Blog Archives

Author Interview: Camac Johnson

3/31/2014

Meet Camac Johnson, Author of Klipspringer Hill: A Tale of Kalahari

I grew up in Northern Ireland – a wonderful place for youngsters interested in nature. There are mountains, rivers, lakes and a beautiful and varied coastline of rugged cliffs and sandy beaches. My father was an expert fly-fisherman and I held a rod in my hands before I learned to use a pen. I birdwatched and played rugby and golf.

I wanted to see Africa by driving overland to South Africa. But the Rhodesian Bush War/ Zimbabwean Independence War was at its height and so I chose the next best option: the sea route. My first glimpse of Africa was Table Mountain at daybreak.

Farm management work brought me my first experiences with snakes. Fascinating creatures – they feature in my forthcoming illustrated children’s novel Klipspringer Hill. I ran my own food processing business before taking up a contract in Saudi Arabia. A spell selling property in Tenerife followed, before a move back to the UK, near London. I’m an aficionado of Ernest Hemingway, man and writer. And my knowledge of social upheavals in Africa and Northern Ireland has inspired some of my fiction writing.(www.independentauthornetwork.com)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

CJ: I used to go with my mother to the public library to choose books for the family. Books were important in our household. One day I read a mediocre novel and thought I could do better.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for Klipspringer Hill?

CJ: I love nature, wild creatures. While managing farms in South Africa, I encountered snakes. A colleague kept an African egg-eater snake in his home. Many years later the story idea came to me: egg-eater snake is drawn to a chicken farm.

BBB: Tell us about your main character.

CJ: Little Squirt is a young egg-eater. When we first meet him he’s small and inexperienced. He has friends – other animals that live around Klipspringer Hill. When his dad goes missing he is forced to learn quickly. He develops drive and determination. Bravely he sets forth to search for his dad. He faces danger and hardship. By the end of the story he has matured into a dominant character.

BBB: What do you think readers will enjoy most about your book?

CJ: The animal characters. Most people who think of the Kalahari think of meerkats, those cute members of the mongoose family. My focus is on other creatures: aardvark, klipspringer antelope, honey badger, springhare, leguaan, caracal, and many more. Hopefully, the book will be educational as well as providing a satisfying reading experience.

BBB: How can reader's connect with you?
CJ:
www.facebook.com/camac.johnson
www.twitter.com/camac_johnson (underdash between the names)
www.camacjohnson.blogspot.co.uk

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Author Interview: Chris Kennedy & Giveaway

3/27/2014

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Meet Chris Kennedy, Author of Red Tide, Occupied Seattle, and Janissaries

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

CK: I read somewhere that 83% of people have stories that they want to write. This wasn’t me. In fact, I never saw myself as a writer (and people that knew me a while ago are shocked when I tell them I have three published books). I do, however, like to keep up with the news, and I became very dismayed last summer at the effects that the budget sequestration was having on the military. Here in the Tidewater area of Virginia, it was significant. While I saw our military being driven into the ground by the budget dispute, I saw China becoming more and more our equal. They’re not there yet, but you could see them flexing their muscles. China has always wanted to get Taiwan back, and one day while I was driving I thought, “What if they decide we’re too weak to stop them? All they’d need is a way to keep us out of the war in Asia.” There were many things going on in the news at the time, and they all jelled in a moment of clarity; Red Tide: The Chinese Occupation of Seattle was born. When I got home, I started writing down my thoughts, and the story just kept coming. I found that I did have a story to tell...not only that, but I’ve got at least another dozen or so that are already in my mind. I love it!

BBB: How did you come up with the ideas for the poems in your book, Janissaries?

