Blog Archives

Author Interview: Annie Oeth

5/31/2014

Meet Annie Oeth, Author of Because I Said So: Life in the Mom Zone

Working as a features editor, being a solo mom to four and keeping a collection of cats plus one dog -- it's all part of Annie Oeth's day, all day, every day. "Because I Said So: Life in The Mom Zone" from Sartoris Literary Group,gives you a big slice of laughter and love with a few tears along the way, all written from Annie's world.

A lifelong Mississippian, Annie Oeth is a graduate of Mississippi University for Women and Kaplan University who counts life as the best educator of all. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

AO: I'm not quite sure I ever consciously decided I was going to be a writer. It's just who I turned out to be. I always loved a good story as a child and would wear out my mother and aunt, begging them for one more story, and I was that kid in high school who looked forward to writing a term paper. In the summers, I remember writing in a notebook just for fun. And I have always loved to read.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for your book, Because I Said So: Life in the Mom Zone?

AO: The idea for "Because I Said So: Life in The Mom Zone" came partially from The Mom Zone blog I write for The Clarion-Ledger, a daily newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi, and from my life. If I wasn't my kids' mom, I'd have to pay for entertainment. We do laugh a lot in our house.

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

AO: I think "Because I Said So" is a very down-to-earth book, with some laughter, memories and a lot of love in the mix. There's something for everyone in there, whether you are a parent or not. I hope readers will laugh, but also will leave it with a few insights.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

AO: I am, and thank you for asking. I am finishing "For Love or Money: A Guide to Bungee-Jumping Through Life" and will have it to my publisher, Sartoris Literary Group, in June.

BBB: Do you ever get writer's block?

AO: I do. I think every writer gets that. Working as a journalist will make you get rid of writer's block at the office, because you always have a deadline looming. When I am writing on my own time, though, I tend to get writer's block more often. Sometimes I will find myself puttering around the house during my writing time.

What has worked for me in banishing writer's block: Just show up. Just write something, anything, even if you have to go back and erase it. Another thing that works for me, especially if the block comes after an hour or more of writing, is to get up and move. Walking the dog or going for a run helps.

Finding balance -- time to write, time for family, time for friends, time to think -- is the key. The better my life is balanced, the less I have writer's block.

BBB: How can readers connect with you?

AO:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annie0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annie-Oeth/480352692008828

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Author Interview: Michael James Gallagher

5/29/2014

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Meet Michael James Gallagher, Author of Tsunami Connection

Michael James Gallagher is the debut author of a political intrigue thriller, Tsunami Connection, part one of the Spy Stories and Tales of Intrigue Series, soon including Harlots All and The Returning Legions.

When not writing or dancing tango, Michael spends his time developing hilariously informative Internet-ready learning modules for his adult students studying in their homes. Planning and editing numerous language textbooks complements his writing experience. He has encouraged high school dropouts to realize their academic dreams for 30 years in Montreal, Canada. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

MJG: For years I wrote journals of a very personal nature, and then 3 years ago I decided to write a thriller. The experience liberated the amount of word flow in me. I was writing about something imaginary instead of something deeply personal. I did it to prove it to myself too. In my 20s I spent 3 years travelling around taking notes. My time in Israel left a mark on me and I always knew I would write about the area around Saint Katherine’s Monastery in the Sinai. Writing about it in a fictional setting, as opposed to a personal experience, set me free to realize my life-long dream of writing. Credit where credit’s due though: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos democratization of book publishing for Indie writers made the dream of an unknown writer feasible.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for your book, Tsunami Connection?

MJG: As an obsessive reader of spy and intrigue thrillers, the time around September 11th seemed ripe with possibilities. With all due respect for the fatalities and families of victims of the Boxing Day tsunami, God rest their souls, the horrific event spawned a novel in me. What if some evil source of power caused the tsunami? Well! That’s what Tsunami Connection is all about. Grab a copy to find out more.

BBB: Tell us about your main character Kefira.

MJG: In Hebrew Kefira means ‘lioness’. She is an outward lioness with some inward baggage. The notion of childhood trauma intrigues me as a writer and a person. I know a woman who arrived in Auschwitz as a child, but you would never know it talking to the adult. Others having lost a parent in childhood spend a lifetime getting over it. Kefira succeeds against long odds, yet her decision-making process and emotional center remain troubled in adulthood. She is a super spy with a soft inside, a character type inspired by the heroine of The Debt, a movie which opens the door to a new niche in the espionage writing game, that of authentic people who happen to be cast into the limelight by reality. You won’t catch her saying: “Shaken not stirred.”

