y9POdlE3GwPWbALeqjbrx0g-NMXurWd1icdqYSpLE2nbRw4amuvAjvlAbaqqQ857_H6kTqc9fd54bDC809xYWMfQagzmfSzF2Pu1JVK9ajULPc/s200/14204724.jpg" width="115" /></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Effie Kammenou is a believer that it is never too late to
chase your dreams, follow your heart or change your career. She is proof of
that. At one time, long ago, she'd thought that, by her age, she would have had
an Oscar in her hand after a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked
in the optical field for 40 years and is the proud mother of two accomplished
young women. </span><br />
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Her debut novel, Evanthia’s Gift, is a women’s fiction multigenerational love
story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real life
accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain
for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to
America. Her interview with him was published in a nationally circulated
magazine.<br />
<br />
Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 award finalist in the
Readers Favorite Awards in the Women’s Fiction category. Waiting for Aegina:
Book Two in The Gift Saga is Kammenou’s latest release.<br />
<br />
Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island
with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes
on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her cooking for
her family and friends.<br />
<br />
As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian
mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the
books.<br />
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She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.<br />
<br />
Member of Women's Fiction Writer's Association & Romance Writers of America</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Connect with </b></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Effie Kammenou</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14204724.Effie_Kammenou" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EffieKammenou/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/EffieKammenou" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Effie Kammenou</b></span></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Evanthia’s Gift is a love story and family saga that spans
decades. For this reason, I’d decided to split it into two parts. Part I begins
in 1956 when Anastacia finds her husband in bed with another woman. She
immediately separates from him and, soon after, discovers she’s pregnant. In
that era, a woman might have stayed with her husband, maybe looked the other
way, or tried to work it out for the sake of her child. But Anastacia (Ana)
decides to raise her child on her own with the help of family and good friends
by her side.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Ana had come to NYC to study at NYU. It was her intention to
go back home to Athens when she graduated, but once she’d married, her plan had
changed. She’d become guarded and, afraid of making the same mistake, Ana
steered clear of any man’s affection. Until…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Enter Alexandros, a past acquaintance from NYU who had
always been smitten with her. Through mutual friends, they reconnect, and this
time he is determined to win her heart. Alexandros (Alex) is the best of men.
He’s kind, loving and a true gentleman. Alex could have been bitter and
hateful, having come from a tragic past, but the opposite was true. He knew how
delicate the balance was between life and death, and he valued it. His entire
family had been brutally executed in their home by the Nazis for working with
the resistance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Part II takes a leap forward to 1970 when Ana’s daughter,
Sophia, enters high school. There’s a definitive change in tone that is very
evident. The way in which Ana and Alex spoke to one another and to their
friends and family is quite different than how this younger generation relate
to each other. They’re more casual, forthcoming and sometimes raw. Sophia is
very much like her mother. She and Ana are polite, poised and levelheaded in
many ways. But Sophia is only fourteen at the start of Part II and she is quite
idealistic when it comes to one young man. His full name is Konstantino, but
she’s called him Dino since she was a baby. Dean, the nickname he prefers, is
the son of Ana’s best friends and three years Sophia’s senior. Dean struggles
with his Greek heritage, mainly because it is shoved down his throat. His
rebellious streak doesn’t help matters either. He fights his feelings for
Sophia for as long as he can because he’s certain a relationship with his
parent’s best friend’s daughter, and especially a Greek one, would put too much
pressure on him. Dean’s stubbornness is his ruination, but at eighteen,
mistakes happen. The story of Dean and Sophia continues into their forties, and
Ana and Alex stay integral parts of the plot as well.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead
character?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A good lead character must be someone who is relatable in
some way to the reader. They might be someone they either want to emulate or
want to love. They might also be a personality who carries the same flaws as
the reader. A strong character should have depth. A heroine or hero doesn’t
need to be perfect in all things. That’s simply not believable. </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What or who do you see as influences on your writing
style?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I’ve been asked this question several times and, honestly, I
don’t have a good answer. I admire many authors for their stories or for the
beauty of their writing, but I don’t feel influenced by it. I think each author
has his own voice and what comes out on paper is from personal experience and
perspective. The closest answer that I can give you is John Steinbeck. East of
Eden is one of my favorite novels. The sense of morality and right from wrong
throughout the story drew me in, and it’s a theme within my book as well.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /><b><u>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I did quite a lot of research for Evanthia’s Gift. Many of
the events in the book are inspired by stories shared by family members my
entire life. Even though I’d heard them often, the details had to be
researched. Memories can be inaccurate, especially when the recollection is
from a child’s eye. For example, my mother was a ten-year-old girl in Athens
during WWII during the German occupation. I took what she told me and I
researched the timeline and events. Her part was less historical and more
personal, sharing with me the affect it had on her and her family. I also
researched the deportation of the Jews in Thessaloniki. Alex’s family fought in
the resistance. The result from his family’s sacrifice affects situations not
only in Evanthia’s Gift, but also in the other two books in the trilogy.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Then there were other little details from my own memory that
had to be verified. I mention real places throughout the book. Alex and his
friend, Stavros, are professors at Stonybrook University. I had to find out if
it even existed in 1962 when they began working there.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The best advice I’d ever received was to simply sit down and
write. Let it all spill out of my head and don’t worry how good it was, or if
the grammar was correct. Tell the story you wanted to tell it. Then … go back
and fix it. Make it sing!</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose
and why?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I would want to have the ability to speak every language. I
think it would be amazing to be able to communicate with everyone and to enter
any country and be able to speak their language. Have you ever seen someone who
didn’t speak English and felt a little lost? Then, someone approaches them and
speaks their language and their face lights up! It’s a beautiful thing.
Sometimes, at my day job, this happens. I speak Greek and my co-worker speaks
Italian and can get by with Spanish. We had a Polish woman come by a few weeks
ago and it was so difficult. We felt bad. We were trying to come up with a
common language to speak.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">On the flip side, when I’m in Greece, it’s like being home.
It makes me miss my mom, but that’s another story. A few months ago I was in
France and I was able to get by. But we also went to Germany and I felt
completely lost. Now if I had that superpower …<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What do you do to unwind and relax?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Don’t laugh, I cook or bake. I kick my shoes off, put on my
slippers, put my earbuds in to listen to an audiobook and I cook or bake. I
also like to sit by the fire and read. Or watch one of my favorite TV shows –
This Is Us, The Crown, Grey’s Anatomy, and my guilty pleasure, The Bachelor.
(Don’t judge me. It’s the train wreck you can’t take your eyes from!)</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>What book are you reading now?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I just finished The Man in The Black Suit, Sylvain Reynard’s
latest book. I love everything he writes. I just started reading a book from
another Greek American author called Wings of Wax. I’m really enjoying it. It’s
about a young man trying to find his own identity. Not only with his heritage but
also with who he is as a man. He’s a bit complex. He has some health issues and
a couple of phobias and hang-ups.</span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-2781523733377163402018-02-12T16:49:00.003-06:002022-10-21T21:16:07.780-05:00Q & A with Sarah Brownlee <div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ITdu7_T4XRZIP4PIJWBAuEttkCCwj9eDqMpDFXKktGO9kXyG2hrbJ2fpuxOfnKkjbx05Fl9nPdrIF4HAhs4gmySl_1AqZ4Ao31o4Rct9k0svNG_7Cp08HbKYIhH20a9NP_v7sBICIE0/s1600/32478140.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ITdu7_T4XRZIP4PIJWBAuEttkCCwj9eDqMpDFXKktGO9kXyG2hrbJ2fpuxOfnKkjbx05Fl9nPdrIF4HAhs4gmySl_1AqZ4Ao31o4Rct9k0svNG_7Cp08HbKYIhH20a9NP_v7sBICIE0/s320/32478140.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Experiment of Professor Polgas<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>by Sarah Brownlee </b></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you were an animal, what would you be? This is the
question Blaise, Ash and Dinah unexpectedly stumble upon during the summer holidays
when they enter a strange internet café. A mysterious woman asks them to take
an online test to discover what animal most closely matches their own
personality. They are happy to oblige. Online tests are always fun and this one
comes with its own special perks.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">But what they don’t realise is that not far away, in the heart of London, a mad
professor is watching them. Professor Polgas is preparing something; something
that will change them forever; something that will have them on the run for
their very lives …</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">This fantasy novel from Sarah Brownlee is a thrill ride of twists and turns,
ready to surprise at every corner and sure to delight both children and adults
alike. </span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>Paperback, 394 pages</i></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>Published October 12th 2016 </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32478140.The_Experiment_of_Professor_Polgas" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1539374165/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1539374165&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-experiment-of-professor-polgas-sarah-brownlee/1124826455;jsessionid=FA2929FAD9760F87919A51C2EE901654.prodny_store01-atgap07?ean=9781539374169&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">April 29, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifN-mAWUE6e8nWnKitXkzxbfT7j2VkrAaaIm4ICdaPaY9suk4URt9bpzAbg6iXe-ooF7qpE9HWSy7IZHMcAt7I-88G3-bM6Md0P0B03JqSbi3pIBtBb3SFxwiJ0SLIK5825UvCfTx2veI/s1600/8578214.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifN-mAWUE6e8nWnKitXkzxbfT7j2VkrAaaIm4ICdaPaY9suk4URt9bpzAbg6iXe-ooF7qpE9HWSy7IZHMcAt7I-88G3-bM6Md0P0B03JqSbi3pIBtBb3SFxwiJ0SLIK5825UvCfTx2veI/s200/8578214.jpg" width="200" /></a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sarah Brownlee is a Young Adult and Children's author based
in London, England. Her debut novel 'How the Wolf Lost Her Heart' is a YA
Paranormal Romance set in a grim, futuristic London where thugs and criminals
run the city and Morphers (people who can transform into their spirit animal)
exist. Its sequel, YA Fantasy Dystopian 'How the Tiger Faced His Challenge' was
released in October 2015 and centres around a city at the brink of civil war.
