Don't Call Me Rosie - Kathleen Thomas

Don't Call Me Rosie, The Women who Welded the LSTs and the Men who Sailed on Them

Author: Kathleen Thomas

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that's featured in your book?

When I was young, I knew that my mother and two aunts were welders in the shipyard during World War II because my mother would occasionally talk about it. I had no idea that the ships they worked on were LSTs nor did I even know what an LST was. I was very proud that she did this non-traditional job.

In 1999, Les Parker, a former crew member of LST 743, somehow found out about my mother and two aunts and asked them to attend the LST 743 reunion banquet being held in Pittsburgh. My mother was so pleased to attend this banquet and receive recognition from the LST 743 crew.

After listening to her talk about the reunion, I decided that I wanted to write a book about the women welders. Finally, in October 2001 on a visit to Pittsburgh, I interviewed my mother and two aunts.


2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

I am a civil engineer and majority owner of a consulting civil engineering firm, Thomas/Wright, Inc. Nothing in my background really relates to the topic except that I am interested in history. When I was younger, I rarely read current events because I felt that when the event would be reviewed in the future as history, we would learn more about what was actually going on.

I believe there is a view that Civil Engineering and writing are mutually exclusive skills. However, one needs to be at least a good technical writer to be successful as an engineering consultant. I have strong organizational and listening skills. These were invaluable in writing a book such as “Don't Call Me Rosie”.


3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Since the “greatest generation” is dying at a significant pace, the first thing I would advise is to talk to anyone you know in this generation about their experiences during World War II.

LST 325 is located in Evansville, IL and the website is http://www.lstmemorial.org

There is a discussion group on that website that one can join.

I also have a Bibliography at the end of my book and would recommend reading the books I used for my research.


4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

Networking opportunities and the ability to learn from others with similar interests. Most of my involvement in organizations has been on the professional side but sometimes I find a group that I enjoy because its members are fun to be with and are interesting.


5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

An individual interested in World War II history and the involvement and interrelationship of both women's and men's role during that time period.


6 - What do you think ignites a person's creativity?

I really don't know the answer to this question. However, I would recommend a balanced lifestyle in which one is happy with what they are doing in life. If one isn't happy, then I think they need to take steps to change it.


7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

I feel that some people are overwhelmed by the thought of producing a book in its entirety instead of recognizing that books are written one chapter at a time.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

First, produce an outline of the book. If one gets stuck on a chapter, skip it and go to the next chapter. You can always come back to the chapter you are stuck on but if you don't continue on, the book may never be completed.

When I was writing my book, I would realize I might need another oral history to include in it for a particular chapter. While I was trying to locate that individual, I could still continue on with another chapter in which I had all the information and research completed.


9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

I think it is different for each person. A secure and comfortable lifestyle is important to me. However, I think my genetics and family upbringing have made me a motivated person in general. I would not object to fame (i.e. author on the bestsellers list) but I feel it is a double edged sword that can intrude on one's lifestyle.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

The son or daughter of parents who lived during World War II.

I also feel that high school students would benefit from reading it since the oral histories would have more meaning to them then learning a bunch of dates about events without really comprehending the significance of those events.


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

I know that your blog is time consuming to produce and appreciate the opportunity you are giving authors to be a part of it. Thank you.

Its My Crisis and I'll Cry If I Need To - Yocheved Golani

Tell us the book title and your author name. The book has rather long name that I use three different ways. 1: It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To for general communication, 2: It's MY Crisis! for rapid communication (that way, shoppers can remember the basic title when they want to order it in a store or online) and 3: the official title of It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To: A Life Book for Helping You to Dry Your Tears and to Cope with a Medical Challenge.

My name is Yocheved Golani. The "ch" has the same guttural sound as in "Bach." I'm a woman and I try to clue in my clients and readers by using soft, feminine colors at my websites and in my book cover. A pen nib with the medical symbol for "female" on my Writing Services site, www.ygolani.com is another tipoff that I'm female.

What inspired the book? My survival of emergency life-saving brain surgery. Friends and loved ones wanted me to explain how I survived the crisis without having a breakdown.

What makes this book special to you? That my crisis serves a higher purpose. By making lemonade of the lemon that was brain surgery, I can help people with my appreciation for their anguish over a medical crisis and their need for "how to get well" information.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY? I explain in simple, sometimes funny language, how to cope with the challenges of medical crises. From adjusting your perspective to how to pack for the hospital stay and how to keep your medical and insurance records in order, my book covers the topic. The Resources section in the back of my book informs readers how to find the help they need all around the world: free clinical trials, free or price-reduced medication and medical appliances, medical and mental health therapists, suggested reading materials for adults and children, medical clowns, and much more.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY? ANYBODY facing a medical crisis, including medical and mental health professionals trying to help patients and clients let alone the loved ones of the sick person and that ill person.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity? Hmmm... I do many types of writing: feature stories, Op-Eds, speeches, site content, advertising content, media releases and press releases (different in that media releases are geared for broadcast and digital media, press releases for print publications ) and more. I find inspiration by looking out the window. I have some miniature toy cartoon characters, some thought-provoking newspaper cartoons and some inspirational thoughts on my desk that make me think outside the box.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems? Not knowing how to proceed has been a real stumbling block. Before I wrote my first genuine press release, I had to do some research about press release preparation. Before I wrote my first novel I focused on whatever I'd learned as an English major. I also read books and magazines about novel writing. Before I began writing It's MY Crisis! I'd been aware that the "How to Do Anything" and "Anything for Dummies" books only offer titles dealing with specific medical or psychiatric diagnoses. Amazon.com does not list any books as broad-based and inclusive as mine. It's MY Crisis! is a neatly packaged survival tool that can be shared with loved ones, packed in a suitcase and shown to health care professionals. I wrote what the book market and some readers needed. Study up on your subject. You can use and reject what you learn as desired.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry? Oy. Only an optimist or a masochist would become an author. There are exceptions to the rule, of course. I write because I'm good at it. People have been paying me to write for them for a long time. I'm not good at many other career paths. Some people make excellent plumbers or architects. I'm wired to be a writer.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books? I haven't done anything unusual. Yet. Now you've made me think about the alternative!

NON FICTION - Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic? What an excellent question! My book is written from the heart as much as it's written from my mind. Not only did I experience a life-or-death medical crisis, I've worked in the medical industry. Insight from both sides of the hospital bill influences It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To. I sympathize with anyone going through a medical emergency or situation.

NON FICTION - If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :) I'd suggest that they read two pages (that'll give them a chance to be drawn into the text) or scan the book untiil they find something that grabs their attention.

NON FICTION - Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers. Have you, a friend or a loved one received a nightmarish medical diagnosis? Calm down with It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To: A Life Book that Helps You to Dry Your Tears and to Cope with a Medical Challenge.

NON FICTION Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book. People in Peru are suffering from medical complications they've blamed on a meteor. Governments and everybody around the world are scared of biological weapons of mass destruction. Robin Williams of ABC television is experiencing breast cancer. Montel Williams has Multiple Sclerosis. Michael J. Fox has Parkinson's Disease. College students suffer all kinds of stuff after being exposed to germs in limited spaces. The news media are full of reports about epidemics and preventative techniques. Even the kid down the block can tell you who's not feeling so good these days and feeling stressed out about it. People in all kinds of occupations and social situations suffer medical problems. The Internet is full of helpful information and so is the library. Even the brochure rack in your doctor's office offers information about something or other. But bringing it all together in order to cope with a medical crisis is a whole other story! My book reduces your stress by showing you how to take things in logical order and how to cope with a medical situation. No way did I write the only book you'll ever need for coping with medical crises. But I did write a book that helps you to calm down, to think clearly and to show you what to do about many medical problems. Think of the book's complete title: It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To: A Life Book for Helping You to Dry Your Tears and to Cope with a Medical Challenge
Wow, can it make a great stocking stuffer!