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

MJG: Reviewers say that the author “...puts a picture in the mind’s eye...” Personal travel journals and detailed research contribute to the sense of the here and now in Tsunami Connection. Kefira’s love of tango and the dancing scenes in Buenos Aires represent the new niche facet of the book. My sincere conviction supports readers wanting to experience characters with real passions not just spies with technical skill sets. Obviously the pace of the world building in the book and the dramatic evolution in personality of the main actors will keep people turning the pages.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

MJG: My second novel called Harlots All finds Kefira working in a Europe transformed by the imposition of Sharia Law. Paradigm-shifting nano-technological developments, employing personal nano suits that permit individuals to communicate without words dominate a series of connected flashbacks in which Kefira has reunited her team of sleuths, incorporating even her arch enemy. Book 2 of the Spy Stories and Tales of Intrigue Series juxtaposes a group of committed individuals against the ‘fait accompli’ of a wave of Chinese invaders arriving on foot. Look for it in September on Amazon.

BBB: How can readers connect with you?

MJG: Website: http://www.michaeljamesgallagherauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tsunamicmichael
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6929462.Michael_James_Gallagher
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/michaeljames.gallagher.7

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Author Interview: Alan Black

5/28/2014

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Meet Alan Black, Author of The Friendship Stones, The Granite Heart, Chasing Harpo, and many others

Alan Black is a #1 bestselling author on Amazon and Kindle for Metal Boxes, a young adult science fiction military action adventure. He has published seven novels, with five still in print. Black is a self-published multi-genre writer. His main goal is to write story driven novels. His scifi novels are character and action driven rather than focused on science. His historical novels are story driven, not history lessons. His literary fiction is entertainment based.

Alan Black's vision statement: I want my readers amazed they missed sleep because they could not put down one of my books. I want my readers amazed I made them laugh on one page and cry on the next. I want to give my readers a pleasurable respite from the cares of the world for a few hours. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become an author?

AB: My first inspiration came from my second grade teacher. After doing an assignment to write a short story related to Greek Mythology, she took the time to call my parents and tell them how much she enjoyed it and how well it was written. I have been writing ever since…unfortunately, I haven’t gotten much better at it.

BBB: What books have you written?

AB: I have published six books, with five of them still in print.

Eye on the Prize is historical fiction set in 751 bce in the Black Sea (out of print)
Steel Walls and Dirt Drops is military scifi (out of print, but being re-edited for rerelease)
Chewing Rocks is near Earth scifi
Metal Boxes is military scifi (this was a number one best seller on Amazon.com in March 2014)
Chasing Harpo is general/action/humor literature
The Friendship Stones is YA historical fiction and book 1 of An Ozark Mountain Series
The Granite Heart is YA historical fiction and book 2 of An Ozark Mountain Series

Mss written but not published yet

The Heaviest Rock is YA historical fiction and book 3 of An Ozark Mountain Series
Titanium Texicans is YA scifi
The Inconvenient Pebble is YA historical fiction and book 4 of An Ozark Mountain Series
A Planet with No Name is western scifi
Larry Goes to Space is scifi
How to Start, Write and Finish your First Novel – non-fiction

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

AB: Every public library has a big book in the back room on stories that have never been turned into books. You just have to ask the librarian to see the book. You then just pick which story you want to write and then cross it out of the book.

Actually, stories are the easiest part of writing. They come from everywhere: casual conversations in an elevator at work, newspaper stories, other books, an oddly phrased sentence, bad dreams, good television shows and/or personal experience.

For example, my co-author and I started ‘The Friendship Stones’ and the remainder of An Ozark Mountain series as an exercise for her memories of being a 12-year-old girl in extreme poverty in a very rural area of the U.S. Mrs. Bernice Knight is in her mid-80s and wanted to share her early life experiences. We decided to fictionalize many of her stories, people and locales to put them into a cohesive, easy to read tale.

My novel ‘Chasing Harpo’ came about because a co-worker wanted me to write him a short story about a monkey being chased by the police. He was looking for a short story to read to his four-year-old daughter. I wrote the story the way I wanted and it came out as unsuitable for four-year-olds, but that was his issue not mine.

‘Steel Walls and Dirt Drops’ (coming soon) was originally written because of a conversation with my wife. She loves to read military scifi and was complaining that all of the women were little more than sex objects (they were all tall, thin redheads). So I wrote her a book with an unattractive strong female lead. The protagonist is not incompetent, just not pretty.