In 2016, she released her first children's novel 'The Experiment of Professor
Polgas' which tells the story of how Morphers came into existence.</span><br />
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When Sarah is not writing, she can usually be found walking dogs, battling the
forces of darkness and dreaming of living in the beautiful English countryside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b> Connect with Sarah Brownlee</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8578214.Sarah_Brownlee" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarahbrownleeauthor" target="_blank">Facebook </a>* <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyeSpitfire86" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Sarah Brownlee </b></span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></b>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </u></b><br />
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Blaise, Ash and Dinah are thirteen and fourteen years old. Blaise and Ash are
brother and sister; Dinah is Blaise's best friend. Each is able to transform
into their spirit animal as the story progresses and they all have their own
quirks and shortcomings. Blaise is pretty feisty and stubborn at times; she is
able to transform into a wolf and like the wolf, she is loyal, bold and would
do anything to protect her loved ones. Dinah is sweet, kind, sincere and very
often the water to Blaise's fire; like her spirit animal, the beaver, she is a
homebody and loves to take care of others. Meanwhile, Ash is smart, sarcastic
and more level-headed than the other two; like his spirit animal, the eagle, he
is sharp and insightful with an uncanny knack for finding solutions to tricky
problems.<br />
<br /><b><u>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you
as an author?</u></b><br />My cover design backstory is a little unusual in comparison to other authors.
My first novel 'How the Wolf Lost Her Heart' was designed by John Muriel
Photography. The second 'How the Tiger Faced His Challenge' was designed by
myself; and 'The Experiment of Professor Polgas' was by Luke Ahearn at Creative
Covers. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that designing my own cover was a
process that didn't exactly thrill me to bits; oh, I was very proud of the fact
I actually did it after many trial and error hours of frustration; but from now
on, I'm leaving it to the pros!<br />
<br /><b><u>Describe your ideal writing spot.</u></b><br />A quiet, secluded cafe with my trusty laptop, a green tea on one side and a
cheese and ham toastie on the other.<br />
<br /><b><u>What is the best advice you have been given?</u></b><br />Never give up, never surrender. (Actually, it wasn't given to me; it was taken
from the wise words of the wonderful Sir Winston Churchill.)<br />
<br /><b><u>As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</u></b><br />An author or a vet.<br />
<br /><b><u>Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?</u></b><br />Hardback and paperbacks definitely!<br />
<b><u><br /> If you could have any supernatural power, what would you choose and why?</u></b><br />Oh my gosh, this is so hard! But I suppose there can only be one answer. I'd
want to be like Blaise, Ash and Dinah and be able to turn into my spirit animal
(this is all depending on if I have a spirit animal that is actually going to
do me any favours, of course. Imagine if your spirit animal was a mosquito or
something like that; what a total waste of an ability, plus you'd probably be
squashed to death within seconds.)<br />
<br /><b><u>What book are you reading now?</u></b><br />The Red Book by Carl Jung. Truly brilliant.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-63393624597294768442018-01-16T02:00:00.001-06:002022-10-21T21:16:20.117-05:00Q & A with Lily Iona MacKenzie <div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIngYrcEWTM2VALcw7sI_1zggWuqwnt3xO0t0dBxHSIXZWctWJUHXVPUR9pswXQaqybLkH89lB7jNpbrvZvJXzXcqAj1EFuYbyDsSK5VmEyBziOIcx3W2xbPip7H6c8IY7tIkhNbarpWo/s1600/curva+final+cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIngYrcEWTM2VALcw7sI_1zggWuqwnt3xO0t0dBxHSIXZWctWJUHXVPUR9pswXQaqybLkH89lB7jNpbrvZvJXzXcqAj1EFuYbyDsSK5VmEyBziOIcx3W2xbPip7H6c8IY7tIkhNbarpWo/s1600/curva+final+cover.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Curva Peligrosa</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">by Lily
Iona MacKenzie </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">When Curva Peligrosa arrives in Weed, Alberta, after a
twenty-year trek on the Old North Trail from southern Mexico, she stops its
residents in their tracks. With a parrot on each shoulder, a glittering gold
tooth, and a wicked trigger finger, she is unlike anything they have ever seen
before. Curva is ready to settle down, but are the inhabitants of Weed ready
for her? Possessed of an insatiable appetite for life and love, Curva’s
infectious energy galvanizes the townspeople, turning their staid world upside
down with her exotic elixirs and unbridled ways. Toss in an unscrupulous
americano developer and a one-eyed Blackfoot chief, stir them all together in a
tornado’s tempestuous tumult, and the town of Weed will never be the same
again. A lyrical account of one woman’s journey and the unexpected effects it
has on the people around her, Curva Peligrosa pulses with the magic at the
heart and soul of life. </span></div>
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<i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">e</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">book, 325 pages</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Published August 25th 2017 by Regal House Publishing</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35111668.Curva_Peligrosa" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Curva-Peligrosa-Lily-Iona-MacKenzie/dp/0998839809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514601081&sr=8-1&keywords=Curva+Peligrosa+by+Lily+Iona+MacKenzie" target="_blank">Amazon </a>* <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/curva-peligrosa-lily-mackenzie/1126643085?ean=9780998839806" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">January 16, 2018</a></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_n51fgtZcBNlXjseTYY3ajMNaCWuEnGyTYKq6mjvzYOfEO6xs0UYMciv2d5t-dfDluYbiruqCzMU4q8H9D5a-uJuMtXV0bfhBw3Hu4h7hiTUCJXRulj59uSzzMotHhl4QO_kHcDKvN8/s1600/LilyMac-3454_pp.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_n51fgtZcBNlXjseTYY3ajMNaCWuEnGyTYKq6mjvzYOfEO6xs0UYMciv2d5t-dfDluYbiruqCzMU4q8H9D5a-uJuMtXV0bfhBw3Hu4h7hiTUCJXRulj59uSzzMotHhl4QO_kHcDKvN8/s200/LilyMac-3454_pp.jpeg" width="178" /></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A Canadian by birth, a high school dropout, and a mother at 17, Lily Iona
MacKenzie has taken a circuitous path to becoming a published writer. She’s
worked as a stock girl, a long distance operator, and a secretary (Bechtel Corp
sponsored her into the States). She also was a cocktail waitress at San
Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel, became the first woman to work on the SF docks and
almost got her legs broken, founded and managed a homeless shelter in Marin
County, co-created The Story Shoppe, a weekly radio program for children,
and eventually earned two Master’s degrees, one in Creative Writing and the
other in the Humanities. Her reviews, interviews, short fiction, poetry, travel
pieces, essays, and memoir have appeared in over 155 American and Canadian
venues. Fling! was published in 2015. Curva Peligrosa, another
novel, launched in 2017. Freefall: A Divine Comedy will be released
in 2018. Her poetry collection All This was published in 2011. She
taught rhetoric for over 30 years at the University of San Francisco (USF) and
currently teaches creative writing at USF’s Fromm Institute of Lifelong
Learning. She also blogs at <a href="https://lilyionamackenzie.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">lilyionamackenzie.wordpress.com</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Connect with Lily Iona Mackenzie</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5414100.Lily_Iona_MacKenzie" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://lilyionamackenzie.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Blog </a>* <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lilyionamackenzie1" target="_blank">Facebook </a>* <a href="https://twitter.com/lilyionamac" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Lily Iona MacKenzie</b></span></span><br />
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<b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </i></b></div>
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Curva, of course, is the main character in Curva Peligrosa.