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place. It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To is a book to share with someone you love or feel compassion for. Family and friends, even colleagues at work can share it with each other. Medical and mental health therapists can use it with patients and clients. Gyms can sell it to patrons, Retiree organizations can provide it to members. Chartiable organizations and pharmacies can give it out to people who need it. No matter the person, no matter their medical crisis,It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To is a book for helping you to cope in a forthright, pro-active manner. It fits the Self-help genre, the Spiritual genre, the Medical genre, even a Gifts Section genre. Recipients will be glad to get It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To.

Humorous passages and thoughtful witticisms from famous personalities in It's MY Crisis! provide comic relief, enabling relaxed readers to benefit from the workbook's eye opening, life-saving content. Nancy Rosenfeld, author of Just as Much as Woman: Your Personal Guide to Hystterectomy and Beyond, and Unfinished Journey: Two People, Two Worlds, From Tyranny to Freedom. has said that It's MY Crisis! is "compelling, inspiring, and merits publication." Medical and mental health professionals, clergy of different faiths, even a Fortune 500 motivational speaker praise it on the book cover and inside! Buy it for someone you love. Including yourself.

--
Yocheved Golani
Self Help Coach
Make the Changes You Need in Your Life.
http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

Three Feet Under - Journal of a Midlife Crisis

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Three Feet Under: Journal of a Midlife Crisis

Christee Gabour Atwood

What inspired the book?
A desire to laugh at myself and see if anybody else laughed along. And the fact that I had a rent payment due.

This book has also been therapy for me. I don’t like it when I see people upset by midlife experiences, when I see the lack of appreciation of elastic waistbands, and also when I see airbrushed supermodels creating unrealistic ideals of what beauty is. Writing this book has helped me put those thoughts on paper and see that I’m not the only who thinks that way.

What makes this book special to you?
This book is special because it made me realize that it’s okay to be myself and to write what I enjoy reading. I discovered that if I write something that appeals to me, at least I have an audience of one. I can build from there.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY? People must read this or I’ll come to their houses and talk to them. Yes, be afraid. Be very afraid.

It’s also a great book for airplane trips and trips to the bathroom. Not as a toilet paper replacement, but as short format reading for the attention-challenged like myself. I get bored and trail off when…

It’s also a chance to laugh if you recognize yourself in any of these episodes. And isn’t that what makes life fun?

If laughter is the best medicine, this book replaces at least one dose of fluoxetine. (If you recognize that drug, welcome to my club. You need this book.)

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
Everyone in the world needs to read this book. Is that too obvious?

Okay, almost everybody in the world needs to read this book. Infants can wait a few years before they pick it up. People need to read this book to help them understand friends who are going through midlife crisis, to prepare themselves for surviving it, or just to laugh at midlifers. Either way, they’ll get a laugh. Or they’ll decide they never want to sit next to me on a plane. Either one is a valuable lesson.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?
You know what’s funny? I get creative when I get angry. I found that writing is my therapy. I remember coming home from a job interview and banging on my typewriter (yes, this was a while back) and complaining about the guy with seven strands of hair draped across his head who seemed more interested in doodling on his desk blotter than in my brilliant answers to questions. So I wrote and wrote and little by little the anger started getting really funny. I took the interview to the furthest extreme by describing the fellow as a superhero who only interviewed people in between saving the world from fast food drive-thru workers. From this experience, my humor column was born.

We decide our responses to situations. Anything that makes us mad can also make us laugh. We just have to flip it and take it to the extreme.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?
The biggest stumbling block in my writing is the attachment of my rear end to a chair. I found that the answer for me was to start with short format materials. With the attention span of an over-caffeinated gnat, it really helped to be able to sit down and write a humor column that was complete at the end of the sitting. It was those humor columns that eventually became the basis for this book.

Also, try writing the worst book you can. This really helps relieve the pressure we put on ourselves when writing. Geez, even Pavarotti had to clear his throat before he sang. Plan to write a lot of phlegm before some good words sneak onto the page.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?
People become authors because they like to be abused by editors, agents, and critics. Because they feel that performance appraisals by one boss are not enough. Instead they want their work appraised by everyone, including that crotchety woman who said that no one has written a good book since Gone With The Wind. In other words, we write because we’re insane.

I became a writer because I love the thrill of creating a world and living in it while writing the story. I get depressed when the story is finished because I don’t want to leave. It’s like the darkness in the theatre when a good movie fades to black. It’s nice because you were there, but you still want more.

It’s also therapy and is a heck of a lot cheaper than a psychiatrist.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?
Last year, for National Novel Writing Month, I put on a chicken suit and sat in the window of a Waldenbooks for a month, writing a novel called, “Danger, Deceit, and a Demon … named Myron”. I got some incredible press – in fact, you can even see the article on CBS News webpage at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/08/print/main2241177.shtml

I was on the national radio show, The Satellite Sisters, and other various radio shows, television shows, and possibly even made it into a junior high school newspaper, but that might have just been a rumor.

I’ve emceed a Menopause Fashion Show for a hospital. Lots of elastic in that one. I’ve done talks for anyone who would stand still – and that includes turning around in elevators and saying, “I suppose you wonder why I called this meeting.”

I’ve offered myself as a fill-in guest for any radio or TV show within driving radius on a very short turnaround time. I’ve gotten calls with “We’re taping in 30 minutes. Can you talk about something?” and I’ve done it.

After the chicken suit episode, I got a reputation and ended up hosting the Harry Potter Release Party at a mall in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Now, they’ve called me back to be Mrs. Claus and read my children’s Christmas poem to kids who’ve eaten too much candy.

I’m working on a promotion idea right now to do a “mall tour” because I can create events with malls and I can shop at the same time. Sounds like heaven to me.

I created a Girls Night Out group that met at a local bookstore and discussed our midlife adventures. We later moved to bars and liked it much better… although we tended to forget what we had talked about.

And the list goes on and on…

Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?
I’m living this book. I’m not the only person who could write this book. That’s what makes it special. This is a book any person can and should write about their experiences. It’s sharing these experiences that makes this time of life fun instead of frenzied, happy instead of harried, bonding instead of brooding, and other assorted alliterations…

I hope other people will read this and say, “I could do that” and turn around and write their stories. The more of this that we share, the more we’ll all realize that we’re crazy … but at least, we’re in the same boat.

If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "It’s the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)
Every once in a while we need to realize that there are others like us. There are other people who pretend they’re on the cell phone in the car so people in the neighboring cars won’t realize that they’re talking to themselves. Others who read the comics instead of the business section of the paper. Others who think that, if God had intended us to stay one waist size, he wouldn’t have invented elastic waistbands. This book shares those moments. It’s a great gift to remind ourselves that we’re not alone.

Also, it’s not just a book for midlifers. It helps others understand midlifers.

Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers.

This quiz will tell you if this book is for you:

Do you use your exercise bike as a coat rack?
Do you want to know how to look cool while searching for your car in the mall parking lot?
Do you believe people on the show Survivor could never last through 39 days in your workplace?
Do you believe that cheesecake and Prozac share many of the same healing qualities?
Do you use the phrase, “I remember when none of that was here”?
Do you list your hair color as “Number 168”?
Do you believe that the birthday of Thomas Hancock, the inventor of elastic, should be a national holiday?
If you even grinned at any of those, you need to read this book…


Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book.
November is National Novel Writing Month, where thousands of people worldwide will try to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. Everyone has a book in them. They just need permission to give it a shot. This is the month to do it.