‘Chewing Rocks’ came from…no, I think we will keep that to ourselves where this one came from. Some readers have told me they see the underlying back story. Some readers shake their head in wonder after I told them what they missed.

So, ideas? I keep a file with my unused ideas. It grows larger faster than I can write them and much faster than I can publish what I have written.

BBB: Do you ever get writer's block?

AB: Yes, every author has, even though I have met a few who deny it. But, there are a lot of ways to defeat writer’s block. It is really just a trick of the Blank Page, and as we all know, the Blank Page is a liar. I usually just back up a chapter or so and rewrite what I have already written. Then when I reach the spot where the Blank Page put up its roadblock, I can just keep writing skipping over the snare and trap.

BBB: What are you currently working on?

AB: I am working on ‘The Jasper’s Courage’. It is book five of An Ozark Mountain Series.

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

AB: Readers can visit my website and visit me on Facebook.

http://www.alanblackauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alan-Black-Paperback-Writer/259372705810

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Author Interview: Charles Bane Jr

5/27/2014

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Meet Charles Bane Jr, Author of Love Poems

Charles Bane, Jr. is a Chicago native. His previous book, “The Chap Book, Poems by Charles Bane Jr.” was published by Curbside Splendor in 2011. Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, his work has appeared in print and on line at The Indian Diary, Clutching at Straws, Durable Goods, Word Pond, and numerous other journals. His work has also been the focus of critical review, most recently in, “The Poetry of Charles Bane, Jr., An Introduction” in the Calliope Nerve. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

CBJ: I think poets. more perhaps than other artists, are born. Fate taps you on the shoulder. Most serious poets are writing mature poetry and being published n their teens, or even before adolescence. I was writing poetry, like many peers, before I knew what poetry was, and published at twelve. I don't question the gift bestowed. I owe the gift the best craftsmanship and fearlessness I can bring forward.

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

CBJ: Love Poems was written as an antidote to much contemporary work that is experimental, confessional and abstract, or distanced from the reader by academia. I wanted to set down poetry at the entrance to the heart, but with an awareness that much has changed. Love Poems does not betray the lesbian, transexual or new wave feminist who are redefining the borders of where the heart's openings lie. A great mentor was Anthony Hecht, who won the Pulitzer , and who could, at will, write in a male or female voice. I wrote "Goodnight" in a female persona--afraid of failure- but I was happy with the result. I also included a poem for my son, that defines for many of us, our deepest feelings in our attachment to our children.

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

CBJ: I hope my reader base of everyday, average people will see Love Poems as connective tissue between themselves and their own unspoken feelings. If you win praise from critics and anonymous readers at once, you know at least that you're on a good path.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

CBJ: Yes, I'm immersed in my next collection, The Ends Of The Earth, which explores faith. It frightens me, which is how I know it's the right project.

BBB: How can readers connect with you?

CBJ: I'm not on social media, so emails should go to my agent at clarammacri@gmail.com. Readers may not easily connect with me, but my work is always to connect with them.

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Author Interview: J. Cafesin

5/20/2014

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Meet J. Cafesin, Author of Reverb

Novelist. Essayist. Realist. Idealist.

Novels include Reverb; Disconnected; and the YA (young adult) series: Fractured Fairytales from the Twilight Zone. Edgy, smart, modern fiction with characters that linger long after the reads...

Essays are clear, powerful, topical, engaging, often controversial, and always have a sharp point. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

JC: Stories in my head since I was a kid. A lot of them start from just twisting reality a bit--like how I'd have like a conversation to go, where I'm witty and wise instead of the way it went down where I was intimidated into childish retorts or silence; events I would have liked to happen, or happened a different way. Fiction is truth twisted, after all.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for your book, Reverb?

JC: I wanted to fix men, have them get out of their own head and into mine.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, James Michael Whren.

JC: James is a brilliant, beautiful, wealthy musician. To get brilliant at anything takes focus to the point of obsession, and James is focused on creating music--and unfortunately for those who want his attention, he was all too often making it with his muse. At 27, he's rich in his own right from his music, but James is also the the son of a British aristocrat, wealthy from the legacy of royalty. After leaving England at just 18 to pursue his career in music, James returns nine years later for his half-brother's funeral, and is unwittingly caught up in his father's scheme gone horribly wrong.

Thirteen months later, James escapes from an institution in Scotland, and in a round-about journey through past relationships, ends up settling on the Greek island of Corfu. But instead of finding security, peace, hiding out in his house on the hill the solitude nearly consumes him, until Elisabeth and her young son Cameron save him from himself.