Adventurous and curious from childhood, she’s from Southern Mexico originally
and, after traveling for twenty years along the Old North Trail (see follow
explanation of the trail later in this interview), she ends up in the fictional
town of Weed, Alberta, Canada. She has no relationship to anyone I know, living
or dead and reminds me of the goddess Athena who was born full blown from her
father Zeus’s head. Over six feet tall, a sharp shooter, possessed of magical
powers, adventurous, amorous, sexual, and fecund, she has the greenest of
thumbs, creating a tropical habitat in an arctic clime. In no time, she turns Weed upside down, like the tornado
that opens the novel—upside down morally, spiritually, culturally, sexually. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Curva is the physical embodiment of the tornado that will
hit Weed two years after her arrival, a storm that turns the place upside down
and unearths a trove of bones of those who had lived on the land before the
Weedites: Native Americans and prehistoric animals. While the tornado damages
Weed and disrupts the lives of its white inhabitants, it provides an
opportunity for the relatively feckless (at that point) Billie One-Eye, the
putative chief of the local Blackfoot tribe. As he protects the bones and
dreams of preserving them, he turns into a true chief when he creates a museum
that will honor them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Curva and Billie share the book with a raft of colorful
characters, borrowing from the literary tradition of South American magic
realism.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character?</b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>The character has to be believable. By that, I don't mean
that s/he must fit into the realist mode. But s/he must be congruent with the
world the writer is creating and embody it. For readers, this character must
come alive on the page so well that we’ll follow him/her anywhere s/he takes us
on the narrative journey.</div>
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<i><b>What or who do you see as influences on your writing style?</b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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This is an interesting question because so many factors can
influence a writing style. I’m very sensitive to the rhythms of language, and I
hope that comes through in both my poetry and prose. I’m sure that taking piano
lessons from a young age played a role in making me more alert to the music
that words can create.</div>
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I also have studied the visual arts, and that has caused me
to be more alert to my surroundings, noting colors and textures and sounds. I
believe those things come through in my work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But I also learn from other writers, too numerous to
mention. I not only read a book for its contents but also for its style. Craft
always interests me as I’m reading. How did this writer create this particular
effect? What can I incorporate into my own material?<o:p></o:p></div>
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That said, my strongest influence has come from Latin
writers, and certain novels have had a profound effect on me at different
stages of my life for various reasons. Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude
found me at a time when I needed a model for the magical realism approach that
seems natural to me and inhabits much of my work. I LOVE that book and return
to it often for inspiration.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In another mode, Roberto Bolano, a Chilean writer, has also
inspired me. He diverges from the more familiar magical realist vein and
creates his own genre. I’ve read most of his books now, and they create a world
that seems like a parallel universe to ours. He also steps beyond the usual
fiction boundaries, violating our expectations of how a novel should unfold or
end. I’m always entranced by his work and learning from it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get
ideas?</b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>I don’t research such things to get ideas, but once I’ve
been impelled to write about something, I’ll do whatever necessary background
preparation I need. With Curva Peligrosa, she travels the Old North Trail for
20 years, a passageway that extends from the Canadian Arctic down to the
deserts of Mexico and beyond. It runs along the base of the Rocky Mountains and
the Continental Divide, following a kind of shoreline between the mountains and
the plains for over 3,000 miles. The Blackfoot call the Old North Trail
"The Backbone of the World.” To learn more about this actual trail, I read
Walter McClintock’s The Old North Trail: Life, Legends and Religion of the
Blackfeet Indians, a fascinating book that not only gave me insight into the
trail itself but also into the Blackfoot. One of the main characters in Curva
Peligrosa is Blackfoot chief Billie One Eye.</div>
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Of course, I’ve physically visited Mexico several times, but
I’ve also researched that country online and in books, and I’m originally from
Canada, though I now make my home in the San Francisco Bay Area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Writing is a life-long commitment. Don’t take it lightly as
it requires tremendous discipline in order to succeed. But while publishing is
most writers’ ultimate goal, you also must write because it’s an essential part
of your being. You have to do it! Writing well also requires a life-long
apprenticeship. Read everything you can by writers you admire and also by the
ones you don’t respect. Sometimes the latter can be your best teachers as they
will show you what not to do. Finally, learn from everyone and everything. Be
attentive not only to your inner world but also to your surroundings. Explore
the world in as many ways as you can so your imagination has plenty of material
to work with.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, write. Rewrite. Write some more. Get feedback from
respected editors. Revise, revise, revise. Keep writing. Persistence is key in
this avocation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and
why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>I’m not a great fan of seeing people suffer unnecessarily. I
know that some difficulties can strengthen us and create stronger character.
But whenever I turn on the TV or read the newspaper, I see too many disturbing
stories of individuals going through horrendous challenges, from fires and
floods to genocide and wars. If there is a creator, I think s/he erred by
allowing so much pain to be part of human life. Just last night, during this
holiday season, as my husband and I were walking to a restaurant on the
Mendocino coast (in California), I saw a homeless woman huddled in a doorway.
It was a very cold night, and she had chosen to stay in the streets because her
mental illness prevents her from seeking shelter. This is unacceptable! So if I
had a superpower, I would alleviate such misery.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>What do you do to unwind and relax?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>I’m passionate about all of the arts, and museums, concert
halls, and theatres are my temples and my inspiration. If I had another life, I
would come back as a visual artist. I love to dabble in painting and assemblage,
a joyful activity for me because I don’t have expectations of myself to market
what I’m creating. They’re just done for the fun of it. I also am avid about
exercising every day, either at the gym or on my stationary bike at home. This
time includes a variety of movement practices such as tai chi, pilates, and
yoga. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>What book are you reading now?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>I’m just finishing Saul Bellow’s The Adventures of Augie
March, a picaresque novel that follows the main character from childhood
through young adulthood. I chose it because Bellow is such an amazing stylist.
His accurate descriptions and the way he captures a character in just a few
well-selected lines leave me breathless at times. Bellow truly is a writer’s
writer. For those of us who are constantly trying to improve our writing craft,
he’s essential to read.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtcmacv1w8p8NZ5vt7vnG5CJkxxrhsfI_cNVvbIM2EC9_sKYY8g2bQ6I2gb3CjC8GsNkvayiyCTNVUG0-GHB79VJ6rQKptUKfQw0gapbqM-ehXMiwEbrzT-8V77aLY9rvzjYPoJQX1E/s1600/zz+SU%2526R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtcmacv1w8p8NZ5vt7vnG5CJkxxrhsfI_cNVvbIM2EC9_sKYY8g2bQ6I2gb3CjC8GsNkvayiyCTNVUG0-GHB79VJ6rQKptUKfQw0gapbqM-ehXMiwEbrzT-8V77aLY9rvzjYPoJQX1E/s320/zz+SU%2526R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-32590618267919693522017-11-12T02:00:00.001-06:002022-10-21T21:20:49.306-05:00Q & A with Stella Knights <div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJbUKUSFD22ZR1c6y7R6WGLwMVUIp3aT2dDo28JGT-zQzAnQP2bP5OkjYhZOj3fPQhI74LcT53Qt3-mlyg5WqwDnV-kvweB1eP-fVt3xgPKPbCpJv6Jg1BEVcuYMBkMb17yUv3G0823w/s1600/1+-+Cover+-+DRS+-+Taken+Outback.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJbUKUSFD22ZR1c6y7R6WGLwMVUIp3aT2dDo28JGT-zQzAnQP2bP5OkjYhZOj3fPQhI74LcT53Qt3-mlyg5WqwDnV-kvweB1eP-fVt3xgPKPbCpJv6Jg1BEVcuYMBkMb17yUv3G0823w/s320/1+-+Cover+-+DRS+-+Taken+Outback.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Taken Outback </span></b><br />
<b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">The
Dusty Rider Series #1</span></b><br />
<b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">by Stella Knights </span></b><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">An American woman, named Holly, has
everything she could possibly want living in the city of Melbourne. Her
Australian husband, Tom, works hard chasing his hierarchical corporate dreams,
so much so that he forgoes Holly’s happiness. Fighting to make their marriage
work, Holly uncovers secrets about Tom, causing her to question all she ever
believed in. </span><br />
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Distractions abound as Holly starts a new job, where she meets a charming
stranger in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Her imagination is opened to a
possible new way of life, lust and love as she is given a chance to see how she
can break free from the shackled boundaries set by a stifling city
lifestyle.<br />
<br />
Will she ever be able to go back to living the only way she ever knew or will
she embrace the life offered to her? This love story is one of fear versus
freedom, power versus submission and scheduled time versus endless time as city
and country life collide. </span></span></div>
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<br />ABOUT THE DUSTY RIDER SERIES BY STELLA KNIGHTS<br />Imagine breaking free of city life and losing yourself in the Australian
Outback. This contemporary romance will show you there’s more than just kangaroos
out in the country.<br />
<br />
The Dusty Rider Series will take you across Australia as Holly meets a
stockman "cowboy" that shows her what real love is. This romantic
story is about a possible second chance at life and love as Holly tries to
follow her heart. Will she take a chance at this new life full of action and
passionate, erotic adventure?<br />
<br />
This series is for mature audiences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: inherit;">Kindle Edition, 275 pages</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published March 31, 2017</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34762054.Taken_Outback__The_Dusty_Rider_Series_Book_1_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XZH79BG/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B06XZH79BG&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Taken%20Outback?st=AFF&SID=BNB_DRS_Evergreen_20150928&2sid=Goodreads%2C+Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads%2C+IncM000004" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">November 12, 2017</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="700" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkC9_SMznQBj579RKneAY4zegNVcu2Y8eh442paxQUpQ50WdcfdKrwSUpLznPZlLNIK-DNTKyn-WxLO8EgbLHKTWQAMg3A1DQc7RsH6zXuhLnTMjbUhCdEKVFh3ZEvRUSrVG8FFZaZKU/s200/16661352.jpg" width="200" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stel</span>la Knights has lived and worked in several countries across four continents, journaling her life experiences along the way. After university, she traveled extensively and worked in several career paths, including as a Parole Officer.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Blurring the lines between her reality and dreams, Stella found the courage to share her stories in hope that she will inspire others with her love of travel and living life the simple way.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Stella loves to connect with both readers and other authors sharing experiences and books. Books are such an important part of life.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Having spent most of her life in Australia, Stella wrote her first novel series based on things she experienced and learned about while living there. Stella hopes that The Dusty Rider Series opens others to the resilience, hardship, beauty and eternal love of those living in the Australian bush.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Connect with Stella Knights</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16661352.Stella_Knights" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /> </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Stella Knights</b></span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main
characters.</i></b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The idea behind my characters came from two
aspects. The first, was from my own experience of moving from a city in America
to a rural area in Australia. I always wanted to write about the rollercoaster
of feelings and changes that happen when one takes a risk to drastically change
their life. The second, was my work as a parole officer. It is nothing like
what you see in the movies! I was constantly surrounded by people trying to
alter their path in life. I found the concept of rebuilding or starting over
quite fascinating and saw first-hand how this can play out in many ways. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">In the series, my main character, Holly, is
searching for what to do when her marriage is falling apart. She desperately
believes in love, but struggles with what is considered right and wrong based
on society’s standards. For Holly, city life becomes stifling, but at first,
she has no idea how to escape from it. I do not want to give away any spoilers,
but I have tried to create a storyline that gives Holly a chance to try out a
new life to see if this is what she wants. A new man opens Holly up to passion
she never knew existed. He has a dark past that he will have to overcome as the
series progresses. In the course of the series, Holly transforms from being
pretentious to being down-to-earth as her eyes are opened to new ways and
adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">So, what will Holly choose in the end? Old
life versus new life? City versus country? You will have to read to find out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you
as an author?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I have a friend that is a graphic designer
and he helped me translate my ideas into reality. In Book One’s image, you can
see Holly wearing high heels as a reflection of being from the city. I
purposely kept the faces of my characters hidden on my covers because I want
the reader to imagine themselves as one of the characters. I had a very open
mind when I worked with my friend in the designs, so when I saw the final
design I was in instantly in love with it…but I do have to say that Book Two’s
design is my favourite in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>Describe your ideal writing spot.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I travel often so there are a few spots that I find are best for bringing out
my creativity. The main one is in any coffee shop that has a funky vibe and a
great latte. Coffee shops are a great place to people watch and observe how
communication can take place between both words and body language. I think as a
writer this helps me keep it real with how my characters interact. The other
spots I look for would be around a pool or a beach. I find being near water
helps get my creativity flowing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>What is the best advice you have been
given?</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Always stay true to yourself. I find this
is very relevant in both life and writing. Often, people may want to alter your
character or your storyline, but you must remember it is your story and your
voice. Don’t shy away from creating characters that may push someone’s buttons
or challenge the status quo. It is important that we try to see things from all
angles, even if it can be</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">uncomfortable.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>As a child, what did you want to be when
you grew up?</i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Funny enough, I wanted to be an astronaut.