I’m a Municipal Liaison in Louisiana, which means that I help writers in the state coordinate events and communication during the month.

I’ll also be writing my sequel to Three Feet Under, entitled In Celebration of Elastic Waistbands, during this month. Like I mentioned before, last year I got national attention when I wrote my novel in the window of a bookstore while wearing a chicken suit. This year I’ll be wearing elastic waistbands. Much more comfortable than a chicken suit…

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.
I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can share is laughter. And, as an added bonus, it burns calories.

My theme for life is “If I laugh at myself first, then the rest of the world is laughing with me, not at me.”

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Thank you! This has been a lot of fun and it’s kept me from hitting the refrigerator for a few minutes. That’s a good thing, because there’s just so much elastic in the world…

Website: Christee.biz

Blog that’s just getting started: http://elasticwaistbands.blogspot.com/

You can order Three Feet Under: Journal of a Midlife Crisis at Amazon.com or any online bookstore as well as getting at your local bookstore. If they don’t have it, please ask them to order it!

You can also check out my new business and training books, Succession Planning Basics, Presentation Skills Training, and Manager Skills Training at Amazon.com.

Your Guide to Marketing in the Christian Marketplace

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that's featured in your book?

My husband and I published a set of board book for infants and toddlers and then set about the task of marketing these books in the Christian Marketplace. Out of this experience, Christian Small Publishers Association (CSPA) was born. CSPA's mission is to assist publishers in marketing their books to the Christian marketplace. As the director of CSPA, it became clear to me that a marketing guidebook was needed for emerging Christian authors and publishers.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?

As mentioned in the first question, I am the director of Christian Small Publishers Association (www.christianpublishers.net). The purpose of this organization is to represent, strengthen, and promote small publishers in the Christian marketplace. CSPA was started in 2004 and I have spent the last 4 years providing information and assistance to new and emerging publishers in marketing in the Christian marketplace. The resources in the book are an accumulation of 4+ years of research.

3 - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?

Read my book, Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?

If you visit my book's website (www.marketingchristianbooks.com), you will find an excerpt of the first chapter of the book. In this chapter, I list four benefits of participating in an organization. These include: respect in your industry, cutting-edge information, saving money, and doors of opportunity as a result of networking.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?

My book is for any author of a Christian book that he/she is trying to promote and for anyone who is publishing materials for the Christian marketplace.

6 - What do you think ignites a person's creativity?

Creativity is such an individual process. What ignites one person's creativity does nothing for another. Each individual needs to find where their spark comes from. Mine flows from my passions.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?

I have found that many people desiring to write feel that they need all the material before they can begin. Another words, they think they have to sit down and write a whole book. Writing starts with just a few words.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?

Start with just writing your thoughts; even in outline form. Consider beginning with an article, poem, or short story. There are literally hundreds of places on the web where you can post an article or essay for free.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?

I believe that desire is generally the biggest factor in success. You have to want something enough to work hard to obtain it. Drive goes hand-in-hand with desire. Desire fuels the drive. The drive is what gets the work done to make success happen. It's what causes people to keep at something when rewards are not immediate.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?

Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace is for any author of a Christian book or any person who is or is interested in publishing a Christian book.

In Detail with Leeanne Marie Stephenson

Tell us the book title and your author name.
A PRESCRIPTION FOR LOVE
BY LEEANNE MARIE STEPHENSON

What inspired the book?
my life took a dramatic turn as I was diagnosed with kidney failure
due to my diabetes. The prognosis was less than promising. As my
physical condition deteriorated, I was forced to give up my career as a
nurse. Fatigue and weakness encompassed my entire world as I underwent
dialysis treatments. Desperate and determined to still be part of this
wonderful profession, I started writing a romance novel based on the
experiences I had encountered as a nurse. When the days that lie ahead
of me seemed impossible to face, I did not allow my tears to compromise
my strength. Instead of giving up, during the darkest time in my life,
I drew on the love that surrounded me from my wonderful husband and
family to write this loving story. When I wrote, I was released from my
physical problems and taken back into the world of nursing, which I
loved so much. Romantic stories can always release us from the problems of
real life. They send us into a fantasy world where our
imaginations can soar. I strove to take my readers and myself into
that world. Thus was born my book, “A PRESCRIPTION FOR LOVE”.

What makes this book special to you?
This book is so very special because it represents the strong love I
had surrounding me, and what I could accomplish because of it, during
the lowest point in my life.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?
It is a truly wonderful romantic journey, where you will wish that
the Hero was definitely the man in your life! You are drawn into the
drama of the medical world with breath taking life and death scenarios, a
world of wealth and prestige, and underhanded schemes that lend the
many twists and turns to this hard to put down read. You will wish it
would never end!
It also is a book that demonstrates what can be achieved when life
seems overwhelmingly hopelss.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
Lovers of romance novels, people wanting to know what true love is
and how it is demonstrated between 2 people. People facing the
challenges of great adversity in their lives will hopefully be inspired to read
this book, to see how I achieved my dream while living without any hope
in my life.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own
creativity?
My creativiety for this book came from the great love affair I have
with my usband. Also, I wanted to still of the medical world so I
wrote about that. I think you can be very creative if you use a lot of
your own personal experiences in your writing.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you
share some tips to help others get past similar problems?
The hardest thing about writing when you are sick, is the fatigue and
weakness that you experience. You just have to have an unfathomable
resolve to forge ahead and accomplish what you set out to achieve!

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated
you to get into this unusual industry?
I became an author, because the writing allowed me to escape into my
imagination and go to a place where the world was wondrful! It allowed
me to escape the horrible world and circumstances I was in. I wrote
about a place in life that I loved which was being a Nurse.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any
books?
I persistently sent many media packages and e-mails to a TV show
until they relented and had me on their show.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that
setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your
readers?
My setting is where I worked my own career as a nurse so it is
very personal to me and easy to describe throughout the book.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book?
What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or
heroine? You can include information about both if you want.
Weel, the heroine is a Nurse as I was, so alot of her characteristics
magnify mypersonality. The hero is every woman's dream, truly aloving
caring man.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your
story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the
story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to
know.

There are several villains in the story, all with the same goal of
keeping the hero and heroine apart! Each has their own selfish reasons
for their phoniness and manipu;ations of the chracters. It lends many
twists and turns to the plot with their underhanded schemes!

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and
place. After a year on dialysis, I was told I could have a kidney
transplant. My wonderful brother stepped forward and gave me the gift of
life. From that moment on, my whole world changed for the better and I
eagerly embraced this second chance at life. When I felt well enough,
I set about getting my romance story published, so I could be an
inspirational example of what can be accomplished when life seems
overwhelmingly

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website
address and a link to order your book.

http://www.lmstephenson.com

http://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Love-Leeanne-Marie-Stephenson/dp/1424165075/sr=8-12/qid=1172424584/ref=sr_1_12/104-7067955-3361511?ie=UTF8&s=books

Sleep Before Evening by Magdalena Ball

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Sleep Before Evening by Magdalena Ball

What inspired the book?