Reverb is essentially a love story, James Whren's coming of age, where, after enduring indescribable torture he's physically and emotionally torn from narcissism, and he finally realizes how to truly love someone beyond himself.

BBB: What do you think readers will find most appealing about Reverb?

JC: James Whren. He's hot. Ultra talented guitarist and songwriter. Cool. Stunning. An aloof genius, following James journey through hell, then watching him emerge to become a better man--he gets even more desirable as a present and integrated partner in love.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

JC: Disconnected comes out in June...Ever drank too much, ate too much, indulge in excess? Ever fall for someone you knew you shouldn’t?

Disconnected is taut, smart, historical lit chronicling the coming of age for the last of the baby boomers with the displacement of classic gender roles at the end of the 20thcentury. Rachel and Lee’s tumultuous relationship is reflected in the land of perpetual sunshine imploding with rapid growth, racial tension and violence. Disconnected is an L.A. story, an addicting contemporary romance, and like the city itself embodies a very sharp edge.

You can get a sneak peek of Disconnected here: http://authorjcafesin.wordpress.com/read-disconnected/

You can find out more about J. Cafesin and her books by visiting http://jcafesin.blogspot.com/

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EXODUS 2022 Blog Tour & Author Interview

5/15/2014

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About the Author: Kenneth G. Bennett

Kenneth G. Bennett is the author of the young adult novels, THE GAIA WARS and BATTLE FOR CASCADIA, and the sci-fi thriller, EXODUS 2022-- to be released by Booktrope Publishing on May 20, 2014. (Available for pre-sale on Amazon now).

Advance praise for EXODUS 2022: "I'm not usually a sci-fi thriller enthusiast. But Kenneth G. Bennett has set this on-the-edge-of-your-seat story in the Great Pacific Northwest where I make my home. After reading Exodus 2022, this place will never look quite the same. His best yet." --Rebecca Wells, author of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and other novels.

A wilderness enthusiast who loves backpacking, skiing and kayaking, Ken enjoys mysteries, science fiction, action adventure stories and, most especially, novels that explore the relationship between humans and the wild. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and son and two hyperactive Australian Shepherds. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

KB: I started writing stories at age 6 and have been a professional advertising copywriter most of my adult life. I’ve always loved telling stories.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for EXODUS 2022?

KB: I’d been reading about ecological catastrophe and then stumbled on some articles about animal intelligence and the surprising cognitive abilities of non-human species. The two topics came together to form the underlying concept of the book.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Joe Stanton.

KB: Joe Stanton is a handsome, athletic, outdoorsy 28-year-old Episcopal Priest. His new church is very liberal and progressive. He’s in love with a gorgeous young woman named Ella Tollefson.

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

KB: Early readers and reviewers of EXODUS 2022 seem to really appreciate all the unexpected twists and turns in the book, the fast pace of the story and the unorthodox nature of the plot.

BBB: How can reader's connect with you?

KB: This is where I can be found:
website: www.kennethgbennettbooks.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennethgbennett/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Exodus2022
GR: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5131305.Kenneth_G_Bennett

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Vampire World Virtual Tour, Author Interview & Giveaway

5/15/2014

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Tour Schedule

About the Author: Rich Douglas

Rich Douglas is from New Orleans, Louisiana where he has lived the majority of his life. He loves teaching, storm chasing, Nintendo Wii and drinking orange soda while he writes young adult fiction, urban fantasy and science ficton.

The First book of the The Eliza Felding Trilogy, The Magical Tale of Eliza Felding, is available now in paperback and kindle. Set in New Orleans in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina, and influenced by Harry Potter, Twightlight and other exciting books, the first book combines a mixture of action, romance and of course magic to set the tone. Also available is The Secret of the Dogs, a tale of four very different dogs set on a quest to save a young boy from being abused. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired me you to write Vampire World?

RD: I have always wanted to write a good YA novel, especially since they are so popular these days with readers of all ages. I was questioned why I would spend the time and effort to write a novel on what some said was a washed up genre: vampires. However, I didn’t believe it was washed up, as there are many readers that still would love to read about these fascinating creatures of the un-dead. I felt it just needed a new twist: a new world completely controlled, populated and ruled by vampires. Now I’ve got your attention?

BBB: Tell us about your main character Janice FreeCut.