I was obsessed with space and I even begged my parents to let me go to Space
Camp. I read every book I could get my hands on about space, space travel or
the planets. I filled notebook after notebook with poems and I wrote about my
dreams of exploring space. I am not sure when I changed paths, but somewhere
along the lines I went the other direction and studied marine biology and
molecular biology. I was fascinated by what is in our oceans and also the
tiniest things in our universe.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or
ebooks?</i></b><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Being conscientious of the environment, I
hope we all move more towards eBooks. Though, I have to say I love trawling
bookstores and being surrounded by all those pages filled with words. So much
to read, so little time! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><i>If you could have any supernatural
power, what would you choose and why?</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I would love to be able to teleport back in
time. I always felt I was born in the wrong era, so I think it would be fun to
go back in time and see what life was really like at different times in history.
I know with nostalgia we often romanticize things, so it would be intriguing to
experience it first-hand and see if it was really like all the old Hollywood movies
I love watching over and over. I think I would have loved experiencing life
back in the 1920’s being a flapper girl or supporting our troops going off to
war in the WWII.</span></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-AU"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">What book are you reading now?</span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I have a couple books I just bought while
attending the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Indonesia. The festival was
inspiring, and I met some amazing women that are trying to change the world
with their writing. I learned how important it is for us to all tell our story.
I’ll probably start with the book Lotus by Lijia Zhang. Listening to her speak
alongside Jung Chang was amazing. They both discussed the importance of not
losing our histories even if they are painful to reflect on. Life is not always
nice, but we can possibly change our future by putting our voice out there. I
feel we are witnessing a change right now where women are starting to be heard
and I hope it is the start of a new chapter for women to be empowered and less
afraid to speak their mind.</span></div>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtcmacv1w8p8NZ5vt7vnG5CJkxxrhsfI_cNVvbIM2EC9_sKYY8g2bQ6I2gb3CjC8GsNkvayiyCTNVUG0-GHB79VJ6rQKptUKfQw0gapbqM-ehXMiwEbrzT-8V77aLY9rvzjYPoJQX1E/s1600/zz+SU%2526R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtcmacv1w8p8NZ5vt7vnG5CJkxxrhsfI_cNVvbIM2EC9_sKYY8g2bQ6I2gb3CjC8GsNkvayiyCTNVUG0-GHB79VJ6rQKptUKfQw0gapbqM-ehXMiwEbrzT-8V77aLY9rvzjYPoJQX1E/s320/zz+SU%2526R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-18460156080624054952017-11-02T02:00:00.000-05:002017-11-02T02:00:07.797-05:00Q & A with J.G. Follansbee <div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillFpO5pO5IlH467DgpSy-q91O6-uGi3NdIqrkKdR4WmxgyDra28pT1U7asyvmElDIqQrmUTeDf-BkQFYh9c6gZmpQQJ1PLpas3eQddZUeLqDwdbBQKPr1W9Dw8VjrBbGu3rGMy_fgtDU/s1600/36152598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillFpO5pO5IlH467DgpSy-q91O6-uGi3NdIqrkKdR4WmxgyDra28pT1U7asyvmElDIqQrmUTeDf-BkQFYh9c6gZmpQQJ1PLpas3eQddZUeLqDwdbBQKPr1W9Dw8VjrBbGu3rGMy_fgtDU/s320/36152598.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Carbon Run </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tales From A Warming Planet #2<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>by J.G. Follansbee </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What if your father had to run for his life? Carbon Run is
an exciting thriller set in a dystopian world ravaged by climate change. Fossil
fuels are banned, pirates smuggle oil, and governments erase citizens'
identities. Anne Penn dreamed of saving an endangered species of birds. When a
fire destroys the birds' last home, her beloved father Bill is accused of starting
the blaze. Fanatic officer Janine Kilel comes to arrest Anne's father, but Bill
escapes, because in the 22nd century, destroying a species means execution. How
will Anne find her father in a Russian city where the difference between good
and evil is as murky as the choking smog? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>338 pages</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Published October 21st 2017 </i></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36152598.Carbon_Run__Tales_From_A_Warming_Planet___2_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075HMN6RL/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B075HMN6RL&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carbon%20Run?st=AFF&SID=BNB_DRS_Evergreen_20150928&2sid=Goodreads%2C+Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads%2C+IncM000004" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">February 11, 2018</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gaE1clRZsiKvt5Q4fhnJoxwJ-dmJz9Mus_avy56GIpetdHK17qkO6E4NveCGCKqf4FntDJAGBS9n-pBooY5H-Y0YJ7WmR58CU43nd-61Gg9eX50Na8iyomhd-TKjD2HH9vRn3N1NA1Q/s1600/204110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="150" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gaE1clRZsiKvt5Q4fhnJoxwJ-dmJz9Mus_avy56GIpetdHK17qkO6E4NveCGCKqf4FntDJAGBS9n-pBooY5H-Y0YJ7WmR58CU43nd-61Gg9eX50Na8iyomhd-TKjD2HH9vRn3N1NA1Q/s200/204110.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">J.G. Follansbee is the author of science fiction and
speculative fiction novels set on an Earth and in a society transformed by
climate change. A writer who publishes independently, Follansbee explores
themes of survival, justice, and tolerance with strong female protagonists and
antagonists. Mr. Follansbee supports meaningful clean energy and transportation
policies that combat the damaging effects of climate change.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Connect with</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/204110.J_G_Follansbee" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://joefollansbee.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/Joe_Follansbee" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJGFollansbee" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Q & A with J.G. Follansbee</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</i></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anne Penn is an intelligent, hard-working young woman who
lives with her father on a ranch in southern Oregon. She's a sharp observer who
has spent several years helping biologists study an endangered species of
birds. Her father, Bill Penn, is an ex-tall ship sailor who is forced to return
to the sea after he is accused of causing the deaths of the birds his daughter
studies. He sails aboard a ship that crosses the top of the world after all the
Arctic Ocean's ice melts away. Janine Kilel is a deputy inspector in the Bureau
of Environmental Security who is tasked with finding and arresting Bill Penn
for his crimes. Kilel uses Anne Penn as bait to draw Bill out of hiding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead
character?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A strong lead character drives the narrative forward. She is
not a passive bystander. I like strong female characters, because they provide
a unique perspective on the action, and they often have different goals than
male protagonists. For example, I wanted Anne Penn to have an unbreakable tie
to her father, which drives her to work toward reuniting with him to preserve
her family. A male character might be more interested in proving himself to
peers to show his masculinity. Readers have seen plenty of that over the
centuries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What or who do you see as influences on your writing
style?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I admire many writers, including Margaret Atwood, Rod
Serling, and Harlan Ellison. The biggest influence on my style comes from
episodic television and movies. I try to write well-structured scenes and often
think of chapters as similar to episodes of a well-crafted TV series. My
favorite show ever, by the way, is Star Trek: The Original Series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to
get ideas?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Carbon Run and the upcoming books in my series, Tales
From A Warming Planet, I read several books on climate change, and I constantly
read articles on the subject. I've tried to base the world of Carbon Run on
accepted, proven science. For the tall ship scenes, I drew on my experience
working for a non-profit that operates two ships, as well as my maritime
history research that resulted in three non-fiction books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Write every day, even if it's just a note, an email, or a
tweet. Most readers and new writers see only the final product: a book. Of
course, writing a novel is a process done one step at a time. If you write just
one page a day, in a year, you'll have 365 pages. That's about the right length
for a book manuscript.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose
and why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish I had a power that could make adversaries see that
they have more in common than they have differences. Maybe then, we'd all get
along better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What do you do to unwind and relax?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My wife and I own a small vacation house on the Pacific Coast
of Washington State. We wish we could spend more time there. Also, I love
watching my home town NFL team, the Seattle Seahawks. Go Hawks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What book are you reading now?</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm reading The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu. It's a
great story that calls to mind classic science fiction of the mid-20th century.