The book was originally inspired some years ago when I first read Walter Pater’s The Renaissance and wanted to write about the whole idea of the way creative art, and an almost forced stance of seeing the beauty that surrounds us, gives life meaning. But the more immediate inspiration came from my children, and the big life change that moving into motherhood created in me. I wanted to write about motherhood and the whole idea of the mother child relationship. There are plenty of examples of bad parenting in this book, but overall, I think that there’s a kind of growth that occurs in all of the characters as they move towards self-actualisation.

What makes this book special to you?

Like any first novel, the book was created in a kind of secret – in moments snatched from all those other activities that we have a mandate for, and for me, I almost think of this as something I’ve been moving towards for several decades. It contains so much blood – so much struggle to say something more than what I was capable of saying in day to day prose/conversations. I feel like I’ve actually created a kind of language for myself and broken through an aphasia I’d been struggling with.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?


Well of course no one must read it – it’s just another novel in a world full of novels after all. But let me say this. From everything that everyone who reads it has told me to date, the novel is a nice mixture between deep and literary, and accessible and fast paced. So if you’re looking for some easy to read entertainment, you’ll find it my book. If you’re looking for a serious novel with transcendence and a significant theme that touches on a range of things like how we create meaning in our lives, the nature of families, truth, beauty and art, then you’ll find it in my book. It is often intense, but I think for most readers, will be a powerful, positive read.


What people NEED to read this book and WHY?


Because the wonderful reviewer Cathy Biribauer of Rose and Thorn (http://roseandthornreviews.blogspot.com/2007/08/sleep-before-evening-by-magdalena-ball.html) said this: “Magdalena Ball demonstrates her mastery of the musicality of language and many scenes are imbued with striking imagery…As the drama coils tighter and tighter, it is this quality of writing that keeps the reader utterly glued. As Marianne struggles with her demons and we almost hold our breath as she nears her eighteenth birthday, Magdalena Ball's Sleep Before Evening shows us that in order to find yourself, you sometimes have to lose yourself first.”


What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?


My creativity is sparked by my wonderful (and often challenging) family who never let me rest on my laurels or take anything for granted. I mean that in the most positive sense. I’m also constantly being inspired creatively by the amazing books I’m lucky to get my greedy little hands on. Other people’s words inspire me always, in whatever context I hear them. So do other people’s art, music, endeavours. My tips for others is to a) always keep that childlike sense of wonder at the world – sometimes you have to take a forced stance, but after a while it comes naturally. Also, to listen. There are stories everywhere you look and everyone has one.


What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Time always. There’s never enough. There never will be enough. You have to find ways. Don’t let that four letter word stop you. You never will have more time than you do right now. Just get on with it – a tiny bit at a time always moving forward (while looking back).

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

My publisher calls it ‘hopeville’. It surely can’t be money unless you’re under an illusion! I think it’s simply that you’re the kind of person who takes great pleasure in using words to define your world. I’m a word girl. I have to work with words, either reading or writing. If I were more musical or had more of an eye for imagery, I might find another medium. I think everyone needs some form of artistic release though. To decide to have it as a vocation takes a fair amount of stubborn tenacity along with the love of words.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?


I haven’t done anything too unusual, but I did make a big pot of “quark soup” once to promote my poetry book Quark Soup. Of course it wasn’t made with those theoretical particles which were present in the early days of the universe, but rather that lovely, low fat cheese you get all over Germany. It made me feel like a kind of Earth witch, stirring my caldron and feeding my readers both literally and metaphorically.


FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

The setting is more or less real in my novel. I lived in Long Beach, Long Island in 1982, and since I was a similar age to my protagonist when I was there, it seemed right to have the setting/time and place align with that – it just made it easier for me to get these things right. I was able to map the real with the fictional to create a setting (and situations) that people tell me have a high degree of verisimilitude. But of course there were many mistakes in my first draft. To make it complete and vivid, I did a few things – one of which was to get a great reader who lived there to point out what was incorrect. Another was to create a big town map, using real, and home-made elements so that I was able to trace the roads my character walked on, working out the timings and other things. It wasn’t always easy though, especially since much of the information had to be accurate for the 80s rather than today. I live in fear of someone telling me that I’ve got some detail of the Subway ride wrong or missed a critical street. But I think that most readers will find it fairly realistic and complete.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

The heroine, Marianne, is a self-contained character and I like the way she moves in and out of control, and the way she has to traverse the line between allowing herself to be creative and feel great passion, without losing control of her body and life. It’s a struggle she has to overcome. Sleep is definitely character oriented fiction, and the whole story grows out of the heroine, who manages to create her own mayhem out of almost nothing and then falls to the worst possible low. Then, again, with nothing but her own instinct and desires, she pulls herself back up. I like the mother daughter dynamics and I think that it’s one of the key things that drives the action forward. I think many people will recognise my heroine – she’s like every teenager, suddenly questioning who she is and why she has always done the things she’s done. Her home life is both wonderful and horrible, and similarly the world she enters. But always, the motivation for all the characters in this book who grow is a kind of self-actualisation.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

The sexy harmonica player Miles is the villain. He whispers in my heroine’s ear and provides her with the tools of self-destruction, but in some way, he also opens a door that remains open. Most of the conflict occurs within the heroine, but the good looking musician is always there, tempting her with the wrong music.

Thanks Nikki! The book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Nobles. For more information and to view the book trailer and reviews, visit:

http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/SleepBeforeEvening.htm

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Before-Evening-Magdalena-Ball/dp/1904492967/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-9326603-7885261?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190238636&sr=8-1

BN: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781904492962&itm=3

Enthralled by Nadia Aidan

Tell us the book title and your author name.Enthralled by Nadia Aidan

What inspired the book?
My mother is who inspired me to write. She is the reason why I finally committed to pursuing my passion of writing and she is who drives me and inspires me to dedicate all I have to following this dream.

What makes this book special to you?
As my debut novel, Enthralled holds a special place in my heart because it represents the culmination of several years of dreaming, wishing and just plain old hard work.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?
It's an escapist dream! Set in a fantasy world Enthralled takes you into another realm and introduces you to characters that you only dream of! It is a perfect erotic romance because it has all of the critical elements, dominant men, feisty women and a lot of sensuality! I mean A LOT!

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
Anyone who just wants to indulge their senses for one night. I know one of my favorite things to do over the weekend is pour a glass of wine, curl up with a good book and just enter into another world. I wanted to give my readers this. Enthralled is a fantasy novel that was written for those who enjoy suspended reality and a high dose of eroticism.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?
I have no set formula. Sometimes watching a certain film sparks it. Other times I just feel in the mood to write. However when I am having writer's block I try to read some of my favorite books OR I read new works from my favorite authors. Reading a good book ultimately inspires me and gets those creative juices flowing again.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?
The biggest stumbling block I run across is not always writer's block because the thoughts are there but the WILL to write isn't. I try to prevent myself from getting stuck in that type of rut by setting a 10,000 words per week writing goal. As a writer you can set whatever writing goal you want but 10,000 per week works for me. The great thing about setting a weekly goal and not a daily goal (which is what I used to do) is that somedays I may not write at all whereas others I may write all day. I used to set a daily goal of 1,500 words per day but I hated it because I would force myself to write on the days I didn't want to and then later end up having to scrap all of it or revise a lot of it. The weekly goal has worked for me and it keeps me from hating to sit down at the computer.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?
I am a member of several author and critique groups and there seem to be two common themes that motivate indviduals to become authors. The first is a genuine love for writing and reading works in the genre that they write in AND the second is a belief that whatever was out there before they started writing could be done better! It is funny because many of my mentors started writing because they became frustrated with a lackof this or too much of that. The same is true of me. I wanted to see more interracial and multicultural erotic romance novels so I figured if that is what I wanted then I needed to write it myself!