CK: It’s funny you would key in on that, Stacie. If I never considered myself an author before last year, I probably considered myself even less of a poet. I don’t want to spoil the book too much, but one of the themes in Janissaries is that some of the characters believe in the Hindu/Buddhist concept of reincarnation. One of the characters, Captain Imagawa Sadayo, has an ancestor that was a samurai poet, and he writes poetry because he thinks that he is that person reincarnated. I wanted to keep the poems consistent with Japanese samurai poetry, so I read a lot of poems by the real Imagawa Sadayo (a samurai poet of the late 14th century). Imagawa Sadayo felt that poetry should be a direct expression of personal experience, so I tried to use what the character was experiencing in the book as a basis for the poems, while remaining true to the real poetry formats. Writing them turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. I think everyone has probably written a haiku before, but there is a lot more to it than just stringing together 17 syllables. Encapsulating everything that is supposed to be in a “real” haiku, and painting a picture with it at the same time, is a lot more difficult. Writing the non-haiku poetry was similarly challenging...but also a lot of fun.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Shawn Calvin Hobbs.

CK: Lieutenant Shawn “Calvin” Hobbs is a junior officer in a Navy F-18 squadron who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in Red Tide, and ends up getting shot down. Readers of the two books prior to Janissaries, Red Tide and its sequel, Occupied Seattle, will know that through personal sacrifice he makes the most of this bad situation. He is the same as most of the naval aviators I have known in my life; he works hard, plays harder, and if he’s called to, will do whatever his country needs of him, including sacrificing his life, if that is what it takes. There may also be a bit more to him than meets the eye, even if he isn’t aware of it yet...

BBB: What do you think readers will enjoy most about your book?

CK: I think that readers will enjoy the integration of mythology, military and space opera, with a dash of fantasy thrown in, as well. There are also plenty of idiosyncratic minor characters and “what ifs” to explore (and a lot more of both coming). Even though the main character may be slightly larger than life at times, he is not so much so that the reader can’t identify with him. And besides, as Grig said in The Last Starfighter, who wouldn’t want to fight a desperate battle against incredible odds to save the world?

One other thing that many people have enjoyed is that I’ve let people sign up to be Red Shirts in future books. Like the Red Shirts in Star Trek, their chances of survival are slim. One actually makes it through the second book of the trilogy, so I can’t say that they are zero...but they are pretty low. So if one of the characters has a name like someone you know, even a blogger that is recognized world-wide, it may very well be him or her! The response to this has been overwhelming!

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

CK: I am working on several new books. The second book of the trilogy, When the Gods Aren’t Gods, is already written and is currently being edited. It is on track for its scheduled April 25th release date. The final book of the trilogy, Terra Stands Alone, has over 51,000 words written so far. I also have a few words written down for the next series after this. The galaxy is a big place and it really needs a lot of help...the Aesir, in particular, are in the middle of a desperate struggle of their own...

BBB: How can readers connect with you?

CK: Readers can catch up with me on my blog at http://chriskennedypublishing.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/chriskennedypublishing.biz. Instructions for signing up to be a Red Shirt are on the blog, as well as a picture of the real USS Vella Gulf, among other things. If readers like my Facebook site, they will be able to keep up with book releases, signings and conventions I’ll be attending in the future. Readers can also follow me on Twitter at @ChrisKennedy110. As a “Thank you” to you and your readers, I will give away a copy of my next book When the Gods Aren’t Gods to one reader at random who emails me at chris@chriskennedypublishing.com and says they saw this interview. The copy will be in the winner’s choice of format, to be awarded on April 24th, before the book goes live on Amazon.com on April 25th.

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Author Interview: Miriam Laundry

3/24/2014

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Meet Miriam Laundry, Author of I CAN...Believe in Myself

Miriam Laundry writes books that empower children to make choices that promote confidence, happiness and responsibility. Miriam is the creator of the "I CAN" book series.

Miriam lives in St. Catharines, Ontario in beautiful Canada. She is married and has 4 wonderful children. She loves to travel, read, attend Transformational seminars, spend time with her family and write. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

ML: The passing of my 17 year-old niece to a mental illness inspired me to start writing. Writing was my way of coping with our loss and a way to make a difference in the lives of my children. Not only was loosing my niece devastating but the timing of it really impacted me, it happened a day after I gave birth to my youngest son. I was in the hospital still and full of emotions. Since then, I aspire to teach my 4 children and my readers a positive mindset for life.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for I CAN...Believe in Myself?