I think science fiction fans should keep a close eye on Chinese sci-fi writers.
They're going to amaze us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-65764558444194656762017-10-12T02:00:00.000-05:002017-10-12T02:00:10.521-05:00Q & A with Alexandrea Weis<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOaHuo00M_I2X0-LsJZLBioRpnYHVCCZkzBAdvzq6TacEHHykKohsEhVho1AVxGEeYU_kEP_I7ksu0EPBYcVdVxDjXRgIGkGBMvriankr9HuReMoQmKsZWzW9utCtYKw_kYeePkFZkYQ/s1600/32312194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOaHuo00M_I2X0-LsJZLBioRpnYHVCCZkzBAdvzq6TacEHHykKohsEhVho1AVxGEeYU_kEP_I7ksu0EPBYcVdVxDjXRgIGkGBMvriankr9HuReMoQmKsZWzW9utCtYKw_kYeePkFZkYQ/s320/32312194.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Blackwell </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Magnus Blackwell #1</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>by Alexandrea Weis, Lucas
Astor</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hell has a new master. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the late 1800s, handsome, wealthy New Englander, Magnus Blackwell, is the
envy of all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Magnus meets Jacob O’Conner—a Harvard student from the working class—an
unlikely friendship is forged. But their close bond is soon challenged by a
captivating woman; a woman Magnus wants, but Jacob gets.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Devastated, Magnus seeks solace in a trip to New Orleans. After a chance meeting
with Oscar Wilde, he becomes immersed in a world of depravity and brutality,
inevitably becoming the inspiration for Dorian Gray. Armed with the forbidden
magic of voodoo, he sets his sights on winning back the woman Jacob stole from
him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amid the trappings of Victorian society, two men, bent on revenge, will lay the
foundation for a curse that will forever alter their destinies. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hardcover, 295 pages</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Published January 17th 2017 by Vesuvian Books</i></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32312194.Blackwell__Magnus_Blackwell__0_5_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1944109242/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1944109242&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blackwell-alexandrea-weis/1124986420;jsessionid=05F07FE738C9B179D9E30AE219068F1E.prodny_store01-atgap08?ean=9781944109240&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20IncM000004" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">October 12, 2017</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who
was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion
picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and
began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown
into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters
makes a story moving and memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber
with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured
wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Connect with </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alexandrea Weis</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1211671.Alexandrea_Weis" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="http://alexandreaweis.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authoralexandreaweis" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/alexandreaweis" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Alexandrea Weis</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</i></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main characters in Damned are Lexi Arden and Magnus
Blackwell. Damned is the journey of a ghost and his road to redemption after
living a less than honorable life. Magnus Blackwell haunts his abandoned
mansion, Altmover Manor. One day the house is bought by an architect and his
fiancé, Lexie Arden. A woman with an ability to see the dead, she and Magnus
begin a strange relationship that takes them across the country from Maine to
New Orleans. They unravel secrets, and become part of the voodoo culture in New
Orleans, ultimately uncovering a new destiny for both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Believability. If a reader can relate to the character, if
they feel like a person they would see on the street, meet at a party, someone
who shares common flaws with everyone else, they can accept them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b><i>What or who do you see as influences on your writing style?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think every person I have known and book I have read
influences your style. And the inner voice. The running dialogue in your head
sets up how your words transcribe onto the page. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b><i>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the time. The best stories hide in the past. I have a
few books written about characters from history, legends, or myth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b><i>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep writing. Every writer will tell you this, and it’s
true. You have to keep writing to get better and to find your voice. It takes
time.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b><i>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose
and why? </i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The power to heal. I’m a nurse and have witnessed so much pain and
suffering. That would be the best power to have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><i> What do you do to unwind and relax?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a permitted wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries, so when I am not writing I care for orphaned and
injured animals. I love animals, and anything I do with them helps me to
relax. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><i> What book are you reading now?</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m not reading now, but writing. I’m finishing up the next
book in the Magnus Blackwell Series, Bound. It will be out in fall 2018.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-40738516191715586592017-10-03T02:00:00.000-05:002017-10-03T02:00:26.263-05:00Q & A with Pete Planisek<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ESPxKJTJo48rAbPAMIuLpGrEaQGpI_EtgJ82lXOxCyhEjDZKIPGu7g6mr5IfCWr89yWk6YDCZjkLroFnjZd-lRjwir_t9uKOhtIccrZ7DM8pMxxOals1JaQ7OtMvsRy5-dOwrhUGti0/s1600/book1_cover+hi-res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ESPxKJTJo48rAbPAMIuLpGrEaQGpI_EtgJ82lXOxCyhEjDZKIPGu7g6mr5IfCWr89yWk6YDCZjkLroFnjZd-lRjwir_t9uKOhtIccrZ7DM8pMxxOals1JaQ7OtMvsRy5-dOwrhUGti0/s320/book1_cover+hi-res.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Frankenstein A Life Beyond </b><b>(Book 1 of 3)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Resurrection
Trinity</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Pete
Planisek </span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ten years after the loss of his entire family to madness and
death, Ernest Frankenstein finds himself compelled to return to the city of his
birth, Geneva, in order to discover if his elder brother, Victor, might still
be alive. Only Victor can provide the answers to questions, which have long
plagued Ernest. The quest for answers will force Ernest to confront demons,
both internal and external, from his past, which refuse to be at peace and
which ultimately will endanger both he and his new family. Hunted across Europe
their only hope may lie with a French spy, Ernest’s childhood friend, and a
mysterious gypsy girl whose people believe that Ernest will lead humanity to
its salvation or final destruction.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frankenstein A Life Beyond (Book 1 of 3) The Resurrection
Tirnity by Pete Planisek is a direct sequel to Mary Shelley’s iconic story,
Frankenstein, which examined Victor Frankenstein’s quest to both create and
kill an unnamed creature that ultimately destroys all but one member of the
Frankenstein family, Victor’s brother, Ernest. Frankenstein A Life Beyond
explores many of the issues left open by the original, while establishing new
characters and mysteries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">322 pages</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published August 1st 2012 </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15782632.Frankenstein_A_Life_Beyond__Book_1_of_3__The_Resurrection_Trinity" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-A-Life-Beyond-ebook/dp/B008RPSLEW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343913793&sr=8-1&keywords=frankenstein+a+life+beyond#nav-subnav" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frankenstein-a-life-beyond-pete-planisek/1119932581;jsessionid=D04446E9487E7BC775C179D2B4D90850.prodny_store01-atgap01?ean=2940014959964" target="_blank">Barnes& Noble</a> * <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/frankenstein-a-life-beyond/id983046311?mt=11" target="_blank">Apple/iBookstore</a> * <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/658062" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> * <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/frankenstein-a-life-beyond" target="_blank">Kobo</a> * <a href="http://www.enceladusliterary.com/?page_id=123" target="_blank">Enceladus Literary</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read It & Reap: </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Book 1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">October 1, 2017</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Book 2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">October 3, 2017</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePSzKmIUqJXkfOXVuwXKa6OQmRDXVe6I_FW_qeuhSyElxjebbPG3UvJpGOoq1xQ_0Wfar9LSuxw6tT9L7ormhOACZA-I_GX6Jwi3GjX2lYDctSCzJoGhslYkM3FUP0_PQUlFnfRRknpw/s1600/IMG_1604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePSzKmIUqJXkfOXVuwXKa6OQmRDXVe6I_FW_qeuhSyElxjebbPG3UvJpGOoq1xQ_0Wfar9LSuxw6tT9L7ormhOACZA-I_GX6Jwi3GjX2lYDctSCzJoGhslYkM3FUP0_PQUlFnfRRknpw/s200/IMG_1604.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pete Planisek lives in Columbus, OH, where he teaches
English, runs Enceladus Literary LLC, and is co-host of an entertainment
podcast called Hindsight is 20-20. He received his Masters from Ohio University
where he founded a student literary arts magazine called Recently Eclipsed. He
has published newspaper articles and is a member of Independent Book Publishers
Association. He served for seven years as adviser/co-adviser to a NCTE award
winning student literary arts publication. He has published two novels in his
Resurrection Trinity series titled Frankenstein A Life Beyond (Book 1 of 3) and
Frankenstein Soul's Echo (Book 2 of 3) and a children's chapter book titled
Princess Bella and the Dragon's Charm, which won a 2016 Silver Honoree IBPA
Benjamin Franklin Digital Book Award.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Connect with Pete</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6454485.Pete_Planisek" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pplanisekauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/peteplanisek" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://www.enceladusliterary.com/?page_id=72" target="_blank">Blog</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Pete Planisek</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Tell us a little bit about your main characters.</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frankenstein A Life Beyond (Book 1 of 3) The Resurrection
Trinity is really a story about family, trust, and justice. These are issues the main character, Ernest
Frankenstein, must confront after ten years of trying to out run his family’s
dark past. His young Irish wife, Ailis
Tierney Frankenstein, who is key to Ernest’s personal rebirth, must confront
choices that may destroy both herself and her unborn child. Her mysterious half-sister, Abrielle, must
decide if she is more loyal to her spy masters in Napoleon’s Imperial France or
to the family that abandoned her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Victor Frankenstein’s creature seeks justice from Ernest
Frankenstein and will draw Ernest and his family into a deadly war between two
rival groups of gypsies who fight to control the outcome of an ancient prophecy
involving Ernest and the creature. One
of these groups is led by an imposing gypsy named Jal, whose daughter, Baseria,
has been rejected by her people but may hold the key to humanity’s salvation or
final destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frankenstein Soul’s Echo (Book 2 of 3) The Resurrection
Trinity continues and expands upon the storyline from the previous novel. Ernest must now journey northward to the
creature’s stronghold and confront his complex relationship with it, Baseria,
his past, and face grim realities that will determine his future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, Abrielle is forced to return to France in an
effort to secure the safe return of her niece.