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?
Here is where I am pretty boring. I don't think anything that I have done has been unusual at all! Although, I will say that I have stepped out of my comfort zone quite a bit. I haven't been in a chat room for over fifteen years and I certainly haven't posted a blog in close to two but promoting my book has driven me to rely upon a lot of media tools that I normally don't use.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers? Without giving too much away I will say this. Enthralled is a work of fantasy but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ancient history. From the Egyptians to the Babylonians, Greeks and Romans--I LOVE IT! So don't be surprised if you recognize several planets and character names that have meaning in ancient cultures.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.
I love my heroine! She is strong and corageous, yet at the same time there is a vulnerability about her. Mainly she is motivated by a desire to be a good ruler. To do what is right. Many people say that as a writer you should stay away from developing characters that are loosely based upon your own personality, which I will say in this case I did! However, I would like to think that a few of my own personality traits ended up in Candace which of course endears her to me. When you read Enthralled I think you will find that you can't help but cheer for Candace. She has so much to deal with and yet she remains poised through everything. She compromises but not at the expense of who she is. I love that about her and I hope the readers do too!

As far as Ares well who wouldn't love a sexy, dominant, man of honor! He is indeed the classic fantasy hero--strong, confident, domineering, and honorable. However beyond the standard cliche, he is passionate about his family, his friends and the woman that he loves. I find that in many erotic romance novels, there is a lack of character development around the people and relationships that have shaped the hero and heroine. I wanted to write a novel that was built around several central figures, while at the same time not detracting from Candace and Ares' story. I guess you will have to read Enthralled to see what I mean by this and why it works!

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.There is a villain but she doesn't cause the conflict--at least not between the main characters. I know! I am talking in circles! The main source of friction comes from the main characters themselves. Instead of battling a person, they must battle their culture, their ideals, their perceptions of each other. Mainly Candace and Ares must decide whether or not they truly care more about being right, about maintaining time held traditions then they do about opening their hearts to the possibility of finding love. These are two very stubborn, strong willed people. It is hard for them both to let go, to open themselves up and be vulnerable. It is easier for them to wear their past traditions as a shield so that they don't have to deal with the hard stuff.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.
I just want to say how thrilled and excited I am by the release of Enthralled. This has truly been a labor of love and I am happy to see that my dream has finally come true. I enjoyed interweaving many people and places into this erotic fantasy world and I hope others will love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Its My Crisis and I'll Cry If I Need To - Yocheved Golani

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book? Friends were fascinaed that I did not have a nervous breakdown when I learned that I needed life-saving surgery or while I recovered from it.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic? I'm a professional writer. I used to be a Health Information Management professional. That means that I analyzed medical records in psychiatric and medical institutions for legal, research/statistical, insurance and other purposes. I wrote articles for career-related publications, found out I was good at it, and left my high-pressure career to become a freelance writer. Eventually I began performing writing services for various clients and I wrote two published novels. My HIM career gave me the know-how to face my medical emergency with some useful insight for my medical needs and for preparing my newest and non-fiction book, It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic? Be a dedicated fact-checker. Non-fiction is non-nonsense work. Your credibility as a writer depends on your fact-checking and accuracy. And be a captivating writer. KNow what makes a reader turn the page for more input. Develop writing skills that hold reader interest.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons? The standout benefit is the networkng opportunity. Next comes the chance to learn from people in those groups and organizations. Feedback is an indispensable tool for preparing a book people want to read. I find that my friends can't always be impartial: they're afraid to hurt my feelings. But career professionals are neutral, focused on meeting a particular goal. I'm confident of getting valuable, candid remarks from them. The personal growth that can result from interacting with people from various walks of life is wonderful at building a writer's appreciation for humanity and differnt points of view. Such interaction also increases your social insight and sophistication.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose? The ideal readers of It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To are someone who wants to help a loved one through a medical crisis. That loved one can be family, friend or colleague. The other ideal reader is the person experiencing the medical crisis or challenge.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity? A cause. Writing is a laborious task. There's a joke that says "Wwriting a book is a career option for the leisure class." Such people have enough money to spend time off from a paying job in order to write a book. A creative person feels a need to express themselves in some way: print, painting, sculpture, writng, music, you name it. That fire in the belly is what enables people with insufficient income to reach their creative goals.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing? Not knowing how to start! People stare at a blank piece of paper or a blank screen and they panic. The solution, for me at least, is to use a sense of humor. I long ago broke my writer's freeze by writing about the white rabbit running through a snowstorm. I made one version funny, the other a news article. It banished my sense of panic about writing forever. Whenever I seem to be blocked as a writer, I write something off the wall, or read something very funny to get my mind recharged. Sometimes I write really, really bad first, second and third drafts. Anne Lamott has a more graphic name for them, and I find her take on rough drafts very comforting.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that? Experiment in order to find what works for you. There is more than one way to become a professional writer. Some people need to prepare outlines, others use grocery lists of ideas and story development. Other people use software suited to their writing purpose. I like to use a Hot Pen technique: writing until I must put my pen down of get off the keyboard. Then I assess what's worth using, what has to be trashed. I refine my text until I'm ready to let go of it. Attend free writer's workshops or start one. Then again, JK Rowling made a fortune by writing on scraps of paper at the start of her writng career. It worked for her. Go with your own flow. And use stress busting strategies that don't bother the neighbors. One more thing: you have to be willing to let go of your work once you've done enough with it. If you keep tweaking the text too long, you're not going to get it published. Every writer looks back at some of their published work and knows they could have done this or that to make it "better." But extreme perfectionism doesn't belong in the writing profession. It belongs in your "issues resolved" department.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else? It depends on the person. I want to help people with my book. And I want to make money at what I do. Writing is my line of work. I can't afford to volunteer my book preparation time. I communicate with several writers who moan and groan about how much money they invested in getting their books published. I keep telling people that I wrote my books in order to make money, not to lose it. Fame is an alluring factor for some writers. Getting name recognition in the wide world can boost a career with additional clients, speaking engagements, new career developments and personal satisfaction. Fame also sells your book! As for security, that's for best-selling authors and syndicated writers. They expect steady income as a direct result of their endeavors. The rest of us pray for the income from our writing efforts.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book? What a great question! I had to reflect on it a while to give you an intelligent answer. The perfect person to read It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To is someone who will tell other people to buy it. They'll do that because the book helped them or someone they know in specific ways, or they understand how it can help other people facing a medical crisis.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Yes. Make off-the-cuff elevator speeches about your book. It's a technique I accidentally figured out when I described my developing book to acquaintances. I heard myself telling people what the book was for, who'd need it, the issues it could solve and the problems it would prevent. Then they'd ask me open-ended questions or make suggestions about the book. I then realized that other angles could definitely be addressed within my developing book. Suddenly, my rough draft took on fresh, new life. I better understood my purpose for writing It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry if I Need To. So I suggest that you keep telling willing listeners what you book is about, why you're writing it and who'd want to read it. You'll refine your writing goals that way, find your purpose for writing, and forge ahead with progress. You will be absolutely sure of your sense of purpose in writing.

--
Yocheved Golani
Self Help Coach
Make the Changes You Need in Your Life.
http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

Dark Lullaby by Mayra Calvani

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Dark Lullaby, by Mayra Calvani

What inspired the book?