ML: The funny thing is I wrote the story on a flight back from a transformational course by Jack Canfield. I was full of the love and positivity I had just experienced the past week and wanted to teach children a little bit of that. While at the course, I kept thinking that my life would have been a lot simpler if I would have learned some of these principles at a younger age. That became my focus – teaching children positivity, self-esteem, responsibility, compassion and an “I CAN” attitude for life!

The first thing I wished to teach my children when I got home was to let go of the word “I CAN’T”, to be conscious of their thoughts and what they say. That is a strong word that limits us greatly in life and is the first word that should be eliminated from our vocabulary. This is how the “I CAN” series began.

I chose I CAN Believe in Myself as the first book in the series because I have learned that believing in ourselves is where it all starts.

BBB: What do you think children will enjoy most about your book?

ML: I think children enjoy the characters in the book the most. There are 5 main children in the story. Kids can always relate to one of them because they are so real and are all going through different situations in their own lives.

I have to say that everyone’s favourite is always Shreddy – he is a decorated paper shredder who is quite a character himself J He is the one that eats the children’s “I CAN’Ts” and children love to chime in with “YUM YUM YUM”.

BBB: You are attempting a Guinness World Record for the largest online book discussion in a 24 hour period. How can people get involved?

ML: I have a goal of empowering 100,000 children to believe in themselves and going for a Guinness record is a fun way to do it!

My hope is that this event will open up the channels of communication between parents and their children, teachers and their students around positive thinking and the responsibility in choosing our own thoughts.

Families can participate in 4 easy steps:

1.                Pre-Register to let us know your commitment to empower children and your desire to set a Guinness World Record!

2.                Read a copy of “I CAN Believe in Myself” before or on May 6th, 2014.

3.                Leave a comment on our blog by going to www.LaundryBooks/RecordBlog between 12pm MST on May 6th and 12pm MST on May 7th, 2014. *

4.                Wait and see if together we set a Guinness World Record!!!

BBB: What are you currently working on?

ML: I have just translated “I CAN Believe in Myself” into French and Spanish to be available to those who choose to read it in another language for Guinness – these books are available for pre-order on my website.

I am currently editing the second book in the series “I CAN Make a Difference”. This book has the same characters we love from the first book learning an important lesson on giving back. This is another important principle to learn young.

BBB: How can readers discover more about you and your work?

ML: Please visit my website at www.LaundryBooks.com

I love to meet people through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – we are always giving free books and other things away. An iPad mini is one of our next draws!

www.Facebook.com/MiriamLaundryFanPage

https://twitter.com/MiriamLaundry‎

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Author Interview: Stacy Juba

3/21/2014

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Meet Stacy Juba, Author of Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Sink or Swim, Dark Before Dawn and Many Others

BBB: What inspired you to become an author?

SJ: I have been writing stories since I was in third grade. By fifth grade, I was writing my own mystery series about an amateur sleuth named Cathy Summers. I loved to read growing up and writing was a natural progression. Since I was introverted, writing was a way for me to express myself. I sold my first book, Face-Off, when I was 18 and that inspired me to continue writing for publication.

BBB: What books have you written?

SJ: I’ve written two adult mystery/romantic suspense novels: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim; two young adult novels, Dark Before Dawn and Face-Off; a children’s picture book called The Flag Keeper and a children’s bundle titled the Teddy Bear Town Children’s Bundle; and an anthology called 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back. Even though I write in different genres and for different ages, all of my books are about characters at a crossroads in their lives. They are at a fork in the road and can either take the safe familiar path, or take a risk and venture into the unknown.

BBB: Where do the ideas for your stories come from?