Fractured by untold loss, she must navigate an uncertain future and
balance the complex needs and demands of duty to herself and family, Jack
Clerval’s unique situation, and an unforeseen love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ernest and Abrielle are surrounded by enemies, short on
time, and possess only their flawed hearts to lead them, as they struggle to fulfill
a shared promise as they fight to reunite family and to discover a path beyond
the unrelenting forces of darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A relatable character, that faces clear conflicts that the
reader can both understand and increasing relate to as they progress through
the story. If the character is
underdeveloped or isn’t one the reader can relate to then the reader is
unlikely to care about their struggles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>What or who do you see as influences on your writing style?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I find inspiration from a diverse set of experiences,
resources, artistic mediums, and a desire to explore the possibilities of being
an author. I never know where inspiration will come from but I know now it’s
important to embrace it when it does because you never know where it will lead
you as an artist. I’ve also learned to trust myself more than I once did by
trying to judge less and listen more, be it to people or my own instincts as an
author. My writing style comes from a diverse tapestry of artistic voices and
styles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get
ideas?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I revisit real events, legends, myths, and classic
literature on a regular basis as I find them the Rosetta stones of
storytelling. My Frankenstein Resurrection
Trinity series and most of my free short stories (visit <a href="https://www.enceladusliterary.com/?page_id=466">https://www.enceladusliterary.com/?page_id=466</a>)
demonstrate this. If you’re going to tell new stories, expand on existing ones,
or blaze new trails in storytelling, it is best to understand what came before.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>What is the best writing advice you have been given?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your worst story is the one you don’t write. We grow by
practicing and expanding our skills as writers. If you’re not writing, you tend
to stagnate. Not everything you write
will be brilliant or will be something you want to publish but everything you
write can help you to mature as an artist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and
why?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These may sound incredibly lame but I’d say the ability to
get more people to empathize with others is my most desirable superpower. We seem to be living in a time when this is
unfortunately in short supply. Think of how many problems could be addressed, problems
solved, or pointless conflicts could be avoided if more people were empathetic
to their fellow human beings as we journey through this reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>What do you do to unwind and relax?</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Be close to family and friends, hike, bike, paint,
photography, write, hang out with friends, cook, garden, discover new artists,
brew beer, play with my pets, pursue dreams, support others in my community,
challenge myself to discover new interests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> What book are you
reading now?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have to praise Montana 1948 by Larry Watson as my most
enjoyable read this year (it’s an older book but definitely worth the
read). Before the end of the year I want
to complete A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis and am currently reading a
book I’ve been wanting to get to for years,
the 2011 Pulitzer Prize Biography winning nonfiction work Washington: A
Life by Ron Chernow. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Genres:
Fiction, Literary fiction, Horror, Historical fiction, Romance fiction, Sci-Fi
fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">YouTube
book trailer: </span><a href="https://youtu.be/mPvmP6Lephs"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">https://youtu.be/mPvmP6Lephs</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Book
page for Frankenstein A Life Beyond: </span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-6574599110742441652017-10-02T02:00:00.000-05:002017-10-02T02:00:12.825-05:00Q & A with Amanda J. Evans<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitK0nWRuflMxeQNFX1OhM27HvOD5zOkzujJQNFKj04alMDW8DJhf6NKaaVdZZdi43vYtTXGTWiKtiK_DN1HqrYvcpNKe2ZBQA4u1X3CUavmgCLendGvYNqz9IkPzQT4PyzCHhvHnZPhA/s1600/35682047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitK0nWRuflMxeQNFX1OhM27HvOD5zOkzujJQNFKj04alMDW8DJhf6NKaaVdZZdi43vYtTXGTWiKtiK_DN1HqrYvcpNKe2ZBQA4u1X3CUavmgCLendGvYNqz9IkPzQT4PyzCHhvHnZPhA/s320/35682047.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Save Her Soul</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>by Amanda J.
Evans </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can Evil Survive When Love Exists?<br />
<br />
Almost a year after the brutal murder of her sister, Kate’s world is anything
but ordinary. Consumed by the rage in her soul there's nothing she won't do to
get her revenge.<br />
<br />
Drake’s no ordinary guy. Dead for nearly 500 years, he’s been tasked with
saving Kate’s soul but he has a mission of his own: to ensure she gets what she
wants so that he can take her soul to hell. He’ll stop at nothing to see her
succeed, but their fates are tied and love may stand in his way.<br />
<br />
As secrets are revealed, can one cursed soul end it all? Is love strong enough
to overcome evil and break the curse that binds them both?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback, 295 pages</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published July 15th 2017 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35682047.Save_Her_Soul" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1548927414/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1548927414&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/save-her-soul-amanda-j-evans/1126781948;jsessionid=A54D31712F20DF9680BC5AEC6C05CA53.prodny_store01-atgap12?ean=9781548927417&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20IncM000004" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">November 30, 2017</a></b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJETrr__3c05Hv6oxqUgLJxaWM3F6vv4bFduK1SkKZSE-H2GxwGOm7955kp1yJJQhowu1IRR23kgvdAWRxoXeU_Xuy1MRDWPspW98tRxvMbc4URGJDsmZEvIIpjbxbB4BrtQXwYrgCV0/s1600/6567725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="150" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJETrr__3c05Hv6oxqUgLJxaWM3F6vv4bFduK1SkKZSE-H2GxwGOm7955kp1yJJQhowu1IRR23kgvdAWRxoXeU_Xuy1MRDWPspW98tRxvMbc4URGJDsmZEvIIpjbxbB4BrtQXwYrgCV0/s200/6567725.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amanda J. Evans writes paranormal and fantasy novels as
well as children’s stories. Amanda lives in Oldcastle, Co. Meath, Ireland with
her husband and two children. She was published in several journals and
anthologies in 2016. Her first novel Finding Forever was published in 2017 and
her forthcoming title Save Her Soul will be released on the 1st August 2017.
Amanda has also secured a publishing deal with Handersen Publishing for a
children’s book and this will be released in the fall, 2017. Amanda is the author
of Surviving Suicide: A Memoir from Those Death Left
Behind, published in 2012. You can find out more on her website. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Connect with Amanda</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> <a href="http://www.amandajevans.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.facebook.com/amandajevanswriter" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="http://www.twitter.com/amandajevans" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/117144241706669072531/" target="_blank">Google+</a> * <a href="http://ie.linkedin.com/in/amandajevans/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ajevanswriter/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6567725.Amanda_J_Evans" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Q & A with Amanda J. Evans</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My main characters in Save Her Soul are Kate and Drake. Kate
is a very strong character and grieving deeply after her younger sister is
murdered. She knows who did it and her need for revenge is what drives her. She
has a plan, she’s been training her body to fight, and she is hell-bent on
seeing the man responsible for her sisters take his last breath at her hands.
There is nothing that will stand in her way. She has closed herself off to
everything and lives only to take her revenge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drake has been dead for 500 years and is taken with saving
the soul of Isteria. Isteria was cursed with evil and in a bid to save her, the
guardians cast a spell that had her reincarnating over and over again until
they could find a way to break the curse. Isteria has now reincarnated as Kate
and Drake’s mission is to save her and prevent Kate from killing and unleashing
the evil that is trapped inside her. Drake is a tortured character and as we go
through the book secrets are revealed and he struggles to come to terms with
what he learns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that
process like for you as an author?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My cover for this book was designed by Krys at TakeCover
Designs. It was actually a pre-made that I fell in love with because of the red
glow around the female. I got in touch with her and she agreed to add a male
character to the cover and I had the perfect cover for my book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Describe your ideal writing spot.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I handwrite everything first so my ideal spot would be
sitting on a beach with the sun beaming down. Most of the time though, I write
in my office. I do take my notebook with me to hairdressing appointments and in
the car if I have to pick my children up from school so I can get some writing
done while I wait. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What is the best advice you have been given?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To just go for it. I’ve always wanted to be a writer but
lack of confidence and fear got in the way. Last year a friend told me to just
go for it and I did. It’s been a whirlwind ever since and I’ve loved every
moment of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a child, my dream was to be a famous author. I wrote my
first book when I was eight and even sent it off to Penguin. I also received a
rejection letter. I used to write new episodes for all my favourite TV shows.