This particular novel was inspired by my fascination with moral dilemmas and by Turkish folklore. I lived several years in Turkey, so this was a big influence. Listening to stories about the mysterious—and scary—beings called cin (jihnn) was an unusual experience for me and I always knew I would eventually write something about them in a future book.

What makes this book special to you?

The aspect of this book which makes it more special to me is that the protagonist was inspired by my brother (of course for plot purposes I pushed it to the extremes!). It is also my first novel which has a male protagonist; this made the writing both more interesting and challenging.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Dark Lullaby is a bizarre tale about a young astrophysicist who is lured into the Turkish countryside by a strange and beautiful girl—of course, the girl ends up not being what she first appears to be. Ultimately, he is faced with a moral dilemma: Does the end justify the means? People who must read this book are people who enjoy strange paranormal fiction set in exotic locales, and who also get a kick out of philosophy and controversial moral issues.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Interesting question. Who would need to read this book? People who are idealists and believe ideals cannot collapse. Why? To see that ideals can indeed collapse.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Walking alone, haunting violin music, a good book or movie, a conversation, a person’s face, free writing, keeping a journal.

I would recommend people to get a copy of The Right to Write and The Artist’s Way, both by creativity guru Julia Cameron. Also to write at a café once a week, either alone or with a group of writers.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Definitely lack of discipline. I try my best to write everyday, but the truth is my style is to binge. Not writing everyday can lead to many problems—insecurity, self loathing, stagnation. It used to be very hard for me to actually start that first chapter—it still is, but now I trust my voice more, I’m kinder to my inner self and less critical. Of course—this inner critic, that awful voice that whispers in your ear that you’re no good, gets worse when you don’t write everyday. So both are connected, both feed on each other. The trick is to keep writing, to do it every day, even if just a few sentences. Studying the works I mentioned before (Julia Cameron’s The Right to Write and The Artist’s way) were a tremendous help, as well as joining a creativity workshop. Journal writing can be very useful to keep you writing and to clean your mind of all the useless and negative clutter that gets in the way of your creativity.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

In my case, it was not a conscious decision. I simply loved writing since I was a child. Writing was something I was particularly good at and it got me attention, so I kept at it. Later on, as I grew older, it became a natural way to get rid of all the voices in my head, a way to bring to life my imaginary world filled with mystery and adventure. Also, I’ve always been attracted by the image of the antisocial, ‘intellectual’ author—pounding on an old typewriter and smoking at a messy desk—not that this is my style! It is, after all, a great job—you’re your own boss, have your own hours, etc.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

So far nothing unusual, I’m afraid. I’m quite traditional when it comes to promoting—author interviews, reviews, article distribution, having a website, blog and newsletter, etc.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

Although at the beginning of the novel the characters are in Baltimore, most of the story takes place in the Turkish countryside; in Rize, to be exact, which is a small, tea-planting city on the north eastern coast of the country. I spent hours doing research on the internet and studied many photos that made me create the right atmosphere for the place. The stories I had heard about the cin were from people who originally came from that area, so choosing that particular setting came natural. I wanted to put the protagonist in an exotic setting, in a place where he would feel like an outsider, thus being in a disadvantageous, weaker position.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

There’s no heroine in this novel. The story revolves around the hero and the anti-heroine, though the hero, Gabriel Diaz, is the center of the whole thing. I love that the hero is an astrophysicist because I love science, especially astronomy and cosmology. It was fun doing research to make sure I was getting the facts correctly. As I said earlier, the hero was inspired by my brother. He’s an astrophysicist, so he was there to answer my questions as well, which was convenient. I combined my love for science with my love for philosophy and made him a philosophy aficionado as well. All throughout the book Gabriel is motivated by an idealist sense of justice and by doing the ‘right’ thing.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

The anti-heroine or villainess in Dark Lullaby is a young and beautiful Turkish girl named Kamilah. When Gabriel meets her at the tavern on that first night, she claims to be a biology major. Of course, once in Turkey her true nature emerges to the surface and she ends up being something very different from what she presented herself to be. She is the catalyst that brings Gabriel to face his demons; she the reason that propels him to the extreme, because Kamilah isn’t just a threat to him, but to his twin sister as well, who is very vulnerable right now expecting a baby. In all modesty, I think Kamilah’s true nature will take many readers by surprise.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Nikki!

My website is www.MayraCalvani.com and the book is available from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Lullaby-Mayra-Calvani/dp/1593749074/ref=sr_1_4/103-8834202-9064634?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189507282&sr=1-4) and from the publisher (http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=571&zenid=c790ed40a08746e18c58f83270ea4091).

In Detail with Nicola Beaumont

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The Resurrection of Lady Somerset by Nicola Beaumont

What inspired the book?

After reading regencies, and then researching the period, I fell in love with the romance of the era and had to pen something to match.

What makes this book special to you?

The most special thing about this book is that it is my first regency. When I began, I wasn’t sure if I was getting the right tone and feel, and so I entered the manuscript in a contest. The story placed and got rave comments from the judges, so I endeavored to finish the book…and it found publication.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?


I think the most intriguing thing about this book is there is a twist at the end. So far, no one who has read it, has seen it coming, so I think that’s a compelling reason why people “must” read it.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

A mixture of life and idealism spark my creativity. Usually, I see a situation in real life—either in my own experience or through someone else—and I imagine the ideal outcome, and the desire to write about it fosters a story idea.

As far as tips for others to find their muse…just write. Any idea that comes to mind, even if it ends up being kindling for the winter fire, write it. The cohesive plot and the skill to yield an interesting story will come.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?


Time. It’s very easy to become too busy to write. If one is serious about writing as a career, it’s important to incorporate a regular writing regimen, whether it be a set amount of time or a set amount of pages per day or per week. Stick to the schedule.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

Writing is something writers must do. There is no option but to create. The motivation is initially innate. For some, there may be some external motivations that follow—maybe the idea of fame and fortune (which doesn’t happen for most authors)—but deep down, the motivation is being able to see tangibly what was once only an imaginary tale.

My own motivation was, and is, solely to tell the tale. I write for the same reason I read—to “see” a happily-ever-after unfold where flawed people overcome their flaws and find true happiness.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I’m a pretty staid person. I’m not sure I’ve done anything unusual…except maybe go on a virtual book tour! :0)

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?


A lot of time is spent at Somerset Manor. It’s a large estate in which the heroine has lived as a veritable hermit almost her entire life—with the “world” thinking she was actually dead. I chose that setting because it was a challenge to have the hero keep the heroine a secret while there are people coming and going.

In order to create vividity I use as many sensory descriptions as possible. A reader must experience the setting in the same way the character does—sights, smells, noises, etc., all have to come alive.

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.


Readers will like Lark and Jonathon for the same reasons I do. Lark is both vulnerable, yet strong. She has lived with a quiet security that was almost like a prison, yet to risk moving out into the world means she may lose not only that security, but her dignity as well.