SJ: I get ideas as I go about my daily life. Twenty-Five Years Ago Today was inspired by my previous job as a newspaper editorial assistant. One of my tasks was compiling the 25 Years Ago Today items from the microfilm. I got the idea of having a newspaper editorial assistant stumble across a cold case on the microfilm. Sink or Swim was inspired by the reality TV show craze. I made my protagonist Cassidy a personal trainer who works at a health club because I was an exercise science major in college and once worked for a gym. Dark Before Dawn stemmed from my interest in the metaphysical and in psychics. My most recent book was inspired by a family trip to a theme park.

BBB: Do you ever get writer's block?

SJ: Yes, unfortunately. I outline my books so that I can minimize writer’s block. I like planning out the plot, subplots and character development, though sometimes I tweak it as I go along. Once in a while though, when I sit down to write, I can’t focus. Usually that means I have a lot on my mind. If I take some time to meditate and exercise, I’ll have better luck the next time I sit down to write.

BBB: What are you currently working on?

SJ: I am finishing up a romantic comedy/sweet romance called Fooling Around With Cinderella. It’s a fun book about a marketing coordinator who moonlights as a theme park Cinderella for the summer and falls for her boss.

BBB: How can readers discover more about you and your work?

SJ: They can visit me on my web site and blog at:
Website: http://stacyjuba.com

They can also find me on:
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest

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Author Interview: Jessica Dall

3/13/2014

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Meet Jessica Dall, Author of The Copper Witch

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

JD: In many ways I've always been a writer--scribbling down lines and story ideas everywhere. I wrote my first novel in high school, though, after a friend dragged me along to the schools Creative Writing Club. I haven't really stopped novelling since then.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for The Copper Witch?

JD: The original idea actually came from a boring weekend and a free trial of ancestry.com. I’ve always been rather interested in genealogy and lucky for me my maternal great-grandparents were both from huge families meaning there has already been a lot of research done into that side of the family that is available online. Following one line way, way back, I ended up running into some British nobility and a direct ancestor with the name “Adela”. For some reason, the name stuck with me and it got me to thinking what had happened to all these generations of people. Especially the ones where family connections were everything, but you ended up as the seventh son or were so far removed from the “important” line of your family that all you really had was your pride. From there, Adela just stuck around and everything began to take shape.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Adela Tilden.

JD: She someone who knows what she wants, and doesn't always go about it in the nicest of ways. She a touch sociopathic, and an unabashed social climber, but she was certainly one of the funner characters I've ever been able to write. Her head is an interesting place.

BBB: What do you think readers will enjoy most about your book?

JD: The characters are all interesting people. I would hardly say they're all especially likable at times, but they all have something about them that makes you want to see what happens with them in their crazy little slice of the world.

BBB: Do you have more books in the works?

JD: Indeed I do. Book 2 of the Broken Line series will be coming out later this year and I'm currently in the middle of writing Book 3. Other than that, I also have some fantasy novels that are in various stages of being outlined that I hope I'll have a chance to get to at some point. I just have to find the time.

The Copper Witch is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and All Romance.

You can find out more about Jessica Dall and her work by visiting http://jessicadall.com.

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Author Interview: E.M. McDowell & Dark Luminance Blog Tour & Giveaway

3/11/2014

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Meet E.M. McDowell, Author of Dark Luminance

Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, E.M. McDowell first started writing in high school, consisting primarily of sappy poems aimed at impressing girls. A four year stint in the Marine Corps pushed literary endeavors to the background, where they remained for the next twenty-odd years, until they were uncovered by a mild mid-life crisis.

In the intervening years, he has worked in various technology jobs, and is currently the technology manager for a small county government.

Married for twenty-two years to his best friend, and blessed with two wonderful daughters, he works to balance his writing while living in a house full of women. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

EMM: My love of reading. I've been a voracious reader since I was little, and I was always impressed by the ability of a great author to take me out of my reality, and into theirs, using nothing but the printed word. Authors like Stephen King, R.A. Salvatore, and of course Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman are some of the ones that jump immediately to mind. King can scare you witless with a sentence, Salvatore puts you in the middle of beautifully choreographed dances of death, while Weiss and Hickman create elaborate and visually stunning worlds that draw you in almost instantly.