Life changed when I hit my teenage years and my father took his own life. After
that, I wrote to express the emotions that I couldn’t deal with so it was
mainly poetry and short morbid pieces. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love paperbacks. I just love looking at them, filling
bookcases with them. In saying that, most of my reading is done on my Kindle. I
love that I can adjust the size of the writing and fit so many books into one
tiny device. I love both really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>If you could have any supernatural power, what would you
choose and why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh gosh, I really have to think about this one. I was going
to say flying so I could go wherever I want, whenever I want, but I think I’d
prefer to be a sorcerer with real magic powers so I could create anything I
want and cast spells for everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>What book are you reading now?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m currently reading The Girl in Between series by Laekan
Sea Kemp. I’m just finished book 2 of the 4 books and they are amazing. The
author’s writing is excellent and it’s a storyline I haven’t read before. </span></div>
</div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-21683907490145649232017-08-29T19:22:00.000-05:002017-08-29T19:22:13.287-05:00Q & A with Meg Anne<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ygI87j798SKvbLW22yb_AffakSzc72i6vApYggStOIU3WM_Lp7ZgRsLwkp-dh1R9dGiHDGt8fa3wSwSwwCiLqvkE6Atnhj5FqsG-yZy5DGbhsmmxNYoqSo6dX9BsNZHPTpd9k2RCxiw/s1600/35576284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ygI87j798SKvbLW22yb_AffakSzc72i6vApYggStOIU3WM_Lp7ZgRsLwkp-dh1R9dGiHDGt8fa3wSwSwwCiLqvkE6Atnhj5FqsG-yZy5DGbhsmmxNYoqSo6dX9BsNZHPTpd9k2RCxiw/s320/35576284.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mother of Shadows </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Chosen #1<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">by Meg Anne </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Helena’s life had always been quiet. In fact, she liked it
that way. When her childhood friend returns home and tells her that she is the
prophesied ruler of the Chosen, those blessed with the gift of magic, her quiet
life goes up in flames. Suddenly Helena finds herself surrounded by a circle of
protectors, each having sworn their loyalty to her since her birth. All except
for one: her Mate. It’s not enough that she learn how to use her magic and
undergo a trial to prove her worthiness; in order to claim her title, Helena
must also find the man who carries the other half of her soul. Exiled due to a
past he had no part in, Von is the last man the Chosen expect Helena to select.
Despite their protests, his soul calls to hers and there’s no denying that he
was made for her. But the prophecy stands and all isn’t as it seems. There’s an
enemy lurking within plain sight who will stop at nothing to destroy her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kindle Edition, 257 pages</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published August 1st 2017 by Author Friends With Benefits (first published 2017)</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35576284.Mother_of_Shadows__The_Chosen__1_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Buy it on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073NWLHDD/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B073NWLHDD&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /></b><b>Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">January 23, 2018</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meg Anne has always had stories running on a loop in her head. They started off as daydreams about how the evil queen (aka Mom) had her
slaving away doing chores; and <span style="text-align: left;">more recently shifted into creating backgrounds
about the people stuck beside her during rush hour. The stories have been
there, they were just waiting for her to tell them.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like any true SoCal native, Meg enjoys staying inside curled up with a good
book and her cat Henry... or maybe that's just her; sunburns hurt! You can
convince Meg to buy just about anything if it's covered in glitter or
rhinestones, or make her laugh by sharing your favorite bad joke. She also
accepts bribes in the form of baked goods and Mexican food.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Connect with Meg Anne</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16951972.Meg_Anne" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="http://www.megannewrites.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MegAnneWrites/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with Meg Anne</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
two main characters in Mother of Shadows are Helena and Von. Helena is
fated to be one of the most powerful rulers her people have ever seen.
Unfortunately, she has to learn how to use her magic first and it has a
tendency to take over whenever Helena experiences strong emotions. With no
background or experience to guide her, she has to trust her gut, even against
the advice of others. Her belief in the innate goodness of others is both her
biggest strength and greatest vulnerability. Von is the other half of her
soul. For all that is good and whole in her is damaged within him. His past is
a dark one, but through his relationship with her, he finds new purpose and
redemption.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone
complex and flawed. A character whose voice is so well defined that you don't
even need to see their name before the dialogue to know that they are
talking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>What or who do you see as influences on your writing style? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's
hard to identify any one thing, but I would say that my playful sense of humor
weaves its way in to my writing. In almost every scene there is some element of
levity to balance what else is happening. I think in life being able to laugh
at yourself and the things that are out of our control is hope we cope with
them, and its the same for my characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
haven't done any specific research to date, but I do have a story with tarot
cards simmering in the back of my mind, so I could see some research going into
that one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>What is the best writing advice you have been given? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BICHOK - Butt
in chair, hands on keyboard. Seriously, just making yourself do it is a huge
step in the right direction. Also - When you get writer's block it's because
you are trying to make you character's do something they do not want to do.
Take a step back and approach it from a different angle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
would like to visit other people's dreams and/or have the ability to help
others have good dreams (or if they were an A hole maybe some bad ones, haha).
I think that would be pretty awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />What do you do to unwind and relax? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides reading and playing
with my cat Henry, I am a huge videogame nerd. I like to get lost in other
worlds for awhile, so whatever venue be it book, show or game gets me there is
alright with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br />What book are you reading now? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am in the middle of two at the
moment because I listen to audiobooks in the car in addition to whatever I'm
reading when I'm at home. So I'm listening to Cassandra Clare's "Lord of
Shadows" and reading Montana Ash's "Paladin."</span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-30256037285135225582017-08-17T02:00:00.000-05:002017-08-17T02:00:00.172-05:00Q & A with Yvonne Blackwood <div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5nWZDDTfhdY-YTiDXMvMRLOyZdIKieXxVG89gNCnvoU76a9BQUFsy5Lc1qTyfXhfYI9PgOWeNwNEkBExBlrJRFXBxUkP0_Sxep0u6XeO7Z-w20jBgDC99LdiZx5T58Nds3gW0rrVtj0/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5nWZDDTfhdY-YTiDXMvMRLOyZdIKieXxVG89gNCnvoU76a9BQUFsy5Lc1qTyfXhfYI9PgOWeNwNEkBExBlrJRFXBxUkP0_Sxep0u6XeO7Z-w20jBgDC99LdiZx5T58Nds3gW0rrVtj0/s320/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">NOSEY CHARLIE COMES TO TOWN </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Adventures of Nosey Charlie Book 1001</span></b><br />
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<span lang="EN-CA"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Yvonne
Blackwood </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meet Nosey Charlie, a spunky little
squirrel who grew up in the country. He became an orphan and moved to the city
to live with his aunt, uncle, and his cousin, Pete. Charlie desperately wants
to know everything about the people and strange objects in the city, and he
doesn’t understand that he can’t always go wherever he likes. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<br />
Mama Leticia (his aunt) tries to teach Charlie to be careful, and asks Cousin
Pete to keep on eye on him. But Charlie is too nosey, and curiosity gets the
better of him. He goes where he shouldn’t—checking out garbage bags in the
park—and this time poor Cousin Pete gets hurt.<br />
<br />
The Nosey Charlie adventures will make you laugh and cry, and sometimes cheer
Charlie along as he explores his new environment and finds himself in desperate
situations. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kindle Edition, 24 pages</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Published March 14th 2017 by QUILLORATION
ENTERPRISE</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find it on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34659619.NOSEY_CHARLIE_COMES_TO_TOWN__The_Adventures_of_Nosey_Charlie_Book_1001_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XNZN9KC/ref=x_gr_w_glide_ku?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34659619.NOSEY_CHARLIE_COMES_TO_TOWN__The_Adventures_of_Nosey_Charlie_Book_1001_&tag=x_gr_w_glide_ku-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nosey-charlie-comes-to-town-yvonne-blackwood/1126268632;jsessionid=C0B80823FE19CB495181CF396E5CC002.prodny_store02-atgap04?ean=9781545037348&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20IncM000004" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /><br />Read It & Reap: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1266644-read-it-reap-schedule" target="_blank">January 21, 2018</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIhvcxm6Y3pfg2Ik_w-AJvvjFVjw-RKoSPfzyXdpZ23hTZ2X6vuVQSVtId8iZSptbnW-j1nyw54fpvpkUJsxEgkmBoR2P1cDiF4BEVOOR4q7vCTO8816cmcCeeT69xI5RZjR8RuBFxVA/s1600/author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIhvcxm6Y3pfg2Ik_w-AJvvjFVjw-RKoSPfzyXdpZ23hTZ2X6vuVQSVtId8iZSptbnW-j1nyw54fpvpkUJsxEgkmBoR2P1cDiF4BEVOOR4q7vCTO8816cmcCeeT69xI5RZjR8RuBFxVA/s1600/author.jpg" /></a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yvonne Blackwood is an
author, columnist, speaker, world traveler, and retired banker. She has
published three adult books―the very successful </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Into Africa a Personal Journey</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
which ranked # 2 best-selling book under Ghana on Amazon.com in 2002; the
hilarious </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Will That Be Cash or Cuffs?</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Into Africa, the Return</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.