Jonathon has had to deal with rumours and innuendo which made his life difficult, yet rather than succumbing to the pressure, he has always risen to the occasion and fought the good fight. Now, with his betrothal to Lark, he has to face all his worst fears about being accepted by gently Society.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Thanks for this great opportunity to share. I invite people to visit my website at www.inicola.net To order a copy of The Resurrection of Lady Somerset, visit Amazon.com or at The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&produc

Lifetips 101 Entrepreneur Tips by Susan Payton

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?
My book is for entrepreneurs. I’ve always been one, and as I make mistakes and see what works, I want to help others in their success.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?
I have had several entrepreneurial endeavors: I sold athletic shoes on eBay, designed gift baskets, and now run Egg Marketing & Public Relations.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?
Research. Read as much as you can about running a business. Thousands of people have gone before you (and many failed), so learn from what they have already done.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?
Networking is a major part of my marketing company’s growth. It’s about developing relationships, not getting sales. You instantly create a support group by regularly attending networking events, and when the need arises for your product, you’re the first one on their mind. Also, when you need something, you’re more likely to seek it within that group.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?Someone just starting out as an entrepreneur would be the ideal person to read this book. A good referral would be someone who wants to start a business but doesn’t really know what it will entail. It’s an eye opener that I believe every entrepreneur should be aware of before they invest money.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?
Doing what you love ignites creativity. When you’re stifled and hate what you do, you can never be creative.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?
Being afraid to begin. If you build it up into something big, it can seem daunting to put down that first word. But once you do, the rest just flows.

8 - How would you suggest they can overcome that?
Start writing at the beginning of the day so you don’t dread it and create the snowball effect.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?Motivation is different for different people. A colleague just told me about a book that lists physical, mental, monetary and spiritual types of motivation. For me, it’s knowing I’ve done my best, and in all honesty, money is high on the list too!

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?
A new or seasoned entrepreneur.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
If you have questions after reading my book, I am more than happy to answer them. Just send me an email!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602750149/?tag=eggmarpubrel-20

smpayton@eggmarketingpr.com

In Detail with PG Forte

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Love, From A to Z is the second book in the LA Love Lessons series by PG Forte.

What inspired the book?

I honestly don’t remember. I know I fell in love with Zach while I was writing Waiting for the Big One. I always thought he deserved his own story. But the idea to hook him up with someone mysterious, angelic (okay, that part really changed by the time the book was written!); a woman he’d really have to work to get to know—that just came out of nowhere. The only thing I knew about April when I started plotting the story was that her name had to start with ‘A’...since his began with ‘Z’.

Of course, I’ve also had that first scene in Chapter One—where April wakes up and realizes there’s someone in bed with her and she doesn’t know who that someone is—in my mind for close to forever. Although I must confess the actual event which inspired it wasn’t nearly as interesting as April’s fictional encounter.

What makes this book special to you?

Again I have to say Zach. He’s just the sweetest hot guy imaginable. I mean, I should hate this book because I always swore I’d never write an amnesia story and yet...there it is. I’ve written twelve books now and this has turned out to be one of my favorites.

Actually, I suppose it’s the interaction between the main characters. April had to be someone pretty special to deal with the situation—and to balance Zach. Together they just have really wonderful chemistry. LOL—even if I do say so myself.

And that first scene—as I said, I waited a long time to use that!

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

LOL! I don’t really think of any of my books as being THAT important. I write primarily to entertain people; to amuse them—rather than to educate or enlighten them. This isn’t literature. But, on the other hand, I happen to think the role of ‘Storyteller’ is an important, time-honored position. As far as I know, humans are the only species who tell each other stories—and we’ve been doing it since we lived in caves. It’s probably why language evolved in the first place.

People NEED good stories and everyone needs a good laugh...several good laughs...on a regular basis. So, I guess...people should read this book if they want to have fun; if they want to laugh and/or cry, have a good time...and maybe pick up a wicked idea or two. I do like giving people ideas!

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

People who are looking for something just a little bit twisted, I suppose. There’s a little kink, but nothing too scary, I don’t think. People who take things too seriously could probably use something like this—it might help them lighten up. People for whom life is grim (due to circumstances beyond their control); this could provide them with a needed break. Oh, and people who like a sexy read—cause it is that.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Oh, just everything. It’s all grist for the mill. That’s one of the most fun things about spending time with another author, btw. You’ll see things, hear things, taste or smell things, look at each other—wearing identical goofy grins—and just know that you’re both seeing the story possibilities.

I think visual aids are very important. If you can find something—a flower, an ornament, a postcard, a perfume, a coffee mug, whatever—that symbolizes the story you’re working on, that’s something that can help you to focus, help you keep going when you start to get stuck. Also I can’t write without a soundtrack. So I almost always have music playing—and it has to be specific to the book or scene I’m working on.

Anything that helps me feel like I’m immersed in the world of my story is good.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Self consciousness. Or maybe a lack of business acumen. I guess it depends on whether we’re talking about the actual writing or the business of writing.

Writing can be an extremely personal endeavor. Even if you’re writing something that’s completely made up...it’s personal. And when you’re writing about sex—well, that really can make you feel exposed. I‘ve always likened it to acting. You have to ‘dig down deep to the bottom of your soul’ (to steal a quote from A Chorus Line) to find your emotions if you want to write something that’s going to move people. I think it’s important to be authentic emotionally. And that’s really hard. I think you have to find that place inside where you’re just a little bit uncomfortable and then make yourself stay there; learn to work from there—not shy away from it. Way easier said then done, unfortunately. You just have to do it.

As for the ‘lack of business acumen’ thing—I think you just have to educate yourself. Find out how things are done, what kinds of story people are looking for, how to submit a story, who to submit it to, etc. There are a lot of scams out there. There are a lot of wrong tracks to wander down.

I think finding reputable groups to belong to is very helpful—they cut down on some of the misinformation you might fall prey to otherwise and you’ll likely pick up a lot of useful information and contacts as well.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think if you have to write, you have to write. It’s as simple as that.

In terms of choosing to try and make it a career, however, I think I was motivated by my children...which sounds kind of strange doesn’t it, when you consider that I’m currently writing erotica? I’d just like to point out I didn’t start writing in this genre until I’d already completed eight other books.

But, seriously, writing had been a dream of mine for a lot of years and it was important for me to show my kids how strongly I believe that it’s important to follow your dreams. Sometimes you just have to go for it.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I wish I could think of unusual things to do to promote my books! Unfortunately I’m depressingly conventional when it comes to creating promotional ideas. These virtual tours and online author chats are certainly among the most enjoyable promotional activities I’ve engaged in. Does that count? Since I’m primarily epubbed, at least so far, most of my promotional efforts have been geared toward cyber space.

And like everyone else on the planet, it seems, I’m also on MySpace. (http://www.myspace.com/pgforte). That’s actually gotten me a lot of attention, surprisingly enough. My profile page there definitely sees a lot more action than my website!

If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

This series is set in LA. I used to live there and I really remember the place fondly. Of course, I also remember that particular time in my life very fondly too—so I think that’s part of why I chose that location for this series. I picked a lot of places that I’d either come to love during my time there or places that seemed emblematic of the place itself. Some of the locations are places I re-visit whenever I’m in the area. I’m big on nostalgia, which tends to drive my husband nuts. He’d much prefer to see new places from time to time—lol!

What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

Well, Zach is a total sweetheart—and I think that comes across. It doesn’t hurt that he’s totally hot, either. I guess what makes Zach special is the fact that he accepts himself. He doesn’t pretend to be someone he’s not—which, of course, is exactly the quality that gets him into trouble from time to time!

Also, there’s something I’ve realized recently about romantic heroes,. In my opinion, the most important quality they must have is a love (and healthy respect) for women. Misogynists, good ‘ol boys, men’s men, or guys who’ve been so scarred and twisted they think they have no need nor use for women (other than domestically or sexually) need not apply. Seriously.

As for April...this is a woman who, when she finds herself in a very disorienting position, digs right in and finds her footing fairly quickly. Of course, it definitely helps that she has Zach along to help her over the rough spots, but I’d like to think she’d have managed something on her own...it just probably wouldn’t have been as entertaining.