Although I made several forays into creative writing in my youth, it wasn't until a few years ago that I decided to make a serious attempt at writing something that others would (hopefully) want to read. If my books can bring you into my reality, I've done my job.

BBB: Can you give us a brief synopsis of your book, Dark Luminance?

EMM: Dr. Mackland Luther and two of his friends are scientists on the verge of making an enormous breakthrough that could solve the world's energy problems. Their experiment goes wrong, sending them to an alternate universe that is both alien and familiar. They have to figure out where they are and how to get home, but more importantly they have to survive. Along with Lily, a security guard that was transported along with them, and Grizzly, a rugged survivalist in this deadly world,they must battle monstrous mutants and undead armies being controlled by a telepathic madman as they frantically search for a way home.

BBB: What do you think readers will enjoy most about your book?

EMM: I tried to put a new spin on the normal zombie story. I don't want to give too much away, but these aren't your run-of-the-mill shamblers, and they aren't the souped up world war z zombies. They do some things that will definitely surprise you. That's all I'm going to say about them for now.

I also think readers will like the possibilities that this story opens up for the next books in the series. Basically, Mackland and his friends have limitless opportunities ahead of them as they try to find their way home.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Mackland Luther.

EMM: Mackland is a man driven by an intense desire to find answers to the mysteries of the universe. As a scientist, he is always challenging himself to solve these questions; in his off time, he likes to challenge himself physically with activities such as rock climbing and other high-risk endeavors. In Dark Luminance, he is challenged both mentally and physically to survive and lead his friends in a strange new world that doesn't always adhere to the scientific rules he has always lived by. Everything he knows is thrown into chaos in a matter of minutes, and if he can't adapt in time, none of them will survive.

BBB:Are you currently working on another book?

EM: Yep, I have several works in progress! I am currently about a third of the way through the rough draft of the sequel to Dark Luminance, Dark Nexxus. I have an urban YA fantasy novel, Urban Phoenix, which is about to go to the editor, and should be published this fall. Finally, I have a short story titled Bad Seed in a science fiction anthology called World of Worlds which will be published this spring. I'm excited about all of them, but Dark Nexxus is my main focus right now. Mackland and the gang are in all kinds of trouble again, and I'm trying to get him to tell me what he has planned next!

To find out more about E.M. McDowell and his work connect with him on Facebook or visit his website http://erinmcdowell.blogspot.com.

Dark Luminance eBook Giveaway

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Author Interview: Jeff Weiss

3/6/2014

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Meet Jeff Weiss, Author of Fourth and Ape, The Field Goal Kicker with the Secret Gorilla Leg

BBB What inspired you to become a writer?

JW: In a word, unemployment. But let me expand upon that:

I've always liked to write, but I've had an aversion to being deskbound for long periods. So, I chose jobs where I could mix writing with other activities. Public relations was a good fit. I was a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation in the Bay Area for about fifteen years, which I really liked.

In a move of impeccably bad timing, I changed jobs, moving into private industry in 2008, just before the economy came crashing down. I endured several cycles of working and getting laid off.

During one jobless bout, I had some free time and a story idea, so I began to write. I found that I really enjoyed it and could stick with it. That's not to say that some days I'd rather chew on steel wool than write, but most days go smoothly now.

One thing that I like about these days as opposed to my youthful days is that I don't try to be too grand with my writing. I don't sit around thinking about how to write the Great American Novel. My muse is usually one of the kids over at the elementary school. I like to channel my Uncle John to whom the book is dedicated. He used to tell us these great spooky stories. He enjoyed telling the stories as much as we'd like hearing them. I try to channel that vibe.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for Fourth and Ape, The Field Goal Kicker with the Secret Gorilla Leg?