RD: Janice FreeCut lives in Vampire World. She can’t remember anything about her past because she was involved in an accident. All she knows is that her parents were killed and she survived, but has lost her memory.

She feels like she has lived somewhere else many years ago, though but can’t recall where. One thing is for sure though, she loves drinking blood!

BBB: What advice can you off others on becoming a better writers?

RD: Read every day! Write every day! Don’t procrastinate! Don’t forget that the writing process is more than writing! It includes editing, marketing and reading as well! Learn how to market you books on the internet! Find a publisher like Great Minds Think Aloud (GMTA) that can help you market your books on the internet! Then you should be good to go!

Vampire World eBook Giveaway

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Author Interview: Faye Hall

5/12/2014

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Meet Faye Hall, Author of She's Alot Like You

Faye Hall is a published author of Historical Romance novels & e-books. Faye's passion driven, mystery filled books are set in small townships of North Queensland, Australia during the late 1800's.

Each of her novels bring something symbolically Australian to her readers, from Aboriginal herbal remedies, to certain gemstones naturally only found in this part of the world.

Each of her books tell of a passionate connection between the hero and heroine, surrounded and threatened by deceit, scandal, theft and sometimes even murder.

These romances swerve from the traditional romances as Faye aims to give her readers so much more intrigue, whilst also revealing the hidden histories of rural townships of North Queensland.

Faye finds her inspiration from the histories of not only the township she grew up in, but the many surrounding it. She also bases most of her characters on people she has met in her life.

Faye was able to live her own passion driven romance, marrying the love of her life after a whirlwind romance in 2013. Together they are raising their 9 children in a remote country town in northern Queensland, Australia. (Amazon)

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

FH: I've always loved writing, and I love being able to create people's lives and put them through so many hurdles to know I will always be able to give them a happy ending.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for your book, She's Alot Like You?

FH: I heard a song one day about the comparisons people made about things in their lives and also the people. I wondered how it would feel to be in a relationship always knowing you were being compared to another. But as with my other books I couldn't just have that be the plot. I had to add some local history, and a lot of scandal too.

BBB: Tell us about your main character, Willow Jameson.

FH: Willow Jameson starts off in the book as a young woman believing that love could really conquer all. By the second half of the novel, she has gained the strength needed to overcome the death threats and secrets tying her family to Re Morgan's. Willow is a very strong character and she is not a rule follower by any means.

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

FH: I hope they enjoy the dramatic mysteries that tie the passionate love affair between Willow and Re together. I also hope they enjoy the Australian setting and attributes throughout the story.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

FH: I've actually just contracted a fourth book, Passions in the Dust, with Red Sage Publishing which is very exciting, so I'm expecting edits will arrive soon. But I'm also mid way through a fifth novel, Forbidden, which is about a young man accused of murdering the woman he was having an affair with. Eaten up with guilt he become a bit of a recluse only to find her alive again some years later.

BBB: How can readers connect with you?

FH: Buy Links

http://eredsage.com/store/ShesALotLikeYou.html

http://www.amazon.com/Shes-Alot-Like-Faye-Hall-ebook/dp/B00JZ781XM/ref=la_B00DPIMSMW_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399344341&sr=1-1

Social Media Links

website http://www.faye-hall.info
blog http://www.faye-hall.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Faye-Hall/174774709247649
https://www.facebook.com/faye.hall.3363?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter https://twitter.com/FayeHall79
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6882637.Faye_Hall

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Author Interview: Maureen Grenier

5/9/2014

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Meet Maureen Grenier, Author of Something's Missing & Someone's Trapped

BBB: What inspired you to become an author?

MG: After reading my first thrilling Nancy Drew mystery when I was seven, I decided that I wanted to write mystery books for children. Later, I discovered Agatha Christie and decided that I wanted to write adult murder mysteries, too. Throughout my career as a teacher and while at home with my children, I managed to find time to scribble short stories, and eventually made a career move into the publications field. I am currently writing and editing information articles, but finally have time to write mystery stories as well, just as I always planned to do.

BBB: What books have you written?

MG: I’ve published two books for children: Something’s Missing and Someone’s Trapped, which are volumes one and two of the three-volume Viking Club mystery series. I also have a murder mystery for adults making the rounds of publishers, and a screenplay as well.

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

MG: I’m forever writing stories in my head, and the ideas come from any small incident that triggers off a storyline. In my children’s mysteries, I deliberately selected the sports world as a backdrop because I wanted to deal with a variety of children’s issues in an environment that, for the most part, children choose for themselves. The mystery helps encourage children to finish the book to find out ‘whodunit,’ which provides good motivation for young children who struggle with reading.