Inspired several years ago to write children’s books, she recently published </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nosey
Charlie Comes To Town</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, and </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nosey Charlie Goes To Court</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, part of
a series of </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nosey Charlie Adventures</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. A third book, </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nosey Charlie Chokes On A Wiener</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
is soon to be released. Yvonne is an award winning short story writer and she
has written numerous articles for several newspapers including the Toronto Star,
and InTouch magazine.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><b><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><b><b>Connect with Yvonne</b></b></b></div>
</b></b></b><b style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/108278.Yvonne_Blackwood">Goodreads</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> * </span><a href="http://www.yvonneblackwood.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Website</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> * </span><a href="https://twitter.com/YvBlackwood" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twitter</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> * </span><a href="https://ca.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-blackwood-6a6b6918" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LinkedIn</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> * </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/yvonne.blackwood.92" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facebook</a><br /><br /></b></b></div>
</b></div>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Q & A with </b></span></span><b style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yvonne Blackwood </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i> Tell us a little bit about your main
characters. </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The main character in Nosey Charlie Comes
To Town and all stories in the Nosey Charlie Adventure series is a little black
squirrel named Charlie. He was raised in the country, however, when his parents
died, he moved to live in a big city with his Aunt Letitia, Uncle Harold, and
his cousin, Pete. Charlie is three months younger than Pete, therefore they
should make good companions for each other. While Pete―born and raised in the
city―is well acclimatized to city living and all that it entails, Charlie is
just bubbling with excitement to learn all he can about his new environment. He
is overly nosey and tends to forget warnings from his aunt to stay away from
certain places and things. Because of his nosiness, Charlie gets into trouble
often and causes his relatives much anxiety, but somehow he seems to survive
unscathed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you
as an author?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hired an illustrator to do all the
drawings for the books. I provide him with a mock-up of the stories and precise
instructions on the scenes I want him to draw. Based on the drawings he
provides I select one that is indicative of the theme of the story, and to it
the illustrator adds the title and my name. Because I have used Createspace to
publish the books so far, I have selected one of their templates that works
well with the cover drawing, therefore all covers have a consistency.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>Describe your ideal writing spot.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use one of the bedrooms in my house as my
office. It is set up comfortably with my desk, computer, printer, lamp,
bookshelf, filing cabinet, and all the accoutrements one needs for writing. A
window is to the left of my desk and I can look out on mother nature when I
need a bit of distraction. The evening sun streams in from around three
o’clock. Of course, being an art-lover, there are great paintings on all walls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>What is the best advice you have been given?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a difficult question to answer
because after attending many writing workshops, seminars, and classes, I have
received a lot of advice. In addition, I write both adult and children’s books.
Here are a few that mainly pertain to children’s books since that is the focus
at the moment: Do not talk down to children readers; always build a character
bible for your main character; a great way to evoke vivid images in readers’
minds is to infuse prose that engages the senses.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wanted to become a nurse until I attended
high school and had to dissect a frog during biology class! I promptly switched
my plans from nursing to becoming someone who worked in commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><i>Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I prefer paperbacks; they are flexible and
easier to handle, and I can still curl up in bed with them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>If you could have any supernatural
power, what would you choose and why?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would choose the power to be able to read
people’s minds. That way, I would know what they are thinking and how genuine
they are.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br />What book are you reading now?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am one of those people who read more than
one book at a time. I started reading <i>Secret Daughter </i>some time ago but have
not finished it. In the mean time I’m reading<i> The Audacity of Hope</i>. It will be
interesting to see which one I complete first.</span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876932805370698025.post-23693665861311003662017-08-04T08:18:00.001-05:002017-08-04T08:18:24.235-05:00Q & A with S.T. Sanchez<div style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding: 8px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm_orFMFV-0Qaj9gX4nTcDUGhCodYOaQzd-zMSCNDtLAF0xehGMV0-Y22vyteUOEfPCJcI6GUN9z5sdR3b13wJW1YrmnsJABeAEj7fyMw650CNnr_ykv38F7PGpFV9sR97vpJMM-riMw/s1600/35123228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm_orFMFV-0Qaj9gX4nTcDUGhCodYOaQzd-zMSCNDtLAF0xehGMV0-Y22vyteUOEfPCJcI6GUN9z5sdR3b13wJW1YrmnsJABeAEj7fyMw650CNnr_ykv38F7PGpFV9sR97vpJMM-riMw/s320/35123228.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunwalker</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>by S.T. Sanchez </b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lilly is a sunwalker—a vampire born from human parents, able
to walk in the daylight. She lives life as human, hiding her true identity from
all those around her. One evening, she comes to the rescue of her best friend,
Lex, as a vampire is about to make a meal out of her. Lilly is drawn to him,
despite her desire to loathe him for almost murdering Lex, as he is the first
of her kind she has ever met. As the vampire, Tread, begins to open Lilly's
eyes to a world she has never known, Lilly must decide where she belongs. After
she is betrayed by the person she loves most, Lilly is forced to submerge
herself entirely in the vampire world, only to discover that Tread has a secret
so shocking it could destroy them all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>449 pages</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published May 27th 2017</i></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Find Sunwalker on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35123228-sunwalker" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071VDSTS7/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B071VDSTS7&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunwalker-s-t-sanchez/1126407829?ean=9780999001615" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvNLGTvGxbh2VFPclk0EXJGq6YumhaPvRUWpbHw64vOCd7ZuWRdzKAY7yEXCtXgYZze0cV6tid6LN0nglGwQX1ba1WuyjzEhKLrEhvCGxtjqMcRyN9Ca8oP2ioJhqCjtf6GHUi6S1auI/s1600/16847543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvNLGTvGxbh2VFPclk0EXJGq6YumhaPvRUWpbHw64vOCd7ZuWRdzKAY7yEXCtXgYZze0cV6tid6LN0nglGwQX1ba1WuyjzEhKLrEhvCGxtjqMcRyN9Ca8oP2ioJhqCjtf6GHUi6S1auI/s1600/16847543.jpg" /></a><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarah Sanchez was born in Dallas, TX. She graduated
from the University of North Texas with a BA of Arts in Spanish. She loves to
write fantasy. She is married and has three wonderful children. She loves
hiking and spending time outdoors when she is not writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Connect with S.T. Sanchez</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16847543.S_T_Sanchez" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SunwalkerTrilogy/" target="_blank">Facebook </a> * <a href="http://sunwalkertrilogy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> * <a href="mailto:sunwalkertrilogy@hotmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Q & A with S.T. Sanchez</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Tell us a little bit about your main characters. </i></b><br />There are two main characters the story revolves around, Lilly and Tread.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Lilly is a Sunwalker, a vampire that has human parents, but can walk in the
sunlight. She lives her life pretending to be human, in a world that hunts down
and kills vampires. She has been loved and has human friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tread is the first vampire Lilly meets. He is also a Sunwalker, but his
upbringing was completely different. He was abandoned and considered a demon.
He was raised in the vampire world, and despises humans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
After they meet he is curious about her lifestyle and they explore each other’s
worlds, which gets them into some trouble. At the same time, it really broadens
both their initial views of vampires and humans.<br />
<br /><b><i>Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you
as an author?</i></b><br />
I have an amazingly talented cover designer. Her name is Courtney Johansson.
Her contact info is Cjohanssonedits@gmail.com. She is also an editor. So, I use
her for both. I sent her a juvenile mockup of an idea I was having and she took
my original idea and just wowed me. She sent me several amazing covers. It was really
hard to decided. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for Nightwalker,
the sequel to Sunwalker.<br />
<br /><b><i>Describe your ideal writing spot.</i></b><br />
I should probably get a desk and sit in a chair and write, but I don’t. I sit
on my bed with my laptop, some tunes and maybe a piece of chocolate or too. I
can really write pretty much anywhere, but I need music in the background. It
really helps inspire me.<br />
<br /><b><i> What is the best advice you have been given?</i></b><br />
It sounds cliché but never give up. Keep writing. Keep trying. I didn’t publish
the first story I wrote. Maybe you will maybe you won’t. Keep at it, until you
love the story.<br />
<br /><b><i> As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?</i></b><br />
I really wanted to be an animator. I drew crazy characters, which may someday appear
in my books. As I got older I still enjoyed sketching but found I had other
interests too.<br />
<br /><b><i> Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?</i></b><br />
I know the world is moving towards ebooks. I will read an ebook, but there is
nothing like holding a book in your hand. I love to feel the weight of it, and
visually see how much further I have to go. Sometimes I will slow down, if I
can see I don’t have much left. If a book is good I don’t typically want it to
end.<br />
<br /><b><i> If you could have any supernatural power, what would you choose and why?</i></b><br />
I’ve actually thought about this quiet a bit, since I was little, before the
big super hero craze. I have always wanted the same power. Although it would be
totally cool to fly, I would love to be able to speak every language. There is
something about knowing a second language. Some things just get lost in
translation. There is such beauty in language and I hate to lose any.<br />
<br /><b><i> What book are you reading now?</i></b><br />
I just started Dracula. It is the original vampire story, and I figured I
should have that one under my belt. I am only a few pages in, but I am
intrigued so far.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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Sheri http://www.blogger.com/profile/05038108539957417685noreply@blogger.com3