JW: Our family was sitting at the dinner table and my son wouldn't eat his peas. He was being quite stubborn and fixated on not eating them. I thought I'd distract him with a story. So I made up a tale about a kid who went to the zoo and had his leg replaced with a gorilla leg so he could kick long field goals. I could tell by my son's expression that he thought that would be a very cool thing.

Indeed, I thought it would be a pretty cool thing, too. The next day I sat down at the computer and started writing the story.

He never did eat his peas.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Ivan Zelinka.

JW: Ivan's a little too adventurous for his own good, sneaking out of his tent during a campout at the zoo. One thing leads to another and he winds up in a laboratory with Dr. Carlson, Elko and their pet monkey, Ipoo. Ivan is accidently injected with gorilla serum and by the next day he is sprouting thick black hair and bulging muscles.

For most teenagers, this would be a horrific occurrence. But Ivan is the field goal kicker on the high school team. His horror transforms into joy as he's booting it through the uprights from sixty yards out and punting the ball into the stratosphere.

There's an autobiographical scene where Ivan phones Elko, asking him for help with his German homework. I was a perfectly lousy student of German in high school. Just like Ivan I had to read Kafka's the Metamorphosis in German. I didn't know what a metamorphosis was in English, let alone German.

And, of course, The Metamorphosis fits in well with the story because Ivan has had his own metamorphosis. But, Ivan only has to deal with an Affe Bein, while Gregor has turned into an Ungeziefer.

I wasn't a good German student, but I love German words. If I get half a chance to fit a word like "Ungeziefer" into a story, I'll do it.

BBB: What do you think readers will enjoy most about your book?

JW: This is a middle grade book (ages 8-12). For various reasons, people of all ages have read it, which makes me happy. I tried to make it like the old Bullwinkle cartoons where there's stuff for kids and adults to like.

Kids get a kick (pun intended) out of the sports scenes, especially where Ivan first starts really walloping the ball with surprising results. They also like the little monkey, Ipoo.

It's a good book to read out loud because it's full of action, surprises and onomatopoeic words, which allows the reader to really ham it up. I've read it to a couple of elementary school classes and the kids really get a charge out of it.

A lot of the readers will like Elko, the German scientist who loves American football. Elko is a study in contrasts. He physically huge, but he does mental work in a laboratory, and not physical work on a football field. He's a smart guy, a scientist, but he also behaves in ways consistent with a Neanderthal man. He has some of the best comic scenes and I think he really grows on you.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

JW: I was working on two distinct stories, one about music and the other about tornados. I decided combine them into one.

Right now, it seems a little jammed together. But sometimes dissonance works. I can't think of a literary example right now, but a musical example comes to mind, "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles. You've got a John song with a Paul song plopped right down in the middle of it. But it's a great, great song.

My story isn't that cohesive yet. It's more like "A Very Messy Day in the Life." But, I’m still working on it, slowly and surely.

You can find out more about Jeff Weiss and his work by visiting www.jeff-weiss.com.

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Author Interview: Robert Marsh

3/1/2014

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Meet Robert Marsh, Author of Deadly Vows

Robert Marsh was born on October 13, 1982 in Brooklyn, NYC. He was raised by his grandmother and grandfather. Robert has always had a passion for writing. Robert Marsh has stated, "My reason for writing for writing is to express my most deepest thoughts about life and what people fear not to think about." Robert Marsh's books are Dark adult books that touch deep into the souls and hearts of people. (Goodreads)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

RM:What inspired me was pain,life,struggles,bullying and being from the projects.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for Deadly Vows?

RM: Going through pain and people letting me down and leaving me for dead.

BBB: What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

RM: The hardest thing was really just finding a good way to end each story.

BBB: How are you publishing this book and why?
(*e.g. Indie, traditional or both)

RM: All indie/self-published. The reason is nobody likes the real or the truth so I know I will never get the big pay day and am good with that.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

RM: Yes I am. My editor already has one and I am writing a 200 page book hopefully to get it out by the end of the year.

BBB: How can readers discover more about you and you work?

RM: My work is on Amazon and am on Twitter @robertmarsh35.

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