BBB: Do you ever get writer’s block?

MG: No, I was inspired many years ago by hearing an interview with Truman Capote who said he worked at writing as though it were any other kind of job. When he sat down to work, he just started to write and didn’t worry about the quality of the writing at that point—he planned to rewrite most of it anyway. I adopted that philosophy, too; however, I’m sure Truman probably didn’t do anywhere near the amount of rewriting that I have to do! However, I do whatever it takes.

BBB: What are you currently working on?

MG: Right now, I’m writing the third book in the Viking Club series, this time with a basketball setting. I have the same three characters, Chris, Rebecca, and Jaylon, who join forces to track down a cyberbully while grappling with their own personal problems.

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

MG: I have a website at: www.maureengrenier.com.
I also blog about how parents can help children with reading problems and other issues at: http://www.maureengrenier.com/blog/mysteries-for-kids/; and you can sign up at my website for a monthly newsletter.

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Talisa Santiago Series Virtual Tour & eBook Giveaway

5/5/2014

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What or who Inspired you to write “Illuminate-Alive, She Cried?”

My daughters inspired me to write Illuminate-Alive, She Cried, the second book in The Talisa Santiago Series. A couple years ago, I was doing research on Native Americans in the public library when I asked my oldest daughter to check out a book. She said there was nothing she wanted. I laughed and told her I would write a novel for her to read. Twelve weeks later, I gave her Spirit Seeker.

How did you come up with such interesting characters for this novel?

The characters in Illuminate-Alive, She Cried are a mix of many different people I have met throughout my life. Talisa Santiago, the protagonist, was definitely the most difficult character for me to write. I had to separate myself from her, let go of my own moral philosophies and beliefs, and allow Talisa to experience life and love in the way that seemed natural for her, not necessarily natural for me.

Who is your favorite author(s) and why?

I would have to say Harold Robbins and Milan Kundera, two opposites for sure. Robbins because The Betsy was the first book of fiction I read as a kid. I snuck it from my dad and kept it in a brown paper bag. As for Kundera, I picked up The Unbearable Lightness of Being in a used bookstore in college. I had never heard of him, or the book, but as soon as I read the prose, I was hooked.

Tell us about you and your family.

I met my husband when I was eighteen in Myrtle Beach, SC. We were college students from West Virginia working there for summer break. Five years later, we eloped and ran off to Tennessee. We've been married for nineteen years. David is my best friend.

What are your hobbies?

I love to play around with black and white photography, and try different wines. We have a few cellars and are always on the lookout for a new Burgundy (my favorite) Bordeaux or Barolo. I think it would fun to open a little wine shop/bookstore.

About the Books

Some say the concept of rebirth is simply a metaphor for living a better life, a holier life. For seventeen-year old Talisa Santiago, such a resurrection is anything but a metaphor. It is her reality.

Talisa knows she can communicate with the spiritual world. She is the granddaughter of a shaman and going between two different worldly dimensions is something she realizes she is destined to do. However, what she doesn’t count on is what fate has in store for her.

After surviving the first hurricane of the season on the island where she lives, Talisa learns that her life is in grave danger. She must leave immediately and retreat to live with a secretive clan of Indians on a remote reservation deep within the Great Smokey Mountains.

Her blood brothers, three shifters who have the desires of both man and animal surround her, promising everlasting friendship and protection. However, the majestic mountains hold many secrets and danger lurks in the night. As Talisa falls prey to the evil tricksters that want her dead, she unleashed an untamed passion that may get them all killed.

Life is strange and difficult for the granddaughter of a shaman. Sixteen-year-old Talisa Santiago was born in the desert underneath the full moon in January-the wolf moon. However, she left the desert with her mother when she was a young girl. She remembers bits and pieces of her past but it isn't until she and her mom move to a remote barrier island off the coast of North Carolina that she feels fate has finally called-secretive and mysterious he stands alone on the edge of the bank.

Her friends tell her to stay away; she hears rumors that he is dangerous. Still, she can't resist. Whether Talisa realizes it or not, she knows a thing or two about boys like Jag Chavez. Fate is funny that way. For the first time in her life, Talisa meets kids just like her-Native Americans who know the ways of the spirit. The closer she gets to Jag, the more she realizes he is hiding a dark secret. He may have the markings of the Thunderbird, but he is named for the powerful Jaguar. Together they embark on a journey that will haunt her forever.

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