April is stubborn and I admire that. Some people prefer the word determined, but I like stubborn. It’s a good word. April strikes me as someone with great strength of character. Sure, once again, she’s motivated partially by Zach, but she’s a bit of a risk taker in her own right. She takes leaps of faith, which, I think speaks of a person who is secure in herself. April might not know what she’s doing all the time but she’s damn sure going to do something—she’s not going to just lie there and let life roll over her.

I think this is why they’re so good for each other, too. Zach rolls with the punches and doesn’t often lose his sense of humor. April is more feisty, more of a doer. As a result, she tends to get the wind knocked out of her, from time to time, but she doesn’t let that stop her.

Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

There’s usually a villain in most of my books. In this case, however, I decided I didn’t want anyone too heavy. This was such a fun story to write, I didn’t want to bring myself, or the reader, down by writing in a really, really bad guy. So, I went for a somewhat farcical approach. Yes, the bad guys do bad things but the only thing meant to be taken seriously in this book are the developing emotions between the hero and heroine. Everything else is there for...entertainment value.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

I guess I’d just like to say if you enjoy this book you might want to check out the other books in the series. Waiting for the Big One is also available from Liquid Silver Books and I’m currently awaiting word on the third book, Let Me Count the Ways.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Thank you, Nikki, it’s been a pleasure.

My website is: http://www.pgforte.com

The direct link to this book is:
http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=Love+From+A+To+Z&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

Or, you can also find a link at:
http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/authors/pgforte.htm

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

In Detail with Steve Reilly

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The Fat Lady Never Sings: How a High School Football Team Found Redemption on the Baseball Diamond

Steven M. Reilly

What inspired the book?

I always thought the story of the team should be told. I think all of us have unique experiences we want to share and say to ourselves “I should write a book.” After fourteen years of thinking about these remarkable young men and their coaches and what they went through, I decided to do write the book.

The book is about redemption sought by three high school baseball players, their team, their coaches and the City they live in. In 1991, high school football was everything in Derby which is the smallest city in Connecticut. The team had a streak of twenty-eight straight years without having a losing season. The streak ended on Thanksgiving Day, 1991. Three seniors including the quarterback also played on the school’s baseball team. One of the seniors was the Mayor’s son and almost all of the other players on the baseball team played football. The head coach of the baseball team was also an assistant football coach who was also battling his own difficulty.

After blowing the streak, the football players, especially the three seniors, were labeled losers forever in the City. Their last chance at redemption was playing on the baseball team. Two of the Seniors were pitchers. The smallest school in the league, Derby battles for and makes the state tournament and ultimately, as the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jimmy Valvano would say, "survives and advances" to a state championship game.

But the game turns into a nightmare after an early lead disintegrates. We end up down by two runs with two outs in the last inning. With two runners in scoring position, the quarterback comes to the plate and ultimately gets a base hit to tie the game and send it into extras. The excitement builds as each extra inning results in Derby scoring and their adversary tying the game. Complicating matters, a pitching limitation rule forces one of the senior pitchers to return to the mound several innings after being removed. In the eleventh inning(the fourth extra inning) another Derby senior fouls off seven pitches in a row with a three-balls two-strikes two-out count until he ultimately drives in the winning runs. In the bottom of the last inning, Derby's senior pitcher hangs on despite barely being able to pitch.

What makes this book special to you?

It describes events that I played a part in as well as the relationships I was able to establish as a result. Take a look at what happened the moment the game ended on my web site: www.TheFatLadyNeverSings.com and you'll feel why I consider the team and coaches were so special.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

No other book in this genre has the amount of game excitement that the final game in this story has. The characters in this book are unmatched for their zaniness, tenacity and love for one another as well as the game of baseball. It's the baseball equivalent of Hoosiers, if Gene Hackman's game went into triple overtime.

Many of the people who know the characters in the book voted for who should play Coach D(the head coach in the book) in any movie version of the book on one of my web site polls. Danny DeVito bested Jack Nicholson, Jim Belushi, Jason Alexander and Kelsey Grammar in the voting. What does that tell you when the people that are familiar with the characters think Danny DeVito should play a head coach of a high school baseball team! Some thought Coach D should play himself since they felt nobody could duplicate him. Many sports books speak about the concept of never giving up, but if you read this book you'll feel as if you are in the dugout each step of the way.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Anyone who is caught up with the concept of winning and losing needs to read this book to see what exactly we should be admiring about the young people who face it whenever they play competitive sports.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Coaching sparks it as every game I'm involved in requires me to adapt to what's happening no matter how I hoped to script the outcome. I think the way to spark creativity is to find the time to just relax. It's like being up at the plate, the more you can relax, the more you can stay focused and concentrate on hitting the ball. It's like doing a crossword puzzle and you can't think of the word that fits, but the next morning you pick it up again and wonder how you ever could have missed the word the day before.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

I had a hard time being patient enough to keep on revising the book over and over and over again. I wanted to make it as good as it could. The editing was frustrating as it seemed to go in circles; one editor telling me to do one thing, another telling me to go in a different direction and finally a proofreader who injected his own thoughts.

My solution was simply to read as much as I could about the editing process and to trust and consider what I was being told to work on. In other words, I had to put my faith in the people who do this for a living.

My suggestion would be that after you have got your edit back, put the book down for a few days. Since I wrote my book, I became more interested in sports writing and have read numerous baseball books. I think in retrospect, I would have been better off if I had read those books before diving into writing a book in that same arena. So, I would say being an avid reader of books, especially of books in the area you wish to write in, is extremely helpful.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think we all thrive on stories; we get enjoyment out of listening to them, telling them and sometimes just making them up. Everybody's life is a story. What motivated me was the opportunity to tell a story that noone else had told.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

I purchased a giant baseball glove from a company called Akadema and I use it as a prop at all my events. It's an instant conversation piece to lead into the subject of the book.

NON FICTION - Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?

I had the best seat in the house as the story unfolded as I was the third base coach on the team. I was also as frightened as them about winning or losing the championship game. I have been coaching high school baseball players for about thirty years, so through all my experience I learned what makes them as well as their coaches tick.

NON FICTION - If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

Imagine a high school baseball coach's elderly mother adjacent a dugout in a stadium filled with 3,500 people trying to convince her son the best way to win a state championship game was to cheat!

NON FICTION - Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers.

Because I live it every spring, summer and fall.

Here's my hook:

Once school starts in the fall, Friday nights are typically reserved for one thing high school football games. The Fat Lady Never Sings tells the true story of Derby, Connecticut's 1992 Red Raider baseball team as told by then-assistant coach, Steven M. Reilly. When the town's remarkable 28-year football winning streak comes to an end, three seniors on the team are branded losers. Determined to seek redemption by playing on the baseball team, these multi-sport athletes forever leave their mark on this small Connecticut town after helping the team advance to the championship game of the state baseball tournament.

NON FICTION Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book.

Presumably the story could be tied into any sports topic as the book deals with how players, especially young players, deal with winning and losing and persevering against the odds.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

Nearly all of the players and coaches have told me they read the book. At least one player's wife has told me I am responsible for the inability of her husband to get his head through their front door.

Learn more about the book and read the first three chapters for free at the book's website: www.TheFatLadyNeverSings.com. You can also read numerous reviews of the book, listen to podcast interviews, see current photographs of some of the players and the coaches at book events, and learn about the current lives of the book's characters. If you have a Myspace site, feel free to visit me.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Www.TheFatLadyNeverSings.com

The book can be ordered at: Amazon.com; iUniverse.com; BN.com; Borderstores.com; Waldenbooks.com and a host of others listed on the website.